SLCA

My grandpa Flaherty always stressed the importance of immediately putting a child back on a horse after getting bucked off, otherwise that child may never get back on. After my recent near miss with the MoTab, I decided that I needed to heed grandpa's advice, and "get back on the horse" with another audition, this time, for Dr. Brady Allred, conductor of the Salt Lake Choral Artists http://www.saltlakechoralartists.org/. I've been told the SLCA is commonly known around here as the "other" MoTab. Or in other words, a high level choir minus religious or age restrictions. My hope was that it would rebuild some confidence and keep my musicianship skills sharp. I figured if I was going to do it, I wanted to go all the way and audition for the most selective of SLCA groups, the chamber singers. So, after having a month ago arranged for the audition (unbeknownst to anyone but myself), I went in on the 7th and put it on the line once more. I sang a Bach Aria in German and had to sight read, take a theory exam and perform some other mildly challenging vocal exercises. However, after the near hell that was the audition process for the MoTab, I found it to be a refreshing experience. I wasn't nearly as nervous, and the sight reading was a cake walk by comparison. Afterward I was offered a spot in the SLCA Chamber Singers and asked if I could start the next day. I've since attended my first 2 rehearsals and am excited at the opportunity to continue to sing with a very talented group, to perform with the Salt Lake Symphony, and sing in various wonderful venues around the city like the tabernacle. Dr. Allred is an amazing conductor and is very close to, and highly regarded by Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg. Singing in this ensemble will look very good on my "musical resume" if I decide to give the MoTab another go next season. So here's to facing fears and getting back on the horse. Thanks for the advice Grandpa, I sure miss you.

Say Cheesy!

There was a photographer on one of the runs at Brighton Saturday taking "action" shots that you can order online. I went on the website just for fun to see some of the ones he took. I would never buy them, but I would copy and paste them on my blog complete with the "Star Photo Utah" watermark! Good times.

Suns, Symphony & Skiing

This weekend was very busy, but VERY fun! On the heels of the Suns game Thursday night, we started off the weekend Friday night by going to see the Utah Symphony perform some Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich at the gorgeous Abravanel Hall downtown. I had been anticipating this for a long time. Being a University of Utah employee, I can get normally expensive symphony tickets for the price of going to see a full price movie, and this weekend, among other things, they were performing Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43(one of my favorites) featuring renowned Brazilian pianist Arnoldo Cohen. We got great center section seats and the performance was AMAZING! Especially the Rachmaninoff. Layne was a good sport to let me "dress & drag" him to the show. Actually he really liked it! He has put up very little resistance since we've been married to me injecting a little culture into his life, and has actually become quite the connoiseur!

Saturday we did something we both enjoy, though I must admit Layne is a bit more fanatical about it than I. There are only a few things I'm convinced my husband would sell his soul for, and one of them is snowboarding. The day started at 7:00am when he woke me with a kiss and a "happy boarding day!" That pretty much sums it up actually! It was a gorgeous, mostly sunny day at Brighton ski resort, and we had a blast! The snow was perfect, and aside from a lot of people, it couldn't have been any better. That evening it was back into our nice clothes for a friend's wedding reception in Bountiful, after which we got our "Lost" on. Yes, at the recommendation of a trusted friend, we have finally agreed to try watching Lost, and have so far been pleased. We were worried that it was going to be Survivor meets Days of Our Lives, but it hasn't been that bad. Thanks Chris. It will at least help tide us over until this writer's strike ends.

A Suns fan in the Rough

Yesterday afternoon, Layne called me from work with a fabulous surprise! A co-worker had come in and offered 2 tickets to the Suns/Jazz game to anyone who wanted them. Lanye was on it like a monkey on a cupcake! To say that we were excited is a gross understatement. We took the Trax to the arena and had a great time. The seats were awesome! Our poor Suns didn't stand a chance missing 3 of their starters (Nash, Hill and Marion), but the boys on the floor actually kept it close somehow during the first half. If we had paid for those tickets, we'd have been really upset, but we were able to just go and support and enjoy and cause some Jazz fans to give us dirty looks, which was worth it all. Besides, how often do you get to see Eric Piatkowski play?! Thanks for a fun evening babe! Go Suns!

Mom Jeans

Up until now, I have resisted the temptation to blog-rob from some of my favorite funny people, but alas, I had no choice but to post this because I was laughing so hard I nearly soiled myself. I can't believe I hadn't ever seen this before! My cousin's wife Megan Hastings, in addition to being an AMAZING mom, is one of the most clever, funny and creative people I know! They have two of the most ADORABLE and above all, intelligent little girls you've ever seen. Their blog is one of my favorites to read because of their antics and funny sayings and Megan's amazing photography. Today I read her post about oldest daughter Ryen informing her that she couldn't wear the cute jeans she had on because they are for kids. She proceeded to post this video. Hats off Megan! Enjoy!

UBA Commercial

Several weeks ago, I posted about a commercial I was in for the Utah Bankers Association. Well, it's been completed and will begin airing on major channels the last week in January and throughout February, but you can watch it here. I'm only in this particular 60 second spot for like 2 seconds (about 20 seconds in) so if you don't watch close you will probably miss me altogether, but they also have 2 other 30 second spots they're airing which will show a little more of what I was doing. If you want to watch it bigger you can visit www.uba.org and watch it from their site. Anyway, I think it's a pretty good commercial actually. After all, this is MY Utah too!

More Christmas pics & The Arctic Blast

All this snow has been a new phenomenon for us. It seems to DUMP snow EVERY weekend, but not on week days. It's really strange, and on Saturday, a big storm ruined a trip we had planned to hit the slopes of Brighton ski resort. A little snow is no big deal, but 40 mph winds? C'mon. Instead, we spent the day bunkered down in the house taking down Christmas and cleaning out our file cabinet (be still my heart). I just had to post this picture of Layne shoveling the driveway using the shovel he took great care in picking out earlier this winter from Home Depot. His ensemble is priceless. Basketball shorts, and his Ozark Trails moon boots from the Napoleon Dynamite costume of yesteryear. You'd think with a name like The Arctic Blast, that snow shoveling would be a breeze, but never the less, it's a lot of work. So much for driveway clearing being covered by our HOA fees.

A few more Christmas pictures.

John finally joined the iPod world this year. Yay!

Whats a good fly fisherman without a pontoon float!?

A New Year and a Blast from the Past

I can't believe that it's 2008 already! I had to write the date for the first time today at work, and was astounded by how weird it felt to write it. I feel like our lives have been traveling at warp speed when I think back to where we were and what we were doing at this time last year. 2000 miles away in North Carolina, I was beginning my last year at East Carolina U., Layne was neck deep in the his land development business and moving to Utah was merely a hiss and a by word at the time. So much has happened since then, some bad, mostly good, but its the speed with which it has all transpired that is so mind boggling. Every year that we've been married, Layne has had a slogan. Break free in '03, Score in '04, Come alive in '05, In the mix in '06 ('07 is escaping me) and this year it's Make it great in '08. I certainly hope that will be the case. In spite of the many changes that took place last year, this year could be the biggest life changer of all. Only time will tell, but Layne and I both feel it. So here's to living in the moment, remembering the past and enjoying the ride! Happy New Year!


I've been trying little by little to scan old family photos into my computer so I have a permanent record, and I thought in the spirit of new years that I'd share a little blast from my past. I may start posting one of these old pictures a week just for fun. We'll start with one and see how it goes. I don't remember what the date on this was, but it must be in Denver. I think dad was baiting a chipmunk. It's so fun to see pictures of my dad at the age I am now.