Twelve

Sean turned twelve years old on Saturday and our family celebrated his birthday yesterday.  The birthday boy or girl gets to pick the menu for their birthday dinner and since Tashena picked Cafe Rio, Sean decided to go to Chick-A-Rama.  Then we came back to his house for presents and cake.

Sean's parents got him an Xbox One (which he has already been playing with) and a Pokemon game for his 3DS.

Marilyn and Grandma and Grandpa got him some clothes and a Fire Stick with a game controller for his TV.  He was pretty happy about that!

I got him the Halo game for his Xbox One and an Amazon gift card so he can download apps on his Fire Stick.  (I think I want a Fire Stick for Christmas).

After presents we had the traditional ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins.

I sure do love this kid and I hope he has a lot of fun with all of his new games!

Winter Ball 2016

Bountiful High School held its annual Winter Ball last night.  It was girl's choice and Tashena asked a boy on the basketball team but he didn't answer her for weeks so she arranged to go with a group of friends.  (He finally told her he would go with her but she told him she was over it).  Then, this week, all of her plans fell through.  She had the dress and the tickets so she decided to ask Colton, a family friend.  Isn't he adorable?  He was actually quite excited to be asked by Tashena (I think he has a crush on her).  During the day they went ice skating, had dinner at Panda Express, and then went to the dance at the University of Utah Alumni House.

Putting on the boutonniere!

Colton and Tashena.

The girls.

The boys.

The whole group.

Tashena looks like Cinderella!

Beethoven & Rachmaninoff

When the final bell rings to end the school day on a Friday afternoon, I am usually thrilled with the prospect of an entire weekend ahead of me.  When I have a ticket to a Utah Symphony concert on a Friday night, I am even more excited.  I left an enormous stack of argumentative essays that need to be graded on my desk and drove home with a smile on my face anticipating a concert featuring Mozart and Rachmaninoff, two of my favorite composers.  TGIF!  The concert was wonderful, definitely worthy of anticipation.  The orchestra began with Mozart's Symphony No. 19.  Mozart's music is light (not to be confused with simple), airy, and melodic filled with beautiful themes throughout each movement.  I enjoyed this piece immensely. Then soloist Jeffrey Kahane joined the orchestra for a marvelous performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2.  I especially enjoyed the second movement, which was very contemplative, and the third, which was, conversely, very lively.  After the intermission it was time for some Rachmaninoff!  The orchestra played the powerful Symphony No. 3 to the delight of the audience.  I find Rachmaninoff (and all of the Russian composers, really) to be incredibly romantic and the second movement is particularly beautiful.  I love the plaintive themes played by the various woodwinds.  Sigh!  It was the perfect way to begin the weekend!  The same program will be performed again tonight and, really, what's not to love about Mozart, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff?  Tickets can be purchased here.

Note:  If you get a ticket, give yourself some extra time to get to Abravanel Hall.  It is that time of year when driving downtown is crazy because of the lights at Temple Square.

Festival of Trees 2016

Last night I volunteered as a hostess at the Festival of Trees, something I have done for many, many years.  Every year people donate decorated trees and other items which are put up for auction and then displayed to the public.  One hundred percent of the proceeds of this event go to Primary Children's Hospital.  It is such a great cause and I am happy to help out every year.  My job is to watch over the trees and items to make sure they are not damaged or stolen (remember the little girl who stole a doll off the Frozen tree?) and to answer any questions that people might have.  I say items because, for the first time ever, I was not assigned to an area of trees.  Rather, I was placed in an area filled with centerpieces.  I have to say that this wasn't quite as fun for me as the trees because the centerpieces don't usually have a story so I didn't get to interact with people as much as I usually do.  However, there was an elaborately mechanized clock in my area that the children really liked.  They were positively mesmerized by it, which was cool, but children don't really talk to strangers!  After my shift, I was able to wander around and look at the trees (and get a sweet roll).  Here are some of my favorites.

This Grinch tree was my very favorite!  There are literally hundreds of trees to see, not to mention all of the centerpieces, wreaths, and gingerbread houses!  You really should make your way to the South Towne Expo Center to experience the Festival of Trees yourself!  It runs until Saturday and more information can be found here.

Carrie Underwood at the Maverik Center

Last night I took my niece Tashena to see Carrie Underwood's sold-out Storyteller tour at the Maverik Center.  To say that Tashena was in heaven would be an understatement!  In fact, I think my standings have improved dramatically in the Coolest Aunt Ever category!  Country music is not my favorite genre but I like artists who have a pop crossover sound and I like a lot of Carrie Underwood's songs, particularly "Last Name" and "Jesus, Take the Wheel." Tashena, however, absolutely loves her and she sang every single word!  Underwood began her set with "Renegade Runaway" from her latest album Storyteller and sprinkled quite a few others from this album throughout: "Dirty Laundry," "Church Bells," "Heartbeat," "Choctaw County Affair" while playing a mean harmonica, and "Clock Don't Stop."  I sang along with Tashena when she played her hits: "Last Name," a rousing rendition of "Undo It" with lots of audience participation, "Good Girl," "Cowboy Casanova," an emotional rendition of "Jesus, Take the Wheel" (she had to stop to compose herself while the audience sang for her), "Wasted," "Blown Away," "Two Black Cadillacs," "All-American Girl," "Little Toy Guns," and "Before He Cheats." She gave a very heart-felt thanks to all of the fans who have supported her along the way and dedicated Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" to the crowd.  She sang it a capella because she can!  She performed a fun version of "Mountain Music" with her opening acts, The Swon Brothers and Easton Corbin, and dedicated "What I Never Knew I Always Wanted" to her husband Mike Fisher (a hockey player, sigh) and her son Isaiah with adorable pictures of both on the big screen.  For the encore, she performed "Smoke Break" and "Something in the Water."  She put on a great show on a stage in the round with all of the requisite costume changes, light shows, and pyrotechnics but, more importantly, she can sing and she sang her heart out!  I certainly enjoyed this concert immensely and Tashena?  I could hardly contain her!  I often bemoan the fact that I can't buy Barbies for the little girl any more but I have to admit that I really enjoy spending time with the teen-age Tashena!  She was a great concert buddy!

Note: Tashena and I didn't get to see the opening acts!  We hit the trifecta of bad commutes: construction on I-15, a massive snowstorm, and about a billion people trying to get to the Maverik Center!  It's good thing Carrie Underwood was worth all of the hassle!