Heaven Just Got the Funniest Angel

...and earth lost the best potato salad maker!! 

 

Break a Leg

Well, not literally.  We covered that about two years ago, as recorded in this blog.  This time I mean it as a substitute phrase for, "Good Luck."

Rachel had a role in a production of It's a Wonderful Life.  About this time last year the kids were in a play at church.  They loved it.  Rachel had mentioned several times since that she would like to pursue drama.  There isn't a drama program at her school, so I looked for something in the community. 

I found a 13 week drama class.  During the class, the students brainstormed ideas for a play and the director wrote the script.  Toward the end of the class, the theatre where she was taking classes had an audition for It's a Wonderful Life.  Rachel decided to audition.  She had such a fabulous attitude.  She said, "I doubt that I will get a part, but every time I audition, I will improve and have a better chance at getting a role."

A couple days after auditions, callbacks were posted.  She didn't get a callback.  Just for kicks, when the final cast list was posted, I checked it out.  She got the part of Mr. Potter's secretary.  She only had a line or two, but she got a part the first time she tried out for community theatre.

The play ran the past couple weekends.  I didn't get one. single. picture. from the actual play.  Cameras weren't allowed during the performance and I didn't think of it later.

This picture is from her first night of rehearsals.  That is her script in her hand.  She did not want me to take the picture.  I had to stay for a few minutes for a parent meeting.  She was just ready for me to leave.  Seriously, she just got her first script.  I NEEEDED a picture.

 

This is a picture she sent me when they started costuming.  She looked so grown up.

 

The play was great and she did a fabulous job.  Her self-confidence blows me away.



Black Belt

Aaron started taking martial arts classes after school about two and a half years ago.  About six months into those classes, the instructor told me she thought Aaron really had "true black belt spirit" and she thought he would benefit from additional classes on Saturdays.  We signed him up and he has loved it.

 

His instructor, Jennie, started her own self defense company called Powerhouse Self Defense.  It started out as Power House Self Defense for Ladies, but it soon grew to include men and children as well.  As the business grew, Jennie could not continue with her school.  She took her black belts and her top two students (Aaron and a girl who was almost to black belt) and offered them positions as assistant instructors with her program.  She has been training Aaron privately since then.

 

He tested for his black belt on Christmas Eve.  That boy has some power!!

 

Ms. Jennie presenting Aaron with his black belt.

The fam (Probably wouldn't have worn the cheesy snowman shirt had I thought about a family photo...alas...not about me.).
 

Being silly...the boy is HEAVY!

 

Aaron and Mamaw Annie



"Rapping" up the Season

Hannah is in the chorus at school this year.  She performed in the Holiday Concert.  She actually had a small rapping solo.  Yes, I said, "Rap."

 



Holiday Concert

Traditionally the sixth grade and eighth grade bands play for the Holiday Concert.  It is designed to allow parents to hear how their sixth grade student should improve in two years and to allow eighth grade parents to hear how much their students have improved.

This year Rachel is in eighth and Aaron is in sixth so we had a student in each band.  They were both fabulous.  The sixth grade band this year has worked very hard and is playing music ahead of where they should be.  Rachel and Aaron are both becoming quite good on their instruments.  Rachel plays the trumpet and Aaron plays the French Horn.

 

Aaron and Rachel were in a hurry to get to the warm-up room, but with a lot of arm twisting  little gentle persuasion, they gave me a second to snap a shot or two.  The sixth graders do not yet have uniforms.  They purchase them in seventh grade.  So, they were allowed to dress nicely and wear a Santa hat.  Rachel is wearing her uniform. 

 

 

Hey!  Who is that sitting in the first chair in the trumpet section?  None other than Rachel Ray.



Mom, You Didn't!

I picked Hannah up in carpool this afternoon as I do every day.  It had been a cloudy day, but as I sat there, the sun came out.  I dug my sunglasses out of my purse and put them on.  I must have sat in carpool for about ten minutes after that point. 

The way carpool works is each family has a number to hang from the rearview mirror.  The teachers call this number and your child lines up at one of three cones.  You pull up to the cone and a teacher loads your child in the car.  This particular day the teacher who let Hannah in the car had a cast on her arm.  I said something to her about not being able to get out of carpool even with a cast.  She laughed and said it was actually her second day that week because she had covered for someone else.  We laughed and I drove off.  I smiled at Hannah and asked her how her day way.

Hannah:  Mom!!!  Why are you wearing your glasses like that?!?!

Me: (Touching my face...trying to figure out what she is talking about.  They seemed fine to me.

Hannah:  Look!

This is what I saw when I looked in the mirror.  Apparently, I had been sitting there the entire time and carrying on a conversation with a teacher with a missing lens.  Hannah and I both got a huge laugh out of it.  When we picked Rachel and Aaron up, we told them what had happened and Rachel said, "Mom!  You didn't!"  Yes, yes, I did.

Robotics

Aaron and Hannah both participated in Lego Robotics in an afterschool program last year.  They didn't go to competitions, but learned the basic building and programming skills.  This year in middle school, Aaron has the opportunity to participate in Robotics at his school.  They build the Lego robots and program them to do certain tasks.  Only ten members of the robotics club were selected to go to the competition and Aaron was one of the lucky ones.

It was interesting to see what is in involved in a competition.  The teams run their robot through several different heats and are scored by judges.  Aaron's team won a trophy for "Most Innovative" and they scored high enough to move on to the regional competion in January.

 

 

 

I'm very glad that Aaron enjoys Robotics.  He doesn't like school, so any positive experience he has there is a bonus!!

 

P.K. decided we should go out to dinner to celebrate.  Aaron chose his favorite, Marietta Fish Market.