Why does everyone want to know how I feel about being an audience member now?

After 16 years singing in Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concerts, this week, I am now officially an audience member! Jane and I attended the Concert on Friday night with Grandma Call, Kim and Brindy, Brindy's sister Brook, and Dave and Sarah with an"h". Now, everywhere I go people want to know how it feels to now be a member of the audience.

Let me just say, "it stinks!" I would much rather be singing!

The choir, bell's, orchestra, dancers, stage crew, camera operators, producers, and the King's Singers did a magnificent job! It was a great evening and I saw many of my old friends. Two numbers stood out..."O, Holy Night"...sung by the men of the choir and the King's Singers (see it on Sunday's Broadcast of M.& S.W.)...and the extravagantly costumed, "12 Days of Christmas"!

So many great memories, so many experiences of joy have erased all the…laborious rehearsals, traveling through the snow, early mornings and mournings, late nights, traffic, missed church meetings, missed family events, crooked bow ties, construction headaches, waiting for the G.A.’s to leave so we could, yielding to carts underground, honking, yielding, uniform fittings, unintentional solos (presented by me and others), last minute Christmas shopping, and memorization standards I have experienced over the past 16 years.

Now, I find myself smiling in the audience wanting to wave like an idiot to all my friends who are still on stage--but remembering how idiotic it looked from my view on the back row of the choir loft when other people did the fractured, enthusiastic wave from the hall. Usually, the people they were waving to were not looking…and could not see them from that distance. Choir members are instructed not to wave from the stage, anyway!

Sure, I have comments I could make about...disjointed rhythm and intonation issues-downward intervals sung wide and upward intervals sung narrow (choir members can relate); the tenor in the last row from the top whose watch gave us an unpleasant, irritating reflection ( I could name names, too); or a number of small, itty bitty picky things…but I won’t!

Let me just say I was edified, enthralled, and totally enjoyed the moment! The choir concert was fantastic and it just was lacking one thing, a very emotional baritone! Oh, by the way, I noticed an empty seat at the top of the loft. I would have been very happy to fill it, and boy, could I fill it!!!! :-)))

Why do we have kids?

So, why do we have kids? ... So they can tell you all the things you shoulda', coulda', needta', etc, etc... do! Here is my first comment posted on this blog. Even though my daughter is right, it proves my point! I love everyone in my family but sometimes you don't want everyone to know everything!

Ali says,
"ha hah aha ha hah a! I'm laughing because I asked you to make a blog once upon a time, and you just kind of shrugged and acted like you were too cool for it. You said, "I'm not a blogger."
Ha ha ha, I'm so glad you had a change of heart.
I hope you can post often so I can see what's going on with YOU! (and mom!)

ha hah aha ha hah a! ha hah aha ha hah a! ha hah aha ha hah a! ha hah aha ha hah a! ha hah aha ha hah a! ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a! ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!ha hah aha ha hah a!

So, Ali - here's what's going on with ME! (and mom!) ... Got up around 6 am, went to the bathroom, came back to bed to get warm. Mom woke up around 7 am, we read scriptures ( in Acts chapter 7) had our family prayer and got ready for the day. We are now writing this epitaph and expect to be working around 8 to 8:30 am. SO EXCITING!!! Yesterday we did the same thing. We also did the same thing on Wednesday, Tuesday and Monday. However, we did read Acts chapter 6 on Wednesday, Acts chapter 5 on Tuesday and Acts chapter 4 on Monday. Is there a pattern? Sure! That's whats going on, though! Thanks for asking!

Seriously though, we are excited for you Josh and Conrad to visit for the holiday's. You're coming next week!!! Your visit will be the real reason or answer to my question, "Why do we have kids?" Because they're so much fun and help you know all the tedium of everyday life is really worth it! Love to you, and to all others who have stumbled upon my funny blog thing!!!

Why are there blogs?

I've been intrigued by those who seem to want to share their lives with the whole world. Why is this? How Come?

I wondered - until some of our family moved to places far away from Grandpa and Grandma Woody. It has been wonderful to watch our grandkids grow up on the internet. What a great feeling it is to look at them through the eyes of their mom's and dad's comments, photos and videos. We are blessed to have this opportunity. Keep it up!