Dec. 3,....

"Howie this is crazy, dreaming of the group and Jesus becoming figurines. Ebinezer Scrooge being possessed. Did Nick make you watch horror movies again for 5 hours like he did 12 years ago?" I asked Howie with a smirk. "AJ" Howie told me with a slight sigh. "It was weird. It wasn't right." Howie told me. "You think your just scared of Christmas with your son and the soon end of the world?" I asked. "AJ?" Howie asked me, in a firm and friendly way. "Why do you ask me that?" Howie asked me. "Well, that could be your problem?" I inferred.

As I picked up some white stuff for AJ's wedding at the local Target store. "Check it out, a nice porcalin Gravey bowl." Howie told me. "Your getting it too." He told me. I showeld him a tie, I had picked out for him that was purple. "Look, that suits you too." AJ told me. "If anyone ask, you don't know you got it for Christmas." We both laughed.

"Ok, video games for the Nickster." Howie said as we took our cart in the early morning across the store. We had to have gone crazy early to shop without risking someone getting wrote up or a riot. Not our policies it's these crazy big box retail stores. They have some wicked, sometimes, crazy out -of-date rules for their people and for our fans to follow. But we had to make it work. As we went to electronics. I grabbed some CDs for the group to listen to that Howie knew we wanted as a group. As Howie got Nick his video games to be from him and I.

"You know Nicky." Howie said with a smirk. "He needs to learn to cook." I told him a joking rythm. Howie laughed. "Yes, he does, but he has a long way to go there. We'll help him every now and then too." Howie told me. "What do you think the true meaning of Christmas, if it is set on the same date as Pagan beliefs and ancient systems winter festivials?" I asked him. "I think you think too much and need to read a history book or 2." Howie told me. Then gave me a hug. Trying not to upset me as we walked towards the cashier. As I made sure to slip the Britney Spears DVD of her "Femme Fatal" and "Dream within a Dream" tour just for him and his wife to enjoy, when James was asleep.

We looked at all the toys he had gotten for James and decided what would over-spoil the kid. That Howie could teach responsiblity with to later. Shopping on the cruise was fun and it was fun to every night, be doing mini shows and then getting love from our fans online too. As I danced and signed some autographs for 5 fans in the store on the cruise. We paid with our Cruise ship Credit cards and went on our way.

Crown was excited she would be meeting BSB tonight for the contest. For the teen fans to do. YAY! As she woke up and got dressed, she couldn't wait. Then her and her father went down as her sister and mother slept and went to the drawing on the port deck, the 2nd deck from under the Captin's deck on the cruise ship. As Brian and AJ drew the last 3 names and then gave them, their prizes as she was called to the stage.

The guys sighed a bit wondering how teens had gotten on the cruise instead of the guys they had been waiting for. I sighed. 'Crown, we can do this, just sing "Larger than Life like you did back home for your sister and your 3 friends from Art class and choir and you'll do fine." ' I told myself in a whisper. As their producer gave me the microphone.

"All you people can't you see, can't you see/" As I sang the first bar. "How your love is affecting our reality!" I belted out. "Every time we're DOWN!" As I did the dance move touching the floor. As my father took pictures of me singing and video too on his 2 in 1 Camera. "YOU CAN MAKE IT RIGHT!" I belted. "That makes you LARGER THAN LIFE!" I continued as I did the dance break to the  instrumental. "Yeah" I belted. Then did the hand moves by my face and the big twist and side kick and mini march at the end. "That Makes YOU LARGER THAN LIFE!" I shouted as I lunged pointing to them at the end, after I used my cart wheel and back flips to the dance break.

They scored me, I got an average of 8.6. I am better at everything than my sister. I don't mean to be for the oldest, which is rarer too. But I just am. "You did a good job, sweetie." My father told me. Nick got on stage and announced the winner. "The winner of The Christmas Contest is Crown" He announced with a shrug. "We need your ID and stuff and from one of your parents too." He announced. "We'll give you the details, just come back stage with us after the show tonight, so don't leave the Cruise's theather, Crown girl." Nick said with a happy smirk.