Quote of the Day

Favorite moment today:

At my piano lesson with Boukie, I played the 4th movement of Prokofiev Sonata no. 2. It was my first time playing through the entire thing, albeit very slowly. As I was nearing the end, I began to notice lots of chuckling from Bou. After playing the last chord, I readied myself for ridicule.

What stupid mistake did I make this time?

Bou's reaction went like this: "You know I wasn't laughing at you, right? The piece is just so funny! Play that last page again! It's so funny!"

:)

And it is. The fourth movement starts at 4:30. Enjoy!

Family Photo Shoot!

Dear Family,

Thank you for complying with my demands that we have intentional, high-quality, artistic photos taken while together this summer (with new baby!).

You have me to thank. Oh, and our wonderful friend, Sara. She had just a little bit to do with it. :)

Love,

Jessie

A Case of Confusion

Remember this picture from Pere Lachaise?

This is my classmate, Josh, and I standing next to George Bizet's grave. He was a composer, most noted for his opera Carmen. While in Music History II class last semester, Josh and I were part of a group that analyzed this opera. While in Paris, we sent this photo to our classmates and professor.

Remember this photo?

These are my lovely friends, Tab and Erin. Everyone at school confuses me for Erin and vice-versa.

This week at school, Erin attended class with the aforementioned music history professor. After class he asked her if she and Josh were dating. There seems to have been a misunderstanding on multiple levels...

For the record, I am my own person, and I am not dating Josh. (And neither is Erin!)

The Sweetest Thing!

That's what my eight-month-old nephew, Isaac, is known as around these parts!

"Isn't he just the sweetest thing?"
"Yes, Mom. Yes, he is."
:)

Life at the Present

I'm making it through the first week of school quite well.
Between piano lessons, piano literature, and piano ensemble, seven of my thirteen credits are piano-related. I also have an internship in K-12 music classes this semester.

This only leaves one other course that meets once a week.
I keep double and triple-checking my schedule, because it feels like I'm forgetting a class (or five)! I'm so accustomed to taking 8096849 one-credit courses. All this "free time" makes it easier to fit in my practice time. I love it! (I'd love it even more if I only had piano lessons! Like in Europe this summer!)

I'm thrilled about all the repertoire I'm learning this semester, and it's been great seeing all my students again. (I swear they all grey two feet over the summer.)

It's taking some time to readjust to my normal schedule, but I'm enjoying my early-morning routine.
Ty took me to a hip cafe tonight and had me home by nine. :) We enjoyed a gluten-free chocolate raspberry cupcake and a gluten-free, vegan PB brownie. Oh, and some cafe au lait for me. That was my favorite thing to order in Paris. The sweet people at the hotel always made it for me at breakfast.
And I can't remember the last time I ate a brownie. Mmmm. Sooo yummy.

Speaking of Paris...there was this awesome vending machine in the conservatoire that had shots of expresso, sweetened milk, and hot cocoa. The cocoa was only 30 cents (in Euros), and I drank some every day! As I was freezing in my practice room today, I was desperately wishing to be practicing in Paris with unlimited access to shots of caffeine and sugar. Haha.

And now it's time for bed.

So Long, Sweet Summer

While school doesn't officially start back until next Monday, tomorrow begins the segue into my semester routine. Last week I tried getting up earlier, but that only worked for two days. This week I begin teaching a couple piano lessons and visiting intern teachers, so I'll have a bit of a schedule to keep me accountable. Feeling slightly nervous about managing my time, but with a little practice it'll work out just fine. I'm nervous, but I'm ready. Somehow I always accomplish more when I'm busier.

This weekend my family went to the beach so my sister could share about her cross-cultural ministry with a Fellowship over there. It was a fun last hoorah! I'm soaking up all the time with my sister that I can! Last year we went to the same location for my sprint triathlon. It's always so relaxing to be at the beach in the evening.

July 2010

August 2011

(Need I point out the obvious and say how much my hair has grown??)

Take One

Take Two

What We Do For Fun

Never a dull moment in the M household! Tonight was no exception!

But first...

 A HUGE CONGRATS to my friend Sierra (second from left) on her college graduation!!!

I'm enjoying being home, but I've been having a hard time recovering from jet lag. I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm day four into a caffeine detox and that I sent Tali Rose back to ID this morning.
Suffice it to say that I've been taking many naps!

Jenga, Jenga, Jenga!

Dad having way too much fun killing a baby roach. See Tsukasa cowering in the corner!

Here Dad is pretending to throw the roach at her!

"Chuck!!"

So much fun!!

And this is how we passed the afternoon...

Happy, Happy, Happy!

Last summer I said goodbye to these two and shipped them across the U.S. and across the world.

Yesterday I had them all to myself - together, in one place, at the same time. :)

Home.

May be surrounded by a million people I still feel all alone...

Yes, I listened to the Michael Bublé song on the plane ride home.

I was greeted by this wonderful bunch! Shy, aren't they? :)

All that luggage. Never again. :)

All in all, I was awake 21 hours. On my flight from Ireland, I sat next to an old Irishman who smelled of beer. I helped him figure out his TV, talked with him of Billy Joel, and watched him down another three beers. I watched the new BBC Jane Eyre (enjoyed this so much!) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2. Why is it every other movie was an independent R-rated film?

This morning I woke at 4:30, chatted with Tsukasa (morning nursing shift today), ate breakfast, and practiced an hour of piano. (Soooo excited about my new rep!) At 6:30 I went back to sleep for another three hours.

I went for a six-mile run at 10AM. It took me exactly an hour. Not too bad considering I haven't run in a month. Call it penance for never once using my running shoes while abroad.

I'm wearing shorts! The weather was so cold, especially in Bruges. I wore stockings, jeans, tank-tops, shirts, and a jacket almost every day! I never sat in my bedroom unless I was inside my sleeping bag. I'm sure I'll be begging for cloudy and 55 degrees soon, but for now I'm loving the sun!

Caffeine and gluten detoxes start today! Toward the end of my stay in Belgium, I stayed almost completely away from the cooked food and ate loaded salads and fruit. After that first waffle experience, I let my friends indulge in the waffles alone. I opted for chocolate and sorbet. No regrets there. I became highly addicted to coffee (trying to stay warm, though Tsukasa informed me today that coffee actually lowers your body temperature). Bring on the headaches. I know I'll feel better in two weeks.

I had toast for breakfast (second breakfast, actually) with peanut butter and Nutella. I know. I told myself  that was ridiculous, and it is. After eating Nutella oatmeal almost every day in Paris, I made myself step back from the spread in Bruges. Now I return to find two Costco-sized containers in our cupboards!

Another aeroplane, another sunny place

I'm lucky I know, but I wanna go home

I've got to go home.

:)

Lunch with Papa today! Just taking it easy and going to enjoy some wonderful MEXICAN FOOD for dinner!!!