December 5th, NBC will air Carrie Underwood's Sound of Music Live. We will be praying for a good show for Carrie. My house will be watching and cheering you on, Girl!!!
So in honor of the big Sound of Music show coming up, I thought I would list my suggestions for movie musicals. With plenty of singing and dancing, they are fun to watch and sing along to over the holidays.
Not in any particular order. Too hard for me to rate. I have so many favorites.
Hello Dolly! Barbara Streisand and Walter Mathau--- Directed by Gene Kelly.
Guys and Dolls with Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.
Grease. Although not for the kids, I own the fold out album. Memories from my childhood.
Mame with the great Lucille Ball.
Anything Goes--Bing Crosby
Viva Las Vegas--Elvis
Evita with Madonna and Antonio Banderas.
High School Musical
Top Hat with my favorite Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
King and I with Yule Brenner and Deborah Kerr.
Singing in the Rain with Gene Kelley, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds.
Les Miserables. The 2012 version with Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman.
Mary Poppins with Julie Andrews and Dick Vandyke.
Annie with Carol Burnett.
Wizard of Oz--Judy Garland
Dreamgirls--2006 with Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Fox, Eddie Murphy, and Beyoncé
Music Man-- Both old and new :)
Jazz Singer with Neil Diamond
Mama Mia- Not a fan of the story but I can sing along with Abba all day long!!!!
Little Shop of Horrors with Steve Martin (Also not for the kiddos)
Pete's Dragon with Helen Reddy and Mickey Rooney
All Muppet Musicals
All Shirley Temple movies
And of course...Sound of Music with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.
Taking down a box full of pictures and high school mementos from my closet, I find many photos and notes from old girl friends and boys I dated. I rarely think about high school. Not because it was a difficult time. It actually was so much fun. I was very involved in my church youth group and active in drama club and concert choir at school. I had some beautiful and precious girl friends. The busy-ness of homeschooling and gratefulness for today leaves little time to connect with the past high school gang.
Do you ever wish you could be like those movies? The ones where they travel back in time and leave a message for their younger self. When I do look back, I wish that I too could do that. I would tell my teen-young woman self to focus on Christ and the work God had for me to do those precious single years. You see I split my heart in those years. Half my heart was given to my savior and the other half was boy crazy. Too many romance movies had changed my view of what was important in the world.
I had a plan back in those days. It was called "The Friendship Plan." Thus a clue as to why When Harry Met Sally is one of my favorite movies. I spent a good deal of my time trying to work the plan. Here is the gist of it:
Step One-- Have a boy that is a close friend become my best friend.
Step Two-- The best friends realize one day that we have feelings for one another, more than "just friends."
Step Three--We date and fall in love. We have deep conversations, romantic dates, and the boy loves the Lord and leads us in regular Bible study. Yes, Bible study. For real!!!
Step Four-- The boy asks me to wear his high school ring.
Step Five--We get engaged, married, and live happily ever after.
In my letter to my younger self I would tell myself to ditch "The Plan", and understand God our Father is in complete control. He has a plan for you, younger me, and it is far better than yours. Trust in Him. Just grasping that attribute of God, His complete control, would have changed my whole thinking back then. It was not up to me, but up to Him.
I wasted so much time chasing guys. Time I should have been caring for my girlfriends, serving others, sharing the gospel. I also went for the guys that were basically jerks (self centered flirts). To all the sweet guys that asked me out or that I too shortly dated, I am so sorry that I always seemed to go for the guy that was not the "good" guy. Younger me, appreciate the gentlemen and lose the losers. Those smart sweet "geeks" are what's really cool.
When I met my man, I was still working the plan and hard. I was now in my mid 20's and not one guy had asked me to wear his high school ring. Not one. All those good ones I mentioned were either married or heading down the aisle by then. Where was my Mr. Right? "The Plan" did not include waiting this long to get married.
My cowboy was different than anyone I had ever dated, to say the least. As a matter of fact he wasn't like any man I had met before. The night we met he asked for my phone number. I thought he would never call me. I lived in Fort Worth and he in Oklahoma. How would we go on a date? I drove the three hour drive back home from that homecoming weekend exhausted from staying up late talking to my new Stetson hatted friend. After some much needed sleep in my warm soft bed at the home where I grew up, I called my girl friend to come over and hear about the guy I'd met. We rented 8 Seconds from Blockbuster. The movie 8 Seconds is the story of Lane Frost, the World Champ bull rider that died way too young. He too was known for his polite courteous country manners with fans. All those "ma'ams" and gentle down home ways reminded me of the new guy I met back in OKC. There is one particular scene in which Lane takes his soon to be wife on a first date to Whataburger. Sitting there in the booth he asks, "How's your Whatachicken?" Would these be what my dates with Stetson would be like? Not sure I was cut out for that. Remember step 3- Romantic Dates!
After saying so long to my best girl friend, I had just settled in to my bed when the phone rang. That low raspy voice was on the other line, "Hello." I cannot believe he really called. I asked if he even remembered what I looked like. "What color are my eyes?" "Sure I remember." He distinctly claimed. "They're brown, right?" Wrong answer. :) They are totally BLUE!!! We still joke about that.
He was calling from a phone booth. "I have to get my long distance turned back on so I can call you again." "Why was your long distance cut off?" I asked, between him adding more change to continue our call. He explained that he had met a guy down on his luck and invited him to stay with him for awhile. In return the guy ran up long distance calls on his phone, stole from him, and took off. You can imagine my absolute bewilderment as to how someone invites a stranger to live with him. This was the ways of the new man in my life. Let's fast forward a little through a word montage.
Cowboy came to visit me in Texas the next weekend after we met. He stayed with my best friends. I took him to Billy Bobs and locked my keys in the car.
He saved me from attack ducks at the park.
We took turns traveling back and forth from Fort Worth to Oklahoma city. We enjoyed cuddling and watching movies on the couch. No big dates, except he did like to take me to El Chicos. We also saw The Santa Clause with Tim Allen. I felt like I had my own "Tool Man" OOHH OOHHH OOHH OOh. For those of you who know Tim Allen's signature grunt from Home Improvement.
He took me to meet his granddaddy, the first family member I met. His granddaddy was a nationally renowned sculptor. His house looked like a museum. He had a model T car, antiques in every corner, and a dusty living room covered in bronze sculptures that he fashioned with his own hands. He giggled like a young boy as he shared stories about my man's nana, and how they met in World War II. Then the two relayed remembrances of many hunting trips they had shared, despite Grandaddy's hearing aid that squealed more than helped his hearing. It was my Cowboy's sweet love for his granddaddy that made me fall for him.
I made him a 14 Days of Valentine's with 14 little gifts for him to open everyday of February until V-Day. He, spur of the moment, had us head to the mall to pick out some chocolates from the candy booth. The lady let me pick whichever yummy chocolate drizzled treats I wanted. She placed them in a satin ruffled heart shaped box. MMMMMM!
Okie man loved to sing at the top of his lungs along to the country music on the radio with the windows rolled down. Still does today, only he has 4 voices joining in now.
He once made me a roast in a crock pot that he simmered for 3 days. He wanted it to be really tender. The longer it cooked the more tender, right?
He likes spicy food and I like mine mild. He once ate Mexican food soooooo spicy it brought tears to his eyes and sweat to his brow.
I tried to impress him with the only meal I knew how to make--BBQ pork chops, mac and cheese, and Ranch style beans. Wait, I'm a city girl!
This boy that had been stationed at Army base, Fort Polk in Louisiana taught me how to suck the heads off a crawdad.
My man has never met a stranger. He is friendly with any by-stander he meets, always striking up a conversation. In fact every where we go he is either visiting with folks we do not know or running in to old friends he used to know. Even when our family went to Disney World he ran into an old buddy from his hometown.
On a beautiful warm sunshiny day you might find us together by the pond. He would fish and I read a book. He loves the outdoors.
My grandmother gave him my grandfather's old tackle box. He still uses it today.
He yelled and cheered so loud at the Bullnanza (Yes, I went to a Bullnanza. There is a first time for everything.) the girl next to me asked if he could quiet down. His yee hawing was hurting her ears. I wanted to crawl under the seat. Even more so, when I realized she was a girl I used to go to church with and hadn't seen her in years. "Oh, it's Cindy from years ago here with really loud whooping cowboy."
Danced to Merl Haggard in concert. I bought the tickets as a surprise, and my cowboy dropped everything to drive down.
Let me tell ya. My guy can dance. You name a country dance-2 Step -yep- Electric Slide--yep--Cotton Eye Joe--you guessed it--Shoddish--no problem--Swing--oh yeah. My favorite--the Tush Push. That is something we had in common. I came from a dance background. Country dance was new to me, but just show me the steps and I will keep on up, honey.
He gave me a simple ring for Christmas. A promise ring that one day he would like me to be his. I gave him his first Bible.
My friends called him "Cowboy Guy" and he had to endure some of them telling him they were not sure he was right for me. The hardest one for him to endure was my homosexual friend, Larry, that I worked with at Dillards. I think my "Cowboy Guy" learned a big lesson that Larry was a great guy even though we did not agree on his life style choice. We love you, Larry, wherever you are now!!!!
He got in a fist fight over a poker game with his brother in law a week before our wedding. My biggest fear was that he would have a black eye on our wedding day.
We shopped for his whole family's Christmas presents at Walmart, and he wrapped them in the plastic shopping bag they came in.
We talked for hours every night long distance racking up the phone bill. But never on Monday night's during football season.
I taught his outside dog, Keeper, as in "She's a Keeper," the one that was not allowed inside or to lick you in the face--I taught her to come inside, lay on the couch, and give kisses. :)
Went to see Garth Brooks in concert with his sister. The best concert EVER!!!!
We would not want to let go of one another when it was time for him or I to head back across that Red River border that came between his home and mine. We would good bye and kiss forever. Sometimes I would cry. I got this terrible sick feeling down in the pit of my stomach. I was leaving part of me behind. It seemed like it would be way too long until we would be together again.
This man always stopped for stalled cars on the side of the road. Always! He never worried about the dangers, only those that might be stranded.
I taught my country boy to shut the windows at night, bolt the doors around the house, and keep his car locked. City life is not as trusting and free.
He taught me to try mom and pop places and to not plan every moment of my day.
My country man may not have planned elaborate dates or given me extravagant gifts, he was so different than what I ever dreamed of. Very different than the city guys I grew up with. He was stubborn and sure. He had no since of protocol. He followed the winding road, no plan needed. He did not own any dress clothes when I met him, only boots and jeans. He thought I was the most beautiful, amazing girl he had ever met. He told me so all the time. There were no games. If he felt something he said it. He encouraged me to do what was best for me. He cheered me on to try things I never thought I could do before. He wondered why I wasn't turning back to the God I claimed to serve so faithfully when younger. He was willing to try and figure out how to be a Godly leader if that was the man I needed. He always made me look him straight in the eyes. He told me he loved me a week after we met and he meant it. He was a mature man that could handle taking care of his woman. I was his "good" girl and he was a wild maverick.
Tune in next time and I will tell you about what happened when while we were dating, I was in Oklahoma City with my country boy on the day of the Oklahoma City Bombing of the Murrah Federal Building and then how my guy proposed to me under a meteor shower.
#10 Coke, Coffee with Hazelnut Creamer, and Chocolate---Of Course :)
#9 Texas. We recently went to San Antonio to visit the Alamo. Thinking about the history of Texas fight for independence, I feel even a greater since of over whelming pride in my state than just that which seems to be instinctive to all those born here. The folks in the south are neighborly and friendly. From the rolling hills, to the winding rivers, and the longhorn cattle; I love living here and being called a Texan.
#8 Books, books, and more books. I love the way the library smells like old books. I also love reminiscing with my boys about our favorite moments in books that we've shared. Even more so, I love that God wrote us a love letter that we can read every day.
#7 Music. Every night before we go to bed my children practice piano and guitar. It blesses me more than I can say. Hearing them play, fills my heart with peace and joy. There is nothing better than a home filled with music. On Sunday morning, I sing with my church choir. It is most excellent as well. The blending of the voices with the orchestra all glorifying our Great God. Beautiful! When I clean the house I also like to crank up the tunes. Whether it is show tunes, 80s, country, or worship music-- whatever my mood their is a song that can relate and express my thoughts.
#6 My parents and my grandparents. I am so blessed that my parents are alive and well. They have always loved and supported us. Having my parents in my corner helps me feel safe and sure. My grandparents are no longer with us. I really miss my time with all them. Looking back, I took so many holidays with them for granted. My Grandma Leslie particularly. Her last Christmas here I did not go see her at the nursing home because of the icy weather that year. It was the first Christmas I ever missed going to see her. My grandparents also gave me a sweet since of belonging. I have a heritage and I am part of a legacy--Such treasured memories, heirlooms, and stories.
#5 Teaching Drama. Every week I have the opportunity to share my passion for theatre with jr. high and high school students. I get to dabble in costume design, act out imaginary worlds, and direct plays to entertain audiences.
#4 Basset Hounds. They are warm, wrinkly, and fuzzy. Did you know it is very cathartic to curl up and hug man's best friend? Well it is the best on a stressful day to cuddle with Murry. My Murry loves and loves and loves.
#3 My boys! Being a teacher, I have met many many wonderful kiddos, but in ALL the world there is not 3 better boys than my 3 sons. God blessed me with the 3 very BEST ones!!!
#2 My husband. We have almost been married 18 years. I'm thankful that he puts up with me. I am very seriously flawed. I appreciate that he still calls me his girl. He has taught me to be more flexible and try the road less traveled.
And #1 So thankful for God the Father's love for me. That He is slow to anger and abounding in love. That He sent His son Jesus to endure the wrath for my sin. Without Christ Messiah I would have no hope. Grateful for The Holy Spirit that is working to change my heart to be more like my Father's.
So the mysterious cowboy guy walks cross the dance floor. Totally true story here folks. He has deep blue eyes with a little fleck of brown on the right one. This smooth wrangler had a grin from ear to ear, as he strolled up and asked, "Would you like to dance?" Did I mention how I got to this country bar? Well I should back up then and go over that. Let's back up a year and a half before this.
After graduation, my 2 year long relationship with B ended in much weeping and gnashing of teeth on my part. He was a preacher's kid that lived up to the stereo type. He spent most of his college years rebelling and working out the restraints of a conservative Baptist up-bringing. When we had begun dating my junior year in college, I was at an all time Christian high. I had been to the mountain away at Christian school and was so deeply in love with Christ. Enjoying and devouring every wonderful morsel Elisabeth Elliot served up in her book Passion and Purity. I constantly added verses, poems, and prayers to my journal. I even made a Valentine's card that February giving my heart to God my Father. It seems like it is at these times that Satan lurks ready to get a foot hold. Ignoring all the warnings from my sorority sisters about long haired B, I followed the plots of all the popular movies and opted for what I thought was an exciting "romance." Some how God had a plan. "All things work for good for those that love the Lord." The "good" God had planned in this story of my redemption came after much heart ache and wrong choices.
Flash forward again to the weekend of my meeting God's Mr. Right for me. After 3 years of my own living in rebellion to the Lord I had loved so much as a young woman, I was still trying to move on past B. I desperately needed to change my life. I had been looking for a husband by going to clubs with my friends. Clubs I would not have thought about stepping foot in 3 years before. I attended church but felt God was disappointed in His child. How would He ever trust me again.
2 of my OBU girlfriends invited me to meet them for homecoming in Shawnee. My one girlfriend had arranged some dates for all of us. After many homecoming events that day, including the big game--Go Bison! Let 'er go KA RIP!!! The three of us dropped by one of the old gang's home. It was full of college students younger than us and alum that were glad to see old friends. Wassail was brewing in the kitchen and conversation was warm as the cup. Then all went cold as of course who should be there, but yes, B. After a very chilly hello it was time to get out of there, and how?
Where were these promised great dates? Let's get 'em and roll! I'll show B he is old news. What? They can't make it? My choice is back to the hotel and sleep. My gal pals talked me in to heading to a Norman hot spot anyway. About 20 minutes in I was ready to head back to the hotel. "Really, gals this has been nice and all, but lets make it a night." Then he arrived. Little did I know God would change my life through this cigarette smoking, Whiskey drinking, army vet, cowboy.
We danced through several dances. He would always ask me for another. Not sure of his motives I finally told him no thank you... no more and went back to my friends. My buddies were in shock. Who's the guy? Now I was really ready to call it a night. I lived in Fort Worth. That was 200 miles away. This man was a stranger. A cute stranger mind you. "Don't look now but here he comes." As I sat on the bar stool at our table he came over and asked if I would like to meet his friends. His friends? More cowfolk? Was he there with his ranch buddies? My friends might want to check this out but not me. I told my gal pals to please come search and rescue me in 10 minutes if I did not return. I reluctantly walked with him to meet "the friends." They were not at all what I expected. My guy was there with his married couple friends. They had asked him out to cheer him up. He too had recently experienced a major breakup. He left me there with Dee Dee while he and his buddy went to buy another round. I was given the ultimate honor of taking care of his hat. He even used words like "ma'am" and darlin'." That deep voice maybe I could get used to. His friend Dee Dee was so friendly. She looked like someone I would be close girl friends with. Dee Dee explained to me that this Cowboy, that I had just met, was really the sweetest man. The best guy. Listening, I set his hat on the table right side up. "Oh, he would not like you to set his hat down like that. You should know how to lay a hat. It sits like this." She picked it up and demonstrated the proper way to perch a hat so that it does not get misshapen. Who was she to tell me how to hold my man's hat? I knew then and there no one would ever take this guys hat away from me again.
More next time......... To be continued......
Ree said that she wrote her novel in hopes that those reading it might remember falling in love with there husbands once upon a time. That is my hope for you too as I reminisce here. :)
One of mine and Dave's songs from the old days. The pastor read some of the verses at our wedding ceremony.
Watch for the fireman in the crystal lake with some lady. What is with that in this video. Weird?!
Folks who know me and have seen the extreme amount of O.U. paraphernalia that surrounds my family can come to the conclusion that I must have an Okie somewhere around here. Well yes I do! My hubby is an Okie to the core, born and raised in the heartland---tornado alley.
I just finished reading Ree Drummond's sweet romance novel about how she, a city girl vegetarian, met her cattle rancher husband Ladd in From Black Heals to Tractor Wheels. I have never met fellow homeschooler and native Oklahoman, Ree, but I am a big fan of the Pioneer Woman as she calls herself on her blog. I think if we were to meet we could have a few laughs and enjoy some Nutella laced chocolate cake.
In a spirit of fun competition-- I throw down the gauntlet, Ree, and present Stetson Hat to City Cat:
I grew up in the 80's. My high school years were full of big hair, blue eye shadow, preppy turned up collars, boys wearing pink, Madonna, and Brat Pack movies. My graduating senior class had over 500 students, and that was really and truly in my class alone. You can imagine the graduation ceremony--the convention center, all those names being read, all those kids walking across the stage, phew! I am a proud Texan. You have to be if you grow up in Dallas/ Fort Worth. I think they must teach all Texans that it is the best and only state in the union beginning in kindergarten. You know the stars at night are only big and bright deep in the heart of TEXAS! Texas gal, yes. Cowgirl--no way! In my school there was a group of cowboys and girls. I think we called them Ropers back then. I hope it was because of the Roper boots they wore and not because we thought they all roped cattle. This goes to show you how clueless I was to the whole "Roper" thing.
Well, even though I grew up in Texas I had been on a horse maybe once. I had not owned a cowboy hat since my Easter treats came in one when I was little. My music of choice was Kid Kraddick's top pop song dedication hour. I did, however, know Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's crossover Islands in the Stream. I was a major city girl. In the words of Harry from When Harry Met Sally I was the, "Worst kind. Your high maintenance but think your low maintenance." I graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University and later became an assistant manager at Dillard's. My degree was in Theatre and Communication Education, but started at Dillard's right after college with the plan to attend grad school at the University of North Texas. I got one big semester there done before I decided a Masters was not for me...but that is another story. You can imagine that for a young twenty something city gal like me, a Dillard's employee discount was like handing over a magic card.
I lived at home with my mom, hung out with my friends, taught drama part time at the dance studio where I continued taking dance lessons, and attended the church in which I grew up. It was November, like it is now :) I made plans to visit my ole alma mater in Oklahoma for homecoming. The year was 1994. It was at a smoky bar in Norman, Oklahoma that I met my own cowboy. He noticed me right away. So he tells me. I'm sure it was the fact that I had on my cool and "funky" wear. Or was it spunky? I was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, complete with vest and long necklace. I had on ankle boots that laced (not the cowboy kind but the ones that are making the rounds again now). My hair was long and curly and dyed dark brown. I would say like now, but it looked so much better then, and I dye it now to cover the many many grays. Well this place played mostly country music. Thus why my man was there, duh. (Have you ever noticed that "duh" is not very feminine to say?) I looked completely out of place. Probably like I had broken down on my way to club 90210(Like the Peach Pit After Dark) and only come in to use the phone. (There weren't really any cell phones back then).
He in his skinny tight wranglers, cowboy boots, slightly unbuttoned crisp starched shirt, wavy brown hair, black Stetson hat with a tucked turkey feather trophy acquired on hunting trip, and his signature moustache that would make Tom Selleck jealous, walked across the dance floor and said, "Would you like to dance?"
Picture courtesy of