All-City 2009

Today was the All-City concerts. Payton did a great job and also had fun. We were unable to use flash photography, so this is as good as I could do considering. The photos will open up larger if you click on them. Also, there is a video a the bottom of the post for your auditory pleasure.

Before leaving the house, she looks thrilled doesn't she? She was required to be there at 9AM, but the performances didn't start until 2PM. Over all the kids spent more than 8 hours practicing over the past 2 days for their 15 minute concert.

Here's the kids finding their seats. Payton is walking on her tip-toes, in the black dress with the white cardigan. I never noticed how thin she is until just now, she's so much smaller than the other kids.

Payton is in the center of this photo with the purple headband. The kids played 4 songs and really did a great job. I couldn't get many photos of her, the chunky conductor was standing right in front of her most of the time.

This was just Payton's group of fifth graders. There were two groups performing, one after the other. Later the sixth graders played and were followed by the seventh and eighth grade kids.

They were so good they got a standing ovation, I was so proud.

Here's Payton and I after everything was said and done.

This video is worthless, the audio though will give you a better feel for the performance.

Rehearsal Night

Tonight is rehearsals for the All-City Orchestra. I had to leave Payton at Landstown High School (picture on the left), which is easily 5 or 6 times larger than the High School Gregg & I attended. I had to leave her there without anyone she knows among thousands of students from all over the Hampton Roads area (her violin teacher was there). She is quite excited about the whole thing, and really looks forward to getting dressed up. She has put a lot of work into this performance and has really gotten good at the pieces they plan on playing for the audience. I snapped a few photos with my cell phone prior to leaving, but only this one turned out.

She is in the blue hoodie, in the center of the photo, getting out her music stand. We get to go pick her up later tonight and she has another rehearsal tomorrow morning and a concert tomorrow afternoon. We are all very excited to attend the concert and I will be sure to get some better photos then and a video or two to share.

Just seeing this photo again makes me sad. I cannot wait until she home again later tonight safe and sound.

Flashback Friday...

This photo is from December 2002. Payton had this Dora the Explorer pop up tent back then that she and Austin loved to play in. They didn't fit into it very well, but they loved it so much they didn't care. She used to put it up on her bed and sleep in it too, those two were crazy about that tent.

My Favorite Handy Man

We have had a tiny leak in one of the copper pipes in our bathroom for some time. We figured it might need to be fixed before the house is put on the market. So this weekend, Gregg started that procedure. Here are a few photos...

I got this picture of some chunky birds out on our deck the other day. I wish I had my shutter speed a bit higher so that the bird mid-flight could have been caught better. You live and you learn.

Here's my not so little girl, Payton. She was helping Gregg while he was cutting a hole in the kitchen ceiling. She can be so helpful sometimes.

And here's my favorite handy man doing what he does best, tear stuff up. I was quite surprised by him making sure that he didn't make too much of a mess for me. He laid out all of these moving quilts on his own, trying to mitigate my yelling and stress I imagine. All handy men should be so thoughtful.

I Think Spring Has Arrived...

Things around here have been very slow. However, next weekend is the All City Symphony, which Payton is one of two violinists that were chosen from her school, and she will be participating. I hope to have some nice photos and some video from that.

The grass is green, the flowers are blooming and Spring is in the air. At least for the next day or two.

A close up of the unknown variety of tree in the front yard. I love it when it blooms, it's the epitome of Spring. However, I very much dislike the goopy berries that stick to your shoes and get tracked all over the house in the fall.

And this is just how exciting it has been, I took a picture of the kids waiting at the bus stop this morning.

Yup, it's been just that boring.

To celebrate Springs arrival, I am making THIS SALAD tonight from the "Pioneer Woman" website. If you haven't checked out this site, get clicking!! I've got a lot of chopping to do, so I'd better get busy!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Finally A New Trampoline

Gregg has taken off work for the last three days of this week. We thought we'd have some fun together while the kids were in school. We've done the usual lunches together, but we've also had some extraordinary fun too. Today we went and watched a full docket of criminal court at the courthouse. We cannot wait to do it again. Yesterday we went to Newport News to Trader Joe's (I LOVE TRADER JOE'S) and tomorrow we are going to target practice a little.

This evening we picked up a new trampoline for the kids, here are a few photos...


Here's the reason why we needed to get a new trampoline. The wind whips through the creek area behind our house pretty strong and it ripped up the pad that surrounds the trampoline 2 or 3 years ago. We figured that the kids would outgrow the thing and stop playing on it, but we were wrong. So, we decided it was finally time to replace this dilapidated old thing.

Start of the process...

I'm glad I was busy making dinner and taking photos. I really didn't want to brave this nasty weather.

They sure do work well together. I'm sure it won't last much longer. Those teenage years are creeping up faster and faster every day.

Here's Gregg in action. He looks deep in thought, as if that ever happens. I would bet that at that moment he was thinking about the beer he's going to have after the whole thing is complete.

Here's Gregg's little helper in action. She's quite helpful when it comes to things like this. I'm sure she was thinking about how she cannot wait to jump on it, but that is to be expected.

Finished product. I hope it holds up to the wind for the next 3 to 8 months before we move.

I hope this nasty weather pushes out real soon, I hate this cold, dreary stuff.

Playing Catch Up

I know, I know. I haven't been keeping up with the blog much lately. Things around here have either been 200 miles per hour or dead as a door knob. So be happy you're getting this random post.

Payton had to be at school this morning an hour early for her field trip, so Austin was sitting waiting on the bus all alone. The weather has been so nice lately, well until today. If I remember correctly, the high for today is under 50*. We were all wearing shorts and flip flops over the weekend, even yesterday with the highs in the low 80's. I even saw some people returning home from the beach yesterday, unloading their vehicle. I cannot wait for summer, and to think it will be our last here in this beautiful area. That thought makes me sad.

Gregg power washed the stoop, stairs, sidewalk, driveway and shed over the weekend. The "I love LTW" note is gone from our drive way finally. I think he did a great job & it all looks really great. Spring is right around the corner. I have so much to do before we put the house on the market. It may not feel like spring today, but obviously the tree doesn't agree, see the flowers blooming up there?

I took this photo a couple weeks ago (with my cell phone, so please excuse the quality of the rest of these pics in this post) and happened upon it while downloading photos from my memory card. Note the bunny in the background of this picture. Apparently Jolie wasn't too interested.

Today Payton has a field trip to Pamplin Historical Park. I have no idea what type of "Civil War enhancement" will be going on there for them today, but all of the 5th graders were quite excited about it. It looks like an interesting place, somewhat of a Colonial Williamsburg knock off though. Either way I'm sure the kids will have a good time while they are there.

Our school system rents carter buses for these long trips. The park is in Petersburg, VA - about 90 miles (or 2 hours at pokey bus speed) away. She especially enjoys hanging out with her friends and watching the movies on the buses.

I was "lucky" enough to get to follow the slow moving things into school this morning. Can you feel the excitement in my words? It was far too early to be up, not to mention that driving to the school so early in my PJ's never makes me a happy camper.

See that, I'm going UNDER the speed limit. Save this picture, you'll never see this sort of thing again.

Flashback Friday

I know that I have told you how useful your cell phone camera can be, but I thought I'd give a little more proof with a story from back in July of 2007.

It was a usual weekday evening. I had just dropped Payton off at Gymnastics and I was driving down the road to pick up a few odds and ends for dinner that night. I had a green light and was going straight but saw some people in a van that looked anxious to be turning left and they did, in fact, pull out in front of me. I swerved trying not to hit them, but apparently the collision couldn't be avoided on my part and I slammed into their back end, took out the front of my car, crossed the median, plowed over a street sign and came to a halt in the turning lane on the other side of the road.

I loved this car. I hadn't had it for all that long, it was paid off and was sporty as hell. Anyway, I was a little shaken up, but unhurt. My car on the other hand, was beaten pretty badly. I got out and went to check on the other folks in the minivan. And this is what I found...

A ditched van with no people anywhere. I knew there were at least two people in it when the crash happened. If you've ever been in a car wreck, you know what I mean when I say that the whole thing happens in slow motion. I can tell you the song that was playing, what I was wearing that day, and the expression that was on their faces as they darted out in front of me.

Anyway, apparently the occupants were two teenagers that had stolen their parents car, taken it out for a joy ride, and collided with me in the process. They ditched the van and ran off on foot. The police did find them (in a manner of minutes) and charged them with felony hit and run. Though the state didn't uphold the charges because there was "no bodily injury." I personally think the charges should have stuck because apparently this kid was in so much trouble that the police knew them by name (why they were captured so quickly) when they saw the vehicle registration. Sometimes kids just need to learn a lesson by whatever means necessary.

The parents weren't any better people either, they didn't want to take responsibility for their kids actions and gave me the run around on insurance information. Then gave false statements to the insurance companies, which they saw right through after reading the police reports. Nothing says that you're not at fault like fleeing the scene of a crime on foot.

Anyway, keep your cell phone cameras handy, they sure can be convenient!

And to end things, here is a photo of my car before this whole debacle. I would show you an after photo, but once they put her back together she never was the same. That's why I no longer have her in my garage. I was quite attached to this car, I even cried the day I traded her in & went back to see her on the lot weeks after the deal was done.

Got SIG?

Gregg has been doing his best to stimulate the economy lately, here's some proof:

Gregg got a new toy on Friday, a new SIG SAUR 226 hand gun. He really enjoys collecting guns, this just happens to be the type they use at his work, so he had to go get one of his own for his personal collection. This brings the tally to 5 handguns alone, I'm not going to try to keep track of the rifles and shotguns. Boys will be boys.

I thought the sticker was funny. I cannot imagine what idiot would place this on his vehicle, ours is going on the beer fridge instead. I hate bumper stickers, I hate them with a passion.