O-MY-GOODNESS! I got the most wonderful Mother’s Day present from my kids Monday night.
OK-yes, Mother’s Day is over, but almost everyone was out of town the weekend of Mother’s Day (see why here) and life is so busy and hectic as my family grows and travels and does what they do. So, last night was our first opportunity to get together to celebrate Mother’s Day for me, Tara, Steph and Jovan and to celebrate both Tara’s birthday (May 9) and Steph’s birthday (May 21) as a family!
We do this thing where we pick movie clips that remind us of the birthday-honorees and tell why. That is always a time of laughter and tears, lightheartedness and rich, prophetic meaning.
So, as we gathered after a wonderful laughter-and-chatter-filled meal, the kids said, “Before we start the birthday movie clips, we have one for Mother’s Day for you.” And…..
THEY COVERED MY FAVORITE PARTRIDGE FAMILY SONG OF ALL TIME!!! They got together, did rehearsals, learned parts and did, “It’s One of Those Nights (Yes, Love)”! Can you believe it?!!?
Here is what I know: Tredessa got the idea to do this when she came over and I was playing the song over and over and telling her how much I really love it a few months back.
- Tristan and Rocky put together the music and arrangment and got everyone going;
- Dave and Rocky added guitar and vocals; the girls learned the back-up singer’s harmony (and my beautiful niece, Elise, babysat for 3 hours one morning while the vocal recording was being done);
- Dan Wakefield added the groovy 70’s piano (though Jovan “played it” on the video);
- Stormie did the bass for real (and tried to act like Danny Partridge as she played on video); Tris played the drums (much better than Chris Partridge).
- They recorded the track (except for Rocky’s vocals) and then got together early on a Saturday morning to lip-sync to what they had recorded, using various camera angles. Rocky, who also “mastered” the final soundtrack, really hams it up, as his vocals weren’t there yet, but were recorded later.
- They said it got harder to smile the more times they went through it, but they are adorable – Tredessa parted her hair down the middle for the 70’s effect and Dave unbuttoned his shirt, as everyone dressed in their own 70’s interpretation because Stormie and Steph didn’t have time to put together whole Partridge family outfits for all! The boys pretty much dress like that all the time, though, don’t they? Ha!
- Then the amazing Tristan, producer extraordinaire, took all the pieces and cut and edited them into place and you have a video for me of my kids singing “It’s One of Those Nights!”
I LOVE IT!! Can you tell? Oh-I mean, they all got me other gifts – thoughtful and wonderful as always, but this – THIS is amazing!
You’ll notice that Stephanie is holding Gemma throughout the taping, and Rocky has Averi, and here and there, you’ll see Gavin and Guini and Hunter running around, so they are all there: my family, doing something time-consuming and sweet and over-the-top!
I can tell you this – I do not deserve this kind of work and love, but, wow, I am so honored! Thank-you, sweet Elise and Mr. Dan Wakefield (prince among men) for helping the kiddos do this for me!
And thank-you my sweet children for one of the funniest and most unique gifts I have ever received!
Oh, and yes-I have written about the Partridge Family before! See it here and even listen to some of their music!
I am blessed!…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: These kids are awesome! Proof of the grace of God in my life!
This ROCKS!!! Those really are the sweetest children ever. I hope that my grow up as well as yours have.
Hi Jeanie!!!
That was soooooooo incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a
fantastic bunch of kids!!!!!!! You SHOULD be PROUD
as I know you are!!!!! Thanks for sharing that with me. It is so
NEAT that your kids are so talented. Music
has always been so important in my life—since I was very little.
AND I “forced” Heather and Benj to be in as
much music as possible……..I made that SO IMPORTANT!!!!! If I
haven’t told you about how important it was
in my life……just ask??!!!! hehe Heather, Benj and I sang
at Gene’s sisters funeral —and his father’s also.
I love singing with my kids!!!!!!! Heather actually sang at Church
last Sunday…..had a lead part in one song
and did absolutely unbelievably terrific!!!!! Well, she is my first
baby …..hehe and Benj actually sang a song
that Trace Adkins sang a few years ago and soundly exactly like him !!!
That was back in 1990-something!!!! (I think the song was “the
Rest of Me” or some title close to that.
well, so much for that. I could go on and on!!!!! hehe My family
has quite an interesting musical background…..
anyhow, I think it is interesting. :):):)
enough of me…..hehe
luv ya.
jkp
Hi Jeanie, I just wanted to let you know that I LOVE the video of your kids! They really are an amazing group of talented people, you are so very lucky!! Happy belated Mothers Day. Hope all is going good in Colorado. Mom and dad say Hi, they were here last week for graduation. Well I would love to tell you more but I don’t want to keep you. Hope I here from you very soon. God Bless
~~Shauna Calkins~~
Jeanie, that’s fantastic! They did a pretty good job of lip-syncing, too! This is a sweet treasure.
My dearest Jeanie! I was so pleased to hear from you! I have been to your blog many times. I have laughed and I have cried! But I am so pleased to see that your family is so talented and so willing to work for the Lord! You are truly Blessed! May God continue to Bless you and your family till His return! With Love! – – -Uncle Don- – –
THIS IS SO AWESOME!!! What wonderful kids you have, but you already know that!It brought tears to my eyes. I could see the love they all put into it for a lovely mom. And I could see how honered you would be. I would never had known they were lip syncing it if you hadn’t told me. I just love this, I had to watch it again and again! Everything was done so beautifully! Wonderful job you “Partridge Family”! I do have to say your BETTER then the origanal group! Yes, much BETTER! I feel honored just knowing them all.
That was awesome! A beautiful gift for a beautiful mom with an amazing legacy being left in her children! Love you, friend, and am so happy that you were honored in this way! It was really fun to watch. :-)
HEH HEH that’s hilarious.
That is the coolest thing ever!
You are so blessed, dear Jeanie.
Joyfully,
Mandi Kaye
How wonderful! I am always amazed at how talented your family is. Thank you for sharing this with all of us!
That was great! I think they should do the Brady Bunch song when Peters voice is changing next.Lets see, Dave could be Greg, Rocky could be Bobbie, Tristan could be Peter ( just because I’ve never heard him sing). We’ll just let the girls arm wrestle for who gets to be Jan, Marcia , And Cindy.
Wow!!!
that was sooooo awesome!!!
I had tears too..that was such an amazing and thoughtful blessing–I am really happy for you Jeanie. Amazing and wonderful, job well done guys…
Just think, you have enough kids to have the whole band~I think we’d have to set up a couple of sock puppets and teach Germany how to play guitar to pull that one off!
I can’t stop watching it! I think I’ll have to download it. Its a great way to put a smile on my face.
Wow. SO COOL! What a gift–to keep and replay forever! You truly ARE blessed, and I am proud of your kiddos for honoring you in this way. (Makes me wanna have kids of my own!)
Your kids are awesome, and, yes, you do deserve it
Hi Sis-
A great family for a great Mom! Happy Mother’s Day!
So cool!!! So much fun!!! I watched with wide eyes & a BIG smile & tears just sitting at the top of my throat. Sooo proud of my neices & nephews (by blood AND marriage). Your children … much honor to you, wonderful mother & sister of mine! -Tami
Hey Jeanie!
Oh my goodness, I LOVE the video!!!!!!!!!!
Your family is the best, seriously!!! You are so blessed for sure!!! Your kids and grandkids are just so good in showing their love – for you and for everybody! I love how united they all are too! What an amazing present, just that! Anyway, I’m just melting here and feeling so blessed to be adopted into the Rhoades family – as they said last night! ;)
Love you guys!
It just doesn’t get any better than that! I almost cried for the time and effort and honor they put forth for you. If I had a brood such as that, I know I would have certainly cried…or more. I love this!
always loved this song, something so emotional about it, what a great version . what a mothers day present !!! fantastic.
always loved this song, something so emotional about it, what a great version . what a mothers day present !!! fantastic.
Loved your video, that is one birthday present. I happen to be a big Partridge Family fan, which comes of being a precise and particular age.
Belated happy birthday (well, can you be a year late for a birthday?)
Kev F
I’m an outsider who found this video on YouTube. It is epic! Congratulations to all involved, and I hope you do another Partridge Family song sometime, though I realize this may have been a once-in-a-lifetime performance. Somewhere above there’s a reference to lip synching. If it was, I’m dying to know: where did you get the version to lip synch TO? It’s an absolutely beautiful rendition of the song.