Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane - Music

Today for Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane I am posting something I wrote to enter a competition on another blog. We needed to share a favorite musical moment that we have had with our child. It bought back a few memories for me, so I thought I would share it today.

So.......

without any further ado,

here is

So, it's Wednesday, and thanks for walking down memory lane with me.If you would like to know more about Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane, click on the link above, join in, or just read other's contributions.

I have been thinking long and hard about what to write. I have been blessed with children that are very talented musically, so it is hard to narrow down any one favorite musical experience with my children. As I have been sorting through the cobwebs of my mind to come up with the "one" experience to share, I started thinking about my first experiences with music. My Mum always sang me songs. I remember sitting on my Mum's lap in front of the fireplace in our kitchen while she sang.......

"There was a little girl

Who had a little curl

Right in the middle of her forehead.

When she was good
She was very, very good

But when she was bad

She was horrid!"

Another favorite

"Sing a song of sixpence pocket full of rye

Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie

When the pie was open the birds began to sing

Now wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king?

The king was in his counting house counting out his money

The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey

The maid was in the garden pegging out the clothes

When along came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!"

My all time favorite!

"Goosey goosey gander where shall you wander?

Upstairs and downstairs

In the lady's chamber

There I met an old man who wouldn't say his prayers

So I grabbed him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs!!"

My mother had a beautiful singing voice and I can still remember her singing these songs to me. I cry when I hear "How Great Thou Art" because in my mind I can still hear her singing that beautiful hymn.
I sang these silly songs to my older children and I still sing them to Samuel. I have always sung songs to my children.

"I love Mummy, she loves me.

We love Daddy, yes sirree;

He loves us, and so you see,

We are a happy family.

I love sister, she loves me.

We love brother, yes sirree;

He loves us, and so you see,We are a happy family."

I usually change the words around in this song a little so we use the children's names. With Samuel I made up a silly little song and started to sing it to him in the hospital just after he was born. It settled him down. The lyrics aren't award winning, but the song has stuck!

"I love Sam

He's my man

I love Sam

I love Sam

He's my man

I love Sam"

All this leads me to the moment I want to share. Sam was held a lot when he was little. We had waited so long for him, I didn't want to put him down, I loved the feel of him in my arms. I would sing and sing and sing to him. One evening I was cradling him in front of me and singing his strange little song. Sam wasn't very old and definitely couldn't talk yet, but he started to sing with me cooing and aaahhing. He kept in tune perfectly. We sat there singing for the longest time.

Sam is a little boy of few words, but at home he sings all day. He sings songs from Kindermusik, songs from Sunday School and our families made up songs. We sing at night before going to bed......"Hush little baby, don't make a sound", or, "I am a child of God, and He has sent me here, has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear."

There is no "one" favorite musical moment, life is to full of them to choose.

I hope that you enjoyed my walk down memory lane/competition entry. My hubby said that I was cheating using it for both! I told him that a memory was a memory no matter when it was written!

Anyway, if you had the time and the inclination, please pop on over and give my entry a vote. Just click on the below picture. Thank you!!!

Sally-Ann

Help needed!!!

In a previous post I mentioned a competition that Aimee over at Delightful Sounds was having. Well.....I am one of the finalists and I need you to hop on over there by clicking on the below picture and vote for my entry!!!

Thanks!!

Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane - Pass the hair dye and wrinkle cream.

Before starting this weeks

I need to answer a question that was asked many times after last weeks post.

What is Blancmange???

Blancmange is a sweet dessert commonly made with milk or cream and sugar thickened with gelatin, cornstarch or Irish moss, and often flavored with almonds. It is usually set in a mould and served cold. Although traditionally white, blancmanges are frequently given a pink color as well. Some similar desserts are Bavarian cream, panna cotta, and haupia.
The historical blancmange originated some time in the Middle Ages and usually consisted of capon or chicken, milk or almond milk, rice and sugar and was considered to be an ideal food for the sick.

I do not have a recipe to share, the one I used in 7th grade was thrown away. I do not like the above mentioned dessert and do not intend to ever make it again. Though, my Dad obviously loved blancmange, after all, he ate it every night for a week after I slaved away to make it for him. So, it must have some redeeming qualities......right???

So, now the great blancmange question is out of the way, on to this weeks "Walk down memory lane".

I wasn't sure what to write this week and then I read Lynette's post, had a chuckle and thought I would add my 2 cents worth on being what some consider a "older mum". I remember the first time someone asked if Samuel was my grandchild. To add insult to injury, they thought my daughter Jessica was his Mum. I wasn't very pleased. I corrected the assumption. It also reminded me not to jump to conclusions!


There are definitely differences in having a baby at the age of 24 and 29, and at the age of 41 and 42. I have just listed some. They are in no particular order. They may not make sense. But, they are my random thoughts on being an older mother.

July, 1987

Joshua and I are at Reptile Gardens, South Dakota

• No morning sickness at the age of 42 - thank goodness, I think that Heavenly Father thought I had so many other things to deal with, forget the morning sickness this time around!


• At the age of 24 and 29 everyone assumed that they were planned pregnancies. At the age of 41 and 42 everyone assumed (and wrongly) that they were "oopsy" babies. In fact, one of the nurses at the OB office picked a particularly hormonal day to voice her thoughts and assumptions about that...........


• When I was younger everyone assumed that they were my children. At the age of 41 and 42 there is uncertainty, especially when my older children are present.


• I am much more patient with Samuel. I don't sweat the small stuff.


• When I was younger I killed myself to have the house spotless at all times. Oh, how things have changed. Don't get me wrong, I still love to have a tidy house. But, if it is a little cluttered at times, I don't have a meltdown about it.


• I get so much more tired now.


• I can no longer outrun a 3-year-old unless I am really motivated, so I have to out think him.


• Instead of being on the receiving end of good intentioned advice to new mothers, I find I am giving it. Sometimes I close my mouth when I find my comment is going to start, "When my 21-year-old was 3.....".


• A lot more new fangled kid's contraptions now than 20 years ago, even 15 or so years ago!


• Potty training is still the same.


• Tantrums never change either.


• It is fun having older kids, I don't have to stress finding a reliable babysitter for Samuel. Jim and I go out on dates, alone, much more this time around than when we were younger.


• I wish I had taken more time to cuddle, read, sing, play and explore with my older children when they were little. I did all those things, just wish I had done them more.


• Nuzzling a freshly bathed little boy's neck is still one of life's greatest joys. Giving my 6foot 2inch big boy a hug isn't that bad either. A 17-year-old daughter's hugs are a joy as well.

I could go on and on of course, but I need to get on with the day. Samuel has the TV remote controls and is running around changing the channels, all the while imitating the laugh of The Count from Sesame Street.

Mother's Day 2008

Not the best photo, but we are at Disney World, all hot and sweaty, but having fun.

So, it's Wednesday, and thanks for walking down memory lane with me.If you would like to know more about Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane, click on the link above, join in, or just read other's contributions.

Sally-Ann

Every Thursday, Samuel and I head off to Delightful Sounds and participate in a Kindermusik class.

If you click on the above picture, you will be taken to Aimee's blog and can participate in a contest that she is having! Wonderful prizes, but you will also have the pleasure of reading her blog!

Soooo..........what are you waiting for???

Hop on over

Typical Thursday

Our Thursdays are pretty much the same routine every week.

For the past year or so, Samuel and I have been attending Kindermusik every Thursday at 10:10am. It makes for an interesting time. Sometimes Samuel chooses to participate, sometimes...........

Samuel loves it anytime Miss Aimee brings out the musical instruments. Samuel is supposed to be hitting these sticks together in time with the music.

Samuel prefers to line them up in a straight line making a train, in this instance he chooses to make a square.

Story time.

Samuel loves the monkey blanket that they sit on for story time.

Samuel studying the monkeys.

You may think that Samuel is shaking the bells here......

he is comparing them. But, he does do the occasional shake!!

Sam loves to put these bells on his toes.

A different type of bell. More comparisons!

Waving streamers is always fun.

Some days I wonder if Samuel is taking notice of anything that is happening in his class, but then he surprises me by bursting into a song from class. Not just one or two words, but the whole song. He will grab our hands and want us to form a circle, or flutter around like pretty, little butterflies - Joshua loves being a butterfly with Sam!! hee, hee, hee

We love this part of our Thursdays!

After Kindermusik we go to the mall to meet Dad for lunch.

Afterwards, Samuel always requests a ride.......

Samuel loves the carousel.

Each week he rides a different character. This week it is a horse.

Then we head to Books-a-Million. Not to buy a book mind you. Sam likes to play with the Thomas the Tank Engine in the children's section.

This is our Thursday routine.

Sometimes we digress, but not very often.

It is a fun day!!!

Sally-Ann

Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane - Blancmange & other wobbly things!

It's Wednesday, and time to go for another walk down memory lane.If you would like to know more, click on the link above, join in, or just read other's contributions.

On Mother's Day, Jessica and Sam helped Jim make dinner. Jessica is turning into a good cook, she enjoys helping in the kitchen. Samuel also has a fun time helping in the kitchen, he particularly likes to lick the beaters after making brownies!

Here Jessica is supervising the stabbing of baked potatoes.

Samuel enjoys stabbing the potatoes, but he much prefers to wash them. They get a very thorough washing when Samuel is in charge!!! So does the rest of the kitchen.

See the little tea set on the window ledge?? My sister gave me that when I was about 5.

Lately I've been thinking about cooking. When did I start to first enjoy cooking? What was the first thing I ever made? Well, the very first thing I remember cooking was in 7th grade. It was .......

BLANCMANGE

My 7th grade home economics teacher was Mrs. Allen. Everyone in the class made blancmange. We took in our molds from home to let it set in. I carefully carried it home, and my Dad dutifully ate it for dessert that night. I made it every night that week. My Dad ate it every night that week.

I love my Dad!

My Blancmange did not look like this.

or this..........

Probably looked more like this!!

After I tasted the blancmange, I never ate it again.....
I didn't make it again either......
I really love my Dad!

My Mum was an excellent cook. It wasn't always that way. I am not sure if it was just before she married my Dad, or shortly after, but they went to visit my Dad's grandmother - my great grandmother. She was practically blind, so she put her hands on my Mother's face and asked her if she was a good cook. She said that "All Johns women are good cooks!" My Mum wasn't a very good cook at that time, all she could make was steamed pudding. But, she learned. I have many of her handwritten cook books. The writing is quite difficult to read in places, but I treasure them.

I mentioned before that Samuel loves to lick the beaters after I have made brownies.

Yum, yum.

For those of you who may be sticklers for.......sticklers for........I don't know what!! Sticklers for all things "proper" for the lack of anything else coming to my mind!

You may not want to look at the below photograph.

But, when a boys gotta go, he's gotta go and he's not prepared to give up the beaters. The brownie mix tastes sooooo yummy.

Sally-Ann

Happy Mother's Day!

For many, many years I did not enjoy Mother's Day. I don't know why. I love all the little things that the kiddos do to make it a special day. I have kept each handmade little treasure, every card and many memories of the meals cooked for me. I have worn funny little handmade hats and big gaudy brooches and loved every minute of it. Maybe it goes back to the Mother's Days of my childhood. It seemed that no matter what I did, my Mum did not enjoy Mother's Day. It seemed that no matter what I did, it was not good enough. Not good enough to make-up whatever made my Mum so sad on Mother's Day. I think her problem with it went back to how her Mother acted. As mothers we need to be very careful, our actions can spread over the generations!!!! This thought made me get my act together and not worry about Mother's Day past, but concentrate on Mother's Days now! Does that make sense??? Hope so!

Today was a good Mother's Day. I received some beautiful roses, they are my favorite! This morning Jim and Jessica made me french toast with cantaloupe on the side. Also one of my favorites. Joshua called from Texas to wish me a happy Mother's Day. At church Samuel made a wall hanging with his hand print and a poem. Jessica bought home a rose for me that her Sunday School teacher had given to all the kids in the class to give to their mothers. When I logged onto the website To Write Their Names In The Sand, there was Emma's name. It was like getting a Mother's Day card from her.

I love being a Mother. I love my Mum and miss her terribly. I am grateful and thankful for all the women in my life who have "mothered" me when I needed it and have been a great influence on my life. Mostly, I am thankful for my husband and my children, they make me happy and give me joy.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Sally-Ann

Hilarious!

Soooo, it seems that my youngest child has decided to add to my blog! He obviously managed to get into some of my posts that I had partly finished for this coming week.Was going to delete it, but thought, why not leave it. He had something to say. The original title of this blog was "Hilarious", I can't remember what the original content was because Sam deleted it! I will leave the title as is. Hope that you enjoy the comments of my guest blogger - Samuel, aged 3.

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Wednesday's Walk Down Memory Lane - Tradition!

It's Wednesday, and time to go for another walk down memory lane.
If you would like to know more, click on the link above, join in, or just read other's contributions.

I have a pop quiz for you! What movie/stage play is the following quote from?

Perchik: Money is the world's curse.
Tevye: May the Lord smite me with it. And may I never recover.

Last Thursday Jim and I went to see the play "Fiddler on the Roof". Tickets to this performance was our anniversary gift to each other. We had decided not to buy tickets because they were on the pricey side, but the opportunity to see the actor who starred in the original movie reprise his role for a "final" tour was to hard to pass up. Topol has been performing in "Fiddler on the Roof" for a very, very long time!!

This is a review that I found about the performance that we went to see. It discribes the feeling at the performance accurately.

"When Chaim Topol stepped on stage during opening night of "Fiddler on the Roof" on Wednesday, the audience's enthusiastic applause set the tone for the night. For three hours, the house pulsed with energy for this outstanding production at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
The story is set in the Russian village of Anatevka. The year is 1905, and the Jewish community thrives despite growing social tension and czarist edicts forcing Jews in other villages to leave their homes.
Tevye, the milkman who clings to traditions in a changing world, peddles dairy products from a cart to support his wife and five daughters. One by one, his three eldest girls test his resolve as they break customs with the men they marry. Despite the initial jolt that change brings, Tevye's goodness and reason help him adjust to the realities of a new world.
The show has been billed as Topol's farewell performance as Tevye. It has been more than 40 years since he first played the role, and he's as fresh and funny as ever. His deep, rich singing voice brought import to the opening song "Tradition," powering the words across the theater with conviction. It was clear then that the audience was in for a treat.
Topol seemed to feed off the room's positive response, and he became more and more animated, if not a bit of a ham. He conveyed his character's sardonic wit with endearing mannerisms and facial expressions.
At the end of the evening, when it was time to take a bow, the audience fairly jumped to its collective feet in praise and admiration. The little smile on Topol's face suggested he knew he had charmed the pants off us.
As exciting as it was to see a veritable legend perform live, his great stage presence didn't overshadow the show's overall excellence, which included a phenomenal cast
If tradition tells us anything, it's that the good stuff sticks around for a long time, like tradition."

The first time I saw "Fiddler on the Roof" I was around 8-years-old. Going to see this performance last Thursday bought back some good memories for me. In 1971 I went to see this show with my Mum and Dad. It was the first time I went to the movies at night, that was very exciting to me! I had a bit of a laugh to myself the other day, we all got dressed up in our best clothes to go to the movie. Everyone there was dressed similarly. How often does that happen now days?? Not often, except for a movie premier with the stars! It was also the only time that I remember my Mum and Dad ever going to the movies together.

I have included the opening scene from the movie - Tradition. I am big on tradition. I was also quite surprised at myself at the end of the play. The part where Tevye, his family and others in the village are driven from their homes. The play was very light-hearted, but the end was a reminder that history has some very sad chapters in it, and I found myself wiping a tear or two from my eyes.

Sally-Ann

Almost perfect day!

Jessica had the day off from school today. Every year the school board sets aside so many days for "bad weather" days. When we lived up North, it was "Snow Days". Here in Florida, it is usually hurricanes, or the threat of them, that close down the schools for a day or so. This school year has been closure free, so as a result, one of those unused days was given today.

It was a beautiful day.

Not a hurricane in sight....

We didn't have any snow either.

So......we couldn't spend our time making hundreds and hundreds of snowmen/snow women.
Instead, Jessica, Sam and I jumped into our car and drove to Orlando.

As we were driving along Interstate 4, we noticed a huge balloon going up and down. On the balloon were silhouettes of Mary Poppins, Dumbo and other Disney characters. From this we deduced that it was a ride at one of the Disney Parks.

We are pretty smart cookies!!!!

Our first port of call was "Fuddruckers".

Jessica wanted to eat here, I didn't have any better suggestions!

Samuel hasn't been eating all that much the past few weeks, he made up for lost time today!

In between kissing himself in the mirror by our booth, he wolfed down all his fries, hot dog and a sugar cookie with sprinkles.

Being a bit of a germaphobe, I disinfected the mirror repeatedly.

Sam wouldn't let me disinfect his lips.

We drove around the outlet malls for a little bit. There used to be a Phalztgraff outlet store there, but now there isn't.....drat.

Our church has a temple in Orlando, so we went and walked around the beautiful grounds. We talked about the temple and how it is Heavenly Father's house. I had Samuel touch the wall because I kept remembering a quote about letting children touch the walls of the temple so they can feel the temple in their hearts. I know that isn't quoted quite right, but I am to lazy to look it up right now!

THEN

for something completely different!

We went to..........

We had been there once, a long time ago, so thought we would check it out.

We discovered that the giant balloon we had spotted at the beginning of the day was at Downtown Disney.


The Lego store was fantastic. This sea serpent is made of legos and is in the lake in front of the store.


I also loved the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

I forgot to take my camera, these photos are not mine, they are images I borrowed from the internet. I hate it when I forget my camera. I also forgot Sam's hat, so had to buy another one. Also forgot to take a towel, so had to buy one of those as well. Samuel loves to splash in the water cool down zones they have for kids. With all the things I forgot, our cheap day started to "uncheap" in a hurry!

Anyway, I digress.

Samuel loved the Lego Store, they had things to build, things to climb and things to slide down. It took two of us to drag him away!

Sam soon forgot about the Lego Store when he rode on a train and a carousel. Checked out the Winnie the Pooh store and Goofy's Candy Store. We paused outside the Giraldi Chocolate Store and showed great self-restraint by walking on by.

While Samuel splashed in the water.......

Jessica designed and made her own Disney t-shirt. On her shirt she mentions chocolate.

Just sayin'.............


Every time we walked by this store I was hit in the head by great globs of water, at least I hoped it was great globs of water! I finally realized that Stitch was spitting water at people.


We finished the day by eating at "Rainforest Cafe".


Surprisingly, there was the shortest wait time at this restaurant, so that narrowed our choice of where to eat considerably. Great food however, and a fun atmosphere. Though, where we sat we had a monkey's butt just above our table. It wasn't so bad until it started to jump up and down. Samuel kept trying to scale the wall to get the monkey and wanted to visit with the people next to us......who couldn't speak English......were about 104......not very social.....had their own grandchildren to contend with.....Sam gave them some of his chocolate bar.......and then wanted it back......I nearly passed out when the bill came for the food.......told Jessica that next time we would bring Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches.

Ahhhh, good times.



Jessica had a pleasant surprise as we browsed through the Christmas Shop on our way out. Her chemistry teacher was there. Jessica jumped about 20 feet into the air and let out a shriek. Not a good way to endear yourself to a teacher. I think he thought she should have been home studying.

I do have one photo of the kiddos courtesy of a photo booth!


It would have been a perfect day if Jim and Joshua had been with us.

Sally-Ann