August happenings

Yesterday morning I got an email from Benihana wishing me a happy birthday and I thought, wow, they are months early. And then it dawned on me that it was indeed my birthday month. I am sitting here on September 2nd noticing that the leaves on the mountains are changing colors. Where in the world did the summer go? School is in session and I am seeing more and more bloggers pulling out pumpkins for their centerpieces.

Well, August was full of summer activities so at least we managed to do what we could to feel fulfilled. Maddy had her last swimming birthday party of the season and the ones that come hereafter will likely be inside. Good thing about those is that I don't feel compelled to hang around and supervise as I do when there is a swimming pool with a deep end involved. I do love a good 3 hour birthday party on a Saturday so I can run errands alone :)

We joined Phil and Rachel Sanderson, (another couple we didn't know) and Tiburon and Adam Erickson, (and the last couple on the right we didn't know) in the Mystery Escape Room at The Gateway. They put you in a room and you have 60 minutes to figure out clues and puzzles that will lead you to the keys to disarm the bomb on the door as well as to find the keys to the door so you can escape the room.

We were probably 3 minutes short on time and unfortunately died in the terrorist bomb. Darn it. It was fun and exciting but we kind of walked away frustrated and for two days I kept thinking about what I could have done different and faster so that we could have gotten out in time. I want to go back and do another scenario now that I understand the gist of the experience. What a fun date!


The best part of course was the Black and Tan at Leatherby's afterwards.

Sarah, Katie and I each got an email inviting us to come and be a part of recording Saturday's Warrior. Saturday's Warrior!!! We watched the movie as kids and knew all the songs and used to dance in our flowey slips while on screen they did the ballet scene in Heaven. Then when we met the Lex de Azevedo and joined Millennium it was a privilege to since selected songs from the show through the years at various firesides and concerts. Through the 15 years of singing in Millennium we have heard Lex talk about how he has always hated the movie that was made. He talked about the show back in the 70s when it was performed in Los Angeles and then toured for years around various states. He talked about how the play as he wrote it was so very different than what the movie portrayed and how he was always a little disappointed that that was his legacy on file - something he didn't like.

So when he told us that he wanted to make a motion picture of Saturday's Warrior, not a stage play that was filmed like the one we had grown up with but a real movie, I hoped that maybe, just maybe, there might be a place for his old choir friends.

Fast forward to August and the email saying that he was going to record and we were invited to join the choir. Yay, yay, yay! We immediately called each other "did you get the email?" Huge sigh of relief that we were all asked to join. So we recorded the opening number and they did some filming with a mind to add the shots to "the making of" or during the closing credits.

I keep waiting to see if we will record the rest of the choir numbers as well sometime soon since I know they have started shooting the movie this week. Very exciting project to be a part of.

I joined a few co-workers for a golf tournament/fundraiser for the UofU cheerleader (our owner has a daughter who is a cheerleader). Ironically, all four of us are Huge BYU cougar fans. I tried to keep my BYU colors to a minimum but when you looked at us as a team I think it was clear that we didn't belong! It dawned on me later that if we were in a BYU fundraiser, I would never wear red even accidentally so I suppose it was clear to everyone there that we were rivals. Perhaps that's why they never stopped by to offer us drinks or snacks.

I was very pleased with my driving but still have a lot of work on putting and my irons. Boy, I stink at hitting anything with irons. Driver, got that down finally but no irons.

Austin Gunn (social media coordinator), Billy McCleary (tax director) , Mel, Jason Gough (controller)

Sarah gave us and Katie a few tickets to see Julianne in "Guys and Dolls" at Centerpoint Legacy Theater. This is a community theater along the lines of Hale Centre Theatre. It was really exciting for Julianne to have auditioned and have been given a part - a mission doll - but a part!

We were the audience for the preview night so we went with the understanding that they might stop the show if they had to and in fact, and one point they did stop the scene because some major props were missing from the stage. It actually gave the actors a chance to do some ad lib and then started over and actually was charming and fun.

I especially enjoyed the show because it was what we performed in 9th grade at Eisenhower Jr. High. I was a bag lady (which is not a real part) but that meant i was in 80% of the scenes including the ones full of the "guys" gambling.

Anyhow, the show was great. The girls we brought along with us enjoyed it as well. I'm glad Maddy is now old enough to sit still and enjoy a 2.5 hour show. I love sharing with her something I enjoy so much.

After the show we met Julianne for some pictures.

Maddy loves meeting the actors (well the ones that aren't too scary - read that as - girls) so we had to get a picture with Adelaide and with Sargent Sarah Brown.

And one of the hot box dancers that Maddy thought was really pretty. When I asked her if Maddy could take a picture with her she looked surprised and flattered since she was a chorus member without even a specific named character.

We also made a trip to Benihana for dinner. On our way into the parking garage the parking attendant told us that if we brought back a Benihana hat he would show us a magic trick. So Maddy made sure to bring it and was so excited. He had her come close to the window of the booth and he leaned out and took her hat, turning it upside down and said "ta-da, I turned your hat into a warrior hat". I'll admit I was a little bit disappointed but Maddy thought it was great.

And we leave with a picture of Toby, ever patient Toby, who let us dress him up with a barbie superhero mask and a kerchief cape. What a good sport he is - we love our Super Dog!

June happenings part two

Maddy second from the right

Maddy has been taking dance classes at the city Rec Center since February and they held the recital at Taylorsville High School this month. She took classes a few years ago but when it came to the recital day, she was sick and so this was our first experience. Though Maddy's class is held at the Rec Center, it is just a satellite of Becky's School of Dance in Kearns. All the various classes have at least one number to perform as well as the competative team had several numbers. I found it enjoyable, sometimes painful, mostly cute. Scott on the other hand would have rather eaten beets! Well, maybe that's too drastic but I think they might be up there together in terms of painful things. I promised him that the moment that Maddy's number was over he could leave. Ironically, her's was second to last and after about an hour and a half of performances. So, he sat ans sweated and was uncomfortable the whole time but he stayed. He's a good dad.

Maddy's group of 6-8 year old girls performed to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". I was pretty impressed with my girl. She wasn't the best dancer by far, but she held her own.

Third from the right

 

In order to keep the kids entertained back stage until their turn they had games and coloring and princesses. Maddy is still so enamored of princesses.

Maddy made a little  house for fairies ("Feres Welcum") and to her surprise the next morning when she came out as we were on our way to day care she noticed she had some visitors "Mom, what is that doll?" She ran down and found some friends in her house. Turns out that when I had posted the top picture of her fairy house on day one, mommy came over during the day and brought the dolls. We didn't notice them that night and they were still there perfectly in place the next morning where we found them. Clever Maddy did recognize that they were grandma scooter-rides dolls. I tried to convince her that they must have heard about her fairy house and come over . . . too smart for that but she was enthralled and ever so pleased. Clever Mommy!

For Father's Day, we girls and hubbys living in Utah took  Mom and dad to Texas Roadhouse and then visited in the backyard under the new pergola.

Now that Maddy is 6 I try to bring her to one play each season. This year it, obviously, was The Little Mermaid.The only bad thing about bringing her is that I spend half of the time on the big numbers glancing over at her to see if she is smiling and enjoying herself. In this case it was more of open mouth amazement than smiles - but I was pretty amazed with this production as well.

We (Sarah, Katie, Mom and I) discussed why we were emotional about this show and decided because it was the Disney movie that started all the good ones (Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast) that we knew so well as kids. I do admit that in the play in one part of "Part of Your World" I found myself with my breath caught and my eyes a little teary.

It was a fantastic show, every actor was fabulous (well, King Triton had a weird speaking voice) and the singing was great. The big numbers like "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl" had so much going on that it was hard to decide what to look at. The use of the stage was imaginative and the costuming was so colorful and beautiful. Loved it!

My only complaint was that after the show Maddy wouldn't take a picture with Sebastian and Flounder. I understand her not wanting to be around Flotsam and Jetsom but Sebastian and Flounder??!! I should have just taken one myself I guess because I would have liked to have their picture for my memory book. Maddy of course cares about the princesses. So, we have all the important characters at least. Ariel taught Maddy how to hold her hand out "just so" in true princess fashion.

XANGO Employee bowling day at Jack and Jill Lanes in Lehi. It was 70s themed and if we do another 70s theme, I'll find me a poodle skirt to wear. Never have had need to own a poodle skirt before. I always bowl terribly until everyone leaves and we've cleaned up and then I bowl a few more frames and then the strikes and spares just come. I guess I do not bowl well under pressure. If you were going to ask me to join your bowling team you should probably move on to someone else.

Julianne as Millie

In April, Maddy and I went to see Julianne play the lead role of Millie in the play "Thoroughly Modern Millie". Oh this girl can act. It was such a treat to see her and to sit up close in the small theater so we could see her facial expressions and her body language. Julianne is really a talented young lady. This was the perfect, sassy, vibrant role for her and she did a terrific job.

And in other April news, work happened, and Maddy and I enjoyed the rain out in the hammock in the back yard. So that is that.

Power in His Touch

I went to see Power In His Touch by Collette Call this past Monday. My sister Sarah and her 12 year old daughter Julianne were in the show together. First. I just have to say how cool it is that they were able to do that together. Being in a show is crazy and fun and exhausting but I can only imagine that this mother and daughter duo are now closer to each other because they had this opportunity to be in a show together.

So, now to the show. I don't know what I was expecting - more of an oratorio I think and less of a musical. I was surprised and happy with the show. The music was fun and interesting and evoked emotion. The Mary's Lullaby and Power In His Touch songs were powerful and made me cry. Some might say that it is not hard to get me to cray - I suppose that is true. :)

One thing that I really adored was Collette's thoughts on Judas Iscariot. I have never had a true understanding of why Judas did what he did. I suppose I can't get that because we were not there. But I've never really tried to come to an understanding. There is the old adage that someone who betrays is "a Judas" so I've always had only negative feelings associated with my thoughts of Judas. In this play, Judas is a beloved character, he has a fierce love for the Jews and a great desire to free his people from the rule of the Romans. He learns of Jesus and follows Him thinking that if this Jesus is the Messiah - He will deliver the Romans. There is a song where Judas sings about how Jesus isn't the warrior He should be and about how He just talks about love and compassion. Judas laments that this isn't the way to free the Jews! However, on the other hand - there is something in His eyes. He sings about the spirit that is felt when Jesus is near and about that spirit that attends the miracles . . . It's a very moving song - full of confusion and torment for Judas.

Judas, in the play, decides that Jesus just needs a little push to become the warrior Messiah that he is supposed to be - the deliverer that he is supposed to be. So, he decides to 'betray" Jesus forcing Him to rise up and become this man Judas is looking for. When Judas realizes that his betrayal doesn't convert Jesus into a warrior, instead, it leads to Jesus' death, he realizes what he has done and the fullness of his betrayal and commits suicide.

I liked that in this story, I loved Judas, even during his betrayal. I could understand why he would have done this horrible thing. His betrayal was not out of greed for money or disdain for Christ, but out of a love of his Jewish brothers and a desire to help Jesus to be the deliverer of the people. What he didn't realize was that Christ is a redeemer and a deliverer, He just didn't come to deliver the Jews from physical bondage like they thought the Messiah would, but to deliver all men from Eternal bondage.

My heart ached while watching Judas make his wrong choice, and I ached when he realized what he had truly done. I thought - how many times have I made a wrong choice (maybe for a good reason) because I sought to tell the Lord what to do rather than listening and doing it His way?

I have thought about this much in the past few days and truly appreciated this new insight to Judas and the fact that I have learned a little something about myself too. I'm grateful for that this Easter/Spring season when I'm focusing on being better and becoming closer to Christ.

Thank you Sarah and Julianne for a wonderful show.