Friends on Friday- Alicia

Alicia is beautiful on the inside and out, it almost makes you want to hate her. She is actually impossible to hate. She is so sweet, talented, and just an overall good woman. I am honestly jealous of her because she has a BA in Theatre Arts already.  But she is just so darn likable and lovable. She and I are both artists, actresses, wives, and mothers but she has the added bonus of being some other great things that you will find out below. We are determined to meet in Ashland one day, but it hasn't happened yet.  So, for now I will just harass her by interview.

A beautiful woman and a little boy who adores his mama.

N: Could you tell me about yourself?

A: This is always the hardest question for me to answer because there are so many factors that make up who I am. I earned my BA in Theatre Arts from San Jose State University in 1999. Twelve hours after graduating, I hopped on a plan to do ranch work in Colorado for a couple years and then returned to California where I worked as a barn manager and educator for the Humane Society of Silicon Valley before returning to SJSU earn my teaching credential. In 2005, I earned my MA in Education Administration/Supervision from CSU Chico and married B, my soul mate. We have two boys – W (3 ½) and C (1 ½) – and they are my world. 

The family

I am an artist, actress, rancher, wife, teacher, and mother. I have a hard time finding time for each part of myself – so for now I am focusing on being the best wife, mother, and teacher possible. As my boys grow up, I would really like to get back into acting and someday start an educational ranch.

N: What are you passionate about?

A: I don’t know if this will make much sense, but I am passionate about the creative process – be it art, poetry, acting, or teaching. I absolutely love to create and explore. I am not good at following paths that have been set for me…I need to create my own. I get a rush out of making new things – websites, lessons, stories, etc.

I had to throw in one silly picture because she jokingly told me not to.
Here she is as Concita in Last Cha Cha for the Bahama Mama

I also love inspiring others to help make a difference in helping Earth. I believe that every little action makes a difference and that everything and everyone is connected. I filmed a documentary in Yosemite National Park in the 90s and hope to someday bring it all together with current footage and interviews.

N: What was a defining moment in your life?

May 30, 1999 – hours after graduating from college, I hopped on a plan to Colorado where I had never been before. Several of my friends were moving to Los Angeles to make it in the movies or they were staying in the San Francisco theatres (I managed a show at the time in SF), but I decided to leave and pursue my passion for horses and ranch work as the Kids’ Wrangler at Elk Mountain Ranch in Buena Vista, Colorado. I cannot fully explain what happened, but I made a decision for the benefit of my future family. I wanted to begin a life that I could share with others. Acting in and managing shows every weekend and doing late night radio work did not lend itself to having a family…so I left that life behind. 

The following year, I met Brandon and as life has turned out, I know that it was the best decision I have ever made. Do I ever wonder how things would have turned out had I gone to L.A. or stayed in SF? Absolutely! Do I long for the spotlight…the stage…the rush of acting? Definitely! But looking at my boys and hearing them laugh as they ride our horses reminds my why I hopped on that plane so many years ago. And I know someday I will return to my first love!

Here she is with her soul mate.
(Her bouquet is full of my favorite kind of roses, she has good taste)

N: Wow, you are amazing. Excuse me for being naive but what is an educational ranch?

A: I don't know about amazing, but thank you.

You are not naive - my concept for an educational ranch is not very well known, and I don't know if there is a ranch out there already doing what I hope to someday do. I would like to take the idea of a guest ranch/dude ranch and expand it to include an educational component. Part of the year, it would be open for traditional family vacations and the other part of the year it would be reserved as an outdoor school. Classes could visit for a day up to a week to experience ranch life and all of its connections to science, writing, art, math, history, etc. It would essentially be a hands on educational facility.

N: Would you mind sharing some of your poetry or a short story?

A: Oh, gosh, it is hard for me to open up and share my writing because it is usually so personal...but here goes...

Here is a little poem that I wrote just over two years ago, in memory of a dear friend (and my mentor) who passed away on 11-11-09. It isn't earth shattering, but it was a healing poem for me...words often help me heal:

Some sights cannot fully be captured in a picture…
…the brilliant orange hue of a glowing full moon
…a herd of deer grazing peacefully in a misty meadow
…the calm of a glorious lake after Winter’s first storm

Some emotions cannot fully be captured in words…
…the never ending impact a teacher has on a child
…the pain of watching a friend lose her battle with cancer
…the love one person can feel for another

These moments cannot be captured…
…they must be lived
…they must be honored
…they must be remembered

Through art and writing, Nancy taught me to open my eyes and take in the world for all of its beauty. She taught me to believe - in others and in myself. I am eternally grateful for her presence in my life over the past 20 years. Her memory will be honored and remembered.

And another one that I found - it is actually a song that I wrote for another friend, Tom, who passed away in December of 2005.

Dancing With Angels

Your time came too quickly,
I never even said goodbye;
Not that I would have anyway,
I never believed you would die.

I hope you're dancing with angels,
and they hold you close in their arms;
I hope you're dancing with angels,
and I hope they sing you this song.

About hard times and how you got through them,
About freedom and finding your way;
About always being true to yourself,
No matter what people may say.

I hope you're dancing with angels,
And they hold you close in their arms;
I hope you're dancing with angels,
And I hope they sing you this song.

About good times and laughter and romance,
About friendships that never will fade;
How someday we'll all be together again,
And I'll tell you what I meant to say.

I hope you're dancing with angels,
And they hold you close in their arms;
I hope you're dancing with angels,
And I hope they sing you this song...
...Oh, someday I'll sing you this song.

I really do write about things other than death...but I am an emotional writer and for some reason these were the two that I could easily find/remember quickly. I do have a book of several songs that I have written over the years. Someday I will find the courage to share them with others. I am actually learning to play guitar right now so that I can put music to my lyrics...it will be quite some time though before that happens. I am not a natural. lol.

N: Those were wonderful, thank you for sharing them. I appreciate it. What is your favorite thing about being a mother?

A: Absolutely, positively everything. I never would have expected that having kids would be such a powerful experience, but it is - and I enjoy each moment. I love hearing the laughs and giggles and watching my boys explore and try new things. I love the hugs and the silly stories and the constant questions. I love watching my boys ride their horse and make messes with paints. I just love watching them grow. Life is such a miracle and my crazy, adorable boys are the best.

Alicia with her boys and one of their horses.

In an odd sort of way - I even enjoy the tough moments like sleepless nights. When times are rough, I remind myself that they will only be young once and that the fact that they are alive and breathing in the middle of a long night is a miracle to be thankful for. (W's lungs collapsed at birth so I think I value every breath more than some, and a dear friend's 2 year old just survived cancer/5 months of chemo. I truly value each day with my boys for the gift that it is.) I just love being a mom and knowing that I get to share my life with my husband, watching (and helping) two boys grow up. I like to say that my job in life has become to raise two future Mr. (W)Rights.

Thank you...from the bottom of my heart... for sharing your personal stories through your blog, for interviewing friends, and for inspiring me.

Family is the best.

N:  Alicia, I am honored to be YOUR friend.  Thank you for sharing your poetry. It was beautiful as are you. Thank you for encouraging me to follow my dreams and not making me feel silly for pursuing them.  I am grateful that you are in my life and I look forward to being your friend for the rest of our lives.  I think your idea of an educational ranch is inspiring and I am in awe of your talents as a mother.  I look forward to seeing you succeed in your endeavors. Thank you for reminding me that our choices are what defines us, so we must always choose the good and that choosing our families is always the best choice. What can I say except, I adore you.

Theatre Thursday- Kiss Me, Kate

Publicity shot for Kiss Me, Kate

Kiss Me, Kate was the first musical in which I have performed.  I played Lois/Bianca and it was a lot of work but very fun. It was put on by the Gilbert Fine Arts Association and directed by the same man who directed The Hasty Heart. It seemed that we had several obstacles put in our path to put on this show but it was fun nonetheless.  It is a show about a theatre group that puts on a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. This is what Chris Page from the East Valley Tribune had to say about my performance:

 ...a lovely actress and Hale Centre Theatre regular who earlier confessed to me she was more nervous about her singing than doing scenes of Shakespeare — proved she’s got worthy stage pipes and a command of the stage that allows her to walk away with the show in ditties like "Always True to You (In My Fashion). 
(I can link you to the full article upon request.)

I wasn't just nervous. I was terrified.  I had been extensively trained in performing Shakespeare but had just started some vocal lessons.  Now, it was not a perfect performance. I listen and watch it now and I can see areas for improvement.  I always think I can do better and try to do better. I think I would change some of my vocal choices now but, it was what it was.

On the night that Chris Page saw the show, I was a mess before hand.  Then something clicked and I didn't care anymore. I decided to go out there and give it my all.  I wish I had a copy of that performance so that I could compare it to the one I've got.  It was electrifying.

Vocally, I don't feel that "Always True to You" was my strongest song in the show.  But, it seems to be the only one that I can pull off of the DVD at the moment, so you are stuck with it.

So here it is for your viewing pleasure?

And part two:

By the way, the guy you hear laughing at times is my good friend Jere.  Thoughts? Criticisms?  All are appreciated.

Whatever Wednesday- Blessed Dressed

I scored the deal of the century the other day.  I happened to go into JCPenny and they had a rack of 97 cent clothing~ 97 cents and I couldn't resist.  It was all women's clothes.  And although it was mostly summertime clothes, some of it could be used to layer. I also found a dress that was almost identical to one I was going to buy during the summer but couldn't justify the original $60 price tag.  You heard that right, I got a sixty dollar dress for 97 pennies.

I wore it for the first time on a Sunday and my hubby couldn't resist taking a picture.  He is notorious for trying to take pictures of me at my worst, so it was nice for him to actually take pictures when I was dressed up.

Me turning around wondering what the hubs was up to.

So, I finally turned around to get a proper picture and J2 decided he needed to be in the picture.  I had to leave my sunglasses on because it was actually a sunny day and the sun was shining in my eyes.  I would have liked to have some black sunglasses but I haven't found any good ones that I like for a decent price. But other than that I actually really liked this outfit and I can't complain about the price at all.

This 97 cent dress served as a reminder to me of the many times that I have been blessed.  It is amazing that since we have lived in the 5th wheel that I simply express some silly desire that I would like and God seems to grant my wants in miraculous ways.  I had a desire to feed my kids more vegetables and the next week without me expressing this want to anyone I was bombarded with more veggies than I knew what to do with. On another occasion, one of my kids were in need of shoes and I was going to hot glue the sole to get them to last a little bit longer and then he was given a pair by someone.

When we knew that God wanted the hubs to go to Nursing school, we had no idea how we would be able to afford it.  Then we were blessed to find out about the Ford Family Foundation Re-Start scholarship.  He was eventually awarded this scholarship that pays 90% of all the total costs of attending.  We have truly been blessed.

So, now I find myself wondering how in the world an old gal like me is going to compete with 18 year olds for  a spot in the SOU Theatre Arts BFA acting program.  I know it is what God wants me to do but sometimes I have no clue how it is going to happen.  Then I remember the things I have been blessed with and realize that with God all things are possible.  Even though, I have been told that it is nearly impossible for a transfer student to get into the Acting program, I am reminded by a quote I saw on the internet that is credited to Audrey Hepburn in which she says,

So, I will banish my doubts and trust in the Lord.  You should do it too, it works wonders.

Trailer Trash Tuesday-Dream home

Last night I had a dream that we had found a house to live in Medford.  It wasn't anything fancy, it was modestly priced.  It also came with beds in each of the four bedrooms, I was really excited about that in my dream.  Of course, upon  waking I was thinking that it would be kind of gross to use other peoples beds. There could have been bed bugs or all kinds of nasty stuff.

In the dream, the former owners of the house had left a bunch of their stuff, Ammon and I looked at each other and said "Garage sale!" It was a nice dream though, because all of the kids had their own full sized bed.  We also had a washer and dryer.  The kitchen was full sized.  Then things got weird because suddenly we realized that someone was sleeping in our master bedroom.  The man woke up, he had a full white beard and looked like a cross between my music teacher and Santa Claus.

He explained that he was a private investigator and  had been staking out a neighbor.  He had been told the house was abandoned and wouldn't be sold soon.  He was actually really nice, but it was still creepy. We then sent him on his way.  I awoke and despite the weird things, I was left wide awake wishing the dream was real.

But, alas it is not.  I can't spend my day wishing for something that cannot be right now.  I must enjoy the time we've got left in the trailer, because we are over halfway done. Off to fold laundry, do some Punnet squares and conquer the Biology lab today. I hope your day is great too.

Mommy Monday- An Amateur

Why is it that despite being a mother for 12 years and having four children that they make me feel like an amateur mother?

I love my kids, I really do.  Their teachers love them, they are good in public.  I swear though that once they climb up our metal stairs and into our home, something clicks in their brains and they turn into little monsters.  I guess it means they feel safe to act however they want.  It also seems that their ears stop working. I have to ask them to do things three or four times. Even when I use love and logic, I still have to repeat myself over and over again.

Then suddenly, one of them will run over and give me a hug and a kiss. They tell me that I am the best mom ever and my heart just melts. And everything is right with the world.

Friends on Friday - Nicole

Nicole is a strong woman of faith.  She thinks she is boring but I just think she is fun.  She is devoted to her husband and her children.  She is crafty and just plain cool.  I think that is part of why some of us like to call her Coolio.  Any how, I'm just grateful she is my friend.

So, tell me about yourself:


C:  I'm a stay-at-home mom to two crazy kids, and wife to an amazing husband. Joe and I have been married for 6 years. G is 3 1/2 and is the quintessential princess and girlie-girl. A is 22 months and is all boy. Rough and tumble should be his middle names :)

 

N: What are you passionate about?

C: My passions include making our home a safe and comforting environment for all who enter, reading, praying, listening to sermons, finding new adventures for our family and baking.

N: What do you like to bake?

C: I love to bake cookies, bread, biscotti, caramel rolls. Anything really :)

 

N: What is your favorite recipe?

C: Probably my pumpkin bread with chocolate chips.

N: I'll take some of that, please.  Have you ever had any cooking disasters?

C: When I was about 16, my mom and I tried making these decorative Easter eggs by dipping small inflated balloons into melted almond bark. Well, the balloons kept popping and spraying the bark everywhere. We finally gave up, but the entire kitchen, ceiling, counters, as well as the two of us, were covered in splatters of almond bark. We still laugh about it today!

N: I think I've seen something like that on Pinterest. I'll have to stay away from that. It is great that you can laugh about it now.  Family seems to create some of the funnest memories. What is some of your favorite family adventures?

C: We love to play outside in the summer, take walks to the park, have picnics, or just have tickle fights in the living room.

N: I think those are some of the best adventures.  What is one of your favorite memories of your children?

C: One day, I was washing dishes and A fell and bonked his head. G went up to him, gave him a huge hug, kissed his forehead and said, "It's okay, buddy. I'll always take care of you." Melts my heart just thinking about it!

N: That is so sweet. Aww. You mentioned you like reading. What is your favorite book?

C: Honestly, the Bible. I love the relevance it has, even for us today, the promises, comfort and peace it brings. 

N: Amen, to that.  I know that you just adore your husband.  What do you think makes him such an amazing husband?

C: He's humble, honest and hard-working. He cares for our family in so many ways, from working his butt off to provide for us financially, to playing with the kids, to making me leave for some time away. He's constantly striving to become a better man, husband and father. He's funny, smart and Godly. He's truly the biggest blessing in my life, and he makes me a better person just for knowing him.

N: Wow, it sounds like he is truly worthy to be your husband. I think it is great that you have each other.  You both are wonderful parents. What do you enjoy most about being a mother?

C: There are so many things that make me smile about our kids, but I can say the thing I enjoy most is the fact that I'm the one at home raising them. I get to see their interactions with each other, see their eyes light up when they learn something new, instill our values and teach them about the Lord. I love that I know them better than anyone. I love that my kids are best friends, and I pray that continues long after they're raising their own families.

N: Thank you so much for letting me interview you. I think you are all the things that a child could wish for in a parent.  You are truly blessed to have such an amazing family and I am blessed to have you as my friend. Thank you for helping me remember that with God all things are possible and what a blessing it is to have mothers in this world.  You are an angel.

Theatre Thursday- Hale Centre Theater, AZ, The Hasty Heart

It seems serendipitous that with Friday being Veteran's day that the next show I did took place during WWII.

The show is The Hasty Heart by John Patrick.  If it sounds familiar, it is probably because it was one of the movies that Ronald Reagan played in before he became president.  Another fun fact is that James Earl Jones played one of the roles originally on Broadway.

It takes place in an Allied mobile surgery unit toward the end of the war and centers around a group of wounded soldiers from various countries.  The cast is predominantly male. In fact, there is only one woman in the show, my character Margaret, who is a nurse from England.  The unit is a peaceful and enjoyable place to be until a surly Scotsman is admitted.  Unbeknownst to him, he is only expected to live a couple weeks due to having only one barely functioning kidney.  All the other soldiers know about his condition and try their best to  make his last days as best as possible.  Of course, the nurse and the surly Scot fall in love. But the truth has to come out about his fate and conflict arises.

Publicity shot by D. Dietlein

The cast was so much fun.  It reminded me a bit of my childhood and growing up with five brothers, very entertaining and rambunctious.  The show is filled with the harmonies of many different accents and it was fun speaking with a British dialect. Eric who played the "Lachie" the Scotsman just nailed the accent and was great in the role, all the critics loved him.  The show was directed by Charlie L. and stage managed by our mother bear Siobhan.

Besides, the accent, Margaret was a challenging role.  She must try to remain detached and despite knowing what she knows about his condition and his inevitable death, she can't help falling for Lachie.  We had some  emotionally charged scenes that challenged me, but I like to think I did well. I received good reviews from the show.  Chris Page from the East Valley Tribune said I was:

A splendid actress and a crush-worthy cutie, Mathias is used to playing wooers to difficult men at the Hale, in both the comedy "The Man With the Pointed Toes" (which will come back to open the theater’s next season) and as Scrooge’s young flame in "A Christmas Carol."

Later the show won an Honorable Mention for Best Drama in the Tribune's Spotlight awards.  I also got an Honorable Mention for Best Dramatic Actress that year for my role in this play along with Man with The Pointed Toes.  Funny enough the woman who won the actual award was at the time married to the man who played Hamlet to my original Ophelia.  She made an incredible Maggie in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and I was honored just to be mentioned as being in her company for the award.

Here are some more backstage pictures from the show:

I forgot to mention that Eric was gone for a couple shows and we had Carson S. fill in.  I was his first stage kiss, if I remember correctly. He was so nervous but did a good job in the role. I remember overhearing some old ladies leaving that said they thought he did great and they wouldn't have known he was an understudy. He is the one in the black shirt.

I also just recalled that it was the first time I got to have a dressing room all to myself and so I put up a gold star on it just for fun.