Perhaps a little off key.

Brace yourself. This post may get lengthy.

This weekend included of a visit to my hometown. Ah, Frankenmuth. Famous for selling the most chicken dinners, Bavarian-style everything and the world's largest Christmas store, a visit to Michigan's little tourist magnet is always an interesting to-do.

For those of you who can't stand the sight of red and green before Dec. 1, Frankenmuth would be your number one worst fear. We drove into town on November 12 and the city already looked like this:

No time is wasted. That's for sure. And despite the fact that I lived in tinseltown for the better of 18 years, it never ceases to amaze me how fast those lights go up. It's a good thing I love Christmas.

After finishing up the annual conversation about how insane the Christmas lights are, I dropped Eric and Sarah off and headed 'home.'

Walking up to my parents' house is always a predictable event. Nonetheless, it's always entertaining. Besides the warm welcome from Tom and Jude (aka, Dad & Mom), I can always count on a loud and lively greeting from my beloved pets. This part begs an introduction. (Note: My dad the vet has 'rescued' all of these little furry friends you're about to meet)

Meet Roxie (with an '-ie'). The only pet that I can actually call my own, Rox displays my love for musical theatre and is named after Chicago's Roxie Hart. Behold her beauty. I still accuse her of sneaking out and modeling for various pet ads. ;) Rox was rescued from behind an office building when she was just a little thing.

Along came Piper. Abused as a little pup, Piper was rescued after my dad repaired her broken leg. Her issues still remain and she is very skittish. Piper doesn't like people and really has no other animal friends, but we still love her. I swear she has never really slept a wink in her life and she barks at ... well, everything.

Last but not least - MAC. A hometown celebrity, this Golden Retriever's name serves as an acronym for his 3-legged nature: Missing A Corner. Don't let his missing hind leg leave you feeling sorry for him. MAC gets around just fine and is loved by everyone he meets. He loves his dad for rescuing him and thinks Piper is the coolest (clearly, he hasn't gotten the memo that Piper doesn't feel the same way about him). MAC also has a big fat crush on Roxie.

On Saturday, we headed off to the 'event of the century' - or, cousin Micah's housewarming par-tay. Following tours of his new home and some riveting conversation, we broke out Rock Band. Hilarity ensued.

Watching amateur vocalists trying to sing on key to rock songs is pure entertainment. I've learned that the most humorous aspects of playing this 'game' are not actually the most obvious parts. It's kind of like watching the extras during a movie or TV show. The fun lies in watching the facial expressions and sudden un-intentional movements. I would say that for Rock Band, these moments generally fall into one of three categories:

1. The 'I forgot this was just a game and really thought I was a rockstar' category. Behold this example:
   
   
2. The 'I cannot smile, laugh or change my expression for fear that I'll mess up' category.



3. The 'Yep, this is not going well' category.

After all the young people took their turns, the young-looking-older adults threw us for a loop and decided to test their skill at this modern form of entertainment. Highlights were Grammie and Grandpa on the drums and in a move of courage - my dad on vocals.


I have every intention of believing he truly enjoyed his 15 minutes of virtual fame although he admitted on the way home that after taking the mic, he thought to himself, "What am I thinking?!" Credit is given where credit is due ... Bravo, Dad.


Thanks to Micah for entertaining all of us :)

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, I present Nick on vocals, Eric & Jake on guitar and Lanny debuting his drumming skills - performing 'Any Way You Want It' originally done by Journey ...

(I apologize that it turns sideways in the middle ... Oops!)