Life in a Small Town

The Clarinet Lesson

 

Last night Katie had County Band try-outs.  She was so nervous.  As many of you know, this young lady is a perfectionist.  It has to be done right and perfectly and if it is not, well, then it's not good enough.  So, she had it in her mind and on her heart that she had to get the coveted first clarinet, first chair. 

While she was at try-outs she noticed a young 7th grade man in the corner and he appeared nervous.  She put aside her own nervousness and her own concentration on the try-outs and approached the young man.  In so doing she discovered that he had practiced and had in hand the wrong music.  So she quickly briefed him on the correct music and helped him learn it the best he could in an abbreviated time frame.  In addition, to the incorrect music, she also discovered that  a portion of his Clarinet was broken.  Did she walk away and say, "Too bad for you, dude."?  Nope, in true Katelin fashion she let him borrow the portion of her Clarinet to remedy the problem.

So, how did Katelin do at the try-outs?  She made second Clarinet (I think) and she does not remember what chair.  She was so dissappointed in what she deemed a " bad night".  I couldn't have been more proud of her.  To me, it truly doesn't matter if she was declared "the best Clarinetist of all time", she was a bigger winner to me because she saw beyond herself and helped out a person in need.  And I am sure that young man will remember that moment for years to come.  It makes me step back and examine my own life and see if I am looking beyond msyelf to others who may be in need with a broken clarinet, playing the wrong music.  The lessons we learn from our kids can be invaluable.  

I love you, Katie!  You are young lady of GREAT character!!!!

Double Fun Day

Today somebody in our family turns 13!!!  Where have the years gone?  Happy Birthday, Karl.  We love you very much.  Sorry you had be sick for your first official day as a teenager :( 

Today was the Halloween party and parade at H's school.  She asked me and her mom to help out with the party.  I was going to help out in the classroom while her mom walked in the parade.  Unfortunately, her mom could not attend so I had parade duty too.  I had to walk the entire parade in heels!  Luckily they are some of my more comfortable heels, but I am pretty sure I was the only person walking that parade in such un-sensible shoes :)

H's class is so cute . . .

H and her friends prior to the parade beginning:

  
The high school band leads the parade and then they stayed after the parade and entertained the kiddos:

 I am not sure how Katie played when she was all stuffed up, but she did it:

After the parade and band entertainment we returned to the classroom for snacks.  Following snacks the kids played some games.  In this game they had to hold hands and pass the hoolahoop down the row while holding hands:

Before we knew it the day was over.  I am not sure if I had more fun or if the kids had more fun.  It's fun to walk into a room and have the kids all yell, "It's Mrs. Morrison!"  So cute, I could go to school with Hannah once a week, I would love it. 

Last night was Trick-or-Treat and this scary little thing came to visit:

Uncle Mike did her make-up just like he did for Katie a few years ago.  I think Hannah has wanted to be a witch ever since she saw a picture of Katie as a witch.  I looked high and low for that picture of Katie to add to this post, but I cannot find it. 

Tomorrow is an 8:30 a.m. soccer game, I guess that means I need to go catch some zzzzz's. 

Lenny & the Squigtones

Ever since I found a local channel that plays Laverne & Shirley re-runs my DVR has been burning up recording each episode.  Now the girls are into watching Laverne & Shirleyas well.  Hannah calls Squiggy "Squiggly".  Too funny.  Last night's episode was particularly hilarious and this is Katie's new favorite song.  Listen to the words, it is downright hilarious!

"dance to the rhythm-less music of Lenny and the Squigtones"

"A song called "Night After Night", it's about 2 nights in a row"

"Who wants to look at the same broad night after night?"

"even true love can be boring, night after night"

"Then I'll find me someone new who won't be dumb like you."

They just don't write good songs like this anymore!  :)

 

Operation Birthday Party

She may not officially turn 13 until the 30th, but we celebrated the big day today.  As many of you know, K is really into military things right now.  So, I went with a military theme for her birthday and it was so much fun. 

Party preparations began on Thursday night when we undertook making our own version of Mrs. Prindables apples:

Lots of ingredients:

What a mess:

 

Ta da:

I haven't tasted them yet, I think I'll try them tomorrow.  We gave them as favors at the party today.

Friday I took the day off work to get prepared for the party.  Mom treated me to breakfast at Eat 'N Park, thanks mom :)  Then we shopped away and even found some cute little places in the 'Burg that we were not aware of.  It was a fun day.

Today it rained and that was a bummer because I had a lot of outdoor activities planned that, unfortunately never happened.  Nevertheless we had a great time.  Mom gave me items from my dad's Tour in Vietnam and my Grandpa's Tour in World War II.  Grandpa received a Purple Heart and this garnered much attention at the party:

I decorated with flags so the decorating was easy and economical because I have tons of flags from the 4th of July decorating:

Mom made the coolest tank cake.  It was just beyond awesome.  Thanks, mom!  GREAT job:

 

Mom, Katie and the cake:

 I asked all our guests to wear camo, I was going for a military look, but realize that it looks more like a hunting party, which is fine because she is in to hunting as well:

See, she got a gun for her birthday:

Cake time was really interesting . . . the girls decided a food fight was in order:

 
 
From what I understand everybody had a great time!  I know I had fun and thank you to everybody who attended the party.  Katie was so happy to share her big day with each of you:

 
 

Proud to present . . .

Small Town High School band's first public appearance.  All the kids' hardwork paid off, they put on a spectacular performance last night.  I am so proud of this kid:

 If you'd like to see K with her fellow band members let me know and I'll see that you get a band schedule for football season. 

Parental Warning

If your children are home unsupervised, it is a good idea to prevent them from having access to the internet.  You just never know what terrible things they may may Google on the internet.  J and I learned this lesson the hard way when K was left unsupervised with internet access and we came home to discover these photographs:

 On a positive note, if law school doesn't pan out for her at least she can fall back on her towel folding talents and be gainfully employed on a cruise ship.  Hey . . . come to think of it, that may be be better . . . I bet we could get FREE cruises out of that deal . . . hmmmm . . . this may be a blessing in disguise!

She is Awesome

Yesterday I left a rather extensive chore list on the stove when I departed for work.  I fully anticipated that the girls would comply with the list as they are both very good about pitching in and helping out around the house.  H frequently asks if she can dust (usually the day AFTER I dust), so I knew the jobs would all be completed when I arrived home.  What I did not anticipate was what K would do above and beyond her listed duties.  I walked in and there she was diligently cleaning the green beans for dinner.  But, it didn't stop there.  When I suggested mashed potatoes for dinner she started peeling them.  From there she sat the table for dinner, then started cooking the green beans.  She also got the mixer out for the mashed potatoes.  After dinner she dried the dishes and helped clean up the kitchen.  All of this was done without me EVER asking a single time for her to help.  I made sure she knew how much her help was appreciated, she is an awesome kid who I love very much.  Thanks, Katie . . . I hope you know who much I love you and appreciate all you do for me.  You are such a blessing to me and God definitely knew you were the type of young lady that I needed in my life.  I am so blessed to call you my daughter.

Celebratory Cake

I am not sure if it was how I was raised or the fact that I was raised in Dutch Country, but nothing says "Congratulations" to me quite like a cake!  So, tonight we celebrated the fact that Katie made high school band with a cake!  A cake that I made completely from scratch I might add icing as well.  Oh wait, this is about Katie, not my cake . . . so then,

CONGRATULATIONS KATIE

Your dad and I are so very proud of you and it gave us a reason to eat cake!  . . . but seriously, along with this honor is the fact that she is now going to play her clarinet at all the football games, marching band, participate in band camp and I hear there is even an overnight stay involved in all of this.  Oh letting go is so hard . . . I am so not ready for this, but that doesn't matter, it's happening.  The Small Town middle school put on a GREAT concert on Tuesday night.  We had a very enjoyable time listening to their songs and you could tell a lot of hard work and effort went into their performance.

Katie is playing the clarinet that I played for my ENTIRE ONE YEAR career as a clarinetist.  I played in the 4th grade.  Then my grandma died and we had to move which meant we had to change elementary schools and I didn't want any part in clarinet at the new school.  I regret that decision.  That was not an easy time in my life.  Oh to do it over again . . . I am just very proud of Katie and that she is sticking with it and making great progress!

Here is the cake, not much to look at, but mighty tasty! 

I would have taken a pic of Katie with the cake, but she isn't too into having her picture posted on the blog.  Unlike Hannah who loves that fame and attention!   . . . two completely different kids.

Smackdown

Yesterday I received a smackdown from my daughter (notice K I did NOT add quotes).  Here is her comment from yesterday's post: 

im glad to call you my mother (no quotations needed)

K I am glad to call you my daughter too and I will never use quotes again!  I love you, Katie :)  Kids will keep you real and call them like they see it and I love it! 

Started out my day by reading this post over at "Bring the Rain" and it moved me to tears.  It's very well worth your time to read.

Please pray for my cousin Katie today who is having surgery.  And my friend whose father in law is in the very final stages of cancer.  Thanks!

Enjoy your Tuesday.

Character

Friday night K went to the Small Town Middle School dance and had a great time.  When she got home she went right up to H's bedroom and laid on the bed with H to watch the smallest TV in the house, but it was more about the time spent with her little sister than the quality of the television viewing.  Frequently you can find K & H in H's bedroom watching that tiny TV.  How many 12 year olds are so kind and loving to their younger siblings?

Yesterday K, H and I spent some time at a local rollerskating rink . . .it's quite the dive, let me tell you.  Anyway, we saw the girls former soccer coach there who must have 6 kids by now.  Well the one little boy was having an exceptionally hard time skating and his mom, who was holding his 10 month old sister, was trying to walk along with him where she could and help him.  This was not producing very good results so, K took his hand and helped him around the rink many times.  She spent so much time with this little guy and was so loving and patient with him.  I was so proud of her that I did get tears in my eyes.  Lately my emotions are running very high so it did not come as a surprise to me that this "Hallmark Moment" produced that type of reaction from me.

I hope K stays this loving and tenderhearted.  It makes me proud to call her "my daughter"!