Snips and Snails and Puppydog Tails

The last week of June, Jacob and Christopher and one of Jacob’s friends from baseball, Kyle, went to the TCU Band camp. They spent 4 days immersed in sectionals, rehearsals, and fun, and the families got to hear their concert on Thursday, the 27th of June. I’m always so impressed at what the instructors and kids can do in just 4 days. They all had a great time and (I think) are all happily looking forward to next summer’s  camp. Below are videos – warning that the first one is long because it’s basically the whole Concert band concert. The symphonic band concert is split into three videos. Also, I’ll apologize now for the shaky camera work and toddler commentary.

See what kept us busy this spring/summer?

There were first outings at pitcher:

There were many celebratory (and a few consolation) burgers consumed:

There was in-game and post-game brotherly entertainment:

There were fierce group photos taken

There was much hardware won:

For both teams!

There were scoreboards to man and “grampires” to talk to and charm:

There was much sunscreen worn:

And possibly a shirt or two lost:

All in all, I think we can safely call the 2013 spring baseball season a roaring success. We’re very proud of our Keller Chargers and Keller Aces!

I promise. Between the end of school and baseball/basketball/terrible threes insanity, most of May and all of June just skated on by. You might enjoy this post – my most recent for Texas Health Moms – as it will give you a bit of insight into the fun we’ve been having since Sam turned 3. It’s a good thing he’s cute on his rough days. 🙂

Upcoming topics: TCU Art camp, TCU Band camp, making cookies, trips to the beach, and anything else I can think of  (and have the brain cells to put together sentences about).

I’m sure I’m going to embarrass the living daylights out of Jacob by posting about this, but that’s sort of my job as a parent, right? 🙂

Last night, we went to hear the Tidwell Middle School Wind Ensemble (for those of you paying attention, that’s the top 7th/8th grade band) perform their spring concert. The concert was in the Byron Nelson High School auditorium – it’s kind of a big deal. (anyone else read that in their best Forrest Gump voice? No? Just me? Ok, moving on.) The band performed 3 songs and there are (shockingly) three videos. What I should warn you is that the first clip is the band’s first song, and part of the second song. The second clip finishes the second song, and the third clip is the third song. Gotta love technological glitches like memory cards filling up. Sorry ’bout that.

In part 3, here, you might notice that there is a “guest” conductor. Ms. Kahler held auditions for a student conductor. Any student was allowed to come in on his or her own time and learn to conduct, and then audition to conduct the band in a piece at this concert. Eight students auditioned and this lovely lady (forgive me for not remembering her name right now) was the one chosen.

I think she did a great job. When I asked Jacob what he thought of her conducting skills, he said, “I don’t know, I don’t pay attention to the conductor.” Ummmm. . . we might have a little work to do there.

Interspersed throughout the concert were some awards and recognition – Jacob was recognized for participating in and receiving a superior ranking in the NWISD solo/ensemble contest (he did a solo), and he received an Outstanding Musicianship Award (that mostly 8th graders got!) for his work on Trombone this year. Have I mentioned he’s been first chair trombone in the top band for the majority of the year? I’m a TEENSY bit proud.

Jacob begrudgingly let me take a picture of him with his award, if I promised not to post it online. So I’ll keep that promise. However, the picture did get put on facebook by his Mom (she made no such promise, so neither of us broke our word to him), and I might have shared it to my wall. I will, however, refrain from reposting the same picture here. I will simply post this picture, that shows all of the Outstanding Musicianship Award recipients on stage. 🙂

Jacob is 4th from the right.

The concert was wonderful and we’re all very proud of the band, especially our very own Trombonist.

Caleb came home from school one day recently quite excited about a special project he got to do. He and 3 (or 4?) other kids were chosen to get to make their own newspapers! He was quite proud of his – and rightly so. Check it out!

The front page included a title and front page story complete with graphics and insets.

Granger Times, front page

And the back page had another short story, crossword puzzle, and word challenge.

Granger Times, back page

He sure enjoyed this special project. We’re so lucky to have such great teachers for our boys!

Sam”s 3 now. And as he’ll tell you he’s a big boy, not a baby. Of course, with such a milestone comes a party. Since I really recapped the party planning in pretty good detail here on the Texas Health Moms blog, I won’t repeat myself (for a change). I’ll just let you enjoy the pictures and videos.

We let Sam open the cutest and most prized gift a little early – it just fit the party’s theme too well. Aunt Lynne Cookie ROCKS. 🙂

The adults were all such good sports to wear the silly marching band hats I made.

In fact, the kids wouldn’t wear them, but most of the adults did, for most of the party!

I’m pretty proud of how well the Mickey Mouse Bandleader cake and musical instrument cupcakes turned out.

Thanks for the help, Mel!

Of course we sang:

Present opening was a little crazy, and had to be done in two shifts. Once Sam opened Granny’s present – most prized present #2, a new “catcher’s mask” – he was completely uninterested in any further presents and we all moved outside for some backyard baseball.

Backyard Baseball is an awesome party game, in case you were wondering.

Eventually he got around to opening the rest of the presents…

The present opening and the aftermath of my once-clean living room.

I’m calling Sam’s third birthday one BIG BOY success.

Y’all have probably already seen it on my Facebook page from this morning, but Sam certainly has the right perspective today. I was putting on makeup this morning – something that rarely happens on a weekday, sadly – and he asked what I was doing. I told him I was putting on my makeup.

Taking Sammo’s advice

Sam: Why?

Me: So I look pretty.

Sam: Don’t look pretty…look HAPPY!

I know he’s only 2-almost-3 (AAAAAAACK! How did THAT happen?), but he’s got it right, doesn’t he? If we all tried harder to look (and be, of course) happy, the “pretty” would naturally follow, wouldn’t it? Easier said than done, I’m sure, but I’m going to try. And for a Monday, that’s saying a lot for me. So today I’m going to sit a little straighter and smile a little more and follow my son’s advice to Look Happy.

I challenge you this week – especially after how horrific last week was – to Look Happy, also, and maybe even help others Look Happy.

How will you do it?

Forgive me if I ramble here; I’m still processing. I’ve purposely stayed quiet (on the blog, anyway) the last couple days because my primary reaction to Monday’s bombings was anger. So many people were almost immediately able to say and see the good things – the first responders running into the chaos when everyone else was running out; the marathoners who had completed the race and immediately went to donate blood or help in any other way they could; the Bostonians offering food, lodging, cell phones, and comfort to those displaced – and I just wasn’t one of them. I stayed quiet because I felt the last thing the world needed was another angry, terrified person ranting about being angry and terrified. There was enough anger and fear out there already. I didn’t need to add to it.

I’m going to try not to add to it today. But the words are building up inside me right now, so it’s time to let some of them out.

I’m a runner. I’m not fast, and I’m not always consistent. But I’m still a runner. I have no aspirations to run a marathon, and certainly the Boston Marathon has never been on my radar as a race to run. But I’m still a runner. I know what it’s like to push harder than you thought you could, to cover more mileage than you ever thought you could or would want to, and know that elation when it’s done and you’ve done something you *knew* you couldn’t do. I know that some days, 4 miles feels harder than 13.1 or 26.2 or 50. I’m a runner.

Now, I’m also a scared runner. That makes me angry.

I’m a Mom. My kids have cheered me on at races. A time or two, they’ve even cheered me on at the end of “regular” runs. I’m a Mom. It’s an amazing feeling to have the people who mean the WORLD to you yelling, “GO Mommy! Go Julie! Run Hard!” – at more than one race that cheering has gotten me to the finish line like nothing else could have. That many of those very important people to Monday’s runners were hurt, maimed, and killed tears me up. I’m a Mom.

Now – more than ever – I’m a scared Mom. That makes me angry.

I heard something on the radio about the large percentage of people who run Boston as charity runners. People who run to support other people. That means the spectators at the race are there supporting people who support people. That’s a pretty darn cool circle.

Now, that circle is scarred and torn, if not broken. That makes me angry.

Yes, right now, I’m still angry.

But…

Minute by minute, hour by hour, people better than I am are puncturing my anger by pointing out that, even in the lowest of times like these, there are moments of incredible good. There are those who carried complete strangers to medical aid. There are those who used their own clothing for makeshift tourniquets, saving life and limb. There are those who are already claiming they WILL keep running, and will run Boston again, without a doubt.

And that? That gives me hope.

And hope will eventually give me peace.

I hope it does for you, too.

This weekend, our HOA hosted the 3rd Annual KidFish Event. It’s a free fishing tournament in one of our neighborhood ponds. Kidfish is a nonprofit program designed to give kids 16 and under the chance to experience fishing and outdoors. They provide bait, tackle, and loaner rods to kids who don’t have their own equipment, and prizes are awarded for each age group. (description courtesy of Heritage HOA newsletter).

It’s a pretty neat and fun event. This year, Grandpa came up from Houston for this year’s event and Sam, Grandpa and I spent the morning fishing. (Sadly, Caleb and Jacob had games that morning, so they couldn’t join us.)

We didn’t catch much – but the one fish we did catch was enough to get Sam 5th place – and a BIG trophy! It was a beautiful day – enjoy the pics and videos!

Isn’t he the cutest fisherman ever?

The ducks were definitely enjoying the extra treats & breadcrumbs all the fisher-people brought.

Obligatory pouty Sam pics

The prize fish as it was reeled in and the BIG trophy!

And, of course, after a full morning of fishing, who isn’t up for some mountain climbing?

Easter was fun this year. After a horrendous thunderstorm that rained out the first baseball (league) games of the season Friday night/Saturday morning, we had a fabulous weekend.

Sam had an Easter egg hunt and Easter parade at school.

Some still shots right before the Easter egg hunt. Check out Lily’s braided pigtails. I die from her cuteness!

We decorated the house with one of my favorite flowers, tulips.

I admit, the purple and white ones were purely for my TCU-ness. The yellow ones were because Sam specifically requested “lellow” flowers for inside.

Granny came over and we dyed Easter eggs.

Jacob had already eaten one; he couldn’t wait. We got rather vibrant colors this year, compared to years past.

We planted jelly beans in the hopes that lollipops would grow.

On Sunday morning, we woke up to some cloudy skies that quickly gave way to a beautiful, breezy day. Even the dog enjoyed the weather.

Every living thing appreciated the beautiful weather on Easter.

We harvested the lollipops that grew from the jelly beans we planted

We blew bubbles, thanks to the Easter bunny leaving new Lightning McQueen bubbles.

And, of course, we had a confetti egg fight!

We had a lovely Easter, and hope y’all did, too!

(Also, note that THIS holiday post is much more timely than, say, the 3-month late Christmas recap.)