Violin Duet

Abigail is fascinated by the violin. Over 7 months ago, she started making "violins" out of Tinker Toys and "playing" them--aka, singing along. Her bowing even matches the rhythms most of the time. Well, Avery--who loves to do what Warren and Abigail are doing--has decided to take up the violin, too. This morning when we gathered for scriptures, first we had to be serenaded to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," sung at the top of their lungs while they "played." It was almost as cute as when they used their frozen blueberries and pancakes pieces to write music notes on their plates at breakfast and then they sang what the had written. When I finally stop playing phone tag with my friend Heidi, Abigail is going to start Suzuki violin lessons. She is so excited.
Reminder: Music Night Tomorrow!

So Proud

Warren surprised me today by playing this on the piano. It is the bridge section of "Do, a Deer" from the Sound of Music. He takes "Let's Play Music" lessons from a local teacher, and it was a song they learned to sing last year. Then he figured out how to play it by ear on the tonebells. Apparently he transferred that knowledge to the piano. I don't know who is more proud--me or him!
My spiel: This is why I am such a believer in sol-feg singing and ear training! I used to teach piano while I was getting my degree in music education, and before I had kids. I was often frustrated because I didn't think that my students used their ears/listening ability enough to their advantage. They got lost in note names and the many other complexities of music that I think develop long after their ear has. After taking a class at ASU about elementary general music methods and being exposed to the methods of Orff and Kodaly, I really wanted to incorporate these into my teaching. The problem was I didn't have a systematic way to do it, and most of my students were too old to appreciate these methods--they would've felt like they were doing "baby stuff" or regressing. I vowed that when I had children, I would find a way to incorporate these methods. A friend of a friend told me about "Let's Play Music," a three year theory/piano prep course and after checking it out, I found a teacher and signed Warren up. I've been so pleased with the program. If I had the room in my house for the keyboards (up to 8!) that the kids need their second year of study, I would get certified to teach it.

The Bike Ramp

For months, Warren has had a promise from our neighbor to build him a bike ramp on a day that Sam, my brother, could come over also. Well, October Break provided the perfect confluence of factors, and so last weekend at 6:40 in the morning, as I am still lying in bed , I hear Warren out back, asking our neighbor if he will build the bike ramp. I was a bit nervous, since I didn't know what this would entail. (Keep in mind my insurance deductible is $11,000 :) But I was greatly relieved when I saw my neighbor hauling out a piece of plywood and some cinder blocks and building it on the grass berm between our yards. I should have known he'd keep it simple and safe for the kids he likes so much.

The ramp had all sorts of reincarnations: on the grass vs. on the sidewalk, cinder blocks vs. red bricks, ramp or tilting platform. My kids and my siblings spent the better part of the morning planning it and then directing how to build it to their latest specifications. Warren rode his bike, Same rode his bike and scooter, Annie took a few turns on the scooter, and Avery and Abigail each got pushed on the tricycle--obviously, they didn't catch much air.

Around noon I went to the YMCA and saw an acquaintance who asked, "Coming or going?" "Just getting here," I replied. I then explained the bike ramp to her and my wonderful neighbor who spent his entire morning making my kids and siblings happy. She replied, "Those kind of people are so good for neighborhoods." I agree.

Saturday Makeover

This is pretty self-explanatory. Now let me explain why I laughed and had Andy take a picture instead of stressing out: Emily, the magic cleaning lady who also happens to be my sister. I actually was making Saturday a pretty rotten day for myself--heaping on the guilt, wallowing in indecision, thinking about my messy house and undone organizational projects rather than doing anything about them--and then magically, Emily shows up. While I organize the mounds of recipes--from classes, cut from magazines/newspaper and printed off Internet--that had taken over a much-needed counter top, Emily cleans like a whirlwind around me. Oh, and Abigail and Avery are napping, and Warren is at Schnepf Farms with my other sisters--Sarah, Natalie, Annie--and Sam, my youngest brother. So at the end of an hour and a half, I tackle a big mound that needed organizing and purging, Emily makes my house sparkle and my kids are all being taken care of. A wonderful turn-around to my day. As Emily left I thanked her with something like this, "Even on days like today when I look lousy, I don't have to stare at myslef in a mirror all day and feel bad. But, I do have to look at my house all day and that reflects back to me my impressions of myself, so thanks for giving me a makeover." Which is why, instead of being really upset about Avery pretty much trashing what remained of my makeup, I was able to laugh. Sisters make all the difference in the world, and they definitely give the best makeovers--of all kinds.

Sweet and Sour Bean

Avery's nickname is "Bean." When she was little, she was a sad, gassy, little baby, so I jokingly called her Bean. It grew into a term of endearment--just today, my neighbor called her Bean. I also call her Sweet Bean and Little Bean, but lately, she could be called Sweet and Sour Bean, as these pictures show. Avery is the kid who runs to greet me the moment I wake up with a big hug and exuberant cry of, "Mommy!" She is also the kid that falls down and just wants to stay down for awhile, then get up on her own terms.

After seeing some very cute aprons I've been on a sewing kick lately, and this smock is one of first attempts back at sewing from a long break. I fund the tutorial here, and modified the size to fit Avery. The main apron part is an old skirt of my sister Annie's that I had stashed away for just such a project as this. The red dress was a thrift store find of my other sister Emily, and was crying out for a pinafore or something. I made one for Abigail too, but made it while she was sleeping, so the straps didn't get modified to a good length, and it's a little big, but it still kept her clean while we made chocolate chip cookies last night and while she ate oatmeal and blueberry smoothies for breakfast. And she likes it. My other project was a half apron; I traced an existing apron to make a pattern and it turned out pretty well. Next time I have a non-pregnant tummy at my house to model it, I'll put a picture up.
So, I guess now is the appropriate time to thank my parents for all those sewing lessons they paid for when I was a kid that give me a small amount of confidence to approach my sewing machine, and to Sister Palmer, the dear old lady who faithfully taught me to sew. I'm definitely not a credit to her name, but I still appreciate her efforts.