Name Meme

Last week or so Morning Glory tagged me to do this cool name meme. You're supposed to "write" out the names of several bloggers (including the one that tagged you) in a unique way. Those bloggers are then tagged to do the same. As Morning Glory stated in her post, it is very time consuming. So, I stopped at 2. Lol! But, if these creative gals have the drive (and I tagged them because they are such talented, gifted women), I encourage them to do more than 2.

Here is Morning Glory's, abbreviated. ;)



My dear friend at Fresh Preserves, who I know could have a real blast with this!



And this talented artist from The Art of Life.



Have fun, ladies!

5 questions, 5 answers, starting now

I got tagged by Lucy to do this meme, and it's a fun one!

1. If you could change one part of your body, what would it be? This bald spot at the nape of my neck! Lol! It appeared after the birth of our 4th child... and this is not just typical post pardum hair loss. It's like all that new pregnancy hair growth fell out of just this one spot on my head! And it's not filling back in like it usually does; I always get and then lose a lot of new hair at the nape of my neck and around my hairline. The spot is only noticeable when I pull my hair up high on top of my head (which is, well, never, because it's NOT the 80s). But still, I know it's there and is freaky.

2. How much money do you think you need to make to be "really comfortable"? (Think annual salary). For me and my family of 6, really comfortable means being debt free, having an adequately growing savings, living in a home with room to spare and not worrying about the coupon section in Sunday's newspaper. Here in Texas, I'd say that's about a $140,000/yr salary.

3. What is your greatest God-given talent? Music. I began studying violin at the age of 8 - with a variety of teachers and under a variety of methods. I climaxed under the tutelage of a professor at Rice. When I turned 15, I began studying the viola as well, with a professor from the University of Houston. I became much more serious about music at this point, practicing multiple hours day, becoming active in the city's reputable youth symphony and joining my performing arts highschool's symphony (where I was already enrolled for dance). Until my senior year, I was torn between my love for both music and dance. After auditioning in both these areas for a number of university scholarships, it became obvious to me that music was where I had my edge, and I chose to pursue a degree in viola performance and pedagogy at Brigham Young University. Since graduating, I have had some incredible experiences... touring Central and Western Europe, performing with the Utah Ballet and Honolulu Symphony, teaching both at a private academy and private lessons, and recording for movies/soundtracks. But greater than the blessing of ability itself has been the blessing that no matter how much time passes between musical opportunities (which have become fewer and fewer as I've had more children), I've never felt as if I've lost that edge. I truly believe that the Lord has given me this gift as my reward for dedicating myself to motherhood. It is amazing that it took so many hours of fervent practice to get to where I am, and yet I have maintained myself with very little effort.

4. Winter Olympics or Summer Olympics? I'm torn! Growing up, we always watched the Summer Olympics. We'd be on vacation in Galveston at a beach house and watch gymnastics, primarily in the afternoon/evenings after we'd been sunburned and exhausted. The family I married into loves to watch figure skating, and it wasn't until then that I began to pay attention to the Winter Olympics. Of course now I have children and never have time to watch tv. Or, I guess I'd rather be blogging. ;)

5. If you could have any career, and you were GUARANTEED success (no tests to get in, no auditions, no worrying about daycare, or money or time) what would you do? For a long time, I have toyed with the thought of opening up a performing arts school. I'd love for it to be public - open to anyone who qualifies (by audition). I'd want not only to be the administrator, but to teach as well - to choreograph, conduct the orchestra, teach an art class. I can't think of any other environment in which I could be involved in all 3 of my biggest passions. Maybe this isn't far fetched, but it's what I really want to do.

Now for my questions and the people I want to tag.

1) What has been your greatest accomplishment?

2) Name one book that has had a profound impact on your thinking.

3) Do you have any guilty pleasures?

4) What need does blogging fulfill in your life?

5) What is one thing people can appreciate about you?

I invite Meta, Kasie Sallee, Michelle, Lara and An Ordinary Mom to answer.

*you might notice a few changes to my blog over the next little while. it's going to look patchy until i decide what exactly i am doing. lol! i welcome comments on the new look as it progresses!

Let's get down to business

It's all work and no play around here today. I've got a meme to do and an award to pass on. So bear with me, will ya? Besides, tomorrow is Woman to Woman, and I know you'll all come back then to play.

I was tagged by Pam in Colorado from Pinnacles, Pitfalls and Pottychairs to do the 8 Random Facts meme. I posted 7 Random Facts about myself here. I'll add one more and call it good. :)

#8 - I have an addiction to gift wrapping. When I get a present, I look for what can be reused from it... ribbon, paper, the front side of the card (which usually has no writing on it). And I give serious thought to everything I wrap. I use pictures from magazines, buttons, wire, wallpaper, material, newspaper, flowers - anything and everything to adorn a box/bag/envelope. Christmastime requires just as much wrapping time as shopping time. Hours and hours are spent sitting among my glorious piles of trinkets and pretties trying to decide which present deserves which decoration. I love it.

Morning Glory at Seeds from my Garden graciously awarded me the Blogger Reflection Award, and I'd like to pass that on to 5 bloggers I've really enjoyed "getting to know".

Lucy from Life is a Spasm Who Flow - What I love about Lucy is how real she comes across in her blogging. She has no front, no agenda. Down. to. earth. And she mixes things up - there's a bit of family business, a bit of food for thought, a lot of good stuff. She's also a SWEETHEART.

Shelah from Hitting the Ground Running - I have been reading her practically from the beginning of (both our) blogging days. She's funny, smart, AND cute (no really, I've met her, she's CUTE). Never a disappointing post, not even when she hits the publish button too soon. Lol! Shelah is one of MOFs.

I've been intrigued by Allysha at Bells On Their Toes for quite some time now. I hate to say I was first drawn to the appearance of her blog, but it's true. Simply stated. 3 sets of perfectly sweet toes in her avatar. What's not to love? Then after reading her for a while, I realized what a fun approach she has in her writing. Witty. Humorous. Side note: we (recently) discovered that we performed in the same dance ensemble at BYU. Small bloggy world, isn't it? And here we are 10ish years later blogging in the same circles, both with 4 children in tow.

Scribbit. Run, don't walk, to her blog. I wonder how she keeps it all together, but somehow she does. If her blog is any reflection of who she is, then she is one incredible woman. On the ball! A place for everything and everything in its place. Well written. Organized. Informative. And very personable. I don't see how anyone could not love this gal.

Belladonna at mind-muffins has some really, really incredible posts. I am always excited when she's decided to join us for Woman to Woman because she always has so much to add. Her perspective is always refreshing and she really makes you think/reconsider your views. I love that.

Now the rules of participation:
1. Copy this post.
2. Replace [my bloggers with yours] & Reflect on five bloggers and write a least a paragraph about each one.
3. Make sure you link this post so others can read it and the rules.
4. Go leave your chosen bloggers a comment and let them know they've been given the award. 5. Put the award icon on your site [also found here]

Finally, some (not all) songs from the Mommy and Me Mix CD are finally playing for all to enjoy! So turn it up and dance, cuddle or just plain listen (with your little ones, of course).

Bullseye

I've been tagged by Lee to do the 7 random "things about me" meme. This is great timing, because I have been forever working on that "50 things you probably don't know about me" meme. You know, the one that practically initiates you into blogdom. It's been over a year and it's just not happening. But 7 things? THAT much I have figured out.

And here they are:

1)I do my make-up and hair and anything else while standing still in fifth position. Except for dishes.
2)Because I loathe doing the dishes. That job was assigned to my husband right after "I do". Which gives him the right to make fun of me for doing everything in fifth position.
3)I danced for 18 years. Ballet, modern and tap. Some jazz. Some hula.
4)But I'm not Hawaiian. My mother, however, was born in Hawaii, which is how I got my name. And how I learned to hula.
5)I am 1/4 Italian. My spaghetti sauce proves it.
6)I cannot whistle. Which makes me feel inferior to most other musicians. Who really wants to hear me try to sing that line from the Brahms Violin Concerto? Not my music lit class, that's for sure.
7)I've never considered myself a writer. In fact, I was once told by a college professor that I had "serious writing problems". And I believed him. Until I began blogging.

*sending mean ex-professor blog link now*

I tag:
Zoe
Morning Glory
Kristen
Mel
Blackeyed Sue
Allysha
utmommy

Tag, I'm it!

Nettie tagged me to do a meme which originated in New Zealand. If you are into meme history you can check out the original here.

What do you like most about where you live? I love my neighbors. We are fortunate enough to have the right age children all around us, and they all have terrific parents! We get together often for BBQs and it is a given that we are going to celebrate birthdays together. As for living near Austin itself, well it is dang hot, so I can't brag about the weather. But I do love the city. There is such diversity here. It's the "Live Music Capitol of the World", which as a musician, I can really appreciate! In the burbs where I live, we still need to work on our dedication to the arts, however.
Is there anything strange about where you live? Not really - although it is virtually unrecognizable from when we first moved in. The area is really booming, which is exciting (new IKEA and Outlets) and frustrating (construction) at the same time!
What's one of your all time favorite music albums, and why? Oh, that is so not fair! You can't ask a musician to pick just one! Therefore, I will list a couple recommendations.
Hush by Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, Johann Sebastian Bach, Jean Barriere, and Charles Gounod. It is amazing what you can do with a voice, a cello and some incredible compositions.
Metropolis by Turtle Island String Quartet. Again - amazing talent. Jazz on stringed isntruments at its best! This ensemble is a total inspiration to me! Julie-O is my favorite song on the album.
I also love Vanessa Mae - classical violinist gone fusion!
I guess I'll stop there, but not because I couldn't come up with many, many more!
Did you have a passion for something as a kid that you still have now? I have all the same passions - for art, dance and music. I am most involved in music, since that is what I got my degree in (Viola Performance and Pedagogy), but I still try and stay connected to the art and dance world. In fact, it is my greatest fear that I'll lose my abilities is those 2 areas! In music I have played in orchestras around the world, recorded on some amazing soundtracks, and taught lessons. In dance I both performed professionally and choreographed. And my art mostly benefits myself and my close friends and family with whom I share it.
What do you like most about having a blog? Blogging has helped me to discover my love for encouraging and inspiring others. I've always been "the good listener", but this gives me the forum to speak my mind! It has also helped me to use my mind - to think, to write, to read - all important things when, as a mom, you mostly communicate on a child's level.
Now I'm going to tag: Shelah, Les, and Valarie!

and another meme

Handiemom tagged me to do this meme! I may have done it once already, but I can't remember. I think I was also tagged to do another meme last week and can't remember that for sure, either! Lol!

7 things I want to do before I die:
take a trip to Italy and see where my ancestors were from
be a rescue volunteer for beached whales
take my children on a volunteer mission
record my own album
refurbish an old Victorian home
live in a city loft
cruise from Hawaii to Alaska

7 things I cannot do:
daredevil type activities
whistle
watch my children suffer
be idle
give up sugar
make divinity :(
hip hop dance, lol

7 things that attracted me to my spouse:
his eyes
his curls
his sensitivity
his integrity
his perservearance
his ambition
his brilliance

7 things I say often:
What's up, buttercup?
I love you to the moon and back!
okey dokey, pokey
Hey!
I need kisses and hugs.
one, two, THREE!
Hi sweetpea!

7 "authors" I Love (changed from books - see why below):
Anna Quindlen
Sophie Kinsella
Neil A. Maxwell
Henry B. Eyring
Beverly Cleary
Sandra Boynton
Eric Carle

7 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over:
I hate to disappoint - but I really do not rewatch or reread things very often. While I may have favorites - I've only seen or read most of them once. I am always wanting something new and different!

7 People I'd like to hear Se7ens From:
ubercyl
char
lackrik
andrea
melissa (if she'd like)
deanna
zoe

K, K, What begins with K?

Here are the rules: Comment on this entry and if you'd like to play, I will give you a letter. Write ten words beginning with that letter in your blog, including an explanation of why you chose it, and then pass out letters to those who want to play along.

Jane gave me "K".

kiwi - one of my favorite fruits. It's beautiful when sliced, first of all. Such an incredible shade of green! And it tastes so good with other fruits, in salads, on pie. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm... and I've passed this obsession onto my 19 month old. He could eat them nonstop.

Kronos Quartet - one of my favorite string ensembles because they are well trained in a variety of music genres and create a plethora of sounds and moods with their original compositions. Their music is considered "contemporary" or "modern" and is an acquired taste for some. But they are just such an incredibly talented group!

Krakow, Kiev - 2 of my most memorable stops while touring with an orchestra. Krakow is an amazing city. I wans't there for long and can't wait to go back and spend more time there. The street market is out of this world. Kiev is a sad city, but the host family I stayed with taught me so much about humility. I enjoyed performing there simply because of the look on the audience members' faces - how it transformed with the music we played!

kicks - I'm feeling the last of them. :( We don't plan on having any more children. I haven't enjoyed much of my pregnancy, but I will sure miss the little flutters, jabs, and kicks.

kisses - Oh how I love to kiss my children. They are so soft and chubby and taste so sweet! I am definitely to blame for how affectionate they are, but I don't care! Unlimited kisses are my right as a mommy.

kite - We plan on taking the kids to the park on Monday to fly a kite. It will be our first official day of summer! Interestingly enough, this is something we've only done while I'm on bedrest. We have a big open field near our house and I just kick back in the car and watch the kids run around with Daddy. I might not enjoy it as much were I not simply observing. I focus in on their little faces and their delighted expressions and just love to watch them run, run, run!

kung pao chicken - yum, yum... I love Chinese food, but especially the flavorful dishes!

kimono - I think kimono style shirts and dresses (for women) and even little onesies for babies are super, duper cute. I just love the style. And of course, the original design and the fabrics used are simply gorgeous! How fun it would be to get all decked in a real kimono and learn how to properly take tea!

kolaches - My favorite breakfast food! With a big, sloppy dohnut and hot chocolate. :)

Klimt - I just love his art. I saw some originals when I was in Poland. And it was such a treat. Like being in heaven!

Let me know if you'd like to play!!!

Fathers

Yes, yes I know it is MOTHER'S DAY, but I'll get to us in a minute. Because I want to blog a bit about fathers. (It occurred to me that I may not be blogging on Father's Day, because... well, my life is about to change a lot due to baby #4 making an appearance and I know how chaotic life will get and sparse blogging will be for at least a month after her birth. Plus, I am loving the father of my children muchly right now.)

This topic of fathers bodes well with Maine Mom's tag to do the Two for Togetherness meme. So, I'll start with that.

2 Things you compliment your husband on while in his presence.1) his brilliance 2) He bathes the kids every night and does all the dishes!

2 compliments you make about your spouse to your friends 1) He has integrity! 2) He supports me in every single thing I want to do.

2 traits you married him for.1) the twinkle in his eye 2) his sensitivity

2 Days you cherished the most with your husband being together. Oh that's impossible! Just two? Must take some liberty with this one... 1) my first glimpse of him from behind the blinds of my bedroom window (it was a blind date) 2) our wedding day, of course 3) the days each of our children were born 4) the night he first told me that he loved me 5) his marriage proposal in front of the temple 6)the first recital of mine that he attended (We'd actually broken up, but he STILL came AND he brought his parents. This is just a small representation of his support of my endeavors.)

2 Material things you could give your husband if you just inherited a fortune 1) a yacht 2) the means to start his own consulting firm

2 things you would miss the most if he left for 2 weeks.1) uh, been there - so I can say without hesitation, his body next to me in bed 2) sharing the details of our day with him face to face

2 thoughts that crossed your mind when you first met/saw your spouse.1) nice hair and legs 2) not a thought - but a feeling - my heart fluttering :)

2 favorite dates 1) a viola recital in Frankfurt, Germany 2) picnic lunch between Conference sessions on temple grounds

2 funny odd things you love 1) the way he shows excitement 2) his crushing bear hugs

2 places you have lived with your spouse 1) Salt Lake City, UT 2) Honolulu, Hawaii

2 favorite vacations 1) Heidelberg, Germany 2) San Francisco, California

2 amazing mothers I'd like to tag to do this meme 1) Zoe 2) Shelah. Happy Mother's Day, guys.

So, I've been thinking a lot lately about how much the role of fathers has changed and in how little time. So much more is expected of fathers these days, and fathers are so much more involved in their families' lives. The role of mothers seems to have paralleled this and the bar has been raised for them as well. Our times require it... equal partnership in parenthood and having one purpose.

I've said what I love about my job as a mother many times. The big things, the little things. The fact is, I would not be as good of a mother without his support and involvement - their father, my husband.

Just a couple articles of business!

First off, a belly shot for my dear friend Zoe. Here I am at 32 weeks!

Second of all, the project frenzy continues. It's beyond nesting now! Since I cannot do the physical things I would like to do (completely reorganize closets, have a garage sale, plant flowers, wash the walls, lol) I am just trying to keep my hands busy. So, I made these for my daughter:


Now, it's time for more Wild Card Wednesday ideas. For those of you who are new to Wild Card Wednesday, it is a day when I pick a topic - suggested by one of you - to blog about. And give you credit for the idea. So, give me a new question or subject to blog about! You can even challenge me to use a certain word in my post!

Also, I have been tagged by Gabriela to do "the fours" meme. I won't be tagging anyone else to do this one - I think it has made its round - but if one of my readers has been missed, let me know and then go for it!

Four jobs I've had:
retail
strings teacher
recording artist
dog sitter

Four movies I watch over and over:
truthfully? none... I'm the same way with books. TV shows, for some reason, are totally different! I could watch reruns of Friends, Seinfeld, Dharma and Greg or Felicity any time.

Four places I have lived:
New York
Hawaii
Utah
Texas

Four TV shows I love to watch:
Law and Order
Grey's Anatomy
A Baby Story
Alias

Four places I have been on vacation (I am changing this to Four places I have been on tour and *one place I love to vacation often):
Hungary
Austria
Poland
Germany
*San Francisco

Four places I would like to go on vacation:
Italy
France
Boston
Alaska

Four websites I visit often:
babystyle (for now) :)
lds.org
Fox News
Juno

Four favorite foods (beware - I am pregnant!):
peanut butter
various takes on grilled cheese
smoothees/shakes
chinese

Where I would like to be right now (read: things I can't just do on a whim):
out to lunch with my husband
on a walk
gardening
completing my baby shopping

Lastly - there's a good list of things you can do for YOURSELF this Mother's Day here. I give you persmission to treat yourself like the royalty you are. :)

Have a wonderful weekend everybody!