A JAZZY CHOCOLATE COVERED WISH for MOM!

"Angels are never too distant to hear you."
-Author Unknown


"All you need is LOVE, but a little CHOCOLATE never hurt."
-Charles M. Schulz


"Mother, the ribbons of your love are woven around my heart."
Author Unknown

In honor of mom's BIRTHDAY today...
These are the cupcakes I made her on her last birthday in 2010 

This photo was taken the day before mom's birthday
in 2008 at our JAZZ FESTIVAL .
My friend, Linda was here with us...
we traditionally did the JAZZ FESTING
 together for many years

This is mom and me on route to the Jazz Festival in 2007.
So many fond memories of  mom are while attending the JAZZ! 

A very cute PARTY PIC of mom and Mariah
at my cousin Gwen's Birthday
in August of 2008. 

Mom celebrating her birthday in 2009... here with her children.
She has a firm hold on her purse as she always did! 

Here is mom celebrating her final birthday in June of 2010. 

JUNE 29th, 2010
Mom in her Party Hat!

JUNE 29th, 2011
The little ANGEL in our Garden
wearing the party hat mom wore the year before...
(Might have to get another one like this today!) 

Last night at 2nd Ave. Grill enjoying some JAZZ
with my cousin Gwen  and dancer friend, Nadine.
The JAZZ Musicians were some of mom's Favorites!

Here are the Musicians and Jazz fest co-ordinator
just before the concert...
Saxaphone player sitting in front of the sign,
BOBBY KLASSEN
Piano player, MAURICE DROUIN,
and singer, DONNA HAY.


Today as I sit to write my blog,
I am sipping my vanilla coffee
out of the white mug with black dots
that says this inside...LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE


That is exactly what I plan to do
in honor of my dear sweet mom,
 who is celebrating her second
Birthday in Heaven today.
It is appropriate that the
SUN is SHINING
and it is a perfect day outside!


I have been attending lots of the
free jazz venues this past week,
and sure have thought lots of all
the times mom and I went to the festival together. I feel her spirit and presence
as I enjoy all the different
music along the way.


Last night I really felt her spirit as I
enjoyed a couple of her favorite local artists,
MAURICE DROUIN and BOBBY KLASSEN
play her favorite song,
"SATIN DOLL"
at 2nd Ave. Grill.
I was joined there for supper by
my cousin, Gwen along with
a dance friend of mine, Nadine.
We enjoyed our visits, the music
and our delicious meals, too!
Mom and dad would have both
enjoyed the version of Satin Doll for sure.
I video taped a portion of it
and posted it on my FB page today!


Last year on mom's birthday,
the very first song I heard at the
free stage of the Jazz Festival
was "Satin Doll", too...
and I didn't even request it that day...
it was as if mom had sent her request
from above... it was very magical
that it happened on her
first birthday in heaven that way!


Mom lives on in me daily in her spirit
as I mentioned above, but very much so
on this date and during the Jazz Festival
which became an important part of
our shared times together year after year.


Today I am babysitting the grandkids...
and I am guessing that we might celebrate mom's birthday venturing down to hear more free jazz in the park as well.
Maybe I'll let them put the party hat
on the backyard angel, too!!!!
... we might need to eat some CHOCOLATE,
or "CHOCIT" as Beau calls it...
in celebration of today's special birthday.



I am getting excited about our trip to
Montreal in a couple days as well.
We are off to visit my son, Colin who we haven't seen since before mom
passed away in October of 2010.
We look forward to reuniting with him
and meeting his girlfriend, Caro.


Montreal's Jazz Festival is the largest one
in the world...and it will still be on
while we are there, too...
so should be a fun visit.


Well in order to get ready for my
big celebration day of festivities
around here, I am going to wrap up
this little blog...
I am thinking so dearly of mom today
and am blowing kisses to the
skies above on her
second birthday in heaven...


On that note,
here is my rhyme of the day...

DEDICATED to MY DEAR SWEET MOM!
Today's a special day in HEAVEN
 just for YOU...
It's your second BIRTHDAY there,
so today that makes you TWO!
I miss you very much these days,
 and WISH that you were here,
I've been doing lots of JAZZ
and feel your SPIRIT near.
I wish you lots of CHOCOLATE cake,
...and PARTY HATS galore!
And lots of special BIRTHDAY FUN,
and ever so much more.
If I could wrap up all my thoughts,
and tie them up with LOVE...
I'd seal them with a great big KISS...
and send them up above!

I"ve Got The MUSIC In Me!

"Music washes away from the soul 
the dust of everyday life."
-Berthold Auebach


"Music is what feelings sound like."
-Author Unknown


"There is nothing in the world 
so much like prayer as music is."
-William P. Merrill

My little MUSIC loving Munchkins
on route to the very first FREE concert in the park
 at this year's JAZZ FESTIVAL! 

Mariah and Beau just before heading to the Jazz Festival on Friday.
Beau has a cookie for each hand... so he is all sweetened up! 

... and some ice cream cones at the festival
for more sweetness!!! hehehe
Listening to "Oral Fuentes" in the free stage
at Friendship Park. 

Mariah showing off her crafty bracelet and anklet
that her poppa bought her at the festival on Friday! 

Mariah getting a sparkly tattoo of cherries
 at the festival Friday night! 

Earlier Friday I was out for a lunch with my dancing buddy,
Brenda at ROCK CREEK TAP and GRILL
 for a nice lunch in the sunshine on their deck. 

A little pic of my friend, ELLA with me in the park
 at some free jazz on Saturday afternoon.
We heard Dean McNeil Septet and Stone Frigate Big Band.

Ella and I picked up a STARBUCKS
 to go with our little Jazz fest experience...
they go together perfectly! 

Later Saturday I enjoyed the
SITTER'S SCHOOL OF DANCE
year end recital with my eye doctor, Lori and
her daughter, Leah...
(who used to dance with me a few years ago!) 

Sunday I  enjoyed some relaxing JAZZ by soloist,
BOB EVANS in the beautiful
Garden Architecture setting. 

I noticed this cute little ANGEL ornament
and had a photo with it ...
like an ANGEL sitting on each shoulder!
(which is how I always feel at the Jazz fest,
 especially now with both my parents in heaven!)

The above photo was taken by former dance student, SARAH,
who was working at the festival.
Here she is with her parents in the Garden Architecture venue. 

I also enjoyed
THE BASSMENT BIG BAND in Friendship park
sunday afternoon, too...
followed by the "MAURICE DROUIN SHOW"
called Summertime,
at Dakota Dunes in the evening with hubby, Brian!
FABULOUS SHOW and dinner, too.  

Monday I listened to some cool
laid back tunes by
"The DOUG BOOMHOWER TRIO"
in the heat of the free downtown stage,
once again with my friend, Ella!

I also enjoyed
Dixie Plus at this stage earlier monday...
and here is "THE JAMIE DONLEVYSEXTET"
as seen with favorites Maurice Drouin and Bobby Klassen.
who performed at 5.

Monday at 7 in the free park there was a performance by
"BRECKER BROTHER'S TRIBUTE"
 which featured a little "FLASH MOB"
choreographed by Shannon Miko!



Today as I sit with my french vanilla coffee
out of my red and white polka dot mug
I am really thinking the advice in my cup is true!
It states...
"LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT"



This is one of my most favorite
times of year, because it is filled with
the things that make my life special.
Those things revolve around one big
ingredient and that is MUSIC!



This is now the end of the
DANCE RECITAL season in Saskatoon
and now the beginning of the
JAZZ FESTIVAL in town
which I always love!
Both of those events revolve around MUSIC, too!

I made it to 6 Dance Recitals this season
and hope to take in lots of the free jazz
in and around Saskatoon during our
26th annual JAZZ FESTIVAL.

I am always so impressed with the DANCE as well as MUSICAL talents living in our city. There is a fabulous ARTS community  here.


My mom and dad instilled a real love
of MUSIC and DANCE
in me from little on...
and I am ever so grateful they did.
Although they are both in HEAVEN now...
it is as if they were sitting on my shoulders
as I enjoy the music at the Jazz festival,
which we used to attend together when
they were both still here!

A couple of our favorite local
artists are piano player, MAURICE DROUIN,
And Sax /clarinet player, BOBBY KLASSEN.
I enjoyed them in 2 events so far at the first few days of Jazz Festing.
They played at both my parents' funerals, so they hold a dear spot in my heart... and they are so extremely talented, too.

As the next few days unfold I hope to hear these two along with many others sharing their talents for MUSIC as they play at various venues in and around the city.

Today is my UNCLE CHARLIE'S Birthday...
so I wish him a special one.
Mom's second birthday in HEAVEN
will be on Friday...
so I am hoping some one will
 play her favorite song that day...
SATIN DOLL!


On that note...
I am off to hear more free jazz in the park, and am hoping the rain is not coming again... it has been so sunny so far!

I got the MUSIC in me...
It goes with all I do...
I love so many kinds of it,
It fills me through and through!
The JAZZ that's played in the park,
at festival is free,


I love to sit out in the sun, 
or under the shade of a tree!
Nothing like free music
 to lift the spirit and soul,
That is what it does for me, 
like EAR CANDY in a bowl!
Whether I am walking my dog 
to the ipod SHUFFLE!
Or out amongst the festival, 
enjoying the JAZZ KERFLUFFLE...
MUSIC is the soundtrack to
my daily life each day,
That's just how I like it, 
wouldn't have it any other way!
Music is the thread 
that sews everything together,
And goes so very nicely in
any kind of weather!
I feel very blessed to live
in pretty Saskatoon...
And listen to the talents
of our city as they croon!

TAP into SUMMERTiME...and All That JAZZ!

"Summertime, and the living is easy."
-George Gershwin


"Jazz is... One of life's greatest gifts; 
fun found within surprise."
-Author Unknown


"When the music changes, 
so does the dance."
-African Proverb

I will be definitely TAPPING into some
JAZZ for the next few weeks!
Here are my TAP shoes and the
SaskTel Jazz brochure and program 

Flowers are a nice sign of
SUMMERTIME!
 

A new SNACK DISCOVERY for the summertime...
like chips but much less calories. 

Another great summertime discovery...
TAZO ZEN Green Tea Blend
for the  KEURIG coffee machine.
This is great hot or cold...
(and although I much prefer a
TAZO CHAI TEA LATTE at STARBUCKS ...
this is a "no calorie" alternative.)

Some new mini tomatoes...
SUNBURSTS and BLUSHERS.

And new oil and vinegar to put on them in a salad. 

OIL and VINEGAR up close...
from a new store on Broadway called
"OLIV" from Italy
 with hundreds of flavors of oils and vinegars,
and they give you samples to try them out...
another low calorie way to
JAZZ up  your SUMMERTIME.

A little HEALTH discovery...
EUCALYPTUS OIL.
Rub on your feet to get rid of coughs!
Who knew?!

This will be my little guide for the next 10 days of
JAZZIN IT UP in the SUMMERTIME!


Yesterday was the first day of
SUMMERTIME
and tomorrow is the start of
JAZZ FESTIVAL SEASON
... both things I LOVE to TAP into!
... and just so you all know...
I put in a big order for lots of
SUNSHINE and NO MORE RAIN!!!


We are headed into 10 days of
FESTIVAL FUN in Saskatoon
followed by a trip for us to Montreal
for some of their JAZZ FESTIVAL.
Montreal has the world's largest
Jazz Festival, so I am really pumped
about that one. We did attend it
two summers ago and it was awesome.


Montreal is where my son, COLIN,
lives and I also look forward to seeing him again as we have not seen him
since mid October of 2010.


JAZZ FESTIVAL time reminds me
so much of my parents.
I did a lot of JAZZ festing
with them back in the day, too!
They both instilled  the love of
JAZZ music in me in the first place.
They loved BIG BAND, STANDARDS
and SMOOTH JAZZ styles .
Because lots of that style
of music goes well with
TAP dancing... it is no surprise
that I love it as well.


I have recently made it to several
dance recitals and events and
now the dance studios are heading
into some SUMMER VACATION time,
 so it is time to hang up the
TAP SHOES and relax in the sunshine!


However, that being said...
I do plan to teach a couple of
TAP CLASSES for a couple of
different events this summer
following the JAZZ.
I'll write more about that
closer to the time of those events.
(I'm excited to put on my shoes and
share a little TAPPiNESS this summer!)



SUMMERTIME can be a time of weight gain,
so I am making a bit of an effort to choose snacks wisely for the next little while,
along with going to the gym to stay fit!


My hubby, Brian has been
battling a bad cold for over a week now. Yesterday there was a post about
eucalyptus oil being something to rub
on feet to help aid night time coughing.
 I decided to get some and give it a try...
and it seemed to work wonders for him last night... because he was
not kept awake hacking away!
WHO KNEW???


I have enjoyed many outings with my friend ELLA from the gym... we often go to
TIM HORTON'S for coffee following
our gym classes at GOODLIFE.
Yesterday we went for a GREEN TEA
at a little coffee shop called MOKA.
We seem to always enjoy our visits.

That got me to thinking just how
grateful I am when any friends
and or family has time to
connect with me...
I am so lucky to be surrounded
with so many wonderful
people in my life.



I discovered a new store on Broadway
today from ITALY called OLIV.
It sells only oil and vinegar,
and has a huge selection of both...
so I purchased some and
will give it a try on my salad
at supper tonight...
I recommend giving it a whirl!


I have been sure enjoying this
season's audition round of
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE
on TV along with the new
singing show called DUETS.
I am also quite into another fun
show called CANADA SINGS.
Next week however,
I will spend a lot of time down in BESSBOUROUGH PARK
enjoying JAZZ,
so will record my TV shows for later!

This time of year just makes me HAPPY
and makes my HEART SMILE!


So on that note...


I am oh so grateful for SUMMERTIME,
To TAP into JAZZ music ....
and also into RHYME!
There is something very special
about sitting in the sun,
And listening to live music
with friends and having fun.
I just love the festival
right from the very start...
Because it holds a cherished spot
right inside my heart.
It always brings back memories
of my MOM and DAD...
They instilled the love of
TAP and JAZZ, I've always had!

A Weekend of FUN CELEBRATIONS!

"When you spread around joy and happiness, then life all around becomes a grand, 
contagious celebration."
-Anna Trimiew


"People rarely succeed unless they 
have fun in what they are doing."
- Dale Carnegie


"I never lose sight of the fact 
that just being is fun."
- Katherine Hepburn

Yesterday Mariah and me happy to be a part
of LA DANSE'S  CELEBRATION
at their  27th annual dance recital.
Check out her 2 gone teeth on the bottom,
... also worth celebrating!

One of Mariah's best little buddies, DREW,
performed in La Danse's show.
Mariah shared a rainbow colored rose
with her at intermission...
in celebration of her 2 fun dances! 

A beautiful picture of Jana and her DAD...
in CELEBRATION of FATHER'S DAY
yesterday here for supper! 

Capturing more family FUN at our
Father's Day CELEBRATION yesterday! 

Here is BEAU and he still loves a balloon
whether we are CELEBRATING or not...
this was him having fun yesterday with my brother Brian! 

Mariah and Beau doing their own little
FUN CELEBRATION
in front of the TV and Shuffle's kennel
 last night during the
Much Music Video Awards on TV!
(Mariah is wearing one of her mommy's old dance costumes here)

It is always FUN for me to craft a card and or create a poem...
here is just one of the few I did this weekend for
 my FATHER- IN- LAW, Greg,
For  the FATHER'S DAY Celebration!

My friend, LINDA and me, always make a CELEBRATION
 out of having having a little FUN STARBUCKS!
It is tradition for us to capture each one in a photo, too,
and this weekend was no exception when
she came for a little girlfriend bond!

Here we are Celebrating the only good weather of the weekend
out on our deck for a little fun and yummy sushi! 

Linda and I both attended this CELEBRATION.
This is a far away photo of the AEDAN'S ARTS BENEFIT
held on Saturday night in the city.
Kelly and his helper, Erin, put together an amazing
event that raised $11,000.00
 for the family on the right holding their baby AEDAN.
It was a FUN CELEBRATION, for sure.

Friday night Brian and I were invited to
a house warming party for friends,
Cal and Julie.
Although the weather was crazy,
it didn't stoop us from more fun ! 

Brian and me
 at Cal and Julie's  FUN House Warming
CELEBRATION Friday night.




I am going to write this blog
up in point form to highlight all of the
FUN CELEBRATIONS
I was a part of this weekend.


-Friday's crazy tornado warning weather
- House Warming party at
 Cal & Julie's new home
With friends  from the good
old JAVA ZONE days!


-Saturday's card crafting for Father's Day
-sisterfriend bonding & sleepover
 with my best bud, Linda, from Lanigan.
 -another Traditional STARBUCKS!
(actually 2... one Saturday and Sunday!)
- Shopping with Linda
- AEDAN'S ARTS BENEFIT saturday night, which raised 11,000.00
in a wonderful evening of entertainment
silent auction and bake sale...
put together by former dance student, Kelly!
(So PROUD of HIM!)




-Sunday's FATHER'S DAY
breakfast out at Fuddrucker's...
*Thanks to Linda for treating us!
-La Danse recital in the afternoon
with Jana and Mariah to watch
her little friend, Drew, perform!
-FATHER'S DAY family supper here
( Brian actually barbequed
a delicious meal...
he is a gem of a FATHER...
not to mention a fun GRANDPA...
and wonderful HUBBY, too!)
- Family bonding during supper
and the 2012 open golf on TV along with watching the Much Music Video Awards!



So many FUN CELEBRATIONS..
All weekend long
I felt the loving warmth
and spirit of my own DAD, ROY
shining down from
the heavens above this fine
FATHER'S DAY WEEKEND!


Today my favorite BEATLE,
Sir PAUL McCARTNEY is 70 years old.
Tomorrow singer/dancer,
PAULA ABDUL will be 50!
Milestones... always
FUN to CELEBRATE!!!
 

My little quote on my
Mary Engelbreit calendar says this today...
"Music is love in search of a word."
-Sidonie Gabrielle


This is a perfect quote to thread the many things in my life together
as I head towards the next
fun celebration
which is the JAZZ FESTIVAL
beginning later this week!



On that NOTE...
my rhyme of the day!


I had a fun weekend,
so full of highlights,
So much to do from
the mornings to nights!
From parties with friends,
and a sleepover, too,
With days filled right up,
and so much to do!
Father's Day wishes
to dads all around,
MY DAD up above...
and those here on the ground.
Dance and Arts shows
for very good reasons,
Going through weather
of so many seasons!
My life is sure one that
makes me feel blessed,
The loved ones I hang with
are truly the best.
When there's lots going on
in my life everywhere,
I love to be able to
show and to share!
My weekend was surely
a one filled with fun,
Right from the start
until it was done!
I sure felt the LOVE from the
ANGELS above...
ANGELS all around
were sharing their LOVE!
 

Celebrating ANGELS and FATHERS!

"My father didn't tell me how to live;
he lived and let me watch him do it."
-Clarence B. Kelland


"I love my father as the stars- he's a bright shining example and happy twinkling in my heart."
-Terre Guillements


"Every one entrusted with a mission is an angel."
- Moses Maimonides


"Be an angel to someone else whenever you can, as a way of thanking God for the help your angel has given you."
-Eileen Elias

This is still one of my favorite pictures of me
dancing with my dad
taken in my dance studio in August of 1999...
only 4 months before he died suddenly.
We were CELEBRATING
their 50th GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.
Us kids had GOLD MEDALS made for mom and dad for
setting such a GOLDEN example of how to live and love.

Another little FATHER- DAUGHTER
photo memory  from around 1959.
I remember my dad loved this dress on me
 because it was his favorite color of red! 

2 other Special FATHERS in my life!
Here taken on FATHER'S DAY 2010...
My FATHER-IN-LAW, GREG,
with  my hubby, BRIAN
....FATHER to our  2 children!

A sweet picture of BRIAN and our 2 kids
here... COLIN is around 9 and JANA is around 7. 

A more recent picture from October 2010.
(This was the last time we saw Colin, too!)
We will see him again in a couple of weeks
when we visit him in Montreal. 

Another special FATHER, NELS...
Daddy to our grand daughter MARIAH.
This photo was taken weeks ago when
Mariah was learning to ride her bike. 

Here is DADDY- NELS and our grandson, BEAU...
 taken this Mother's day, in MAY! 

Here is a picture Jana texted to us
on this wednesday
of MARIAH with her
"TWO GONE TEETH!"
as she put it!
What a sweet ANGEL...
you can just see the excitement in her face here! 

A poster and info as posted on the studio bulletin boards.
This is for a very important show taking place
tomorrow in the city.
It is  called AEDAN'S ANGELS ARTS BENEFIT...
there is a Facebook page by the same name
 to read more about this charity. 

These are 5 tappers I once taught...
with umbrellas and ready for the fast changes
 in Saskatoon's weather!
These dancers will perform a number in the
AEDAN'S ANGELS SHOW
which was all co-ordinated by KELLY,
 the fellow in this photo.

Here the dancers are having fun mocking the poster on the wall
at DANCE SASKATCHEWAN...
which has a SHAKESPEARE quote on it from 12th Night...
"If music be the food of love...Play on"

One of the dancers shoes from the bottom
Note the stickers from her dancing days...
with additional little ANGELS on them
to TAP into good luck performing in the
ANGEL ARTS BENEFIT this weekend. 

I know many of the photos in this blog post are repeats,
 including this one from my autograph book written to me by my dad in 1965.
This was my dad's philosophy on life and quickly became mine too!
I love it's message, and love dad's beautiful hand writing, as well.




With FATHER'S DAY
coming up this weekend
this blog post is a tribute
to the best dad in the world to me...
my FATHER...
 along with all the special related
FATHERS in my life.

It seems appropriate to acknowledge
a special ANGEL event going on in
the city this weekend as well.
Because my DAD is also an ANGEL
 in HEAVEN... the theme of
FATHERS and ANGELS
tie together well.


I had planned originally to do
another blog dedicated to my dad,
but my one written for FATHER'S DAY
last year can be revisited over and over
 in the archives of the blog site.
I could say many more things about my dad,
but that one really describes him to a "T"!
My dad has been in Heaven since
January of 2000...
so although he has been gone
for over 12 years now...
his ANGEL spirit lives on through me.
He was a wonderful role model
for me and my brothers, too...
we all feel so fortunate to have
had him for our dad...
his kind, gentle personality was
admired by anyone who knew him.
His love for life and positive attitude
set a guide for my every day life.


My husband, BRIAN, is a great DAD
 to out children Colin and Jana...
he follows the guidelines set by his father,
and my Father-in-law, Greg.
They are such proud and generous souls...
and always loving and giving in every way.
I am so lucky to have them in my life.


My son -in-law, NELS,
is an awesome DADDY, too.
He is a hands on dad who participates
in all the fun adventures of his young kids
...and my darling grandkids,
MARIAH and BEAU!
I feel fortunate that my grandkids
have such loving parents and the many traditions of the families all intertwine
and live on for generations to come!


I could go on to mention many other
FATHERS of greatness in the family...
but for now I will tribute the ones
mentioned above, and just generalize
by wishing all other DADS I know
a fun family weekend.


This weekend I am excited to attend
a show taking place in the city to raise
funds for a child named AEDAN.
He was born needing special medical
attention and needs to be flown to China for
STEM CELL TREATMENTS.

I was very proud of former dance student
of mine, KELLY WOODLEY,
who has taken on this challenge
of putting on an ARTS BENEFIT.
Tomorrow evening's show is being held
at St. Joe's Collegiate
at 7 PM with doors opening at 6 PM.
The show features dancers, singers,
musicians,  a silent auction and bake sale...
with ALL PROCEEDS going to
AEDAN'S ANGELS ARTS BENEFIT.


I am honored to go to the show
and the tickets are only $15.00 each.
In addition I wanted to do a little more
 to AID in raising funds, so I volunteered
to teach a tap class open to anyone
which will be held at
DANCE SASKATCHEWAN
in the city on July 17th from 6:30-7:30 PM.
The drop in fee per dancer will be 10.00
and all the proceeds of this class
will also go to the above charity for AEDAN!


It does my heart good to see
what people can do when they
get together and become
ANGELS for others in need.


Today at my Body Flow class at the gym,
the cool down song for the class
was my favorite one called:
"100 Thousand Angels"
How appropriate for the
THEME of this weekend!


I am very excited to have my ANGEL
friend Linda joining me from Lanigan
for this event...
she is doing a little girlfriend bond
and sleepover too...
So all in all a HEAVEN SENT weekend!


So on that note...
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY WEEKEND !

This weekend is for celebrating
 ANGELS all around,
The ones in skies above
and those here on the ground.
FATHERS, FRIENDS and FAMILIES...
Dancers, singers, too...
Are gathering together
to share their LOVE in all they do!