Air and Simple Gifts

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This performance has been on my mind all day. It is a joy to watch! John Williams wrote this beautiful arrangement of an already beautiful song: Simple Gifts. Did you notice how everyone in the audience at the Obama inauguration was bundled up and FREEZING? Imagine how these musicians felt trying to get their frozen fingers to work. Did you check out the pianist? She is performing in MITTENS! That is nuts!! I've tried before...It's impossible. SO...I officialy have a new favorite pianist. And her name is Gabriela Montero. And she plays the piano in mittens. She is also wearing a cool dress. Plus, check out Yo-Yo Ma's face. He looks so HAPPY. Itzhak Perlman--you may be aging, but I still love you!

NEW YORK NEW YORK

(CASINO)

VEGAS, BABY! *Kate took this AWESOME picture of the disco-ball horse in the Bellagio lobby. It's called: "Mommy, why is the horse trying to bite its knee?"

Dear Public Library,

I am a bad citizen and a hypocrite. I am a bad person because my daughter pooped in your rose garden and I didn't pick it up. I am a hypocrite because I get so annoyed when a dog poops in public and the owner doesn't clean it up. I'm so sorry! If it's still there next week I will totally clean it up!

Sincerely,
Dana

WHOO-PAH!!

This morning as we were getting ready for church a knock came on our door...and then a ring. Unusual. So, we answer the door and guess who it was? The cops. Very unusual.

Cop: "We got a report of someone screaming in this area today. Have you guys been screaming?"

Adam: "No--maybe my daughter...Did Katelyn scream this morning?"

Me: "No."(She has been known to scream on occasion, but not this morning.)

Cop: "Did you hear any screaming this morning?"

Us: "No. We didn't hear anything unusual." (Besides all the po-leece.)

Cop: "Do you mind if I come in and look around. Just to make sure there's no one lying on your floor or anything?"

Me: Huh? Lying on my floor! What are you talking at!!

Adam: "Sure. Have you checked at our neighbors." (Hint, hint, wink, wink. They're on drugs.)

Cop: "Yeah. I was just there. I know what you mean." (Wink, wink)

Me: Maybe I should brush up on my self-defense. WHOOPAH!!

*This is me on our New Years hike demonstrating what would happen to any person or animal that might try to attack us on our hike. I am brandishing a WEAPON. Of course, if it were an animal my arm would be swinging much lower. This is more like "Here, let me stab you in the throat, SUCKAA!!"