Owen's band concert

It's been incredible to see how much the 6th grade band has learned in one year! Before starting school, Owen hadn't played a clarinet, nor know how to read sheet music. It's amazing!! We enjoyed their spring concert and look forward to another year of band (and Jazz band!) next year!

Linnie came in town to watch Owen's concert and Willow's theater performance!

 The band director had a "talent night" for the 6th graders. Owen was excited to be a part of it and felt ready after practicing his song once. Eek!! She gave them the option of dressing up and he was thrilled to have an opportunity to wear his suit and tie again!

We were thankful that all of his grandparents could come watch!

This may not be the proper attire for eating blue ice cream!!Here are the songs they played as a band: here, here, here, here, hereHe played his part by himself here.

Happy 12th birthday, Owen!

When I asked Owen what he wanted for his cake, he drew me a picture! ;) He really is optimistic about what I'm capable of doing! Willow was happy to help and we hope it was just like he imagined?!?

Owen picked the trampoline park for his party. Unfortunately due to baseball, camping, sick grandparents, and wrong phone numbers, none of his friends were able to attend. But...we can always count on our family! What a blessing! He had a great time and we hope he felt loved and celebrated!

 Owen's 20 Questions:

What is your favorite color? green

What is your favorite activity? video games

What is your favorite fruit? apple

What is your favorite TV show? Flash

What is your favorite thing to eat a lunch? grilled cheese

What is your favorite type of clothes to wear? shorts

What is your favorite game to play? Minecraft Dungeons

What is your favorite snack? chips

What is your favorite animal? cat

What is your favorite song? Cold as Ice

What is your favorite book? Keeper of the Lost Cities

Who is your best friend? Cole

What is your favorite cereal? Cinnamon Toast Crunch

What is your favorite thing to do outside? play with sticks

What is your favorite drink? apple juice

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

What do you take to bed at night? Buddy Buddy

What is your favorite thing to eat at breakfast? cereal

What did you have for dinner on your birthday? Hardees

What job do you want to have when you're older? YouTuber

July well-visit stats:

Weight: 122 (89%ile)

Height: 5' 4.25" (94%ile)

BMI: 20 (82%ile)

We can't even believe that Owen is 12!! He's done a great job adjusting to middle school this year! He's made some new friends in class and has really enjoyed band. The band director lets them eat lunch in the band room and it's his favorite thing (because the cafeteria is so loud!). If he has a bad day, it's usually because they had to eat in the cafeteria. He's doing great academically, earning straight As all year! He is definitely the most extroverted in our family and is practicing to become the best comedian of the family. He loves all things on a screen...video games, movies, TV shows, etc. He would love if I allowed us to watch TV every night during dinner. His favorite games right now are Rounds and Minecraft Dungeons. When he choses a show for weekend lunches, it's often Lego Ninjago, Last Kids on Earth, Avatar: The Last Air Bender. He continues to read a book at breakfast, during some of his downtime, when he first wakes up in the morning, on car rides, or when we got to a restaurant. He's always woken up early but there have been more school days where Chris has to wake him up at 7:00 to get ready. He actually prefers to have a little downtime in the morning to ease into his day, so he asked Chris to wake him up at 6:30 if he's not up already. He's started to ask US if we want to play a game (vs a groan during Forced Family Fun time). He typically loves a game so much that it's all he plays, then gets tired of it after a while and won't play it for a long time. He's slowed down on his interest in Pokemon cards and Legos. He doesn't go outside to play on his own as much. If he does, he finds a stick and I have to remind him not to aim and "shoot" at neighbors driving by. He loves the idea of nerf battles but often gets frustrated or hides. He has quite a collection of nerf guns, though. He's really gotten into music this year. He has a few playlists on Amazon Music and is constantly adding songs. He'll hear a song in a video or at a basketball game, then want to add it to his playlist. He listens to his playlist while he takes a shower every night, then I'll find random videos like this on my phone! He's growing like a weed, about the same height as Gramma, and creeping up on me! It's so different to hug him now! He played rec basketball this year then started karate in January. He's continued to do his ninja class as well. He goes to karate 3 times a week so that's interfered with us volunteering at the SPCA as regularly as we had been. When we go, he definitely prefers the non-jumpy dogs. There have been just a handful that he's adored and told them that he loves them within the first seconds of meeting them. It's super sweet! Owen is an incredible artist. He has amazing fine motor control and continues to have great handwriting. He loves making cards for different characters, filled with details about their abilities. He does a great job drawing off a picture when making birthday cards for family members. We love our buddy!

Here's some examples of cards that Owen makes:

Here's a school project Owen did about what he liked about 6th grade:

Band performance

It's amazing what Owen has been able to learn in band so far this year! He'd never read sheet music before, nor ever blew air into an instrument besides the recorder in elementary school, and now he's playing recognizable songs! Check out what he could do at the end of October, after just 2 months of learning: here, here, and here. 

At first Owen wasn't super into practicing, especially when he only knew a note or two. As he's learned more songs, though, he's been excited to play them for us. We even had Willow try and sing along to some Christmas songs! Jingle Bells and Jolly Old St. Nicholas. 

Funny story....Owen came home telling about a new kid to clarinet in band, saying, "I taught him everything I know." I was confused and said, "What do you know? You've only had band 3 or 4 times." He responded with, "E." Well, I guess that's pretty easy to teach then ;)

I found simple sheet music for "Happy birthday" and wanted him to learn it before Chris' birthday in December. He didn't know how to play B yet, so he decided to write all of the notes 3 below what they were supposed to be so that he would know all the notes. Needless to say, that's not how music works and it sounded a bit "off." Check out their birthday duo for Gramma. 

Their first band performance was in December and I have the utmost respect and admiration for the band director! She had them all take off their mouth piece and blow into it. It sounded horrendous but she said, "It's music to my ears!!" Whew!! That's a true love of the process of making music! We were super impressed with how much they've learned in just 3 1/2 months! Check out their songs here, here, here, here, here, and here!

School Pictures

6th grade

9th grade

19th year
(Behind the smile: 3 months in to Accutane, hamstring injury, bee sting allergic reaction, 1" cyst in breast)

School Life

We are in the groove of school these days and I have to say that Willow has had the best start to the school year than she's had for the past 3! It usually takes a good month for her to have friends developed in class and be in the groove but high school has been amazing for her so far! She's loving the performing arts program that she's part of. It's been a great way for her to make friends from different grades and different schools that all have this interest in common. She's also been attending open gyms for basketball and is excited to try out later this fall. Starting middle school is A LOT! Owen isn't as thrilled about school as he used to be. He doesn't have much to say about his teachers or classmates. The cafeteria is loud... Thankfully he's enjoying band and will find his people through that. 

Here's Willow's performing arts group!

Willow has loved attending a few football games with friends (and a few with me!!). They have dress up themes and she loves being part of the "Dog Pound" (aka student section). We're also grateful for these "no drama" friends!

My school got a book vending machine and the kids LOVE it! These cute kindergartners couldn't wait to read their book while they waited for their peers to pick theirs!

Here's our staff picture:

I always love when these trees bloom outside of my windows in the fall!

Owen's librarian coordinated a reading incentive for them and Owen is ALL ABOUT IT! He reads with a timer and is diligent about coloring his bookmark! He's so incredibly honest about it too :)

These sweet 1st graders practiced my name while spelling words with digraphs :)

Willow has enjoyed having semi-regular baking dates with a friend who moved away after 7th grade. They love it...and we love it too!

Willow and Owen both attend Youth Group on Sunday nights now. Willow loves being part of the high school group and Owen is tolerating it ;) He doesn't seem to talk to other kids but thankfully is noticed by a few of the leaders who have gone out of their way to hook up the video games or talk with him. I'm praying it's a fruitful time for him soon! 

Our sweet PE teacher gave me these flowers after being a great listener as I told her my list of bodily woes....Accutane, pulled hamstring, bee stings, cysts in my chest... It was incredibly thoughtful of her and made me feel noticed!

I love being in the county with the kids because we can email each other (they can't email anyone outside of the school system). The teachers didn't show the kids how to do email so I did and LOVED seeing this subject come through on my email!!

Owen is getting into band more so we thought he'd enjoy seeing the marching band in the halftime show of a football game. He was excited to go but wasn't interested in the game much. They recognized veterans and Gramps was able to stand up!

Owen holding out for halftime...

Do you recognize this song? It's amazing what Owen's learned on the clarinet in two short months!

Willow got these matching shirts for her and a friend. :)

First Day of School!

The kids enjoyed a trip with Nana and Grandpa to Massanutten and PA to see the Sight and Sound production of Moses during teacher work week. They always have a great time!!

 The day before school started we did some artwork together to ease some nerves and mixed emotions!

It's a big year with both kids starting at new schools! They both came home smiling off the bus, so we'll call that a win! 

Gramps and Gramma joined us for a "sometimes" tradition of getting giant pizza downtown on the first day of school. 

Camp Read-a-Lot is back up and ready for a new group of students! A few things were added thanks to VBS being camping themed (they let me grab whatever I wanted off the walls at the end of the week!!) and the sweet new Assistant Principal who gave me a sleeping bag!

It's too bad it doesn't just take 30 seconds to put up the tent ;)  And I can't thank Karen enough for walking in at just the right time!

And I have to say that I have the most supportive supervisor in the world! I was super stressed out at the beginning of the year with a meeting conflicting with Owen's middle school orientation, being told that I would be the testing coordinator, AND missing a 2-day training due to a wedding we were attending. I couldn't thank Joe enough for being so supportive!