Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Valentine's Day

For Valentine's I purchased tickets for a concert for Monty and I to go to one of my favorite pianists. His name is Marvin Goldstein. I first went to one of his classes years ago at BYU Education week and now I go to him every year at Ed Week. He is a Jewish convert to the church. When I saw that he was going to be here on Valentine's Day I just had to get tickets. We got seats on row 3. They were awesome. Of course in his concert he couldn't bear his testimony like at BYU, but he has a wonderful sense of humor and had us all laughing. He did tell jokes about Jews, Mormons, Catholics, etc.

He is such an amazing and talented man. He doesn't know what songs he is going to play when he does a concert. He just starts playing and plays whatever songs come in his mind without any music in front of him to read. He also takes requests out of the audience and then does a medley of those songs requested. Monty raised his hand and requested a song. He requested "Anything you can do, I can do better", a song from Annie Get Your Gun. I didn't think that was a very romantic song for Valentine's Day, but he said he couldn't think of another song to request. Monty was in that play when he was is high school and knew that song. Marvin just played it in a medley along with the other songs the other people requested.

I have about 12 of Marvin's Cd's that I have purchased over the years. He has truly magnified the talents that God has blessed him with. Before the show we saw him out in the Lobby walking with a cane. He has had a bad back for years and that night they told us that he was in a car accident a few weeks ago and that when he went home after the concert, he was going to have 2 back surgeries. He lives in Florida. You could see he was in pain, but he told us when he starts playing at concerts the pain seems to leave temporarily. He played for a little over 2 hours. If you think about it, keep him in your prayers that his surgeries will go well. I love to listen to good music. Monty gave me roses and balloons. It was a great Valentine's for me. I hope all of you had a great one too.






Family Activities

We have had a lot going on these past couple months and I haven't posted for a long time. Monty's Birthday was on February 11th. He turned 59 years young. He hates big celebrations for his birthday so we kept it small, but who knows what will happen next year when he turns 60. I told him to plan for a big celebration, but he has threatened me not to have one. Got any ideas??




I just thought I would post a few of the pictures from the many family parties & celebrations we have had including Demmy's baptism, tending Autumn's kids in January, and playing at the park with the cousins. We love having the family together and wish we could all get together more often. We love all of you. I have pictures of moms and dads too, but I am just posting a few pictures of the grandkids. It takes too much time to upload lots of pictures.


Ian at the park

Daniel, Jay, Moises, & Derrik
at the park


Deklan, Marlee, Maycie, Demmy, Dallin, & Kate
playing on the slides at the park


Demmy & Grandma after her baptism
in her beautiful dress



Four generation picture from Demmy's Baptism
Monica, Demmy, Great Grandma Hawks, Grandpa Hawks



Demmy in her beautiful white baptism day dress.
She was the first one to ever be baptized in our new Stake Center in Diamond Valley


Grandpa had the magic touch and got Ian to sleep


Marlee, Kiersten, Demmy, Mandi, & Bowdy
By the hut that Kiersten and Demmy mostly made in our back yard


Dylan at Grandma's and Grandpa in a play seat


Demmy's 8th Birthday
on January 10th

Some of the grandkids at Daniel or Derrik's Basketball Game
Don't know what happened to Maycie's face

Marlee's Birthday on December 4th
with some of her cousins and sisters



Cousin Picture when we were tending Autumn's kids
We Love You Family!!