as you’ve never heard it before…

We’ve always loved hands-on toys around here. You know, the kind that you have to interact with to get it to work. So, I knew when I saw a picture of this pretty little “music stick” that we’d need to give it a try.

The idea is so simple, a two-year-old can use it. It works like this…

Your child slides the washers up to the top of the threaded metal rod then lets them go.

As the washers spin and twirl down to the bottom, they make a lovely, tinkling sound–almost like a rain stick–only softer. Quite pleasant, really.

Now the really nice part. It went together in less than 5 minutes. No kidding. Seriously, the hardest part for me was walking in to Home Depot and trying to act like I knew what I was doing. I finally just handed the list to one of the workers and they gathered up all the stuff for me.  :}

You’ll need:

1/2 by 4-inch threaded eyebolt
Teflon plumber’s tape

1/2 inch all-thread rod, 24 or 36 inches long

1/2 inch coupling nut

1/2 inch locknut

10-15 1/2 inch washers

Directions:

1. Wrap a piece of Teflon tape around the end of the eyebolt and both ends of the rod. This will help it all stay screwed together over time.

2. Take the eyebolt…

and screw it to the coupling nut.

3. Screw the rod to the other end of the coupling nut.

4. Slide the washers onto the rod.

5. Secure the locknut to the bottom–and you’re finished.

Now hang it from a post or tree or–in this case–the top of my canopy bed, and turn the kiddos loose with it.

They’ll be enthralled, captivated, amazed and surprised at just how fun it is to play with.

So will you.

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One Mother’s Day about 23 years ago, when all these little dudes looked like this—my sister and I had a brilliant idea. We lined most of our kids up by the hearth at mom’s house and had them sing. Oh, my did they sing! To my memory, they sang every Mother’s Day song ever written but ended with mom’s favorite–”I Often Go Walking.”

“I often go walking in meadows of clover,
And I gather armfuls of blossoms of blue.
I gather the blossoms the whole meadow over,
Dear Mother, all flowers remind me of you.

Oh Mother, I give you my love with each flower
To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through
For if I love blossoms and meadows and walking,
I learn how to love them, dear Mother, from you.”
–Phyllis Luch

At the end, all these little sweethearts handed her a tiny flower. It was beautiful and the best part about it was that…she cried. That always meant it was the perfect Mother’s Day gift.

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Just watched the Les Mis 25th Anniversary on PBS…and I’m completely speechless…or…nearly completely speechless.

It was amazing and just as incredible as it was when we saw the show 15 years ago.

Oh, yeah…and I’m completely in love with Alfie Boe–the star. Pretty sure I’d like to marry him. Except I hear he already has a wife. Rats…my luck.

At the end of the Anniversary show–they gathered up some of the very best performers that have every played the main part and had them sing together. Oh. MY.

Check it out…

So, I’m curious. Have you seen Les Miserables at some time in your life? If so, where and when and how many times? This should be good…

Ooooh-hooo…lookey where we got to go–thanks to our sweet little Jillian. She saw Lion King in London and would positively not allow us to miss it when it came here, to our very own town.

But first, for the sake of the evening, we simply had to go to the Melting Pot for dinner. It was an amazing place with melted cheesy fondue in pots on the table with bread and veggies to dip into it.

And then…then…

they brought out the chocolate…and all the incredible things to dip into it.

Yeow.

I personally thought it would be a good idea if they just pulled out pillows and blankets and just let us sleep over. It was that good and the only thing that would have made it even better would have been to not be rushed.

Ahh…but we had a show to get to.

Sadly, this is the only shot I was allowed to take–before the show started. We were strictly forbidden to take any kind of pictures once the play started…and I didn’t want to go to jail or anything. I’m kind of a coward in real life.

But I found a way to show you a bit of what we saw…oh, do brace yourself.

Amazing…

Simply amazing.

Thank you Jillian.

and ain’t he cute?

We love you David!!

There was a day, long ago, a day I miss deeply now–

when there was some kind of music coming from several different corners in our house, at the same time. Over the years we’ve had a couple of flutes, a clarinet, a French horn, a couple of violins, and always, always there seems to have been a child sitting at the piano. I know that my memory is very selective about this, but I’m fine with recalling our family’s musical years as a lovely melodic blur.

Of course with all those instruments there also came lessons and practicing–oh the practicing that went on…and the treats we bribed the young musicians with. All for the promise of another version of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” to be played for me.

And how they played.

I was asked often how I could stand so much beginner noise in all it’s difficult phases and it surprised them to hear that I loved it…all of it. Though I never played anything myself, really, the instruments fascinated me–and so did the ability to pull a sweet sound from so many different places. As a mother–it’s always incredible to hear your own child create something beautiful–

that you did not teach them.

After all these years, most of the music is quiet now. The once avid players each found different places to spend their creative energies–jobs, missions, marriage, housework, church work and babies. That’ll certainly do it.

But–how I miss the music.

I’m waiting for the day when one of the new children–my musicians children–will come running in with a familiar shaped case and say, “Grammy–wanna hear me play?”

I know just what I’ll do…

I’ll smile and nod and get comfortable in a soft, easy chair. I’ll close my eyes.

and listen to the dear, sweet, scratchy sound of each note.

“Twink-le, twink-le lit-tle star, how I won-der what you are…”

I just hope I don’t start to cry.

Indeed…I can hardly wait to say, “Oh, please, please…

…play for me.

My cute little daughter, Jillian…

won something very cool on the radio.

We, apparently, weren’t the only ones excited to go to the Train concert.

The wild people came from everywhere to this amazing concert—right on the street of downtown Salt Lake City. No lie. The police just roped off the road and everyone sat around doing…whatever…while they listened.

Since we had to wait for awhile, we just found a decent place to sit–right on the sidewalk, up against some random store. I thought maybe if I’d of had a hat, someone would come along and drop change in it.  You never know.

Finally, finally the band boys came out.

Most of the “street people” —including Jillian, moved forward to get a closer look.

But some of us could hear the purdy music well enough–right where we were, thank you very much–and stayed put.

I did, however, put the crocheting away a couple of times…

just to stretch out my legs…and fingers.

But I’ll tell you–there is something so magical about sitting by the light of the moon…

listening to the sound of  a Train.

:]

This moment…

How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?
He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.

How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth that we may know.

How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.

What does the Father ask of us?
What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like his Son,
Help others on their way.

What does he ask?
Live like his Son.

Happy Easter my friends…