If you were alive when it happened, you’ll never forget where you were when it did.

In remembrance…

Now it is Laney’s turn to have some artwork hanging up.  This was over the weekend at one of the district libraries.  Just can’t say how proud I am! ;D  Being an artist ROCKS!

I think it is extremely interesting how things get pass on through a family.  One of the things that runs in mine is that we are artists.  My grandmother was an artist.  My mother is one.  I’m one.  Both girls got it too.  It’s one of the most favorite things about me. ;D  The girls have other things they are good at too…but I’m glad they got this particular talent to go along with the others.

Ava had one of her pieces of artwork chosen for the district art show for the county.  It is a very big deal. ;D  We went to look at it on Saturday.  They are all displayed at the large mall in the area.  It is the first one she has had displayed outside of school.  Laney has been chosen a couple of times.  This go around it was Ava’s turn.

Congratulations…you go girl!

Ava’s concert last night was…wonderful.  AND.  Not without its own set of mishaps. ;D

Does everything go perfectly?  I could write all about the good stuff and never the bad.  But as it was put to me recently, “Why lie?” ;D  Jeni…I’m thinking of you sweetie!

As a parent you try to set everything up so your kid does well but there are just some things you just can’t foresee.  Like…

When they get up on stage and are all ready for their part…and they don’t have a key ingredient for playing their instrument…a bow.

Oy.

And you have to watch in agony as they just sit there with the rest of the orchestra playing.

And your child is not.

And they have worked for weeks and weeks on this.

I was sick inside.  But I’m also a do-er.  As in I cannot just sit there and watch things go down, especially where my kids are concerned, and do nothing.  I just can’t.

So in between numbers she looks down at me and I’m like mouthing, “Where’s your bow?”  And she points to the conductor and mouths, “In Mr. P__’s room.”  I knew they weren’t done yet and it was worth at least investigating to see if I could find it and get it to her.

So I went looking.  I found it.  Went back stage and had a student deliver it to her in between songs.

She was able to finish with it.

All that said…not to take away from anyone else because Ava was, I’m sure, nervous as this was her first performance ever and I’m sure that played into forgetting an important part of her instrument…the concert was absolutely wonderful.  I’m so impressed with every kid!  Wow.

Even my kid.  When she realized what she had done she didn’t freak.  She had desperation written all over her face but she just sat there like she knew what she was doing and acted all professional.  She plucked when she could and just didn’t bow…until I got it to her.  There wasn’t too long of a time ago she would have slumped down and pouted and just been an absolute…well jerk.  And stayed that way.  All night. ;D  She has really pulled herself together recently.

Sometimes. ;D

Two days in a row…I’m not sure what to think or do with myself. ;D  Today the flow of photos was so different from yesterday.  I have given up trying to determine how the day is going to go and what I’m going to take photos of…I did that when I did a Week in the Life project.  When I try to control things they just don’t come out as well as when I let go. ;D  I started out taking photos of the sunrise and ironically ended the day taking photos of the sunset.  Both were stunning.  I also let Laney open her birthday presents 1 day early.  I know she would want to open them first thing tomorrow morning…and with the craziness of getting ready for school it just wouldn’t be practical.  There’s also no way on earth she would wait all day till she got home.

The words on the second page of this layout come from a song called Remember Me by Kutless. (Song link is under layout if you want to listen.)  It isn’t particularly a Christmas song.  But I was reminded today that Jesus came this Christmas season.  He “left Heaven to save liars and theives, sinners like me.”  So glad.

Someone in this house is learning to play the cello.

I also happen to know that she is in the school orchestra.  She has a Winter Concert coming in a few weeks that she is practicing a lot for.  I also happen to know that the sound of a cello echoing through my house is one of the most delightful sounds e-v-e-r.

Oh…and I have it on good authority that she happens to be sounding quite good these days.

Observations about Thanksgiving this year…

Having 2 ovens for Thanksgiving ROCKS.

The girls are old enough to help bake pies.

What did we do last year for Thanksgiving when I was so sick?  I don’t remember.

The girls eat more and more of the Thanksgiving meal every year. ;D

We don’t use the dining room much…but when we do I love having it.

We are watching It’s A Wonderful Life with the kids for the first time.  I LOVE this movie.

I love my family.

I am happy.

At the new house there is a gigantical maple tree out front (well there are several out back too) and the girls were so excited about this because they knew come fall we would have a yard full of leaves.  They have been raking and raking the last few days…making these huge piles to jump in.  Oh how I remember doing that as a kid.  And burying myself in the piles.  My girls do the same thing.  I love the smell of the leaves.  And I love it when they come inside with their hair full of leaves.

It has been unseasonably warm this weekend.  It kinda feels like summer.  Shorts and t-shirts are the wardrobe of choice.  So naturally your first thought would be…

“Mom?  Could we PLEASE sleep on the trampoline tonight?” asked Laney in the most humble voice she could muster.

“Laney.  It’s November.  You will freeze to death out there at night.  No.  You cannot sleep on the trampoline.”

“But wwwwwwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy??????”

“You can do it in the summer when it is warm…if you can ward off the mosquitoes.”

“We can cover ourselves with a big blanket!” exclaimed Ava.

They ran off to plan.

…my little Kia can 4-wheel.

But only to a certain point.  And not without major scrapeage on the side steps.   We took it on this trail…

After we decided to not drive it any further we parked and hiked.  We were looking for dinosaur tracks.  We’ve seen them before.  We found more this time (compared to 2008) because when you explore on foot you seem to find more than hanging out the car window.  Go figure.  ;D