The day before school started we took one more trip down south to see good friends.
I gave her the half an hour warning. Eventually I peaked on them and saw this:
Yeah, I've got total stalker status.
I'm glad these two are up for long distant relationship. I think Adelaide is pretty awesome.
The above picture had a photograph blemish on Rebekah's shirt - never had that happen before and still not sure how or why it happened - but I forced another picture farther away from the light.
Then Miss Sherrie, who is also pretty awesome, tried to get them to laugh. We got this instead. Love it.
Yes, I do hope these girls will be friends forever.
Then on the way home I tired to drive the car to the best of my ability to get a high driving score. I reached 4.4. Had to take a picture so I could send the proof to Don. Not while driving of course.
We celebrated mom's birthday over Pizza King and chocolate cake. Although I thought I planned everything well, everything seemed to fall apart as it got closer to the time of the celebration. But mom was extremely patient and eventually it all came together.
Rebekah hand painted some coasters for mom.
Rebekah wanted to decorate the cake this year. I think she did pretty amazing. She even made those little chocolate hearts for the decorations. And all this even after a long day at marching band.
I had an Orff class for my masters program mid July. Rebekah started all day marching band the same time. It was back to school for the both of us!
I severely underestimated how my back would respond to at campus work, not to mention the movement inherent in elementary music. After day one I was in so much pain. By Wednesday I knew I couldn't continue as I was doing and made some changes. I would not be carrying my backpack to the second building. I told my instructors and they said it would be fine. So I took notes on my phone and looked over other's shoulders for the written words. About that same time a nice lady in the class suggested they bring in one of the couches I had been laying on between class periods. Now, when everyone was sitting taking notes, I would do so on my back. It helped, but the damage was done. I'm still recovering.
Having said that, the class was fascinating. I truly loved the philosophy! Teaching kids to improvise with music while learning the music is brilliant! I think for my masters project I want to do something with combining Kodaly elements with Orff. Maybe how to use them both at a middle school level.
We worked with bells a lot - in pentatonic modes. And it's very hear, play - using words (or phrases) to represent rhythms. The only thing I didn't like about it was the lack of emphasis on vocal singing. Many times the instructor would sing something that wouldn't sit quite right, then she'd play it on the recorder and it would make sense. Many times the class would sing it back incorrectly and the instructor didn't correct the issue. That was hard as well.
Most of my peers are elementary music educators, so I was definitely the odd man out - which compounded with my age and back, well, I felt it. But the good news was I didn't truly care all that much. And eventually found that some people, after learning that I knew what I was doing, requested to partner with me. Even the "cool" kids. I will say it's slightly hard to be in a room full of music teachers. Towards the end a lot of them wanted to be "in charge" and it got kind of dicy.
While I was in class I got this picture from the marching band. I zoomed in looking for Rebekah and couldn't find her. Eventually I had Rebekah help me when I got home. She zoomed in only to find that she was checking out her phone in the picture. So, I won't point her out.... But she's in the back left. On her phone....
But I'm still a mom so we volunteered one night to help out with band camp. These were some hot days so we were manning the water and first aid tent. While there I did my job as a mother and documented the occasion.
She's in the middle towards the right side wearing a green shirt and black hat, arms in front holding her Melo in set position.
Again, towards the middle right. Kind of the back row of students.
Couple of beginning run-throughs.
Tried to get the entire group.
Better (easier to see) picture of her. Smack in the middle.
I completed the class and we had our final performances. These were some of the pictures they took. I'm on the floor, left side. I got to play the big bass E. Love those bass xylophones.
This was an open about butterflies that we improvised on using a pentatonic scale. I think I'm behind the yellow scarf (towards the left).
Level One Orff, I'm in the back. Teachers in the front.
The entire Orff program (Level 1 - 3). I'm back left.
The last in the Wax and Wayne series. I ended up liking the series better than I thought I would. My brother said it leads into the last Stormlight book which it basically does. It's fun.
Kind of a dark thriller about a man and a girl living in the woods. It's probably really good if one likes this type of book.
I've read this once before but wanted to give it another go because of the Secret History since I have now read all the Mistborn books. Sanderson definitely knows how to sell his products. By putting a little of this book and that book hidden inside other smaller books and so forth. It's like the easter egg hunt that won't end.
Adult fiction. I really like this author. I didn't really love this book. She's written better, but still it's a better choice than most other authors. Disappearance of a mom (who was also a young prodigy author), daughter grows up as an illustrator, enter a single handsome gentleman with evidence of the mom over seas, she goes to investigate, etc and so on.
Horrifying account of the lands between Russia and Germany before, during, and after the great wars. Not an easy read by any account but I'm highly interested in Eastern Europe.
Went for a lighter book to read at the same time as the above. This was perhaps too light. Not really worth the time.
Lecture series about the progression of the English novel.
Historical fiction about Margaret Fuller. Who's Margaret Fuller? I didn't know either, hence me reading the book. It was well written and I feel I came away knowing more about her and the time period.
This has been on my reading list for a long time. She's somewhat of a deep thought provoking author. Not someone one can read quickly. But I liked the movie adaptation I saw years and years ago so I plowed through. It was worth it.
Not my favorite Churchill I've read but it was okay.
Masters book concerning the Orff philosophy. Lots of exercises and basic rhythm patterns. Will be a reference book as I (if I?) continue in elementary music ed.
Reading these for Rebekah. It's not the best literature I've read. Actually rather early middle grade, but Rebekah likes them so here I am. I liked the first one better, but this one had some fun moments. Lee becomes Luke as he starts his journey in the world outside.
My cousin suggested this historical fiction inspired by a real life 16th century woman named Marguerite. It kind of turned into a survival story reminding me somewhat of Follow the River, another book she suggested. Not sure I truly liked it as I was reading it and right after but it stayed with me. I think it's better than I gave it credit.
Rebekah jumped right in and took care of the neighbor's cats.
She found her old space dress and was very excited to see it still fit. Little does she know I bought those things with the future in mind. I was actually hoping this dress would fit her long after her personality grew out of it.
Rebekah's artwork.
She asked a friend over to hand out and wanted to take her to the local park trails. Don wasn't to keen on them going alone so I got to tag along and photograph the event. From teenager approved acceptable distance. By the way, it was stinkin' hot! What we mothers do for our children.
I felt somewhat like a stalker....
At this point I was ready to go home and say a very audible thank you to the maker of air-conditioning. You can't see it very well, but Don's bright blue EV was shinning like a beacon.
Rebekah and her friend also went on the marching band Kings Island trip.
The whole day at the park, no parents in sight. I was slightly horrified but that's what we moms feel 92% of the time.
I actually invited someone to come over for backyard fireworks. There's so many things in that sentence that sounds wrong. First, I invited: well, yes, but it was one person and I informed them before hand that I might make treats, but no games, no real food, and they were the only one I was inviting. Back yard fireworks: the town does the fireworks at the baseball fields every year; our house is situated so we can see the fireworks over the pond.
Ironically, their daughter asked her to watch her baby while they go out for fireworks, so she had to decline my offer. So we soloed at home. It was nice, but smaller than usual.
That weekend our friends from church asked us (with a bunch of other people) to come over and enjoy their neighbor's fireworks. It was the exact opposite of what I was offering. Tons of treats, tons of people land games and wow - the fireworks.
