Now onto December Programs

OK ... so what do you say when the turkey dinner has been eaten and you go home thinking "I am tired" but when you get home you are wide awake??? Well, I have not posted for awhile..... so I shall do that, I guess.

We had a wonderful dinner. There was 13 of us for dinner and we actually fit 12 around the dinner table. There was Leslie's family of seven, Kirk, Lucy, Gerry, Mike, Natalija, and myself. Little Luke sat in a high chair. Everything was delicious and most of the things were the traditional thanksgiving food. Nataljia took pictures to send to Lithuania because she said no one over there eats such a big dinner. After dinner Bryan and Michelle and kids came over from their family's dinner. And after some good visiting, we watched a movie and then talked some more. And I finally went home knowing Leslie wanted to settle the kids down, they were having a sleep over so Leslie and Michelle could go shopping in the morning.

Well, at school the highlight this month was the patriotic program at the Retirement Village. The chorus is in the thick of things learning new songs and having a fun time singing them. We even added more rehearsals. And then I practice with the Bells on the off days. This coming Thursday is a second grade Christmas program. I'm still debating on the title, but I think I will put the word "Christmas" in both the 2nd grade and chorus concerts written programs titles. Something like, "It's Christmas Everywhere" for the Chorus concert and "Merry Christmas Time" for the Second Grade one. I want to see if there are any protests about not staying away from the word Christmas but aren't we celebrating "Christmas"! We wouldn't have a celebration without "Christ."

The Chorus songs include songs from around the World and we are singing "Silent Night" first in Japanese then in English with sign language and one that has "Joy to the World" incorporated in it and then one arranged by MusicK8 that actually tells the Christmas story "Sing We Now of Christmas." When I presented these songs I asked the students if anyone did not want to sing these songs or if I should change the words because they talk of "Christmas"but they all loved them so the music stays. But you know we are also singing Shalom, and an African Noel and Syahamba. I think really I like the music for this concert. A silly pinata song and a silly santa song bring out the lighter side of the season.

In the midst of this more secular program mode I revert to the Sacrament Meeting Program and where I get super spiritual. I just love it when the ward choir sings a song and they go "ooh" and "aah" that was beautiful after singing it in a choiur rehearsal. And so it is ... we are going to sing 5 wonderful songs that the ward choir loves of which I have two arrangements included on my play list from Sally Deford. I still need to work on the order and incorporate the congregation hymns and strings so this weekend is devoted to that, since I cannot go out spending money that I don't hae any extra of.

I also want to work on a bulletin board at school. The background is already blue so I decided to keep somthing in that color scheme. On some wrapping paper I found pictures of snowmen singing and a snowman bass player. I have included the pictures at the bottom of this post. I will enlarge these picture by copying the pictures on a plastic overhead projector film and then get a large piece of some white bulletin board paper and tape it to my white board and trace the pictures the size I need onto the white paper and then I will take the paper down and color it and cut out the figures and post it on the bulletin board with the following caption ....
"Sing a Song! Give Some Cheer! Give a Gift of Music This Year!"

So now there you have it, a few more thoughts... stay healthy until next time "Keep Singing!"

November thoughts

Just a thought... It is November. So take time to jot down on paper the things you are thankful for.

If you have questions, sit down and take time to listen or even watch Elder David Bednar's confernce talk on prayer and take his admonishment that he was given and pray with a thankful heart asking for nothing, but saying thanks for the things we are thankful for such as our life, our home, our family, the church but most of all for our Heavenly Father, our God and for Jesus Christ, our brother and Savior .

Then sit down and take some time, don't be rushed and if you cannot do it in one sitting spend some smaller amounts of time and write down those things, it will surprise how much you are really thankful for.

Try it... and even when your heart is aching you can still be thankful.

Love you all.

My thoughts for the day

Families should work together. Do things together with love. Help each other especially during the hard times. Pay your tithing and serve the Lord, Raise your children in the gospel... these are the messages I basically received from going to the Arizona Regional "Stake Conference" today. I loved Brother Packard's reminiscing about his visit to Arizona. He also urged us all to "vote" for what will keep family and marriage sacred! Go and Vote on Tuesday!!!!

We are having a "voting place" at our school. Of course I have to go to another polling place but that is OK. I will even park somewhere else for the day. I will give up my handicap parking spot for those that may need it because the entrance for the voting is in the parking lot by my room where I normally park. I hope to see many people out voting. The kids at our school will be "voting" in a kids vote. I think I will sing patriotic songs that day at school. I have lots of Power Points to use for that purpose too. I may even find a Tabernacle Choir video rendition of a patriotic song too. (Any suggestions?? Battle Hymn? anyone have a video?)

I hope all my voting children will go out and vote. Lucy has already done so by early voting ballot. She did good! I hope all my friends VOTE too! I love you all!

KEEP AMERICA FREE!