I have been reminded that Becky did this look first...and for those of you who haven't seen the movie, this is the Joker from the last Batman movie (he was insane). I have some really strange kids :)
October 19, 2009
How would you like to be a little camper during the summer and have this be your counselor? Every week at camp the counselors dressed up according to the theme of the week...this was Brian one night and I am told it freaked out a few of the kids. Freaks me out!
The girls and I went to Des Moines yesterday to see the musical "Wicked". Becky had seen it in Chicago but it was new to Kayla and I. The story is about Glinda the good witch and Elphaba the wicked witch of the west...the witches from the Wizard of Oz. It tells their story before Oz...they met each other in school and in the beginning hated each other. They were roommates and Elphaba could do spells and has green skin (because her mother drank too much green elixer while pregnant with her) while Galinda (she later dropped the Ga from her name) was popular and pretty much in love with herself. They sing one of my favorite songs from the play when they meet "What is This Feeling? (Loathing)" but later become best friends. Glinda even tried to help Elphaba after she became the wicked witch, kidnapped Dorothy and everyone wanted to kill her. There are hints in the dialogue about the Wizard of Oz play so it really ties them both together. In the end you find out a surprise about the Wizard and Elphaba...and the Wizard...he had a huge talking face that was incredibly loud and lite up...it was awesome! The songs are fantastic and the actors were wonderful. I was completely impressed by the scene props too...granted I am used to seeing high school plays, but the props were amazing...the flying monkeys actually flew! One of the last songs Glinda and Elphaba sing together is "For Good" which is the song that Becky and Haley sang at swing show last year...another of my favorites and it was especially neat to hear it sung by professionals in the musical. We had a great time watching the musical and also had some interesting moments on the car ride there and back! It was a great musical and a terrific day for all of us.
Since it has been raining and/or snowing for a solid week now very little has been done in our fields for harvest. Therefore I have a cranky husband and I am getting that way myself. So...here are some good things that make me happy...things to think about and remember when I look out the window at all the precipitation :)
Listening to Kayla practice her bass clarinet for All State auditions.
Knowing I get to take my girls to see "Wicked" on Saturday.
When Brian calls just to talk and update me on his life.
Talking and laughing with my co-workers...they are quite a bunch!
The cool weather...means I get to wear all my favorite sweatshirts.
Snuggling under homemade quilts with my honey.
The smell of pumpkin pie baking in the oven.
Watching all 8 of the cats come running into the garage in the morning when I open the door...they are hungry!
Knowing Brian may be coming home in two weeks...after being gone for two months.
Unexpected emails and phone calls from friends.
Knowing that eventually the harvest will happen, God will stop the rain (after all, I remind Him every day that it needs to stop!) and in a very short time I will be wishing for rain instead of snow!
Please welcome to the field the Marching Chargers under the direction of Drum Major Kayla Josephson....sounded really great from the loudspeaker! Today was Algona Band Day and the L-M marching band was one of the contestants. Sadly though, to put it in Kayla's words, it was an "epic fail". Some of the kids didn't want to be there and it was pretty obvious...but the drum major was fantastic! :)
In my opinion if a kid is going to go out for an extra-curricular activity, such as band, then they need to give that activity the attention it deserves. If these kids don't want to be marching then why are they in band? Granted I am used to Kayla, who gives 150% in band so I can't compare the other kids to her, but still! Why ruin something for everyone just because you don't really want to be there? Kayla was pretty disappointed in how the band performed, as I am sure were some of the other members. I think if you are responsible enough to join then you need to be responsible enough to do your part to the best of your ability at all times.
Anyway...they performed 6 songs...all from the band Queen. There are only 27 kids in the band so they weren't terribly loud, but they did sound good anyway. The marching was a little sloppy, but they looked sharp in their uniforms! It was fun to watch Kayla leading them...she had to make up a salute and did a great job of it. She also conned Becky into coming home to "watch" and then got her to go on the field and set up her stand :) (Becky then conned Haley into helping her too!) We watched the other three bands competing against the Marching Chargers and I wasn't all that impressed with the first two...but the last band was really good. They played three of the same songs that L-M played...crazy coincidence! It was a little chilly in the stands, but fun to watch. Unfortunately they will not be competing next year so this was our last chance to see them. We had a good time and Kayla did a super job!
Things I have control over:
Myself
The cleanliness of my house
Whether or not my bed is made in the morning
What I watch on television
How I spend my free time
How I spend or save my money
The people I choose to spend time with
How I spend my life
Things I don't have control over:
Dan
Brian
Becky
Kayla
I have the right to tell them what I want them to do, but they have the right to do what they want, even if it is different than what I want. All four of them are adults (or darn near to it) and are perfectly capable of making their own decisions...and mistakes. The only control I have over these people is my ability to pray for them in whatever way and for whatever reason I want to. I have the control to pray that God will give me the strength to accept the decisions they make. I also have the control to love them, regardless of what they may or may not do. What more control do I need? None.
"It must be so quiet at your house now that you only have one kid at home, and really quiet when she is away!"
HA!!
Just this afternoon I had the washer and dryer going in the office, the dishwasher going in the kitchen, the television and vacuum in the living room and the air conditioner was cycling on and off.
Just because your kids leave doesn't mean the house will be quiet! Just a different kind of noise will fill it :)