Friday, June 4, 2021

Sicily's Beautiful Voice, Leah and the Mythical Monster Museum and Other Friday Things.....

I'm going to brag on two beautiful ladies tonight!
 Sicily is Anna Marie's daughter.....and Anna Marie is my soon-to-be 'Sister in Love' not only in law!


She has a beautiful voice to match her beautiful self!


Nita and I were blessed when she gave us a personal mini concert on a Kansas City sidewalk when we were there recently. What an amazing voice!
She and her brother sing duets as well as her solo performances.


Here they are singing My Prayer at a wedding recently.


Anna Marie told me the story about how Sicily was 3 year old.....and sitting in the back seat of the car singing while her mom and aunt were out doing errands.
Anna Marie didn't think much about it as Sicily was always singing......until her sister pointed out how amazing it was to hear a three-year-old sing the National Anthem word perfect and in key!


So.....Anna Marie went home and called up the Kansas City Royals and asked how do you go about singing the nathional anthem at one of their games?
They said, "You make a CD and mail it in to us. We will look at it and get back to you if we're interested." About that time, Sicily picked up the extension - you know the kind with a long curly cord?- and started singing. When she was finished, the one on the other line sitting in the office of the Kansas City Royals, asked, "How old is she??" 
"Three!" her mama said.
Then Sicily made history by becoming the youngest person to ever sing the national anthem at a Kansas City Royals game. By the time she was 5, she sang at a Kansas City Chiefs game, too!


So beautiful!!


Can you see Anna Marie doing backup with her son and daughter??
I'm telling you - she is SO much fun!!!

Sicilly is a professional in every sense of the word and was working in New York until Covid happened and she came home. Both Sicily and her brother Val, who is two years younger, are classically trained in Opera. He also joined her in singing the national anthem as a duet at the Kauffman Royal's Stadium when she was 6 and 7 and he was 4 and 5 years old.

Anna Marie has a third son who just graduated at 21 with a degree as a Mechanical Engineer and is now going for his doctorate. She has some pretty amazing children and she is certainly one PROUD mama!!! And rightly so!

One more song......


Shower the People.......

And since I am already in bragging mode.......

Photo by Frank Polgar

I saw this gorgeous photo of our darling Leah on Facebook and asked permission from the photographer to use it here tonight. 


She and husband Patrick worked the 40th Season of Scarborough Renaissance Festival this spring - as they have so many years. Both are natural performers and this has long been a passion of Leah's.
If they work next year, I am going to make sure I visit the Faire!


Louis Dean and I went once some years ago to see Leah - she is third from the left.
In fact it was 2011.
While we were there, she introduced me to the Queen!


What a beautiful lady!!
Since she loves Leah, she loves those Leah loves as well.....


and I am honored when she calls me 'Aunt Linda!

You can see why I am so impressed with Anna Marie's Sicily and my Leah!

Now to the 'Other Friday Things....'
The Bell kids are coming over tomorrow to spend the weekend with us and I shopped Aldi for all kinds of fruits, snacks, treats and things for several meals plus a high tea party!


I don't know about you but I love to look at things other people buy.....I'm all eyes when my friends post images of what's in their refrigerators or cupboards.

I saw this pic on Facebook the other day.......


This was the 'Queen', aka Shannon, and I linger long over every photo she posts!
Naturally, I zoomed in to see what all I could see!


I asked what this lovely drink was and she answered.......
Pinot Grigio with fresh lemon thyme. Nice, cool, crisp, light summer wine, went well with the food!
I don't have lemon thyme but I did go out and pick some stray herb to float on my glass of wine later that evening!


Back to my Aldi haul!
You can get a lot of bang for your buck there!
Yes, it was a tiny bit shy of $200 but my cupboards are full as is the fridge!


This chocolate brioche loaf will be served at the tea party....


and I bought a vanilla cream one just because.

After I put up all my groceries, I cleaned the guest room, vacuumed the house and cleaned both bathrooms.


I am in the middle of redoing the walls and cabinets in Louis Dean's bathroom but I stopped working and cleaned it all up since the kids will be here.

While I did my housework.......


Louis Dean was out digging yet another ditch to add more drains to carry water away from the house what with the new sump pump he put in. That man does love to dig in the dirt.


We're out in the gazebo as I write this tonight.....and I made a wine spritzer with Chardonnay, a splash of watermelon wine, and some flavored water....garnished with blackberries, an orange wedge and - in lieu of Shannon's lemon thyme - I used a sprig of freh mint.


And since it's Texas and since the mosquitoes are trying to pay attention to us, I put my drink in a Starbucks tea cup with a lid!
Plus I lit the new mosquito coil Louis Dean bought and it seems to be doing the trick.

So now it's time to say goodnight from the Chapman Gazebo!
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!








11 comments:

Hootin Anni said...

As usual, you've kept busy!! And I love reading about the talented singer!!!

Enjoy your time with the young ones this weekend.

Latane Barton said...

What an interesting and fun post this was. And, talk about talent!! No wonder you wanted to brag.

Vee said...

Have a blast!

I enjoyed the singing! Beautiful voices.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

How wonderful to have such talent in your own family. They are a gift to anyone that listens to them. Voices are a delight to the ear. Glad you are having the kids for the weekend, they are gift to you too. Such fun! Enjoy and give them lots of hugs!

MadSnapper said...

the perfect end for this post, in your Gazebo with the beautiful drink. we used to use those coils at he drive in in Savannah.
both of he singers are very talented and love their voices. you now have more STARS in your family than you already have. it might be unfair to have so much different talent in one family. LD's bathroom looks great. i like that bottle lamp.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Wow, she is so very talented! How blessed your family is! Abundant, talented, and all beautiful! The Quads will love chocolate brioche. What a yummy and sophistacated high tea treat.Now I want to go to Aldi!

Estelle's said...

These two do indeed have beautiful voices! Looks like we were on the same page for preparing for guests...the children would be wonderful to entertain! I know you love it so!

Deanna Rabe said...

They are very talented! I love singing and music, so I enjoyed this very much!

Have a fun weekend!

photowannabe said...

Beautiful voice..just as lovely as she is. thanks for sharing with us.
You are one busy lady but your life is so full and blessed. You can't ask for anything more.
Have fun with your High Tea and the Quads..
Can I be one of them too?
Yummm, the goodies sound delish as does you refreshing drink.
I could use one today ad the temps are in the high 90's.
Sue

Carla said...

That man is always digging or hammering on something. My family has probably seen Sicily sing at the games since they go to Royals and Chief's games.
I do believe you are just as busy as I am. LOL.
Hugs

Eva said...

If mosquitoes are giving you a problem, go to Lowe's and buy a Thermacel. It's a little gadget with a butane burner in it and a cartridge that contains a repellant. When you light that thing you won't have mosquitoes bothering you for hours. The only problem is remembering to turn it off when you're through so you don't use up your butane cartridge! But you can buy replacements! It costs a little bit, but it's worth it! We've had one for about 10 years and LOVE it!