Violinists and Cellists

Earlier this month I took Mary to see her violin teacher perform with a local symphony as the winner for a youth competition.  It was a great concert, and we got to meet her teacher's teacher, who happens to be the concert master for the Phoenix Symphony....and I happen to be a big admirer of his.  (You can see him in the background over her shoulder, wearing black.)

And last night Jay and I took Collin (our cellist) to see Zuill Bailey in a solo concert at the Mesa Arts Center.   We saw him perform with the Phoenix Symphony last year and loved him, so we couldn't resist getting tickets to his performance of the entire Bach Cello Suites... in one sitting!  It was simply amazing!  He is a fantastic performer.... talented, charming and witty... and a fabulous story-teller.  Everyone was spell bound!

This pose is because he told the story of how his left land is MUCH larger than his right.

I'm not an artist, and crafts and stuff like that really are NOT my thing, but I have a 4th grader who LOVES art, so I try.  Since his teacher this year is not really into art I volunteered to help with art projects.  What was I thinking???  Fortunately I have a husband who knows about art and he helped me put together a water color project.  It was probably a bit too ambitious for me but it was fun.

 

Handy Jay and the Back-splash

I'm lucky to have such a handy husband.  Jay installed this lovely back-splash in the kitchen over the weekend.  I love it!

A Decision that Took Two Years

It only took me about 2 years to finally get up the nerve, but I finally got my hair cut short... well, short to me, after having it quite long for a lot of years.   But it was time... it needed "thickening up."  I think I like it.

October in Review

October was busy and fun.  I made pickles for the first time ever.  My parents brought home bushels of cucumbers from the ranch and I didn't know what else to do with them.  They turned out great!  I gave most of them away but our family enjoyed lots of them.

Collin was on a school trip the whole week of Fall Break.  He want to Northern California and had a great time.  They kept very busy and saw lots of stuff.  When I read through the itinerary I was really wishing I had been a chaperone! 

So, Mary and Jack and I try to keep from getting bored while Collin was gone.  We went on bike rides and played games, and they had friends over.  It was pretty low key. 

I celebrated my birthday.  Yippee.  Another year older.  You don't need to know how old.

My mom turned 70 so we planned a great surprised party and had it at our house.  She was COMPLETELY surprised.  It was great!

My sister, Heidi, came into town (from Georgia) for mom's birthday so we had to have a girls' lunch too, or course.

For Halloween, Jack dressed a ninja, and Mary dressed as a "Pompeii Seer" (from an episode of "Dr. Who".... she is s huge fan). 

Mary (left), Jack (right), and Mary's friend Madison (center)

Collin was going to dress as the "10th Doctor" but then decided he didn't want to go trick-or-treating (it's hard at that age.... too old?).  When some friends came by trick-or-treating he threw on half of his costume and went out to a few houses with them.  Then they came back here to watch a movie.