May 28th, 2010
Gandma reads a story to Daphne
Daphne fell off of her bed this afternoon and got a nice bump and bruise. Her mom was very worried but after a blessing she seems to be alright. Grandma and I got to take care of her for a little while while her Mom and Dad went out for a treat. She had a good time reading books, wanted the phone when grandma was talking (but didn’t want to TALK), and was a very good girl. We found that she was especially fond of holding, listening to, and looking at . . . . .
my iPhone!. It is almost exactly like her Dad’s iPod Touch which she gets to play with once in a while. It was a very effective attention-getter for about 15 minutes. Then when it was time to go home she had a hard time giving it up. We had a good time together.
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May 22nd, 2010
Working through a section of music. (Note blankets on the seats.)
The Choir and Orchestra just finished a series of recording sessions for a new CD featuring the men of the choir. The sessions stretched all week. We were at the Tabernacle for recordings every night from Tuesday night to Friday night, and all day Saturday (today). We return to the Tabernacle tomorrow morning for our weekly broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. This will make six days in a row we have met at Temple Square to make music together. The Broadcast will feature two of the pieces we recorded for the new CD including “Discovery” or Landsighting, by Edvard Grieg with Baritone soloist Clayton Breynard. This is a piece that is very meaningful to me. The choir sang this piece the weekend I was in the Salt Lake City Missionary Home prior to leaving for Language Training for my missionary assignment. At that time all the missionaries went to the Choir Broadcast together. I remember hearing that piece (which I already knew) being sung at that time. My father was a member of the choir at that time as well, making it extra special for me. That was also the last time I heard Richard Evans as the commentator for the choir. He passed away about three weeks later. This recording will be unique because of the content and because of the varying styles it will contain. A few of the other pieces on the new recording include “The Morning Trumpet,” “Lullaby” by Billy Joel, “Hush Little Baby and “Non Nobis Domine” from Henry V. I look forward to its release! The Choir website has news about this new recording at the choir’s website,
http://mormontabernaclechoir.org.
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May 18th, 2010
Happy Birthday Andrew!
We celebrated birthdays for the month together on Monday night and had David and Andrew’s birthdays to celebrate together.
Happy Birthday David!
We had two cakes and two different kinds of ice cream to celebrate, and the kids enjoyed each other’s company while we were all together at home. We love having everyone here and miss those that cannot be with us.
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April 12th, 2010
Here are three songs that Melodie recorded with her friend Jenny for Jenny’s facebook page. I thought they were really neat, and that the family would enjoy them. Jenny accompanies on her guitar and the duets are very nicely done indeed!
Melodie and Jenny Sing Duets
When I am Baptized
Brightly Beams Our Father’s Mercy
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April 5th, 2010
Birthday girl
We had much of the family here for Melodie’s birthday celebration. It is hard to believe she is already 26 years old.
Family here to celebrate with Melodie
We love her and are so grateful for her cheerful disposition and for the love she has for children. She will always be one of the favorites of her nieces and nephews because they know how much she loves them! We had a fun evening with everyone and are happy that we were all able to get together for this event. Rosaylnn and Derek were home taking care of Chase but Ethan and Julia were here and had fun with their cousins. We missed Dev and Emily and Robyn and Eric and their families but hope they get an idea of the festive mood when they see this blog page.
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April 2nd, 2010
Proud big sister and brother hold little brother!
Rosie and Derek welcomed a beautiful baby boy just after midnight at the Orem Community Hospital. Derek told us that he was impressed just how very strong he felt when he was moving around while Derek was holding him. He weighs 8 pounds 6 ounces and is 21 inches tall.
Grandma and new grandson
The family is trying to decide on a name for him among several they like. They will select one soon.
Happy family with new baby in front
These photos were taken that same morning at about 9:30am at the hospital, close to where the kids go to school. They were allowed to go a little late so they could welcome their little brother to their family. They were very excited to tell their friends and teachers about their new little brother when they arrived as school, and could hardly wait for the day to pass while they were thinking about returning to see their parents and the new baby after school. We hope they have a good day. CONGRATULATIONS!
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March 29th, 2010
Grandma Hill Interview
I didn’t get this uploaded for Grandma’s 87th birthday in February (this was taken two years ago). We didn’t have a big party for her this year because she wasn’t feeling too well at that time, so her daughters living in the area went to her home and prepared a lunch and ate with her for a little celebration. The segment here was recorded on the occasion of her 85th birthday but I had no blog that would support this kind of file at that time. The system now will support this so I wanted to upload it for you. In February I didn’t know where this file was. Now I have found it I wanted to put it up immediately so you could see it. Happy Birthday again Grandma, we love you!
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March 26th, 2010
New graduate Quentin
Today we witnessed the graduation of several hundred soldiers in the National Guard from around the country at Camp Williams. This was the culmination of a two-week intensive training for leaders in the guard. Quentin was among them and invited us to come. We sat with Sharisse, and with family members and children of other participants. We all stood for the National Anthem sung with great feeling by one of the soldiers without accompaniment. There were opening and closing prayers, which impressed us. One of the leaders got up to present special awards to two of the trainers who were being transferred to help train our soldiers in other locations in the world. Before doing so he pointed out that there were three young people in the front of the audience who immediately put their right hands over their hearts for the singing of National Anthem, and he commended them for doing so. The main speaker got up to speak and sat down in about one minute. Wow! It was nice to hear him commend those involved using only a few words and then sit down. The graduates were called up by training groups and by name, and congratulated by their trainers and leaders one by one. There no yelling or other of the usual rude interruptions during the ceremony that we frequently see from the audience at graduations these days. It was quiet, orderly, and really nice. The audience was small but very supportive. Congratulations Quentin!
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March 25th, 2010
Mormon Tabernacle Choir in a performance at the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle
As you know, I’m a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Last summer, the Choir went on tour to the Central States region of the U.S. Our friends at BYU Broadcasting accompanied us and shot hundreds of hours of footage. Out of that footage from various venues has come a documentary entitled “One Voice” which will air in April on BYU Television. I was able to see the preview of it and I wanted to make sure you had a chance to see it when it airs.
The special really captures what it’s like when the Choir goes on tour. If you click on this link (http://byutv.org/onevoice) you can see a short trailer about the documentary. It will air for the first time on BYU-TV between sessions of LDS General Conference on Sunday, April 4th. You can click here for all the currently published airtimes. BYU-TV has also made a 90-minute special of the Choir’s last concert of the 2009 tour at Red Rocks outside Denver.
I hope you’ll enjoy both shows.
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March 24th, 2010
Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck is one of those persons who seem to have been able to put the confusing rhetoric we have been hearing about the political situation in the United States into common-sense dialog that shows us [conservatives] what the current establishment is trying to do. Please copy to this link and go to read his commentary for today:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,589943,00.html
The issues of the day are so important! I hope you will share your feelings with your legislators, and encourage persons to run for office that share your philosophy regarding the size and scope of our government. Be involved and a part of the process in some way!
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