New beginnings!

Design wall progress - hourglass blocks from "Cultural Fusion Quilts" (book by Sujata Shaw, see her blog here) + hand-dyed fabrics by Vicki Welsh (see her etsy shop here) = fun baby quilt! Fabrics on the right side are being auditioned for border and binding/backing. 

Spring piano recital was awesome!  I had a movie theme - all the students performed music taken from the movies, from Harry Potter to Mission Impossible to Star Wars! They all got fresh popcorn from our local theater to take home and enjoy.

It was a cold and windy Saturday, but we were all glowing inside with happiness over Danny's (my daughter, Hannah's boyfriend) graduation from Illinois Benedictine University!  He got a degree in Business Administration/Accounting WITH HONORS.  He finished his degree in night school while working full time.  So proud of this boy! 

Speaking of proud, I am so proud of Hannah, buying her first house (with Danny) at the age of 25!  They found a cute 3-bedroom house just 15 minutes from our house, which is great!  So excited for them as they make this house their home!

Emily and Matthew were here over Mother's Day (yay!), so we went over and walked the property of Hannah's house (we couldn't go inside, they haven't closed on it yet).  Such a cute house, and it's all landscaped!  All she has to do it hang up her American flag and move in!

I LOVE spring! Bought all of my annuals for my pots and window boxes, potting soil, a new clematis, and a hydrangea for Hannah and Danny's house.  Happy spring!

Senior Recital, Golden Friends, White Sox Game

I am so proud of my piano student, Lydia! She performed a solo Senior Recital yesterday, for her family and friends, and I couldn't be prouder of her. 

Student and proud teacher! Looks like we both got the same memo about what to wear, too, ha!

"Make new friends, and keep the old...one is silver and the other's gold!"  We had the pleasure of meeting some golden friends for dinner last night.  We hadn't seen Deb Bisek and Tim Gerber for over 25 years! 

It's a beautiful day for a ball game - Chicago White Sox vx. Minnesota Twins - well, at least, it started that way!  It was sunny and hot when we got there, but then...

...we had multiple rain interruptions, and one actual rain delay.  Despite all that, we had lots of fun with Hannah and Danny.  Yummy cheese fries!

Cheers!

Back in the Saddle

Over this past week, I have returned to piano teaching, half of my normal schedule. It felt so good to be back teaching - and I really enjoyed seeing my students. I missed them! Of course, I was not actually in a saddle - I was sitting on a cushy pillow!

I will be adding the remainder of my students this week, and starting to work on Christmas music this week or the following week. That is always fun for the students, being able to play songs that they know. And I know, from hearing from parents, how much they love hearing their children playing familiar Christmas songs on the piano!