Thursday, December 18, 2014

Christmas Performances

If you haven't caught on with my blog posts, I like to throw in all those random photos before I broach the subject at hand.  Sometimes I just do a random photo post too.  Anyway, here are the random photos.

Lee snapped a couple of pictures of the kids with Santa at our ward Christmas party.  Not super great ones, and only two kids to show you, but there you go. I guess "Santa" (Jerry Wright) looks forward to this every year...how sweet!
Dec 12 2014 Ward Christmas Party

Dec 12 2014 Ward Christmas Party (2)

I have been loving all of the Christmas cards coming in!!!  That is something I love about Christmas-hearing from friends and family near and far, and getting photos too!  My friend Mary sent this card to me.  I couldn't believe what an awful job USPS did on handling it.  I am guessing it got caught on something in their sorting center.  So much for the great commercials promising great care in handling packages and cards--like "Aunt Cathy" would take of them. Have you heard that one on the radio?
Dec 13 2014

Now on to the performances.  We have been to quite a few the past few days!  First Piano Guys, and now number two....Clark and Cal's Christmas piano recital.  It was Cal's first recital and he didn't seem too nervous at all!
Dec 14 2014 Clark and Cal Piano Recital

Dec 14 2014 Clark and Cal Piano Recital (6)

Dec 14 2014 Clark and Cal Piano Recital (7)

Dec 14 2014 Clark and Cal Piano Recital (2)

Note to self...do not let the other kids "color" again during performances.  Sometimes the "coloring" was a bit too loud!
Dec 14 2014 Clark and Cal Piano Recital (3)

As soon as we walked in the church Clark said "I don't want a picture of me by the piano".  Ha ha.  After Clark was done playing he said something about being glad the pain was over.  Maybe it's just me, but I think it's good to go through the emotions of preparation, some nervousness, tackling the task at hand in front of an audience, and then the feeling relief and of accomplishment.  I guess for me it's a good lesson on pressing forward and sticking-with-it till the end.
Dec 14 2014 Clark and Cal Piano Recital (4)

Our great librarian and friend, Ms. Kim and her mom came to the recital.  I should have taken a picture of them with Clark and Cal.  It was very sweet of them to attend.  At the Christmas recital their piano teacher, Ms. Kama, always has treats and snacks.  The kids of course loved that part.
Dec 14 2014 Clark and Cal Piano Recital (5)

After being home for about an hour after the piano concert we took off again to see the "Joy to the World" concert at our church building in Charlottesville.  Members from my church, along with another church and county singing group performed.  A bell choir from a local church performed and I really wanted to see/hear that.  It was fun hearing the bells and the other performers.  That concert made it number three for us.

One day this past week was a really fun card/package day!  We rotate siblings in our family for gift giving-on Lee's side and my side.  I love it!  It's pretty easy to figure out who we give to each year and we can give whatever we want.  A family gift, or gifts for everyone, or whatever! It's up to each sibling to decide what they want to buy and spend.  My sister Stephanie "has" me this year.  She had all the gifts sent to her house, wrapped them up and then sent them to me!  I am excited to open them Christmas morning!  She sent an early Christmas gift too--a Christmas music CD.  Thank you Steph!  We are lacking in the Christmas music collection department, so it's fun to add another CD to it!
Dec 15 2014 (11)

For family home evening treat we had ice cream sundaes.  I also had the kids open up their Christmas pjs.  Usually we have them put them on for the first time on Christmas Eve.  But I read on someone's blog (Rachel's maybe?) that she has her kids open them early so they can wear them all month long.  What a great idea!  (I must say....see those rolls in the picture? They were simply perfect!)
Dec 15 2014 (3)

Dec 15 2014 (4)

Dec 15 2014 (5)

Then the party got started...ha ha ha...
Dec 15 2014 (6)

Seeing Elden in his stripped pjs and a baby Santa hat made me think of the Elf on the Shelf. We started taking "elfie" pictures.
Dec 15 2014 (10)

Here is the boy that inspired me with the idea!
Dec 15 2014 (12)

The "evil" Elf on the Shelf" or something along those lines (made up by Clark).
Dec 15 2014 (13)

I got Cal some new "regular" pjs so he didn't put on his Christmas ones that night.  I am sure the Elf on the Shelf doesn't wear red pjs all year, right?
Dec 15 2014 (2)

Dec 15 2014 (8)

On to performance number four.  Shanna and Haley were in their 2nd grade play/Christmas concert on Tuesday.  It was entitled "Pirates of Pinataville".  They performed in the morning for the whole school and then in the evening.  It was fun going to both performances.  You'd think with the kids at school during the day, I would be on time to stuff like this.  I was late to the morning performance. But when I watched the whole performance that same evening I realized I had actually only missed a little bit.  But late is late. 
Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville

Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville (2)

There was a cute set and some fun costumes.
Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville (3)

Just throwing this one in because I thought what Clark did to his gloves was kind of funny.  Reminded me of a blue octopus.  I am sure there is a blue octopus out there somewhere...
Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville (4)

Shanna decided she wanted a speaking part and did a nice job!  She didn't forget any of her lines.  Though one of them I couldn't decipher...even the second time I heard it. I was very proud of Shanna though in another regard with her assigned speaking part.  I am pretty picky about certain words here at our house that I don't want my kids to use.  One of her lines had a word that I don't care for.  Obviously it's not a swear word by any means.  Shanna told me about it but I didn't say much about it because it wouldn't have been the end of the world if Shanna would have said that particular word in the performance (which I didn't tell Shanna that...great parenting right?!). Well, Shanna didn't forget about it and one day her teacher said that they could switch lines with someone else if they wanted.  She was so glad because she didn't know what do to, but when her teacher said that, she asked to switch lines.  Go Shanna! 
Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville (5)

It was fun seeing Shanna and Haley get into the performance.  Haley didn't want a speaking part, but she sure enjoyed singing and doing all the motions to the songs. Very different from seeing one of my boys just stand in the choir yawning and looking bored one year...
Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville (6)

Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville (8)

Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville (9)

I was looking through the program and I was so touched that the 2nd grade teachers mentioned me under the appreciation part.  I did not help at all with the play.  I do make copies for them every week though--they seem to really appreciate that!  The stairs on the stage were decorated with poinsettias, and I got to bring one home!  So fun.  
Dec 16 2014 2nd grade Pirates of Pinataville (10)

Oh, the same day as the performance, it was pajama day at school.  Handy that we broke out the new pjs the night before!
Dec 16 2014 (3)

Also that same day the girls' friend brought over her Elf on the Shelf to our house.  They had fun with him.
Dec 16 2014 (2)

Dec 16 2014

Performance number five....Clark's 6th grade band concert! That was just last night.  We enjoyed attending and hearing them play. You could tell that they were definitely beginners! Where Clark was sitting and where I took pictures was not a good mix. He was in back too, so that didn't help much, plus I forgot our camera and had to use my phone.  But here are a couple pictures during the performance anyway. 
Dec 17 2014 Clark 6th grade band concert

The 6th grade band performed three pieces.
Dec 17 2014 Clark 6th grade band concert (2)

Clark and his baritone. From my limited knowledge and untrained ear, he is sounding pretty good to me when he practices at home! I didn't know this, but apparently his grandpa Robertson played that same instrument too!
Dec 17 2014 Clark 6th grade band concert (3)

Clark with his band teacher Mr. Todd.  Clark loves band!  I am really glad too because we "forced" him to be in it.  Actually I think it's his favorite class so far this year. 
Dec 17 2014 Clark 6th grade band concert (4)

We've been enjoying these Christmas performances (though I know one child is getting sick of them!).  It's nice too because I have been able to attend them, and not perform!  I've been in several choir and band concerts in middle school and high school.  Even a couple of piano recitals.  It is nice being on the other end!  Christmas is only a few short days away!!!  Merry Christmas everyone!

3 comments:

Lois said...

You're right, in my opinion about it being good for kids to prepare and then perform. Good job, Ruth. Wish we could have heard them.

Lois said...

Had to laugh, though. You talked of the advantages of performing and then end by saying you are glad you don't have to do it any more.

Liz said...

I like your elves on shelfs much better than the store bought ones. :)