4th of July

There is no show quite like the Stadium of Fire on the 4th of July, but I think we came pretty close to matching it's awesomeness this year at the Hollywood bowl.

We rounded up all the family we had here in California and commenced our 4th of July celebration with a double birthday!

The featured guest was Barry Manilow, or as the boys nicknamed him, Barley ManEnough.  For being almost 70 years old, he's still got plenty of groove left in him and a great voice to boot.  His music was totally 80's and by that I mean totally Awesome!  All of us were out of our seats dancing by the end of the concert, well, except for some of the slightly more embarrassed teenagers in our group.  Names shall not be named.

The fireworks show was phenomenal, especially with the live LA Phil accompaniment, but more importantly, because of the unbeatable company of family, and my hubby.  Love Him!

USO

Before meeting McKay I didn't know anything about the military.  In fact I didn't even know that a Air Force Academy existed.  And I'm still, and I think will always be trying to figure out the military's acronyms.  Why can't people that are "PSCing" just say that they are moving?  Is there really a difference?  The answer: No!

It was a magical day for Marielle when McKay's mom first took her into the BX (more commonly know as a grocery store) at England's Lakenheath Air Force Base.  This was also when Marielle was reunited with peanut butter after being deprived of it during her year in Paris.

The next magical world of the military to open up to Marielle was the USO.  McKay first took me to one while we were dating and my mind couldn't process what was going on.  

My mind: Wait a minute, there is this awesome place inside airports where military members get free food, beds to sleep on, big screen TVs, free internet, warm blankets and ridiculously adorable man playing banjos at the entrance to greet you....(mind just blew up!)  

1) How did I not know this world even existed?  

2) Why didn't I join the military earlier? 

I mean come on!  Look at this guy!  He's the cutest thing I've ever seen!  I just want to take him home with me!

While traveling back from Texas, where Clarissa played on From the Top, we had a long layover in Fort Worth, Texas, so hung out at the USO and learned to play the banjo.  This older gentleman had the most amazing story about his father, who served in the Navy.  As a young kid, his father served on a naval ship during WWII.  After the ship got hit, his father helped 9 men get off the ship safely, costing him his life.  This older Gentleman never became bitter, only grateful that he had a father great enough to deserve the title of a hero.  He, himself, never served in the military, but he comes to the Fort Worth USO everyday to play his banjo at the entrance to greet people as they enter in honor of his daddy.  What a tender-hearted man and God bless him for his, and his family's sacrifice.

From the Top

Everyone asks us how in the world McKay and I met if his family was in England and I grew up in Michigan.  The short answer we usually give is that it was an arranged marriage by his mother, (which is not that far from the truth), however the real answer is because of the harp.  While studying the harp in Paris, I decided to go to a harp competition in Wales, which I mentioned to someone at church.  This someone, our friend from Singapore, hooked us up with McKay's mom.  McKay's mom then invited us to stay with her and even decided to enter her harpist daughter, Clarissa, into the competition.  

When I stepped off the train from France to England, after living in France for almost a year, the warm embrace and shrieking squeals coming from my future mother-in-law, (a perfect stranger to me at the time), made me feel right at home.  I would have married her son right then and there!  I was so excited to be surrounded by English-speaking, smiling, and yes, loud Americans.  (Can you tell I was a little homesick!)

Clarissa and I, along with both our mothers, rented a small mobile home up in Caernarvon, Wales, where the competition was, and had an absolute ball together.  We cooked meals together, attended harp classes, concerts and competitions, travelled to all the Welsh castles and talked late into the night.  It was the best girl's sleepover that I had ever been to.  During one of those late night girl talks, McKay's mom hinted to me that she wanted me to meet her son, who was at the Air Force Academy.  I told her that I would love to.  However, later in the week, while atop the last Welsh castles we visited, she made her real intentions known to my mother - Clarissa and I were off on our own, running up and down spiral staircases - she declared to my mom that she thought I was the girl for McKay and that we should get married.  As you can imagine, my mom was a little taken aback, but in later conversations admits that she thought McKay's mom was right.

That story really started from the top, which now leads me into the real topic of this post which is From the Top.  As a kid, one of my favorite programs to listen to on the radio (golly, that makes me sound so old!) was a show called From the Top.  The program features young, talented musicians from all over the US.  After performing a piece, they interview the kids about anything, from practice, to future dreams, to wearing mismatched socks, to family matters.  From these simple, yet entertaining interviews, they create personable, down to earth roll models for kids everywhere.  Many alums of the show go on to become great musicians, but many others go on to have successful careers as doctors, lawyers, and other professions.  

From the Top inspired me so much, and in many ways was the reason that I wanted to major in Harp Performance.  When my sister-in-law, Clarissa, was chosen to participate on From the Top, I was jumping out of my skin with excitement.  The even greater joy came when I was asked to accompany her to Texas for the taping, while her parents were on a cruise.  I never thought I would get to see a live From the Top show.  What a dream!  Thanks Clarissa for making a long time dream come true.  

Each of the young musicians came from military families, as the military was the focus of the show.  General Dempsey even came on the show and sang a little number,

and then he listened to all the featured musicians.

The show is distributed by NPR (National Public Radio) to almost 250 public radio stations throughout the US, reaching more than 700,000 loyal listeners each week.  No pressure, right?

While I was up there, I told General Dempsey that my husband is in the Air Force, to which he then handed me his military coin.  Military coins are usually given to groups of military members, however when you become one of the bigwigs, you get your own personal coin for your position.  General Dempsey is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, so lets just put it this way, if McKay were to display his coins in his office one day, this one would be in the center.  The only one that would be better than this one, would be a military coin from the President of the United States.  Awesome - I think so! 

Professional pianist, Christopher O'Riley, hosts the show and is also the phenomenal accompanist for the young featured guests.  

This was the military band featured.

The experience was incredible for Clarissa, and for me as well.  By the end, my heart was just bursting with pride as I saw the little girl I met in Wales, now all grown up and accomplished in every way.  Congratulations Clarissa and fantastic playing!  I look forward to hearing you play in many more concerts and maybe even on the radio again!

Our European Family

Since McKay's family lives over in Europe it's always a big deal when we get to see them and this year we got doubly spoiled because we got to play tourist with them in LA.  The last time we saw them was at our wedding, so their visit was definitely overdue.  I still can't believe how big his "little" brothers are!

On a beautifully sunny day (which we get way too many of) we took the family down to the Third Street Promanade and Santa Monica Pier.  I wish we could somehow donate some of our sunny days to our friends from the less fortunate, cloudy citys.  Then I could enjoy some of my much missed rainy days.

Apparently we were not the only people that thought it would be a nice day to go down to the pier!

A large reason for McKay's family coming to LA was because of the parent's planned cruise up to Alaska with their siblings.  With parents gone, we became the "responsible" adults for some of McKay's siblings and cousins.  We had a blast, and I definitely got a little taste of what it would be like to be the mother of 8 children.  Now I understand mother's complaints about making food all the time.  I did nothing but think, and prepare, for what meal I was going to make next.  God bless you mothers of big families, and small families for that matter!  I'm just glad I get to cook for only McKay right now, who fortunately, is a joy to cook for!

While McKay was at work I tried to make sure the kids ate, played nicely together, got out and about, showered, you know, the regular things you worry about making sure kids do, however...

...sometimes that did not always happen.

But when we did it was always worth it!  And it was especially awesome when I took care of all four of my worries with this beach outing!

Up next, the special adventure of Clarissa and I!

Countups

While dating McKay, I never thought the day would come that we could start celebrating real anniversaries!  Instead, we always had countdowns.  Oh, so many countdowns!  Countdowns to talkie time, countdowns to Christmas, countdowns to summer leave, to parent's weekend, to ring dance, to Mexico, to graduation - basically countdowns to any thing that meant we could be together - and of course, the biggest countdown of all, our wedding day countdown (you'd think I could have majored in math with all those years of counting down!)

It is just so nice to finally countup!  I can personally attest to the fact that countups are way better than countdowns.  For starters, did you know how fast a year goes by when you are with the man you love in one of the most amazing cities ever!  Let me tell you!  The words "super duper fast" would not even begin to suffice.  Yes that is right, McKay and I just celebrated our one year anniversary (I know! Can you believe it has already come and gone!)  We thought we would do it in style by celebrating our anniversary in Tinsel town, starting with a romantic Italian dinner.

I could have eaten this bread alone and been completely satisfied.  By the way, if anyone has any knock out bread recipes I would love them!

 Anyways, I think this face kind of says it all.  Or maybe his hands tell it even a little better.  How very Italian of you McKay!

 We strolled along Hollywood Blvd, commemorating some of the great stars of cinema and TV.  

Live long and prosper!  

Look at my cute little Trekkie!

We decided that our Hollywood experience would not be complete without watching a movie in the Chinese theater.  We were right!  The best part was seeing a preview for another film that was shot inside the Chinese theater.  Talk about feeling like you're in the twilight zone!

We tried to get a picture with the Hollywood sign, but we were pretty far away.  Kudos to whoever finds it back there!

The one thing we were sad about missing, especially since it is sort of time sensitive, was eating the top to our wedding cake.  When we moved to California we were not about to transport a cake hundreds of miles in a hot car for it to then take up room in our tiny freezer.  Luckily, I have an awesome mother that has kept it in her refrigerator for us.  We are planning to eat it on our year and a half anniversary at Christmas time.  Thanks mom!  And thank you McKay for the best year of my life yet!  I look forward to each year with you as I know they will continue to get better, just like you!