Read-aloud time with Dad

First, one might think that this is either a Hebrew or Klingon language lesson. Close. Steve is reading the Word Find in the comics to our eldest...who eventually can hardly breathe because she is laughing so hard. Our youngest was videotaping, so the camera work is a bit shaky...but I wanted to make this memory permanent via YouTube tech, despite the dizzying camera "effects".

Last Week's Arts & Crafts

Last week, this is what we worked on and/or finished: 

I finally finished Belle's wrap.  It is the truffle stitch pattern.

Belle was introduced to the Kirby and Pokemon characters at her cousin's house, and so she wanted to make some art featuring them.

Moo had some weaving/rubbing artwork assigned by her Calvert curriculum, so this is what she came up with:

I finished a couple dishcloths--one with the truffle pattern stitch (in green), and one with the bee pattern stitch (white).  Love them both...they are super scrubby.

Celebration at the Mellow Mushroom

This past week, the girls and I were invited to dinner after choir practice by a fellow chorister who was celebrating her 13th birthday.  What a sweet family they are, and we got to experience "The Mellow Mushroom" pizza place for the first time. Yum!  Hannah has a younger sister Belle's age, and a very sweet mom who is great company, so it really was a perfect night.

Aren't they a cute bunch?

I don't think the camera did the girls' mustache-on-the-finger artwork much justice.

Oops...I was going for candid; but instead I got, um, goofy.

 

 We are so thankful for the friendships that have been brought into our lives since moving to Nashville.  Happy Birthday, Hannah!

Perler Bowls

Am I the only parent of girls who has major regret over the purchase of Perler Beads??  Not that they were so expensive or anything...but that they come in TUBS of 11,000 beads, and after my children used a couple hundred of them they were tired of the Perler Beads.  And I have a thing about decluttering and not just keeping things to keep them, but to use what we have and have what we use.  Period.  So this tub of beads was driving me crazy.  Until today.  Thank you, Pinterest, for all the crafty ideas that you give me and my girls!

Now, we have NO Perler Beads left...only several different Perler Bowls for personal use in keeping items sorted on the girls' dressers, and for neato gifts.  Check it out:

All you need is some vegetable oil, as many oven safe bowls as you want to use, and a tub of those blasted beads.

Oil the inside of the bowl to prevent sticking, and the oil helps keep the beads in place as you press them evenly around the sides and bottom of the bowls.

I tried to show that they are in one layer on the sides and bottom.

The instructions said a 200 degree oven, but I had to crank mine up to 300.  Either way, keep an eye on the beads--they melt fast!

Taking them out and viewing the finished product is surprisingly gratifying. :)

I used a pie plate to make a larger, shallower dish.

We also tried using a small custard dish, with sweet results.  The possibilities are endless--there are 11,000 of those pesky little things!

In about 30 minutes time, we were sporting a colorful new set of knick-knack bowls and plates.  I may actually hang the big plate on the wall.  Why not?

Bye bye beads--hello bowls!  SO much more useful!

This week, we...

...made mini box kites.

...showed ingenuity in the area of toothpick and rubberband mechanisms.

...took pictures of the snow that fell before it all melted away.

...watched the snow fall with a sense of excitement.

...rejoiced over said snowfall.

...watched blue food coloring travel up a celery stalk.

...created artwork with melted crayons.

January Jubilee, 2012

This past weekend was the NCC January Jubilee. This is the overnight retreat where the choristers turn in holiday music for their new spring literature, and spend a whole lot of intensive practice as a choir and as individual parts. Belle sings first soprano and Moo sings second soprano. By the end of the weekend, all of the kids have gained a familiarity with the music that would have normally taken two months' worth of weekly rehearsals--but with a whole lot of fun in the margins of a very busy weekend schedule. This year, the girls both had colds, so what is not pictured is their constant nose-blowing...though the presence of friends served as a blessed distraction, and they both report that they had a whole lot of fun. I did too, as I stayed to help out wherever I could and got in lots of good conversations with other choir moms. We left at 11pm on Friday (sorry, no overnights just yet..) and showed back up at 7:45 am on Saturday. When we got home at about 1pm on Saturday, we took our day of rest very, VERY seriously...and we all napped for a few hours.

Here are some pictures I was able to snap along the way:

Dinner time with friends.

After hours of rehearsal, everyone was ready for Mr. James to lead games.

James Wells is one of the directors, and an over-all fun guy.  He introduced the kids to the game "Knight, Rider & Princess".  It was a lot of fun.

At the end of the night on Friday, at about 10pm, a professional storyteller was brought in to lead the kids in large movement and rhythm activities, and then she told a couple African folk tales and a "spooky" story before bedtime. 

She was a very gifted storyteller, and I have decided that this makes my short list of things I want to do when I grow up.

Back for breakfast on Saturday morning--having missed nothing but a sleepless night.  :)

Mr. James getting ready to start group rehearsal time.

The NCC put together a demo DVD of the choir singing the National Anthem so they can send it on to some Chicago sports teams ahead of the tour to Chicago coming up in the spring.  We'll see if anything comes of it!

During break time, we had the privilege of listening in on a spontaneous ukulele duet, complete with backup singers.

Weirdos...both of them.  Sweet, but weird.

That's better. :)

This group is so fortunate to have the resources that it does.  It has the luxury of 3 talented directors, who are able to split the group up into parts for individualized part instruction.  I am in awe of how excellently Jenny Helwig did the same thing as ONE director over the Young Fox Valley Singers.  How blessed we've been to benefit from such gifted instruction!  

Here is the demo video that will be sent to the sports teams in Chicago: