Happy Veteran's Day

When I was a child, I learned how to play "The Caisson Song" on the piano (this was the original unofficial Army song that was later rewritten to "The Army Goes Rolling Along"). Whenever I played this song within earshot of my Grandpa, he would immediately reward me with a quarter, and on one occasion, one of his field artillery pins. He was a Colonel in the army, and took great pride in his service. This song/tune will forever remind me of him and the wonderful example of hard work, discipline, and patriotic duty that he provided me.

Over hill, over dale
As we hit the dusty trail,
And those caissons go rolling along.
In and out, hear them shout,
Counter march and right about,
And those caissons go rolling along.

Refrain :
Then it's hi! hi! hee!
In the field artillery,
Shout out your numbers loud and strong,
For where e'er you go,
You will always know
That those caissons go rolling along.

In the storm, in the night,
Action left or action right
See those caissons go rolling along
Limber front, limber rear,
Prepare to mount your cannoneer
And those caissons go rolling along.
Refrain :

Was it high, was it low,
Where the hell did that one go?
As those caissons go rolling along
Was it left, was it right,
Now we won't get home tonight
And those caissons go rolling along.
Refrain :

Juxtaposed

Mother dear, I love you so. Your happy, smiling face 
Is such a joy to look at; it makes home a lovely place.

This is the song the speakers filled our car with this morning when I pulled out of the garage to drive my son to school.... immediately after I had just lectured him about dilly-dallying in the morning. Needless to say, I felt a little silly and a little undeserving and I had half a mind to turn the music off, but I was afraid of drawing my son's attention to the irony as well. 
I guess I got a lecture this morning too.

My Favorite Things

Last night, at the end of a looooong weekend of my husband being on night call, I was actually singing this parody of "My Favorite Things" by Hilary Weeks:

When I don't constantly nag at my children-
They just do their chores, like sweeping the kitchen.
When they put toilet paper back on the roll,
It feels like I've witnessed a small miracle.

Bedtime and naptime and bedtime and naptime
Bedtime and naptime and bedtime and naptime
Did I mention it's nice when the kids go to sleep?
These are a few of my favorite things.

Dear Mr. Lionel Richie of "The Commodores",

What do you mean by "easy like Sunday morning"? Do you mean "easy" as in, not difficult and no worries? Or do you mean "easy" as in, waking up before your children so that you can shower, instructing your child to eat their cereal (who is holding a hunger strike because you do not have pancakes), and then convincing this same child they need to put on Sunday clothes, while blowdrying your hair, and feeding and tending to your baby, and then gathering 25 heavy bags (all of them necessary) to load in the car- and most Sundays doing this alone?
Please clarify.

Happy Memorial Day

Oh, beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!

-Katherine Lee Bates, "America the Beautiful", vs. 3

What a Wonderful World

I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom, for me and you.
And I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

I see skies of blue and clouds of white,
The bright blessed day and the dark sacred night.
And I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky,
Are also on the faces of people going by.
I see friends shakin' hands sayin', "How do you do?"
They're really saying, "I love  you."

I hear babies cryin'. I watch them grow.
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know.
And I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

Yes, I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

-Louis Armstrong

He Died That We Might Live Again

He died that we might live again,
Lord Jesus, our Redeemer true.
He died on Calv'ry's lonely hill.
His life he gave for me and you.

He rose from the grave on Easter morn,
Our Savior and our King.
He showed his love for all mankind.
For his great love, give thanks and sing.

Rejoice! Rejoice! and sing, sing, sing.


- Thelma McKinnon Anderson

Reptertoire

What do the following songs have in common?

• A mixed James Taylor CD
• "Eye in the Sky" by The Alan Parsons Project
• "Luna" by Smashing Pumpkins
• "Concert Fantasy on Carmen Op.25: I. Moderato" by Jules Massenet
• "Farewell and Goodnight" by Smashing Pumpkins

**If you guessed: "Songs that have been or are currently effective at soothing a crying baby in the car?", then you are correct! As  you can see, she has quite a diverse taste.

Design Friday: Handel's "Messiah"

For this Christmas season, I thought it appropriate to highlight one of the undisputed most inspired and beautiful musical works- George Frideric Handel's Messiah.
Since I don't have the time to give an adequate write-up (or even plagiarize), I thought I'd direct you to this article in the December 2010 Ensign. (It even includes a video of the MoTab singing the Hallelujah chorus). I especially enjoyed the "Lessons from Handel's Life" at the end. Particularly having confidence enough in our abilities to accept criticism, and learning to recognize and act on inspiration given to us from heaven. What I admire most about revolutionary designers and artists is their confidence in their own style, as they face criticism from rejecting what is generally accepted. Almost always, their works are not immediately accepted but they remain confident and ultimately transform their field of work.
I also believe that revelation is not reserved merely for inspiring us to swing by some one's house, or giving someone a phone call. As we strive to create, we are entitled to receive revelation as well. After all, as Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. This is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."

Noel: Christmas Eve, 1913

A frosty Christmas Eve, when the stars were shining,
I traveled for the home, where westward falls the hill.
And for many, many a village, in the darkness of the valley,
distant music reached me, peels of bells were ringing.

Then spread my thoughts to olden times, to that first of Christmases
when shepherds who were watching, heard music in the fields.
And they sat there and they marveled,
and they knew they could not tell
whether it were angels, or the bright stars a singing.

But to me heard a far, it was starry music,
the singing of the angels, the comfort of our Lord.
Words of old that come a traveling, by the riches of the times,
and I softly listened, as I stood upon the hill.
And I softly listened, as I stood upon the hill.

- Robert Bridges

Happy 4th of July!

"My Country, 'Tis of Thee"
My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrim's pride,
From ev'ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!

Our father's God, to thee,
Author of liberty,
To thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light.
Protect us by thy might,
Great God, our King!

-Samuel F. Smith (verses 1 & 4)

"The Star-Spangled Banner"
Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the wars desolation!
Blest with victr'y and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!"
And the star spangled banner In triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

-Francis Scott Key (verse 4)

The Soundtrack of My Life

I used to have fun imagining what it would be like to have a soundtrack running in the background during my daily activities- like a movie. Thanks to my son's new talent at whistling, I no longer have to wonder. He whistles while he plays, works, reads, pretty much all day. Like any good mother, I have learned to tune it out, so I didn't realize the extent of his whistling until my mom began remarking on what she hears in the background whenever we talk on the phone.
It took some concentration, but I compiled a short list of what I might hear in the background on any given day (his repertoire is much larger than this list):

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. The Indiana Jones Theme
3. Tunes from our local ice cream truck
4. Come, Thou Fount
5. Thomas the Train
6. The 12 Days of Christmas
7. I Saw Three Ships
8. I Lived in Heaven
9. Baby Beluga
10. Yellow Submarine
11. Star Wars music
    
12. A medley of any songs
    

It's not exactly what I imagined growing up, but there it is. What is the soundrack of your life?

Children's Verses

Every now and then I overhear my son singing songs he's learned... with a twist. Here are some of my recent favorites. Feel free to teach them to your children!

• Singing "wet willy"* during the musical intervals between lines. (example: "I lived in heaven a long time ago, it is true.... Wet willy!")
  
• "Stir it once, stir it twice, stir that chicken soup with diarrhea."
• "The world is a rainbow, with many kinds of doo-doo heads." (I don't think he understands how true that is.)

As you might have gathered, my son has a new fascination with bathroom humor.

* Wet willy is when you lick your finger and stick it in someone's ear. This was taught to my son by his uncles.

Did Jesus Really Live Again?

Did Jesus really live again?
Yes, when the third day came,
He wakened and he left the tomb;
He called Mary's name.

And there were nail-prints in his hands
And a spear wound in his side.
Did Jesus really live again
After he had died?
Oh yes! And so shall I!

-Mabel Jones Gabbot
"Children's Songbook", vs. 1 & 3

Painting by Harry Anderson

"One Semester of Spanish Love Song"

In the spirit of continuing education (and for those of you who studied Spanish instead of Italian), here is a funny song that utilizes tries to make use of everything you learn in one semester of Spanish.

One Semester of Spanish - Love Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngRq82c8Baw

Your Laugh For the Day

This REAL, German, music video starring David Hasselhoff was introduced to me by some friends. I think you will agree with me when I say it is the most random thing you will ever see. Enjoy, and you're welcome!

David Hasselhoff - Hooked on a Feeling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJQVlVHsFF8

I Gotta Be Me

This is the cutest/hip-hoppest children's song, ever! The message is awesome. My mom and I found it on XM while we were driving with my son and his cousins. We were groovin' out in the car, singing along to the chorus. The artist is Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. Take a listen.

Wiggity-wiggity-whack!