Carnival day

The Indiana Historical Society puts on a Carnival day once a year and it was free admission, so we thought we would check it out this year. You had to purchase tickets though to play the games. But at a quarter a ticket it wasn't bad. Most games were 2 tickets.             

Little C tried out the "Tin Can Shoot". Here she is pointing at where she knocked down the tin can.She was happy about it.

"B" tried her throwing skills as she tried to get the balls in the bowls of water.

Little C found some buried treasure with her Pirate hook.

Big A trying to get a snake in the boot. She came close several times, but it was harder then she thought.

Little C throwing coconuts into the Palm tree basket.

"B" trying her luck with the ducks.

Radio Disney was there and they would pull up kids on stage to sing kareoki. Big A was tired of all the girls picking Justin Beiber songs. Quote from her"Why do all the girls have to obsess over Justin Bieber?" "I don't see what the big deal about him is-He sings like a girl!" So obviously not a Justin Bieber fan.

We stood in line for awhile listening to Radio Disney and the girls got some balloon animals.

The girls had never tried cotton candy, and they really wanted me to get them some. Cotton candy always reminded me of Rodeo's. My grandpa would buy us some as we watched the Rodeo.

This is "B" making her "What the?" face. They thought the cotton candy would be different. 

Little C ate it up with no problem.

I even stole a piece or two.

Big A couldn't beleive it just dissolved in your mouth. She thought is was pretty cool stuff.She wants to try the blue kind next.

Outside they had this player piano that was playing circus/carnival music. They were impressed it played by itself.

For the carnival games they each had a punch card, and you would get one punch for trying and more punches for actually doing the things the game wanted you to do. I thought it was clever because none of the carnival people had to say sorry-you didn't win a prize this time and have a kid cry. At the end you turned in your punch card and you got prizes depending on how many punches you received. The girls had a good time.

Putting some songs to rest

The girls piano teacher entered them into the Indiana Federation of Music Clubs Festival. They had to choose a song from the required list and a song of their choice. They had to memorize both songs and then they would be judged on them with a 1 being the least and a 5 being the best. There were other categories that they could get judged on also. The girls picked to also do a sight reading test and a theory test. If they received 5 points in each category they would receive a trophy. They would receive ribbons also for the ratings they received. The festival entrants do not compete against each other, but on their own merits. I liked this best because I didn't want to have the girls competing against each other and one of them feeling like they were the better piano player. The girls were excited. They started practicing back in January and we have heard the same 4 songs ALOT at our house!                                 

On the big day, the girls were in good spirits. They felt prepared and confident. They got nervous standing outside the judges door waiting for the judge to call them in. It was a little weird for me not to go in with them while they played their songs. I think that made them a little nervous as well. Just them, the piano, and the judge sitting to the side of them. Big A had to go first. We listened through the door and from what we could hear it sounded like all went well. Then she stayed a little longer to do a sight reading test. She came out all smiles and said her judge told her she had sight read just perfectly. She had to wait for the results of the other songs. The judges gave the entrants scores to their piano teachers. The teachers would then pick up any ribbons or trophies that were earned and give them to their students. Big A went into another room to take her theory test next. She came out feeling pretty good about it. She said it was easy. She received three ribbons and also earned a trophy! A job well done.

B's turn was next. She was equally nervous going into the piano room. She had a different judge then Big A. We also listened to her play and thought she did a really good job. Then she also stayed after and did a sight reading test. Then she came out and her judge took a really long time writing on the score sheets. I was hoping that the judge wasn't being too harsh on her after Big A was feeling pretty good after hers. The judge said thank you to B and sent her on her way. She didn't have any idea of how she had done. So she went to pick up her theory test and they couldn't find it. They looked back at their paper and said they couldn't find her test in the level 10 section. I laughed, and told the desk person that they probably wouldn't find it in level 10 because she is not that advanced. "Oh"- they said, looking finally at "B". "What level are you in?" I told them the same level that Big A was in. It must have been a typo on their sheet, because they found a test in the lower level for her. I was so glad that they didn't make her do the level 10 test! I was nervous at this point because I didn't want one of them to earn a trophy and one not to. I had rehearsed the solacing words in my mind on the way up in case it happend though so I would be prepared to deal with the dissapointment and tears that would probably come. But whew! "B" also earned a trophy and we had some pretty happy girls. Over all it was a good experience. I am so proud of their hard work and I am glad that they learned that their hard work paid off. But at least now, they can put those songs to rest and start learning some other ones.  

Field trip for Preschool

Our preschool group went to an art studio for a field trip. The artist gave paper and pencils to the kids and showed them a picture of a fish on an easel. She explained how the fish in the picture is drawn in several steps and then colored. The kids were just happy to draw whatever they wanted.

The artist showed the kids the different mannequins that she had. She said that her students always wanted to draw cats or dogs. She had a cat mannequin that you can see over by little C.

She introduced water color pencils to the kids. They can draw something like they would with a colored pencil. Then they add a paintbrush to it and it blends the colors. The artist had showed an example of a drawing of leaves. So little C drew some leaves also.

She also added some grass to the picture. I think the kids liked this because it was something different then the usual crayons or pencils.

The kids were given these squishy erasers when they were drawing. Little C decided to make a sculpture out of them. Here is a bird she made.

2nd Grade Spring Musical

Miss B had a Spring Musical at her school. They sang and did actions to several different songs from familiar movies.

They started off with the Wizard of Oz. Miss B has been singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" alot around the house. Miss B is on the right hand group of kids, second row from the bottom, 4th kid in. She had the tallest girl in the 2nd grade standing right in front of her which made for difficult picture taking.

Miss B had a musical part in the Cantina band.

She kept the beat rather well. Miss B was also given a talking part in the Musical the night before it debuted because another child was sick. She was so excited and we helped her practice alot that evening. The next morning she woke up with a froggy throat. She said her part pretty good for having one night to practice it, and her voice held out just enough so you could hear her. I would post a video of it, but try as I may, blogger doesn't want to upload it, and I am just fed up with it. So sorry to the grandparents that live far away and still don't get to see her perform. :(

The Big 5- That's a whole hand!

Here is little C enjoying some doughnuts for breakfast. A tradition for the birthdays around our house.

Little C requested a butterfly cake for her birthday and she really wanted to help decorate it. So here she is putting on all the sprinkles.

Here is the finished cake. She was really pleased that I used the lollipops for antennae because that is her favorite treat.

Little C had a party pooper for a mom this birthday. So she didn't have the big party like last year. On her birthday she would say " So and so, and so and so are coming over for my birthday party, listing off several of her friends" It only made the party pooper feel really guilty for not throwing a party. I don't know how other mom's do it. It must have to run in your blood. We did take her to Red Robin for lunch where they gave her balloons and sang to her. She was pleasantly embarrassed and enjoyed the free ice cream sundae as well.  That night we celebrated at home with the family.

I gave her the choice of using the big number 5 candle or 5 candles for the cake. She picked the big number 5 candle.

 

We lighted the candle over and over and had her blow it out 5 times. She liked that.

                                      
Every time I would ask her what she wanted for her birthday the answer would be "pillow pet". So we couldn't disappoint. She was excited about the other presents she received as well, but this was her favorite.

Here she is trying it out. Worked like a charm.

A few days later, she received another pillow pet from the grandparents. She is in pillow pet heaven!