Be Right Back

Really, I still exist, just busy being a mom. Be back later.

Band Contest

In preparation for the state wide band contest, all of the two of the Jr. Highs did a small concert at the high school. The high school band director listened and them stepped in to give his critiques and suggestions. It was interesting to watch how he interacted with the kids. You could just tell by watching him that he was a great teacher and loves was he does.

Monday Nights

Madison began taking acoustic guitar lessons in April of last year. She wanted to play in the high school jazz band, so in August, she also began playing bass guitar.
For her birthday in October we bought her a bass guitar and amplifier of her own. She has done a wonderful job of being able to read treble cleft (for acoustic guitar) and switching to bass cleft (for bass).
She has 1/2 hour lessons once a week and we drive 20 miles to the town where her teacher is. Yeah, he's worth it. He plays and teaches both acoustic and bass (a rarity). He pushes her to do better, but also tells her when she does great.
The real practice began in January when the high school began hosting an 8th grade jazz band. She is the only bass player for 8th grade and playing with a band is different than playing by yourself. So every Thursday after school she has been going to jazz band practice at the high school. Some of the high school jazz band members stay to help with the 8th graders.  We have found out that there are only two bass players in high school. She has learned soooo very much during this time and she is stoked about being able to play in the high school jazz band.

Dress Rehearsal

 Madison had dress rehearsal for her dance classes and it is the first time that we get to see everything put together, hair, makeup and costumes.

The group dances are particular about how their hair must be done and it is usually a challenge. This year the hair was supposed to be done in a side messy bun. Um, yeah, easier said than done.

 Here is Madison before we began any part of the process.

 I couldn't get the bun done at all, so I called my uber cool, fashionista friend Becky and asked her how to do one. She told me to You Tube "sock bun." I thought she was nuts, but it was amazing. I used two pair of socks, but I made a perfect bun and making it messy was the easy part!

 So this is Madison with her full hair and makeup (minus the lipstick, that came later).

Her and her friend Mikayla waiting for their run through of their dance.

We discovered many costume issues on this day, that's why we have dress rehearsal!

A Boy's Right of Passage

It was one of those Saturday's where Spencer was cooped up inside the house and we were out of interesting ideas of ways to keep him busy. Flipping through the TV, we found Star Wars. Madison and Justin love Star Wars; not the goofy episodes 1-3, the ORIGINAL from Mr. Lucas twenty or so odd years ago.Spencer slowly crawled up into the couch and the initiation began.

• He did not move (like for 45 minutes straight. For a three year old, that is like forever).
• He did not talk (again FOREVER).
• He did not ask for a drink.
• He did not ask for food.
• He didn't have to go to the bathroom.

He was HOOKED.

Obviously, after the movie ended, everything became a light saber and all evil things were Darth Vader. Life without Star Wars no longer exists. He has passed into the boyhood swinging a light saber.

 

March Madness

I think every March I have had a post with the same title, March is crazy. So, many things going on that I have had NO time to post anything to this poor lonely blog. I am going to try and get things back up to speed, bear with me.

Calendar of Events

I am a planner. I like to know things waaaay in advance so they get on my calendar. My calendar is full and color coded. Did I mention my calendar is FULL to the brim? No, I am not a social butterfly. In fact I don’t even have a social life. My second home is in my van toting Madison around to her gazillion events. We wouldn’t have a gazillion events IF we were told about many of them waaaay ahead of time.  We would not have over-committed if we actually knew about some of this stuff, but many of these we are given a week or two notice. Hardly time to figure out how to clone yourself and daughter.

You see, it is easy to commit your child to an activity in August when your calendar says March is clear. It is a lot harder to continue the activities (that you have already committed to) when school and church throw in activities that you knew nothing about.

So, we try and get to everything we are supposed to. I try and make sure that Madi is eating well and getting her homework done. But weeks, upon weeks of running around to and fro, something is bound to happen.

She is S.I.C.K.

Madison is my healthy girl. She rarely gets sick, but when she does, it is bad. So the running around has finally stopped. No dance class, no school, no extra Saturday dance class, no church and no confirmation classes. Period. End of Story. She isn’t going anywhere. Mom and dad aren’t going anywhere.

We all need a Red Bull to get through March and then we should be good, that is until marching band starts in May……