I've resolved to be more consistent in updating my blog this year--great New Years resolution I thought! Unfortunately, at this present moment (which has seemed to last the past few weeks) I'm suffering for lack of interesting news... Work for me has been expanding-though I still only have 9 students at present, my web article writing has been growing quite a bit in the past couple of months. I'm now contracting with my boss to write weekly articles on music-related topics for the Piano Central Studios blog. I must admit that I've found writing about music education to be much more enjoyable that describing the benefits a certain brand of window awning offers...I am loving working with my little students. This next month my studio will be having a competition to see who can memorize the most number of pages. It never ceases to amaze me what a child will do to earn a candy bar or a 'special' pencil. :) At the same time however, it makes me stop and remember that it's the seemingly little things in life that are truly important--and if you're not looking for those little things, you'll miss the joy they can bring... In the kitchen, I've been experimenting some with some new ingredients. This past week, I made a French vegetable soup (soupe legumes de maman)that had, among a number of other things, leeks and turnips. As I really didn't know exactly what either vegetable looked like, I had quite a thrilling search through the produce secton. :) In addition to be rather tasty, the soup was beautiful just to look at! I thought I had made a ridiculous amount, but Daniel liked it so much it quickly disappeared...which was a good thing because otherwise it would have quickly lost its eye appeal. ;) I recently read a book entitled "French Women Don't Get Fat" (thanks to my good friend, Julia). Reading that book has motivated me even more to look at my cooking as a chance for exploration and as an avenue for expressing myself artistically. It's amazing how much your mind can influence your attitude and how you look at things... So...as our lives our short on news, you get a random update on the more mundane and typical events in our lives. :)