MDG Mo. 5

That looks like one of those old classical piece titles, you know, like Bach: Cantata "Christen, ätzet diesen Tag," BWV 63 (more on that after Christmas...).

SO our li'l boy is five months old!  He's smilier and laughier than ever, he's happy through sniffles and snuffles, he's big and tall and strong, he's sleeping fine, and really we have hardly a thing about which to complain.  He was the cutest Tigey at Halloween and spent a good part of Thanksgiving eyeing our plates (not yet, little man, but soon).  He's always quietly observing, though he can make his wants and wishes known.  The big excitement is that his labor and delivery and doctor and hospital bills are PAID OFF, after some distress involving unknowingly out-of-network hospitals, exorbitant, bewildering (not at all itemized...) bills, several calls to several places, and a major reduction of cost after making the right calls to the right places.  Sometimes that actually works.

Here he is!

Little Pumpkin.

Seriously, our other kids were happy but never as constantly smiley as he is.  He poses for the camera and everything.

Third go-round for this precious Sophie.  She cost a few pretty pennies but we've definitely had our cost-per-use.

Get some mileage out of those adorable Daniel Tiger ears!

He loves his mommy so so much.

 And now we're already just a couple weeks away from half a year.  Yikes!  Don't grow too fast, sweet boy.

Wafna

Twenty-plus years ago in my first year of marching band our field show was selections of powerful classical pieces, which included two from Carmina Burana, which everyone has heard even if they aren't sure they have.  A few months ago the opportunity to join a local choir performing the work in its entirety came up, sort of bringing my musical relationship with Carl Orff full circle.  Cantorum was joined by about as many local contracted singers and a full orchestra, on stage above the dancers of Ballet West at Capitol Theater... and I realized I was fulfilling a life goal I never knew I had.  I've been to many a show at this venue but until now I'd never seen it from the other side.  It was a thrilling and exhausting and unforgettable experience.  It wasn't easy to learn the challenging score (luckily unmemorized, though by the end...), and it was a long two weeks of driving up to Salt Lake City almost every night (thaaaaanks, Wiiiiiife), but the orchestra and conductor were wonderful, the soloists were amazing and the dancers were exquisite, especially from such a unique vantage point.  I felt so deluxe using the side stage door and getting a firsthand look at the labyrinthine behind-the-scenes/backstage world of CT and walking up and down the many dozens of stairs in an acolyte robe, and of course you can't have an experience like this without getting close with your comrades, the dancers, musicians, costumers and crew, but especially the singers.  The carpool game was strong, and it was fun to spend more time with and get to know more of them better, eat food together, learning the meaning of merde, even go see a movie in between Saturday shows (Hercule Poirot, you clever man).

I'm in the show on the marquee!  Amazing!!!

They were pretty serious about not posting anything before the show actually started so we were pretty excited when they released this official shot of Chase and Beckanne with yours trulys in place.  I'm dead center in the middle row.

I was glad that Mom and Dad and Grandma and Van and Matt and Cortnie (not pictured, but for their 20th anniversary!) could all come and see it!  It's always fun when you know someone in the audience.  Thanks to BW for the comps/discounts!  Sorry for the blurry picture. :/

Panorama monks!  We took some pictures at call time one night, and first they said to look imposing and then they said to look pious and then they said to smile, so... that's what I did.

Getting pumped for the final sprint (marathon??) of Saturday matinee/closing night.

In the immortal words of Titus Andromedon, "I am keeping this robe." (But not really.)  We loved our diligent costume ladies.

I might have sneaked one picture just after the final curtain.

And then they took one and sent it out to everyone.  The dancers looked kind of naked for a good part of the production.

And one more guerrilla style, a similar shot from the 'bove.  Those wires were designed to keep us from falling to our doom.

(I feel like I started to annoy people by overposting but it was a big part of my life for a solid few weeks so there you go.)

I think the feeling most of us had at the end was a strange mixture of elation and relief and melancholy, and more than one of us probably listened to the recording within 24 hours of final curtain, but it had a really great run.

It's amazing how music can get stuck in your head after a big show like this, even for weeks and (so far) months after.  It was just a cool production and a cool experience, and as much as we would have liked to see Serenade (the first, choir-less half of the ballet), a good time was had by all.  Thanks to Ballet West and Cantorum for helping me check something off before I even knew I wanted to or ever could!

ADDENDUM: I would also like to make known that I was not only present, but ON TIME for every rehearsal and performance in SLC*, which, for those who know me, is QUITE an accomplishment.  (The carpool helped.)

ADDENDUM 2 (4 December): Did I mention this was also a paid gig?  I guess that makes me a professional musician. XD

ADDENDUM 3 (21 December): Did I also mention thanks, wife?  Because yes, she is so supportive of my love of music and desperate craving need for the spotlight!  Ha ha, but seriously, I had a good time thinking of new treats and new places to hide them to surprise her with every night before heading to the stage.  New concert tradition??

* including HALLOWEEN, where I learned I can get from my garage to my seat on stage in ~37 minutes...

Halloween 2017 -- Grrrreat? Grr-ific

Halloween!  It has come and gone, but not without being observed very much in our household especially by certain persons age 4 and under.  Without further ado, here's the Instaslideshow:

Either it's Halloween around here or I haven't played the piano in a LONG time.

Funtivity the 1st: Hee Haw Farms!  A huge hit as always.  I can't get over the corn box.

 

This isn't exactly Halloween-related, but having one sit and one push makes walking to church go a lot faster and easier.

Funtivity the 2nd: The Pumpkin Patch!  They've really upped their game this year (though the wait for the hayride was incredibly long, extended ride notwithstanding).

A perfect moment captured by The Wife.

Funtivity the 3rd: A nearby neighborhood party at Dowdle Farms with an art unveiling.  The Wife always manages to find the best local things to do.

Work party.  I must say the cereal bar was a stroke of genius. I made the poster but not the art.

I'm really amazed and annoyed we didn't even win third place (which would mean a prize of team breakfast -- what could have been more fitting?), even enlisting Auditing and Marketing.

Introducing the kids to a classic before heading out.

Halloween greetings from Daniel Tiger and his entourage.

Apparently I didn't do the bat or dragon or hissing cat quite to The Boy's desired specifications, but in my defense he didn't tell me until after.  I finally threw the remainder of these out today.

And there you have it!  We also went to sister Cami's really fun annual Halloween-themed Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra concert/costume parade, Elfman, Grieg, Mozart, Prokofiev, Williams, and a favorite from last year, Ghostbusters.  On the day of I had to rush off before too late to get to a rehearsal in SLC (more on that coming.....) but we had plenty of time to be together and do lots of fun things and trick-or-treat to the kids' hearts' content(s?), though they've largely forgotten about the candy by now, which is still in labeled bags.  I don't understand parents who take their kids trick-or-treating multiple times for hours on end and then complain that there's so much candy in their house.  What other results could you possibly expect???  Anyway.

7 Days Challenge

Oh, I guess I could post these.  I was tagged by a friend to do this challenge and it was fun so here they are.

7 days - 7 black and white photos of your everyday life.
No people or explanations.
Invite a new person to join every day.*

Day 1
20 October 2017

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7
26 October 2017

Tas li no.

I'm trying to backdate this to keep things in order, so we'll see how it works!


*I mostly invited people I knew would be interested or wouldn't bother but probably wouldn't be annoyed by the invitation, ha.

Colors of Hope 5K

Wups, I wrote this last Friday and forgot to post it, but I collected my prize today so here it is now.

Wow, I haven't done an official race post in a long time.  I've still been running just about every day, but racing hasn't been a priority for a couple of years.  But work organized this one last week for Colors of Hope so I thought it would be fun to participate (last year's was closer to Thanksgiving and not the best day or time for me).

So it wasn't a huge race but there were 35-40 runners/walkers and I did pretty well at 23:08/8:00 miles (25:00 for the full course at 3.33 miles).  I led the pack for the first mile or so but the IT guy I was running alongside for a while pulled ahead and kept his lead until the big finish, beating me by a minute or two.  The weather was beautiful and the course was varied and interesting (though a slight head wind pushed pretty well for the last stretch).

Stuff We All Get

Next morning shot in black and white for artsy photo challenge meme purposes.

Fun race!  I scored a gift card to Smashburger, a place I have never visited, so that will be neat.  I guess I'll be hosting my Thanksgiving walk/run again this year so that will be fun too.