Orchestra

This was the first post I wrote but I have been unsuccessfully trying to upload a video of the concert.  I decided to go ahead and post it without the video for now.

Yet again I find myself several months behind.  I get stressed trying to post everything in chronological order.  I know that the only way I will ever get caught up is to just start posting in random order.  So before I finish off summer and the last few months in Indiana, we are going to fastforward to this past weekend

We were worried when we moved here about Orchestra.  Katy has been playing the violin the last 2 1/2 years and I didn't want to see that end but some of the schools here did not have an Orchestra program.  We were excited that things worked out to live in the Ohio County school district since they had the best Strings program in the area.  Not that the decision was made for that reason but we were grateful to end up here for many reasons, orchestra included. Katy ended up being selected to be in the First Annual Ohio and Marshall County Honors Middle School Orchestra.

 She wasn't sure she wanted to participate since it required spending 2 normal days off at the high school all day.  She came home from church the weekend she was deciding and said they had talked about choices that day and she had decided not to do it.  We asked her what made her decide that.  She said her class had learned that sometimes you have to make a choice between a good thing and a better thing.  Again we asked what the bette thing was in this situation.  Her reply was: staying at home and playing with her siblings.  Although we were glad she gets along with her siblings we hated to see her pass up this opportunity.  We reminded her that she had gotten several snow days the week before in which she stayed at home at played all day.  Jared said if she chose not to go he would support that decision but that we were going to go to the concert as a family and he wanted me to take the kids on a culturally enriching activity on Friday instead of staying home in our PJs all day.  In the end she decided to participate and we were very proud of her.

Two days of practice may not seem that intense but at the concert the conductor had us hold our hands in the position that was needed to play the violin and then asked us to hold them there for over 10 hours.  Point recieved!  Those kids worked hard mentally and physically those 2 days but the their efforts were well worth it.  I was amazed at how beautiful they sounded.  Katy's decision paid off in other regards too.  She had outgrown all her white shirts (the required attire for the concert) so ended up scoring a new white top out of the deal.

 I was quite impressed with the High School Auditorium. It was huge and beautiful.

Katy was nervous about the whole experience and especially the concert. I love how at the end of the concert you could see her exhale deeply.  She was definitely relieved it was over.

Canning Jam

Shortly after we came home from vacation the girls started bugging me to go berry picking since our blackberry jam supply was getting low.  We had missed the peak of the season and only found one place that still had u-pick berries.  We loaded up that day and went to get some berries.  The older girls helped with the whole process.  I think that was a first.  Usually, the get bored and I end up finishing myself. Here are the fruits of their labor.

After we finished Xandy came up with a plan based on her experiences in southern Utah, her love of berries, her love of horses, and the area we drove to to pick the berries.

She wants to buy a giant farm or ranch.  Dad will quit his job and will farm.  We will raise all kids of fruits and vegetables.  We will sell the produce and canned goods.  We will have chickens, cows amd pigs. We will also raise horses and give rides to people to help earn additional money.  Grandpa and Grandma Reed will come live on the farm/ranch since Grandpa kept looking for a place like that to move to.  She wants to be homeschooled but since she knows I don't want to homeschool, Mima and Pop-Pop can come live there also. Mima can homeschool the kids.  (Katy wasn't so sure about this idea...she likes her school athletics) Xandy was excited that with both grandparents living there she would get to see all her cousins everytime they went to visit grandparents.  I think at one point the idea of having a bed and breakfast was discussed.  Xandy and Bella proceeded to divide up the chores like collecting the eggs, milking the cows, and feeding the animals. No one really wanted to clean the horse stalls.  I get to bake and sell pies and other baked goods.

I explained that if we had a farm we wouldn't be able to leave for vacation.  They explained we would have a pool and all our family would come see us with the grandparents being there. I asked what about going to places like Disney. Too which they patienltly explained that we wouldn't all leave at the same time.  If we wanted to leave it would have to be when both sets of Grandparents were there and vice versa.  They really thought this through.

A couple of days later after finishing the first jar of jam and washing it out, Xandy made an impressive realization.  She turned from the sink and said "Mom, we will have to charge more for our jams since we won't get the jars back to re-use.  We will have to just buy more jars and charge more to make up for it"  I was impressed that a 9 yr old came up with that.

Not a bad plan if they can get all the adults to go for it.  So far, they haven't been too successful.

First Day of School

Katy started 6th grade at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. I think her mom was more nervous than her.  The middle school was bigger than my high school was! Of course, that doesn't take much.  Her bus came at 6:45 which is waaaay to early in this Mama's opinion. I am not a morning person!

The early hour wasn't be bad when the sun was out but as winter set in it was a killer in the dark!  The bus stop was at the end of our street.

Bella started 2nd grade a Memorial Elementary.  Her and Alenna somehow managed to end up in the same class again.  You would think the staff would've been smarter with class selection but they were thrilled!! They were in Mrs. Arndt's class

Ms. Xandy a.k.a Alex started 4th grade in Mrs. Schoff's class.  Mrs. Schoff's husband was one of the craft hired by Jared's company.  Which also meant, she knew we were moving before we were ready to tell people.  We ended up telling the kids earlier than intended so it didn't accidently come out at school.  But, more on that later.

The worst part of the first day of school was that the bus was running late for the other girls and I had to teach a class.  Rachael shooed me on my way so I wouldn't be late and put the girls on the bus.  I guess thats what happens when your boss is at the bus stop.  I was sad that I didn't get any bus photos.  I don't think they cared.  I guess the front door picture will have to suffice.

Uncle Alex Comes Home

The much anticipated weekend arrived late August. Uncle Alex returned from his mission. The kids and I drove to Avon and met Mima, Pop-Pop and Alex at the Crushers Field for a game.

Can you tell someone was happy to see his Uncle?



Weston was spending a week at Mima's and Pop-Pop's.  His dropped him before heading on a baseball trip.  They went to 2 games that Friday in Chicago which is why Jared wasn't with us.  He stayed and went to the later game with Nicholas and his friend. They drove back to Cleveland Saturday and went to an Indians game.

The kids got to run the bases after the game was over

 

Fun with Great Great Uncle Bob

 

Great Grandma B, Uncle Alex and the kids (notice how Jacob had to have a hand on Alex)

Alex and his little shadow!

Cousin being cousins- apparently Bella was Weston's dog

Our Chef in training Xandy was taking orders for brunch

Walk-a-thon

Memorial's annual walk-a-thon was affected by the weather yet again this year.  This time the decision was made to move it indoors.  The grades took turn walking in the halls and doing activities in the classroom.  I leading Bella's class in some fitness type activities while they waited their turn to walk. One of the mom's said "wow, you are a natural at this, you should teach fitness"  I had to chuckle as I told her that I did.

 Bella's teacher Mrs. Arndt (with Bella below)

 Xandy with her teacher from the year before Mrs. Coyle

 One of the things I loved most about Memorial was that Jacob wa always welcome to tag along.  Mr. Case the principal even took time out to always make Jacob feel special.  Jacob had to come with me during registration while the girls were at piano lessons.  Jacob was sitting on the floor in he library next to the desk I was filling forms out on playing on Jared's tablet.  Mr. Case came in and sat down on the floor (in his suit) and played with Jacob for several minutes.  Jacob could hardly wait to start school there (kind of sad we left).  Mr. Case teared up on the girls' last day when I picked them up- which of course made me almost cy.

 Bella's BFF Alenna

 Halloween 2012-
 In 2011 we had 11 trick or treaters.  Our neighborhood doesn't get a ton of trick or treaters but a lot of it was our location (1 of 3 houses on a side street that was never finished being developed).  It was depressing to sit there all night with my bucket of candy, see people debate coming down the street only to end up passing by.  I didn't really want to repeat that again but I felt bad taking my kids out if we weren't passing out candy.  As it turned out my friend Rachael had to work that evening.  She is the fitness superviser at the fitness center I worked at in Chesterton.  They live in a much more central location in our neighborhood.  Her husband couldn't take Alenna out and pass out candy. So,  Alenna came with us and I no longer felt guilty.

A wicked bat, a vampire, bat girl, a witch, and a knight...quite the entourage!