Showing posts with label Band. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Band. Show all posts
Monday, June 4, 2018
Friday, December 29, 2017
The Long Christmas Break
Happy Friday, my friends! The past month has been very busy for me, and I was feeling really overwhelmed. I had so much on my plate that Grant urged me to take a brief blogging break for Christmas, and I agreed. I had only planned on taking a break for a week, but one week turned into two. Although it was the longest blogging break I have ever taken, it was exactly what I needed!
Christmas didn't turn out as expected, but I will save that post for another day! If you follow me on social media, then you already know that Liam got really sick on Christmas, and ended up in the hospital. But in the spirit of easing back into a regular blogging schedule, I'm just going to recap some of the fun things my family did during my long break.
With four kids in school, there are a lot of activities during the holiday season. I'm not sure why that happens, but it tends to make the already busy time of year even busier! I could barely keep up this year!
Monday, June 5, 2017
The Last Day(s) of School {AKA We Made It!}
We made it! Our first year of having four kids in four different schools came to an end. The last day(s) of school are behind us, and it's officially Summer Break!
The year flew by, but it wasn't always easy. The truth is, it's often incredibly difficult to keep up with the academic and extracurricular schedules of four kids, especially when they all attend different schools! More deadlines and due dates were missed, and paperwork forgotten, than I care to admit. But we did it, and we ended the year successfully, so that's ALL that matters!
So what's a school year like with four kids? I'll break it down!
400+ outfits chosen the night before.
400+ lunches packed.
360 signatures in assignment books.
180+ hours helping with homework or quizzing kids for tests.
1,440 miles driven to and from kindergarten pick up.
30 hours spent in the kindergarten pick up line (O. M. G.).
1,300 miles driven to preschool drop off and preschool pick up.
18 hours spent in the preschool building during drop off and pick up.
15 hours spent waiting at the bus stop in the morning.
Thousands of dollars spent on clothing, books, school supplies, gifts for teachers, fundraisers, pictures, yearbooks, lunches, and school activities.
1 knocked out tooth, 1 broken wrist.
A whole lot of sick days. (It was the first year we have gone through this!)
6 teachers, 3 therapists, 5 parent teacher conferences, 1 IEP meeting.
3 concerts, 2 field trips, 15 school parties, 6 book fairs, 3 open houses, 3 field days.
4 thriving kids, 1 exhausted mama.
Let me just say, I am THRILLED to get a break from all that chaos!
Here's a quick glimpse at Dylan, Lexie, Lily and Liam's last days of school!
{LIAM}
This was a big year for Liam (and mama)! If you recall, I was very apprehensive about sending Liam to preschool so young. Much to my surprise, he thrived, and he absolutely loved school!
Liam attended a preschool for kids who have IEP's. I was also uncertain that it was the right place for him, but I don't regret my choice one bit. There were less than ten kids in his class, and his teacher was AMAZING. He received speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy at school, and he participated in so many fun activities and brought home adorable artwork and crafts almost every single day. He went to school three afternoons a week, and I felt 100% comfortable leaving him in the capable arms of his loving teacher.
Liam was the first of my kids to finish school. His last day was on May 25th, and Lily and I got to go to school with him, see him in action (he's a total ham and charmer, of course), and celebrate with his class by having an end of the school year party.
It may have been his last day of the full school year, but he still has a few school days built into the Summer. Liam will attend preschool for three afternoons one week in June, one week in July, and one week in August. He will receive his therapies during each of those three weeks of school over the Summer, but he doesn't do outpatient therapy, so he will still be able to enjoy a Summer Break!
Unfortunately, at the end of the Summer, we will have to say goodbye to his amazing teacher. She is transferring to another school, and I am so upset about it! We were assured his new teacher is just as great, though. Plus, his longtime friend, Dolly, who is also rocking an extra chromosome will be in his class next year. I am relieved that he won't be the only child there who has Down syndrome, and I'm hoping for one more successful year before we make the switch to full inclusion!
Just look at how much he grew from the first day to the last!
{LILIANA}
It was a big year for Lily, too! She started Kindergarten as one of the youngest in her grade. She turned 5 just before the Kindergarten cutoff date, but we opted to send her. There were a few minor bumps in the road, mostly due to the fact that many of her classmates were almost or over a full year older than she was, but she is independent and determined.
She held her own, and even got into an infamous argument with a boy in her class who claimed he was stronger than John Cena. Of course, my very outspoken and bold daughter informed him that he was NOT stronger than John Cena because "John Cena has man muscles, and you do not have man muscles!" Gotta love her!
Lily loved all the fun, new experiences in Kindergarten. Some of her favorite things were recess, assemblies, book fairs, gym class, and field day, which was two days before school ended.
She ended the year strong, but wasn't ready to say goodbye to her friends and her teacher just yet. When I picked her up on her last day of school, she was pouting, and she told me she wasn't excited about school ending because she was really going to miss her friends and her teacher.
Kindergarten flew by, and this mama totally teared up while reading the note Lily's teacher wrote in her "Oh, the Places You'll Go" graduation edition book. My baby girl is growing up WAY too fast!
I don't feel like Lily changed too much from the first day to the last. She's a bit taller, she lost her second bottom middle tooth and got her top middle tooth knocked out, and her face looks a little bit older, but other than that, she looks very much the same! Adorable, outgoing and confident!
{ALEXANDRIA}
Lexie ROCKED 4th Grade! She is my incredibly kind, mature, hard-working child who always aims to please. She tackles every task and assignment with everything she's got, and her teachers always rave about how she is the model student. I never worry about her at school.
In addition to rocking good grades, Lexie opted to join her first extracurricular school activity. Beginning in January, Lexie stayed after school every Wednesday afternoon for choir. (Add all those miles of driving and hours of waiting to my list!) She loved it, and we loved watching her perform at her end of the year chorus concert. She looked so beautiful and poised on stage. She belongs up there!
Lexie, too, was upset about the school year ending. (Nerds rule the world, right?!?) When she came home, she was in tears. The last day of school was the last day Lexie would be a student at the elementary school. Lexie had to say goodbye to the elementary school that has been her home for the past three years, and will be heading to the 5th and 6th grade school in the Fall. She said she was going to miss her teachers, her classmates, seeing her best friend (who was in her class) at school everyday, and Mr. Bob, the school janitor. Poor kid is not excited about this transition. Change can be tough!
{DYLAN}
As a 6th Grader, this was Dylan's last year in elementary school. (I seriously can't believe it!) Dylan juggled a lot this year between school, band, orchestra, chorus and basketball. He also TESTED us this year by not turning in some homework assignments or studying for some tests, but he learned his lesson quickly!
Once he got the hang of juggling school work, school activities and extracurricular activities, he did great! I will say that 6th grade was the most challenging year Dylan has ever had. He always breezed through school by getting good grades with no effort and he got along with everyone, but as all parents of tweens know, things change at this age. Although Dylan says his teacher this year was his favorite teacher ever, I was not a fan of 6th grade in general!
BUT...there were great things! Like watching Dylan perform with the 6th grade choir (mandatory, but they were awesome), play trumpet in band (optional), and play violin in orchestra for the first time (also optional). The band sounded amazing at their end of the year concert!
Dylan also had the sweetest girlfriend since the beginning of the year. They had a few (very) supervised dates, and it's evident that they really care for each other! My sweet boy is growing up way too quickly!
The year ended with a fun field day, and a picture of the graduating class. (Cue tears! I remember most of those kids when they were adorable Kindergarteners!)
They concluded their year with a field trip to PNC Park to watch a Pirates game, and Dylan and the rest of the 6th Grade band performed the national anthem. Oh, how I wish I would have seen it in person!
The year ended with a fun field day, and a picture of the graduating class. (Cue tears! I remember most of those kids when they were adorable Kindergarteners!)
They concluded their year with a field trip to PNC Park to watch a Pirates game, and Dylan and the rest of the 6th Grade band performed the national anthem. Oh, how I wish I would have seen it in person!
In the Fall, Dylan will be heading to middle school! He will be starting school an hour earlier and arriving home an hour earlier. He needed to give up a few things so he could really focus on school work and what he truly loved, so he decided to give up band and orchestra. We are making him take a music class as one of his classes instead of study hall, so he opted for chorus.
I am bummed that he isn't playing trumpet and violin anymore, but it really wasn't his thing. I'm so glad he tried something new and played for two years, but basketball is what he truly loves!
This past year was a big year of change for Dylan. He really started to look like a teenager by the end of the year. I truly can't believe Dylan is heading to middle school and will become a teenager a few months later. Time needs to slow down!
Although it was challenging at times, it was a good year! My kids learned and grew so much. It was a year of change for all of us, and next Fall will bring even more change. Before I worry too much about what lies ahead, I plan to enjoy the NOW with my tribe. Their sadness over the year ending will fade, and there will be so many wonderful moments we can enjoy together! We have a fun Summer ahead of us!
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Friday, December 16, 2016
Friday Favorites
Happy Friday! I can hardly believe it's the last weekend before Christmas!
I wish I had all kinds of exciting things planned for this weekend, but I'm going to be spending it Christmas shopping. And wrapping. And panicking because we have to fit in a million activities into 4 days next week. And kicking myself for not starting sooner. But in all fairness, there is literally NO extra time when you have four kids who are in school and activities. That's the reason why I don't sleep and why I do all my blogging at 3 AM!
I'm switching things up a bit for my Friday Favorites this week. Instead of mostly sharing products I currently love, I'm going to keep things simple and mostly share the moments that made this week so special!
{ONE}
{TWO}
Phase Two (AKA Lily and Liam) cuddling and reading books on a sunny afternoon. We're going to miss Lily so much when she stays at school all day next year!
{THREE}
An early Christmas gift! Strider Bikes sent Liam a balance bike to review over on Pittsburgh Moms Blog. You can read all about it and why it's such a great gift for kids of ALL abilities HERE. The Strider Balance Bike is an amazing gift. Liam absolutely loves it and I can tell it's going to get a lot of use!
{FOUR}
Afternoons spent together as a family. Nothing makes me happier than when all four of my kids are home and getting along well!
{FIVE}
The joy over a snowfall! We got a few inches of snow this week and the kids were so excited! Well, 3 of my 4. Liam wasn't allowed to go outside because he had a little cold. I'm sure we'll get more snow this winter that he will be able to enjoy!
{SIX}
How I do snow and cold weather: In 5 minute intervals with LOTS of layers. As in a pair of tights, a pair of fleece lined leggings, a pair of socks, a pair of boot socks, a tank top, two thermal shirts, a sweater and scarf. It's how I roll! Hidden coat (later found stuffed under Liam's crib) and all my others stored away in the attic above the Christmas present-covered steps meant that I had to get creative!
{SEVEN}
The wish list chalkboard from the Target Dollar Spot that some of my crew stares longingly at each day. The wishes never changed this year!
I've got two of the four covered, but I don't think I'm going to have much luck finding that second Hatchimal. We got lucky with the first one. My friend's mom had it on layaway since the Spring and my friend's son didn't want it so it was ours. Now we have to decide if the girls will share it (my husband says no) or just Lily gets it (then I'll feel bad for Lexie). Such an important decision to make over an overpriced toy that only hatches once!
Dylan, Lexie and Lily's wish lists are very small this year so finishing up our shopping should be easy!
{EIGHT}
Liam's joy over reading gets me every time! He's currently loving his books from Join the Story Box, which is a monthly subscription service for young readers. We opted for the Board Books package this month since he's in toddler tornado mode!
{NINE}
Dylan had his choir, orchestra and band concert last night and we are so proud of him! The 6th graders did such an amazing job.
Chorus is mandatory for the entire grade, but next year it's an elective and Dylan will not be continuing. He said it isn't his thing! He opted to play trumpet in band for the second year and he just started playing violin in orchestra. He told us he's going to continue with band and orchestra next year, but I'm not so sure. He only decided to do it this year because his girlfriend (Yes, he has a girlfriend. OMG.) plays trumpet and violin, too. And, well, if that ends...
Whether or not he decides to continue, this experience was a great one! We're encouraging his musical ability and we love watching how he's able
to play more songs on his guitar and on our piano just from being a part of band
and orchestra. We're so glad he joined this year!
That's a wrap for our busy week! I'm heading to bed at 4 AM and feeling incredibly grateful that we can sleep until 9:30 AM thanks to our second 2 hour delay, due to cold weather, in a row! After that, I'm going to spend the weekend spending LOTS of money and preparing myself for all the Christmas events we have planned next week! I hope you all have an amazing weekend!
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Friday, December 18, 2015
The Christmas Spirit
I have a confession. I'm a total Grinch this year. I'm just not enjoying the holiday season as much as I typically do.
I'm not sure if it's the constant busyness, the unseasonably warm weather, or the fact that I've been sick since before Thanksgiving. It's hard to rest and get better when you literally can't stop! There are just so many activities and obligations for my 4 kids right now! I feel like I'm just going through the motions for my favorite holiday.
I'm trying desperately to get out of my funk. Thankfully, my cough finally seems to be improving, and we've had a few events over the past week that helped give me a glimpse of that Christmas Spirit that has been missing all month!
First up was the warmest Christmas Parade we've ever experienced! We go to our town parade/light up night every single year. It's ridiculously short, but the kids love it, and they get to visit with Santa after the parade.
The parade was on Saturday and it was in the high sixties. That's so unusual for Pittsburgh this time of year. We were stripping off layers of clothing as we waited for the parade to begin!
Grant's mom and Nannie met us for the parade, and our some of our friends joined us, too. It just so happened to be Nannie's 91st Birthday! She's the coolest 91 year old around. She's still sharp as a tack, perfectly put together, and she races around town in her orange Camaro adorned with her initials!
The kids grabbed some drinks, cupcakes, and hot cocoa, then Dylan wandered off with some friends from school. The girls and Liam are still happy to stay with their family and friends! They had plenty of fun while we waited for the parade to start!
It seemed like it took a long time, but we finally heard the parade heading our way! Everyone rejoined our group and the kids got ready to catch some candy!
I must have bumped my camera just before the parade began, and the dial shifted out of manual. I didn't even realize it until I got home, but all my pictures after that were "off." I was bummed, but they still turned out cute!
Liam was a HUGE fan of the parade! He clapped his way through it!
The parade only lasted about 5 minutes, but the kids enjoyed it! The highlight, of course, was Santa arriving at the very end of the parade!
We watched Santa light up the town, then got in line to visit with Santa. Even though we were near the front of the line, people filtered in on all sides, and we ended up waiting a long time! It was worth it, though!
Liam had no fear of Santa. By the end of their visit, he was grinning and clapping along with Santa's elves! Santa told us he was a big fan of Liam!
We said our goodbyes to Santa, and Liam took off down empty Main Street. We took that as our cue to pack up our things and head to our next destination!
That evening, we had a Christmas party with our friends, and I didn't even take a single picture. Oops!
Lily had her snack day at Pre-K on Wednesday. I let her pick something festive, and she ended up choosing a very time-consuming treat. I did it, though, because after Pre-K, snack days are over! The only free time I had was at 12:30 AM on Wednesday. One hour and 20 snowmen later, I headed to bed!
After I picked Lily up from school on Wednesday, we headed to the park. It was 60 degrees, so we had to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather while we had the chance!
That evening, our entire family attended Dylan's 5th grade band/chorus winter concert!
Fifth Grade is the first year the students can join band, and I'm really glad Dylan opted to join. I think sports AND music is very important! Dylan chose the trumpet, but wants to switch to strings next year. Dylan was in the choir club last year, which was optional, but in 5th Grade, choir is mandatory.
My parents and Grant's mom and Nannie came to the concert, too. Dylan was very happy they came to see him.
Although I didn't get many pictures, the concert was great! The band played 6 songs and each song was just 30 seconds long. They were surprisingly good considering they have only been playing together for one month and only 3 days with their new band teacher (their regular teacher is on maternity leave)!
I honestly couldn't even spot Dylan in band, but I did capture a few videos. I can't wait to see how they sound in the Spring after several more months of learning!
The chorus did a great job, too! (Dylan is in the front row, far right.)
Lily and Liam were really well behaved through the entire concert, so I was actually able to relax and enjoy it! I'm thankful for that!
I'm proud of myself. I only cried two or three times. (Maybe more, but who's judging?) I just can't believe I have an 11 year old. He grew up in the blink of an eye, and he didn't even need my help getting ready. He chose his outfit, put on his crooked tie, gelled his hair, and put on cologne. I can't handle this!
We had a great evening cheering on our sweet boy! We're so proud of him!!! (And our end of the concert family photo is about as real as it gets. Two sleepy kids and two sleepy parents!)
It was a fun week! We have a LOT of shopping and Christmas activities ahead of us over the next week. I'm not quite sure how we're going to fit it all in before Christmas, but we'll do our best!
How are you celebrating the holiday season?
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I'm not sure if it's the constant busyness, the unseasonably warm weather, or the fact that I've been sick since before Thanksgiving. It's hard to rest and get better when you literally can't stop! There are just so many activities and obligations for my 4 kids right now! I feel like I'm just going through the motions for my favorite holiday.
I'm trying desperately to get out of my funk. Thankfully, my cough finally seems to be improving, and we've had a few events over the past week that helped give me a glimpse of that Christmas Spirit that has been missing all month!
First up was the warmest Christmas Parade we've ever experienced! We go to our town parade/light up night every single year. It's ridiculously short, but the kids love it, and they get to visit with Santa after the parade.
The parade was on Saturday and it was in the high sixties. That's so unusual for Pittsburgh this time of year. We were stripping off layers of clothing as we waited for the parade to begin!
Grant's mom and Nannie met us for the parade, and our some of our friends joined us, too. It just so happened to be Nannie's 91st Birthday! She's the coolest 91 year old around. She's still sharp as a tack, perfectly put together, and she races around town in her orange Camaro adorned with her initials!
The kids grabbed some drinks, cupcakes, and hot cocoa, then Dylan wandered off with some friends from school. The girls and Liam are still happy to stay with their family and friends! They had plenty of fun while we waited for the parade to start!
It seemed like it took a long time, but we finally heard the parade heading our way! Everyone rejoined our group and the kids got ready to catch some candy!
I must have bumped my camera just before the parade began, and the dial shifted out of manual. I didn't even realize it until I got home, but all my pictures after that were "off." I was bummed, but they still turned out cute!
Liam was a HUGE fan of the parade! He clapped his way through it!
The parade only lasted about 5 minutes, but the kids enjoyed it! The highlight, of course, was Santa arriving at the very end of the parade!
We watched Santa light up the town, then got in line to visit with Santa. Even though we were near the front of the line, people filtered in on all sides, and we ended up waiting a long time! It was worth it, though!
Liam had no fear of Santa. By the end of their visit, he was grinning and clapping along with Santa's elves! Santa told us he was a big fan of Liam!
We said our goodbyes to Santa, and Liam took off down empty Main Street. We took that as our cue to pack up our things and head to our next destination!
That evening, we had a Christmas party with our friends, and I didn't even take a single picture. Oops!
Lily had her snack day at Pre-K on Wednesday. I let her pick something festive, and she ended up choosing a very time-consuming treat. I did it, though, because after Pre-K, snack days are over! The only free time I had was at 12:30 AM on Wednesday. One hour and 20 snowmen later, I headed to bed!
After I picked Lily up from school on Wednesday, we headed to the park. It was 60 degrees, so we had to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather while we had the chance!
That evening, our entire family attended Dylan's 5th grade band/chorus winter concert!
Fifth Grade is the first year the students can join band, and I'm really glad Dylan opted to join. I think sports AND music is very important! Dylan chose the trumpet, but wants to switch to strings next year. Dylan was in the choir club last year, which was optional, but in 5th Grade, choir is mandatory.
My parents and Grant's mom and Nannie came to the concert, too. Dylan was very happy they came to see him.
Although I didn't get many pictures, the concert was great! The band played 6 songs and each song was just 30 seconds long. They were surprisingly good considering they have only been playing together for one month and only 3 days with their new band teacher (their regular teacher is on maternity leave)!
I honestly couldn't even spot Dylan in band, but I did capture a few videos. I can't wait to see how they sound in the Spring after several more months of learning!
The chorus did a great job, too! (Dylan is in the front row, far right.)
Lily and Liam were really well behaved through the entire concert, so I was actually able to relax and enjoy it! I'm thankful for that!
I'm proud of myself. I only cried two or three times. (Maybe more, but who's judging?) I just can't believe I have an 11 year old. He grew up in the blink of an eye, and he didn't even need my help getting ready. He chose his outfit, put on his crooked tie, gelled his hair, and put on cologne. I can't handle this!
We had a great evening cheering on our sweet boy! We're so proud of him!!! (And our end of the concert family photo is about as real as it gets. Two sleepy kids and two sleepy parents!)
It was a fun week! We have a LOT of shopping and Christmas activities ahead of us over the next week. I'm not quite sure how we're going to fit it all in before Christmas, but we'll do our best!
How are you celebrating the holiday season?
LET'S CONNECT!
TWITTER // FACEBOOK // INSTAGRAM // BLOGLOVIN // GOOGLE+ // PINTEREST
