Monday, November 29, 2010

And the season can start now.....

My brother reminded me that last night was the local sing along of The Messiah, by Handel.


I sang in our high school choir and chamber choir, and was directed by the notable "Mr. D". That man had a way of making us teenagers believe there was nothing more important in the world than a well sung song. Christmas was a blur performances and traveling and watching people dab their eyes as you sang your heart out for them. I loved every minute of it.

This video surfaced this year on You Tube, and the awe of this moment, of proclaiming something like this in public, still makes me cry after watching it at least a dozen times.



Mr D. always had a Christmas concert, and the last song was the Hallelujah Chorus. All the alumni who had sang in his classes before would come up from the audience to join the current choir, as students young and old packed the stage to sing this work by Handel. There was nothing like it.


(me-in the sunglasses- and my choir friends with Mr D. and his wife in Disneyland, where we went for our choir tour. 80's clothes and hair, just a bonus.)


Now when I sing it I can barely make it through the notes, which I still have proudly memorized, without a tear or two of my own.

Add to that equation a son, a teenager no less, who has suddenly picked up this love for singing, singing his part by my side, and excited about the song. We filled the chapel, and then some....shoulder to shoulder, hundreds of voices with the accompaniment of a full orchestra and none other than Mr. D. on the organ.


Moments like this seem almost surreal to me, the cycle that life is, the things that stick with us, the beauties of music and art. I felt truly blessed to experience this work (which Handel produced in it's entirety in a miraculous 24 days) and as we sat down at the end of the song (it is proper to always stand for this number) I leaned over and said to my brother, "Okay, now Christmas can come". He nodded, understanding me exactly.

On our way out of the church we noticed a new inch or two of snow covered the walks. The night was quiet, the feeling so sweet....my son grabbed the shovel at the door and started cleaning the walkway "in case the old ladies come out this way."

Then I returned home to a clean house, Christmas boxes stowed away again, candles burning, dishwasher running, and the tree sparkling and glowing.

And the Christmas spirit is here........


Monday, November 15, 2010

I'll Wake Up Early For You

Why does a gal that loves to SLEEP IN (especially on rainy fall days), and usually hits snooze a few times, and always needs just a few more minutes get up at 6:00 am with no hassles?

Because 15 years ago this happened


and that sweet little baby is still sweet, but not so little anymore ,


....and he wants french toast today before leaving for early morning seminary.

....and I love that, in spite of me being the annoying parent, he will occasionally make my day and stand still for a picture with me. I love that he has a grown up sense of humor and makes me laugh when I least expect it. I love that he is a big brother and go-to guy when I truly need it. I love that he has taken to singing and enjoys making music with voice and guitar. I love that he is 4.0smartasallgetout and I have no idea how to help him with his homework.

Happy Birthday, Connley. I love you.

where in the world have the past 15 years gone?

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Blog number 2 wins today

I promise I will be back with yummy images and fall musings soon. I have been hoarding photos and obsessing over magazines a little too much lately. You shall benefit.

What else have I been doing?

Oh yeah...reading.

As the year comes to a close I am in a panic. I really wanted to read 40 books this year, and I am at 29 right now. It is a goal I made with myself, and last year I only read 24, so I am already ahead, but I thought I could do it much easier! (Boo to those weeks of laziness I 'took off' from reading this spring).

I have been involved in a little book club for the past 3 years or so, and it has been a great thing. Great discussions, great books, great friends. I love reading things other people pick, because it gets me out of my comfort zone.

Last month we started a blog......I mean, I started the blog, and it was time to catch up for our Saturday meeting. If you want to see what's up visit my other blog, which won my attention today on posting.

Otherwise, stay tuned. Fall is in the air- and holidays are on their way!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Fighting 40

Soooo..... the big day is here. I was wondering if it would feel weird, you know, old, to be turning 40. The only weird thing about it is I still feel so childish some days. Oh well.

This is how I turn 40

Get up and go running here
My favorite place to knock off 3 miles.


Order a little somethin-somethin from Hammering Redhead on ETSY
I picked my little ones initials for my own admiring. Her jewelry is the kind of stuff you see other people wear and feel jealous.. That will be ME when it arrives. (thanks Melanie for the nice correspondence, too!)

Break down and get the hair you have wanted all your life
Courtesy of REMY hair extensions.
I
LOVE
these things.

Get a thrill in Las Vegas seeing Phantom (amazing, amazing, amazing) and riding the Big Shot on the Stratosphere during my girls only weekend

Lest you think the ride is not scary, please look again. Pay attention to my horrified face.



I guess a picture is worth a thousand words (or laughs, in my case) after all.

(for the record, my pants stayed dry, so I am not as old as I sound)

And that is how I am fighting (or not so much fighting, but relishing) turning 40. Hope I am having this much fun 40 years from now, too.