VT: Creative minds think alike! I made a set of butterfly wings very similar to those years ago for a Halloween costume. I couldn't find them again when my small (at the time) daughter required a pair of wings, so I bent some more hangers, found a pretty gauzy fabric, and made her a pair. I tend to think that that episode was the beginning of her interest in costumes--that pair of wings is still hanging in her closet, even though they'd be way small for her now. And they're in good company with a lot of other wings and headdresses and ears and tails she has made over the years. :)

Well here's my happy happy mom story for you all (I clipped this from a PM I was sending to Micca, because it's too good a story to not share):

This has been a week for happy children. My son has been taking guitar lessons for four years from a very good teacher here in Fort Worth. I've wanted him to have those lessons and through financial hard times we've cut other things to keep up the lessons (cable TV is highly over-rated anyway!) We chose Michael because he teaches music, theory, technique, all of those things you generally miss when you take lessons down at the local mass-music store and learn a few songs. Michael gave Dylan a loaner guitar to use (it is a flamenco guitar, one that at the time he said was worth about $1,500 but had "some issues.") Through his studio we had a guitar on order from a Spanish maker, but it never came in, and we've continued with this guitar over the years. Today I figured I'd better set the wheels in motion to get him a classical of his own, because come August he'll be heading to college, and I'd like him to have the classical as well as the electric. Michael responded "I've thought of that as Dylan's guitar for years. It's his."

I am so grateful! And Dylan, also, I think, was surprised, though he didn't show much. But what a tremendous gift. (I was going to ask if I could continue to pay him monthly for the next year after Dylan goes on to college to cover the cost of it.)

This is truly my best christmas gift this year!

SRS