A Recital and a First Job

A couple of months ago, when I found out Portia had a cello recital coming up, I asked Bianca if she wanted to earn a couple bucks. If she practiced the piano accompaniment for the pieces Portia's playing and then play at the recital, I'd pay her $20. She immediately began practicing. I looked at this as a win-win, Bianca gets to experience accompanying (in case she ever wants to do that as a part-time job in her teens) and I don't have to get nervous and play in front of anyone. The recital was this weekend, and it went pretty well. Portia played French Folk Song and O Come Little Children (see video below).

I think they both handled the stress well. And it's nice to be able to sit back and watch, instead of fretting about having to use my meagre piano skills in front of others.

Portia had to play these same songs at Federation on Saturday. I told Bianca that if she'd accompany her again, I'd throw in another $5. She's on board!

My husband

I don't blog a lot about Eric because he's usually "all business," but he was highlighted as one of the top 30 CIOs in the area recently, and I wanted to share how proud of him I am for all his hard work!

http://www.vlcmtech.com/allstars/eric/#.UTjVdpgzhJA

Speaking of Eric, he had been away in India for the past two weeks. I won't lie--it sucked. I know he always works long hours, but something about knowing he for sure isn't coming home anytime soon makes doing the mom thing a little harder. Still, I kept myself happy with building fires (Bianca says I'm addicted to building fires) and drinking plenty of hot cocoa. When he returned, he came bearing gifts. He had been very excited about the rugs he found while he was there. First, he found the companion rug to the one we have in the library but needed something complementary. This one has more blue but I think they work perfectly together. Wow, do I love this room! I don't think it will ever wear off.

Next, is the creme de la creme of rugs. It had the super light greenish blue color to go with the Quietude (Sherwin Williams) paint we used in the den but also has a lot of coral (now I want to accent a little more with coral). The den is really a sort of sun room, and the rug complements it perfectly with its trees and foliage. The rug is silk and made in Kashmere, and Eric came home so excited about the whittled-down price he was able to secure. I'm trying not to think about the starving Indian children. Still, the rug is beautiful in our den.

I realized I never really talked much on my blog about what we did to this room. Not much, really, but paint and add crown molding and this octagonal and diamond patterned ceiling. I like it but Eric still isn't sold. He thinks it looks like a beehive.

The last rug he brought home goes in the hallway between Eric's and my closets in the master bathroom. We have one of those rubber rug holders underneath, but so far, I can't get the rug not to bunch. Still, it's a beautiful runner. If you know of any tricks to keep rug runners from bunching, please let me know.

Eric brought some other little trinkets for the girls and me. Like star-of-india earrings for Bianca, a scarf for me, Littlest Pet Shops for Portia (these were not bought in India but Portia was so sure he was going to bring her home a pet shop so he did) and Eric's favorite, his Baby Taj (which is a marble and tiny reproduction of the Taj Mahal). But more than the rugs and the trinkets, I'm so glad to have him home!