Been a while since I did a post.......

School year is off and running. I just submitted a list of the instruments that need replacing -district wide. It was a lot of work researching instrument brands/models so I could come up with a replacement cost of what we actually need. Now we will see if anything gets purchased.

Anna is in 5th grade already. She started trombone this summer and is in her 3rd year of piano. She is continuing with ballet and singing in the church children's choir. She is looking forward to sleeping over at grandmas later this week when I am at convention.

Dirk is Dirk. He just got back to work a couple of weeks ago. He was out on disability for 5 weeks. But he seems to be back in rhythm and back to his old self.

I brought in the herbs for winter and have finished cleaning out most of the flower beds.

6/17/2012

Well 1 week of "vacation" done. I am teaching summer school starting tomorrow and spent 3 days in school this week. Since Anna is not going to daycare this summer (a new 1st) she is going to be my teacher's helper. She is going to be a student in my trombone class and a helper in the others. She can read music and help the kids follow along who may be lost. She thought is was cool that she gets to be my helper. =)

Today we off to the farm to visit my folks and then after lunch we'll be working in the garden that mom and I share. Made more sense to do it today than make a separate trip to pull weeds.

Have a good day!

pm

canning

Well so far I have canned, tomatoes, tomato sauce, peaches, green beans, carrots, potatoes, beef broth, beets, corn and strawberry jelly. I have a few more tomatoes to go then I am done for a couple of days until the pears ripen and it is time to dig up the sweet potatoes.

Let the rat race begin

I spent the first 2 days of school doing recruiting for kids who did not sign up last spring. Tomorrow I actually start teaching. For some kids they will be getting their instrument for the first time, for others we will pick up where we left off at the end of their summer program.

One nice thing is that not all the kids will be on the same song at the same time, a little variety goes a long way!! After all, if I had a $1 for every time I heard "Hot Cross Buns" or some version of it, I could retire soon.

today is the final round of canning tomatoes and tomato sauce!!

School is off and running

2 (4 day) weeks in so far. I have approximately 125 beginners between 4 buildings. Now that's a lot of "Hot Cross Buns"! After another week or two, when kids start to get into a routine, and after they all finally know how to assemble their instruments and blow, life will get a lot easier. Maybe by next week someone will actually get to "Au Clair de la Lune."

Anna's 2nd grade picture

Anna had her 2nd grade picture taken at registration a couple of weeks ago.

Yesterday we took Anna to falls fest. She was able to ride a camel and feed some goats and llamas.

On Sunday we will be off to the Manitowoc Zoo and then the Submarine museum.

A lot of work to do before the beginning band program starts in 2 weeks. I pulled stuck slides, and oiled/greased what I could for 1 school this morning. 2 more to go....... And then I can start with rental contracts..... so much for my 2 weeks off this summer.

more awards

It has been quite a summer for bassoon students: max won a full ride to UW Madison, Adam won a half scholarship to next year's music camp at lakeland and a 2 year renewable scholarship to attend the college, and Brian won a mock audition at the Ball State Bassoon Camp, and was 1st runner up for a scholarship to attend Ball State.

grad classes finished!

I emailed my final set of essays for the 2nd class tonight. What a relief to be done with that. I took a class on "how to teach so students remember" and another on the latest brain research and how it affects education. It was pretty interesting reading, but the writing was a chore. I think between the 2 classes I had about 45 pages of text. Yuck. But at least I didn't have to sit in a classroom. These were correspondence courses, so I could read on the comfy couch.

My hours at the computer sent me to the chiropractor twice this week though. My neck and back are still killing me. I need to figure out better ergonomics that's for sure!

Tomorrow music camp begins. I am teaching all the bassoon sections, 1 or 2 theory sections, a class on finale notation software and the cartoon music class I developed last year. Although teaching at camp is a lot of fun, it is really exhausting.

Ciao

Anna and her totem pole she created at the arts festival.

Anna acting crazy.

Anna the Kitty Cat

Anna had her face painted at the JMKAC arts festival this afternoon.

Anna is being silly and trying (again) to learn how to ride a bike. She now can go up and down the block with training wheels and not tip over.

Pictures of flowers from the gardens around my house. The bottom one is a dianthus.

Anna's last day of first grade with her teacher, Mrs. Siebert.

Here is a picture of when I was young.

New Car Picture

new car

Yesterday I bought a silver toyota Prius. My cruiser has been turning into a money pit. In the last 4 years, I've put in 2 new radiators and etc.. On Friday, all the antifreeze leaked out. I filled it up and 2 miles later is was all gone again. Nuts to that. I decided to trade it in while there is still some value left in it. It is at the shop now and on Wed, we'll finalize the Prius deal after the dealer can inspect the car.

The Prius has a huge trunk, a necessity when your job involves hauling around tubas and cellos. And I wanted something with really good gas mileage, because I hate going to the gas station every week.