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About Me

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Hi, there!  I am Leann Carlson McClain.  I was born in the sweet state of South Dakota in the 1950's.  Raised on the farm, I consider myself a country gal and enjoy living where the air is clean and quiet solitude is around me.   

     My husband Mark & I have lived in Texas since 1983.  We have 2 daughters, Christina & Rebecca, 1 son-in-law, Rob (Becca's husband), and 5 grandchildren, Christina's children Stephanie, Mark, & Becky's children Emma,Sydney,Olivia. 
    

A new little one to adore
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Sydney Laine and Mormor

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Director of Music
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Leann Carlson McClain 2015

I enjoy my job as a music director
 
 

Harpsicord, Spinning

     I grew up on a farm belonging to my grandfather, in rural South Dakota.  I remember lots of family get togethers with the cousins as I was growing up.  There were trips to the lake for fishing and swimming and much visiting back and forth, especially at holiday time. 

     I went to school in Revillo, South Dakota, 3 miles from my home.  I was baptized, confirmed, and married all in the same Lutheran LCMS church in Revillo, where my parents were married.  I always enjoyed music as a child and have had opportunity to perform in public since the age of 3.  I went on to study music at Concordia University (back then it was Concordia Teacher's College) in Seward, Nebraska, and upon graduation in 1976 taught band at Denver Lutheran High School, Denver, CO, for a few years until my eldest daughter was born. 

     I stepped out of the classroom for a couple of years at that point and then we moved to Key West, Florida, where I was music director for Grace Lutheran Church and School for a year.  We then moved to Giddings, Texas, in 1983 and continue to live in the area to this day.  I once again stepped out of the classroom the year we moved to this community for the birth of my 2nd daughter, Rebecca.  I went back to teaching in a multi-grade 6,7,8 classroom for a year in 1991-92 and then to Immanuel Lutheran Church & School from 1992-present as their music director and teacher for band and music.  I  play the organ, have 2 bell choirs, 2 bands, a brass choir, a children's choir, and an adult choir as part of my duties.        

     I have done a fair bit of traveling to many places in this world over the years, and have lived in South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Florida, and now Texas.  I have been to many foreign countries including: France, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Greece, the island of Cyprus, Lebonan, Egypt, Israel, India, Thailand, Japan, the Philippian Islands, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Canada, and Mexico. 

     As  church and school music director, I find myself to be very busy, especially at holiday time.  I also taught piano for 20 years.  Now I teach music and band to Lutheran elementary students and have done so for many years.  My greatest joy is seeing the excitement in the children's faces when they discover they can play their instruments.  From time to time they stop back in to see me or call me and tell me how they are doing, which is also a great reward.

     When time allows, I very much enjoy genealogy research, playing or singing music of all kinds, listening to classical music, being with my family, stained glass making, sewing, doing crewel embroidery, machine embroidery, quilting, traveling with my husband, creating pastel drawings, and spoiling my grandchildren at every chance.


 

  

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Our loving God gives us His Son....
 
Mark 1:1-3
 
     1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
     2 It is written in the prophet Isaiah:
          Look!  I am sending My messenger ahead of You
               to prepare the way for You.
          A voice is calling out in the wilderness:
               "Prepare the way for the Lord;
                 make the paths straight for Him."
 
Luke 2:1-7
 
     1 In those days Caesar Augustus ordered that a census be taken of the whole world.  2 (This was the first census while Quirinius was governing Syria.) 3 Everyone went to register, each to his own town.
     4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to David's town in Judea, which is called Bethlehem, because he was one of the descendants of David, 5 to register with Mary, his fiancee, who was going to have a child.
     6 Now while they were there, the time came for her to have her baby, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son.  She wrapped Him in baby clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
 
God's Word to the Nations New Testament

Want to know more? 
Go to:

The reason we see joy in sadness and a hope for tomorrow.  He is risen, Alleluia!!!!
 
Luke 24: 1-12
 
1 Very early on Sunday morning the women came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.  2 They found the stone rolled back from the tomb.  3 but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  4 While they were troubled about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in clothes that were shining with the brightness of lightning.  5 The women were terrified, and they bowed their faces to the ground.
     They asked the women, "Why do you look among the dead for Him who is alive?  6 He is not here; He has risen!  Remember what He told you while He was still in Galilee:  7 'The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful men, be cruicified, and rise on the third day.' "  8 They remembered what He had told them.
     9 Having returned from the tomb, they reported all this to the Eleven and all the others.  10 It was Mary from Magdala, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told the apostles about these things.
     11 The apostles thought that what the women said was nonsense, and they would not believe them.
     12 But Peter started out and ran to the tomb.  He bent down and saw only the linen cloths.  Then he went away, amazed at what had happened.
 
God's Word to the Nations New Testament

Red Tumbling Mug

 

Here are some of my favorite recipes:

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Lasagna

 

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1 tbsp. whole basil

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 1-lb. can tomatoes

2 6-oz. cans tomato paste

10 ounces lasagna noodles

2 eggs

3 c. fresh Ricotta cheese

½ c. Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

2 tbsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Brown meat slowly; spoon off excess fat.  Add next 5 ingredients.  Simmer uncovered 30 min. stirring occasionally.  Cook noodles in large amount boiling salted water till tender; drain; rinse.  Beat eggs; add remaining ingredients, except mozzarella.

            Layer half the noodles in 13x9x2 inch baking dish; spread with half the Ricotta filling; add half the Mozzarella cheese and half the meat sauce.  Repeat.  Bake at 375 degrees about 30 min. (or assemble early and refrigerate; bake 45 min.).  Let stand 10 min. before serving.  Serves 8 - 10.  (note:  can reduce the amount of salt if desired)

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Broccoli Casserole

 

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 3 oz. package cream cheese, softened

¼ c. Velveeta cheese

1 c. milk

2 10-oz. Pkgs. Broccoli spears, cooked and drained

1/3 c. Ritz crackers, crushed (about 10)

            In a saucepan melt butter; blend in flour and cheeses.  Add milk; cook and stir till mixture boils.  Pour mixture over broccoli.  Place in a casserole dish, top with cracker crumbs.  Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 min.  Serves 8 – 10.

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Carrot cake

 

1 ½ c. vegetable oil

1 ½ c. sugar

4 eggs, well beaten

3 c. grated carrots

2 c. unbleached flour

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. bkg. Powder

2. tsp. Ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. Nutmeg

2 tsp. Ground allspice

1 c. Chopped pecans

1 c. golden raisins

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting

½ c. margarine, softened

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 c. sifted, powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

            Cake:  Cream oil and sugar.  Add eggs and carrots, and mix well.  Mix dry ingredients.  Add flour mixture to carrot mixture, a small amount at a time, beating well.  When blended, add pecans, raisins and vanilla.  (This mixture will fit into Cuisinart processor.)  Pour into a 10x14 inch greased and sugared pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.  (can also use 3 8 inch cake pans or 12 c. bundt pan) Cool slightly before frosting.

            Frosting:  Combine margarine and cheese with sugar and beat well.  Add vanilla, mix well and spread on cooled cake.  Note:  Travels well.

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Mom’s Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Beat together:           

5 eggs

1 ½ c. sugar

3 c. scalded milk

Cook this mixture until it thickens and then cool.

Add 1 tsp. vanilla and ½ tsp. lemon or almond extract.  Fold in 2 ½ c. heavy cream, whipped.  (In the electric ice cream freezer it isn’t necessary to whip it.)  Follow instructions for your electric ice cream freezer or crank the old fashioned way!

 

 

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Oven Easy Chicken

 

1 whole chicken, cut up

Garlic salt

¼ c. flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. pepper

1 c. chicken broth

Rinse chicken and pat dry. (optional-remove skin)  Sprinkle garlic salt over both sides of chicken, combine the rest of dry ingredients and dip chicken in mixture.  In 9x13 pan pour ½ of the broth and place skin side down in broth.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Turn and add rest of broth.  Cook 30 minutes more and serve.

 

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Fruit salad

 

Drain:

1 can peaches

1 can tropical fruit or other favorite canned fruit

1 can fruit cocktail

1 can chunk pineapple

1 can mandarin oranges

In a large bowl mix all the drained fruit and 2 bananas, 1 cup of your favorite nuts, 1 cup coconut if desired, and 1 can cherry or peach pie filling. Place in a clear glass bowl and top with additional coconut.

 

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Favorite entertainment
 
I enjoy going to antiques shows, museums that feature art, traveling to visit other cultures, reading books, live performances of musicals and plays, orchestra concerts, playing in large and small ensembles, and going to movies.
 

Here's a list of some of my favorite movies:

 
Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Fantasia, Out of Africa, Star Wars, James Bond (yes, all of them), My Left Foot, and many more.

Violin Playing 1

My interest in music is vast, but here are a few of my favorites:

Classical from Baroque to Impressionists:
Johann Sebastian Bach, Vivaldi,  Clementi, W A Mozart, Peter Tschaikovsky, Sergei Rachmanninoff, Maurice Ravel, and Claude Debussy 
 
 
20th Century:
Aaron Copland, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin
music by the performing group Canadian Brass
 
1970's and later:
 Chicago, Carpenters, Bette Middler, John Denver,  and many more.
 
I also enjoy good musical theatre and live concerts.  One of the most memorable concerts I got to see was in Denver when Aaron Copland directed.
 
I enjoy playing several different instruments.  My best and my favorite is the clarinet.  I also play the organ, piano, alto, soprano, tenor, sopranino, and bass recorders, French horn, trumpet, trombone, baritone, flute, oboe, and saxophone.  I also play a little guitar - though not very much.
 
I love to create things with my hands.  Crewel Embroidery, stained glass making, machine embroidery, quilting, and sewing are my favorite things to use my creative juices.  I have sold many of my stained glass pieces to people and have done sewing for the public, specifically wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses.  I do longarm quilting for clients.  I also enjoy drawing with pastels.

Permission to use the composition "Behold A Host Arrayed in White" was granted by the composer, Dr. Charles W. Ore.