My YONF moment

As many of you know I am participating in the YEAR OF NO FEAR challege. (Don't know what it is? Check out the blog links to the left.) Anyhoo... in my rash decision to accept this challenge I didn't think of the fears I would be facing over the next year. I'm an outgoing person who isn't afraid of much socially. But today I faced one of my biggest fears... Heights!

Neil wanted to take the kids and hike Table Rock... umm ok?! So I decided that I would get off my butt and join my lovely family on a trek to an eventual panic attack with the hopes that neither myself or any member of my family would be dialing 911 because someone fell off the path or mommy totally flipped out.

Well with little more than the grace of God we made it to the top... Neil didn't even have to drag me!! I did it all on my own accord. We get to the top and Neil is like "let's go look over the edge!" ummm..... HE-L-L NO!!! But he proceeds with the kids while I'm pleading with him to help me keep my hair and my sanity and not go any further.

"But Jenn it's so beautiful! Let me take your picture on that rock"... yes the rock on the EDGE of the table rock! He had to hold my hand while I'm white knuckling it to said rock. I sat down and holding my tears back smiled for the camera.

So thanks to YONF and Mrs. B's little voices in my head repeating: NO FEAR NO FEAR! I DID IT!!!

Here's the picture to prove it! YAY ME!! :)

The edge that my sweet husband so nicely perched me on.


Can you see the panic in my eyes... YIKES!!

THE AUDITION>>> DUN DUN DAHHHH!!

OK OK OK!!! I'm sorry that you've been agonizing over my audition experience! I hope that you've been able to step away from my blog and are giving your refresh button a rest. TEE-HEE!

I think it went really well. I arrived what I thought was 10 minutes early to warm up, fill out papers, etc and the guy at the desk says, "you're next go on in"... ummm ok!?! So I walk into the room that has the pianist, the head of the Opera, the artistic director and the head of the university music department. I'm not intimidated at all.... NOT!

They ask me what I'm singing, I tell them, they ask me to sing the more emotional piece for times sake instead of both pieces that I've been slaving over. No biggie right? So I sing my song... in italian... I'm so proud of that... and they smile and nod and write notes on their papers, and them I'm done.

"Thank you for coming in!" Are the few parting words I get and I'm left to percilate and stew over my pending addition to the Rogue Valley Opera.

Heaven only knows if I'm in or not... well actually Willene Gunn is who knows so I guess my possible future in the opera in dependant on this really sweet talented lady.

OI!! I'll keep you posted! :)

NO COMMENT

That is my comment for today... NO COMMENT! I'm so excited that all the political CRAP is no longer bombarding my life through the mail, TV, yard signs, tshirts and of course... stupid people...that I'm taking a non politics day. Yay for me! :)

Maybe I should make it a no politics for the rest of the week! Well considering our country is up for quite the adventure starting in January... who knows! If Canada didn't suck so much maybe I would move there!

Ok... enough of my rant! YAY election is over even though I think it's screwed us majorly... IT'S OVER!

Opera Adventures...

So to expand on previous posts and explain to those that have asked. I've been invited to audition for the Rogue Valley Opera "Voices in the Valley" workshop and concert series. I'm very excited and VERY nervous about it all! I talked myself into it and out of it NUMEROUS times but landed on going for it. I need to do something for me that will lift me and help me use my talents.

I haven't auditioned or performed in a venue like this in about 10 years. I'm hoping to be one of the 16 chosen but who knows! I guess there are 30 people auditioning with skill ranges from new student to professional paid opera singers. I hope to be somewhere in the middle! I've been told that they choose a range of abilities and voices. The BEST part about this whole thing is if I make it, I'll be participating in a 12 week workshop with some the most talented people in the Rogue Valley and West Coast. I'd be working with Laurie Hunt and Willene Gunn... both amazing women! Then 2 performaces in March. One in Medford and one in Ashland.

So wish me luck! I'll be singing two arias, both in Italian with hopes that I'm good enough to hone my skills with these great women!

Dancing Queen!

Our Stake road show was last night and we had SO MUCH FUN! The relief society sisters in our ward did a dance to "dancing queen" by Abba. TOTALLY BLAST!!

Here are a few pics of the crazy "dancing queens"!

Me and our wonderful "So you Think you can dance" host... isn't he fabulous?!


Do you LOVE LOVE LOVE my hair? And yes... it's my REAL HAIR!


Laurie, Jill and Sara... a few of the other "queens"

Tagged!

A, B, C.....easy as 1, 2, 3....
Do, re, mi ..... I can't for the life of me remember any more of the words of that song. With the amount of headache meds that I have pumped into my system and the fact that I should be ASLEEP now instead of listening to my bear (aka DH) snoring... I needed something trivial and simple to write about!!


A- Attached or Single?

ATTACHED!! 7 years and counting


B- Best Friend?

My wonderful husband who earns that title most days, my best girl Staci and my other best girl Stacey... I know weird huh? I would have to count my mom and my lil' sis on this list. And my favorite people to cause trouble with... Kesha and Nina ;)


C- Cake or Pie?

ooooh... I LOVE pie but GF crust is "interesting" but I can make a MEAN GF cake!


D- Day of Choice?

Thursday! It's almost Friday, good TV, and the last night of the week that I have to have the homework battle with children.

E- Essential Items?

Camera, Dr Pepper, a good book!

F- Favorite Color?
RED!!!

G- Gummy Bears or Worms?
Bears, definitely.


H- Hometown?
Campbell, Ca is where I spend most of my "growing up years"

I- Favorite Indulgence?
Dibs ice cream... I can't stop eating them!!!

J- January or July?
January... new year, both girls birthdays, snow, warm fires and hot cocoa

K- Kids?
3 of the most beautiful kids you've ever seen! Check em out on the side bar. :)

L- Life isn't complete without?
Music, laughter, family and friends!



M- Marriage date?

May 26th, 2001

N- Number of brothers and sisters?
1 sister... my pippi!


O- Oranges or Apples?
hard to choose! A nice crunchy apple or a really juicy orange!

P- Phobias and Fears?
believe it or not... the dark. Heights!!!

Q - Quiet time, what do you like to do?
"Quiet time"? What's that?


R- Reason to smile?
my family, my great friends, the opportunities I have to bless the lives of others.


S- Season of choice?
Actually, I think I like the fall best. I love the colors, and the smell of rain, and SWEATERS!!


T- Ticklish?
I plead the 5th!


U- Unknown fact about me?

I'm auditioning for the local opera company.

V- Vegetable?
squash.... I LOVE squash!

W- Worst Habit?
truthfully... picking my nose. :(


X-ray or Ultrasound?
Hmm, well, I think I've had enough radiation in my life! But x-rays are goop free so we'll go with that one.


Y- Your favorite food?
I love pasta! I'm a huge fan of BBQ ribs and mashed potatoes... but my favorite meal of all time is a classic turkey dinner with all the trimmings... I cook it about 3 times a year!


Z- Zodiac Sign?
Aquarius


Now to spread the joy... if you are reading this for the first time, or if you just recently started following my blog, it's YOUR TURN!!!

Halloween

We had a great Halloween night with the kids and my dad! The kids love to go "power" trick or treating with their papa John out in Eagle Point... and I tend to think that he loves it just as much if not more than they do. After Neil got home from work we dressed up and flew out the door to papa's house. We ate a yummy dinner and then headed out into the dark of night.
Beyond the few houses that I had to yell "small children coming... PLEASE don't jump out!" we had a great time. After the first 45 minutes Abby could barely carry her candy bag, Chloe was whining about carrying her broom, and what was Mason doing? "HURRY UP GUYS!" "LOOK at the COOL house!" "Oh my gosh, MOM I got another sour thing!" The kids had more energy than a whirling dervish.

The best Mason moment... We had to have a little chat about saying the trick or treat poem... you know "trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat..." He FINALLY stopped saying it to the nice old people who live in the golf course. Then the next house: Mason-"trick or treat!", guy inside-"smell my feet!" Mason turns around and screams:"MOM... I didn't say it that guys is the one that broke the rule!" I could not stop laughing!!

Here's some pics of the fun night out. Happy Halloween!! (well happy November at least)

5 minutes after we got home they were OUT!


Eating candy with daddy after the big Haul!


FINALLY have their first piece of candy!


Ready to go to papa's house.