Extra, Extra! Read All About It!!

I cannot begin to express how much I love that USA Today put out the Hill Valley Edition of their newspaper featuring the same front page from Back to the Future II.

Brilliant!

Donald went from grocery store to grocery store at 5:30 am on October 22nd trying to get a copy or two before they were gone. He ended up with enough for us and all my siblings.

The stories had me in stitches and I can only imagine how much fun the journalists at the paper had in recreating that famous front page.

 

I posted a picture of Donald reading the paper on my Instagram page...and lo and behold, USA Today put it on their website!! 

Check it out here.

The Future is Here

Today is the day Marty McFly arrives in the future. It feels monumental. I can remember watching Back to the Future II when it came out...getting a peek at what the future might hold... with hoverboards and flying cars. As it turned out, I think life looks a lot more similar to 1985 than they predicted it would. But, I think the technology we have now far surpasses anything we could have dreamed of thirty years ago.

 

Now to see what the next 30 years brings!

Happy Back to the Future Day!!!

It's Lorelai's Birthday!

~Eleven~

 

Words to describe Lorelai at 11 years of age:

Strong.

Dedicated.

Brave.

Determined.

Brilliant.

***************************

Happy 11th Birthday,

Lorelai Leigh!

The Littlest Patron

 

Later today I will be performing Schubert's Trout Quintet. I am honored to be a part of such a talented group of musicians and I feel fortunate to be able to use my musical abilities to bring treasured pieces of music, like the Trout, to life. 

Yesterday was our dress rehearsal. As I was preparing to leave I considered my options with Elisabeth. A) leave her home where she would most likely lay on the couch and listen to the everyday hubbub of home life. Or B) take her with me and enrich her little world with some of the best music ever written.

The choice was easy. 

I parked her down in front of the stage and she sat contentedly and listened while we rehearsed for two hours. 

It made me immensely happy to see her directly in front of me, her small body sitting in an auditorium of empty chairs, a private concert for our littlest - and most special - patron.

If you live locally, please consider coming to the performance this afternoon.
Details below:

The 5 pm Tidy Up

I believe a clean organized home is important because it creates an atmosphere of peace. In a tidy home, things run smoother and there is less cause for stress. So, it has always been my goal to keep my house as such, neat and orderly. I also know there is nothing nicer than coming home to freshly cleaned house. So everyday before the girls get home I make an effort to get it vacuumed. And then...a few hours later, if we can, we do the same quick tidy up for Donald.

Vacuuming is the fastest, easiest way to freshen up a home.

I present to you, the 5 pm tidy up:

 

The Day She Turned Thirteen

*13*

 

Alexandra has taken to painting this past year, and so I went with a painting theme for her birthday. At each place setting there was a miniature canvas and easel:

 

The girls quickly turned them into masterpieces which I am excited to display around the house:

Several of her gifts also went with the paint theme...including a cell phone case that looks like a paint set (below), a table top easel, a book about painting techniques, and a multi pack of new canvases. 

 

After morning festivities, we hopped in the car and drove to the Bavarian town of Leavenworth Washington. The autumn air and glorious fall colors were spectacular!

   

The teenager:

  

Isn't her profile beautiful??

 

One of the happiest surprises of all was running into the girls friend, Jayden, and her family. It made the day that much more special for Alexandra.

 

Another highlight of the day was when Alexandra reached down and held my hand. Best teenager ever!

After exploring the town for a few hours, we drove home to finish our celebrating with birthday cake.

 

Make a wish, birthday girl! 

 

Let the teenage years, begin!

Hello, Teenage Years!

Today Alexandra becomes a teenager!

When she was born I wanted the world for her -
I wanted her to discover her talents and her potential. 

13 years later, I am happy to report that she is everything I hoped she would be:

ASB Vice President. Yearbook Staffer. Honor Student. Classical guitarist. Actress. Bilingual.

  

Happy 13th Birthday, 

Alexandra!

Autumnal

I woke this morning to the sound of rain coming down.

I felt immediate joy.

I peeked outside and saw a gray sky. And though our tree is still green, a few leaves were starting to sprinkle down to the grass.

"It looks a bit autumnal out," I thought.

Autumnal. Autumnal. Suddenly I couldn't that word out of my head. And then I started thinking about the other seasons and wondering what their comparable words were. What would the autumnal version of Spring be? Or Summer?

Finally I had to consult the dictionary, which told me that the adjective for Spring is merely spring-like, and for Summer, summer-like. And winter...it doesn't have a word at all! I'd definitely say Autumn wins! (It always has been my favorite season :)  )

Assignment for the day: 

Use the word autumnal at least once in conversation. Go!