Christmas programs, concerts, and recitals

One thing we love about Christmas is the music, and we've enjoyed LOTS of great Christmas music this year, thanks to Rhiannon and Wade.

 

 

On December 6th we went to Rhiannon's concert band Christmas concert.  The band played songs called Stormchasers, Three American Sketches, the Mission Impossible theme, and songs from The Polar Express.  Rhiannon did a great job!   We were happy that Sandi could join us that night, too.  :)

 

I took a few pictures that night, but no video.  The top left picture in the collage below is of Rhiannon and all her percussion buddies.  I call it the "It's Mom's Job to Embarrass You" photo!

 



 

 

 

 

 

The next day Jason and I went to Wade's school to watch their Christmas program.  No such thing as a "winter program" here in Ridgecrest, thank goodness!  Every single grade took turns singing different Christmas songs.  Wade's class did a FANTASTIC job on the Beach Boys' song "Little Saint Nick."  Wade's the kid with the blue/red striped shirt in the photo--I think he's the only one WITHOUT a Hawaiian shirt on, ha-ha!  I may be a little biased, but I thought his group sang the loudest and the best. :)

 

 

 

 

This past Saturday I went to Rhiannon's Christmas recital while Jason was at Wade's flag football game.  Since we're missing the game on the 22nd, we thought it was important for Wade to support his team on the 15th and skip the Christmas recital.  Hopefully he can give a private recital for his grandparents in Texas! :)

 

Rhiannon performed Carol of the Bells (memorized) and the Phantom of the Opera.  She did a wonderful job!

 

We are so proud of these kids--they're doing well!



 



Rhiannon's first band concert!

Rhiannon's band class put on their first concert on the 14th.  Jason and I got to attend and really enjoyed it.  It was short, sweet, and fun!  I was surprised by how much the kids could do after just 6 weeks, too!

Rhiannon really enjoys Mr. Lacher and says he's her favorite teacher!  Rhiannon is in the back, playing the xylophone with another kid named Spencer.

Enjoy the video! :)

"Mom, you should blog about this"

We watched General Conference this morning (so GREAT!!!) at home and then we all went out in the backyard.  Jason was working on a project with the swamp cooler, and Rhiannon and I thinned out some radish seedlings that were popping up everywhere in the garden. 

Dad suggested we bring Toby the Tortoise outside, and then Wade joined us, too.  It was a beautiful day, sunny but not too hot, light breeze blowing.  I dragged some patio chairs out into the shade near the oleander bushes, kicked off my flip-flops, and plopped down in one of the chairs.  It was so nice!

Rhiannon was playing with Toby in the grass (turns out he really likes to eat dandelion flowers) and before long Wade came and sat next to me with his iPod.  He offered one of his earpieces so that I could listen along with him.  We listened to:

--Sticks and Stones by Jonsi, the song that plays during the end credits of How to Train Your Dragon

--Sphinx by Trevor Rabin, music from Gone in 60 Seconds

--Ministry of Magic and Farewell to Dobby from Harry Potter 7, Part 1

--528491 by Hans Zimmer, it's the music playing during this part in Inception when the man opens up the safe and finds the paper pinwheel that his dad had saved (Wade and I both really like this part in the movie).  Wade knew exactly where to skip in the music to get to that "part."

It was incredibly relaxing.  Wade looked up at me and said, "You should blog about this, Mom!"  So I did! :)

An admission and a discovery

 

This may sound a bit blasphemous, but I have never read the Work and the Glory books (and don't plan on reading them anytime soon).  I don't own any Glenn Beck books or David Archuleta albums.  I'm not quick to purchase art, books, or music by LDS artists, authors, or musicians.  I'm not a card-carrying member of Deseret Book. I'm not saying that I go out of my way to avoid them, I just, well, I'm just not DRAWN to them.  It's weird, I know, coming from a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  But I have discovered Mindy Gledhill this week, and I really dig her music!!!   Maybe there's hope for me after all.  My favorite song so far is "All About Your Heart" from her Anchor album.