Wife of Craig, mom of Sarah, Jessica, Kyle, Lisa, Curt, and Cole, mom-in-love to Todd, Andrew, Vanessa, and Emily. Called Grammy by JC, Jayci, Trinity, Cambria, Titan, Braden, Adelaide, Cory, Whitney, Melissa, Ian, Mila, Lukas, Julie, Kate, and Susie, and Great Grammy by Elsie Mae. Black Lab Pepper rounds out the family!
Cambria and Titan are participating in a respected children's group, Stand Out Studios. It's an expensive proposition. Remember the wristlets and keychains from the September give away that Cambria and Titan made? They were to earn money for their tuition to this group.
Here is one of the songs they performed. It's a Christian based Christmas one, and different from the other videos that they have made in the past. Those others are with two composers who have asked Cambria and Titan to sing in the videos for their new releases. Unlike the two composers, Stand Out Studios encourages the kids to be more "active" in their singing. (Watch the video and you will see what I mean. Hah!)
Titan has a solo,
And Cambria and Tay get a lot of screen time. My favorite moment for them? At the very end of the video, they spontaneously turn to each other and hug. And the camera man got it! Knowing that Tay had just gotten home from yet another hospital stay (and would be hospitalized again a few days later) makes this performance all the more poignant to me.
All three kids are in the row that's second from the top and left of center. They're pretty easy to pick out. (Or maybe it's just because I'm their Grammy and can pick them out in a heartbeat! Hah!)
Here is the finished production video and then a second video that Mountain Mama Jessica put together of rehearsals and filming for it. (Jessie does all my BreyerFest videos - she's good at them, too!)
The finished production.
And Jessica's video which I actually prefer to watch.
A model that you would never let go? Oh, gosh! Who on earth to pick? I have so many never-sells in my collection. So, I went with sentiment, of course.
When Cambria and Titan were in their mutton busting years, I made the kids (and me) matching rodeo shirts at their request.
Can't mutton bust unless you look the part, right?
To thank me, they decided to surprise me by sending me two horses for my collection.
Brookside Pink Magnum (because they knew my favorite color is pink),
And this bright pink blanket and stock horse mare to wear it.
Amazingly enough, I did not have either model or the blanket in my collection!
The other sentimental never-sell models are my carpet herd. There are about twenty of them, but these are the favorites:
Needles. A gift from my dad when I got my braces on. He suggested the name; it is a double entendre on having needles in dental work and the race horse.
Frosty - my absolute most favorite Breyer. I babysat at 50 cents an hour to earn the $5 he cost me. My friend Bobbie Sue and I rode a city bus into town and bought him at a pet shop. (She bought a dapple grey Clydesdale Stallion with gold bobs.)
Miss Windy Warpaint. (Oh, those childhood names!) I do not remember how she came into my collection, but I still love her.
Sham. I have five of this color on this mold and I can pick Sham out of the conga with no trouble.
Sheena. I also have Black Minx, her matching foal, and Shannon, the black Stretch Morgan who is her "husband" and Black Minx's dad.
Thanksgiving is one week away from today - one week! And my kids and their families are all arriving this coming Saturday.
Needless to say, I have a lot to do to get ready.
One of the first things I did was to record a message for them. I discovered that I had a Thanksgiving piano roll that I'd never played before, and it had two of our family's favorite Thanksgiving songs on it! (Naturally, one of those songs has a horse in it.)
So I grabbed some decorations that were close to my kids' hearts, loaded the roll, and played it for them. It was very well received by my family and I hope that you enjoyed it, too.
A little over a year ago, Craig and I finally cried uncle about housecleaning. I'd just begun using a walker, and I simply could no longer clean like I used to. (Cleaning is something I actually enjoy.) Craig, too, was struggling with his own pain and our house was getting dirtier and dirtier. (Dog hair anyone?)
My friend Kathy suggested I try her housecleaner and so we took the plunge and hired Olivia. She's been cleaning for us for over a year now and not only does my home look wonderful, she has become a good friend.
Olivia working on my blinds this week.
For the Thanksgiving holiday, she is doing heavy duty cleaning stretching over two days. She did the downstairs Monday and is doing the upstairs today. I am so grateful that my home will be clean for everyone who is staying with us.
An interesting thing about Olivia - her hobby is skating on a Roller Derby team! That's her kneeling on the bottom right.
Because Olivia is doing the upstairs (sans roller-skates, of course) I had to finish my sewing projects by today as once that room is cleaned and prepared for overnight guests, I don't want to use it.
Mountain Mama Jessie had asked me to make her kids banners like the ones I made for Julie, Kate, and Titan, and I was happy to do so. I just needed to finish them before Olivia came to clean that room.
Because Jessie's family lives in the Rocky Mountains, there are tons of places to go and see, well beyond the National and State Parks.
This is just a list of one summer's places that their family went!
So, instead of using Junior Ranger patches, I found an embroidery design that would cover all that they do. And then I began experimenting with colors, trying to incorporate red and black for Titan and pink and green for Cambria.
That took a lot of experimenting, but at last I was happy with two of the designs and got started embroidering on the banners.
I ran into a big problem - this set of banners that I'd ordered (yes, from Amazon) was off in its measurements. See how the point of the banner pulls to the left?
The point of the banner on both banners was too far over to one side.
When I was measuring and placing the designs, I had wondered what the problem was - I knew I was measuring correctly but still I could not seem to center the designs.
It was when I compared them to the banners from the first set I'd made, I could see the problem - whoever made these banners was off on their measurements. When they'd hemmed the bottom edges, they did not get the hem stitching centered. Somehow it passed QC and was then sold to me.
It's too late to fix them, but if Cambria and Titan want, I can get new banners and make another set. As it is, just looking at the list of places they'd visited in one summer makes me think I will need to make second banners to hold all their badges, patches, pins, and stickers!
Tick! Tick! Tick! (Where's that fast clock video?? LOL)
Two more days before folks begin arriving! And I cannot wait.
First, thank you to those who looked out for Cambria's friend through prayers, karma, good thoughts, and more. Every bit of it was appreciated. And I am pleased to say that the family feels they have received a miracle - T just came home.
I didn't put it here on the blog, but things had gotten very grim for T and it was questionable that she would pull through. I honestly thought that she would not make it and I was dreading the news.
Cambria immediately set to work on a poster for T when she heard that she was coming home. (Guess who is a lefty like her mama?)
And then Jessica drove her to deliver the poster and the trick or treat candy that Cambria had collected for T by bringing an extra bag along when she went out trick or treating.
I am grateful that T is home, and I am grateful to all who offered support. Heartfelt thanks.
Switching gears now, the Happy Trails/Dan Patch Show is just four days away! I'm in good shape, though, and could actually go out to Oxford and set up now.
Yesterday I set the Feast sewing aside for an hour and made a show drape for photos.
I really like that fabric and the Standardbreds on it are all pacing! (Dan Patch was a pacer.)
I thought that Elise Partanen had a great idea when she included a mystery surprise in her donations to the show.
I decided to copy borrow her idea and wrapped up my own Breyer mystery surprise.
I have a thank you gift for Brooke and Tom, too. They don't read the blog so I can share what it is - a Breyer 1990 Dan Patch never removed from its box! They've talked about having an area in the Dan Messner building for Dan Patch things; this would be a nice addition.
Finally, and just for fun, here is the view I have every time I come downstairs.
Our trees are just gorgeous this year! That view won't last more than a few more days, but in the meantime, I am enjoying it to the max!
I'm having a small back procedure this morning (basically an injection in the spine) so just this quick notice today. I'll be back tomorrow!
In the meantime, I'm holding a give away of these cute wristlets and keychains made by Cambria and Titan over on the Horsiemama blog. Want to win one of these? Go there for directions!
Angie Killian, the composer, used a very small group of singers this time, and they all hied their way well up and into the Rocky Mountains to record this song. (Which is really named, "Anytime, Anywhere.")
Since it was government land where ranchers run cattle, well...
Cambria is in the back row next to the piano and Titan is smack dab in the middle of the front row. And all the children (and adults) did a great time playing, singing, recording, and ignoring their wild cattle audience!
There is still lots to share from the 4th of July family visit, but there are other things currently happening that I'd like to record, too. Here are a few of them.
Goldilocks is Born
This summer Mountain Mama Jessica and her family are performing in Shrek the Musical. Their roles? Goldilocks and the Three Bears! I can't wait to start seeing pictures, but Jessie did send me some photos of Cambria going blonde for the show.
Not very Goldilockish yet!
Half the foils are in. The process took four hours.
It's Goldilocks! Ready to go at rehearsal and sending her stylist a thank you video.
When did this girl grow up? She's starting middle school this year!
BreyerFest Horses Have Begun Arriving
Tight Lines, aka Fish, Will Coleman's mount has arrived. Actually, two of them came as I had two tickets.
I like Will Coleman and I like the blanket, but Cigar is a mold that I really dislike. I will pull the blanket out of one of the two boxes since I collect Breyer blankets (a Collection within a Collection, hah!) but the other box will be donated somewhere.
Buying a Stablemate ticket to BreyerFest confirms that I am now actively collecting Stablemates, right?
And I got the one of the four possibilities that I'd wanted most - Bellini.
The palomino pinto Indian Pony was very tempting, but Bellini appealed more to me. Having said that, I'm looking to buy or trade for the Indian Pony!
Coming to Happy Trails V! Atlanta, the Hambletonian 100th Anniversary Special Run
BreyerFest week had just begun when Jamie Rott sent me a message with a link to the Hambletonian Society and Atlanta, a special run to celebrate the centennial running of the Hambletonian. (Thanks, Jamie!)
At only $7 and with free shipping, I ordered one for me and two to be given out at Happy Trails - very appropriate since the theme this year is Dan Patch!
To my surprise, two extras had been popped into my package - a magnet and a commemorative pin!
I've tried to get a good photo of the pin, but no luck. This will have to do.
Now that BreyerFest is over, I am actively working on planning Happy Trails V. I'd like to have the class list, rules, and information posted within the next two weeks.
Fortunately, I was able to recover the first four Happy Trails files and I am using them to put together this year's show.
Lots to do, for sure, but it is all things that I enjoy doing.
Should be another post coming today. Stay 'tooned!
It's the last day of school for thousands of kids in the area. For me, it was always a bittersweet day - I was so, so tired and ready for a break, but I knew I'd miss my students terribly, too.
One of my favorite traditions always happened on the last day of school - the teachers and staff gathered outside the building and waved goodbye to the kids as the buses rolled away for the very last time of the year.
Here's a video from the year that Lisa and I were both teaching in the same school. She's standing next to me and we are chatting together as we wave goodbye to the kids.
Isn't that a neat way to end the school year? I almost want to run out to my school this afternoon and join the teachers in waving goodbye!
Cambria, another of the quads, participated in her 5th grade graduation out in Utah.
At first I thought she was wearing some Hawaiian leis. Her other grandmother is from Hawaii and leis are a tradition at events like this. But looking closer, those garlands are made from candy!
Congratulations, Cambria! I'm so proud of you! xoxy
Pepper made her last visit of the school year to Lisa's classroom last week.
This time I brought some grooming tools and let the kids brush her.
She loves to be brushed and combed and she loves kids. Win-win for Pepper!
Until I pulled out her boots. She's not very fond of those.
I don't make her wear them - if the pavement is too hot or too icy for her feet, we stay indoors. But I am also teaching those kids about animal care, and some day they may have pets who need foot protection. So, I "planted a seed" in their minds and taught for the future.
As always, Pepper was a good sport and despite having to put her shoes on, she really enjoyed her morning with Lisa's students. (And for some reason, those shoes never stayed long on her feet. Hmmm... I wonder why?)
Mama and Nashie are coming today which means things will be loud and hoppin' here. Tammo will be over the moon when Nashie walks through the front door.
The Easter video Cambria and Titan made dropped Thursday but I've saved it for today. That wasn't my original intent. I'd planned to share it, point out clips of the two of them caught on camera, and more.
Not anymore.
This video isn't about my grands or the balance of the adults, children, and orchestra. It's one of those rare times when all things come together and you have something extraordinary.
Easter is almost here and Jessica has sent me the date when the video that her kids filmed with The Tabernacle Choir and The Orchestra at Temple Square back in January will drop. It's tomorrow!
As of this writing, I haven't seen it yet, but here are some pictures from the rehearsals.
The kids are in the front row (blue circle) and sandwiched between the Choir (top, in white and black) and the Orchestra (bottom, in black.) You can just barely see conductor Ryan Murphy standing a little to the right and down from Cambria and Titan.
When Jessica was attending BYU, he directed a choir that she sang in.
It was just last October when the kids sang in the Conference Center that he and Jessica reconnected for the first time in years. (Ryan is now one of the directors of The Tabernacle Choir.)
Cambria in rehearsal at top left and wearing glasses.
Another rehearsal shot showing part of the orchestra.
A group photo of the Tabernacle Choir, the Children's Choir, and the Orchestra at Temple Square. The kids have had to spill out on both sides.
While the Conference Center is massive, it's not big enough for this group of musicians.
Having said that, I am grateful that they squeezed all the musicians in and that I will soon be able to watch Cambria and Titan sing.
