Elf Sleigh Ride

I swear, we haven't even started this evenings consumption of wine. This is just a typical Woodbury household form of post work relaxation. This particular game is one of my favorite Moki activities: Scooting me around in the rolly chair with a dog toy. I'm wearing my new all time favorite pajamas! My Dr. Seuss jammies! Alex has his own opinion of my PJ's, but I told him they make me super happy. And as a compromise, I promise to only wear them one night a week to not over due the level of obnoxiousness! 

10 year high school reunion

10 years ago this summer I graduated from Mercer Island High School. Since I went to Seattle twice this summer from Hawaii, a 3rd trip out would just not be feasible. So I won't be going to my reunion!! I figure I facebook/visit/talk to most of my classmates I was closest too. So 10 years ago today I was just an optimistic deer in the headlights teenager, venturing from my parents nest to college. Imagining the kind of person I wanted to grow up and become. I always knew my future involved music education. I always knew I would be playing violin and piano. So yes, now that I am living in that future, I feel so lucky to have my dream job. Teaching music and performing. The other day while I was practicing violin, I thought to myself "I wonder how many thousands of hours (if not YEARS), of my life I've held this wooden instrument to my face?". And I wonder how many years of my life I've spent sitting on a piano bench! Not that I lead a sedentary lifestyle. I try to bounce around as much as I can while I teach children. At school, I try to incorporate music and motion as often as I can. PLUS, this year, my goal is to cross train. I will run Mon/Weds/Friday and swim Tues/Thursday. Now that I'm nannying from 5:40-8am Monday-Friday; teaching over 60 private students music lessons; playing violin in the symphony via a signed contract; and seeking out music teaching K-6 grade positions at local schools in Waimea, I need MUCH more energy this year. So I believe working out will give me that needed boost! 

A ukulele in the making

 

The many stages of making a ukulele! How fun it was to do a MUSICAL woodworking project with Alex. I finally felt helpful in the shop. He needed ME to do the pegs, stringing, bridge setting, and tuning. I also was able to point out the different parts of a stringed instrument. We joked to each other "Yeah THIS is what you give a 2 year old for his birthday", but bright and smart Oliver is no ordinary 2 year old and he loved his ukulele birthday present. 

Long time, no post

Okay Okay, I've been MIA for exactly a month. Summer vacation has a way of doing that to people. Apparently many of you DO read my blog. I just returned from a wonderful Seattle vacation. I counted it as my 10 year high school reunion since it involved the marriage of my good high school friend and a bridal shower for another. It's really special to see where everyone has gone since high school. The Seattle trip involved the San Juan Islands, lots of sightseeing in the city, good food, yummy berries, the glass Museum, and family time. Of course I have post vacation blues and a bit of a stressful (long story) situation on my hands, but today in the Hawaiian sun Alex brightened up my day. He went out in my weed filled neglected garden and came back in the house and popped 2 juicy blueberries in my mouth. My blueberry plant has berries on it!! I was JUST thinking today about how much I missed having blueberries every day. So after I teach this afternoon I'm putting on my work clothes and getting out into my gardens. I will post pictures from Seattle this week. Wishing everyone a safe and happy summer! 

Sleeping Lady wedding

Sleeping lady resort has a beautiful Dale Chihuly art piece perched on a rock. 
Tanya got married with this river right behind her. GORGEOUS scenery
My Aunt Lisa in the middle danced the entire night!
Sister Act 2
My dad Charlie's angels: sister Kimi, mama Kristen, and Jessie!
My new all time favorite picture of my Mommy and Daddy!!
Sleeping Lady resort is a few minutes away from downtown Leavenworth
Jess and Val on violins; Dad on guitar; Mark on mandolin
Our jam session at midnight. We called our band "Until Tomorrow"
Playing the piano in the chapel at the resort
 Gwynna and I go all the way back to age 5! 

I had the most whirlwind wonderful 72 hour Leavenworth visit. Our family friends daughter Tanya got married at the most gorgeous resort called The Sleeping Lady. The resort is nestled in the Eastern foothills of Washington's Cascade Mountains. The landscape surrounding us was so beautiful it looked fake! Now most of you are thinking it's pretty ridiculous that I fly all the way from Hawaii for a 3 day wedding vacation. But I don't even know where to begin to explain how far back we go with Tanya and her family. Val (Tanya's mother) was my very first violin teacher. So to play violin at Tanya's wedding meant a lot to me. I was able to tell anyone who complimented my playing "Well, Val taught me everything I know!" And more importantly, Val and Wes were my sister Kimi's foster family for a year. They brought Kimi over to the United States through a program called Healing the Children. And during that year, my own family fell absolutely in love with Kimi and she completed our family. The weekend was filled with laughter, music, HOT HOT weather (103 on Sunday in Leavenworth), and beautiful scenery. 

Happy 6th Birthday Moki

Ah yes, another pet owner obnoxious moment on my blog. My friends tell me I need to either get a hobby or have a kid because they are sick of the BEST IN SHOW. This video doesn't capture the best prehistoric Moki sounds when the bike comes out of the garage, but it's still very cute. He LOVES bike rides. 

This Saturday June 21st is Moki's SIXTH birthday. I can't believe that if Moki had been a real boy and not a dog, I would have a first grader on my hands! That is how fast time goes by! Digital cameras were ground breaking new technology back then, so we have very few puppy pictures. But here are a few great ones of our little polar bear cub. Moki is an old soul. He has always been such a good boy. He never had a bad puppy phase, was born potty trained, loves children, walks and runs without a leash.......he is such a special dog. I call him Saint Moki.

My Lucky Cricket

I have been teaching music lessons for ten years. And in those ten years, students have come and gone, graduated and left for college, moved away. And half way through those ten years I moved from Seattle to Hawaii, leaving sixty students in Washington. And while I deeply care about each and every student and love teaching, I have never cried when a student left my studio. Not until Cricket. She has been the absolute highlight in my teaching week. The best teaching experience of my life. Cricket (in the red shirt) is blind. And while I have never taught piano to a blind student before, I was incredibly excited for this unique opportunity as a teacher. To explore uncharted territory. A technique not covered in my Elementary Music Education degree from Western. And yet somehow, Cricket and I discovered how to master the piano working together. In just a few months, she went through leaps and bounds and is now playing at a 3-4 year piano level. And in just a few months, I absolutely fell in love with her. 

But rather than sit here and feel sad that she is moving to the mainland, I remind myself that I need to be happy. Because my own personal teaching philosophy shines clearly in students like Cricket. And it is all I can ask for as a teacher. 

(cut and pasted from my studio policy) "My philosophy of music education stems from my experiences as a student in wonderful music programs. Incredible music mentors of my past, including my musician parents and my K-12 school music teacher, have instilled in me the need to excel by having a respected and well established program. I want to give to students now what was given to me by my teachers in the past: a positive life experience. I hope to create a safe and welcome environment for anyone who wants to learn music. I want to provide a class where students can express themselves through music. Each student is different, and I cater my teaching methods to accommodate each student's unique learning process. I believe music should be fun and interesting and I encourage students to explore their genre of choice, whether it is classical, blues, popular, or rock. I simply love music and I want to share my passion for music with others. I hope to leave a positive experience about music that my students will carry with them throughout their life".

I watch Cricket absorb music with voracious speed and excitement, eager to perfect each piece and anticipating next weeks masterpiece. The only explanation of how she has accelerated with such great speed is her love and discovery for music. I know she will be leaving my studio with a newfound love for piano that she will carry with her wherever she goes. And THAT is biggest accomplishment as a teacher I can think of. I believe that wherever Cricket goes in life, she will turn everything to gold for the people around her. I don't think anyone can meet Cricket just once and feel unaffected. I will never forget Cricket. She will always be my all time favorite teaching experience. And I hope down the road she calls me from time to time, to play me her current repertoire.