Piano Lessons

Come one come all! We are taking two to three new piano students for winter semester 2012. Piano lessons not only include weekly private instruction but music tech time and monthly master classes. Lessons are given in our home in Rexburg, Idaho. Visit RexburgMusic.com to learn more and like us on facebook

Thanksgiving and Concerts

David and I went to Utah for Thanksgiving and even did the whole Black Friday thing.  We started shopping at 11:30 PM and finally came home at 10:00 AM!  All of our Christmas shopping done in one night.  It was one of the best dates we've ever had.  It even included a 6:00 AM breakfast at McDonald's.

Thanksgiving day was fun to spend with Dana and Robert and a few other family members and friends.

Andrew and his friend, TC, Rick and Sandy (Dana's friends from the ward), Garet, Robert and Dana, Me and David, Grandpa Chambers, Grandpa Love

In December, David had concerts and recitals galore.  His composer's recital was awesome.  He composed a men's choral piece that is truly amazing.  I still am floored when I think of his dynamic personality and genuine goodness that committed more than 20 guys to come to three rehearsals a week for more than a month.  He fed them a big dutch oven dinner to thank them.  

Then, a few days later, he sang in one of the biggest concerts BYU-Idaho has done to date with guest singer, Brian Stokes Mitchell.  It was a fantastic event!  My favorite parts were The Little Drummer Boy, and Oh Come, All Ye Faithful.  Amy came to the composer's recital (We love her!) and Dana and Robert came up for both events even though they were only three days apart.  What a support team they are to us!  They even took us out to Costa Vida one night Chinese and ice cream the other.  Wahoo! 

Laundry

R.I.P. dryer numero uno

Sometimes I wonder about people who lived in the olden days.  How did they find each other in crowds without cell phones?  How did they eat without microwaves?  How did they learn anything without Google?  The question I have been wondering most of all is how they did laundry without dryers.  While I am actually well aware and very familiar with the answer to these questions, especially the latter, I am especially grateful for my new (to me) washer and dryer!  Our dryer broke right around Thanksgiving and it has been obnoxious taking loads to the laundromat or pestering our nice neighbor across the hall to dry just one more load.  She really was so kind to help us out.  I remember having to dry everything on lines or drying racks in Spain.  Our clothes were always nice and crunchy.  It was a colorful sight, but obnoxious.

The DR was even worse, we didn't even have a washer, so we either had to wash everything by hand, drag it a mile to the laundromat (which was run by one crazy Slovakian man who had one washer and dryer), or take our suitcase full of dirty clothes to church and pay one of the ladies to do it for us.  What a mess!

Hilary Weeks understands my frustrations with laundry.  It was super fun to see her at Time Out for Women this year with the girls.  This is her take on laundry:

Here are our new washer and dryer that we are so excited about:

My very favorite part is that it only takes one cycle to dry the clothes now!  Before it took three.  Wahoo!

Halloween

For the most part, this was a fairly normal day.  I taught school (check it out here!), David learned school.  We came home.  We did, however, make our appearance on the town at Arctic Circle for ice cream.  I dressed up all day at school and made David dress up with me to go out to enjoy our frozen treat.   Before leaving, we were sitting in our living room, eating dinner, when a knock came at the door.  I was ready to get up and answer it, wondering who it could be when David yelled, "You can answer it!  We have candy!"  It took me a second to realize that it would be bite-sized trick-or-treaters on the opposite side of my door.  I made way for David as he bounded to the door only to open it with none other than red and white striped (year-old) candy canes in hand.  I couldn't help but leave the room because I was giggling at the sight more than I could contain.  We made a mad dash out of there after that.

I am obviously Hermione, one of the greatest witches alive.  

David's is harder.  He carried around a baton and sheet music, which apparently we did not photograph.  He is supposed to be a disturbed composer...

I think however he should have just said he was a BYU-Idaho Music Major.  That's what their eyes look like most of the time anyway. :)

Lost with Ralfie the Camel

David's first Elder's Quorum activity turned out to be a success!  We had more than plenty of the delicious Dutch oven chili and a great turn out. We counted about 70 people. We were really grateful to everyone who came and especially to those who brought salads and desserts to share.  After dinner and a bit of socializing, everyone helped clean up and we headed off to the Straw Maze.  Here are come pictures of our outing:

Jessica & J.T.

Karen & Brandon

 

J.T. being eaten alive by the straw

Jessica, Denae, & David...J.T. was mysteriously abducted for the last 20 minutes

Brandon

There were lots of tunnels this year!  Scary!

Our new friend, Ralfie

David, Denae, & Ralfie

Nora Beard, Jessica, & J.T.

Devin & Nicole

Brandon & Karen

The brave group we faced the maze with

This camel was huge!  I was surprised by how large it was!

After the activity, our little group went back to J.T. and Jessica's place and played a game called BANG! that Devin and Nicole had.  It was super fun!  It was a great way to spend the night. :)

New Loves

We had Garet over for Sunday dinner last night, which was quite delicious, and he brought his new friend, Riley. We decided it would be great if she stuck around.  Four thumbs up from Denae and David. We had a lovely time eating (too much) spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, apple crisp, and french bean vanilla ice cream.  They even brought sparkling cider which we kept all for ourselves forgot to drink. :)  The worst best part of the night was playing games which Garet refused to loose.  He beat everyone at Nertz.  Three times in a row.  We decided to move on.  Then, he crushed us in Guesstures.  Oh well.  There can't be a plastic golden star award for everyone.  We had a great time.  Thanks for coming, guys!  

The official Guesstures winners

Enjoying the food and company

Ready to act out Guesstures cards

Random Kindness

Saturday night, David and I went to an organ recital on campus since he has to attend various performances throughout the semester.  We were running a little close on time beforehand, so we called in a take-out order to our favorite:

When we arrived, we made our way quickly up to the front to pay for and pick up our order.  To our astonishment, the girl at the counter informed us that a gentleman had recognized our name and paid for our order as he went through the line earlier.  What a wonderful surprise!  We were so excited to have such a fun random act of kindness befall us!  To the kind mystery gentleman, THANK YOU!

Sunday brought many Priesthood meetings and the annual primary program.  The kids did such a wonderful job.  The theme this year was, "I know the scriptures are true."  I could feel the testimony of these sweet little people.  It was a privilege to work with them as the pianist.

Yes, we are nerds.  Yes, we do often match for church.

Italian Sodas & Twinkle Lights

David and I live what I would call a simple life.  We go to bed early most of the time.  I pretend I get up early most of the time.  We live off of a budget.  I save yogurt cups for art projects and sour cream containers to use as Tupperware.  Sometimes, especially after spending a moment or two on Pinterest thinking about my {in my} dream{s} home, I feel like we are such lowly people who will never be able to make it in this world.  It seems like we will never have enough money to do anything.  I fear that I will become a mother who survives off of WIC and has to take her kids on nature walks every day because we can't do anything else.   But then...I think of this:

Now, I have no idea where these statistics came from.  It is possible that some crazy liberal made them up to make people feel bad although I doubt that.  Regardless, I forget how fortunate I am.  I was able to find a job within one month of graduating in the field I chose.  {It's not anyone else's fault that I chose the lowest paying four-year degree requiring occupation.}  We are far richer than the majority of students in our same situation.  We have a roof over our heads, plenty of food, a savings account with money in it, a car that works all the time, clothes to wear, a piano that provides us a source of additional income, good friends, supportive family, and each other.  Okay, so maybe I don't have this:

or this: 

or this:

 or this:

 or this:

 or this:

BUT...I do have David.  I have a husband who is kind.  He leads our family with authority and gentleness.  He constantly tells me how great I am and how beautiful I make the world.  We have no less than six sets of scriptures to read in two languages to search the word of God.  We have a kitchen with matching red appliances.  We have bikes to explore the world on.  I have the confidence of knowing that I can trust the man I spend my days with, never doubting anything.  I have emotional security.  I have the financial peace of knowing that my husband tracks every single dollar we earn and never lets anything go to waste.  I have students that spend money on Scholastic book orders and earn me free books.  I have cool weather that I can stay dry in after I have showered.  I have a home with carpet on the floor and milk in the fridge and no need for cockroach bombs.  I have ice cream in my freezer.  I have a degree from one of the best universities in the world.  I have knees that can kneel in prayer.  I have a voice to speak my mind.  I have love.

Yesterday as I was thinking about how hard life will be in the future and all of the financial burdens that might be placed upon us, I became overwhelmed to think about how we will ever attain anything.  But then I realized...I already have everything.  David and I spent the evening last night out on the town.  We met at the Friday Night Farmers Market. We walked hand in hand talking about our days' activities, actually interested in what the other had experienced.  We stopped to talk to friends and neighbors.  As it got dark, each tent sparkled with twinkle lights casting a lovely glow on the tabernacle behind us.  We bought Italian sodas and enjoyed one of the last beautiful evenings Rexburg will be willing to produce for awhile.  It was picture perfect.  As we walked around together, I realized that I am the luckiest girl in the world.  I may not have everything the world tells me I should want, I may not even have all of the things that I want.  But I have everything that matters.  I am happy.

In the end, we have been promised that we will never want for anything if we strive to keep the commandments:  "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ...for your heavenly Father knoweth that yea have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

David's 24th

Last Friday, David and I drove down to Utah to celebrate his 24th birthday with his family.  We got up Saturday morning and opened presents over delicious bagel sandwiches, and then headed off to Lagoon, David's favorite birthday bash location.  

David's favorite present was his new basketball.

This is our second year with the September celebration.  It is a fun weekend because Sydney, David, Chris, and Sarah all have birthdays the same week. 

Sydney brought her friend, Allison to celebrate her sweet 16.

The other little birthday girl.

Bombora, the new surfing themed roller coaster.

The ladybug ride

Caroline rides the Rocket for the first time

Last year, David told Caroline that he would buy her a snow cone if she went on the Rocket with us, but she was still too scared.  This year, she finally went and about an hour after we got off of it, she said, "Hey David!  Now you owe me a snow cone!"  The things kids remember!  The perfect uncle that he is, one tiger's blood snow cone magically appeared.

The boys 

The girls 

Someone thought it would be hilarious to put all the little kids in one log, and put Rob and David in the front of another with Spencer and me behind... 

I ended up wet. David thought this was hilarious.

We ended the festivities with a splash on Rattlesnake Rapids...

very wet. 

We had a fabulous day.  David and I drove home that night, which was nearly impossible.  I was so tired, I couldn't function at all and David was so tired that we had to pull over twice to take a little nap.  We made it home alive by 1:00 AM!  David made it to his stake priesthood meeting the next morning at 7:00.  EEEK!  After church, Garet brought over a cake sponsored by Mom and Jim which was delicious!

I particularly enjoyed Garet's Mr. Rogers sweater. 

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood... 

Happy Birthday, David!