Piano

All 3 of my children are now taking piano lessons!  B and Z started when they were 7 years old and have done very well!  Their teacher says she can tell they have a gene for music!   Ak has been asking for lessons for awhile and loved it when we had time for home lessons.    Ak got to officially start with lessons in January even though she's only 6!  She is so excited and she loves to practice and go to lessons.    Last year, she picked a few songs out by ear on her own. . . .  parts of a couple of Primary songs and Jolly Old St. Nicholas.  It impressed me then - but a few weeks ago I heard picking out part of a song that B has been playing.   Ak would sit at the piano and try and try again to find the notes that sounded right . . . finally she had the whole first line.  I was QUITE impressed.

click here to see B playing the whole song called "Caravan" - it was the last song she had to master before moving into her 3rd piano book!!!

click here to see Ak playing   just the first line but still ....  two hands together, with a flat, and a sharp!!!   If you ask her to play it now - she has an "ending" that she has added so it doesn't just stop.   Maybe I shouldn't be so impressed - but I laugh at remembering her sitting there plunking away with wrong notes and then hearing her get the right notes!   I told her piano teacher and she said maybe she's not qualified to teach her.  But all 3 of my kids love this woman!

click here to hear Ak's tag (the ending)
she said B has an ending to her song - so she needed one too.  :)  She decided that all on her own.  

Romeo & Juliet

 

 We went to Kalie's school to see her in a play put on by her Drama Class.  The cast was all girls.  I was worried about taking my kids since it's romance and people die at the end.   But it's a classic and I wanted them to see their cousin so I tried to explain the play so they wouldn't be surprised and maybe understand what was going on.   After I explained, B was intrigued and said, "I didn't know they made stories that didn't have happy endings."  Welcome to tragedies I said.

They lasted the whole play!  They had front row seats!   The cast members acted it all out on the above "stage" and they moved minimal props around themselves and the kids got to see it all - so it kept their attention.   Ak wanted to know "how many people are doing to die in this play?"  After Kalie was in a dual and died.   :)     On the way home, Z told me it wasn't as sad as I made it sound.   I think that's a good thing!

Kalie did a great job as Juliet's cousin, Tybalt.   Thanks for inviting us!

Basketball Begins!

Z asked to play basketball again this year!  They had to miss the previous week's game due to an ice storm - so Z was happy to get to play his first game of the season tonight!

  

 

 

"Snow" Day

  We got a little bit of snow and school was cancelled so the kids wanted to go out and play!  :)  It was cold but they had a fun time!

 

 There were excited when D went out and joined them!!!

 

 

Then they all came inside and drank hot chocolate!!!  :)  

What's up in Kindergarten?

 Ak was the Star Student at school one week this month.   She got to post these pictures she drew to tell about her self along with a picture of herself and a picture of her family on a bulletin board in the classroom.   At the end of the week she was allowed to take in a show in tell item (we forgot) and she wore a big star crown home!  :)    She enjoyed the spotlight!

 "be an artist." 

 

"going skiing."  (sorry I can't flip it)                              "frozen peas, trampoline, treehouse, and family."

 "read to others."

 "dance."

 

 And one day last week was the 100th day of school.  

Ak put 100 stickers on a shirt in the shape of a 1-0-0!  :)   

Monster Jam

D and Z were invited to go to a Truck Show in Indy with some friends again this year.   It's a long drive and a long day, but Z loves to be with his Dad and they had a good time.

 

  

New Years Day

Z got invited with a friend to go ice skating - so the girls stayed home and did some fun crafts!!!

B got this tea candle cups to decorate for her birthday and she shared with Ak!   The lights that came with them are small, battery operated and change colors!  Fun!!!

Then we got out a Color Twister Spin Art kit we've had awhile and the kids have been begging to do  . . .  It was easier to do than I expected and not as messy.  The girls loved it!

 

 

Z had a good time ice skating with Mateo!    Afterwards they got to eat Ethopian Food and get a doughnut at Krispie Kreme!  D was a little envious about both stops!  :)    Fun day for everyone!   :)