Cincinnati Summer : Florence Freedom

The Reds aren't the only baseball team in town!   

A couple of weeks ago we headed down south (not significantly - only about 20 minutes, really...) and hit up a Florence Freedom game.  The Freedom are the AAA of baseball teams and at least half the price to attend.  Soren was free and they have a small playground section if kids get restless.  The baseball is much slower paced (not literally - time slower, there just aren't all the bells and whistles at the Red's game) but still a lot of fun to attend.

Soren had a blast eating all the terrible food you can expect to find - and shouting 'Ohhh Baseball - you're out!  Safe!' and my personal favorite 'CHARGE!!!' 

We had a blast! 

Lumenocity

40 hours in 3 days.  Yep!  And a huge thank you goes out to my mom for bussing in town and being such an awesome  Grandma for the weekend - taking such amazing care of our little one and bringing him by work so I could get my fix.  They even attended both the dress rehearsal and first performance - Soren loved it!

This event was breathtaking, beautiful, colossal and humbling to be a part of.  For those that may not have had a chance to see the show, here is an excellent trailer and review from the weekend.   And yes - that is on Gramophone's website!

I was hired to record the music for the YouTube videos being released next month and the documentary scheduled for release in the late fall.  I had the pleasure of working with Elaine Lee Martone - Grammy award winning producer and just a straight up, fun chick to hang out with!  The music was phenomenal.  The musicians played with so much heart and it was humbling to see 35,000 people cheering them on this weekend.

I am proud and honored to work with an organization, conductor and group of talented artists capable of conquering such a weekend.  I am looking forward to the rest of this season and our recording projects soon to come!

photo courtesy of the Cincinnati Symphony facebook page 

Toddler Tea

We have coffee... and Soren has 'milk tea'.   

Rick and I have coffee every morning - it's our time together and our routine.  Soren started showing interest in our mugs and would say 'coffee? hot?', so I thought, why not? Isn't about time Soren joined in on the morning ritual?  We love food and I hope to pass down that appreciation to Soren.  More on the routine of food later...   

So I fished around on the internet for good, warm toddler drinks and found this recipe: 

1 cup milk (we use whole 'cream top' milk or raw)

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon  

1 tbsp honey

We warm it in a small pot and whisk vigrousely to combine the ingredients and get that fluffy consistency.  If you have a milk steamer (connected to your fancy espresso machine) that would be a good alternative too!  Nuking I feel gives the drink a sour taste...

It's Indian in origin and so good - sometimes I offer it in the evening if he didn't have some in the morning and make a double batch for myself!  I love his yellow-cinna-stache after a whole mug! 

He loves it.  So now - 'momma's coffee, Soren's milk tea'.  He asks for it by name and helps make it at the stove!