Flute Christmas Performance at Temple Square

I had the wonderful opportunity of playing my flute for a group called the "Crossroads Chorale" this holiday season.  We had three performances- two ward Christmas parties, and a final performance at the South Visitor's Center at Temple Square!  :)  It was the PERFECT setting, with the Temple and lights in the background.  There were so many people who were there listening and/or walking through the Visitor's Center.  I am so grateful for this opportunity to play my flute and share the wonderful gift of music, and my testimony of the Savior at this special time.  My Mom was there, and so was my friend Hyrum.  Thanks so much for coming to support me, and even filming the event! :) (I'll post some videos as soon as I find out how to add them :)

Favorite pictures I've taken in December

These were taken at my first photo shoot a weekend ago 

Pictures I took up at the Bountiful Temple

Playing Around

So every year for my faculty meeting at Christmas time, my co-workers and I bring our instruments to the District Office, and have a fabulous potluck feast, after which we play Christmas carols for the different departments around the District Office building.  Everyone comes out of their cubicles, and takes pictures and claps for us as we spread Christmas cheer.  It's pretty fun.  Here are some pictures from our caroling.

It's Picture Perfect

So, I decided that it was time to get a new camera, and I justified my readiness based upon the well known fact that I love to take pictures!  I have taken close to 2,000 pics on each of my fabulous trips around the world.  And I am loving this camera!  Here are some pics that I took this past week while practicing.  (Thanks Jill for your helpful tips!) 

Things I Am Thankful For:

1- Family.  (Can't imagine my life without them)
2- Good Friends (same thing)
3- the Gospel
4- TEMPLES
5- Music
6- My Job
7- Electric Blankets
8- My Own Room and Bathroom
9- Good ward
10- God's beautiful creations
11- VACATIONS.  I am so grateful for my opportunities to travel the world
12- the talents God has given me, and the opportunities I have to share and continue to develop them
13- my flute
14- my camera- the ability to capture memories and experiences
15- good food
16- chocolate!
17- a good car
18- Abby, and her sweet/funny personality that brightens up my life.  
19- ear plugs
20- the scriptures and modern prophets and apostles
21- Priesthood blessings
22- Patriarchal Blessing
23- the Prophet Joseph Smith
24- quality paintings and pictures
25- animals
26- heat... warm coats, scarves, gloves
27- computers/technology
28- grateful that I have the rest of the week off
29- the hymns
30- PRAYER
31- the holidays- that means family together time!

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father, who is the giver of all that is good.  Truly everything in our lives is a reminder of His loving kindness and guidance.   Happy Thanksgiving!

I Love Weekends!

I Love Weekends!  Today is a good day.  I've actually really enjoyed the past couple of days.  This morning I went to an Orff Schulwerk Music Workshop, which was fantastic!  The presenter had some wonderful ideas for teaching students rhythm- in varying meters and tempos- by doing different hands-on activities that engage both the body and the brain in understanding rhythm in music.  I am excited to use this in my classroom following our Christmas concerts.  And, I ran into my good friend Stephanie, who I didn't know would be there, which made me happy.  Then Mom and I went out to eat at a nice little Greek/hamburger place by the U of U.  I ordered the chicken kabobs, which were delicious!  It's always nice when you are so pleased with what you ordered.  This afternoon is such a beautiful day.  It was so nice driving home with the windows rolled down, as well as the sun roof open.    Tonight our ward is having a progressive date night, with three different dates for each activity.  Should be fun!!

Last night I went to the Utah Symphony with Mom and Jill.  It was fantastic!!  They performed one of the most beautiful pieces ever written-- Brahm's Piano Concerto No. 1.  Wow!  And the pianist, Jonathan Biss was outstanding.  His playing and movement was so elegant.  He really takes you, the listener, and draws you in.  Music has a way of reaching into your heart, and leaving you feeling uplifted and edified.   We got his autograph at intermission :)  I think about the many opportunities and experiences I have had as a result of the gift of music in my life.  I believe in the power of music, one of God's many gifts to us, as a way for us to draw closer to Him.  I think of the people who have touched my life (teachers, students, and friends)  that I have associated with and been blessed by as a result of taking lessons or teaching and performing music.

Thursday night was a blast!  I went to a session at the Salt Lake Temple.  It was our Ward Temple Night.  I felt blessed to be there on the day which was my second month anniversary of going through the temple to receive my own endowments.  I do love the Temple.

After wards, my good friend, Rachel Barlow, invited me to go to the Jazz game with her, and some other friends from the ward.  We got free tickets, which was awesome!  It was fun to watch the Jazz beat the Spurs The score was something like 115 to 99.            

What a Wonderful Invention

Yesterday I was feeling exhausted, like I could use a night all to myself to just chill and take a break and relax and regroup.  And I was trying to fight off a headache.  But I have my rehearsal for the Salt Lake Winds each Tues. night, and I thought I should go.  Well, our conductor said that we (mainly referring to the brass section) were lagging behind the tempo. so after our five minute break, he decided to take a wood block from the percussion section, and (with the hardest mallet I might also add) proceeded to beat the faster tempo, which he continued to do for nearly 10 minutes it seemed.  I am telling you that noise was relentless...AWFUL!  I felt like twitching by the time he was done.  TAp, TaP TAP!!!!  I did find out, however, that a little toilet paper can act as ear plugs to help deaden sound.  There was some up on the whiteboard that two of us flutists made into modified ear plugs, which did help a little.  I was dying.  That was the worst thing that could have happened at our rehearsal when you are fighting a headache.  Not to mention the piccolo player that plays right in my ear!  I am definitely going to start wearing earplugs.  What a wonderful invention!!

Today I was on the stage during lunch time, and I was making a phone call to a parent, and was leaving them a message.  I had just finished saying, "Hi... this is Ms. Greenfield.  I am calling about...." when the fire alarm went off right next to where I was sitting.  I tell you I nearly jumped out of my seat, and had to catch my phone that almost flew out of my hand!  It scared me half to death.  That's now a pretty interesting phone message to that parent- "Hi this is Ms Greenfield.... [BLARING NOISE]!!!.. Scream!... zzzz"  I am so excited to be able to enjoy a nice,  QUIET, and relaxing evening tonight.  (Sigh)  :)

Halloween Party Oct. 30

I had a costume Halloween party at my house last night, and it was really fun.  I totally decked out my apartment in Halloween decor, and everyone that came loved the atmosphere, and asked where I got all the decorations. All I have to say is-- thanks Mom! :)  We made homemade root-beer, which turned out great!  And I made cute halloween cupcakes, and a batch of sugar cookies that we decorated with frosting and chocolate sprinkles.   I did end up with three boxes of pizza left, a pot of root-beer, and many, many cookies that are still waiting to be decorated (I think I will take plates to my visiting teachees).  So we invited people over today for lunch to help eat more of our leftovers, but my roommates and I still have leftovers for the coming week :)

I enjoyed seeing everyone's costumes.  My roommate was a girl scout, and Lon was a Ghostbuster, and Havid was a construction worker.  I was a witch, and I wore a fabulous dress and a witch hat that everyone said looked great.  I am planning on wearing them again tonight at the huge dance party up at Camp Tracy in  Millcreek Canyon.  It has a big hoop skirt, and every time I sat down, I felt like my dress covered most of the couch.  It was funny.  Jared said that we needed to dance, because I needed to be twirled in my fabulous dress, so we did for a little bit, and then he dipped me. 

When Amber, Sara and I made the rootbeer, we used dry ice.  Amber, who was so nice and helpful  to go to the store for me to purchase several last minute food items, including the dry ice, brought back two big slabs of dry ice.  But we weren't sure how to cut it down in size (and we thought, what would we do with extra dry ice?... nothing...) so we just added it a slab to each pot, and it was so cool!  It looked like we had our own fog machine.  The rootbeer was bublling over, and spilling onto the oven, and even getting on the wall, but we couldn't clean it up, because we couldn't see anything from all the fog.  It really was fun!  And, the rootbeer turned out soooo great.  My friends Jared and Graham arrived soon after this event, and they got to enjoy the effect of the dry ice.  They thought that we had bought a fog machine.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the party. This is me with Graham on the left (white trash, complete with a mullet), and Jared on the right, as a BYU jockey.

 

I Can't Believe...

I can't believe that this is my 90th post, and that I am writing it about spiders.  I am hosting a Halloween party tomorrow night, and I have been busy decorating my apartment and planning for this big event, which has been fun.  I have several spider webs that I put up, but when I got home I thought to myself "there are a lack of spiders in these webs."  (It is hard to find certain Halloween decor the week of Halloween).  Immediately after my thought, I saw a big creepy crawly spider on my floor.  How ironic, don't you think?  Not at all what I had in mind :)

Thank you!! I Am Enjoying This

One of my new callings currently is Ward Chorister for Sacrament Meeting.   And yesterday was the first time I conducted  the hymns in my new ward.  It seems like my claim to fame.  I was able to meet a lot of people, because so many of my friends and ward members have been complimenting me on my conducting skills since then, and how nice it is that I smile up there, and I must have a musical background, because "you know what you are doing!  It's wonderful!" as our ward organist, and Counselor in the Bishopric told me.  I am really enjoying this opportunity :)  There is a guy in my ward who has told me four times now- between yesterday and today- that I have the most beautiful smile.  He said, "Have I told you.... because that would be a shame if I didn't."  I think that's cute.  He also told me that I have a great laugh, and that those two things are a great combination :)  Did I mention that I like my ward?

Tonight at FHE, I met another girl who told me she thinks I look like Tapanga (sp?) from Boy Meets World, and also Herminee Grainger.  That made me laugh.  She told me my face belongs on a magazine.  I must say, I feel so flattered from this weekend by everyone's compliments.  Who knew a person could look like so many people!  Last summer six different people told me I look like Katie Holmes, and in high school I was told I look like Mandy Moore.  And whenever I move to a new ward it seems that someone says I look like their cousin or friend.  Funny!  But, I don't mind  :)     

Halloween Party!!

Jill and Mike invited Dad and I to the annual Vanikiotis Halloween Party this past weekend.  We had so much fun!  Here are some great pictures of our costumes, and our pumpkins.  Dad is Zorro, Jill is the Octo-Mom.

I went as a cat, and Jill, Mike and I thought it would be funny if I brought a litter box.  So I filled a paint tin with oatmeal and granola with raisins, and placed gross-looking candy bars in it, like 100 Grand, with chocolate syrup in a few places.  Total ewww factor,huh?

Some people came as the characters from Alice in Wonderland, and she looked like a great rabbit!

Here are our pumpkins.  Jill's has the funny face, mine is the cat(self portrait), and Dad did a great Christmas pumpkin that I think won second place! 

  I left this on the counter overnight, and in the morning I opened the fridge and saw the litter box.  I thought it was so funny that it ended up in there!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

I had the opportunity to go to a session at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple last week with some wonderful girl friends.  Wow!  It is absolutely beautiful!  I was in Arizona this summer, so I didn't go to the Open House.  But I am so grateful for this opportunity.  It was a neat experience looking across the valley at the mountains covered in fall leaves, with blue sky and white puffy clouds.  Temple worship is such a blessing to me.  I was touched seeing two other temples (West Jordan and Draper) from the temple grounds.