Dane on astronomy

Dane, "Hey, I can see the big dipper!"

Madeleine, "Where?"

Dane, with as much disdain as he can muster, "In the sky, duh!"

Hey baby, it's cold outside!

Brrr! It has been unusually cold for these parts. The other morning I woke up and my thermometer said 10 degrees! 10? Really? Wow! Despite the frigid weather, we have managed to keep ourselves very busy. Dane has started private trumpet lessons with the director of music at Tacoma Community College and is doing very well. He still plays with the Stahl Junior High band as well. He is also continuing with piano along with Madeleine. They are both amazing at piano! I guess they get it from Brent, as I have no musical talent what so ever! ;) Madeleine is also going strong with her guitar lessons. They are both becoming very talented musicians!

We have made it to a few shows lately. We saw Little Women at Kentridge High with my niece. Next we took in a live performance of Guys and Dolls at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. Then we enjoyed a classical concert performed by the Tacoma Community College orchestra, directed by Dane's trumpet teacher. To round it all out, we went to a Jazz concert last night featuring saxophone, and of course, trumpet!

Madeleine is taking Lyrical and Jazz in dance and is working hard toward her upcoming recital. She is not thrilled with her jazz costume, but her lyrical one is very pretty. We weren't able to get enough tickets for everyone to come to the recital, so we will have a DVD for those who want to see it.

We are hoping to get up to the snow over winter break. The kids are both wanting to try their hand at snowboarding, so we have been looking into lessons. We are undecided as to which mountain we want to go with however. There are a lot of pros and cons for each. So we're working on that.

That's it for now. ~ Try to stay warm out there!

I'm On My Own

~ For Celeste ~ ;)

Bananas

Dane, while eating a banana at breakfast this morning. ~ "Thank you banana tree for such a delicious breakfast."

Dane-ism

Dane, getting ready for bed tonight ~ "Man, I could really use another week-end."
I second that motion! ;)

Dane's new iPod

He saved up and bought this with his own money. He was very proud of himself...since he isn't much of a saver. :)

Piano Lessons

Dane and Madeleine have started piano lessons on Wednesday afternoons. They have had 2 lessons so far and it's amazing the improvement in just that time! I found a teacher who will come to our home too. She doesn't normally do that, but she lives just a couple of minutes down the road from us, so made an exception. She is a great teacher...very patient. Dane really wants to play guitar, but we have a "deal" and he is starting with piano. :)

Field trip to the WSU wetland research center

Strike a pose

Dane ~ hilarious.

Dane-ism

After picking Dane up from school. "I was bored out of my mind at school today so I was spacing out, but my ears were listening to everything everyone was saying." So I guess that means just his ears were listening and his brain was turned off. :)

Dane is 11!

Dane turned 11 on Friday. So he is officially a tween. Teenager-land here we come. :/

Dane-ism

Waiting for Dane outside the bathroom at the Shell station. Me- "What took you so long?" Dane, without skipping a beat- "Oh, I was dancing in the bathroom to pass the time. I thought you'd take longer then me." So in true Dane style let's all take a minute to dance in the bathroom today. It just might make your day a little brighter. :)

Master and student

Dane has never shown much interest in the piano whereas Madeleine took to it like a duck to water...so I found it quite intriguing this morning when I awoke to find Madeleine giving Dane a piano lesson. I couldn't believe it...he was listening intently as she told him how to hold his hands and went over the notes with him. It was a very sweet moment. Oh, isn't it the most wonderful thing in the world to be a Mom! :)

Dane-ism

While watching the birds in the backyard..."It would be fun to be a bird. Because then you could fly and people would think you're crazy."

Brent and the kids outside Teatro ZinZanni across from McCaw Hall after the ballet.

Dane-ism

Dane looking out the window this morning ~ "I miss the sun. I wonder when it will come back. This rain is ruining spring."

Dane-ism

Dane during dinner last night ~ "I think I like food a lot more then most people"

Yummy!

Wow, that's a lot of sugar! :/

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside!

Snow! Taken at 7:45am on our way to school. Yes...there was school this morning even though our school likes to shut down at even the mention of snow. Go figure?!

Dane's music performance

(I misplaced my camera, so I'm a little late getting this up.)

Dane had his music performance last week. It was sooo good. All the 4th graders performed different songs from around the world. One number they did was called the "tinkling" (sp?). It is a dance from the Philippines where people hit bamboo sticks on the ground in a rhythmic pattern and dancers have to jump through the sticks without getting their feet caught. The students did a demonstration and then called up volunteers from the audience. Brent got called up and the whole audience had quite a laugh because he is such a big guy that it was hilarious watching him bounce in and out of the sticks! It was a ton of fun! Thanks for all who were able to make it. :)