The Party with The Puppet Show

 

Obviously a screen shot. 
That's the best I have
and I didn't crop it so we get Trisa's happy face
and my beautiful white hair!

Today was the Christensen Christmas Party.  This is not a small party and Derek's Mom must spend hours planning it.  After the annual lasagna, french bread and salad dinner it was time for the program.  Every family does something, and everyone is clapped and cheered for (and since everyone is fabulous there is good reason to clap!) The puppet show was the last thing.  We had not practiced and Derek recruited a few of the players right before dinner.

It is funny being behind the puppet theater.  We have our hands out there with the puppets on them but we can't see what we are doing.  I kept wondering if my character "Holly" was moving her mouth okay.  Today we had no control of the puppet's hands and that was odd too.  I was holding the microphone that Connor and I used and he was turning pages on the script.  Most of the other players were sharing a microphone.  I got to watch the show this evening since Amanda (my awesome daughter-in-law) recorded it for us.  It was pretty impressive how well we did.  I did chuckle a lot that Ernie, who was playing a town person, was mostly talking into the side of my puppet while being hidden by another.  It was also quite funny when, in the "Hallmark" puppet show that Derek wrote, my character "danced" with another puppet.  Remember we had no control of the puppet's hands?  And we couldn't see?  Ha ha ha!  It was a bit on the PG-13 side!

During the activities after the program a ward came to get ready for their party.  They were probably super impressed at how fast a ginormous family can clean up activities, decorations, and the kitchen and leave it to them!  We went to the Homestead and finished off the games and dessert there.  It is a long party, but it is also a party full of people who love each other, and like each other too -- and that is a true blessing!