Who Knew Cellos Could Sound Like This?

H/T: My Right Brain

You should have seen how mesmerized the Littles were by this. Except for William, our little music man, who pretended to play the cello as they played, all the kiddos stared, stock-still and wide-eyed, taking it in. And, these guys really are amazing musicians. But, when the video ended, and all was silent for a moment, the only comment was Anna's: Why were they shaking their heads like that?

My answer: I don't know.

But they sure do rock those cellos.

Is this cool, or what?

H/T: Sr. Kazimiera

William and I Love This Song!

We just cut a rug across the living room floor dancing to it.
And I'm tellin' ya.  We did twists and flips and twirls, too!
But, um...
 I guess it's not a good idea at my age to jitterbug with a five-year-old.
Too much temptatin to bend, lift, throw and catch!
 (Don't tell my chiropractor!)

Unfortunately (or fortunately)  I don't expect this is the last time I'll be remembering it's not a good idea --

after the fact,

with an icepack on my neck...

Just Thee Coolest

This choir is amazing!  Though they seem to have performed this Messiah without a director, they pull it off perfectly.  We'd love to see a little documentary telling how they made this happen!

If I should call you up, invest a dime...

Would you say you belonged to me and ease my mah-ah-ind?

Do you remember that song?

I've been sifting around through the lavendar-scented drawers of my memory, looking for all the old lost love songs I love the best.  If you look to the right in the sidebar, you can find my top six, a couple which are favorites for sentimental reasons and some I love just because they're beautiful. 

The first song on the list is Happy Together -- though it's being sung here by the wrong group.  And of course you know there's a story... Several of my girlfriends and I went to a concert of the acapella group The Nylons when they came to town in my junior year of college.  It was a really great concert.  We had so much fun.  The energy, the production, the fabulous music!  And so for about the next year, we played our Nylons cds over and over -- and over again -- at the newspaper office where we worked -- with Dan.  It drove him (and the other guys on the staff) NUTS, but we loved it.  Loved the music.  Loved driving the guys nuts.  Happy Together was one of our favorite songs.  My friends, Mary, and Leslie and I would stop whatever we were doing when that song came on, find each other and, swaying arm in arm, sing it at the top of our lungs right there in front of God and everybody -- and the sneering sports staff.

 ==sigh==
Happy memories.

 I think Dan has blocked the whole thing, but whenever I hear that song, I think of him -- and young us.  Ah, the happy carefree days of youth, and fun, and fledgling love...

What are your favorite love songs? Do you have an official "couple" song -- one that you call "your" song?  Is there a song that you love and your honey hates?

Another sweet love song -- this one by The Nylons.

Monday Morning, Bright and Early

A week and a day ago...

Right before the boys all left to go back to Omaha after a week of wedding excitement.

For morning music, Carlos (l) is playing the piano with son, Jon (r); our friend, Christopher, is sitting next to drowsy William on the couch.

You see Theresa popping up in her grey tee shirt, Michelle is eating her cereal, and Kevvy is on the computer. The bags are packed and waiting by the front door and the house is a typical Monday morning mess, but, well, gee... you might as well see us as we are. Some of us are morning people, and some of us aren't. (I'll let you see if you can figure out which are and which aren't.)

The big news around here is that Kevin drove back with the boys to Omaha last Monday morning, spent a prayerful few days, had some good talks with his seminarian and priest friends and decided that he had heard the Voice he joined the Seminary to listen for. Though he loved the classes and thoroughly enjoyed his fellow seminarians and instructors, he felt God was calling him to a holy life outside of the priesthood. So, he took the train home last Friday, and is out job hunting right now. He'll likely start some classes at a community college in town next semester, and is currently pursuing another project he feels he's been called to investigate for his future course. Stay tuned for details...

Acapella Thunder and Lightning

We all thought this was a way cool version of the old Toto song.

Do you remember...

Oh, you know my name is Simon, and the things I draw come true...

Out of the blue, this tune from my childhood popped into my head. Do you remember it? If you're my age (40-something) and watched it every day as a child as I did, it's likely permanently etched on the chalkboard in your brain.

If you're not humming this tune yet, check out the video below.

(It's an amazing age we live in, isn't it, when I can, in the click of a few computer keys, pull up an episode of that old cartoon. Amazing. Just amazing.)

So gentle and imaginative. &:o)

Of course I shared this with the children. Our 2 year-old quickly bored of it, but the older children were drawn right in (pun intended...) Anna says, "I need a giant alarm clock like that." And she's right, the little sleepy head ~ she does!

Captain Kangaroo was a childhood favorite for me. Do you remember that tune?



How 'bout the theme song to another favorite,

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood?

Surely you remember the theme song to Gilligan's Island?

And I know you know the Brady Bunch theme song!

But how about George of the Jungle?

The Addams Family?

Scooby Doo?

Fat Albert?

Spiderman?

(Check this one out ~ Michael Buble sings this version!)

Can you hum the theme song to the original Get Smart TV show? (What a classic opening sequence. My Dad loved this show! Just hearing this music makes me think of him.)

Isn't it amazing how music, like smells, can bring you instantly back to another time and place? In these few minutes I've traveled all the way back to my childhood! I remembered all of these tunes except for Fat Albert, which just wouldn't come to me, except for the "Hey, hey, hey!" part and I couldn't think of the tune to the Captain Kangaroo show at first.

Can you think of any other themes that I should have on this list?

A wee Irish Tune

We're getting ready for the troops to come home a week from Sunday, and I had a hankering to hear the kids, so went on a hunt through the computer.

I found this tune while scrolling through our Easter vacation videos. The children sang this at their St. Patrick's Day program. Dominic played the "lead" and was apparently quite a hit, which comes as no surprise to us here. &:o) Playing a goofy Irishman would come as naturally to him as breathing. Sorry for the poor picture quality. Our house has the worst lighting!

But, it brightened my day to hear this, anyway. I thought you might enjoy it, too!

Here's a tip of my Guinness to ya!

Lyrics or words to this effect: (The Irish don't need much to sing about!):

Who Threw The Overalls In Mrs Murphy's Chowder?

(George Giefer)

Mrs Murphy gave a party just about a week ago

Everything was plentiful, The Murphys, they're not slow

They treated us like gentlemen, we tried to act the same

If it weren't for what happened...

Well, it was a doggone shame

~

When Mrs Murphy dished the chowder out, she fainted on the spot

She found a pair of overalls at the bottom of the pot!

McGinty, he got roaring mad, his eyes were bulging out

He jumped onto the piano and loudly he did shout......

~

"Who threw the overalls in Mrs Murphy's chowder?"

Nobody spoke, so he shouted all the louder"

It's a rotten trick that's true, I can lick the drip that threw

The overalls in Mrs Murphy's chowder"

~

They dragged the pants from out the soup

And laid them on the floor

Each man swore upon his life, he'd ne'er seen them before

They were plastered up with mortar and had patches on the knee

They'd had their many ups and downs as we could plainly see.

~

And when Mrs Murphy, she came to, she b'gan to cry and pout

She'd put them in the wash that day and forgot to pull them out

McGinty, he excused himself for what he said that night

So we put music to the words and sang with all our might....

~

"Who threw the overalls in Mrs Murphy's chowder?"

Nobody spoke, so we shouted all the louder

"It's a rotten trick that's true, and we'll lick the drip that threw

The overalls in Mrs Murphy's chowder"

What morning sounds like at our house...

Wind and meadowlarks


H/T: Matilda

Is this cool, or what?

Good Morning!

Another Version, Ladies...

...of the Billie Holiday standard in my sidebar.

I love Billie, but Harry... Oh, Harry ~ what can you say?

Pleasant on the eyes and ears, isn't he?

Celebrity Crushes

Does your husband feel threatened by your famous people preferences? Does it come up? We didn't actually even discuss whether this was an issue for us or not until we'd been married twenty years!

So I guess it wasn't an issue. He knows I'm wild about Harry. I know he likes... Who is it? Angelina Jolie? Or that girl that sings Bubbly? Oh, good grief. I don't even remember!

Can you tell celebrity "crushes" don't worry either of us? Maybe we're just too old, or maybe we're just sure of one another. He breathes in, I breathe out. That tingle of jealousy that might have come with youth or insecurity has been replaced with a sweet, comfortable knowlege.

I'm glad of it. The fire is settled contentedly on the hearth, bright and steady but livened up with an occasional, unexpected pop and sizzle. You gotta love that.

If Harry came knocking at my door, and somehow could overlook the children at my feet, the grey at my temples and the rings under my eyes... I say, if Harry came to my door, and was even half the air-brushed, suave, leading man he appears in his videos, and twinkled his eyes and dimpled that grin at me...

I'd offer him a cup of coffee and ask him about his children, find out if he was still a practicing Catholic, and I'd call my husband to tell him to come home quick ~ "You'll never guess who's at our house!"

The Boys Sing...

A tidbit of a cheerful, spring-like song for our late March enjoyment...

I'm Home

Made it back from Nebraska. Had a nice visit with our boys and all their friends. Cut the hair of half the boarders at the boys' home-away-from-home. Got Michelle all settled in. Got to know her teacher. Met all her new best friends. Hugged. Sniffed. Hugged some more. Drove home in record time. Came back to a house, not only in one piece, but better than when I left it!

While I was gone, my wonderful husband: changed out our two broken refrigerators with one unbroken refrigerator, totally cleaned out the mudroom in preparation of new four-footed friend(s), and fixed the door on the medicine cabinet. All this while taking care of our youngest five children and nursing a bit of a stomach bug himself. IS he superman, or what?

While in Omaha, I got the chance to record some of the boys' singing. I hope you don't mind if I share some with you. I'm very proud of them. It's a blessing I can't even begin to appreciate I think, that our children so joyfully lift their voices to God. Because, let me tell you, they love to sing! They sing at the drop of a hat, at the slightest hint, anywhere, any time. But, here's where I love to hear them best:



The Stabat Mater at the end of early Mass the Second Sunday of Lent.
(First Mass attendance was really light Sunday, but second Mass was so crowded, I had to squeeze into a corner of the choir loft!)

Breakfast after Saturday morning Mass with a great group of kids, the members of the Boys' Choir ~ plus Michelle: (L-R) son Dominic, son Jon, friend Julian, son Kevin, friend Isaac (in place of his brother Caleb, a seminarian, who's in the choir, but couldn't come to breakfast with us), daughter Michelle, and friend Tim.

Translation of the Stabat Mater
(first four stanzas)

English: At the cross her station keeping, Mary stood in sorrow weeping When her Son was crucified. While she waited in her anguish, Seeing Christ in torment languish, Bitter sorrow pierced her heart. With what pain and desolation, With what noble resignation, Mary watched her dying Son. Ever-patient in her yearning Though her tear-filled eyes were burning, Mary gazed upon her Son.

Latin: Stabat Mater dolorósa Juxta Crucem lacrimósa, Dum pendébat Filius. Cujus ánimam geméntem, Contristátam et doléntem, Pertransivit gladius. O quam tristis et afflicta Fuit illa benedicta Mater Unigéniti! Quae maerébat, et dolébat, Pia Mater, dum vidébat Nati poenas inclyti.

Ham, Anyone?

Bear with us, please. The Aunties and the Grandmothers are just gonna love this...




(Anna, five years old, and she's got a million of 'em!)

Hosting a Singalong

We finally found a day that could accomodate everyone's schedule to have a singalong. It was just family this time, but next time the boys are home, we'd like to invite some more of our friends, as they are a very tuneful lot. Frankly, though, with all the comings and goings at this time of year, it was hard enough just to get all the children here at the same time.

It worked out very nicely, though, to have the singalong on Saturday, which was our Theresa Philomena's 9th birthday (See tribute and pics below). We had her hotdog and enchilada lunch, then presents, cake and ice cream, followed by the singalong, with all the brothers and sisters, all the grandparents and almost all the aunts and uncles in voice.

It was a wonderful time, though cut a little short so we could take a contingent to a hockey game at our alma mater, the University of Denver (We won!).



Things we will keep in mind when we host our next singalong:

1) Provide for the different levels of ability that you expect to attend. We had sheet music in four parts to accomodate our many choir members, but wish we had printed out some sheets with just the words on it for the little ones who were confused by the many lines of notes.

2) Print out enough music to go around and staple it, or put it in folders in the order you expect to sing it. We wasted a lot of time shuffling through sheet music!

3) Provide plenty of pitchers of just plain, cool water to drink, with plenty of cups available. We ended up thirsty and had to keep sending the little ones after water.

4) Try to avoid singing right after a heavy meal, and especially right after sweets! We all felt a bit sluggish and very thirsty after Theresa's birthday lunch and goodies. It might have been better, if the circumstances had been different to provide some plates of crudites and light munchies, along with plenty to drink.

5) It's good to have plenty of seating, in close proximity, as your voices blend better when you can arrange yourselves properly. We were a little disjointed in our seating, as this house is hard to fit everyone in together properly, but we all still thought it sounded nice, so it's not absolutely necessary. You can especially tell the difference when you record it, though, when everyone's not seated together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Singers

Here are a couple videos of the day. We were too busy singing to get the best songs; everyone preferred to sing than to be the one to record... But, this is "Hark How the Bells," followed by the boys' arrangement of Loreena McKennitt's The King. Kevin rewrote the words to have a Catholic spin, and Jon changed the arrangement for their voices. We are all in love with it, though the boys are disappointed with how the recording came out (You just can't please some people!).
Click below to hear some of our day: