embedded videos

here is my experiment, funniest thing I've seen in ages:

Happy Mother's Day!

Kinda nasty overcast and cold day here - but my little guy gave me a lovely card he made at school. I remembered to call my own mom on the way home from church - a surreal experience as I didn't have any performance duties today. J and D stayed home and burned the trash (yay), but church had lots of praise songs, mostly at half tempo and an organ sub who tried but mainly it was everything you hate about the organ. Her postlude was good, but of course none of the organ-haters stay for that. Oh well. My soprano friend who did that Bach Cantata 21 last month did a Verdi duet with her sister from North Carolina, she was amazing (although I would bet most of the church didn't care for it).

We are going to the neighbors for grilling and hangin out time to celebrate. I actually got a few "burning bushes" at the plant sale yesterday and I should plant them...later will be ok. Also gave blood yesterday which makes me feel all virtuous. Also you lose a pound when you do that (hehehe). I'll make up for it today I'm sure.

Soccer Mom

Not really, but today Ds class went to "My Gym" and he did great! Usually he is resistant to the athletic aspects of field trips, but I think he had a good time. When we came home, Grama had sent a package for mothers day (thanks mom!) but of course there were the usual grandchild treats in there - two books and a box of animal figures. I got a lovely planter with holes all around so you can have cascading plants. If it ever gets warm enough here I will fill it up!

We have no actually plans for the weekend! Very odd for us, but I figure we need a week of chilling out. Next week we have a trip planned, to pick up wood and visit my aunt and uncle about 3 hours away. The following weekend is a big trip (6 hours) with crazy planning going on, for the secret retirement party. I am not concerned she will read this blog until she actually retires, so we are safe! Talked to brother J about plans, and he cracks me up talking about decorations and whether we should try to get a sitter for the kids, and the time etc. I'm sure we'll work it all out eventually. FUN.

May day!

Happy May Day! It isn't snowing (yet) although it did yesterday. D made May baskets (paper) at school so we stopped at the neighbors on the way home to deliver. Fun, and they offered to watch him until Jim comes home from work! Yay, a slightly less frantic trip to orchestra/lessons tonight.

This is actually my student's last lesson (since orchestra is over), and I am thrilled to have a bit of a break. In two weeks we are going south (a little) to visit my auntie and uncle and take all the wood God left them neatly piled in their yard after a huge windstorm this winter. It will also be lovely to see them, and the cute little town they live in where my family is from.

Also trying to plan a trip to my friend's cabin near Yellowstone, difficult to organize with Jim's schedule, and Ds school, and should they go or not, blah blah blah. In July my family is coming here, but August (when I'm doing a million shows of Les Mis) Jim's family is having their get-together, so I can't go but the boyz probably will. So much for summer fun! We need to plan a real vacation next year, but maybe for winter so we can leave when it gets really depressing. Suggestions?

Beading

I had my first "commission" as a beader yesterday! I had made my neighbor a barrette, and she called yesterday morning and wanted a barrette for her 16 year old daughter to wear to the "prom" (actually a dinner thing, I guess that is what they do at Christian schools) that night! It needed to match her outfit, so they came by (my messy house). But it was lovely to see them, we had coffee and chatted for a bit while H (daughter) picked out beads she liked from my small horde.

After they left I got right on it - took me about 2 hours to finish (just in time!) I don't think they realize that it takes me that long, but she did offer to babysit for us! Good trade, and it was fun. I hope she liked it - I do the "jumble of random beads" look, with one biggish one in the middle. I thought it came out quite nice, totally forgot to take a picture.

In other news it is sunny!!! J is welding and de-rusting the boat trailer. Apparently this will take at least a month, before the boat can go anywhere. Odd that it went to the detail shop last year just fine. Whatever. J has definate ideas about the boat. I don't care as long as it is going by Memorial Day! I believe it will be close.

Our baby plants (for garden) get to go outside today, but just for the day. Still freezing at night. K is in the big city for the chorale performance (last night) but they decided to stay in the fancy hotel an extra night. So we are meeting this afternoon for pedis then dinner in the Safari Room - boys will join us for that. Supposed to be amazing.

(s)no(w) news here

I'm disgusted with this weather! The forecast for the rest of the week is terrible - they say we could even break the record for the most snow here ever. I guess we were 3 inches short last week, I was happy with #2!

D has his portfolio workshop today - I go in the afternoon and we put together these huge scrapbook pages for the past section (this one was Folk and Fantasy). They spend 6 weeks on each section, and they use the theme for all subjects just to tie it together. Right now they are doing Africa. Cool. Ds favorite country is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has been drawing maps of it, complete with lists of all the products produced and so on.

Js cold seems to be over, but I am sick now. Thanks J! Of course he denies all responsibility for my illness, but I know.

snow...

Yes indeed it did snow. Not much, but everything is white for the moment. My friend in Wyoming says there is 2 feet of snow in her front yard though, this does make me feel better (oddly).

Last weekend D and I planted some seeds (inside) - they are mostly all sprouting now! Very fun for him to check out, his favs are the watermelons. I doubt they will actually produce watermelons, but he wanted them and why not try? We have TERRIBLE soil here, good for pine trees mostly. Having such bad luck with the veggies has made me turn to flowers, at least they are pretty - we are attempting delphiniums, candytuft, carnations, hollyhocks, and various others (mostly perinnials)

Hopefully Grampa is coming in a week or so, would be nice if the snow was gone by then! Grama used to help plant all the pots around the house, and a million other projects besides - just another time we will miss her. But a friend of the family found these quilting squares Grama had made, and she finished the edges to make squares (like a hanging). Ours is grapes, and they match the kitchen perfectly - will post a pic when we get it hung. It is just beautiful, and so nice to have it up in our home instead of mouldering in a pile of material in their basement!