Zane's first trumpet concert

Okay--the last video went well, so here is Zane's trumpet "concert".

I started videoing, but had to hand it off to Rusty so I could take some snapshots with the camera.

Too busy to Breathe!!!

That's how I have felt for the past 7 days--I've been to town too many times, and when I have been home, I am being a referee (but that would be a separate post completely).

Tonight was a special night for Brienna & Zane. Let me tell you that our little school has an awesome music program--just not a lot of money. And this is the first year that music has been offered in high school. Our elementary teacher had been teaching band (although she doesn't play a band instrument besides piano & recorder) to the 6-8 graders the past 2 years, but not very many participated.

Needless to say, our band is definitely at a beginners level--it is comprised of 6th-12th graders. But the HS students haven't had band for years. I wish I had videoed the first concert--but if I did (which I might have) I don't have it labeled on the computer. It was about 4 weeks after having Benjamin & I was mighty sore still.

It was a nice concert--the band played, then the HS choir sang and there were a few piano solos. For intermission entertainment, the 5th grade band played. Let me clarify what the 5th grade band is. For the past 3 1/2 weeks, the kids interested in taking band next year (jr. high) were asked to attend an introduction class to the instruments after school for 1 hour, 2 times a week. Zane went every day the first week to decide what instrument he liked the best (M-W was for brass, T-Th for woodwinds) and he definitely loves the trumpet.

(Here is Emmalee restless and trying to be in all the pictures)

L-R: Matthew (Zane's good buddy), Zane, Diego, & Madeline (one of my piano students).

Okay--after the intermission songs (they played 3 and were surprisingly good), then the middle school choir sang.
(Brienna is waiting patiently for it to be the band's turn again)

Brienna was in the choir last semester, but unfortunately (small school syndrome) you can only take choir 1 semester because it is at the same time as PE (required for 1 semester). And band is offered at the same time as computer/keyboarding. So the Jr. High choir had 4 girls last semester, and 3 girls this semester.

Here's Zane tooting his horn :) Maybe someday if he keeps with it, his mom & dad will buy him a trumpet & then he will be tooting his OWN horn!! ;)

After the Middle School choir, the band ended with 3 more songs. The last 2 were their favorite songs.

Here are the 8 5th graders that played tonight--There are 18 students in 5th grade, and there were a few that couldn't make it tonight. (Rusty teaches these kids)

I hope this video works--this is my first attempt of downloading video onto my blog. This was the bands last song of the evening--and when they first started learning it, they "hated" it. (Brienna probably didn't because she is super talented and learns the songs in just a few days--rarely has to practice at home for the band pieces.) But the last month or so, they have come to love this song, and they all wanted this one to be the finale.

Let me tell you the rest of the story about tonight's concert: Monday after school (now Monday I was in town all day with Emmalee & Benjamin for his 6 mo. check-up & shots. We also went "shopping" and I barely made it back to teach piano--yes, I DID remember my students this time) Brienna handed me a paper about the concert (we knew about it before, but this had details of time, etc.) and it said she needed to be there at 6:30 so she could change into the band uniform. She also needed to bring 1 doz. cookies/dessert, and to wear a white-collared shirt, black socks & shoes. We bought the black shoes last fall for the marching band, but she hadn't needed a white-collared shirt before. She has plenty of white shirts--but no collars.

The only shirts I knew we had were the boys' church shirts--Callum's (way too small), Zane's (too small), Rusty's (too big) & Ethan's (way too big). I wasn't too happy because if I had known, I could have looked for a shirt at DI (thrift store) in town. Finally I had a chance to dig through the tote of clothes for Zane to grow into. And I luckily found a shirt :) I knew I kept those clothes for a reason ;)

But as Brienna was doing her last minute hair primping, she asked if I had made the cookies/dessert for tonight. I HAD TOTALLY FORGOT!!! If it doesn't get written on my calendar, then I don't remember things like that! I wasn't happy, because Zane said he too was supposed to bring a dessert too.

So I quickly made a double batch of rice crispy treats, nursed the baby and walked over to the school--(breathe, Michelle)!

Anyways, we survived the night. In the video, you can see how restless Emmalee is and a lady held Ben for a few minutes, but about 1 1/2 minutes into the last song, he started crying, so Rusty had to get him.

I think it is time for me to go and breathe myself to sleep--Good night!!

Snickers? Mr. Goodbar? M&M?

NOPE--none of those candy bars. Ah----I remember the name his uncle gave him--all dressed with his shades, "bling" & all-important-hat-on-backwards:

MILK DUD :)

(and he likes it!)

Wasn't it just Yesterday....

....that my baby was born? He is now 6 months old!

The kids dug out the Harry Potter glasses after recently seeing the trailer for the new movie out in July (17th).

He is a great eater--loves his veggies :)

Cool Callum was just in pre-school...last year? Nope--my special guy will be a 3rd grader in the fall! Where has time gone?

My baby Zane--just a few summers ago you were born (big, always hungry & active). Yep--that's still my Zane--almost 11 years old!

Ethan & Ben look a lot alike (baby photos--I'll have to scan E's baby ones). He will soon be a senior--& then off on his own (he is counting the days--even though there are more than 370).

We just looked at Emmalee's baby scrapbook last night. She thought it was Ben's except for a few where she had bows in her hair :)

Zane & Emmalee have similar personalities--goofy, active & always on the go.

Where did my little baby girl go? She is all grown up into a beautiful young woman! What a cute outfit!!!

Wasn't it just Yesterday....that I met my hubby, and we got married?

Good thing it is only today :)

Sad

I'm a little blue and a lot sad tonight. It's been a rough night at our house.

My precious oldest daughter just left me a note with a scripture from Alma (Book of Mormon) & an uplifting letter of love.

I need to be more like her.

I hope tomorrow is better.

Arrggggg! (and we're eating bugs!)

Arrgggg!!! Yes--I am Grumpy today :(

Because I want Spring--I can't go for walks w/the little ones because it is tooo cold (and snowing)

When will it ever stop???

Emmalee has resorted to eating bugs--

The "gummy" ones she got from Sunbeam class at church. :)

At least we don't have any snow left on the ground. Spring--where are you???

"Swimming", Braces, "Doos", & Cuteness

This is just a collection of some fun photos. These were taken during the week we actually had spring weather :)

First--Emmalee is in the back of the truck, wearing her swimsuit. When the weather was warm for a few days, the kids put some water in the plastic pool so they could go "swimming". Emmalee thinks she needs to go "swimming" again.

I filled this with dirt (from our land) for our Pack Meeting (Cub Scouts). We had a dinosaur dig (forgot to take the camera to pack meeting so no pictures) where they all used paintbrushes and uncovered skeleton dinos & dino eggs. Emmalee was thrilled to have the pool back--and it still has the dirt in it, although the pool is now in the yard, not in the truck.

The creek runs about 6 weeks during the year (and some years it hasn't' run at all). This is high, and although we have a fence by some of the creek, we don't have it by the dead end part of our road. The children have been really good about staying completely away from the creek.

Everyday when we are on our walk, we stop at the bridge by Grandpa's and throw rocks in (where it is safer). Thankfully it is way down again, and you can see the bottom.

I had to throw these photos in to show off Ethan's hairy legs new knee brace.

:) It is much more functional & really supports the knee cap.

He will wear this ??? for I don't know how long. Plus, when he is playing sports, he will be wearing some brace--not sure if this is the one. He goes to town every Friday for a while to physical therapy, and has been faithfully doing his "homework" (exercises) 3 times a day--and icing the knee.

Cutie Benjamin with Uncle Skeeter. He was hungry, and so wasn't too happy at being away from his momma. We try to get pictures of the kids with their relatives when they visit, since we don't see them very often (& w/one of the children, I never got photos of them w/their grandma before she got sick & died unexpectedly).

Now--this is the Emmalee I see often at my house. She has decided that since she is almost 4, she is going to go through her "terrible 2's". Most of our kids have gone through this stage at this age, but I miss her smile!!

And this one she didn't want anyone to see her at all. We had just taken out her 7 pony tails & her hair was wild!

This is Cool Callum--wearing his "bling" & sunglasses that he found (then accidentally stepped on & taped them together). They are now in the garbage.

This is one of the rare photos where Callum isn't smiling!

Uncle Skeeter was still at our house when I took these, and he gave him a "cool" name, but for the life of me I can't remember it (and everyone is in bed asleep or I would ask). I guess I'll have to post it later.

This is more like him--giggly. He laughs all the time. The other day the 2 boys got laughing so hard (and of course it was over boy stuff--"gas") that Callum started coughing and threw up all over the floor (yuck).

Oh--on the warmest day (it seems like forever ago, but it was just about 10 days ago) he came in laughing, and laughing, trying to tell me something. I couldn't understand anything, so I told him when he calmed down, to tell me. He tried 2 or 3 times, but couldn't stop laughing after the "Mom,....ha, ha..."

About 3 minutes later, Brienna came in and said, "Mom, do you know that Emmalee is running around outside without any clothes on?" And Callum started laughing even harder. Soo--that' what he was telling me :)

Here is Ben "swimming" on the ground--this is the "pick-me-up please" swim. We call it the Superman (or Super-baby) pose.

"How come it didn't work--it always works! Come, on! Pick me up. You know you want to!!"

How can you resist that adorable face and those cute chubby legs?

Ahhh--it did work! I'm on my daddy's lap ;)

Some pictures of Benjamin--playing on Ethan's bed (while Ethan is "babysitting")

Ben has found his feet--and loves them!

Yum, yum!

Ethan--I thought you were babysitting--not playing on the Nintendo DS!!!

Well, I got all the kids in here, except for Zane. Zane, where are you??

I Looked out the Window & What Did I See?

More SNOW flakes Falling Down on ME :(

Spring has brought me such a not-so-nice surprise--

Big, wet, snow-flakes falling in my eyes.

I can take a hand-full and make a ball.

I don't like this snow at all

It was really so

And it seemed to be

A Spring Snow Storm falling on me

;o