Drama Camp Week One

Sarah had a great time at drama camp last week. So much that she has returned this week. The teachers and assistants are a great crew that really inspire the kids to not only learn the techniques of acting, but also hard work and treating each other in a decent manner.

John and Janine join Sarah this week. The first day went well so here's to the rest of the week.

(Hope you like the video slide show. We made it on iPhoto in no time at all.)

Vacation Bible School

Last week was Vacation Bible School at our church. Here's Janine sitting with her class that consisted mainly of girls from her Brownie troop. I recognized many of the girls and parents and couldn't figure out why until I spotted one of the leaders I knew.

John was just about the oldest participant, so I think this is his last year for VBS. At least that is his expectation.

We haven't stopped running since the end of school at the end of May. There is a lot to update. We will try to fit it in the next few days.

Piano Recital

Janine, John and Sarah all played in a piano recital this morning for all of Mrs. Scott's students.

Janine played the theme from the Flintstones and Star Wars while John followed with an arrangement of Chopsticks.

Sarah followed later playing Linus and Lucy from the old Peanuts TV specials and Pachabel's Canon.

Since the recital was held at a music store, the kids got to play a very nice Yamaha baby grand and then shop for music afterwards. Something tells me we will be back there again soon.

The Ballet Guys

It's ballet performance time and here are the three ballet guys, from left, Ray, Dave and of course, John. The four of us had a great time tonight. The three guys all sat in the back seat of my car as we went from the studio to the theatre only two miles away. Then we all had dinner at Wendy's. An island of male bonding in the feminine sea of ballet.

You see. tonight is the dress rehearsal for the big performance tomorrow. As usual everyone in the family but me is dancing in this performance. Bobbie is in something in which she wears a cape. Sarah is teamed up with six of her peer dancers in a piece the features a live pianist playing what sounds like Debussy or some other French composer from the early 20th century.

The guys are in a piece with some of the younger girls, including Janine. It is set to Gustav Holst's St. Paul suite, one of those masterpieces that just plain sounds Celtic even though he was an English composer.

At least Janine and John are now home. Bobbie and Sarah may not be home until much later. It will be a late one tomorrow. I hope we can post something over the weekend.

A Thought

This weekend let us remember all those who have fallen in the defense of our country and freedom itself. It's great to get together and enjoy the spring weekend, but let us never forget the brave men and women who gave all.

Spring Blooms

This past spring has been great for the azaleas and rhododendrons. This one has more blooms on it than it ever had. Even the rhododendron that is heavily shaded under the pin oaks has bloomed more than ever. Perhaps trimming the oaks a year and a half ago helped. Whatever the cause, we have enjoyed the results!

On the Bike

When Dad was here he took this nice shot of Janine riding her bike. She learned about two weeks prior to Dad's visit and just look at her go!

How fast she learned! Just after this photo was taken she told us that she needed a new multi-gear bike so she could ride as fast as her friends!

Babysitting

Sarah had a babysitting job this evening right here at home. One of the younger ballet ladies dropped off her two kids for Sarah to watch while she had a rehearsal.

Sarah did a good job. She got out some of the old toys in the basement but the kids quickly tired of them and made their way outside to the old reliable swingset.

After a dinner of hot dogs and potato chips they were back at it before poor Sarah could finish. At this point Bobbie said, "now you know how I felt running after you guys!"

Overall it was a good experience builder for her. She was able to start at home with the help of her family (like her sister who somehow gets into most of the pictures).

Great Food

My dad visited us this past weekend and we all had a great time. On Saturday night we all went out for dinner at a fine Italian restaurant called the Pleasure Bar.

I always feel that I have to explain myself after eating there. "It has great food, honest! Really! It's a fine restaurant. No this is not the same as saying that I read Playboy for the articles..."

Seriously we had a great feast. Their Wedding Soup is fantastic. It was an excellent clear broth with 1/2" meatballs and coarsely chopped greens. The flavors were distinct and clear. I suggested to Dad that he order the Veal Marsala. He loved it so much that he ate the entire generous portion.

We will return.

The Netherfield Ball

This past Saturday night was the Netherfield Ball, a recreation of the English country dances depicted by Jane Austen in her novels. Here's Bobbie and Sarah in period dresses and hairstyles before the event. It was an event specifically for the teenage homeschoolers like Sarah. Many of her friends were there, both girls and boys.

This was all the idea one of the mothers in our homeschooling network group. She attended a Contra dance at a nearby college and got a committee of like-minded people together to produce the event. Bobbie secured the new fellowship hall at our church and it worked out perfectly. The only glitch was getting the air conditioning working for the Friday night instructional session.

The dances featured a caller who told us all what to do. She also introduced each dance with a little historical background. My favorite was call Juice of Barley which featured a lot of turning and crossing. So much so that I felt like I had too much of it by the end of the dance.

One of the great things about this dance was the fact that there were entire families there sharing the fun. One family of all boys explained to their young men that this event was all about the girls and that they needed to honor them. If these guys had any doubts, they didn't share them. But I am sure that having mom and dad also dressed in period costume helped a lot. But let's just say this much, none of them had any problems finding a dance partner.

Signs of Spring...

... from our yard.

Master Class

Sunday morning Sarah took a master class with the local ballet company. Her friend Rachel got tickets and talked her into going. The class was challenging but Sarah and Rachel were up to it. They both danced very well learning their combinations and even smiling!

The class took place in one of the rehearsal studios within the big performing arts center, home to the ballet, opera, and most traveling Broadway shows. It's one of the old movie theatres built in the 1920s and restored in the 1980s. During the restoration they expanded the stage to make it deeper and higher. In addition they added several rehearsal spaces as well including this one.

It was fun to be downtown on a Sunday morning, going in the stage door entrance and taking the elevator to the studio. I was expecting one of those old elevators with and expanding cage style door and an operator, but it seems they modernized the elevators with the rest of the building.

Nana also danced in this theatre in her vaudeville days entertaining folks between the "picture shows."

Spring Planting

Once a month for the past four or so, John and I have gotten together with other home school fathers and sons to spend the afternoon together and learn something.

This afternoon we planted vegetable seeds to sprout and later transplant. First we learned about basic garden tools and how to take care of them. (Remember this is a group of guys.) Then we planted the seeds. Finally it was time for cookies and a little bocce ball in the backyard. This has been a great group of sons and fathers.

Earlier this year we hosted a session. Since it was cold we choose an indoor skill, electricity. After a short course in safety (!) each father and son teamed up to replace an outlet in our living room and foyer. Everyone learned some practical knowledge and we got new outlets. Overall, not a bad bargain.

Big Night

Last night was a big one for all of us, but as usual I only have pictures of Janine. Nobody else would sit still for a photo.

First we ate dinner at the Fiesta Mexicana fundraiser at our church. The proceeds go to support the high school youth group mission trip to Tijuana this summer. It was a taco dinner catered by a nearby Mexican restaurant owned by a member of our church. The dinner was held in the new church fellowship hall.

Here's Janine with her dear friend Grace whose dad owns the restaurant. The food was good, but I was disappointed that Bobbie and I were the only ones using the really hot sauce. But what do you expect for a Presbyterian church?

Later in the sanctuary of the church our local homeschool group held a student recital. There were nearly 50 performances mostly piano pieces and recitations. Both John and Janine did recitations.

John with his friend Andrew recited a poem for two voices called Water Strider.

Again, here's Janine who recited Jellicle Cats by T.S. Elliot and late of the Broadway show, Cats. She really dressed the part and rehearsed with great cat-like moves. But when she got up there she was much more subdued.

"I saw all those eyes looking at me!" she said afterwards. Next time she will learn how to look at the top of the audience's heads instead of their eyes.

This just in...

Justin, John and Andrew received an honorable mention from the Shakespeare competition. While the judges did not choose them to move on to the finals, they did think enough of their scene from the Taming of the Shrew to give them some additional recognition.

Huzzah!!!

(My personal apologies to anyone who lived in the Twin Cities in the 1970s who associate that word with the silly radio commercials for the local Renaissance Faire. You know who you are.)