Spring fashion, Family &Friends, and the Utah Symphony

So if you have read any of our family's previous posts...you can see that Nate is good at keeping me on my toes with current events, names of things and places, and...fashion.

This is the REAL me and the pink pants (that I never wore, and I'm never going to wear actually :))

I have to say that the styles of 2012 (in America...since Europe's about 10 years ahead of us), don't really match up very well with my personality. Call me crazy, but I'm not big into neon and weird designs. I think if I wore those pants, I'd feel like a piece of bubble gum walking around. I expect people to notice me, even without neon :). When I walk through Forever 21, or Gap, or Nordstrom, or even Macy's, I feel like I'm taking a stroll through the 70's again. Why can't I just buy a normal piece of clothing for a reasonable price? :)

Don't get me wrong...I don't have anything against anybody who loves that kind of thing...in fact I'm kind of drawn to them (literally), but it's just not really my personality to go out on a limb like that. I prefer the classy, conservatice styles...the ones that don't go out of style...you know, like Classical music, and red bricked houses, and wood, and Honda's, oh, and let's not forget Jane Austen, or old Europe. Call me Goeorge Banks. You know...nothing extravagant, just sophisticated :). For that reason...Nate enjoys teasing me once in a while. :)

On the brighter side however (no pun intended) he has given me strong encouragement (not verbal..rather through example) to live up life a little more than I thought was possible. Notice the title of our blog 'in all things love'. Well, it comes from a saying that was commonly known among the Czech's early Protestants Moravian Brethren, and is also what we commonly refer to as 'our family moto'. You've probaby heard it before. The complete phrase is:

In essentials unity
In nonessential liberty
In all things love.

Let's just say that the middle phrase 'In nonessentials liberty'... is not taken lightly in this family...especially by my Nate. In fact we should probably make that the name of this blog. He is serious about life when he needs to be, but he is also lighthearted and knows how to make a good joke..especially when he senses too much seriousness where seriousness is not helpful. This includes things like wanting to sing the BYU 'Rise up and shout song' at his funeral, and someday wanting to write the "PERFECT FAMILY CHRISTMAS CARD"...full on with the 'American Smile', the perfect house, the perfect car, and the perfect family in perfect clothes. Let's just say that he lives up to the family name of Freeman. So while Im known as the strong 'conservative' in the family when it comes to fashion, vacations, music, and more, I love his free loving soul. Perhaps every marriage needs a little of both.

Now that we've got that behind us....

Last night we had a great time at the Utah Symphony's 'John Williams Concert'. It is part of a rewards program for my students, so when students pratice one hundred days (as four of them had), they earn a free concert and a treat. This time they got a 'Symphony' bar. Funny how children can be even more excited about candy, than a concert. We had a great time last night! Another highlight was running into our friends Bob and Jacobie Hoopes, who set up Nate and I on our first date, and Nate's highschool friend Suzi who just got into medical school at Temple University in Pennsylvania (Congratulations Suzi!). It was such a fun evening, and the conductor did a great job including orchestral excerpts from other composers such as Gustav Holst, Gabriel Faure, and Antonin Dvorak who had influenced John Williams work.

Four of my students and their parents at the John Williams Utah Symphony Concert

Afterwards Nate and I went out for a night out on the town. Even though it wasn't a weekend, our babysitter Aunika (who had also been my doula) was so sweet to encourage us to have fun that night. We strolled through City Creek and around Temple Square. We ended up at an Italian shop in our neighborhood 'Dolcetti', and got some gelato and a yummy scone.

We ran into a photographer from the Salt Lake Tribune, and he was so nice and took this picture for us

Fountains designed by the same guy who designed the fountains in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas

Italian goods on display in the window at Dolcetti. Nate loves everything Italian ever since he spent those two summers in Italy



So what's the difference between icecream and gelato?
That's what i asked...and they said that gelato has less fat, and less air..so there you go! That's why they serve you such small portions and charge you so much for them :). 



Nate and I shared the "large" cup you see..that looks like a dot on the table. I'm not big into the "all you can eat American style", but I know a theif when I see one :). Maybe I can blame this one on small business being taxed out of their minds. There is the pragmatist coming out of me again (thank you Dad!). I had to remind myself to enjoy the ambiance of it all!

orange cranberry...mmm! I think I will make those sometime at home

These are just a few of the things we have loved about living in Salt Lake City. Perhaps the best part of the evening was just strolling through Temple Square, seeing 'our Temple' lit up, and smelling the beautiful blossoms. For me, it was like heaven! Romantic and a little cheesy? Probably!




Tulips...I love tulips ever since I lived in Holland

It's hard to believe it has only been a little over a year since we were married there on February 5, 2011

Another great part of the week has been having my sister Ramona and her cute kids here from Colorado Springs for the week. Ramona, Shirley, and I (the three youngest of the 11) had a great time shopping and going to lunch. The great part is that we even got my Mom to come...who like me isn't a big shopper, but enjoys her daughters and is interested in what we are interested in. I love that about my Mom!

too cool for school...for now :)

City Creek with the Fam

Ramona and her cuties: David, Marianne, Lydia and Adam (in her tummy)

Here's a little of Mason's life the last few weeks:

In his sunday best and on his blanket of many colors. Yes he is our favorite son!

Wrestling with his little lamb and his bear (which Aunt Jenica just game him). He is drawn to soft, cuddly things.

Fire in Water at City Creek...I thought that was pretty creative (to the intro song on 'Beauty and the Beast').



aha..oh yeah...I made Nate pose with Chubaka (since that what his friends called him in highschool..in his pro tennis days), Indiana Jones, the scary guy from Harry Potter (I'm sorry Alissa....I don't know his name!), and Luke Skywalker after the Utah Symphony Concert.

 


I also got to spend some time with my friends from the Nauvoo Performing Mission in 2005. We had breakfast at Kneaders the Saturday before Easter. These are without a doubt some of my favorite people on earth!

For Alissa's birthday (Nate's sister who just got into BYU Piano Performance program)...we had Mason dance for her...to the chicken dance:

Mason and I got a hugely special treat by getting a visit from our friends, and former Bishop and his wife in Holland...Arto and Femke Hornweg. They even brought him a super cute outfit from Holland. When he wears it, I call him my little Dutch boy. We love them!

There he is...my little Dutch boy!

After our Spring Concert with the Orchestra, Nate and I got to introduce Mason to my violin teacher Vesna Gruppman and her husband Igor. Vesna is one of the greatest teachers on earth, and she loves her students so much that she is almost like a mother to us. So here is Mason with his musical grandmother Vesna Gruppman.

Mason has also been learning how to suck on his toe. It's his new favorite trick.

So I think that is probably a good place to end for now. Those are some of the highlights of our lives this beautiful springtime! Hope you are all well..happy, and finding joy in the journey (as Nate is often reminding me to do). We love our family and we love our friends...and we're learning to love our enemies :)! Go Mitt Romney! Just kidding!

Cheers and so forth from the Free Masons!

Get ready...get set...Spring!

We like spring.  After all, who doesn't appreciate the blooming flowers and the WARMER DAYS?!  Wahoo!   Today we want on a pleasant stroll around the neighborhood and up to the cemetery, which is only four blocks to the north of us.  It's an inside-27th ward-joke that we have 10 presidents of the Church in our ward, which is technically true, as the cemetery is part of our ward boundaries.  We are trying to reactivate them and their families, so hopefully our fellowshipping efforts will pay off.  We love the Avenues, and we've both concluded that we wouldn't mind living here again in the future if the opportunity comes.

A lot has transpired in the last few weeks, the most notable event being that Joanna bought bright clothes!  This thrilled me to no end as I had begged her to buy something to match the spring season, and she did it.  I think it's a sign the Apocalypse will indeed happen in 2012.

Joanna modeling her new pants.  I call her the Pink Pantser now. 
She's even got the new hairstyle going.  Gotta love it.

I still wouldn't classify Joanna as a shopping enthusiast, but that's totally fine with me.  However, she did have a fun time visiting City Creek with her family a few days ago.  As she is the downtown SLC expert of the family, she took it upon herself to give the family a tour of the newest thriving economic area.  She actually made up crazy stuff about most of the tour, but they believed her so that's all that matters.

Joanna teaches violin part time, and taught a master class a couple weeks ago.  I think the term 'master class' is a bit presumptuous, but I guess that's the musical lingo :)  Joanna gets a lot of satisfaction from helping her students progress with their musical talents, and I get a lot of satisfaction from her satisfaction.  I always hoped to marry someone who loves and plays good music, and Joanna certainly fits that category to the letter.  I'm grateful music is part of our lives; it is truly a gift from God.

Mason is growing like a weed, but he's not a weed.  Imagine that!  As of the last appointment, he's the 97th percentile for height, and the 80th percentile for weight!  What does that mean?  It means he will be taller than me by the time he starts junior high.  I still have nightmares of my elementary experiences when our teacher would have us stand in a row according to height and I was always at the end of the line with Rosa Maria Hernandez and Kim Chang.  Looks like Mason won't have that problem thanks to Joanna and her Viking heritage.

Mason in 2040

One of the treats of the last few weeks was attending the Easter concert performed by the Orchestra at Temple Square and some of the newest members of MoTab (btw, I'm campaigning to raise awareness of the fact that MoTab accompanies the OTS, not the other way around.  It's a common misconception).  They sounded marvelous!  The concert really helped set the tone for Easter season.  We're looking forward to a memorable spring and hope you are, too!