If you didn't already know, then you haven't seen me lately.

Hello again Blog World.

It has been very long since I posted.  I interpret this as a good thing because I must have been up to good things and keeping busy.

I wanted to update you all on some of my major activities this past 6 months.

First thing...

I am 31 weeks pregnant.

This baby seems like more of a mover than Amelia, yet, that could be my imagination.  Amelia had good strong legs that would kick me in my ribs every day as I sat to eat my lunch.  This wiggler seems to do more flutter kicks and his/her feet haven't found my rib cage yet.  It is amazing that in two weeks time, I will be as far along as I was when Amelia was born.  I am approaching the unknown territory of getting closer to full term.

Other than being pregnant, the thing that has been a big focus in my life lately has been my work.  I work as a choir teacher at a terrific high school.  I have the best job in the world because I get to teach choir and singing and music all day, 5 days a week.

Recently my school music department took our choir and bands on a trip to Los Angeles, California.  This was a trip of many firsts.  My first trip to California.  My first visit to Disneyland, my first school music tour (either as a student or teacher).

Here are some photos.

Not a flattering photo, but I really was excited to be at Disneyland.  Note: these rolley suitcases are not permitted in Disneyland.  But no one in the backstage area (where we do our music workshops and prepare for our performances on park) told me till I was trying to get from Disneyland to California Adventure and had security deny me re-entry.  I had a lovely "backstage" cast member drive me from the front gate behind the scenes on a golf cart to take it back to the buses.  So make that note - don't bring rolley things to Disneyland to preserve your pregnant back - not allowed.

A night shot of the castle with Walt and Mickey in the foreground.

We had gorgeous Calgary summer weather all 6 days that we were in California.  This was the middle of April, by the way.

There are very beautiful and strange plants and trees in California.  This tree doesn't grow any leaves, just flowers.  Bald yet beautiful?

We toured the Disney concert hall and attended a concert there.  We did music workshops at two post-secondary schools.  We went to see a Broadway Musical on Hollywood Blvd.  And my choir got a Gold standing in the festival that we went to compete in.  I enjoyed a lot of the places we ate, but my favorite was Soup Plantation.  It's a buffet of soups and salads.  So great and yet so healthy.

So the second to last day we were there, my feet blew up.  I couldn't really feel my ankle bones.  I was able to rest at the hotel in the afternoon while the bands went and did their festival performances.  My choir had already done theirs in the morning.  I gave my legs a massage with some lotion, put 3 pillows under them and had a 3 hour nap.  

This is me after my wonderful nap.  My feet had reduced almost back to their normal size.  I was sitting and waiting for the group at our dinner location.  

I really enjoyed most of the rides that I went on at Disney.  They were fun and charming.  But I know that my favorite thing to have seen was the World of Color show at California Adventure.  It is even cooler than the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.  This was a half hour-ish show with wonderful Disney music, choreographed fountains, and projections on to the spraying water.  

Here is a video clip of my favorite part of the show (Pirates of the Carribean - If you couldn't guess).  You may want to turn down the sound on your computer.  My camera microphone was clipping a lot with the powerful sound system in front of me.

So besides a great trip to California, Byron and I went to Las Vegas at the end of March for Spring Break.  My favorite part of that trip was relaxing by the pool.  

I also enjoyed going to the Temple and our exploration of Hoover Dam.

For those of you who live in Calgary, this is my most recent photo of the beautiful Latter-day Saint Temple that is being built up the hill from me.  I love to see its progress each day.  Take a look for it next time you are at Crowchild and Stoney trail.  

Till I blog again. Thanks for checking in.