Ian's Talent Show....

Ian's school had a talent show today which a month ago Ian announced he wasn't going to participate in "so don't even ask, mom"! A week later a second grader who sang in his choir with him approached Ian and asked if he would sing a song with her in the talent show. To this, he readily agreed. They were going to sing "Consider Yourself" from Oliver Twist....a song that they sang in their choir concert. So... fast forward to yesterday and we receive news that MacKenzies Great Grandma died and the funeral was going to be today during the talent show so she would not be able to participate. Ian was upset of course...I told him to go ahead and sing it by himself but he kinda freaked out about that a little. I told him to think about it and to let me know what he decides. After school yesterday, he came home and told me that he was going to do it alone! I was so happy :) He did a great job! I am so proud of him for having the courage and the integrity not to just drop out of it and to get up there in front of his whole school and sing alone! It was awesome.... Great job Ian!

Evans ASL video...

Was having major trouble posting this the other night for some reason so here it is now....a little late :)

I See The Light.....

I ADORE this song....from the movie Tangled. Beautiful and a must see movie!!

~ I See the Light ~

All those days watching in the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I've been
Now I'm here blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here suddenly I see
Standing here it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be

And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you

All those days chasing down a daydream
All those years living in the blur
All that time never truly seeing
Things, the way they were
Now she's here shining in the starlight
Now she's here suddenly I know
If she's here it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go

And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you

Concert Time....

The boys' concert was so much fun. Granted, I am a biased mother speaking here...but I think they all did so well. I was getting nervous the last couple of rehearsals before the concert because it just didn't seem like they were ready. They proved me wrong. The choir was fabulous....cutest songs by the cutest kids. They had to show up that morning to get staged and rehearse. It was only supposed to last 2 hours but they ended up standing and rehearsing for 3 hours! They were starving by the time I picked them up for the break. We ate at Big Ed's.

Ian wasn't too thrilled about the place...it was a bit of a dive. But, it was the closest place on campus and I heard the food was good. It turned out to be a tasty treat and they were happy we stopped there.

The concert started at 2pm. My mom flew into town and stayed the week with me so she could see the concert and my aunt Debbie drove all the way from Eagle Mountain to watch. I love my family... I took a lot of video but I am only posting the one of Ian singing his solo. Sadly, Evan's solo part in the performance did not get recorded somehow. I pushed record but all that actually got recorded was him bowing at the end. I cried all night over it.... thankfully the performance was professionally recorded so I will be able to buy a DVD of the concert and then I will post Evan's part. In the meantime, enjoy "Heart" from the musical "Damn Yankees".... with Ian singing a solo :)

Ian and Evan's Concert....

Come out and support my kids and this great organization. It will be a lot of fun!! The boys might even have a special part in the show...you'll have to come and watch :)

Tickets can be bought through me personally or online at www.saltlakechoralartists.org/youngchoralartists. You can also purchase tickets the day of the show!! Hope to see you there.

New Music...

Music is a big part of my life. Not necessarily something that I participate in everyday, but definitely something I listen to multiple times a day in one form or another. I couldn't imagine life without music. My tastes vary from one end of the musical spectrum to the other...in fact there are very few genres that I would say I didn't like at least a little bit. Lately I've been drawn to women singers...strong ones that sing timeless music. Songs that reach in and touch the soul. I don't know if it's because this type of music is the latest and greatest or if I am feeling inspired in some way by them, but I cant get enough. Adele and Joss Stone are at the top of that list. If you get a chance, check out this link to Adele's newest song "Someone Like You"....it's gorgeous. Everything about it. Maybe you wont feel inspired by it, you might even hate it but it speaks to me as do many of the new songs on my playlist. Here is a link to my favorite Joss Stone song "Jet Lag"... love it. So, yeah. I changed the playlist up. Its been the same for over a year now and I thought I should revamp. Sadly, the site I use for my playlist didn't have any Joss Stone or Norah Jones or Lady Antebellum...all wonderful. But, I like the list I made too....Hope you enjoy it too!

An Update....

Wednesday afternoon, Ian & Evan auditioned for a choir called Young Choral Artists. I mentioned this in my last post. The auditions went pretty well, although I couldnt tell how well they sang because they were so quiet and piano drowned them out, but the only one that mattered was the woman sitting at the piano who was making the selections for the choir and she could clearly hear them. I think the boys were pretty nervous once they got there because other kids that were auditioning were in the room with us and we werent expecting that. But, they made it through and we left not really knowing what to expect because they were first and we didn't hear any of the other kids to know what they were up against. I didnt care at that point because I was just so proud of them for actually doing it! What a great experience for them....here are a couple of pic's during the audition.

The auditions were held Wednesday and Thursday, and then Friday morning we got an email from the director letting us know that they were SELECTED!!!! I could hardly contain myself...I called Ian on his phone as soon as his school let out. He was screaming so hysterically (thats my drama king) that I had to hang up and wait for him to compose himself and call me back. Evan, the polar opposite of Ian, just whispered and intense little "Yessss" under his breath and then changed the subject. Ha ha... I love my boys. They are so different and so unique and just wonderful, handsome boys. Ok enough gushing. Rehearsals start on Tuesday...it's going to be fun.

In Addison news, there is nothing new. Still a diva, still beautiful, still my fun little girl. I bought her a new hair clip which she promptly asked me to take a picture of ....here she is in her best model pose complete with the no emotion smile. I honestly don't where she gets it from...its not like we watch Project Runway or anything. Silly girl...but dont let me fool you. I LOVE it :)

Fun Stuff....

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a video of Evan singing a little solo in his class production. Since that time the singing "thing" has really just exploded. The first news was that the composer of the song Evan sang part of wanted to have his class come to the studio to record the program and more specifically that he was very impressed with Evan's voice. Fast forward to yesterday, and we traveled to Masa's (the composer) studio to record the songs.

It was fun for the kids to see what goes in to recording music but the whole process was quitetedious and we were all pretty tired by the time we got home. I was a little disappointed because the song that they ended up recording wasn't even the song that had Evan's solo in it and his teacher had mentioned that the composer would be listening to the children and choosing some of them to sing in future projects for him. I felt like Evan never really got a chance to sing for him because in this particular song, Evan was just a part of the chorus. Evan's friend has a great voice as well and nearly perfect pitch but unfortunately he was quite ill mannered and held up a lot of the recording timeby making noise and even going as far as singing into the mic when it wasn't his turn. I was proud that Evan kept quiet and did everything that the director asked. Well, tonight Evan's teacher called from school and said that the composer has asked to put Evan's name on his list of children to call for studio work!! He loved Evan's voice which apparently he was able to hear in the midst of the other 6 kids. Part of his decision was based off of Evan's "impeccable" manners. Hooray! What a compliment not only to Evan but to Denver and I as well. I was very proud of him in that moment. I guess he didn't even ask Evan's friend because despite the fact that he sings well, the composer simply cant work with kids that arent well behaved.

Also, in the middle of all of this, the teacher sent home a flyer for some auditions. It is for a pretty prominent Youth Choir here in Utah and they are having auditions for their show in May. The guest artists that will be performing with the choir is going to be the composer's (Masa Fukuda) children's choir so it is all very exciting. Evan is going to audition and Ian decided he wants to as well! Ian will be singing Edelweiss from The Sound of Music and Evan will be singing the entire song, Reach Out With Love, that he sang the small solo in for his school production. I have no earthly clue if they even have a shot at it but I am so proud of them for wanting to do it and for being brave enough to try!! The auditions are next Wednesday so we are anxiously awaiting it and practicing every day!! I just love that the boys are singing and making music....brings me so much JOY!

Our American Idol...

Over the Christmas break I received a visit from Evan's school teacher. She had brought some music by that she needed Evan to memorize by the end of their break. Then she informed me that they had a "secret" audition of sorts for their school musical program and Evan had been chosen to sing a small solo part in one of the songs. I was shocked and excited of course! If you know Evan then you know how painfully shy he has been in the past, although when faced with doing something in front of others he has always stepped up and done it. Today was the performance and let me tell you, I was pretty much sobbing through the whole thing. I am such an emotional mess when it comes to my kids. I suppose I come by that honestly since my mother is the same way. Anyway, here he is! Enjoy the video. (make sure to turn off the music player at the bottom of the blog first so you can hear the video)

We Also Sing....

Every year I participate in a choir called We Also Sing. It is made up of over 300 women and the director is Merrilee Webb, who happens to be my Junior High School Choir teacher. I just Love to sing. I dont know if I am any good but I sure dont care....I love doing it. I look forward to this experience each year and cant imagine not participating. After 10 weeks of practices (only once a week) we put on a concert. Normally it is held in the old Tabernacle on Temple Square but this year, it was held in the Marriott Center on BYU's campus. It was a whole new experience.... I really learned to love the pieces we sang this year even though at first I was a little hesitant of how they would turn out. My mom is in town and so she, my aunt Debra and my two boys came to listen and support me. These are my crazy boys after the concert.

Funny story....my mom says that during the concert there were some obnoxious 18 year olds talking and laughing and kicking the seats. I guess it got pretty bad . After a few minutes of it, Ian, my oldest, got up.. walked over to them and said "excuse me, but if you guys don't knock it off I am going to get security to throw you out..." Gotta love Ian....he takes after his mommy.....

The concert was bittersweet this year as normally my Grandmother would have also attended. She hadn't missed a concert yet. I was at a rehearsal the night that she passed away.... I remember we were singing the song "Omnia Sol" and I was thinking about her because it is a song about passing on and I knew she would be leaving us soon...my mom called during the song to tell me she had passed. I had a difficult time getting through it last night....but I know she was there with us in spirit.

One of the great things about the choir are the wonderful women I have met. Two in particular have become dear to me. This is Julie and Kim.


We sit together each Sunday during rehearsal and they really make me smile. I will miss seeing their happy faces each week and cant wait until next year when we get to do it all over again!!

Ian Jams Out.....Cha Cha style.....

Check out the video of Ian singing with Steve James. This man composed all of the songs for the "Parents Empowered" organization for helping prevent kids from harmful behavior such as alcohol and drugs...the songs are catchy and fun. He chose Ian's school to perform his songs for the Mayor's office tonight. It was a lot of fun and I was pretty impressed with his music! The kids clearly loved him. Ian complained a few times that the hand movements for his song were "cheezy" and that he was too embarrassed to do them. I told him before we went tonight that he would look more cheezy if he stood up there and didnt do them and everyone else was doing them.... I believe he actually listened to me for once! Check him out....

Song Title: Honesty (la verdad, yo dire)

Ian's Recital....

I cant go on enough about the music program at Ian's school. Maybe it is normal for schools in other places to have a piano program in their curriculum but I've never heard of it. In our school district, Ian's school is the only one to have this program. Starting in 2nd grade they get piano lessons once a week and each student gets to work at his/her own skill level. Not only do they have a big Grand Piano but they also have several electric pianos with headphones so the kids can all practice their pieces. At the end of each semester they give a recital. They have to introduce themselves before hand and announce the name of the piece they have chosen...one of the kids in the class got up and announced that autographs would be available after the performance if we were interested! I thought that was pretty clever.



I wish that Ian would want to take lessons again outside of this program but as much as he enjoys what he is learning, he doesn't want to take anymore.

I would also love to put him in some type of voice class....a children's choir perhaps. He has a wonderful voice and I would like to see it develop more. But, I don't want to push him into something and then have him hate it. His interest right now lies in Tae Kwon Do...wonder how long that will last! ha ha. Without further ado...here is a video of Ian's song. Its kinda long....and slow....but watch him count with precision. So cute.


Ian Playing the theme to Jurassic Park by John Williams:

Our Little Performers.....

First we went to Ian's school for his piano recital. His school is fortunate enough to have a piano lesson program starting with second grade. It was fun to watch although Ian could have played a more difficult piece.....he picked it out himself and said it was "fun to play" (see video below)

Next was miss Addison's very first dance recital. I was a little nervous with how it would go since she doesnt really like to perform on demand. I let her play up on the stage before the recital started hoping that it would help her feel more comfortable. She seemed to be OK after a few minutes and even stood up there by herself waving to us. Then when it was her groups turn to do their little dance....she started out fine but suddenly panicked. Then the screaming ensued and I had to go and remove her from the stage. It was cute, funny, and sad all at the same time. They had a second song to perform as well but no amount of bribing could get her back up on that stage. Oh well....she was still the prettiest girl up there and hopefully when the spring recital comes around she will be more comfortable on the stage . Here are a few pics of her before the recital and of course the video!

My Cheering Section....

Tonight was my big choir performance on Temple Square. We got to do a Christmas program this year which was awesome. I loved every minute of it....here is my big fan base minus Grandma Lloyd and Aunt Debbie who had already left when I snapped the pic..... I sure appreciated the support everyone!


Afterward we strolled around the square and took in the lights amongst thousands of other people there to do the same thing....lots of people, did I mention that?

I really appreciate everybody's support during the past 11 weeks...especially Denver and the kids who put up with my 2-3 hours rehearsals every Sunday.

It will be nice to be home on Sunday nights but I am going to miss singing. Ive met some really great women during the past 2 years in the choir. It's sad to think it will be another whole year before I get to sing with them again!

An Unexpected Evening.....

I just returned from a wonderful little "date" with my 8 year old son...Ian. It wasn't planned really. I received a call from my Aunt Debbie last night. I've mentioned her before...she sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Apparently she had extra tickets to the choirs Pioneer Day Commemoration / 80th anniversary of "Music and the Spoken Word". My Grandmother really wanted to attend but cant go alone as she needs a wheelchair and none of Debbie's kids could go. She wondered if I would go and take my Grandma. You just don't turn down tickets to one of their performances. They are hard to come by...almost impossible to get sometimes. So, I agreed and was even able to take Ian because he is 8, the minimum age requirement. Here we are in Grandmas Cadillac...being chauffeured by my cousin AJ.

It was fun to spend some alone time with him even if it wasn't something that he would have chosen to attend. I think he enjoyed it though. I knew of course that the performance would not disappoint but I was not prepared for how much it would touch me. Here is Ian just before the concert started....

I'll admit to being a tad more emotional than the average person...okay a lot more emotional but tonight wasn't just about boo-hooing. It was about feeling energy and passion. It was pride and gratitude. It was just 'Awesome' for lack of a better word. I have only seen live performances of the choir for Christmas so this opportunity to hear such a variety of music was a treat. Thank you Debbie for thinking of me enough to offer me the tickets. I'm happy of course that my Grandma was able to go, but it turned out to an unexpected gift for me as well.

As for Mr. Ian, at one point he leaned over and said: "Mom, you re not crying are you? Why are you crying?" I explained to him afterward that music really moves me....it stirs something up deep inside my heart.....I think it fell on deaf ears. That's OK...one day he will understand. A really cool moment happened before the concert even started. The buzz of people trying to find their seats just stopped suddenly and everyone stood up. I wasn't sure what was happening at first and then I saw him. President Monson (Prophet of my church) had walked into the room. Ian was so excited but couldn't really see him unfortunately. It was pretty cool to know that he was there watching the concert with us.

So, some of my favorites of the night...and there were many. "Come Come ye Saints"... this song by itself is such an amazing bit of music but when it is sung by this magnificent choir, it takes on an entirely new meaning. The arrangement and the way they sang it would make you think that each one of those choir members personally made that trek across the United States in search of religious freedom. Amazing. Then they sang "Over the Rainbow"....enough said. Beautiful. The point that they got me though was when they sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"....this happens to be one of my all time favorite songs and after they finished, they got the first of many standing ovations. It was that good. I was bawling. They followed it with "I Feel My Saviors Love" another major favorite. Everything after that was a blur for me as I soaked in the sound of their voices mixed with the amazing orchestra. I can remember thinking to myself.... it does not matter if you are Mormon, Catholic, Baptist, or Atheist....when you listen to this group of angelic voices, if you are not completely moved (to tears in some cases), you cannot be human. As if to prove this point, they began to sing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"....have you heard the choirs rendition of this song? It is Grammy award winning you know, and deservedly so. Unbelievable. What a treat this night was for me. It reminded me of everything that I am grateful for...My freedom - not only as an American but also the freedom to practice the religion of my choice, My family - especially those that came so long before me and paved the way for my family to be where it is today. What an amazing and truly difficult journey those people made just so they could live peacefully and worship the way they wanted. I cant even imagine the hardships they suffered.

I am also so very grateful for the love of music that I have inherited from many family members on both sides. I cannot imagine life without music....it does so much for the soul.....especially mine.

Exciting News for Vanessa...

Two things that I am so very excited about....

1. I have enrolled to sing with We Also Sing again...this is the choir that I sang with in the Tabernacle last year. We get to sing this year on the night that they light Temple Square with all the Christmas lights, which also means we get to sing Christmas music this year!! I can hardly wait until September to start singing again.

2. I have been officially admitted to the University of Utah for school this Fall. This is scary and exciting at the same time....I have to have an orientation first and then I can register for my classes!

Just wanted to share my news with everyone....have a GREAT day!

Music Mash-up......

2 of my favorite instruments are the piano and the cello...I could listen to them all day long. I was on a friends Facebook today and they had posted this video of pianist Jon Schmidt and a friend playing an arrangement that he did of Taylor Swifts "Love Story" and Coldplays "Viva La Vida"....2 songs that I also happen to love. He did what they call a "mash-up" and mixed the 2 songs together. It is so cool...I just thought I would share it. If you listen to it, make sure you listen to the whole thing...the best part is in the middle and the end. Also, make sure to pause my music player at the bottom of the page so you can hear it.... Have a great day!

Ring, Christmas Bells......

I received a real treat last night when I was able to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choirs' Christmas concert. This concert is so difficult to get tickets for that I dont even bother trying. I have an aunt and an uncle who both sing in the choir but they are only given enough tickets for their immediate families and sometimes it isnt even enough for that. So.....when my aunt called me the other to offer me one of the tickets she received, well, she didnt have to twist my arm! Big thanks to Angela (my cousin) for giving up her ticket to me! This years guests (they always have special guests) were Brian Stokes Mitchell and Edward Herrmann. There was some speculation that maybe this year they got Josh Groban as the guest but unfortunately that didnt happen.....Im still hoping for that..... A month ago when I saw who the guests were going to be, I wondered if it would be that good. I didnt know who Brian Stokes Mitchell was and Edward Hermann will always be the guy from The Lost Boys.....(awesome 80's vampire movie) so I wasnt sure what he was going to add to the event. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised. Mr. Mitchell was very good.....very broadway....but very good. He has a really beautiful voice with a huge range and I enjoyed some of his songs quite a bit. Of course I was left wishing for a few more choir pieces but maybe I am biased :) I have to say the highlight for me was the reading that Edward Hermann gave. He told a story about a family who suffered a lot of loss during the civil war era and how they managed to still have hope at Christmas. The orchestra played in the background as he told the story and he told it with so much feeling that I may have believed it to be a true story about him.....I think he even was crying at one point. Very moving. I loved it. He also told the story of Christ's birth from Luke at the end which was awesome. They had dancers and bell ringers and it was a really beautiful concert. We had great seats too thanks to Grandma and her wheelchair. I can never get enough of the choir though and wished there had been a couple more pieces by them.

Not much else going on over here. Just seems that I have no time and yet I cant figure out why. Its this time of year I think. My lack of posting shows that I have been preoccupied with other things. I'll work on it......

Sounds of the Season.....

I normally like to wait until after Thanksgiving to do anything related to Christmas. I have a hard time celebrating a holiday before another holiday has even taken place. However, Im feeling "Christmas-y" this morning for some reason and so I decided to post my christmas music playlist a little early. I think I may even dig out the Christmas decor today..... Happy Holidays!

Singing Makes Us Happy.....

I just had the last rehearsal for my choir performance last night..... it was kinda sad but I am excited to sing in the Tabernacle on Saturday. We have worked hard. Last night we were recorded for a CD which was cool. It was a bit uncomfortable as they crammed us into the chapel and shut all the doors in order to keep all the sound in. Normally we fill the chapel and the overflow but we all squished into the chapel last night. It was hot and someone close to me was not wearing enough deodorant.... Anyway, Im excited to hear the cd so I can hear how we actually sound. My parents will be in town this weekend so my mom is coming the hear us sing. Dad opted out...shock....but will be babysitting the babies so that everyone else can attend. Thanks Dad. We will be celebrating Ian's 8th birthday on Sunday with a big lunch here at our house. Ian has requested Broccoli Cheese potato soup so we are having a soup lunch. More on that later.

Speaking of Ian, it was brought to my attention at church yesterday that the musical gene has been passed on to him. For those that dont know, on my mom's side of the family my aunt, uncle, (aunt Debbie, uncle Barry) and at one time, my Grandmother all sing/sang in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. On my dads side, his biological father was a professional singer and one of his sisters (my aunt Alice) also sings professionally. His other sister (my aunt Chrissy) also has an amazing voice! Ok, so now that you know the background, the primary was practicing for their upcoming program yesterday and after Sunday School I went in the chapel to find a seat with the kids. Evan's teacher stopped me and said "Im Evans teacher, but I was sitting next to your other son (Ian) during the practice and I wanted to tell you that he has an incredible voice~ His pitch is almost perfect and he even sings with some vibrato!" I was stunned actually.....I mean Ive heard him sing and he is always on tune but Ive never heard him really sing like that. I was pretty proud. The funny thing is that I have heard Evan sing before when he didnt know I was listening and if he werent so shy about it, I have often thought that Evan sings pretty well too..... Im happy that they have musicality and a love for it as well. I have always wished I had done more with it.

I just wanted to remember this little morsel of information so that I can share it with Ian later in his life when he doesnt want to sign up for high school choir! Ha!