Colin had a fun Christmas morning and really only required gift tags and wrapping paper. We had a wonderful holiday. We wish happy holidays for all our friends and family.
Soon after we arrived home we were off to get a tree. We got a nice tree that is being protected from a very curious baby by our dinning room chairs.
Sometimes Colin dresses Daddy up in matching outfits.
On our way home, we stopped in Hot Springs, AR. It not only is where President Clinton when to High School, but it also has amazing old bath houses from the turn of the of last century. We toured the one that is now a museum and it was beautiful. The culture of the bath houses sounds very relaxing. People would take three weeks to come and take the cure- a long hot mineral bath, steaming, hot compresses, and swedish massage every day for three weeks. We don't know how to slow down that much anymore. There is still one bath house in operation. If we had had a baby-sitter and about $100 to burn, we would have loved to have taken even better advantage of being in Hot Springs. 
Colin shows off his very large mouth. Everything is very delicious.
Also, Brian as Count Almaviva in the Barber of Seville with Dallas Opera. Stage make-up can be very scary up-close, particularly as Brian's make-up artist for the show learned his skills as a mortician. He wasn't use to people talking back.
Colin has recently been able to meet some of my old college roommates and their children. We saw Superstar Megan and Gretchen and her girls in Virginia on the way to Dallas, and we visited Kristy and her boys in Houston. I did a fun photo shoot of Levi and Isaac. We also saw Emily and her baby, and a very pregnant Bethany in DC. As a special bonus we saw Dana Lee in North Carolina but sadly left the camera in the car.
Colin was very happy to be on the grass at the Arboretum. He tasted everything he could get his hands on.
The weather has still been beautiful, so we went to the Arboretum this weekend. It was very lovely and great to be outside.
The apartment we rented in Dallas only has a shower, which Colin did not like. So every night we clean out the sink and in he goes. I love in the photos how you can see the Thanksgiving pies in the background.
After a long journey from Connecticut, we arrive to Dallas without incident. We were able to see some friends along the way in the Washington DC area and North Carolina. I suppose the trip was not entirely without incident because we all seem to have gotten a cold. Ann recovered the quickest, but Brian and Colin still have some remaining effects.
The opera is going well and we have met some very nice people. Today is Thanksgiving and it is in the upper 70’s. Dallas seems to have lots of traffic, malls, and restaurants. We have had some wonderful tamales and greatly enjoyed the Dallas Farmers Market. We got beautiful end of summer tomatoes in November!
Colin and his cousin Evan as dragons for Halloween.
Colin learned to crawl to the cello
when he was around 6 months.
Brian would move around the room
and Colin would crawl to him.
As an almost 9 month old, he wants
to help play a little too much sometimes.
He loves the piano.
Colin is cuter then the sum of his parents.
In Canada on our way home from New York the end of August, 2006
Minutes old. . .
Ann's Birthday with the new baby, March 5, 2006
We have had a very eventful year so far. Since so many friends and family never know where we are or where we are going, here is a quick summary:
- Jan. 2006-Brian spent three weeks in the Tri-Cities of Washington for a production of the Barber of Seville with the Washington East Opera. Ann went to see him 35 weeks pregnant.
- Feb.-Baby Colin was in a hurry to be born and rushed into the world almost three weeks early. He is a very dear boy.
- April- Brian finished his Masters of Music at IU in voice and cello.
- April-May- We spent 4 weeks in Detroit where Brian performed La Cenerentola with the Michigan Opera Theatre .
- end of May- Brian had a brief trip to Germany for an audition while Ann unsuccessfully tried to pack and get the house ready to leave for the summer.
- June, July, and August- We lived in Richfield Springs, NY where Brian was an American Young Artist with Glimmerglass Opera. He covered Almaviva in the Barber of Seville and Ann and Colin went on lots of walks.
- September- home to Indiana. We took a little vacation at home, but also traveled to Chicago and Seattle to visit family.
- October- we are staying in Connecticut with my brother's family so Brian can be closer to NYC for auditions. When everyone is home, there are nine people and a dog. The cousins have a lot of fun together and we appreciate their family supporting the arts.
- Upcoming: We will be in Dallas November-mid December where Brian again is involved with the Barber of Seville (Dallas Opera). It a year of Rossini, all Rossini, all the time. You can hear Brian on his agent's website: http://guybarzilayartists.com/artist.asp?ID=80
- December- we hope to be home again in Indiana for the holidays, unless the condo sells and we become homeless.
During all of this time, I was making sure the baby was fed (a full-time job with a baby who is a slow nurser, seriously 8 hours a day when he was a newborn.) I have continued my work with the Esther Foundation but sadly, due to the IRS this job will be concluded the end of October. I have been doing a great deal of photography work. Brian is my photoshop editor and lighting designer and it is turning into a fun little family business.
So this is a little new and scary as I have not done much with blogs, but since we are always on the road as a nomadic opera family, we thought it might be kind-of a fun way to keep in touch. Is that kind of how this works? My main blogging experience has been when a nameless friend shares with me how she loves to look at stranger's blogs. It is high tech voyeurism. Anyway, welcome to Stuckihouse.
