"We're the class who's really great, senior class of 88!"

Yeah...apparently, our class chant wasn't the most creative...but it rhymes, right? I had an absolute blast this weekend at my High School reunion. I haven't seen a lot of those folks since our ten year and some since High School. I had so much fun laughing and catching up. I took a lot of pictures...imagine that!

On Friday night we all met at the hotel and mingled and visited for 7 straight hours...CRAZY!

Shawna Duff Hutcherson, me, Dusty Waldrop, Joni Humphrey Taylor and Shannon Hosch Lawrence

Michelle Balthrop Box and I were drum majors for 3 years together. She's a nut! Her laugh is exactly the same as it used to be.

Shawna (who was my singing partner all through school) and Kirsten were some of my best friends.

On Saturday afternoon I drove out to the house I grew up in. After my father died, my mom sold it in 99 or 2000. (It was so hard to see her leave that house.) I drove up in the drive way and the owner was outside so I got out and introduced myself. He said, "Oh, you're the guy who's feet and hand prints are in the cement in the backyard by the shed!" He took me back there and showed me...two small hand prints and feet prints with my name and a date (1977) in the cement. It almost made me cry! He was so kind. He showed me all around---even the barn where he had painted a big Texas flag on the side. He even invited me inside and allowed me to take pictures (which I am not posting here out of respect to him, but if any of you old friends are reading who remember our house, email me and I'll send some to you. It's crazy different!)

I shared some history with him that he never knew. I told him about the banisters and columns being from my great grandparent's house and that my grandfather had built our barn (which he said was very well constructed). It was quite a trip down memory lane. It honestly was one of my favorite parts of the weekend. Here are a couple of pictures of the house from front and back.

I also stopped in to see the Lorenz family. Ronnie and Darla were my parents' best friends since before I was born. I had a nice visit with them. I miss them a lot.

Saturday night was our reunion dinner out in Buffalo Gap at Perini's Ranch. It was a beautiful night and a lot of fun! It was such a blast to reconnect with old friends and hear about each person's journey and life. Some have fallen in love with Jesus since High School and it was especially cool to hear about their lives.

me, Jayme Baker, Shawna Duff Hutcherson, Shannon Crowe Zachary, Steve Denton

Terry Brooks Lovelace, me, Kirsten Bond Deiley, Dana Rogers Dunn

Mike and Heather Walvoord

Shannon Hosch Lawrence, Dana Rogers Dunn, Tracey Street Justice, Kirsten Bond Deiley

Eric Balthrop and me. Eric was a great friend in HS.

Mark and Tonya McClellen and me

Michelle Balthrop Box and I were looking at yearbooks and I think here I was saying, "Who in the world is that??" How can 20 years erase memory?

Cari Moore (wife of Matt Moore), Heather Walvord, me and Mike Walvoord. I loved seeing them!

As always, Shannon Hosch Lawrence, Shawna Duff Hutcherson, Shannon Crowe Zachary and I had to huddle and offer commentary on the entire weekend. I laughed until I almost wet my pants. Dusty Waldrop was a bundle of energy and everywhere at once. And Kirsten had to be rescued. Some things never change. And...I actually saw a man riding a horse down the side of South 1st downtown. Gotta love Abilene!

Another blessing in the weekend was having a nice long lunch with Mike Cope on Saturday. He's such a true brother and friend. I really don't know what Sheryl and I would do without him and his pastoral care and real honest friendship. It's so rare to find someone so willing to share their own failings who's also willing to walk through thick and thin with you. Mike has been that for me for more than 15 years. I love him!

Today I am flying home. West Texas is beautiful in its own way...but nothing like the rolling hills and lush landscape of Nashville. The beauty of Abilene is directly connected to the hearts and lives of those who live there. The people are what makes it so lovely. And that is alive and well!

Idina Menzel

Idina Menzel who played Elphaba (the green witch) in the original Broadway cast of "Wicked" and who also starred on Broadway and on screen in RENT is in town tonight. The Producers at Gary Musick were all invited to see her and so we're all going. I really love her voice and have for a long time. I am interested to see what the show will be like.

Meanwhile, rehearsals are going well. This cast is great and seem to have wonderful working relationship with each other.

Last night Sheryl and I sang at Otter Creek with Bobby Colvert and some of his blue grass friends (who were all amazing!). It was interesting being back there and in that room. But, it was geat seeing faces and hugging friends we hadn't seen in a while.

ZOE clips....I promise, they're coming. I just have to have time enough to load them!

Thank you, Amy Westerman!

ZOE Recording and SPIRIT rehearsals

Thanks to Chris Yoakum (our most excellent engineer) we had an awesome studio this year. We normally record at 1st Avenue Sound in Franklin, but it was booked this year and so we ended up in a different studio. It was awesome! Take 6 and Boys to Men recorded here and it is GREAT for vocals.

One problem though...in the mixing room, there were these low hanging orange lights. I about knocked myself out every single night. I even cracked one by running into it. We all know I wasn't blessed with grace in walking. I'll dance all day, but ask me to walk and I might kill myself or take someone else out.


Chris and BST
ZOE---the last night of recording (we were missing Philip Organ). Randy Gill was with us some throughout the process too. He wrote a song around the Fearless theme...INCREDIBLE!

Meanwhile, my Norwegian Cruise Line SPIRIT cast is in and we are deep into rehearsals. We're living in the Broadway show this week. I've got Hairspray songs flying around in my head!

The cast of the SPIRIT on their first day--pictured here with Claire (choreographer) and me.

L-R...Jeff Petitt, Dean Reilly, Shane Gould, Megan Scully, Amy Bloom, Zoie Morris, India Payton-Granderson, Topher Burks, Claire Williams... and in the front row...Carissa Bellando and Vicki Surtees. It's a great group!

ZOE recording rough clips coming soon!

Foncho Loves Hairspray part 2

Go down and read post number one and watch that video first.

Foncho Loves Hairspray

The Norwegian Cruise Line "Spirit" cast arrives today. Tomorrow we hi the ground running. I love these shows so it should be really fun. We've got an exceptional cast coming in.

Meanwhile, the cast out there right now is counting the days until they get a little break. Here's a clip from one of their shows called "On Broadway". This is a clip from "Hairspray".

In the news...I've mentioned some things about the funny things my kids say. They are constantly cracking me up. I may have mentioned that Sam made up a new word... "Foncho". Early on it was a derogatory term used to describe the girls when they made him mad. Now, like most words, it's taken on a life of its own. It is now a term of endearment as well...kind of like "Buddy". I have to admit that it's so catchy, I've adopted it myself. Come to find out, "Foncho" is the name of a hip hop Hispanic artist...as well as a city in Africa. Who knew?

Recently, while staying with a sitter, Ella was watching High School Musical. During "Get Your Head in the Game" she asked the sitter if she had seen "that boy with hair under his arms". The sitter nervously said yes and Ella continued, "My mommy has hair under her arms just like that boy--but maybe more than him." (Sheryl actually gave me permission to tell this!)

We are hopefully finishing up recording tonight and tomorrow. We're trying to get 4 more songs completed. Tonight we'll shoot for finishing:

*What Can I Do

*Revelation Song

It's Monday...4 more days til my High School reunion back in Texas. Anyone want to guess which number this one is? Who knows, maybe I'll make out my name tag as "Foncho".

High School Musical and l'Ete du Vin

Last week the girls and Sydney went to High School Camp. Yes, it exists. They had a blast. Friday afternoon they did a final performance and rocked it out! It was so fun!


This whole week Gary and I have been preparing for l'Ete du Vin...Nashville's very successful wine auction and fund raiser for the American Cancer Association. The ball room at the Loews Vanderbilt hotel was transformed. Gary did a GREAT job in pulling off an absolutely beautiful evening! I was glad to get to partner with him for such a great cause.

Thomas Arvid is a famous artist who donated his time and this painting to the auction. He's such a nice guy. Check out his website...amazing. http://www.thomasarvid.com/

I'm guessing this bottle of wine is much more valuable closed than open (check the date--1879). But I wonder...what WOULD it taste like? Turpentine? Overall the event raised about $500,000 for cancer research. It was a great night.

We're home this morning with sick kids. My new cast for the Spirit comes in tomorrow. I am looking forward to meeting them!

I am experimenting, thanks to Kevin, with putting video clips on the blog. This is a small clip from the Interstate Batteries show last month in Washington D.C.

Recording has been going well! We've done 9 songs now...

Mighty to Save
At the Cross
Hosanna
Sing, Sing, Sing
Beautiful Jesus
Majestic (Lincoln Brewster)
God of This City
O Church Arise
Stand and Shout

We are producing the l'Ete du Vin wine auction this week...check out their website. http://www.nashvillewineauction.com/ It's an incredible event and raises a lot of money for a very worth cause. It will be a long few days, but it's going to be a beautiful event!

Meanwhile, the JADE rehearsals are going well. The shows are coming along nicely and it's been great to meet the guest directors in from NYC. Patti Wilcox, a well-known choreographer, is here working with the cast this week. She's a delightful person. You can find out more about her here....http://www.stepsnyc.com/faculty/wilcox/

I am gearing up for the arrival of the new NCL Spirit cast who comes in this Monday. We'll begin with orientation and rehearsals on Tuesday. Its hard to believe it's already that time! Here we go!!

This is a repeat post from April 2006. Someone had sent me some funny record covers in an email and I posted my favorites. I saw these the other day and laughed again, just like I did the first time. Enjoy...


Bless. How does one respond to that question?


Well, hello, Joyce.

The subtitle of this record should be "Fiddy Cent, the Pre-quel." (notice the green sticker)


OK...scare me. Butch...put the axe DOWN!


Can you imagine the conversation around the marketing table when they were working on this album cover?


Don't miss this toe-tapping, hand-clapping, upbeat record.


My personal favorite. Could they not find a better name? I mean, honestly.

The day after I posted those, Amy Westerman sent this to me as a joke. This is how I feel on the inside just about 97% of the time. :)

Recording was long last night. We recorded...and then RE-RECORDED an entire song because I didn't like a change we had made rhythmically. It was completely my fault...and we did it enough throughout the song that it required basically a re-do.

Tonight we're back in the studio. Pray for us!

Happy Birthday America AND Maddie!

Last night we ended up at Lipscomb University for the 4th of July Celebration. One of our buddies, Zach Wilson was singing there and we went to support him and watch the fireworks. It was a BLAST! We had a lot of friends there and the kids reunited with many of their Otter Creek buddies. The weather was perfect too!

Zach (on the left) is recording with us this year in Jason's place. Jason is too busy to record this summer and Zach stepped in. He's doing an awesome job!

Maddie and Daddy!

Darcy, Ella, Maddie and Sam

The kids all looked hilarious after eatng their "Rocket pops". Sam shows his blue hands.

I captured his of Kevin and Kiki. I love this picture!

Today is Maddie's 7th birthday. She had a home "Libby Lu" party. She had such a great time and Sheryl threw another great party.

The girls started upstairs in the play room. They had music blasting and were dancing. I thought at one point they would come through the ceiling.

The troops are ready downstairs with the pillow cases that Sheryl made for each girl with their first initial. This was one of the stations where they stuffed pillows.

No "Libby Lu" party is complete without the make-up. Here's the make-up table.

One of Maddie's favorite friends...Hannah Smith (friend at school and At Fellowship)

Maddie's birthday buddies

Inspired by "The Princess Diaries", Sheryl lined the staircase with mattresses and the kids all screamed and slid down.

The others waited at the bottom and cheered!

After make-up, pillows and sliding, the kids made bath salts and lotions.

Maddie and her life-long best buddy Sydney Williamson. (Maddie keeps reminding me that she's known her as long as she's been alive)

Maddie's birthday cake

Happy Birthday, dear Maddie!!

Sheryl did a great job planning everything today! Maddie and everyone had a blast. Thanks to Kevin, Kiki, Nikki, and my mom for all the help today.

After the party we packed up and went to see Kit Kittridge...American Girl. It was cute. I would recommend it to families...especially with girls.

Prayers

We got word this afternoon that Sheryl's mom was taken to this hospital. They think she may have had a heart attack. She is in a hospital in Batesville, AR. Sheryl got to talk to her and that was a relief, but the doctors don't exactly know what's going on. Please pray for her.

Recording

We've had a very productive week so far in the studio. We have the better part of 4 songs done...

* Mighty to Save
* Hosanna
* At the Cross
* O Church Arise

Because of the holiday we'll take a break for a few days and resume next week.

On a different note, my girls go to "High School Musical camp" next week. They are beside themselves with excitement. They will get to learn dances, songs, and work with stage make-up all week. I'm sure I'll have some stories.

Saturday is Maddie's SEVENTH birthday. SO hard to believe! She is so beautiful and such a joy. We'll be celebrating God's gift to us this weekend. More on that later.

Happy 4th of July, friends!

ZOE Songs

Some of you have asked what songs we're working on. I thought I would throw out some of them as a teaser. :)

Mighty to Save
At the Cross
Hosanna
Sing, Sing, Sing
Beautiful Jesus
Majestic (Lincoln Brewster)
Captivate Us
I Have a Hope
Jesus Saves
God Of This City
O Church Arise

Tonight we begin!