Santino Fontana and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

I enjoyed watching the Pioneer Day Concert this past July on my computer.  I didn't know much about the guest singer, Broadway singer and actor, Santino Fontana before seeing the concert.  The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's webpage describes him as:  The artist who brought magic to life as Prince Hans in Disney's blockbuster film Frozen.

This video help me learn a little more about Santino and his thoughts and impressions of singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

You can also view this video by clicking here.  

You can see the the entire concert by clicking here. Enjoy!

Whimsical inventions? In 1962, yes. In 2014, a reality.

This is a picture of me in 1962.

  

I was 6 years old and in the 1st grade.  

On September 23, 1962 the The Jetsons TV show debuted.   
I watched that first show along with all The Jetsons shows. 
I have fond memories the Jetson family. 

Wikipedia explains:  

The Jetsons live in the year 2062 in a futuristic utopia (100 years in the future at the time of the show's debut) of elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms, and whimsical inventions.

Whimsical inventions.  What are whimsical inventions?

• home computers?
• the Internet?
• microwave ovens?
• cell phones?
• modern medical technology such as an EKG or MRI?

NONE of these whimsical inventions were around when I was  6 years old.

You can also see the video by clicking here.

As a 6 year old I would have never imagined that I would "Skype" with my grandchildren who live in Idaho while I live in California.   

I tried explaining to my son how cool it was to imagine these things as a 6 year old kid.  I never thought that what I saw on The Jetsons show would ever happen in my lifetime.    Now I am experiencing many of the Jetson's ways of life today as a 57 year old....just 51 years later.

He wasn't impressed.

I'm just wondering when Rosie, the household robot maid, will be part of my life!

A Face Lift for the Mag Pad

After 24 years we decided it was time to paint our house.

Before 

 There was a lot of prep work involved

Welcome to the new MagPad

Home Sweet Home

Thank you Michael and crew.  

We couldn't ask for a better team 

The Hope of God's Light

After watching the world's reaction to Robin Williams' death, this video has taken on a new meaning to me.  It is worth the time to watch this short video clip.

You can also view the video by clicking here.

I am so happy that Kristine is sharing this message of hope and peace as she is serving her mission in Portland, Oregon.  Keep up the good work, Sister Magnusson

Richard Elliott and The Orchestra at Temple Square Plays: Hot Pipes

I enjoyed watching the 2014 Pioneer Day Concert via the Internet.  As I watched it, I really enjoyed listening to Richard Elliot and The Orchestra at Temple Square play Hot Pipes.

  You can see the whole concert by clicking here.  

Hot Pipes starts at 48 minutes

If you were impressed with Richard Elliott's organ playing skills, you can  read an article about him by clicking here.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• Richard Elliott joined the Church in his early twenties in 1980.
• In 1991 he became a full-time Tabernacle organist.
• In 2008 a potentially career-threatening arm injury led him to develop the footwork for which he is becoming known.

Words of Advice from Señor Magnusson

For the past 13 years, Scott has given the same instructions to the audience at the Gladstone High School's graduation ceremony.  His words have always been received with the same reaction.  Watch the clip from this year's graduation to see what their reaction has been:

You can also view the  video by clicking here

The Savior Wants to Forgive

Forgiveness is one of the messages my daughter, Kristine, is teaching the people in Oregon as she is serving her mission for The Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I love the message about forgiveness that is taught on the two videos shown below:

The Lord wants us to understand his willingness to forgive.  
Hear a man's true story of addiction, burglary, and arrests, 
and how he was able to repent and receive forgiveness.  

You can also view the video by clicking here

Our Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior 
and show us the way to live according to God's plan.  

You can also view the video by clicking here

The Power of Lunches

I have been in a reflective mood lately.  You see, my job  for the past 30 years is about to come to an end.  Thirty years ago last fall, my oldest daughter entered kindergarten.  That was the day that my job as mothering school age children began.  Now, in just a few days, that job will come to an end when my youngest son graduates from high school.

When I think of my "job", one word comes to mind:  Lunches.  My daughter, Janelle, wrote a college essay on the subject of the power of lunches. 

"This I Believe"

by Janelle Magnusson Anderson

I believe in the power of lunches.

My mom has six children and a husband, all of who needed a lunch for school and work. And so mom made seven lunches every day for twenty five years. That’s over 63,000 lunches.

Love seems to be expressed in two ways: word and action. Over the years, I began to realize that mom’s lunches were full of love. Every day, my brown paper bag held basically the same thing: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, apple, tortilla chips, and water bottle. But it also held something more.

Each and every lunch held time. Mom’s day began earlier than mine. She would be up early in the kitchen, spreading peanut butter and washing apples while in her pink robe. Making lunches only took a few minutes, but those were precious minutes that I could use putting on makeup instead of bagging my own sandwich. Mom never called attention to this time she spent serving. She just did it because she loved me.

Each and every lunch held acknowledgment. Mom wrote our individual names on all the paper lunch sacks. Kind of elementary, I know. But mom liked writing our names. She would say them out loud as she wrote, writing them phonetically: “Janelllllllllllllllllle” for Janelle. “Li-a-sa” for Lisa. There is love in a name spoken and heard—something so personable and individual. Sometimes kids at school called us names, or made us feel as if we did not have one. But at lunch time, there was our name in front of us. It was a mother’s acknowledgment of who we were. And we knew that it was spoken and written with love; because of that, nothing else mattered.

 I think I first began to realize what lunches meant to me in elementary school. Some kids brought things like “lunchables,” which was the unspoken “cool” lunch to bring. These included yummy treats like candy and mini pizzas, and they didn’t come in brown paper bags. I remember sometimes wishing I could walk into the cafeteria with a “cool lunch.” But then, my brown paper bag occasionally held homemade cookies or rice krispy treats. All of a sudden, I was spoken of as the bringer of a cool lunch! My friends would “ooo” and “ahh” over my good fortune of a mom who would actually make treats for me. And then my cookie would get split into eight different shares and passed around the cafeteria table.

Love is spoken through acts of service, and my mom served me every day of my school career. Not only did her lunches fill me nutritionally, but I was also daily filled with reminders of her love. Now I live away from home, and so I make my own lunch every day. What do I make? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Though they aren’t spread with a mother’s love, I don’t think I will ever eat a sandwich again without thinking of my mom.

Thank you  Renee, Rachel, Lisa, Janelle, Kristine, and Sam for letting me mother you during your Elementary, Jr. High, and High School career.  And thank you for the honor of always being your mother, no matter what your age is.  

Wings of Freedom Tour

Scott has always enjoyed studying history.  In fact, he was a history minor in college.  Scott and his brothers were especially interested in World War II history.  They had quite the collection of model airplanes hanging up in their bedroom when they were kids.  

When Scott read about the  Wings of Freedom Tour in our local newspaper, he was so happy to be able to  fit in a visit to the Van Nuys airport to check it out.

You can also see the video by clicking here .

Enjoy looking at the pictures that we took of our tour:

Our friend, Jack McEwen, is a World War II vet.  He was a pilot in the Airforce and he flew the B-17. When he saw the pictures that I took of our tour, he sent me this email.....

Ah, Kathleen, me lassie, ya warmed the cockles of me heart!  I flew the B-17 in World War II.  It was the sweet-heart bomber that brought one home. Seeing your pictures was an appreciated blessing.  This model was the B-17G that had a controlled nose turret.  I flew the E model  in combat in the South Pacific. (Guadalcanal) in 1942-43. 

I was relieved of combat in July 43 being replaced by B-14s which we called flying box cars.  They were easily damaged under fire, and couldn't make a water landing. I was the Base operation's officer in Kearney, Nebraska staging B-17Fs and Gs to England until VE Day and then B-19s to the Pacific.

I was to have gone on a Church mission in one month, but in the first national draft my number was the sixteenth number drawn.  The Draft Board would have deferred me, but needed a letter from Salt Lake  verifying my mission call. A personal letter from President Heber J. Grant informed me the Church would honor the military call, inasmuch as I was not a actual set -apart functioning full time missionary. With a broken heart, I spent the next four years in the Army Air Corps.   The good Lord watched over and cared for me.   Again, thanks for sharing the pictures.

Jack

It was a humbling experience for me to see and walk through these planes and imagine the sacrifices that were made by the people who were involved with them in the name of freedom.  Thank you Jack, and all our veterans, for your service to me and our country.

I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

This is one of my favorite Primary songs that has been beautifully portrayed
by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.