Violin Dreams

I just finished a wonderful book called Violin Dreams, by Arnold Steinhardt, first violinist of the Guarneri String Quartet. The book is a fascinating journey through Steinhardt's life.

Here is link to a brief article on NPR, with excerpts from the book, as well as recordings of Steinhardt playing Bach's Chaconne from the Violin Partita 2 in D Minor, the masterpiece which he returns to over and over.

Beaten into submission

The boys got to bed late tonight, and I told them that I wasn't available to snuggle, but they could listen to a tape. About half an hour later, I heard a small voice calling from the bedroom: "Mom, a night without snuggles is like.... (long pause).... is like a day without eating. "

Ach! How could I refuse to snuggle when it was put to me like that?

Overheard (with updates below)

From Scott, standing on the kitchen table and throwing crayons all over the living room: "I'm Mitt Romney!"

Playing tag in the courtyard, Ethan called out, "I'm it!" Scott immediately cried, "No, I'm Mitt Romney!"

From Scott, a few days later, playing with a toy train: "I'm Mitt Romney, and I approve this message!"

From Scott, answering a question from a perspective tenant who asked his name: "I'm Garfield. That's a swimming pool."

From Ethan, waxing philosophical in bed: "Mom, where do numbers end?" When I told him there was no end to numbers, he then worried how he could learn to count them all and still learn all the other things we need to learn at school.

From Ethan, same conversation in bed, in a very vehement voice: "I wish I were a grown up girl so I could have treats in Relief Society!"

UPDATE 1/25/08: The political play continues. This afternoon Scott declared, standing on the arm of our couch: "I'm Mitt Romney and I will change America! The future is in my tummy!" He paused, then said, "Watch me scuba dive!" and jumped onto the couch.

Ethan said, "If you jump, Mitt, you will change America. Watch me skydive across America!" After a lot of couch jumping, Ethan ran over to the Brita filter in the fridge. "Mitt, this is our big chance for a drink!"

Just heard from Ethan: "We are the President of the United States." (That sounds Clintonian to me.) And from Scott: "The future is in my bones."

Go BYU!

Here we are, ready to cheer on the Cougars at Qualcomm Stadium. As Ethan says, "Wah wah wah-wah-wah, goooooooo Cougars!"

Nothing new

Well, there's not much new here, but I did decide to make this a private blog. For many reasons. That is all.