Category Archives: Christmas

Christmas, Performing

Christmas Vacation begins!

Today is my first day of Christmas Vacation!  It’s earlier than most people’s because I opted to take over a few more days of teaching—after the concerts it didn’t make sense to have one more class. 

Yesterday was very busy, but ended really fun.  I ran a race (though since I messed up the tag thing there is no record of me…oh well, it wasn’t my best time, in fact was my worst), played a wedding at the Jewel Box, played my last mass at St. Mary’s in Madison, IL, and played a four hour holiday party in Sappington.

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St. Mary’s

I had been dreading the 4 hour party but it ended up being quite fun!  We were playing at a private home, which was super decked out for the holidays.  There was a themed Christmas tree in just about every run, and nutcrackers of all sizes (tiny to human sized) displayed throughout.  We were encouraged to eat and drink (yummy shrimp and sushi!) while we played, and we played tons of Christmas music, including selections from the Nutcracker (I love the holiday volume of “Music for Three” and need it for myself STAT! )  It was exhausting, but the people I played with were easy going, good musicians and the evening was very enjoyable.  I should have taken some pictures of the house, but didn’t have my camera and didn’t want to be weird and creepy either.  Maybe I’ll be asked to play again next year, and I”ll remember my camera and not care about weird and creepy!  At the end, the host told us if we played one more rousing finale we would each get $50 cash on the spot.  Well, we couldn’t’ pass that up, and played a rousing “Trepak” from the aforementioned Music for Three.  FYI to other musicians:  the audience really loved hearing the Nutcracker tunes.  

I was utterly exhausted by the time I got home and just read a bit and went to sleep. 

Today:  I did my long run—8.5 miles I believe (or so) in the park.  It was manageable, icy in spots but fine overall.  I am loving my new running tights (though I should probably get another, slightly warmer pair, also to switch out for laundry purposes) and felt like a real runner going around the park 2 1/2 times. 

Then I did the first step of the Tres Leches Eggnog cake…though I decided to just use a box mix.  (First step is to make the regular cake and let it cool).  I had a box mix on hand, okay?  It was taking up room in the cupboard!  (Second step is to pour milks/eggnog over cooled cake and let sit overnight).  Besides, after I add the Tres Leches, will it really matter if the cake was from a box or homemade?  NO!

Tonight we are going to a Holiday Party at a friend’s house.  I am looking forward to seeing people—I haven’t seen several of my friends for a few weeks as we have all been so busy!  The next few days are for relaxing, seeing friends, and preparing to go to Long Island for the holidays. 

HBBC:   8.5 mile run: 8.5 points, 20 minutes stretching: 1 point, Total:  9.5 points (will edit if I eat 7 f/v)

Christmas

Christmas Tree part 2 (but probably not last!)

I wanted to include a few more pictures of my ornaments so you can feel like you are in my living room with me (oh and it is nice and warm under my throw blanket).

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This guy is a s’more angel playing the trumpet.  I don’t remember where I got it, but how cute is he?

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My mother loves to give me violin ornaments—this is a creepy cat playing the violin.  Each year it grows on me though—by next year it might be my favorite!

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Here is a more normal violin ornament my mother gave me.  Tasteful Smile

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I wanted to get something to commemorate this year.  Those are real diamonds!  (not really).

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The tree with the lights on! 

In any case, I’m really enjoying my Christmas tree this year—it hasn’t fallen down at all, and it’s just beautiful. 

The only other Christmas décor I’ve put up is on the mantle in the living room.  I’ve got a few figurines and a bunch of cards on display. 

 

In other news:

Tonight is the last student concert!  My Child of God students are playing all the songs they know, accompanied by yours truly on the piano.  I’m sure they’ll be fantastic.

Tomorrow is a busy day:  a 5k in the morning (just across the street at the park) unless I deem it too icy (possible), a wedding, a mass, and a 4 hour Christmas party.  THEN—-VACATION TIME!!!!  (can you tell I’m excited????) 

HBBC:  1 mile walk: 1 point, workout with Mike: 4 points, 7 f/v: 1 point, total:  6 points.  Total for week of Dec 11-17: 36.4, Total so far (Nov. 20-Dec. 17): 149.5

Christmas, Food, Teaching

Ice day

We had a bit of freezing rain…and no school today!  I am still teaching at home today, though a few students have canceled.  My “inclement weather policy” for my home students is that they can decide whether to come or not, with no penalty.  Most of the roads are pretty good by now, though the sidewalks are still slippery in places.  I really hate ice—give me a foot of snow ANY day.

I was glad they canceled school last night rather than waiting until this morning because I got to sleep in with no worries!  I do miss the students though—I won’t see them until January now.  I’ll also have to mail home some things I was going to hand out, but that’s probably better anyway because then the parents definitely get the memos.

Tonight we are planning to go to a friend’s holiday gathering.  I wasn’t going to go because I thought I would be exhausted after a long day of teaching, but I’m down to four students now (and we’ll see if they all show) so my energy should be high! 

I’ve decided to make a nice Christmas dinner for Chris and I before we go to Long Island.  I love making/planning big holiday meals and I don’t get to do that when I visit the “in-law’s.”  I don’t want to go overboard, but I have planned a menu of Ham  (not Ham Solo), Corn Pudding, Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli, Smoky Cheddar Loaf, and for dessert, Egg Nog Tres Leches Cake.  Sounds good?!?

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Ham Solo

After the meal we’ll exchange our Christmas gifts (and open any that were mailed as well).  Should be fun! 

HBBC:  5 mile run: 5 points

Christmas, Running, Teaching

Christmas ornaments

Let me tell you a little about some of the ornaments on my Christmas tree.  I have been collecting ornaments for a long time!

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This was a gift from my very first violin teacher!  I saved this for a long time until I had my own tree Smile

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This one was a gift from my very first violin student (I was in high school!)  She decorated it herself.  I love it!

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A gift from my “host mother” when I was at the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado for two summers.

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Got this in the Cayman Islands on my FIRST trip there.  I was fortunate enough to spend almost a week on Grand Cayman and just had to play a few orchestra rehearsals and a concert.  Wish I could have done that again! But I did return to the Caymans at least.

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I got this one in Mazatlan, Mexico on my second cruise (with my sister Leslie and good friend Sarah).  Yes, it’s an adorable cow.

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A gift from my sister Leslie.  Unfortunately it sustained some damage when the tree fell over last year.  I’m happy to report that so far this year the tree has remained standing!

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Another gift from my sister Leslie!  It’s a sock monkey. 

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Got this cutie at World Market this year.  Or at least I think it’s cute!

I’ll do another round of ornaments soon—there are several violin ornaments from my mother along with some other sentimental type. 

I am QUITE nervous about tomorrow afternoon’s concert at Metro East Lutheran School.  It’s a joint concert with students from a variety of Lutheran schools in the area, and I wasn’t able to attend the rehearsal today to see how my students did and meet the other teachers (due to my other gigs…I had thought the rehearsal was in the morning), so that means that tomorrow I will be doing that.  I always get nervous on behalf of my students (especially because technically they could have used more time on this music, even though they did work really hard!) plus I get nervous meeting new people.  Basically I’m afraid that my students are ill-prepared and it’s my fault…you know, the usual Winking smile  (Wow, I sound like a basket case describing myself!)  I didn’t hear any bad news from parents though so I’m hoping that means today went just fine.  Nonetheless I’ll feel better when it’s over.

Woke up this morning at 8:15 and it was pouring rain.  Figured if I was going to do a treadmill run, I’d do it on Sunday, the normal day.  So I hope it doesn’t snow too much overnight to get to the gym!!  There is a treadmill with my name on it wanting 8 miles…

HBBC:  20 minutes weight-lifting: 1 point, 20 minutes stretching: 1 point, total: 2 points.

Christmas, Random thoughts, Teaching

Another performance done!

1 Comment

Tonight at Good Shepherd Lutheran School we had the Christmas concert for K-2.  I have three students in that age group, but only 2 elected to perform, both in 2nd grade.

They met me in the practice room where we usually have lessons to get tuned, run through their pieces, and then I asked them to pack up so I could take their violins up to the sanctuary where the concert was being held.  They returned to meet their class.

I got up to the front of the church and unpacked the violins to get set up… and realized one of the girls no longer had her bow.  She also hadn’t zipped up her case, merely velcro-ed it…which I didn’t notice until I got to the church.  (I guess she was nervous, because she certainly wasn’t thinking clearly!).  I went back downstairs but couldn’t find her bow.  I had her play using the other girl’s bow.  I asked her what happened to her bow, and she said, “oh, it’s on the second piano.” (which is an organ that needs to be plugged in, though the practice room has no plugs.  don’t ask).  Okay…why? Why is it on the organ when I asked her to pack up?  Ugh.

Anyway, the girls played very well, and afterwards I found her bow right where she said it was.  Wow.  That story is very confusing, huh?  I am too tired to fix it, but I really wanted to tell it Smile

Suffice it to say, I was proud of their performances!

In other news:

I bought a beautiful tree skirt today for the Christmas tree!  Last year I didn’t have a skirt for the tree, and the year before was just a cheap-o one that looked pretty raunchy by the end.  I was perusing Christmas decorations at Target and I saw one I really liked, so I bought it.  I’ll put up a picture later, it’s too dark now to get a good one.  I also bought a few new ornaments for the tree (it’s nice to get a few new ones each year).

I’ve done a bit of online shopping for gifts over the past week or two—and packages have been arriving at the house!  I did Christmas cards tonight (at least phase one) but tomorrow I hope to do some wrapping and really make the tree look nice.  I may need to buy more Christmas cards—I got some nice ones, but I thought I had some left from last year and it turns out I did not.  Exchanging Christmas cards seems very old-fashioned in today’s “digital age” but I really enjoy the tradition.  I think it’s important to keep that going.

Alright, I’m going to post-date publish this entry and go to bed.  Happy Wednesday, readers!  (I have been rereading the Harry Potter series and am working my way through Goblet of Fire right now.)

HBBC:  dec 7: 7 servings f/v:  1 point, 1 hour workout with Mike: 4 points, 1 mile walk: 1 point, total: 6 points

dec 8:  7 servings f/v: 1 point, 3 mile run : 3 points, total : 4 points

Christmas, Random thoughts, Teaching

Christmas Decorating

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I want to get a new tree topper and maybe a few new ornaments.  But I’m pleased with the tree!  It’s a really nice shape this year.

I only had two students cry today.  Is this normal?  I don’t think I’m mean—usually I think the students cry out of frustration.  I just try to be kind then and offer kleenex. 

One of them cried because I took away their stickers.  Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I was frustrated.  Remember the sticker chart from before? I opted to continue using it just because…well, I got tired of the begging and pleading, and decided there wasn’t a huge harm.  And there wasn’t except for the one student who has a real love/hate relationship with the chart.  He got three more stickers for songs completed, but then in prep for the concert last week said he didn’t know one of the songs.  I told him he would lose his sticker if he didn’t relearn it (I know he was more than fully capable of doing this with minimal).  He didn’t relearn it and ended up not performing it.  Now, in my mind, the sticker chart is the songs the child KNOWS and can play.  When we play games, I take my assignments from the chart.  The same student today refused to play another song on the chart that he knows.  He said, I don’t know it.  I said, really? because the chart says you do (and I know he can play it).  He refused to try, so I ripped the two stickers off and told him he’d have to redo them.  Then he started crying.

I feel bad, but I also hope this makes him realize I am serious about my threats.  I told him he can get them back at any time by simply playing through the song, and in fact he can play with the music.  I think that’s reasonable.  Thoughts?  Did I go overboard?

My other tough love student:  the one I told last week that she needed to buckle down and learn her piece or she wouldn’t be able to play the concert this weekend. WELL!  She was my first private lesson today and she came in with a big grin on her face.  I knew this was going to be good.  She had improved EXPONENTIALLY.  Was it perfect?  No.  But I could tell she had worked hard and knew the piece much better.  I told her how proud I was of her work and how she showed me she could really perform well under pressure.  I’m glad I was tough on her, because it paid off. 

My spinning class that I signed up for (just a five week session) got canceled due to low enrollment.  The question is:  do I sign up for a Jan-March weekly class or do I wait and see what happens at my gym?  (They are expanded and adding a spinning room, but I don’t know the schedule.)  The weekly class is only about $6 per class which is quite reasonable.  But my gym would be free…but I don’t know how busy it would be? or when the classes would be. 

HBBC:  Day of rest: 0 points, 7 servings f/v (this is becoming my daily goal!):  1 point, total: 1 point