Miss Connie

Miss Connie has 55--count them--55 piano students. I couldn't even imagine. I am taking piano lessons from her too, to relearn bad habbits and learn for the first time some of the things I missed. That's what you get when you basically teach yourself. She wants me to be her apprentice, and take all the new beginning students. I don't know if I'm up to the task. She does a fabulous job!
Here are my star performers having some refreshments. Another notch on my belt of stupidity--every family was supposed to bring a tray of finger foods. Guess who forgot?
The kiddos and daddy. Attending the recital gave Scott a new perspective on paying the money for piano lessons. He was very impressed, and kept saying what a good experience it is for kids to practice hard on a piece and then perform it.
After I took the picture of Scott with the kids, I made him take one of me with the kids. After all, if their is any practicing that takes place it is because I go put on my iron fist and insist on compliance. Not really, but it can prove to be quite a job to get a kid to sit down at a piano bench and play anywhere from three to seven songs five times each. Sometimes I feel like I'd rather have a root canal without novocaine!

More Piano Recital

Here's Ryan. What can I say? He is very cute! His piece was entitled The Hermit Crab Cha-cha. It fit his personality very well. The other day Scott took Ryan into a gas station, and when Ryan saw himself on the TV monitor for the security camera, he started dancing. Scott said he danced for about two or three minutes and everyone passing by gave them weird looks, or asked, "What is he doing?"
I can take credit for his pauses as well, their piano lesson is on Monday, they practiced Tuesday, and then not again the entire week. They basically played cold turkey this morning. Would anyone like to donate a new brain to my cause? 

Piano Recital

Today was Julia's and Ryan's first piano recital. There was a guy sitting in front of Scott and I taking copious notes on his program. By Ryan's and Julia's names he wrote, "Beginner--Rookie." They played a little slowly, and paused a few times, but they did beautifully.
Julia's piece was entitled Sweet Dreams. She loved playing it and often called it the Child's Lullaby.
Julia's pauses were probably my fault. What kind of a non-thinking mother lets her five year old have a sleepover the night before a piano recital?

No Nap!

That is Emily's new credo. All of a sudden she is not taking naps. She will stay in her room for up to two hours, quietly playing, and will not sleep a wink. I took this picture at her request. I guess she has outgrown her naps. It is a sad day for her mommy, because now she gets crabby around five or six at night :( 

Signs

I went upstairs a couple of days ago and was taken by surprise when I found this posted on Julia's door. If you can't read it, it says (and I am writing it exactly like she did), "No Emily uolad No Ben uLaD No Ryan uLad Thank you" 

Benjamin's TV addiction

I can't decide if he likes watching the TV or if he likes the power afforded by pushing the buttons to make the movie start. Ben is constantly watching TV. He especially likes to watch DVD's on the computer so he can be right where mom is.
Who wouldn't love a sweet innocent face like that? It usually means trouble will follow shortly. This is Ben's thinking face. He's getting ready to try something out that usually ends in me cleaning up a big mess! 

Basketball

Ryan is on a Basketball team and he LOVES it. He doesn't quite get what's going on. For the first couple of days he played defense when his team was on offence and vice versa.
Here's their team huddle before the game starts.
But he is enjoying the experience. This is him throwing up a shot.
Waiting for the rebound. 

Window Sitting

This is the window about the garden tub in the Master Bedroom. They love to climb up here and sit. Even when they are naked and wet and their mom tells them not to because they could kill theirselves!
A closer shot because they are do darn cute!
Julia needed one alone! 

Haircut

My mom cut my hair while she was here for Chirstmas. I thought it turned out really cute, but I've struggled with it. I most often feel like a cutip head! My face looks funny in this one. But you can see the hair better.
The hair looks cuter here, but you can't really see it, and my face looks more normal. 

Wrestling with Ben

Benjamin loves to wrestle with mom or dad, he's not so sure about wrestling with siblings. He seems to cry these days every time Ryan touches him.
Julia thought it was so funny watching Ryan torment Benjamin that she wanted to take a crack at it. 

A book mural

I should have known, it was much too quiet upstairs. I walked up there, and Julia and Ryan had constructed a gianormous book mural. They are very silly sometimes. I was surprisingly calm, and just asked them to put the books away. When I came back upstairs I found that they had simply thrown all the books on the floor of the closet, and they considered that excellent cleaning up!
 

Oatmeal Day!

Wednesday at our house is oatmeal day! Needless to say it is not my kids favorite breakfast. My mom suggested letting them pour on their own milk and putting on their own sugar. For the first time ever they actually enjoyed oatmeal day. Everybody at most of their oatmeal!


Except Benjamin who, as a result of his asthma, hasn't been eating much of anything lately! 

Tea Party!

They saw one of my tea sets sitting on the counter and decided it was a great day for a tea party!
They were adamant about pouring their own tea (apple juice)!
Even Ryan was enjoying the tea party! Unfortunately, we lost a tea cup :( It broke, and we are all very sad! 

Snuggling with Grandma

Here are Benjamin and Emily getting in some snuggle time with Grandma. Our kids were feeling the craziness from lack of their normal routine. We decided to sit down on Thursday and have morning scripture study and prayer. Emily and Ben took full advantage of the time to get in some snuggles! 

Benjamin

It was so much fun to watch Benjamin open presents this Christmas. Usually kids his age hesitate and need a lot of help getting their presents unwrapped. Not Benjamin, he tore right in. He quickly unwrapped any present he was given, or any he could find. He even showed his gratitude and excitement to the person who gave it to him.
Here he is playing with the blocks that came with a wagon from Grandma and Grandpa Oliver. He doesn't look very excited. I think by this time he was starting to be on Christmas overload! 

Surprise for Grandma and Grandpa

We all know that Christmas as an adult holds few surprises. I wanted to make Christmas at my house special for my mom and dad. We bought them each a new pair of pajamas to open Christmas Eve. Then Christmas morning an unknown package was waiting for them under the tree.
It was a digital camera! And they were so excited! Benjamin was sure that everyone needed his help and supervision while opening their presents.