LION KING!

So, I know I am cheesy...but watching Lion King with my family was one of the neatest things I have experienced! My parents took my brothers, sister & sis-in-law, kids, husband and I to see the play of Lion King that is showing down in San Diego. David's sister watched Tyler and we went to a 2:00 show and had dinner at Bucca De Beppo afterwards. What an amazing show! Victoria was mesmerized. How the actors portray the animals and the scenery was amazing. It truly was a beautiful stage production and I highly recommend it to anyone who has the chance. It was fun to be with my family and to experience this with them. I forgot how much this story reminds us about family and that we have to stick together. Thanks Mom and Dad...it was AWESOME!

Kindergarten Visit!

So, on the back of my truck, I have my website listed: www.harpsdesire.com. Occasionally, I will get a call from someone that saw my address on my truck. A few weeks ago I got an email from a mom who wanted me to come and play for her daughter's kindergarten class for her birthday. Her birthday was Friday, October 30th. I decided it would be a fun birthday surprise for this little girl and a good way to make a little money (I didn't charge her my normal hourly fee of ***.**) I showed up to the school, dressed all fancy, and I felt like a celebrity. This little girl could have asked for a princess to come to her school, but instead her dream was to see a harpist! What a rewarding 30 minutes. All the kids got to touch the harp and I played several Disney selections and ended with my own rendition of"Happy Birthday!"
Some weeks, I get really stressed out trying to write all my lesson plans for teaching music at Victoria's school and worried about the big performance we will have next month (with all 300 children), but it is a an awesome thing to expose these little kids to the power and the magic of learning about notes, instruments, beat, rhythm, and just how to express themselves through a way, other than watching TV, playing video games, getting frustrated and angry or being completely introverted.
When I was teaching one of the Special Ed. classes "Catch a Falling Star" and this little severely autistic boy looked right at me and started to sing, I knew what I was doing at that moment was important. This little boy lives in a world where he can't communicate, he can't sit and experience life the way the other children do, but boy, when I started singing that song, somewhere in his brain, he recognized it and sang the whole thing while having eye contact with me.....that is a first for him in two months! Music is so powerful for children.....My life is crazy and hectic, but I love what I do and I wouldn't trade it for a second. Yes, I am getting paid a little bit every week to be at the school, but I would be there even if I wasn't.

Time Goes By Quickly

This last month has been crazy...teaching school two days a week, soccer games (and a wedding) EVERY Saturday, and planning a huge night for the Young Women at church. I did manage to get away with one of my best friends in the whole world, Trina. We have known each other since birth and have grown up together. Celebrating us both turning 30, we decided to get away for a night and head to the Rancho Bernardo Inn. Trina has stayed here several times...and I have only played for weddings here.. It is so lovely, fancy, quiet and quaint all at once. We spent the day at their brand new spa (something I have NEVER done before). I felt spoiled and wonderful all at the same time! We slept in, ate out, relaxed, got a massage (AWESOME!!!!) and swam in a private salt water pool. Thanks David for watching the kids and letting me relax. Boy...I needed that one. I feel like I run on overdrive all the time! Happy Birthday Trina...Thanks for taking me along!

WOW!

This week I have my friend, Julie Stainbrook staying with me again. Even though she moved to Utah in the summer, she still has MANY clients down here and will be coming every six weeks or so to do some photo shoots. Today she took pictures of my little sister Jenna. All I can say is WOW! I can't believe how beautiful they came out! Julie your ability to capture to true beauty in people is amazing, and Jenna, you are BEAUTIFUL. I can't believe you will be 16 next year. You are such a blessing in my life. Thanks for all the babysitting you do for me. I couldn't imagine my life with out you in it. You bring so much joy and happiness to others. And....you love who you are. It shows in all you do......Just look at yourself in these pictures....it's nice to see a beautiful daughter of God who is confident with who she is and isn't afraid to be herself. I love you Jenna!
You can see all of my sister's sneak peak at: www.juliestainbrookphotography.blogspot.com

I suck at blogging

Victoria's first day of first grade at her new school (I started here in first grade also)

Jocelyn ALWAYS finds time to dress up, put on makeup (even when I say no), and always has a purse packed with junk...she is our little pack rat.(she really does take stuff from the trash)

Tyler is obsessed with four things: cupcakes, animals, cars and balls.

Notice the pizza sauce smeared in his hair. After this picture, he climbed ON the table and was throwing pieces of his pizza everywhere.

I always say I am going to get better at blogging, and then it just doesn't happen. Life is hectic and crazy as usual and I just added more choas by adding a part time job teaching music at Tori's school. I teach k-2nd grade music ten hours a week at Monte Vista Elementary. I am really excited, just stressed as I try to make up lesson plans and activities for all the different grades, plus four special ed classes. There are curriculum guidelines I have to follow and the principal wants a full winter performance in December before the break. Notice I say "Winter;" Songs about snowmen, jack frost, snowflakes...all the things that San Diego children see LOTS of (yeah right). No Jingle Bells, Silent Night, Away in the Manger.....actually I don't think I can even sing songs with the word "ghost" or "witch" in it at Halloween. It's pretty sad, but nevertheless, I still have a big performance to come up with. So with that, a church calling, both the girls in soccer, Tori's piano lessons and three dance classes a week, Jocelyn's dance, watching my niece on Monday's and weddings on the weekend, the Hunts are a busy group. Tyler is a full time job in itself. Here he is, doing what he does best: eating and making a mess. I can't keep up with this boy. His overhand throw is just getting stronger (especially with strawberries across the kitchen) and his purposeful attempts to pull the girls hair and hit them with things until they cry just baffles me....Hope we can all hang in there! Maybe one day I'll learn to take it easy....but probably not!

Cheap Books!

I LOVE Free Stuff! These books aren't free, but pretty close. I am buying some now to save as Christmas presents for the girls:
Go HERE to BARGAIN BOOKS for the juvenile fiction sale.
Use this code to hopefully get your free shipping: BKLVFREE

Artisan Bread

Why Go To Panera?

Ok...so I love to make bread, but usually just do my same recipe, which takes about three hours of "love" to make. My uncle has been telling me that I should try his bread recipe. I finally tried it, because if he could do it, I knew it must be a piece of cake....or bread for that matter. Here's what you do:

In a bowl, add:

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp yeast

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup water

Mix and put in covered bowl for 8-10 hrs

Pre heat pan and lid to 475 (pot roast)

Roll dough in flour on counter

Cook 30 min covered

Cook 5-10 uncovered until brown then cool on rack

Here's what I did differently: I added cornmeal to the bottom of the bread and because I wasn't sure what kind of pot to use, I made a water bath to put in the bottom of my oven (fill a 13x9 pan with a few cups of water to heat up with the oven. It will create steam, just like the lid on the pot will do). I just used a non-stick cookie sheet to put the bread on. Also, I didn't cook it long enough, so it didn't get super crunchy on the outside and was a tad bit doughy on the inside, but everyone said they liked it this way. We served it with fresh tomatoes and basil on it. Yum and it it beats the cost of buying a loaf at Panera.

ENJOY!

(Picture Courtesy of Julie Stainbrook...it's great when a photographer stays at your house...you get awesome pics. every day)