Life is good with sleep and exercise

I have been feeling so happy the past two days. It's probably because I am finally getting enough sleep. I've also been getting up earlier and walking Ethan to school. He holds my hand and we walk up the hill together, dodging cars, and wishing for more sidewalks. Yesterday, on our morning walk, Ethan told me all about Garfield's favorite season. Did anyone else know that Garfield loves fall? He loves the colorful, crisp leaves ..... because they remind him of potato chips. Ethan loves spring. He loves the blue sky, the flowers, and the sun. Me too.

In the afternoon, Scott and I walk back to school to bring Ethan home. (My total walking for the day is just under 2.5 miles! Woohoo! Another reason I'm feeling so good! ) Usually, Scott rides in the stroller (better workout for me). On the way home, Scott and Ethan like to run down the hill. Last Thursday, they were adorable. They held hands, told secrets, and raced together to each curb. Then they'd sit and wait for me to arrive with the empty stroller. We'd cross the street together, and they'd take off again, holding hands like best friends. It was one of those sweet, sweet times of being a mom.

Scott talks a lot about things he will do when he's a dad. Yesterday, on the way home, Scott saw someone mowing his lawn. "Mom, when I'm a dad, I'm going to learn how to mow the lawn." I told him, "You don't have to wait to be a dad for that. You can learn when you're a TEENAGER. Did you know that I used to mow the lawn when I was a teenager?" He was curious to know how long it would be before he was a teenager and seemed to think Ethan was practically there.

Over dinner that night, Scott announced, "When I am a dad, and my kids are grown up, I will tell them stories about when I was a teenager and I mowed the lawn."

In conclusion, I like my kids.

All things Italian...

Scott just walked over to me, obviously proud of what he had made: "This is an Italian trumpet. I made it out of marble race." He then demonstrated its sonorous qualities, marching through the house and blowing out something that sounded a lot like the USC fight song.

Ethan, not to be outdone, announced that he would be making an Italian trombone. While working on it, Scott slipped off the back of the couch onto Ethan's workspace. "And that is called Italian ooof!" giggled Ethan.

A Primary anecdote

In Primary today, we talked about the important role of fathers: to preside, provide, and protect. Three fathers came to visit Primary and talk about their role and share their thoughts on what those words mean. Our Bishop said that to preside is to guide and lead. That makes sense to me, but part of me wants to argue that mothers also guide and lead, so why does the presiding fall to fathers? And then the other part of me says back, "Fathers hold the Priesthood and they preside, not because mothers can't, but because that's how roles were defined." And then the first part of me says, "But why? Is there something inherent in a father that makes him preside?" And then the second part of me says, "Pray about it."

But I digress. The point of blogging today was to share something from Sharing Time that made me laugh.

Our Sharing Time leader said to the children, "Some of you will grow up to be fathers." Zoe, a 5 year old girl, immediately cried out, "I am going to be a mother." Whereupon, Scott turned around and proclaimed, "I am going to marry you!"

Everything was all decided, I thought, until Zoe's teacher, who had been sitting right next to her, told me after the lesson was over that she muttered under her breath, "I will never marry you!"

Ah, young love.

Another satisfied customer!

Our recipe for homemade bread is so easy that Mr. M made some all by himself! (I'm not a bit proud of him, nope, not me.)

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Mr. M and I had a fantastic evening at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Friday. If you've never been, it's an amazing experience, although I would never have paid for the seats we had. We kept saying to each other, over and over, "I can't believe we won these tickets!!"

The question which I answered correctly to win tickets was "Starting with the 2009/10 season, Christian Zacharias will be an Artistic Partner for which American orchestra?" The answer was
the St Paul Chamber Orchestra.



The program began with Brahms Serenade #2, which has no violins. Next, came Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante with solo violin, oboe, bassoon, and cello. During the intermission, the stage hands wheeled out a grand piano with no lid. I was confused, until I remembered that the soloist (Christian Zacharias) was also the conductor. He played the Schumann piano concerto, which I played* at Interlochen, and it was a treat to hear something I knew so well. It was very entertaining to see him pounding away at the piano and then start waving his arms to conduct. A few times he leaned waaaay back on the piano bench and I wondered if he would fall off. I also wondered if in the midst of his conducting, he might forget to come in as the soloist. He did neither.

After the concert, we headed over to the Green Room. (I happen to be on a first name basis with the Green Room security guard, thanks to a ticket mix-up earlier in this month with my friend Kathryn.) My friend Leticia from the viola section met us there, and gave us a backstage tour. We concluded our evening on the rooftop gardens/amphitheatre looking out across the downtown skyline. It was a lovely evening and a great way way to kick off the birthday celebrations for Mr. M!

P.S. Did you LOOK at that amazing organ? Next on my list - how to get to one of the organ recitals.

*I played the orchestral violin part, not the solo piano part. Sorry to disappoint anyone who thought my piano chops might have been that good.