Wilder 5th Grade Band Field Trip

Yesterday, the fifth grade band students at Wilder Intermediate school traveled to Texas Lutheran University to attend a Band Contest/Clinic. The kids were not competing against other bands, but they were performing to a panel of judges who rated their performance and stage presence. For most of these kids, this was the very first year that they had touched their instruments! There they were walking in quietly, waiting on their director to seat them, and even performing 3 songs. I am going to attempt to post the videos that I took of their performance, however, I only had my small digital camera with me and it just doesn't do very well indoors with low light...so bear with the images, please!

The judge who spoke to the kids expressed his amazement SEVERAL times that this band was made up entirely of 5th graders! Each band came home with a trophy, and depending on their performance received either a participant trophy or an outstaning trophy. All 3 judges rated the band as outstanding!! They screamed with excitement when they were told this by their band director, Ms. Najera. They were soooo very proud of their trophy - they even named him "Bobby." Before we departed the school for the evening, I had to get a photo of Kyla and "Bobby."

FYI - In the videos...Kyla is sitting on the front row...she is to the right of Ms. Najera...her music stand is to her left. She is the third person from the far right of the row. Confused?? See if you can find her! :)

Band Performance - Castles and Kings

Band Performance - Primus

Band Performance - Tyrannosaurus Rocks!

Four Legged Family Member

Summer has tried and tried to wear me down. She asked and asked for a puppy for her birthday. She promised everything under the sun to me. SHE would walk it! SHE would clean up after it! SHE would....etc, etc, etc. Well, I gave in....sort of. She did end up with a four-legged friend for her birthday. A very tiny four legged friend.

Meet Lilly. She is a black dwarf hamster. She's fast as lightening and doesn't know what to think of our rowdy crew just yet. The girls have suffered a few nips on the fingers, but nothing that seems truly malicious....just self-preserving. Now that the girls can actually get her out of the cage I need to try and get a better picture. This photo was the day she came home with us and she pretty much curled up in a ball and burried herself in a corner of her cage. However, you can see from Summer's smile (blue from a Sonic slush consumed just moments earlier) that she didn't mind Lilly's hermit-like behavior. Welcome to the family, Lilly!

Piano Recital

For Kyla, this has been a year FULL of music. She began piano lessons last summer with Mrs. Teri - a friend of ours from church - and she began to play the flute last fall with the Wilder Intermediate Fifth Grade Band. It has been so much fun to see her share my love of both the piano and flute and I wouldn't be a BIT surprised if her skills surpass mine in time! She already shows signs of being a good sight reader!

A couple of weekends ago was Kyla's Spring Piano Recital. Mrs. Teri convinced us to do another duet...she likes to tease me by saying that she is preparing me to take her spot when she needs a break from the keyboard on Sunday mornings at church. (If only I could play by ear...or even by chords instead of just by music...that might not seem so frightening!!) The duet was to "This Little Light of Mine" and then Kyla played "Ode to Joy" by herself. She did splendidly on both! Although we did get off from each other on our duet at the very beginning, she kept playing until I could get us back to the same point - so much composure, that one!!

Kyla & Mrs. Teri

Photographic Proof of Our Duet

So confident and poised when it was all over...

A Beautiful Boquet from Granny & PopPop

Granny, PopPop, & Kyla

Sneak Peak - Summer's Recital

I'm stealing a few moments with the computer this afternoon to update my blog. What a GLORIOUS way to spend a stormy Friday afternoon! I have so many pictures to upload I can't figure out where on earth to begin. I think I'll start with a sneak peak at one of Summer's costumes for her dance recital THIS Sunday evening at Texas Lutheran University.
This costume is the one that the girls are wearing to perform a tap routine to "Fly Me To The Moon." They will also perform a jazz/pom routine to "Pump Up The Jam." I am amazed at what Ms. Kramm can teach the girls in less than an hour a week. It is just enough to keep Summer motivated and excited, but not too much that she...or the family...will get burned out!

Not Enough Hours In The Day...

Ever feel that way? That there just aren't nearly enough hours in the day to get done all of those things that you HAVE to do...let alone all of those things that you WANT to do?? I am feeling that way tonight as I update this blog. I love blogging! I really enjoy posting pictures and letting whoever (whomever?...whatever!) know my thoughts on any variety of subjects...but I am feeling like one BIG failure. My new year's resolution was to blog once a week, however, another one of my resolutions...the resolution to exercise 4 times a week...is getting in my way!

I joined the YMCA at the end of March/first of April and I have been going RELIGIOUSLY. I don't use that word lightly either...there is some sort of 'religion' to exercise. I have been at the 'Y' for AT LEAST 4 days a week. And when I went on the Women's Retreat a few weeks ago -- I exercised there...I jogged/walked...it was INSANE. I have found myself ENJOYING this exercise time...who knew!?! I have lost 10 pounds so far...but there is a loooong way to go before I get back in shape! So, please forgive if the blog posts are few and far between! I think that my blogging resolution will just have to take a back seat at this time.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not hanging up my keyboard...I'm just letting the one or two of you who read this ;) know that I haven't forgotten you...or my resolution. I just can't seem to do it all!