Show Setup kicks into high gear....

Well the Thanksgiving festivities are over and lots of good food, fun and fellowship were had! Now it's time to kick the light show setup into high gear.

Over the next two days, over 20,000 lights will be artfully arranged in my front yard, connected into the appropriate controller channels and make ready for the "Illumination" on Saturday. The weather is looking to cooperate and for that and so many other things I am incredibly grateful!

Wish us luck and hope to see you at the lighting!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

On this day, I hope everyone can take some time to meditate on their blessings and/or good fortune. I hope you can find something to be thankful today even if it's just the fact that you woke up one more day!

I'm thankful for my family and friends. My faith, my health, our home, the dog, the cat, our church our jobs and so many things I couldn't possibly name them all and still have time to cook the turkey!

Thanks to everyone who has believed in me and my crazy ideas!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!.......now go stuff yourself :-)

Nightmares!!!

Ever have one of those nightmares where you wake up scared out of your skin but you can't remember anything about the dream? Well, had one of those this morning. Woke up around 5am thinking I should be really scared but not sure what I should be scared of!?!?!?

Anyway, since I'm up, I can get an early start on the voiceover programming. Goal: get it done today and the show sequence setup in the timing grid. Sooooooooooo thankful for caffeine!

Turkey Preps

Finally was able to arrange my schedule to take off the days before Thanksgiving. Now I'll have time to work on the light show stuff AND get ready for Turkey Day. I was up early getting my "battle plan" in order. The food list is done, the email has been checked and I'm ready to hit the food store before they have a chance to know what hit'em!

After that, it's time to squeeze in my 4 mile training run and then it'll be lights...lights...lights for the rest of the night!

Time out for marathon training

Saturdays are my "long run" days, and today I had to do 12 miles. Well, here in eastern PA it was 20 degrees when I woke up this morning at 7am. The high was only projected to be 33 degrees. Since I had to run at 7am due to other responsibilities, it was the treadmill for me. (I don't run outside when it's below 30 degrees!!!!)

Long runs on the treadmill are not for the faint of heart; it takes a lot of self-discipline to keep going. Well, I did it. The pace was 11:32 per mile. It took me about 2 hours, 17 minutes to complete, but I did it!!!! Wish I could have done it outside!

New Transmitter

I finally got it; Leon soldered it, and I configured it. My shiny new transmitter. It took an unscheduled trip to Staples to get a new adapter cable, but after it was procured and hooked up to my computer it worked flawlessly. The range is much better than my original and the sound quality is great!

Panic Attack Tuesday!?!?!??!

Well it finally happened. I've been waiting for it....usually happens every year....

....Pre-show PANIC ATTACK!!!!!

Woke up very early this morning and my brain instantly went into hyper-drive listing all the things I still needed to get done for the light show debut on 11/29. As I lay there trying to tell myself "it will be fine" and tried to go back to sleep, I finally gave in, got up and started doing "things".

I'm making a list.....

Santa!!!!

Amidst the light show preparations today, I assembled my new Santa. That's him in the picture. Isn't he cute? The kids should really like the new additions this year...Santa and the train. Hopefully I can post a picture of the train soon!

Did some work on the mega-tree today also! It was a tad chilly (40 degrees and windy) so it went a little slow. I'm glad we did it though because we realized we would need to rethink the tree base. Oh well, I'd rather find this out now than the day before we go live!

Started Prepping outside by taking down lights?

Today I started prepping outside for decorating. First order of business...take down the tree lights from last year???? My daughter thought this a strange way to start too!

Anyway, we wanted to do a better job with stringing lights in the two trees in front of our house. After reviewing the situation, I determined that it was easier to start from scratch than to modify the existing structure (see I did learn something from Extreme Makeover: Home Addition).

So, this afternoon, I removed 2800 lights from the trees out front. I had to assume some pretty interesting positions while trying to unwrap the branches. I'm pretty sure the neighbors thought I was either a)crazy, b)going to kill myself or c)both!

But it's done...and it was 65 degrees today.

Light Show Programming - Check!

Finally finished programming the songs for this year's light show. I thought I had finished a week ago, but then I reallllllllllllly wanted to do a spoof song called "Decorations" by Bob Rivers. It's set to the Beach Boys tune "Good Vibrations" and pokes fun at those of us who are incredibly enthusiastic about our displays. So......I did it.

And now....the programming is complete!

Yes...the Christmas Show is coming...

I'm working feverishly to finish the show for the 11/29 grand lighting. Keep your fingers crossed, say a prayer, do the "christmas light dance" or whatever to insure that it all gets done.

I really need to start earlier next year.....