Mastersingers Chorus

So I've done it again... gotten myself into another commitment. But this is a keeper, and I only practice once a week--much better than rehearsing every night! I had my first concert a couple weeks ago with the San Antonio Mastersingers, accompanied by the San Antonio Symphony. Can I say I about wanted to cry for not being in the symphony... but that's what I get for being too embarrassed to continue with orchestra in HS. They all have sores on their necks and I KNOW I never practiced that much. We sang Brahm's Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) in German-- so cool. Though our dresses are perfect for Halloween, I enjoyed being a part of this cultured event.

We performed at the Majestic Theater, and it was so neat to walk around the maze backstage/underground, and see the hallways painted with Broadway show titles (by the touring casts) with signatures of those that get to perform there. Ben brought Abby and Olivia the first night, and Abby was infatuated with "the castle" aka inside of the theater. I swore I heard a little "where's mommy" before it started up. Good times though.

I'm a little partial to that one :)

Every year they perform the Handel's Messiah with the Symphony for the Christmas concert but I'll miss it this year since we'll be in Europe all of Dec. BUT what I do get to be apart of, is Andrea Bocelli's concert Thanksgiving week. I'm so excited. We are singing an Italian Opera (concert style), Caverella Rustica, where Bocelli obviously is the Meistro soloist. (He's the tenor who is blind and sings "Time to Say Goodbye" if that helps.) So that's why this group is a keeper. Next season they're off to Italy for a concert so I hope to go with them if I'm able to. Can't turn back the clock and do music in college like I now wish I did, but this sure feels like I'm getting a second chance. :) --Especially since we practice at the Recital Hall on campus at UTSA. Anyway, cheers to culture!

UTAH!

Highlights of our UT trip through pictures...

Ericka's Wedding!

(my girls don't like to cooperate in pictures)

LIVI'S BIRTHDAY!
(Unfortunately, we didn't have our camera at her party so we'll have to get those from her grandma... but her real birthday was spent at PF Changs for Ericka's wedding dinner)


Fall in the Mountains




(Abby took this)

Discovery Kid's Museum at Gateway

General Conference



...and much more

War Games

Last week I had the pleasure of spending 8 days at C4 - short for the Combat Casualty Care Course - at Camp Bullis here in San Antonio. It was a triservice group (Air Force, Army, Navy) of mostly residents and a few nurses. Our lodgings were buildings called hutments that were nothing more than wooden shacks with 14 cots lined up in two rows. The first part of the week was mostly classes and work on mannequins for ATLS certification (Advanced Trauma Life Support). During the second half we marched around out the woods learning to treat combat wounds, transport wounded people, etc. They also had an old warehouse that they have transformed into a simulator for a street battle in Iraq, which was pretty cool. The meals were a mixture of Army cafeteria food and MREs (prepackaged meals with interesting names such as "Cheese Omelet"). A few of my buddies from residency were there with me and put our energy at night into organizing poker tournaments. Our efforts led to one Navy resident saying on the last night "You Air Force guys get a bad rap, but you're actually a lot of fun." All in all it was pretty good time, but I'm definitely glad to be back in the real world.