Singing Time

I think that this is the longest I have ever gone between posts. I'm going to do better, I have a plan, eventually I will implement it.

In my last post I mentioned my new church assignment as primary chorister. I love it! Each month we learn a new song that goes along with the monthly theme. For March our song is from the hymn book... "I Stand All Amazed". I felt strongly that while learning such a sacred hymn, fun and games and "hiding notes" would not be appropriate.

I referred to the churches "Sharing Time Outline" for an idea on teaching the song, and with a little added help from an idea I saw on Pinterest, felt confident about my singing time preparation. The first Sunday in March I went to primary ready to teach the song.

When the Jr. Primary children (ages 3-7) came to primary I quickly realized teaching the song to them that day wasn't going to happen. They were full of wiggles. Even spending our 20 minutes together singing wiggle songs didn't quite get the wiggles out. The children in Sr. Primary (ages 8-11) learned the song beautifully. My heart was touched. I knew that I was going to have to come up with a plan to capture the Jr. Primary's attention the next week in order to learn such a "non-wiggly" song as "I Stand All Amazed".

Our Jr. Primary is probably half the size of our Sr. Primary. I came up with a plan a little out of my comfort zone, but I felt confident it could work. I took my favorite quilt to primary and when it was time to sing I spread my quilt on the floor and invited all of the children to come sit on it. I sat down with them and we covered every inch of that quilt.

I showed the same pictures to the younger children that I had shared with the older children the previous week. We discussed the big words in the song. I asked them to show me their "amazed" faces and their "confused" faces. I sang a line to them and had them sing the line back to me. They were so sweet. Such a simple idea but something different that brought us together and kept their attention and helped them to learn a sacred song without fun and games and "hiding notes".

Day 18: Davis County Fair

This post will be short and to the point.

Another shout-out for Endless Summer... they will be playing at the Davis County Fair tonight from 6-8:30.
It will be fun and it's FREE!!!

Blogging for 31 days can be fun, but I'm starting to run out of ideas... maybe tomorrow I'll post about laundry, unless any of you have some suggestions.

Day 9: The First and the Last

It was just over twenty years ago that we announced to our three sons (ages 14, 12 and 8) that we were going to have a baby. Concerned that teenaged boys may not be enthusiastic about a new baby, we were pleased when Andy told us that he was going to teach the baby "his ways". Caitlin was born 3 days after Andy's 15th birthday; I'm not sure if he taught her his ways, or she just followed in his ways, or they are just siblings with similar ways... but they both love music, theater, and Disney.

Every once in awhile after band rehearsal Andy will stay late and visit with his mom and dad (we love it). The other night I was upstairs when I heard Mike calling from downstairs, "your boy's here to see you." When I went downstairs Andy was already playing the piano and Caitlin was singing Carole King (and doing a very good job of it). Pretty soon Mike had his guitar out and even I threw in some harmonies as I took these pictures. I am grateful for my first and my last (Andy and Caitlin); and everyone in between (Jeffrey, Jeremy and Ashleigh)... I am truly blessed.

Day 3: Endless Summer at the Park

It has been an endless summer for the Endless Summer Band. They have been busy-little-banders this season; and if you haven't had the opportunity to hear them perform... you can catch them tonight at 7 pm at the Bountiful City Park (it's free). They will be performing on the stage on the corner of 4th North and 2nd West. If you can't make that one, next week they perform at Midvale Harvest Days and then at another event in Murray. On August 18 they will be headlining at the Davis County Fair, and then on September 10 they will be back at the Bountiful City Park as part of Murphy's Guitars summer concert series (another free event).   

We Also Sing 2012

I have once again had the opportunity to sing with the wonderful choir We Also Sing under the direction of Merrilee Webb. We have been rehearsing for a couple of months and I'm really excited about the songs we are singing. While telling my hometeacher (remember he's musical... a member of the King Family) about the concert on his recent visit, he asked me what kind of music we will be singing. Well, our repertoire is vast. Two of the songs we will be singing are Bridge Over Troubled Water and Praise To The Man. We will also be singing Orinoco Flow and if anyone reading this post knows Orinoco Flow I'd love you to comment. I've heard this song many, many times and didn't know the title. The song mentions Cebu (in the Philippines) where my sister-in-law Marivic is from. Being in a choir that Merrilee directs has been and continues to be, an uplifting and motivational experience for me. Merrilee tells us that the rehearsals are for us... but the concert is for the audience. So please join us Friday May 11, at 6:30 in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. It is free and is only one hour long. You won't regret it. 

Summer Concert and New Hobby #1 Update

Last night was Endless Summer's concert in the park and WOW! what a great turn out. The west end of the park was filled with lawn chairs, blankets and people. I don't think anyone went away disappointed. It was a fabulous performance.



Adam, Zach and Will got in on the performance again with Tambourine Man.

Here is just some of the crowd with a few of our Endless Summer "family" in the foreground.

Alex, Alana and Bob; our cousins.

Tiffany and Mike; our friends.

Andy singing Long, Cool Woman and introducing the band members.

I don't have any pictures of my new hobby yet; but I'm happy to report that I reached my Labor Day goal today... a week early.

Friday Night Concert

Friday night, August 26, the Endless Summer Band will be playing at the Bountiful Park at 7 pm. They are rehearsing right.this.minute so I snuck into the band room and took these pictures. It's going to be a great show!!


Here's my hubby... rockin' out (the Bishop!?!)


Andy was very excited about something new the band had just accomplished... this is the picture my camera captured in a ba-zillienth of a second... I couldn't resist posting it.


Be sure and come to the park... bring your chairs, your family, your friends, your dinner... just come!!!

The Endless Summer Band

Friday night July 1 is the Endless Summer Band concert at the West Bountiful City Park from 7-10 pm; after the concert there will be a fireworks display. You won't want to miss any of it!!

Mike the incredibly talented rhythm guitar player and vocalist. Wait 'til you hear his high notes on the Beach Boys songs!!

Kevin he does an amazing job on the lead guitar... what a talent!!

Andy the incredible vocalist and keyboard player... but wait a minute, where's the keyboard? Oh well, I'm his mom so I will just tell you that HE CAN PLAY ANYTHING!!! Just sayin'.

Doug fabulous bass player and vocalist... multi-talented; 'cause... did you notice he's playing the banjo!?!

Mickey the drummer of all drummer's... he never misses a beat!!

Ummmm... these two aren't in the band... oh well, I just think it's a dang cute picture!! And it is my blog.

Michael McLean

The summer of 1991 was by far the hardest and most challenging time of my life. The uncertainty and fear of what was ahead, as well and the grief and pain that was in my heart and soul seemed to consume my life.

It was during the fall and winter months previous to that summer twenty years ago, that I was first introduced to the music of Michael McLean. A simple cassette tape that I listened to daily as I drove to radiation therapy, brought comfort to this young mother's mind and heart, even if for just a few minutes each day.

Later in the summer, a home healthcare nurse loaned me a video tape of Michael singing his own music to a small audience. I enjoyed listening to him singing his own songs... although he claimed he was not a singer; I loved hearing him sing the songs he wrote. You're Not Alone, Hold On, We Can Be Together Forever Someday, all brought a sense of comfort to me as I sat there "holding on" to whatever hope I could that would get me through this experience.

Nearly twenty years have passed and I have held in the recesses of my heart my memories of Michael's music and the peace it brought to me when I needed it. At a time when I was scared and sometimes felt alone, his music reminded me that I wasn't.

Tonight I was able to see Michael McLean perform in person and the memories flooded back to me. After the concert (with persuasion from my Michael) I went up to meet him. It took a lot of courage for me to do that, but I was compelled to do so, and was glad that I did. I was able to tell him how much his music had meant to me twenty years ago and I thanked him. He was genuinely touched and appreciative that I had shared with him and he gave me a hug.

Thanks to Murphy's Guitars for providing such a wonderful free concert for the community and to Michael McLean for sharing his amazing talent.

We Also Sing 2010

It is time to order tickets for the We Also Sing concert which will be held at the Marriott Center on the BYU campus this October the 14th at 7 (ish) pm.

This is my third year in the choir and I love it!! We are rehearsing some amazing songs for this concert. Because we are at the Marriott Center this year we have to charge $3.00 for each ticket. If you are interested in purchasing tickets you can send/bring me a check or cash (don't send cash) and I will take care of it for you (asap... this week). You can also order tickets through BYU, but... you have to spend $1.00 more per ticket for handling.

Hope you can come (anyone that has been to one of these concerts... a testimonial in the comment section would be appreciated ;-).

"All Love Together...."

For as long as I can remember (which is a long time) we have had a family theme song. My parents would sing the song with their children, I sang it with my children, and now my children sing it with their children.

I believe that it was my Auntie Bea who started the song, so obviously it extends to our... extended family. This is how the song goes; the family form a circle with arms around each other and sing these words:

All love together
all love together
Daddy and Mommy and Andy and Jeffrey and Jeremy and Ashleigh and Caitlin
all love together.

When our boys were very small we added our own little bit to the song; as soon as we finish singing we all say together, "kisses everybody, kisses!" You can imagine that part to be very entertaining as our boys have grown up. When they were little they didn't mind kisses; as they grew older they became goofy as they tried to kiss their brothers but not get kissed back. When Ashleigh and then Caitlin came along, of course all of the boys wanted to kiss their baby sisters.

Through the years we have sung our song most often after a family prayer or at bedtime. Perhaps one of the most tender times for me, was on the day that we took our first missionary to the MTC. On the morning of this particular occasion we knelt in family prayer as our own little family for the very last time; as we stood we put our arms around each other and sang... "all love together, all love together..."

At one of our recent family Christmas parties we all stood in a huge circle and sang the song repeating everyone's names; not long ago I watched Jeff and Melissa sing the song with Avery; and just last week Adam, Zach, and I sang "all love together..." after saying our prayers together. And true to form the little guys said, "kisses everybody, kisses!" And I laughed as I watched brothers try to kiss each other.... without being kissed back.

I'd like to ask the family, how many of you sing "All Love Together" with your family? And to my friends... do you have family songs or similar traditions? Please share...

A Quick Little Bloggy Contest

Yesterday in Sacrament Meeting we opened with hymn #52 "The Day Dawn is Breaking". I was singing very exuberantly (as I try to do every week) and during the first verse caused Caitlin to start laughing, the reason; I changed a couple of words. Go look it up in the hymnbook and if you can figure out which words that I changed I'll buy you a $5 gift certificate for Leger's Deli (yum).

If you know me very well at all, or... if you've read my blog quite a bit it shouldn't be to hard to figure out!!

You have until Friday night at 5 pm to leave your answer in the comment section. I will have a drawing and announce the winner that night.

Choir Concert

This is the beautiful CD cover for We Also Sing. Free tickets are still available here for the November 28 concerts at 5:30 and 7:30 in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. When you get to the website, scroll down until you see the We Also Sing concert and click on it. It's going to be great!

The Primary Program

Sunday I attended my son Andy's ward to see the primary program. I love the primary program each year, it is always one of my favorite sacrament meetings. Adam and Zach both knew the songs and sang them so well, Zach did such a good job with his speaking part; but I must admit that I had my eye on another little boy. This was a little boy that only I could see. It was my "little boy"; Andy. Andy is the ward organist. As I watched my "little boy" walk up the aisle I couldn't help but smile at the bounce in his step; the same bounce he has had for as long as I can remember. As he played the hymns, I had a smile on my lips and a tear in my eye as I thought about my "little boy" at eight years old riding his bike to Granma's house so that he could practice the piano. I remembered his first piano recital when he played "Andy the Android". As I watched him play the organ I couldn't help but smile as I watched him "move" with the music. Although he is a grown up man with three little boys of his own, he will always be my "little boy". And what a good boy he is.

We Also Sing 2009

I am more than halfway through rehearsals of my second season in the choir We Also Sing, under the direction of Merrilee Webb. We will perform two concerts on Saturday November 28, at 5:30 and 7:30 in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. You can click here for free ticket information. Our concert this year is all Christmas music and it will be amazing; the following song written by David Foster and performed by Josh Grobin is one of my favorites. I have highlighted a few of the lines that are particularly meaningful to me. Which lines jumped out at you?

Thankful

Some days we forget to look around us.
Some days we can't see the joy that surrounds us.
So caught up inside ourselves, we take when we should give.
So for tonight we pray for what we can be.
And every day we hope for what we can't see.
It's up to us to be the change.
And even though we can do more, there's so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves, there's so much sorrow.
It's way to late to say, I'll cry tomorrow.
Each of us must find our truth; it's so long overdue.
So for tonight we pray for what we can be.
And every day we hope for what we can't see.
It's up to us to be the change.
And even though we can do more, there's so much to be thankful for.

Even with our differences, there is a place we're all connected.
Each of us can find each other's light.
So for tonight we pray for what we can be.
And on this day we hope for what we can't see.
It's up to us to be the change.
And even though the world needs so much more, there's so much to be thankful for.

Endless Summer In The News

This is a story from today's Davis County Clipper

BOUNTIFUL — As part of the free Concerts In The Park series, Bountiful City will hold its final concert of the season on Friday, Aug. 14, featuring a local band.The performance will take place at Bountiful Park on 400 North and 200 West at 7 p.m.

“Endless Summer” will perform. The band began playing as a group in 2002, but some of its members have been performing together for more than 30 years.

Band members include Doug Vandegrift, bass and vocals; Andy Leger, keyboards and vocals; Kevin Stevenson, lead guitar; Brandon Williams, drums and vocals; Mike Leger, guitar and vocals.

The band has performed in Utah, Idaho and Nevada, including local performances in the Bountiful Handcart Days Parade and Handcart Days Celebration.

Concerts In The Park is sponsored by Bountiful City and the Bountiful Community Service Council.

Granpa's Recording A CD

Thirty-two years ago my Dad recorded a record album. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a flat-round-black-disc about the size of a large pizza; when placed on a record player that has been plugged in and has a needle on it that isn't broken....it plays music. Occasionally you see them now used as decorations for oldies parties and dances. As a family we decided that Granpa needed to record a flat-round-silver-disc about the size of a....CD. Tonight I went to the final recording session and took a few pictures of the participants.

My nephew Taylor preparing to record his clarinet solo

Michael in tune with his guitar

Michael and Doug; they've been performing together for over 30 years

Andy enjoying the moment before he starts to play

Granpa in the recording studio

Singing to a captivated audience in the control room

Taylor, Andy, Merrilee Webb, Doug Vandegrift, Michael, and Granpa

Feliz Navidad Has Passed, But JULIO Is Less Than 3 Months Away....

I know it's been a few months since Christmas, but my "sista Ririan" just talked me through the how-to's of posting a video. This is one of my favorite piece's of video from the family Christmas party, my three sons and three of my grandsons are the performers. Be sure and watch 'til the end for Jeff's big finish!!

Family Fun Dance

The West Bountiful Stake is having a "Family Fun Dance" this Saturday night from 7:30-10:30 pm. Guess who's performing? You got it. The famous Endless Summer band.

We Also Sing! Choir To Perform Saturday

By Jennifer Francis
Mormon Times
Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008

"Ha'a mai na kama me ka makua," conductor Merrilee Webb chanted.

The English translation: "Dance forward you children of your Heavenly Father ... "

Webb and We Also Sing!, a choir made up of 364 women, were rehearsing for their concerts Saturday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Salt Lake Tabernacle as part of the Temple Square Concert Series.

The melodic Hawaiian chant was written by Cy Bridges to celebrate the 150th anniversary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Hawaiian Islands.

"(People) can expect a fantastic evening of music," said Marilyn Lorensen, program director of Temple Square performances.

Lorensen said expectations are high after last year's increased demand for tickets and positive feedback from concertgoers.

On the night of the last open rehearsal recently, the parking lot of an LDS meetinghouse in Taylorsville looked like stake conference, choir member Jean Turner said.

Inside, the singers filled the pews and folding chairs that crossed the opened dividers between the chapel and cultural hall. The women come from around the Salt Lake valley and places as far away as Vernal and Evanston, Wyo.

Besides the Hawaiian number, they also rehearsed songs in French, Italian and Latin.

At one point, Webb said, "I don't want nice, pretty and cute -- this song has to rock. Picture yourself throwing fish sticks in the microwave and the kids ripping out pages of a book."

"It's more than a rehearsal, it's like a fireside," choir member Elizabeth Visser said.

"I feel like each week when I come the (lyrics) mean more and more to me," said Ashley Barney, who commutes from Provo to be a part of the choir. "We have to be what we sing."

To order tickets for the concert, go to www.lds.org/events or call 801-570-0080 or 1-866-537-8457.