Heirs of the Magi News Flash!

***Heirs of the Magi News Flash!*** Winter has, for the most part, been mild so far - or awesome for the month that Cassie and Michael spent in summertime-Australia! They are home now and will be working from home for most of the time until Easter. The hometown work will include getting ready for their next trip, but there will be a lot of fun to get in on and share with their favorite people - including their March Break trip to Florida adventure. All of your favorite Magi Masters will continue to work and play while their future plans unfold; so... ...Visit Witch Falls often to keep up with all of their latest stories; and Happy Reading!

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Cassie's Journal - December 12, 2014



There has been a lot going on today, so I’ll try to keep it in order for this update and start from the beginning.

It was warmer today again, though not so warm that we could take Tai Chi outdoors this morning.  The forecast is looking really good for the parade in Maple Valley tomorrow too, and while cold and snow is definitely more Christmassy; it will be a lot nicer playing our music outdoors when the temperature is in the fifties instead of sub-freezing!  Tai Chi was still fun this morning, and so was having Michael stay for breakfast.

That was also pretty much the last quiet time we had for the rest of the day.  Michael and I were on the go nearly every minute from the time we got to school.  We had a test and two music practices to fit into our morning; we spent most of our lunch break helping out with getting everything the band needed for the Seniors’ Christmas party over to the church and set up; and then we had a busy afternoon of fun and music.  In addition to our band music, Michael and I were also semi-drafted to sing and play a duet, and since that was a spur-of-the-moment thing; we went with ‘White Christmas’.  We didn’t have Michael’s guitar or my keyboard; so I used the piano in the hall and Michael borrowed a practice guitar that one of the praise team musicians leaves at the church.  If we weren’t making the old ladies cry for the wrong reasons; I’d say we did well enough with our version of the song; and our entire musical program was a hit with our audience.

If all of that wasn’t crazy enough, Rowen, Tim, and I helped with getting everything back to the school, and while Tim isn’t in the band; it was after school by then; so he helped out too.  Michael needed to get to the Inn to pitch in for the dinner rush prep work, and once we were finished at the school; Rowen and I multi-tasked getting ready for the dance with having dinner and getting our homework out of the way for the weekend.  Tim didn’t join us for that, though he had offered to help Rowen with getting ready for the dance while their parents were all working late, so after picking up clothes at her house; we were able to use a little Magi power to help out with getting everything done with time to spare before Michael and Tim picked us up for our date.

Dad needed to take pictures before we left, and Michael and Tim were suitably impressed with the effort Rowen and I put into getting ready and dressed up for the dance; so that part of our night got off to a great start.  We also soon found out that the members of the school band weren’t the only teens who had been busy this afternoon – the decorating for the dance was wonderful; and set the scene for what I hope was a perfect night for nearly everyone who was there.

It certainly was perfect for Michael and me!

We danced; had fun with our friends; enjoyed some awesome Olde Bakery Christmas treats; and dance some more.  There were a lot of little things that went into making the Christmas dance this year so much different for us than last year – though our first one together will still always be magical for me too.  The most obvious is probably the fact that Michael is a popular football star now and I’m a cheerleader; so we’re able to mingle with pretty much every group of teens and tweens.  We’re not in the middle of any teen dramas either, and Rowen and I don’t have any other girls mad at us this year; so that makes going to dances more fun for us too.  There have been some physical developments for both of us since this time last year, and while that statement has my thoughts wandering off somewhere fun and intimate; my point there is more about the difference between Michael and me in height.

A year ago, I wore nearly-flat shoes because there was only an inch in height between us.  Michael’s now about three inches taller than me; so my footwear options are expanding.  That doesn’t mean I’m trying to learn how to walk on six-inch spikes or anything; but I am moving up a level or two on style.  Some women who are reading this might be feeling sorry for me while thinking about their first dances wearing any kind of heels and the sore feet that usually go with those first hours of dancing.  Don’t hate me, but that isn’t actually a problem for someone who self-heals – no foot-pun intended. ;^)

Getting back to the dance, though; let’s cover a few favorite moments.  Every kiss with Michael under the Mistletoe made the top of my best-moments list.  Dancing with Michael – especially to slow songs – was number two; and cuddling with Michael while we sat and talked with Rowen, Tim, and the rest of our friends was number three.  There seems to be a pattern there.  I did manage to notice a few other things going on tonight that didn’t involve Michael and me, with one of those top stories being Rebecca and Lucas’ first Christmas dance together.

I don’t really think about this much, or mention it in my journal very often, but for those of you in the future who might not know Rebecca; she is as stunningly beautiful as her father and brother are handsome.  While that gets her some unwanted attention now and then; she loves seeing Lucas’ reaction to her – a soft, earnest, and slightly astonished-looking awe.  He truly is amazed that she’s picked him; though he shouldn’t be.  Rebecca knows that he loves her for all of the right reasons.  The fact that she’s the hottest girl in the school is just a seriously awesome bonus for him!

Moving along, Rowen and Tim were having as much fun tonight as Michael and I did; most of our friends seemed to be enjoying themselves; and Lily and Reid were probably the top teen couple story for our grade tonight as they were together for their first major teen dating event since getting together at Thanksgiving.  While that story is sweet, there was also some teen or tween drama and some occasional weirdness.  I don’t really want to go there when my night really was amazing; but I guess it wouldn’t be fair to pretend that everything around me was perfect at the dance when I know that it wasn’t.

On the weird side of things, I still find it very uncomfortable when some couples take their public displays of affection way further than I ever would – and I do mean ever!  Yes, I know that’s entirely a personal standard, and I’d likely be shocked if I went to a big-city school dance or something; but I’m just being honest about how I feel.  Since I have written about that before, though; let’s not dwell on it.  I’m not going to spend a lot of time ranting about Christmas break-ups either, and I won’t include names here either; but breaking up at a Christmas dance is right up there with the worst ways of doing that.  Tonight, there were three guys and one girl who seriously deserve to be on Santa’s naughty list – and I’m referring to the worst ways to break up with someone – not the too-enthusiastic, making-out-in-public kind of naughty.

Here’s a suggestion for a few simple Christmas dating rules.  Don’t invite someone or accept an invitation to a Christmas dance if you’re just going to ruin your date’s night by breaking up with them in such a public way.  Don’t go to a Christmas dance with a date and then blow them off and hook up – and go home – with someone else.  Finally, don’t go to a Christmas dance and then put your date down all night and be rude and obnoxious to him or her.  Setting the groundwork for a break-up at a dance is nearly as bad as going ahead and making the big scene would be.

Oh, and as I’ve mentioned before, if you’re breaking up with your girlfriend or boyfriend to avoid Christmas gift buying; that should be an automatic for putting you on Santa’s naughty list – especially if you’ve already planned the make-up’ for the week after Christmas.

Yes, this is a small town, and we generally all try to be good, but we’re not perfect; and that kind of thing does happen here too – if not to the same extent as in other places.

That’s enough of the downside of the local teen zone; so let’s move this along.

It really didn’t cool off that much by the time that Michael walked me home after the dance.  We walked part-way with Rowen, Tim, Rebecca, and Lucas; but split up to go to three separate homes.  Michael came inside with me, and while that was partly to give Rebecca and Lucas a little alone time before his mother picked him up; we were okay with having some wind-down cuddle time too.  We did that in the living room instead of going up to the lounge; and Mandy joined us for a bit of telepathic chat time while cuddling with us.  That wasn’t exactly hot or romantic, but it was fun; and a nice, comfortable way to wrap up an amazing day.

We do have the parade in the morning, so Michael only stayed for a half-hour or so before heading home for the night.  Mandy and I saw him out; watched him walk home; and then came up to bed.  I’ve only been doing the basic nightly computing; and the only news I have to report from that is from my favorite collegians.  They’re all finished with exams now, and some of them are here at home already; but others won’t be travelling until tomorrow – and two of my favorite couples won’t be back until next Monday.  Violet and Dillon are in Woodvale for the weekend; and Josiah went home with Christina for a couple of days.  I wish we could see them sooner, but at least they’ll be here for Christmas – and then for the following weekend when our families will all be home too.  Jake and Stephanie are flying home in the morning, and are staying in an airport hotel tonight, but since we have the parade tomorrow; Michael and I won’t be going to the airport to pick them up tomorrow.  Grandpa Grant and Grandma Eleanor are doing that instead.

Michael and I might not even see Jake and Stephanie much tomorrow, depending on when they’ll be with his family and hers after they get home.  We’ll be busy with babysitting tomorrow night while Mom and Dad are out for their Christmas dinner at the Inn and party at Sheldon’s; so we won’t be able to hang out with them tomorrow night.

Whatever happens with that, it’s going to be a very long day, and I would really like for the entertainment schedule to include some Michael and me time after the kids go to bed; so I’d better get started on my nap time to make sure I’m rested up for that.  I definitely don’t want to get to that part of the day and just fall asleep! ;^)

I’ll let you know how that goes for us, but that’s all I have for tonight; so let’s do the Christmas music video pick and then I’ll listen to it while drifting off into dreamland.

When it comes to Christmas classics, White Christmas is at or near the top of every holiday playlist.  As I mentioned, Michael and I sang this song this afternoon for the Seniors’ Christmas party, and while I think that we did pretty well with our duet; this will always be my personal all-time favorite version of this beautiful Christmas song.





May the Magi Force be with you!