Holiday Card

I didn't send cards to too many people this year. I did one though. It's a bit different. I capitalized on their likes: Isaak art and Mica listening to music. 

Did you send out cards this year?

It's a Wonderful Life @RoseTheaterCo Review

It was really great to visit The Rose Theater again! It's been awhile, since we've gone there. Too long! Their shows are geared towards kids, and my boys are 13 and 16. BUT their latest show is wonderful for my boy's ages. 

We all enjoyed the show It's a Wonderful Life. It's their first show that they had at The Rose Theater in 1995. 

Overall Thoughts:

Travis said he felt like he could relate to the dad in the play. He seriously can be a Scrooge during this time of year. All holiday things fall in my lap. Santa Claus in our house is not a guy. It's a girl all the way. LOL

Isaak just liked being there. He misses going places, and doing things. It kept his attention all the way through. 

Mica liked that it wasn't a musical. They typically do have mostly musicals at The Rose Theater. A play is great to go to as well. he now gets all the hidden humor that only adults catch. 

I liked that it was less draggy than the movie. The movie just kind of goes on and on. The play didn't seem to do that. It was entertaining throughout. I did feel a bit sad because I thought about how kids missed so much with live performances that places like The Rose Theater offers. 

Safety First:

I have to be honest, we really don't go very many places, since covid became a thing. I'm vaccinate and boosted, I still wear a mask, and I still feel like other people do not care; they either get it or don't. I have to really want to go somewhere to venture out to do things. At this show masks were required. Overall people were respectful of that. The actors didn't wear masks while they were performing. They had less people in the venue to help stop the spread as well. It was also available for online streaming. 

About:

Meet George Bailey, whose guardian angel has to descend on Christmas Eve to save him from despair and to remind him that his has been, after all, a wonderful life. George always wanted to get out of the town he lived in, but one thing lead to another and he was stuck. It's about George realizing that his town and life were not as bad as he thought. Featuring live music from the era and a virtuosic cast playing multiple roles, this production is the perfect homage to the power of community. 

The Set

The set was really pretty with things from the town and decked out with Christmas stuff. I liked seeing old things like the phone, and radio. 

Show Dates:

The show is at The Rose Theater in Omaha, Nebraska from December 5-20, 2021. There are online shows.

It's 75 minutes.   

It is for all ages. 

Cast and Crew:

Actor 1 (Clarence) – Wayne Hudson II 

Actor 2 (Joseph) – Stella Clark-Kaczmarek 

Actor 3 (George Bailey) – Marcel Daly 

Actor 4 (Peter/Mary) – Delaney Jackson 

Actor 5 (Billy/Harry) – Zhomontee Watson 

Actor 6 (Potter/Burt/Others) – Matthew Olsen 

Actor 7 (Pete/Sam/Others) – Natalie Hanson 

Actor 8 (Violet/Erin/others) – Carina Dumarce 

Actor 9 (Janie/others) – Maddie Smith 

Actor 10 (Zuzu/others) – Anina Frey 

Actor 11 (Understudy 3 & 6) – Kevin Ehrhart 

Actor 12 (Understudy 4, 5, 7, 8) – Caulene Hudson-Pace 

Actor 13 (Understudy 1, 2, 9, 10) – Grace Garrigan 

Artistic/Production Credits Director – Sarah Brown 

Assistant Director – LaDareon ‘LD’ Copeland 

Music Director – Jerry Brabec 

Choreographer – Sue Gillespie Booton 

Stage Manager – Lisa Krabbenhoft 

Scenic Designer – Lindsey Purvis Lighting Designer – Matt Benes 

Sound Designer/Engineer – Christy Hernandez 

Costume Designer – Sherri Geerdes 

Hair & Makeup Designer – Zach Kloppenborg 

Director of Production – Erin M. Solemsaas 

Technical Director – Hunter Andrews Props Mistress – Devon Denn-Young 

Scenic Charge Artist – Savannah Savick Master Carpenter – Jackson Curtright Stitchers – Sherri Geerdes, Zach Kloppenborg, Audio Helkuik

Contact The Rose Box Office: 

• 402.345.4849 for more information

• Tickets for play are $20 Main Floor 

• Members of The Rose receive discounted tickets to the production

Disclaimer: I received tickets from The Rose Theater to see It's a Wonderful Life. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

German Christmas Decorations

A traditional German Christmas tree requires traditional handmade German Christmas Decoration.  

I happen to love other cultures! 

On my side it's primarily German, Danish, and Swedish. My Step Grandma on my Dad's side was from the Philippines. I think the culture I connect with the most are Swedish and German. My Great Grandma came to America on a boat from Sweden. When my Grandmother passes away, I inherited a red Swedish horse. 

On my husband's side it's Mexican and German. He has a relative that came from Germany to Herman, Missouri. Half of Travis' relatives records are in Spanish. He has a furniture designer, a book binder, and a shoe designer on that side.

Both of our last names came from German decent: Spiehs and Apel. 
I shop for other culture merchandise, and artist items. It is just special to buy things that are different. Then my house has diversity and inclusion. They are things I want to keep. 

Schmidt Christmas Market has many choices to choose from! I really love their Music Boxes, Nutcrackers, and Ornaments. 
 

• Baby's First Christmas
• Baubles
• Bells
• Blown Glass
• Christmas Clothing
• Christmas Pyramids
• Coca-Cola
• Containers
• Elves
• Gift Baskets
• Handmade German Smokers (Incense)
• Handmade German Wood Decorations
• Hanging Ornaments
• Hubrig Art Folk Art
• Jewelry
• Kurt Adler Collection
• Music Boxes
• Nativity Scenes
• Natural Wood 3D
• Nutcrackers
• Patriotic Ornaments
• Pets
• Poinsettias
• Reindeer
• Santa Claus
• Snow Globes
• Snowmen
• Tabletop
• Texas A&M University
• Wreaths

If you were shopping in their selection, what would you shop for first?

I buy for Christmas all year around. It's not just a November and December things for me. If you want to buy from Schmidt Christmas Market shop here:

https://schmidtchristmasmarket.com/collections/german-christmas-decorations

They have free shipping, when you spend over $20. I know that many places have free shipping much of the time, but these Christmas items come from Germany.

Where is your family from?

What are some special holiday items you have in your house?

Disclaimer: This post may have been exchanged for money. All opinions are my own. 

@Ripleys #BelieveItorNot #MindBlown #giveaway

It's always a fun surprise to open the door, and see a Ripley's Believe It or Not! book waiting, for us to open it. 

My boys were arguing about who was going to get the book, for Christmas. Ha! I said, "Neither one of you is getting it. I'm going to hold off, and give it to your cousin Edison. He doesn't have one yet. In the meantime look at it, and take it all in."

I'm glad to know at 12 and 15 years old they still love Ripley's Believe It or Not! Who am I kidding?! Even I like to look at their books, and go to their museums. They are wild, fun, historic, and captivating.

About Mind Blown!

• It has 256 pages
• It has 1,200 stories that are new and around the world
• It's packed full with colorful pictures, and great typography

This gives you a quick view of what's inside this fun read:

If my coffee table was clear, this would be the book I'd put on it. Sorry/not sorry, but it's filled with garden produce right now. 

I like to learn about crazy art, funky animals, and odd places to visit.

Who wouldn't want a folded fire breathing dragon, or a turtle that has a heart showing through his/her shell? 

I'd rather go to a Radish Festival, Carnival of Yetis, Urban Waterfall building, or a Cartoon Cafe more than most concerts or any rally.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! has all kinds of crazy events to share.

I think it would be spooky cool to go to Ouija Zilla. As a kid every adult told me to stay away from an Ouija Board. Playing with one seemed much more appealing because it was the forbidden game. 

I'm ok with bugs, but I don't know that I could have them crawling all over my face. A food beard would be ok though. 

True story...when I went to Kansas City Art Institute I had a whole class on making clothing out of paper. Some of the sculptures in this book remind me of that. 

I love sculptures where it all comes together at a certain view point!

I never knew how I felt about animals being messed with, but these pets look pretty happy.

It's giveaway time! One US reader will win Ripley's Believe It or Not! Mind Blown! If you want to buy a copy you can get it here, for $17.49.

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: All opinions in this post are my own. Ripley's Believe It or Not! sent me a free book to help with this review.

#TecEssence 3D Moon Light Review

Christmas is coming up!

It's sooner than I anticipated. It’s going to be an odd one. 

We can’t get together as a big family because of COVID. It’s hard because my sister has two kids with trisomy 18. Their immune systems are fragile. Instead we'll take turns having my parents over to each house.

I’m still looking for jobs. I have two in the fire, but still looking out there. So many things are seasonal, or part time. It’s harder work to look for jobs, then it is to work I think. I've been looking for a few years now. It's exhausting. I just want to work, come home, and blog, paint, design, or hold Sunny. Money is tighter. 

The boys are getting older, so buying for them is more challenging. They just got their rooms done. What do I get the that they need or want? I thought about rugs and new overhead lights. They could always use another remote, or headset, for their PS4, that we have them play on only once a week. I got the boys and some of my nephews KEEN insulated thermoses 30% off at work, then 15% off from my discount. I did the same with honey sticks, pistachios, and chapstick. How exciting! *Insert sarcasm here. Holidays are different when they are older. 

I'd love to give them a trip, but again...COVID strikes. Let's be honest...they could care less about clothes these days.

One Holiday Idea: 

I found Mica a little light to go in his room. It will fit well with his space theme. This 3D #TecEssence Moon Light changes colors. It’s smaller than I thought. Just big enough to fit in ones hands. 

You can get it here: https://tecessence.com/collections/all-lights/products/nebula-galaxy-lamp%E2%84%A2, for $39.99. I think that's way too high of a price, for this lamp. I'd be willing to pay $15, for it. It took awhile to ship, wasn't big, the base didn't come put together, it's 3D printed plastic, and I still haven't been able to get the remote battery section to come off without breaking it. It's stubborn. 

It lights up with a USB cord. It has different modes. I like the top picture mode best.

There's a purple mode.

There's a blue mode.

Then there's a red mode.

I did have trouble with getting the remote to work, and open it. 

I actually changed the colors by touching the lamp its self when it was on the USB cord. 

I just can't get it apart! I feel like I'm going to break it. I've pressed on the release, and pulled, I pulled, after doing the a few times I gave up. Travis hasn't tried. It would be best to get it to work, for all the options. 

What are you getting for your kids, or grandkids for Christmas?

Disclaimer: I got this product for a discounted price, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I Hope You Christmas!

Christmas Eve morning rolled around, and we were all still in Christmas Festivities madness.

My sister Terra was getting over Influenza A. My nephew Emerson and Brother-in-law both just got Influenza. Mica was going to bed at 7:30, for a few nights because he didn't feel good. Isaak was feeling better, but had Strep Throat earlier in the week and the week before.

We decided Emerson would stay home with his Dad. Otherwise we were good. I many times questioned if Mica had Isaak's Strep Throat, or an ear infection, but he remained fever free through all of it, so he went to have Christmas Eve with everyone.

Here's the best photo I could get of us. Mica's lips were like that in just about every shot. The ceiling is going to have a light up there. That's where the chimney flue went from our fireplace that we sold. For now it looks like a graduation hat on Mica's head. Am I right?

We went to church. It's something we only do about once a year. Sorry, but I'm truthful, plus there's a story there. My older sister dropped the bomb that they don't want to do the church thing anymore. I want to mention that we are faithful; we just don't go to church. Before the service I texted to my older sister to pick up hand sanitizer because my Aunt was asking for it. She texted, "See that's why I stayed back to get things ready, and get things like that. ;)" I texted and said, "Well I thought about it, but decided since I'm a few years younger than you I need to put a few more years in to going." I was surprised that Isaak participated in the youth sermon, and sang. 

After church we went back to my Mom and Dad's to have a huge meal of soups, shrimp, cheeses, sausages, dips, veggies, crackers, and more. 

That's when my Mom started looking really bad. Feverish! 

Everyone liked their gifts. We all loved the sweet treats a little too much!

Here's one photo of my youngest nephew walking around with the Spider-Man blanket we gave him. I gave him that, and a Paw Patrol video. For his birthday my sister said he loved PJ Masks. What did I get him for party plates? Paw Patrol. He'd never seen Paw Patrol. I said, "Well I'm getting him a Paw Patrol DVD, so he knows what it is."

I hardly get good photos of people unwrapping gifts, and spending time with each other. It's always dark when we have Christmas with my family, and dark when the boys open their gifts in the morning.

Here's a photo on Christmas Day of the boys with their cousin's the same ages as they are. My nephew Evan wanted a hoodie. It's hard to find one under $50! I just didn't want to pay that! I found one on Amazon for $28. Then my nephew Elijah wanted one. Then Mica saw me ordering it, so he wanted one. Isaak liked it too. Aunt Terra got my boys hoodies as well.

My boys hate me a little because I told my Mom to get them these sets instead of Legos:

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They are very complicated. Everything is paper! They each fit their personalities. Isaak's into plants. Mica's into books. I'm sick of Legos. Travis said, "Well you can put them together, and give them to your grandparents." Isaak said, "No way am I going to put that much work into something to have them put that out probably once a year." Ha! 

They got a lot of things they LOVE from their grandparents. No worries. I will do the paper sets with them. It may take a year, but we will get them done.

Christmas morning I got up at 7. Isaak was on the love seat at 6! Just waiting... until we all got up. This is the first year he hasn't believed in Santa. I'm glad he was still excited for Christmas! He doesn't look excited in this photo. He was just sick of waiting for us!

There were a few gifts I was pretty darn excited about giving...

Mica's Spacex Long Sleeve Shirt:

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BUT Mica decided to slice the box with a scissors, and sliced his shirt. We had to pick on him because in preschool he took his shirt, and cut it with a safety scissors right in the middle. This time he sliced right in between the A. I ordered a new one, thinking the sliced one could be a night shirt. But I did decide to try and sew it. I didn't do too bad, so I canceled my order. The best option would be fabric tape, but I'm not a sewer, so I didn't have any. 

I was oddly excited about these steam punk glasses I got last minute. Isaak loved trying some on at The Mall of America. I don't know how much he'll really wear them, but they look crazy, and fun.

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I gave both boys Cheez-it Boxer Briefs, in Cheez-it Cracker boxes. The crackers remained closed, and I slid the boxers in there. It was just a fun way to give their gifts.

I loved Code Piano, I got for Isaak to review. 

Travis and I didn't get each other too much. We got our new phones. That was a lot! 

He did pick out a saw, and a tortilla press. I got a Pizza Peel last minute, to review. He ended up loving it, and made pizza right away. It kind of looks like a spanking paddle. Ha!

I got a few shirts I picked out, and a new kitchen mat. I know not that exciting, but I really wanted a new mat! Our old one was peeling. Plus this one is red. Why not add more color into my already colorful kitchen?

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I also got a Kamboocha Starter Kit, from my Mom. I asked for it, but I'm slightly nervous trying it out. All I have to do is follow the instructions, but I'm horrible with instructions. Only I could mess up Amish Friendship Bread, that was passed down to me. I have to get past this fear of screwing things up.  

Both boys hugged us when they got their first game station, PlayStation 4. I have a lot to learn. Who knew it only came with one controller? Not me. I didn't know you have to pay extra to play online with other people. It's all new to me. I told that to the Game Stop guy, when Mica went to pick out a few games.

What were some of your favorite gifts you got or gave?