Festival of Strings

I cannot believe the boys only have about 12 school days left!

Lots of year end activities going on & this was a BIG one!

It was the end of year concert for all the students playing strings. Keep in mind, this was held at the high school Matt will one day attend, and all these kids are 4th - 8th graders from ONLY the feeder schools to this high school (our city has 3 high schools total...) + the high school orchestra. Each grade level played and the finale was the high school orchestra (Awe - some!)

Each grade level played a few songs, staring with the 4th graders and working their way up. It's fun to see the skill increase with each year, I can't wait to hear Matt's improvement as the years go by...

I included a recording of the first of 3 selections the 4th graders played (sorry it's sideways, someday I'll remember our camera can't do that!). It is pretty darn impressive (to me anyway) how much they've learned in 8ish months, in "group lessons" and how great they sound together! They all practiced together for the first time earlier that day.

Anyhow, we are so proud of our darling, wonderful, sweet, talented (10 year old?!? - still having trouble with that one...) Matt.

4th Grade Wax Museum

For a year end project, the 4th graders at the boys' school do a "wax museum". They each research (an assigned famous person), write a speech, make a timeline, get together a costume, practice (about 1 million times), and present their speeches (in full costume) 3 different times - To their class, to the rest of the school, and to their families on a special night.

Matt did all of this. He did a wonderful job as Satchel Paige. Hard work, great activity. Have I mentioned how much I love their school?!?

Here are some pics of Matt & other classmates, and finally Matt performing his speech.

Matt as Satchel Paige

A good friend of Matt's - he's Mark Twain

Another of Matt's good friends was also Satchel Paige (they are in different classes)

Harry S. Truman

Another Mark Twain

Can't remember who he was, but cool costume, huh?

Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis & Clark)

William Clark (of Lewis & Clark)

The "Unsinkable" Molly Brown

Matt's speech

Nolan's Buddies

Just insert these darling faces here.

Have You Ever Wondered...

What "Ninja Peas fighting a robot dog" looks like?

Nolan likes to tell stories, especially if you actively listen - he'll keep adding to the story for as long as his audience will let him. Glassy eyes? They don't phase him...

This morning he was telling me a story about Ninja Peas, and I just couldn't resist asking him to draw me a picture of "Ninja Peas fighting a robot dog!". Of course I couldn't help but draw my own rendition, because how often do you get to draw something so fun?

Let's face it, not often enough...

Nolan's version

Steph's version