Super Woman and Santa Claus

Is it a little sad that one of the most exciting parts of my day is picking the "ink" color I am going to use for my post?

~

Today is my little sister Emily's birthday. 

(When you read this, it will actually have been yesterday...but, alas...I was not thinking clearly when I wrote yesterday's blog about today...which was actually yesterday, or is it tomorrow?  See what I mean.  This is confusing business.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
~

I suppose she isn't really "little" anymore...I mean, she is 35 and has six kids, so she is pretty grown up.

However, she will always be MY little sister. :)

Here she is with one of here babies.  By the way...her kids have the cutest feet EVER.  The are perfect little blocks with toes.  And they are super tiny.

SOOOO cute!

The three sisters.  We are all actually the same height.  Kris likes to wear her stilettos when she gets "fancy." 

This was at her 40th birthday party.  She was very fancy. :)

We are all the same weight too.  The camera just added 30 extra pounds on Emily and me.  It is so odd how it does that.

Here is Em's whole family.

I shall name them for you. From top left...

India, baby Pearl, Raven

Wren, Caspian, Emily, Rueben

and in the front Nettle.

(She home schools this entire brood also.)

On top of taking care of this big family, she also takes care of her farm, and, for the last couple of months, our mother.

(Because she doesn't have enough to do already.)

Yes...she definitely earns the "Woman of the Year" award!

She also makes all of her food from scratch, grows a huge garden, and cans/freezes/does whatever you do with produce to keep it from rotting.

She knows how to do all things crafty, as well.

I'm pretty sure the only thing she doesn't know how to do is play the clarinet.

(But she could probably figure it out.)

She even wins when we have our sister's relay races.

The only one who has ever beat her is my daughter's boyfriend....but he is a high school track star...so he doesn't count.

~

On top of being super woman, she is able to maintain her sense of humor (and she has a great sense of humor!) 

I will never know how she does it all...and she makes it look pretty darn effortless.

What I DO know is that I am pretty darn lucky to have her for a sister!
I love you, Emily!

~

I just learned something new.
If you eat tortilla chips while you type, you run the risk of a small little crumb embedding itself in the tiny little crevice by the space key.
Suddenly, your computer will start to act all kinds of crazy...and you will momentarily have no idea what the heck is going on.
Then, you might just pick up the keyboard, and notice that the space key seems to be stuck in an "engaged" position, unlike all of the other keys.
Upon further inspection...you may find that the tiniest particle of chip was causing all of this ridiculousness, and you realize that, perhaps, God was trying to send you a message.
I think it may go a little something like this:
"Beth.  It is almost midnight.  As if it's not bad enough that you are still up writing this thing, do you really need to add injury to insult by eating CHIPS?
I mean, come ON!  Do you want to have to wear your new "fat pants" FOREVER?!!  If I recall, you spent the entire evening lamenting about how gross your "santa-belly" looks, so do you really think eating some chips before you go to bed is going to put you on the fast track to flat abs?
I didn't think so."
God
~
He is such a man.

I have also discovered that when you drive to and from Winona in the dark every night...it doesn't seem like such a long drive after all.
Maybe it takes longer to get there during the day?
Hmmm....I don't plan on making an extra trip tomorrow to find out.
(Have I mentioned that Mark and I are playing for a show in Winona? If not...that is why I am driving there every night.  I didn't think my December was quite busy enough.)
Actually...this has been a good addition to my crazy month.
I love stepping outside of my normal stomping grounds...because you never know what you will find.
I have found some rather delightful new friends.
I have a lovely group of 6 singers whom I quite adore.
(I am music directing this crazy little soiree.)
Most of them are college students from the Winona area.  
And all of them are sweet as can be, lots of fun, and adorable as all get out.
Mark is playing drums.  In a bow tie and suspenders.  
Need I say more?
(The premise is an old time radio show....taking place in the early 1940's)
In addition to singing, and playing for the singing group, I get to make dramatic background music on an old Hammond organ.
(We even looked up the "Alfred Hitchcock chord" today.  Who knew...it is just a minor triad with a major seventh.  I thought it would something a little more labor intensive than that.)
 At any rate, it makes a good "STING" when the bank robbers show up.
~

Anyway...this lady has to get up and play Christmas carols in a few hours. 
(I will share the details tomorrow)

Have a great Friday!