My first time!

My FIRST TIME..

to visit a Black Friday Sale!




My sister needed to buy things for her company's upcoming charity silent auction, so she enlisted my sister in law and I to go along to be a part of her "buy team." So we started our adventure by standing in a 2 block long line at Target at 3:35 in the morning.

It was 32 degrees outside with a windchill factor that certainly put the temperature at about 78 degrees BELOW ZERO. (yep...pretty certain of that....) :P




My sister had a game plan (complete with maps for each of us as well as coffee and hot cinnamon rolls) What a fun time!




We scored everything on our list except the big TV....but that didn't dampen our spirits........so after loading the car, we CHARGED ON (literally and figuratively) to our second stop.



And then headed for the mall:



(Cracks me up seeing all the ladies in the store shopping while the husbands sit outside waiting.)



As the sun started to rise, we pretended we were vampires and headed home.

What fun! We all signed up to do it again next year!

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Especially popular in the United States, the event is spreading to other nations such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. On this day, many retailers open very early, often at 4 a.m., or earlier, and offer promotional sales to kick off the shopping season. It has routinely been the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005,

The day's name originated in Philadelphia, where it originally was used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic which would occur on the day after Thanksgiving. Later an alternative explanation began to be offered: that "Black Friday" indicates the period during which retailers are turning a profit, or "in the black."

The end of an era?

Well, the Marching Band Season is over.

Just a few months of intense rehearsal, performance and competition and we're done.




So farewell Wednesday night rehearsals....

Farewell football games....

Farewell uniforms...



Farewell to my favorite drum major.....

Well, kinda farewell, he still lives with me and all...

With Matt headed to college in the fall, I wonder what our next marching season hold???  (USC Marching Band?  UCLA?)    Almost brings a tear to my eye thinkin about it....think I'll go grab myself another kleenex....to all you moms of little ones out there....don't let them grow up.....you'll thank me later.

 "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Winston Churchill

Arcadia Field Tournament 2010

Well after the BIG parade (see yesterday if you missed that)

We hung around until the evening for the Field Show Competition.  The schools each perform a 9 minute half time routine.

The shows are AMAZING!

Of course my favorite and the BEST was Matt's band. (duh)






Even with my wide angle lens, I have to take separate photos of  each side of the field then glue them together in PhotoShop to become a panorama....












Proud mama and pappa at our very last Arcadia Tournament....

and, no one make fun of me either:  yes, I am bundled up in my fur parka, scarf and gloves....geez it was 57 degrees and I'm a sissy little Californian!



And our drum major accepted quite a few trophies that day -- including High Music (the BEST music of all the field shows!)

All those practices, all the hard work, all the extra effort:  paid off BIG!
 Congrats to the Marching Sundevils!

“Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on that extra effort, that additional few minutes, that soft word of praise or thanks, that delivery of the very best that you can do. It does not matter what others think, it is of prime importance, however, what you think about you. You can never do your best, which should always be your trademark, if you are cutting corners and shirking responsibilities. You are special. Act it. Never neglect the little things.”  Og Mandimo

THE Parade

Well, let's see it's late November....so it must be time for THE big parade.

The Macy's Parade, you might be wondering?


NO - The Arcadia Field Review Parade!



This is THE Big Parade for the Southern California High School Marching bands. It is the GRAND Poo-BA of parades, the Holy Grail, the.....well you get the picture.

So of course it had to rain.


It rained. (Little bit of MC Humor there for a few of my fellow band moms.)








57 degrees and rain did not dampen their spirits or affect their performance. What an incredible group of kids!



 

“Never allow anyone to rain on your parade and thus cast a pall of gloom and defeat on the entire day. Remember that no talent, no self-denial, no brains, no character, are required to set up in the fault-finding business. Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Your time is too precious to be sacrificed in wasted days combating the menial forces of hate, jealously, and envy. Guard your fragile life carefully. Only God can shape a flower, but any foolish child can pull it to pieces"  Og Mandino

My LAST Wednesday night

No I'm not dying or anything.

It was the LAST Wednesday night marching band rehearsal. 

Let me back up a bit.  Our band kids rehearse on the field an hour a day, some Saturdays and every Wednesday night from 6:00-9:30 from August to November.

Our the LAST Wednesday is pretty special.

Because at the end of the night......




The seniors are invited to sit in the middle of the field while the underclassmen surround them.

And they play.



They play to honor their leaders, a kind of tribute to end their marching careers.

Sometimes the seniors laugh at how silly it sounds without the top players, and sometimes they cry realizing that they will soon be leaving this group of kids who are have been their family.....





Us parents sit in the stands and smile and sniffle as well, because we have enjoyed this four year ride called band as much as our kids AND because we know major changes are on the way too.

(Pardon me while I go grab a kleenex...)





Okay, I'm back.



It's an emotional night...for everyone.....just one of many this year I think.....




"The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man's foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher."  ~Thomas Henry Huxley

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,
and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
Gilbert Keith Chesterton



Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
Aesop




If you haven’t all the things you want,
be grateful for the things you don’t have
that you wouldn’t want.
Unknown






When I started counting my blessings,
my whole life turned around.
Willie Nelson





“Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone”
G.B. Stern

Chinese Chicken (Or leftover turkey!) Salad

Okay - just in case you are looking for something to do with your turkey leftovers, here's a recipe for you.  (I'm giving it to you early so you have time to pick up your ingredients)

I usually use chicken, but turkey tastes just fine as well!

The most interesting ingredient is a package of uncooked Top Ramon noodles!  



Crumble the raw noodles up, mix with shredded cabbage, sliced almonds, green onions and some dressing...and your shredded turkey.....

Refrigerate for a few hours....



And, ta DAAAA...you have the most delicious salad!  (And you got rid of your leftover turkey!)

now GOBBLE, GOBBLE!

HERE's the recipe in case you want to give it a try.



What always comes at the end of Thanksgiving?
The letter G!

What do you get if you cross a pointy black hat and some leftover turkey?
A Witch-bone

What would you get if you crossed a turkey with an evil spirit?
A poultrygeist!

Why did they let the turkey join the band?
Because he had the drumsticks.

Why did the pilgrim’s pants keep falling off?
The buckle was on his hat!

Baby Leo: San Diego Newborn Photographer

Newborn Photography is exhausting, but so rewarding! I spent a couple hours with little Leo, cuz he needed some breaks.



That's no problem - I expect it and I'm happy to relax and take a break as well.



In between breaks we captured some wonderful memories!

I suggest parents to be schedule their newborn photo session before the little one arrives - that way we have it on the calendar and can tweak as necessary.




The perfect time for Newborn Portraiture is between 6 days and 2 weeks old - after that they grow so fast they aren't newborn-ish anymore! (Plus they are harder to pose - they are too interested in learning about their world.)






Gift Certificates make the perfect New Baby gift! Click HERE to email me about a gift certificate.






"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."

Lookie Loos

Lookie Loo: A term for someone who looks at something with no intention of buying it. Predominantly used for people who go to open houses when they have no intention of buying any real estate.




I think these birds are a little small for our owl house....




But the whole family took turns checking it out....



Popping inside to see if the rooms were large....




Here's a fun little birdie video that a Savoring The Sweet Life reader sent me. (It's not related to my little Lookie Loos, but is cute nonetheless!

Click HERE

Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.
-  Chinese Proverb