5/12 A little culture, a little rural

I have a mix of photos from this day, because there was a mix of things going on!!!  We are still in music week, with several music programs this week.  Tonight’s was the Jr High Band and Choir concert featuring some of their music from contest and Regional.  Our school is blessed to have Clark Comley and Larry Brownlee as instructors!!!  They got so much from the students. 
 
Collin continues with French Horn and Erin is 3rd chair in flute (out of 8 beating out many 8th graders).  Erin also surprised us by playing in the Jazz Band.  Larry let anyone interested do 3 short practices to work up a couple of jazz pieces for the concert.  It turned out pretty doggone good!







Chris was busy today, he had to go to town for parts and such and afterwards he was rooting through the shed for things.  He came out with a few chicken things, but this did not surprise me because we had been talking about it.  What surprised me was the chicks were in the coupe!  Even the goats had to check things out!

5/11 AWANA program

Program #2 this week finishes the AWANA year.  This year was so strange with only Hans and Alan participating.  Last year they had a JrH group that they did not continue this year, so that left both Erin and Collin out.  Erin helped with Cubbies and Collin went to Cross Point youth group. 

For tonight’s program each Spark got to say a verse and alan did a great job on his.  For Hans’ group they got to chose the verse and many did not.  Hans chose a rockin’ verse:

1 Timothy 4:12

¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

Photography note: playing with my Canon Powershot point and shoot camera on manual I finally figured out how to adjust the settings to get a decent church photo :-)   

5/10 Music Program K-4

After a Track filled weekend, Tuesday started the music programs first Alan’s and then Collin and Erin’s.  Fortunately Mrs. Anthony does a nice job.  Alan was kind of cranky about the program, but once he got his “show face” on he seemed to have fun.

How could you not with Bob and Larry, Crawdad’s and “

On Top of Spaghetti?”

 

You just gotta love it!

5/8 Track and Hurdles

We went to Track practice even though the boys were officially done competing.  It was team picture day, plus Hans had another go at the hurdles and this time I had my camera.

These  hurdles   are going well and this one, well not so good.  He had quite the wipe out after this stumble.  I wandered away to get the camera away from him and when I turned back this is what I saw.  You rock my world, Hans!  No one is going to tell him he is too short for hurdles!

Here is one of Alan’s friends that are moving away this summer.  He has 2 friends moving and Hans has 2 , the college is having quite the turn over and it is messing with out kids social life!!!  

 

  As I wander back through Hans and Taya (long time friend) are still working the hurdles, this time with blocks!

 

 

Coach Jen McCoy is demonstrating proper form.  She is an Olympic hopeful for 2012!!!

 

 

Last, but not least, here is a Mother’s Day present from Erin.  Each photo was edited with a phrase about mothers!

5/8 Happy Mother’s Day

Not much going on today. We went to church,  then we went to Empire China for lunch and then came home and chilled out. The most excitement we had was when  the kids played with their water guns.  That was fine with me, as it had been an utterly crazy busy week.  Peace and quiet…YES!

5/6 Ellinwood Track Meet

Off we go again!  Early Saturday morning, the boys and I team up with Brandy Elsner and her track kiddos for our 2nd and last meet of the season.    I knew little of track meets when we started last year and these are some things that I’ve learned.  Field  events are first and separated by boys/ girls and age.  At this particular meet, the soft ball throw was the same time as the long jump and age groups. Groups 2 & 4 were going first…Alan in group 2 and Hans group 4 and both with names ending in A.  Both going at the same time on 2 different fields. I do get my exercise at these things!

Today was a good day for Alan and not so good for Hans.  It was HOT, very HOT.  Hans got 5th in Long Jump (out of many) and 4th in the 800M.

   

     I have run for many years and know how much it hurts when you look like this.  Did I mention it was like 90F after being 60F?  Poor guy, not a good day for longer sprints!

Alan ran the 100M and the 200M and got 1st in both!  wow, he had a great day!  His times were so much better than Inman.

5/5 = Inman Track Meet

   Today I headed to Inman, alone again, for the JRH Track Meet.  Erin had the first event with Triple Jump.  She was amazing compared to the girl’s there, but she did not beat her personal best set at the Sterling track meet.  In my collage I missed her landing which was a very good one…way low and reaching forward!  Go Girl!

Next a break for a funny story…the students raking the Triple Jump pit were horrible at it, they left a huge heap in the middle of pit, so Mrs. Ricker got up to rake the pit for them since they were unconcerned about it.  The girls were a mix of amused and embarrassed.  She rewarded their pain with a hug, so everyone would know just whose mom raked the pit!

 

Next onto Collin’s long jump, an event his coach added in the middle of the season.  He does OK for a late start, but he does not really like it.  Not to mention you get shoes full of sand each time!

 

 

Next onto the running events.  Collin ran the 1600 M and was doing well until he tripped in a pit on the track and lost his rhythm.  Here’s Erin cheering him on!

   I no sooner got done cheering Collin on when I heard the gun and Erin’s relay was up next.  I usually just circle around in the middle of the track snapping pictures.  I get a work out too.  Erin, Emma, Hannah and Sara got first in their heat and 6th overall (there were like 11 teams there and lots of heats).  Collin and his team did OK and nailed this hand off.  Mom’s camera is always watching!

Alex, Dillan, Collin and Tracy.  Way to go guys!

5/2 What’s going on?

I have a mix of photos for today. 

It was a day after a way too busy weekend and Alan ended up staying home from school even though he ended up not being sick.  (that happens from time to time).  He took 2 long naps and by afternoon was pretty good.  We went outside for a photo shoot and here is the story board I made from it. 

After everyone got home and over their indignation that he got to stay home, Alan worked in the garden with Chris for a while.  

 

 

My Lilac bushes are starting to bloom and the smell so good!!!

  Farmers are still burning fields.  It is so alarming to come out and see such huge clouds of smoke!  This helps get rid of the weed seed and other problems.

All 8th Graders have to complete a Bear cub to Black Bear portfolio before being promoted to High School.  Collin has hated this process and so have I.  Here he is about to finish!

 

 

5/1 Road Trip

Cristi Gale, Chris and I have issues...we LOVE Christian concerts in general and certain groups in particular.  When we heard that Third Day and Tenth Avenue North were coming to Kansas and it was a ticketed seat venue, well we had to give it a go to get front row seats and we did.... even though they were in Kansas City.  So after L O N G deliberation we decided to make a day of it, thanks to Chelsy, Tristan, Mom and Dad A, Steve and Chrisy Schweizer who were all people who covered our responsibilities that particular Sunday.  We left early, got to see, meet the bands at noon, went to eat and see some art at the Nelson Atkins Art Museum which was very cool. Then back to the venue to discover just how AWESOME our seats really were.  Pretty fantastic!

 

The badmitten birdies were huge and so realistic, they scattered the lawn in front of the Museum.

Below are the concert pictures saved to my shutterfly site.  I think I got some fantastic video too and you can see those on my you tube channel Teri A's You Tube