The Music Continues…..

As we prepare to head up to Winooski to listen to Tim perform with his classmates in the All State Chorus, on this beautiful spring Friday afternoon, I thought I would share some of the photos from Bistro.

It has been a wonderful, musical year and I’m very, very proud of my vocalist. In the words of his brother — he has the voice of an angel.

 

The entire group of performers taking a photo opportunity during rehearsal on Thursday afternoon.

 

One very proud mama posing with her son……

 

 

My (not so) little (anymore) men…….

Celebration of the Arts

Last night I got to do something that I’ve missed out on for the past three years. Every year when the Celebration of the Arts comes around, Tim and I are on a plane, or on our way to a plane or getting off a plane for Odyssey. He misses his “final exam” concert and I miss the delight of watching him sing. This year, due to the lack of Odyssey in our lives, Tim got to perform and I got to watch. It was a wonderful night of vocal music following a wonderful night of instrumental music. Both nights included an entire library full of visual arts from the various art classes and I got to see some of the really great pictures that Tyler took during his digital photography class on display.

Here are some of the pictures from last night. It was a very emotional evening for them, since it will be the last time this group of students performs together, particularly for Tim’s chambers group which will be losing the majority of its members to graduation.  Lots of singing, lots of wonderful music and lots of tears.

This is a picture of the entire group of vocal students who comprise the junior and senior chorus at the school. They performed a mass choral piece to open the concert which was fabulous.

Our choral instructor with the graduating seniors during the last performance of the evening – a song performed by the underclass vocal students as a send-off to their graduating members.

cookies

Image via Wikipedia

Today marks 10 days until Christmas Eve. Oh, the pressure. This week involves a lot of baking — I volunteered to bake for the vocal concert tonight and a crumb cake is in the oven as I type this with two cookies exchanges coming up this weekend. I haven’t yet decided what cookies I will bake for either of the cookie exchanges. I’m guessing that it will be dictated by the time that I have to allot to the tasks when the time comes. I tend to default to chocolate chip cookies when I am pressed for time or too insecure to try something new and different. Besides, it’s the one cookie that I know that my family will eat if it makes a return trip. While there are  a lot of very delicious looking cookies out there, a lot of them involve nuts which eliminates at least one member of the family from enjoying them….which is my opinion is kind of mean, especially during Christmas.

Speaking of the concert, I’m anxiously looking forward to hearing Tim sing his solo this evening. It should indeed be fun.

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Just Us Chickens

We spent two days in Montreal– just us chickens. It has been a long time since we have gone anywhere like that just the five of us –and it was fun. Not that having other people or kids along isn’t also fun but sometimes it is nice to have to spend time with each other. Especially when cell phone usage was limited due to us being out of the country so outside distraction was minimal.  It was a combination birthday/concert trip. The boys wanted to see Deadmau5 in concert and the show in Montreal was an all ages show. The date was just after my birthday and since none of us had ever been to the city of Montreal, it seemed like a fun idea.

The concert was Thursday night and was good – definitely got your monies’ worth with a five hour show. We walked in there a little after 7. Tim and I left a little after 11  — Tom and the other boys didn’t get back until 1ish. We wandered around downtown Montreal the next day via metro since none of us were too foot happy after standing for 5+ hours the night before (or at least our feet weren’t) – guess who lost their Metro day pass? — guess who also got everyone lost trying to find the Apple Store? — guess who thought she was stuck on the roof of the hotel with Tim when the door wouldn’t open again?  Okay, things weren’t that bad and we did have fun- visited the Biodome (and they all actually smiled for me)

ate some good food, and hung out with my absolute favorite guys in the world.

Concert

Tonight was the Music Showcase at Tim’s school. It is a pleasure to go to this concert and hear the wonderful talent that comprises the middle school and high school. Always entertaining (and I’m not saying that because my own child is involved) it is great night to sit and listen to some wonderful singing and music. Congratulations to everyone that participated, your talent was evident this evening.

MRU 8th Grade Chorus

So it begins

Surprisingly, this week doesn’t seem to be crammed with something pre-scheduled for us every night. Wednesday seems to be the big one with double events (isn’t that always the way?) No, this week, the first full week in December is full of the self-imposed things, instead.

Christmas shopping isn’t finished yet, as hard as we try. (Those of you who have already finished your shopping, somewhere back in June really do not need to even chime in here – I have absolutely no desire to hear from you and I will be quite happy if I can get my shopping done this week – thank you very much)

Wrapping – well, that hasn’t even begun. Again – June-ies not a word from you!

Christmas cards need to be done and mailed – at least now we have some snow here, so it doesn’t look like those here are my kids at the beach – Merry Christmas to you – cards – those are also usually the June shoppers.

We have a house to be cleaned up and another one to be set up before my in-laws come up to stay for the holidays.

Then there’s the baking and the decorating ….

Oh and in between there are all the fun things that we need to do – like the concert we are going to this weekend where we are seriously outnumbered by children (mostly teenagers) so that will most likely involve an interesting mix of Pepcid and Advil for the day, caroling for scouts and organizing the refreshments for that day, cookie exchange and the baking of cookies almost as fast as my kids can eat them just to escape the house with the 3 dozen required.

Not to mention just the regular old stuff that needs to be done  - work, cleaning, laundry, food shopping, etc.

Welcome to December, my friends! Let the insanity that is the holiday season begin!

Music filled the air….

Last night was the Fall Music Showcase at Mill River, the boys’ school. There were performances from the jazz ensembles, the chorus,  the chamber singers, the men and women’s choruses and the middle school and senior bands. A variety of music which was (I am pleased to say) actually enjoyable to the ear and entertaining.

Here’s our little singer all dressed up.