Mothers Against Blogging

I’m going to have to veto the Christmas Miracle about the Gold’s Gym in Rochester. I did go last night but it was through driving a driving rainstorm (lightning and thunder) and through a pretty scary part of town.
But the place that I’m staying has a really nice workout room……..so we’ll just count that as another Christmas Miracle!

Just a short blog with an update on my Christmas Miracles:
1) went to buy a case for my music stand - Summerhays gave me one for free!
2) didn’t need to get a substitute for the Temple because it’s closed for the 24th
3) found out there’s a Gold’s Gym in Rochester
note: not a Christmas miracle is that it’s supposed to rain most of the time. But I did get an umbrella so I’m prepared for anything!

Just thought you’d like to know

In our family we like to call nice things that happen “Christmas Miracles”. They can be really small things like getting a good parking spot at the store or getting a bargain on cereal at the store. Things like that. We also have big “Christmas Miracles” happen.  That will be for another blog.
This is about my medium size “Christmas Miracle”.
As my family knows I have been attending music camp (or as Bob likes to put it “band camp”) for the past 3 years. It’s so much fun. I get to meet with other people like me that are learning to play the violin, viola, cello or bass. We play together every day in an orchestra or in small chamber groups. The past two years the camp was in the beautiful town of Chautauqua, New York. I had so much fun and had plans to attend again this year. I got an email a few days ago that the orchestra section of music camp had been cancelled because of such low enrollment. They said I would be welcome to come and play my cello in the band.
I was so disappointed. I hoped (and even prayed) that some people would miraculously sign up and the string portion of band camp would be back on.
On Tuesday of this past week I found out why the numbers were so low. I was told that there was a string camp being held on July 22-25 in Rochester New York on the Roberts Weslayan college campus. The deadline was July 6 to register and it was July 8. I took a chance and emailed them right away. A few minutes later I got a response - they said they would love to have me come. I changed my flight, car, and hotel and registered for their camp. I’m so excited. I’m leaving on Tuesday, July 21 and returning home Saturday, July 25. This camp seems like it was custom made for me. It will involve people that are doing what I’m doing - learning to play a string instrument at my age.  There will be classes that will be useful for me and the chance to play in a big orchestra and with some small groups.   I know it might not seem that exciting to others but it was a true “Christmas Miracle” for me!!!!

Before I forget I have to write a short blog about my 7 year old Grandson, Jeffrey. Jeffrey is such a cute little guy. He has the mix of our daughter, Brooke, who has blonde hair and fair skin and his father, Jorge. Jorge is a handsome Bolivian with dark hair and dark skin. Jeffrey has the best of both worlds with his big dark eyes, olive skin and sensitive nature. But enough about all that. Here’s what is so cute about this guy. Last week I took he and his sister, Emma (equally beautiful with the same dark eyes and olive skin) to WalMart for some gardening supplies. While we were there he asked if I could get him a notebook so he could write down his to do list each day. He also asked if I could get Emma a notebook to draw in because she’s an “artist”. I asked him what he was if Emma was an artist. He thought for several seconds and then said “I’m a thinker”. I think he nailed it. He is a thinker.
We have a retaining wall that’s falling down into our neighbor’s back yard and we’re trying to figure out how to repair it. I took him over yesterday to see what he thought. He pondered what should be done – he reminded me that he was a “thinker”. He finally came up with a solution. He would mix a pail of cement to pour on the wall. Then he and his friend and cousin (Mikey and Jacob) could then lift the huge boulders up onto the cement. I think it might work – and it might save us hundreds of dollars. I’ll post the results in another riveting blog.

This was definitely one of the wildest Mother’s Day’s I’ve ever had.  It started out calm enough.  Got up, delivered flowers to the Grands, went to church, played piano for Primary, walked through my garden, prepared lunch, read a little.  Then the excitement began.  Here’s what happened:I planned that we would go on a picnic for Mother’s Day - no mess, no cooking, no noise ?????I drove around Friday and Saturday afternoon looking for a nice park (with baby swings - that was a must) for our Sunday picnic.  I finally decided on a local park - nice table, grass, playground.  I drove over 2 hours early to reserve a table and then went home and got prepared to pick up my Mom.When we got there there was a huge group of people who had reserved that area.  So I was promptly kicked off. We went to another area of the park and found a table surrounded by other people.  But we set up our picnic - everyone arrived - and then the excitement began.  For one thing there were around 10 dogs running loose - terrorizing the Grandkids and trying to eat our food.  We dealt with that in our own special way (Jen, I’m calling the city tomorrow to complain about those loose dogs).  Then a really loud Latino band started playing across the park.  We had no idea what they were singing but kids and adults around us were singing along in Spanish.  Actually it was quite comical - because of what I had pictured and what our picnic became.All in all it was fun - because it’s always fun for me to be with the family.  But I’m not sure I’ll try a Mother’s Day picnic again!

Hi Everyone,I’ve decided to start writing on my blog again and I think Mother’s Day is the perfect time for a new start.Mother’s Day is a day with mixed feelings for most moms.  I think we hear so much about perfect, wonderful mom’s that we know we never have and never will live up to that high praise.  But today I just feel so happy to be a Mom and a Grandma to my children and sweet grandchildren.  They fill my life with joy and fulfillment.  I also want to pay tribute to my Mom.  It doesn’t matter how old I get - it’s nice to still have a mom who loves me unconditionally and who I know would do anything for me.  She loves her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and gets much joy from their visits.I also have a good mother-in-law.  She has been a great example of love and hard work through theyears that I have known her.  She loves my husband more than anything and she is also a sweet grandma to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And last of all - I am so grateful for the example my daughters and daughters-in-law are as mothers.  They are doing such a great job of being moms.  It feels so good to know that my grandchildren are under such great care.Happy Mother’s Day to all of us!

This is just a short blog (but more than most of my family has done lately) to wish all of you a Merry Christmas.

Also, to let my family know how much I love them!

I’ll write more later,

Love, ME

It’s 4:00 am in the morning (I actually got up at 3:30) and I’m up cleaning, folding clothes, dusting, and doing whatever I can to pass the time until we leave for New York at 7:30. We’re going to watch the American Fork High School Band perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. I’m so excited. Like a little kid!

Jermie, our son-in-law, is the assistant director and we’re so proud of him for his talent and for having opportunities like this.

We’ve also just celebrated Thanksgiving with our family - plus. We had around 40 people at our house Sunday for a Thanksgiving Feast Buffet. It was fun - but the best part was getting the news that we have two little sweet grandchildren on the way. Preston and Jen are expecting their first - YEAH! - and Jermie and Amber will be having their third. I don’t know how we can love anyone more than we love the ones that are already here but it will happen!!!! We feel so blessed!

We also just said goodbye to Paula, Greg and Spencer. They were here to work their little hearts out finishing our basement. It’s going to be so nice to have some extra play/entertainment areas especially as the family grows!

Let’s see - it’s 4:26 - I guess that’s all the time I’ll spend on this update. But I’ll write more later and fill you in on the Fabulous New York Adventure.

Blogger MOM

As my husband loves to tell people I am now at “band camp”!  Actually I am in beautiful Chautaqua, New York, with hundreds of “over 40 - more like over 60 year olds” playing my cello.  Actually, most of the people are in a New Horizons Band somewhere in the country.  There are about 30 string students who are members of New Horizons Orchestras.  We are all at different levels of musicianship but it doesn’t matter in this environment.  It’s so much fun talking to people and seeing this beautiful part of New York.  I also love making music with these wonderful people.  Most of them took up this hobby after their kids were grown and are just learning like me! 

First I’d like to thank my husband for encouraging me to find new hobbies.  He is also the one who sent me on this fun adventure.  I don’t know of very many husbands who would do that!  (I also think he’s enjoying having the house to himself for a few days!)

Next, I’d like to thank my kids who also are so supportive.  They encourage me and tell me that I can do whatever I want - even as an old Grandma!

I’d also like to thank Jakie for calling me last night (while I was driving in the dark) to sing his part in the church primary program.  It’s a good thing I got back to my Inn safely - because he made me cry!  You did such a good job Jacob!

I love my family so much.  I am really going to write more later about the little ones - but right now I have to get to my String Ensemble practice!!!

So - I’ll blog with you later!