Good Medicine

My family - we are crazy. I just laughed so hard I had to leave the room to get control. It seems like I can only laugh the free-est when I'm with my family. Love you guys.

A Night on the Town

Friday night, I went to the Pops to see and hear the King's Singers highly recommended by Isaac and Seth. It was wonderful!! The theme for the night was "Pops Goes British" and the night was certainly that with God Save the Queen, Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1, Op. 39 in D by Edward Elgar, Selections from Camelot by Frederic Loewe, Auld Lang Syne played by the Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes and Drums Band, James Bond Theme, Theme from For Your Eyes Only and Goldfinger, Candle in the Wind (with a beautiful flute solo), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road sung by Julie Spangler, the Pops piano player and arranger, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the world renowned King's Singers. They were amazing!! Their a cappella pieces especially were breathtaking. They sang popular songs from movies and by the Beatles: Kokomo, Live and Let Die, A Kiss from a Rose, A Groovy Kind of Love, The Circle of Light (really cool!), Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Blackbird, Honey Pie, Because, and Hey Jude. And they sang Yellow Submarine for the encore! We stayed and got their autographs and some pictures with them. It was such a fun and relaxing evening. Thank you everyone for coming. And next time, I will make sure I check to see the correct time the concert starts! ;)

Isaac with fellow tenor Paul Phoenix of the King's Singers.

Seth and then Shane (below) with bass Stephen Connolly of the King's Singers.

I really think I could go to the Pops or Symphony every weekend!! I love watching the orchestra play. :) Just last night, I was going on and on about some piece we're doing for Concert on the Lawn and Mom asked me if I was in the right division. I assured her that yes, I still love to teach, but I love music too. I know that I will be a life-long learner and lover of music. :)

A Post. :)

Thursday, I came home and mom had cleaned my room and was putting my pictures in their frames. For forever she and I have been wanting to get some pictures framed and put on my walls, so we did them Thursday. It was so sweet of her to get the iniative to do them, because I kept putting it off. Here are some pictures - I think they look really cool. We have a few more to do, but I need to get some pictures developed and to buy a few more frames.

My aunt Brenda cross-stiched this for me and mom got it rematted and reframed this Christmas. Notice the Precious Moments figures around each letter.

This is a watercolor I did in 8th grade with much assistance and guidance from my awesome art teacher Mrs. Bock.

This is my favorite section of my room (for now). Lest you think, I've been hiding artistic talent, the horse picture is a paint by number that I worked on for several years, sporadically, when I was younger. I love my mosaic hurricane lamp that my brother bought for me for Christmas (after many hints from me! :P)

Well, I'm off to work. I worked almost 8 hours last night, and I can't believe how sore I am. My stomach feels like I've been doing sit ups (which I haven't). Hey - two for one. Get paid, and get a work-out. :)

Icicle [lights]. hehe

Encased in Ice and Snow

The last day and a half have just been glorious. Waking up early to check the portal and then wondrously crawling back in bed. Eating yummy biscuits and gravy and playing Phase Ten. Just enjoying home sweet home.

I ventured out today into the sparkly, glittery world. Took some pictures, and then tried to unbury the snow and ice-covered cars. Investigated a large branch of a tree that crashed down in our neighbor's yard. Came inside to unthaw my toes. (My dad's rain galoshes are not good snow boots!) Enjoying a milky cup of hot chocolate with a candy cane. Sigh - life is good.

I just wrote a book.

No really. I did. Words and pictures by Alanna. All of 9 pages.

Who knew homework could be so fun - and time consuming. :)

Experiencing History

What a momentous day!

President Obama -

He is my new President.

I will respect him.

I will pray for him.

Yet I must remember

that my full trust and confidence

is not in a man,

but in the Creator of man.

Cliches

When life gives you lemons - make lemonade!

Don't get mad - get glad!

And my own lengthy but true cliche:

When you drive all the way home to realize that you forgot to grab your house keys (which are locked in the house), and you subsequently miss your nap you intended to take because you now have to drive 15 min. to and from where your dad is working to get his house keys, and then you realize that the Panera cashier thought you said chicken noodle soup when what you really said or at least meant was chicken tortilla soup -

then you say "I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth" and while you are driving back the way you came to get house keys, you are grateful that Beethoven's 5th came on the radio because you love Beethoven's 5th, and you're thankful because now you will really be ready to sleep tonight, and you're thankful that chicken noodle soup is still kinda good and are thankful that it just cost you $1.50 something. And you just feel kinda thankful because you're alive and have a house and have a job - and suddenly things aren't so bad.

Enjoy the lemonade.

New Years Weekend in WV

Here are pictures of the Smith family. We had a great time, obviously. :) Friday, my cousins and I got up early and hit some consignment shops - we went to a bag sale and got about 13 pieces of clothing for a total of $3!! After shopping, we came back home and got beautified. :) *Note* Labels for the pictures are underneath the picture.

Cousins: Leanna and me.

Cousins: Andrew, James, and Daniel

Marty presenting Papaw his birthday cake - 75!

Second cousins Elizabeth (L) and Grace (R) with Papaw. He is 75 today!

My adorable second cousins and their friend, Emma.

Grace is at the left and Betta is at the right.

Uncle Mark and Andrew

Uncle Marty on banjo and Aunt Derita doing her thing on the piano.

My TALL brother Andrew and my TALL cousin Jordan!

Me and Abby.

Some of the cousins: Emily, Katie, Me, Jordan, Andrew and Abby.

This pose took forever too take. My mouth kept making funny noises and I couldn't stop laughing. My eyes are still laughing - lol.

Jordan, Cheryl, and Mark. Jordan's a business major at WVU.

Mom and Abby

Playing Imagine If

Cousin James

Uncle Marty on banjo, Uncle Dan listening, and Andrew on bass.

Me and Aunt Cheryl catching up.

Papaw and his wife Hazel

Me and Emily
The Solemn Smith Family

The Smiling Smith Family. (Top Row - Marty, Derita, Mark

Bottom Row - Cindy, Papaw, Terri, and Frank)

Some of the fam.

Emily and I trying to follow the guys!

Surgery on the kitchen table.

Andrew - aww, isn't he cute? ;)

Well - that's it! Whew - that took awhile!! :)

P.S. There is new music for my listening purposes, but you can listen along too. :)