Saige's band thing

Our league does this band thing where they get all the schools together, they learn a few songs and they put on a concert together.  Each band has pre-learned 5 or 6 songs, but they come together and work with a clinician to perfect the songs and then they have dinner and play together.  Yesterday was the junior high league band music festival.  Saige was going, so I volunteered to drive the bus, because that was probably the only way I would get to see the concert.  

Now it goes without saying that I love music education, I love band, I love seeing kids have a creative outlet, and a place that they belong in the school system.  I firmly believe that band, choir, and art are underfunded, underappreciated, and underrated as a way for kids to express themselves, belong to something that is not sports, and critically important to education as a whole.  And yes, I am a nerd.  I was the choir kid.  I was the non-athletic kid who found both belonging, and friendship amongst the choir nerds.  I liked the competition and the comradery.  I still do.  Eric used to make fun of me - telling me I liked all the parts of 4-H and school that most people hated.  The speeches, the daylong competitions with people singing and dancing and the art shows and museum field trips  I used to tell him "most people" were missing out.  And truly, they are.  It is magnificent to take a room full of 252 junior high aged kids and get them all on board to do anything together - much less to get them to concentrate on it, and actually accomplish it.  I enjoyed the day.  I liked the music.  I like seeing the different styles of band direction and the things that these kids are accomplishing even though band is generally an afterthought of education.  Each school played 1 song, and then they played 4 songs together as a whole.  I am glad I volunteered to go!

Also, shout out to the band directors.  The love of these kids, commitment to music education and level of patience it takes is astounding.

 

Also - the lady with the gray hair - was yesterday's clinician.  She talked too softly for this age group.  BUT her patience and skill level was over the top good.  And the concert at the end was also really good.  I regret that I did not catch her name....only that she has been a Lawrence band and music educator for 45 years.  That is one hell of a commitment.

A fun Saturday

Longstanding mom rule. You take my phone and take weird photos- I am posting them.  

But on to my regularly scheduled programming here.  

Lil Dale made his first trip to the farm yesterday.  He had a lot of new faces to see, and a few familiar ones who wanted more baby squishes.  

I’m happy Colin and Spencer made the trip and shared the baby for a while.  He is so sweet.  

He tolerated the insanity so well!  

He met a couple of his great grandparents.  And a couple of his aunts and uncles too! 

And a couple of his cousins are definitely smitten. 

I enjoyed the day a whole lot!

Of course I don’t think it is possible for me to have a chance to hang with my people and not enjoy the day!

And I’m glad they came up yesterday when it was in the 60’s and beautiful outside.  Today it is sleeting, rainy and basically grody out.   A good day to watch a movie, putter around the house and do some much needed catching up of the laundry.   

 

Is this February?

Today was one of those unseasonably warm, absolutely gorgeous, make you have spring fever kind of days.  A day that I needed to be cleaning and cooking and getting ready for the weekend, as we have people coming for lunch.  But I couldn’t.  I had to be outside.  Lil Dale and the girls spent the day outside too!  Dale even caught a fish! 

About 8 years ago, or maybe even longer, I was looking for some bar stools.  I hated the ones at the store, I hated the prices for the ones I even moderately liked, and I just couldn’t bring myself to pay much for them.  I went to an auction at the home of a Longaburger basket dealer.  I was able to get my hands on 6 barstools for $2 each.  Deal of the century!  And I liked them.  Except they were painted weird.  As in they said things like “God bless America and Longaburger baskets” and my personal favorite - “a tisket, a tasket, a Longaburger basket.”   Now you may be asking yourself “who doesn’t want something like that?” And the answer is me.   And for the last 8 years, I have been saying I was going to paint them.  I had something in my mind.  Whimsical colors. Fun, bright bar stools.  And I have done nothing.  Enter today, and a sudden desire to do the project, but zero desire to go to town for paint. Inspired by what I had on hand, I spray painted the first one black.  I loved it!   So I just did the  rest as well.  Not whimsical. Not bright, but definitely an improvement!   I am out of paint, and missing one bar stool (def  ia  a kid room someplace).  But I am very delighted that they turned out so pretty and yes, I am glad the weird basket theme is gone.  

And now, after time in the sun, I am feeling like more spring projects need to happen and I hope that the weather cooperates!  But as a lifelong Kansan, I know that is plain silly. 

 

Stuff

My little buddy is 2 months old now!  It is amazing what this little guy has been through in 2 months!  He seems to be growing and happy and that is the best!  We love you Easton!  Can't wait to see you soon!

 

I am very thankful that Colin and Spencer send me so many sweet photos!  

The girls got bunk beds, are now sharing a room, and the room was painted very beautifully!  They were pretty excited about it!  

Saige has had a sort of rough week with stomach issues and we ended up in the ER with her.  I think we should note that the healthcare system in this country is 100% broken.  Did she get good care, with good advice?  Yes.  But I cannot see why it was necessary to make an ER visit.  Our pediatrician just said that she did not have the tools to help her, and that she needed to go where they did.  I  know what she is saying, but a 3 hour visit to the ER for some stomach issues is not really what I wanted.  Now, the ER was full of sick people and we have been unnecessarily exposed to a plethora of what?  Who knows.  Hoping our immune systems work.  And it is just unnecessary.  Saige is feeling a bit better now, so I am glad we were able to get help for her. 

This dog was supposed to be my baby.  She loves Harper more though.  :)

School is out for the week, as it is parent teacher conference time.  I had a meeting last night to enroll Harper for her JUNIOR year!  Whatever is happening needs to slow the heck down!