If you were a fly on the wall during one of the abbey scenes you might have heard a whispered conversation among nuns that sounded something like this:
"Sister Katherine, check out that blond priest on the right."
"Oh yes, Sister Maren, he's hot."
"Um hum. You know something Sister Katherine? I think I'd like to spend some time praying with him!"
Miss Katherine had her grand debut in the Wasatch school musical The Sound of Music. If you recall the post back in August entitled anticipation, you would know that this was a week she'd been looking forward to since she was three. Well it finally came and it was everything she'd dreamed of and more.
While she originally got a call back for one of the Van Trapp children, she ended up as a nun, (yummy nunny, as Grandpa saw it). She was also a villager and a party goer. Trying to find her in a sea of nuns was like a Where's Waldo maze at first. But we found her. She had a strut in her step that made her pretty easy to spot. She glowed as a villager and her cup never ran empty at the party scene. She bonded with her cast members and partied with her fellow nuns 'til midnight after the show. When her Dad picked her up, he couldn't help busting a move with her on the dance floor. Any ordinary nun would have been mortified, but not Kate she was out there dancing a circle right along with him.
At Comfy Chaos headquarters, March = Federation, which has nothing do with Star Trek, but everything to do with hours upon hours of practice, recitals and several trips to the University of the Utah and one to Weber State. This place has been rockin & rollin' with music since January in preparation for this month. It's quite amazing to see the rough, sometimes very shaky beginnings turn into something truly beautiful.
The kids all brought home glowing certificates which hang proudly on our fridge:
Sarah placed 2nd in the Classical Singing division of N.A.T.S in Utah. She was beat out by a guy and was pretty bummed about it til she got her prize money which she happily spent at Urban Outfitters. In April, Analisa will be auditioning for a piano honors recital at Temple Square and Miss Sarah is working hard on her belting skills for the upcoming Musical Theater division. Wish us luck! April and May promise to be just as exciting as this one.
This lovely young lady is the newest inductee to the Nielson hall of teenagedom. I now officially have three teenage daughters sharing a bathroom. Oh, heaven help us! Her Grandpa David has nick-named her Yummylicious because she is delightful in every way. She is my daily dose of sunshine and as far as I'm concerned will always be my baby Kate.
So tell us Mrs. N., how did you win a family of four, 3 day 2 night Disney Resort plus park hopper tickets vacation???
Last summer a sweet but spunky senior sister in our ward asked if our family would like to accompany her in a Pioneer presentation to a local Alzheimer's Center. Sure why not, I thought, they won't remember us anyway. We brought along our bonnets, violins and western attire and had a nice time visiting with the old folks. Spunky Senior Sister (S.S.S.) was so enamored with our skills that she decided to take our little Von Trapp family on the road. We visited a dozen care centers that summer. By the end of it I thought I never wanted to step foot in one of those places again! Yeah, I know, rude, huh? Well my guilt and a little begging from S.S.S brought on a traveling Christmas program. I know, I know, the fun never ends... Although it was never my intention to visit every care center along the Wasatch front, we have managed to put a smile on few gentle faces along the way. And that has made it totally worth it in the end.
The following clip (so spontaneous and unrehearsed!) and pictures are from a couple visits to the care center David and Judith have stewardship over. I never planned on writing about this so I have very few pictures to show for it, but you get the idea.
I submitted a few of these pictures on Today's 106.5 and was chosen a winner of the Disney, Spirit of Giving contest. The girls and I plan on going sometime in May or October :)
I just won a family Disney Vacation off a radio station!!! Oh yeah, Oh yeah...happy dance!!! A wee bit of Irish trivia: It is estimated that there are about 10,000 regular three-leaf clovers for every one lucky four leaf clover. Legend says that each leaf on the clover represents something: the first is hope (check), the second is faith (check), the third is love (check), and the fourth is LUCK (triple check)!
Well it's really more like my nick-name on the back of a dirty Pontiac! We pulled up behind this car at a stop light and lo and behold there it was. My uncles, cousins, sisters and now my brother-in-laws call me this. I don't particularly like the sound of it but find it endearing nonetheless.
Yesterday I busted out my tiered ruffle skirt that spins and my opened toe sandals and skipped around like a five year old girl. We all enjoyed basking in some much needed, almost forgotten, sunshine and all was well with the world!
This was the view from my bedroom window this morning. It hasn't let up once all day! The trees and streets are now covered in white slush.
Depressing. No offense my dear Juliana, but days like this remind me of Ohio. Katherine tells me she loves days like this because they remind her of warmer days ahead. Where did she come from anyway??? That March baby of mine, guess you could say she's like my own personal ray of sunshine.
Post edit: We ordered pizza and took the kids to a local production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. What started off as a rather gloomy day ended as a very enjoyable evening.
Growing up in D.H. (aka Denver Harbor, also affectionately know as da hood) classical music was NOT something I grew up listening to. We learned to carry a tune in church thanks to a handful of Young Women leaders as well as my dear mother, who gained her instruction from listening to Karen Carpenter and Linda Ronstadt on the radio. The majority of our little branch was tone deaf so when we sang musical numbers for the congregation you would have thought we were superstars!
It wasn't until I attended The High School for Performing & Visual Arts in Houston (HSPVA) that I heard my very first live classical violin. I'd heard my fair share of mariachis, but this was so different. I can still see the picture vividly in my mind. There was a quartet sitting on an open balcony playing Pachebel's Canon in D my first week of high school. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard. I stood there immovable between classes and just wept. It was a spiritual imprint that I would later insist on developing in the lives of my children.
Raising the kids here in Utah has afforded us the opportunity to be around some amazingly talented people. I was told early on that while there are a plethora of good kids everywhere, the majority of them stick together in band or orchestra. There is a connection between these kids that make music together that is hard to duplicate any where else. While I don't recommend taking up multiple instruments to any sane person out there, e.g.: piano & violin or piano & viola or voice & cello (yeah, I know call me CRAZY!!!) I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
Here is Analisa and a few of her pals with their beloved junior high orchestra teacher, Mr. Watson. Can't you just feel the love?
Look, they even show up to play at other peoples school productions when called upon! Aren't they beautiful?!
Life can stink, literally, when your in "the pit" but WOW do they make a show with their mad skills. They all dressed western for the show Annie Get your Gun.
Analisa is gearing up to play her viola in, count them, seventeen concerto's at Skyline on March 30th. She's dying. But it's a good kind of death. Here are a few samples of the kids playing back in November. The sound quality and filming are nothing to brag about but you get a flavor for what they do so well.
Meet Maria. She is a front desk clerk at the Marriott in Provo. She is married to a steel worker named Rodrigo who is just about to open a delicious Mexican restaurant. They have three adorable boys who look just like their mother. Enjoy;)
