Music and the Spoken Word & mini-concert

We braved the snow storm and drove to Music and the Spoken Word this morning. We didn't get tickets for the Christmas Concert, but Elaine said she could get us tickets for either Thursday or Sunday morning - so we chose Sunday. We sat two rows behind President Monson and President Uchtdorf and their wives and family members. We loved every minute of the broadcast and the mini-concert, even though we were instructed NOT to applaud or laugh during the broadcast. Keith McCord told us that we could smile, but to do it quietly.

Brian Stokes Mitchell was superb as was Edward Herrmann. We couldn't have been more pleased with the performance! It was magnificent! Although the broadcast was very restrictive, the mini-concert was very informal and relaxed. The performers and the audience had a great time!

After many standing ovations at the end of the concert, President Monson went on stage to present some gifts to the guest artists - and while he was up there, Brother Mitchell presented him (and us) with a wonderful performance of The Impossible Dream.

RECIBID AL REY

I have several students who are LDS. Three of them have been talking about their choir rehearsals for several months. They sang in the Tabernacle last Saturday night (their Friday night performance was canceled because of Elder Wirthlin's funeral). Last night, they sang at the Ogden Tabernacle. Mike and Kathie Linsley (missionaries to a Spanish Branch in Ogden) got us tickets and went with us. What an experience! The program was scheduled to begin at 7 PM and finally started at 7:20, confirming the Linsley's tales of the habitual tardiness of the Latinos. Once the concert began, however, it was well worth the wait!

The Latinos are totally into their music! Many of the numbers were done with guitars, drum, maracas and a small harp. In one number, the director turned around and asked the audience to clap. Everyone joined in, enthusiastically! Later, in the song, some of the people had stopped clapping. The director noticed, turned around and got them going again! One of my favorite parts was Las posadas - it's a little "parade" wherein Joseph and Mary journeyed into Bethlehem (starting at the back of the tabernacle) and made their way to the stage - getting turned away by several "innkeepers" along the way. Young children took those parts, and they had beautiful, clear voices!

A lot of the music was unfamiliar - but very beautiful! We loved hearing the Spanish version of Mary's Lullaby, Still, Still, Still and Oh Come All Ye Faithful. By the time we had heard 3 choruses of that last song, we could sing along during the 4th verse with the rest of the audience. We totally enjoyed the experience!

Ward Christmas Party

I'm hoping someone took pictures at the ward Christmas breakfast! We've done the same thing the past few years. We meet in the chapel for a small pageant, staged by the Primary and narrated by the YM/YW. Every child in Primary has a part, whether Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wisemen or angels. The kids act out the Christmas story while the youth read a dialog and the story from the bible. The costumes are wonderful and the kids really do a great job with the acting, narration and singing. One of the young men - the one who was chosen to read the story from the Book of Luke has the most wonderful voice! He has to be put on earth to be the follow-up for Lloyd Newell when he retires! His name is Mitchell Weaver - so remember I predicted that!

After the Nativity, we had breakfast and then a visit from Santa (aka Jeff Livingston). Jeff borrowed Jack's Santa Suit, hair and beard for the gig. We had the hair and beard "done" at the wig shop - dropped it off, not even asking the cost. SIXTY-FIVE bucks! I think I'll try to do it myself next time around!

When Jeff dropped off the gear after the party, I asked him if he had fun. I thought maybe he'd want Nancy to make him a suit so he could be a regular! Ha! He said, "I hated it! I hate that stuff! Bah! Humbug!" He was serious - but I sure heard a lot of people say that he was one of the best Santas we'd had!

Plaid Tidings

We have season tickets to Rodgers Memorial Theater in Centerville. We had seen Forever Plaid several times already, and with our tight schedule, we actually thought about giving our tickets away - but we didn't. We were so glad! We both loved the show. It was the same premise as the other Plaids, but this one was all about Christmas. The four guys who made up the quartet were so good! Cameron Nichols is/was in Choralaires with Lisa, and we've seen him in a couple of other shows. Great voice! My favorite was Ian Fife - a Kyle Korver look-alike. So cute!

Lomond View's Choir and Orchestra Concert

Last Friday's concert at Lomond View was a two-fer. Baylee played the violin in the orchestra and Haley sang with the choir. Haley had a solo part and did very well. Both girls are so beautiful and talented! I'll post pictures of them when I get them.

Baylee's Reflections Award

Baylee won an award for a water color painting she did for the Reflections Contest. The theme was WOW! Baylee is in 6th grade, so she was competing with junior high and high school students! I'll post a picture of Baylee with her painting when Jeff and Angie send me one. :)

Rocky Mountain's Christmas Choral Concert

Another great concert by Rocky's Choral Department! Lex and London are in the Concert Choir and Alexis is in the Chamber Choir. This was a two-fer! One concert - two grandchildren! I'll see if Shron will send me a picture.

Dean Turns Eight!

Tonight we celebrated Dean's 8th birthday. He got a new set of scriptures and a rip-stick from Mike and Amy, a CTR ring and cash from us and a Nerf gun from Grandma Koford. She'll give him the traditional home-made blanket on his baptism day - January 3, 2009!

Grace's Baptism

Grace was so excited about her baptism for so long - but she was a little nervous. After she was baptized, she kept telling everyone, "I did it! I got baptized!" I'll post a picture of Grace and Jeff when I get one.

Sunday Night

Bo and Grandpa Jack played trains.

One Last Show?

We thought Lisa was through with Choralaires, but she went back two days a week - so...she was in the Christmas show again this year. She sang in a double quartet - I'll Be Home For Christmas. She didn't have much of a voice for the Friday night show, but Saturday was better.

Senior Center Dinner and Show

Dad and Jack and I had a nice dinner at the North View Senior Center before the Sounds of Christmas Time performance. The show was great! All the old folks loved it! So did we! Jack had a meeting right after the performance, but Dad and I headed over to Pleasant View to hear Haley sing at the Creche Display.

Pleasant View Stake Creche Display

This is the 4th year the Pleasant View Stake has hosted a creche display. It was my first time there. I'm going back and taking Dad in his wheelchair! It is amazing! Thousands of nativities from every continent in the world - every country you can imagine - and they are made from every medium imaginable! It's open until December 6th. You really shouldn't miss it!

Watching Haley sing...

Haley loves to sing and she has a beautiful voice! She sang with a group of girls from her ward as part of the entertainment during the creche display. Dad and I got to hear her sing too. When I dropped Dad off at home, I called Byran - there was still time to get in to the Ogden Amphitheater for the 7:30 Sounds of Christmas Time performance! Yippee!

Same show - way better venue!

The girls had pink noses, but they loved performing at the Amphitheater in Christmas Village! What a fun performance!

RS Christmas Dinner

A couple of months ago, I was asked to be chair for the RS Christmas Dinner. I hesitated, but said yes. I went straight to Ann for ideas, since she and her mom have both been RS presidents. She suggested a menu. I pulled together some of the most reliable women in the ward (and some of the best cooks) and we pulled it off. We had close to 70 women there. Weber High's Chamber Quire performed before the meal (they had another engagement afterward). The food held quite well during the performance. Everyone enjoyed it a lot! Thanks, Ann! (pics when I get them)

Grose Family SAT

The SAT got off to a slow start this year, but we ended up with a pretty good crowd. Refer to Julie's blog - thatssogrose - for group pics at the dinner. Here are pictures of those who performed in the talent show. Thanks to Becky for putting this together for Dad this year. He so looks forward to the gathering and the talent show.
Alli sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Kendrick played a piano solo. Marianne sang her little heart out in a duet with her mom. Jen sang, "Where Are You Christmas." Lex played a John Schmidt number she'd heard on a CD. Jace played the song from his recent recital. Dean played a piano solo. Becky played and sang the number she did as she accompanied her stake president to every one of his Ward Conference speaking engagements. Amberly played a piano solo. Jenna played her recital piece. The Grose Sisters sang a beautiful a Capella number. The Bolos Sisters sang a hymn.
I snapped this shot of Dad enjoying the talent that was performed especially for him!
After the talent performances, Becky got all the Primary-age kids together to sing, "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus."

We are thankful!

On Thanksgiving Day we only had half of our children with us - but still a crowd with 28 people. Dad joined us, along with Russell, Elaine, Micaela and her friend Zach. Everyone stepped up to help and we had a wonderful dinner. I only cooked turkey, gravy and stuffing! Check out the leftover gravy and stuffing in the photo below!
Table one
Table twoMicaela tries the olives on the fingers. Kendrick has a double helping of his mom's layered jello. All the guys were absorbed in the newspaper after dinner. Audrey shows off her little turkey. Check out the left-over stuffing and gravy! Sharon brought crafts for the kids to do after dinner.

Happy Birthday, Amy!

For her 33rd birthday, Amy invited US to dinner! She cooked the yummiest roast beef, carrots and potatoes (from a farmer down the road), corn bread and Mike made her a chocolate birthday cake. Mmmmmm. We all ate way too much!

"Twenty-nine tickets for the matinee, please."

On Saturday, November 22, we took almost all of the grandchildren to see Weber High's fantabulous production of Peter Pan. There was a little brunch before, where the kids pigged out on juice, chocolate milk, cheese cubes, grapes, oranges and Rice Krispie Bars. Joann, Becky, John and Ann joined us. Sharon and Gus saw it the weekend before. [Weber did SEVEN performances of Peter Pan - all sold out!]
Lisa got some shots of the kids before the show began.
More of the kids waiting for Peter Pan to start. The kids were all great! Even the littlest ones were enthralled with the 2 hr. 45 min. show!