Monday, October 29, 2007

Weekend in Idaho

Will and I left Thursday night and drove over to Idaho Falls for the weekend. The original purpose in going was to attend my BYU-I alumni concert. (I played violin in the BYU-I Symphony Orchestra from 1996 - 1998, and my conductor is retiring this year after 24 years with the school). But the weekend ended up being more geared towards my own concert on Saturday night that was held at the Piano Gallery in Idaho Falls.

And I don't know how many of you have driven from Seattle to Idaho Falls, but once you get over the Cascades there is really not much but desert and sagebrush. So Will and I made up lots of fun car games to play on the way over - one of which was trying to name all of the capitals of the 50 states. We got stuck on West Virginina, Kentucky, and South Carolina. We ended up calling Tessha to look up the answers for us. LOL We soooo had to find out!

This is Michele McLaughlin and I after the concert. I invited Michele to be my special guest artist for the concert - and she performed 4 of her songs. Okay and I know this shirt makes me look way more prego than I really am, but it was super comfy and I didn't have to feel like I needed to suck in my stomach while up on stage. LOL.

It was a lot of fun - and I actually got my first standing ovation! How exciting! And to my great surprise we had so many people show up that they had to put out more chairs. I was really nervous when I saw everyone there because I was secretly hoping it would be a small group. But once I got my nerves out and started playing, I was really glad that I had the audience that I did.

Being back on the "Ricks" campus was kind of weird - it's changed so much! You go to school there for a few short years and it's just your own for a short time, but then you graduate and go away....and when you come back, you really feel like it's not yours anymore but it belongs to all of these new students...which I might add, looked like high schoolers to Will and I. Boy we must be getting old!

We had fun with Will's family too. The only time I've really ever been to the Thomas house is during the holidays, so it was fun to be there without a Christmas tree this time. :)

By the way, the capitals of West Virginia, Kentucky and S. Carolina are Charlston, Frankfort, and Columbia.

7 comments:

Brian & Veronica said...

Jenni,
I'm assuming you felt o.k. then! :) Which if you did, I'm so glad. If you didn't, good job for powering through it and doing such an amazing job anyway! Seriously, a standing ovation!!!! That's awesome, nothing like something like that to make it worth all the effort huh?
Love,
V

Jenni said...

Thanks V. I was actually feeling really sick all day long - due to both nerves and nausea, so like pretty much nothing food-wise sounded good. LOL. But Will gave me a blessing before the concert, and also the adrenaline helped to cure the nausea. And then after it was over, I finally got my appetite back - thank goodness.

Unknown said...

Hey Jenni.
It sounds like you had a successful weekend. I really like the shirt you are wearing too. How did you do being Pregnant and in the car for so long? Any nausea on the car ride? Take Care. And did i mention James and I hope to be in the Portland area around the time you bless the baby. sometime in July or August. We are so excited to come see you next summer.

RoLo said...

Oh Jenni, Rolf and I have made that drive many times and I feel your pain. The last trip we got smart and set up our laptop and played a movie... or three.
Congrates on the standing ovation!

Jenni said...

Long car rides being pregnant are best endured with a) plenty of rest stop breaks, b) plenty of different kinds of food to eat, and c) plenty of sleep. lol haha.

Brandie said...

I love long car trips, it has always been one of my most favorite things to do with Andy. You are looking very good being prego and happy as well. Those car games sound like fun.

Kate said...

Congratulations on your concert going so well! I'm so happy for you. I hear you on long car rides being pregnant! haha