2010 in pictures

Baseball.....lots and lots of baseball.......

World famous tuba player, Patrick Sheridan, performs on the Winter Band Concert.

I pulled out the whistle and coached the 7th grade boys basketball team.  What a great group of guys!!  They improved so much throughout the season!

The Bombers had another good season.  They lost a really good group of seniors

By the time Stardusters came along, I already knew my position was being eliminated.  During the last playing of Stardust I just sat backstage and cried.  None of the kids knew at that time and they must of thought I had lost it.

My final concert.........

This year I had the opportunity to work with the State FFA Band where I got to meet this interesting young man.  He kept us entertained with his interesting playing style all week.

We took a trip to Minneapolis with some good friends.  As luck would have it the Royals were in town at the same time.

Another awesome Symphony in the Flint Hills!!!!!!

We got a lot of rain right before wheat harvest.  Here is a look at Milford by the boat ramps.  Notice the bathrooms on the left side of the photo?  They were eventually underwater.

Wheat harvest 2010.  Didn't plant as much wheat this year so it went pretty quick.  Luckily no major breakdowns!

Went to New Orleans for the NEA National Convention.  Along with going on a swampboat tour and seeing some alligators and getting to visit the 9th Ward, we also went to a little hole in the wall jazz place called Snug Harbor and got to see Ellis Marsalis.

Still did the color guard at the high school.  I had an awesome group of girls!!

Felt like I was a first year teacher all over again with teaching elementary music.  Here is some of my first graders writing quarter and eighth note rhythms.

Had a great Christmas with family.  Here is Uncle BBG wearing his gift from "Santa."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Christmas in the books

Well, another Christmas has come and gone.   Now for a few well deserved days off from school and trying to get a few things done around the house.  It was a good Christmas.  We spent Christmas Day at hubby's sister's house.  We had a awesome lunch and spent the afternoon playing cards (not as much name calling as in the past, but still fun).

Sunday we went to my Grandma's.  The little one kept us all entertained and she still calls me "Grace."  None of us are really sure why but she also thinks I'm really tall so she can call me anything she wants.  We observed our usual traditions of someone reading the Christmas story from the Bible and then Grandma handed out Hershey bars to everyone. 

After that we went to Mom and Dad's and the other Grandma came out.  The dogs got to spend some quality time with Sophie and Harvey (no fights this year!).  The highlight of the evening was the kids trying to teach Grandma how to bowl on the Wii we got for Mom.  The next morning, Allie was trying to help the niece play Dance Revolution (actually she was trying to grab the remote but it was still funny, and not to worry, the smack in the face did not affect her one bit.)

Another Wednesday

 

1. What does it mean to have the 'holiday spirit'?

I am one of those folks that if I did not see anything Christmas related until mid-December, I would be fine.  Don't get me wrong....I love Christmas.  I just don't love Christmas stuff hanging next to the Halloween costumes.  Holiday spirit has sadly been overrun by commercialization.  Let me observe Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then let me think about Christmas.
 

2. What sits atop your tree (s)? Why?

This year I finally found a suitable tree topper for my tree.  It is a metal and plastic, antique looking star that I found at Wal-Mart.  On the top of our other tree sits Sluggerr.  He has adorned the top of the sports tree for many years since we lost the top of the tree (long story).

3. When was the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back?

This is one of those things that I should probably learn how to do more often.  I do not tend to blow my own horn (no pun intended).  I'm learning that maybe sometimes it is okay to make people aware of what you do.  Something in brain has a hard time with that though.  I would rather the focus be on the kids, not on the person whose backside you see all the time.
 

4. Which of your senses is most sensitive this time of year?

Wow, Mrs. Hays pretty much summed it up.  Do we really have to send some of these kids home for 2 weeks? 

5. What do you have too much of in your kitchen?
COLD AIR!!!!  Its on the north side of the house with what I am sure is not an energy rated door.  The other night the door knob was as cold as a can a pop you pull out of the fridge.  There is also a basement underneath so the floor is also freezing!

6. What do you do for meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? Big meal? Breakfast tradition? Open the cookie tins and have at it?

It kind of depends on where we are.  On the Groening side, ham, sausage, zwieback, and then a huge snack tray after we open presents.  On the Helmer side, casenoodle, ham, and the best sugar cookies in the world.  The Brenzikofer celebration usually includes a meal which we breeze right through to get to the pies and then some wine with a vicious game of Michigan Rummy or Pitch.
 

7. What is the best thing about winter?

Anytime the wind is NOT blowing.
 

8. Insert your own random thought here--Only 5 more days to survive!!!!!!!!

Wednesday Hodgpodge

1. Have you ever been on a real sleigh ride? How about the warm weather version - a carriage ride?  We did take a carriage ride around the French Quarter in New Orleans this summer.  It was very interesting, especially the cross dressing strippers. 

 

2. What's your policy on 'chain mail'...you know, the emails you receive that are often some sort of poem/blessing/good wish that ask you to send it on to 10 or 12 friends? Do you delete without opening, read and trash, read and trash and then worry you won't be blessed/lucky/protected? Do you delete the sender from your contacts or just go ahead and send the love onward?

DELETE........

 

3. Who is your favorite character in any of the Christmas movies and why?

Buddy the Elf, hands down.........he has so many memorable quotes that can be used in so many different situations.

 

4. Share a favorite quote.

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

Victor Hugo  

 

5. What's your favorite holiday scent?

Sugar cookies or spiced apple cider (even though I don't like to drink it)

 

6. Does the Christmas season stress you out? In what way?

Depends on how the family celebrations line up.

 

7. What's the best thing about your life right now?

I'm relatively healthy, one vehicle is paid for, and the end of one student loan is in sight.......(granted there are still 3 years worth plus grad school)

 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

See prior post about 3D televisions.

I wonder......

I am starting to see more and more advertisements for 3D televisions.  It makes me wonder..........if we have the technology to make a 3D television why can we not come up with something better than those dorky paper glasses to watch it with??

Santa's Workshop

Anyone who grew up getting the Wichita television stations rushed home after school (or as fast as the yellow bus could get you there) to watch Santa's Workshop.  My sister-in-law and I have had several discussions about the virtues of Toyboy versus Kakeman.  Kakeman is the first edition of Santa's little helper.  I don't know when they started calling him Toyboy but that is the only name I remember him by. 

Toyboy will always be number one in my heart.  I don't know if its the voice or the fact that he gets away with so much behind Santa's back............ They just don't make shows like this anymore.