Life Well-Lived, Vol. 6

Today is the SIXTH (!!) installment of "Life Well Lived" the brain child of my good friend Kelsey! The idea is to, every Wednesday, blog about the things in life, small or huge or anywhere in between, that make you joyful, that make you thankful...anything that makes your life WELL LIVED. 

Also, you can now follow @MyLifeWellLived on Twitter!  Follow and post with the hashtag #LifeWellLived and let's make this go viral!

On to today's reason my life is well lived!

1. I've been on the cover of a newspaper...well a SECTION of the newspaper anyway!

 

Every Thursday in our local newspaper, there is an arts/entertainment mini-magazine type thing in the middle of the paper. Whenever a local production is in the works, the Thursday before opening night is usually when the show is featured in Denton Time. I've been in countless productions, but this is the first time I've been in a show/had a role in which I've been actually ON the cover! This was when I played Milly in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in the summer of 2009!

2. I have learned a role in THREE DAYS!

In the fall of 2009, I auditioned for a local production of Chicago.  I was called back and read/sang for the role of Matron "Mama" Morton, but I ended up losing the role to a very talented actress.  Sadly, due to some personal circumstances, the actress had to leave the show with very short notice...one week before the production opened.  The director talked to me on Sunday, I was at rehearsal Monday, we had a preview audience on Thursday, and the show opened Friday.  Whew!  Fear is an EXCELLENT motivator, and that role/experience still stands as one of my proudest accomplishments.  Bonus: Hubby was also in the show as Billy Flynn!

3. A celebrity has replied to me on Twitter! 

Last summer, the short-lived television show The Good Guys was filming in Dallas, starring Colin Hanks (total cutie and son of Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks).  I started stalking following Colin on Twitter and one day he tweeted that he was snacking on some almonds, which he found delicious. I grabbed my own bag of almonds (a great healthy snack, btw!), snapped a pic on my phone, and tweeted it to Colin.  HE REPLIED.  Yes, I was all twitterpated (see what I did there?) for the rest of the day!

4. Every year, my sisters-in-law, niece and I bake Christmas cookies!

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2010

On a whim, we decided to get together and bake Christmas cookies in December of 2008.  My sweet sisters-in-law (my brothers' wives) and I, along with my then-8-year-old niece.  We had a great time, wore dorky, dollar-store Christmas-themed aprons, and made a TON of yummy treats.  We did it the very next year (no picture from 2009 that I can find...sad), and the NEXT year.  This holiday season will be our 4th Annual Hilliard Sister Christmas Cookie Baking and I am already looking for recipes!  It's a great tradition that I hope we continue (and continue to add children to) for years to come.

Now, it's your turn!  Post 3-5 things that you think make your life well lived, and shoot Kelsey an email and let her know!