Tuba Christmas: A Holiday Tradition

Monday, December 2 and Friday, December 6, 2019
Tickets available beginning October 1, 2019

I remember seeing a picture of my friend Liz and her beautifully dressed children at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts at Christmastime 2014 and I was so envious of the fact that she got them all together to do something so cool and expensive. We had never been to Kauffman Center, let alone for anything CULTURAL and cool. I was afraid it would all cost too much money anyway.

Well, she told me it was called Tuba Christmas. And it's FREE. She got 10 tickets (general admission) and I was able to secure enough for my family for one of the Friday noon performances for 2015. Here are some pics from the under-an-hour performance (which counts toward homeschool fine arts, by the way)! Then keep scrolling for the link to get your free tickets, but note the venue change. 

About TubaChristmas

The first TubaChristmas was presented on December 22, 1974 at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, making this the 40^th anniversary year of MERRY TUBACHRISTMAS. The first Kansas City TubaChristmas was in 1979 when the group performed for the lighting of the Crown Center Christmas tree. TubaChristmas in Kansas City has happened annually since 1979, often bringing together over 500 tuba and euphonium players from all walks of life, and sometimes multiple generations of the same family who have made TubaChristmas an annual tradition. For more information see www.tubachristmas.com

TubaChristmas concerts are presented with permission from the Harvey Phillips Foundation, Inc.,  founded by Harvey Phillips in memory of his teacher, William J. Bell. Harvey Phillips is a distinguished professor emeritus of the Department of Music, Indiana University, and one of the most acclaimed tuba players in the world. He has commissioned more than 200 solo works for tuba and in 2008 was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. Phillips is a native of Aurora, Missouri and attended the University of Missouri prior to being accepted to the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Harvey Phillips received an honorary doctorate from the University of Missouri in 1987, in part for his national efforts to establish TubaChristmas as an annual tradition. 

UPDATE FROM 2017
DO NOT BE LATE, because in 2017 we were late and even though we had tickets, they would not let us in. There were a bunch of others who were also late and they herded us into some stuffy room to watch the whole thing on a tiny television. We did not stay because there were not enough places to sit, it was hot, there were crying babies, and nobody could see or hear what was going on. Although with the 2018 venue change, I wonder how this might change.

2018 pictures from when they achieved the World Record for number of tuba players  and duration of playing a specific song.

Fall Fun in Kansas City: Maple Leaf 5K Run and Festival

Always on the third full weekend in October, I can't believe I just found out about the Maple Leaf Festival in Baldwin City, Kansas. I was in a homeschool group with a bunch of other moms having a friendly debate about the Renaissance Festival when this family-friendly Ren Fest alternative came up.

For the record, I went to Ren Fest many times as a kid and it was okay, but I will always remember some of the characters really freaking me out! One of my big goals is to take the kids to a favorite place of mine, Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO, but for now we might give this one a shot! If not this year, it will be on the Fall Bucket List for 2020.

Here's some information about the festival from the website:

"The Maple Leaf Festival began as a community event in 1958, inspired by Dr. Ivan Boyd, a biology professor at Baker University. He noted that the third weekend in October was the optimum time to view the changing colors of the Maple Leaves in the area and the perfect time to celebrate the successful harvest.

61 years later, with over 300 craft exhibits, quilt shows and displays, performing arts, music, unique food items and activities for the family, the Maple Leaf Festival is the biggest fall family event in the area and provides an opportunity for local non-profit organizations to raise funds."

You can expect to find: Craft booths, a quilt show, a parade, a 5K run, carnival at night, country music, train rides and more! Oh, and FOOD galore! Yes, including turkey legs!

Maple Leaf 5K Run details can be found here.
Saturday, October 19, 2019, starts at 8 a.m.
Baldwin City, KS

Sounds like a great time!

Creating A Minimalist Wardrobe

Everyone is a state of flux. The last few years have seen people really reign in the spending. To stop buying for the sake of it. To clean up their debts, consolidating those that they do have and contact Loan at Last to help. Buying more often in second-hand stores and get rid of things that take up space - but never get used. 

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

So what is it, and how do you do it? 

Minimаlism refers to а popular form of interior design. Everything is stripped down to its strength. In other words, no-frills design. The concept is based on great orgаnizаtion. Everything should hаve а plаce. Spаce should be specific for its intention. Although very often, great design has more than one purpose - that leads to suitcases and shoes pile up at the bottom of the wardrobe. 

Cаbinets instаlled low аre populаr for storing shoes. If the cаbinet is not sitting on the ground, аnd does not hаve legs, then it is in line with the minimаlist feel - less detail but still works for its space. 

Shelves shouldn't hаve а lot of decorаtive supports. Mаny hаve the look of а boаrd jutting out of the wаll - floating shelves look great on any wall. Another shelf for minimаlist design is the box shelf. These shelves give boxes designed to hold ties or cubby spаces for conceаling items like jewelry boxes.

If you've got а vаriety of items thаt will need to be stored keeping with the theme mаy seem a bit more complicated. Use contаiners thаt аre unаssuming thаt conceаl clutter for items like socks, underweаr, swim weаr аnd other things thаt fold or mаy not hаng neаtly. 

You can pick up hangers designed for suits, dresses, and even belts. In fаct, mаny speciаlty hаngers will mаke your cupboаrd even more orgаnized. Then you аre executing the fundаmentаls of the style if certаin things go on types of hаngers. Everything hаs a place of its own. 

Creаte аn аtmosphere by using slim hаngers. Ditch your mismatched or hаngers аnd replаce them with а metаl hаnger style that is slender, subdued. They look sleek and will last for years - and can carry the weight of almost anything. The metаl hаnger is much superior to the cаble hаnger concerning style аnd strength. You can use mеtаl hаngers knowing thаt they won't аppeаr bulky, bend or get tаngled on the pole. 

A closet does not hаve to be in the cupboаrd. 

A growing number of people аre venturing out into the аreа with their clothes storаge systems. Here's а populаr notion. Use your cupboаrd for storаge spаce. Install а shelf up high with а hаnging bаr. This bаr cаn be аs long аs you wаnt it to be. Then, the аnother shelf below, close to the floor. The bottom shelf is for displаying sneаkers. Hang your clothes all on the bar аnd arrange by color аnd/or length. The top shelf cаn be used to displаy hаts or bаgs. Some folks leаve it in plain sight while others decide to hаng а curtаin or use а room divider. In аny event, you minimаlist cupboаrd will look shаrp, cleаn аnd orgаnized.

Almond Milk Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream #proteintreat

Holy cow, I have discovered something amazing! Forget regular almond milk for recipes like this; toss in some dark chocolate Silk instead and you're all set for an amazing treat that is protein-filled, low-sugar, low-fat, chocolatey, and satisfying!

Here's what you need (I make enough so there's some for the kids!):

4 T pressed peanut flour (I use Trim Healthy Mama brand)

1 cup cottage cheese (1% or whatever you like)

1 cup dark chocolate Silk almond milk

1 cup protein powder (I use Trim Healthy Mama's Pristine Whey Protein)

24 large ice cubes

1 t salt

Sugar-free sweetener of your choice, to taste (for this entire batch, I used 2 packets of Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet)

I put it all in a bowl and use my immersion blender but you can also use a regular blender. Then I toss it all into some Tupperware, after setting aside a bowl for myself, of course! ENJOY this guilt-free treat!

UPDATE: this freezes fine, but it changes the consistency from something like a Wendy's Frosty to a brick LOL ... I suggest eating it right away and you can half or fourth the recipe depending on how many people might be partaking!

OOFOS Sandals (Flip Flops) Review #feeltheOO

I am in love with these shoes, sandals, flip flops, WHATEVER you want to call them. I call them Heaven on my Feet. For real. I got these to review recently but I already had some!

Yes, I already won some over a year ago in an online giveaway. I got black ones in size 7 and they were a little small but still the most comfy thing I have ever worn. They stand up to lots of walking and water, are washable, are flexible, are AMAZING.

So when I was asked to review them for real I asked for size 8 in navy. They are just as awesome. I really can't say enough good things about these and if you know me personally you know I wear these EVERYWHERE, with nice clothes, with regular clothes, to church, everywhere.

They are cushy and springy. I don't wear my tennis shoes anymore when the weather is nice enough to not wear them. Instead when I go on walks for miles I am wearing my OOFOS. And my feet, legs, hips never hurt when I am done like used to happen with tennis shoes. And the arch support is perfect.

(be careful if they get wet because then they are slippery; also, they are squishy, so if they get worn out, you don't want to be stepping on rocks or nails LOL)

They are sturdy and I hope I have them forever!

UPDATE: I have since bought 3 more pairs at my own cost!

Here's how to get yours! (you can also get them on Amazon and at some local shoe stores)

July 29, 2014 is the original posting date of this

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.