Cut off 11 inches!

Rachel's hair was bugging her and she was ready for a change. She either wanted to style her long hair, or cut it real short. When we got to Great Clips, she looked through the books and decided to go short. She was able to donate 11 inches of her hair, and thus got her haircut for free. Because it is now so short, I warned her that she needs to dress girly so she doesn't get mistaken for a boy. We went shopping after the haircut and the girls got new outfits for Easter, but of course they couldn't wait until then to wear them. They all looked pretty stylish at church today. People noticed Rachel's haircut! One sister called her 'sassy', and another said she looked like a model right off the runway. Apparently she also looks like a contestant of American Idol (we don't watch that so I don't know about that). I didn't have my camera, but I took these with my phone:

Spring Concerts

We had some nice

Spring Concerts

last week.

The Westview Choir Concert was on Wednesday night- March 18, 2009.

Jessica sang in Les Chanteuses :

Tutto ii Di Piango by Vijay Singh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54chYX-1oYs

Take a Step by Stephen Hatfield.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLh09dYRrCI

Kevin sang in the Concert Choir :

Hodie Christus natus Est by Jan Peiters Sweelinck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqxfY-4ff6I&feature=channel

Blow the Candles Out by Gwyneth Walker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQidSfQSKY0&feature=channel_page

Praise His Holy Name! by Keith Hampton.

The Combined Choirs sang:

Wondrous cool, thou wooldland quiet by Johannes Brahms.

The Westview Band Concert was on Thursday, March 19, 2009. It was a long concert with 3 bands and 2 Percussion Groups. (Rachel was cute as she curled up in her seat and took a nap.)


Jessica and Kevin performed in the Symphonic Band. They played:

Ride by Samual R. Hazo




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srLsnX4BKnI&feature=channel_page


Be Thou My Vision by David Gillingham




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc7m644JwFw&feature=channel



Blue Shades by Frank Ticheli.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfxLXjA8YAs



This concert ended at 9:30pm - then the students in the Winter Percussion group ran to change outfits and haul thier instruments and equiptment to the gym to join the color guard and dance teams for a performance there. The Winter Percussion performed The Way Up. Instead of sitting up high in the bleachers, I sat low this time for a change by the pit so that I could watch Jessica. It was quite a different show from this angle. You could see all the expressions on their faces. I watched Jessica run from one instrument to the other. Not a good place to watch the marching drummers becuase you couldn't see the formations.



Saturday, March 21, 2009 Rachel had her Cello Recital. She played The William Tell Overture, and Simple Gifts and did a wonderful job!







After the recital we had lunch at New York, New York. Rachel loves pasta, and each Tuesday as we are going to her lessons we pass this restaurant. Tuesdays are all you can eat spaghetti, and she begs to go there. So we did after the recital. It was a nice afternoon with the family. We were lucky to have Jessica and Kevin with us- they were scheduled to be in drum line rehearsal all day, but there was a mix up and the school was locked- so they got to come. It was a nice leisurely afternoon with the family. Sooooo leisurely that they gave us two free pieces of Cheesecake, for making us wait. The food was good!

A big thankyou for Kevin posting these on youtube! It was taking hours to upload them here. So make sure you click on the links so you can hear each number performed.

The Way Up

Westview Winter Percussion Ensemble's 2009 performance of

The Way Up

Adapted from a Pat Metheny album.

I'm having problems uploading the video because it is such a big file, so here is a link to YouTube where Kevin posted it. There are also links and pictures on my facebook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxxlc8-LXa8

NWAPA Championships

Saturday we went to watch Kevin and Jessica compete in the Northwest Association for Performing Arts Winter Percussion Championships. It was held at the Hudson Bay High School in Vancouver, Washington and hosted by Skyview High School. It was great to watch all the groups. We like to sit high in the bleachers so we can see the formations and effects. Too bad the sound echos around in the gym. Because there were so many groups performing, the groups only got to do their show one time (usually they perform in prelims, then again in finals). They did great! What an improvement they have made since their first show. They were awarded 2nd place in the Percussion Scholastic Open Division with a score of 86.75. That was the last competition in the area, but they will practice and continue to refine their show for when they travel to Dayton Ohio on April 15th to compete in the Percussion World Championships.

I posted all the pictures we took on my facebook, but here are a few:

"The Way Up"

Kevin on Bass Drum #5- the big one!Jessica in the Pit, playing

Xylophone, Synthesizer, Vibraphone, and Chimes.

The Awards Ceremony

2nd Place!

Busy Friday

Friday there was no school for the kids but they were all busy. We were all out the door by 9am, which was tricky for us all to have a hot shower (we didn't!). Besides the normal Friday stuff of Jessica's Piano lessons and Winter percussion practice, Kevin went to a Choral Festival at George Fox University with Westview High School Concert Choir (he sings tenor). There scores came in and they qualified for state! On April 1 they will be competing at the Metro Festival.

Meadow Park Middle School spent the day having a Band Playathon to raise money for the band. Their goal was $6,000. They needed $3000 to pay back the PTO for marching drums they purchased on sale earlier this year. The rest of the money was to buy new school instruments. The band director, Mr. Schlabach said that he would kiss a pig if they made their goal. Melissa was a trooper and got about $80 in donations. The playathon started at 9am. The 6th, 7th, & 8th grade bands all participated. The set up in the gym and played all day. The 6th graders only stayed until 12:30. High School band members were also there and played, mentored, and led sectionals. Jessica was there playing with the saxophones, and Kevin joined in after his choir event with his mellophone. I worked with the volunteers at the check in table, then helped address thank you letters to all the donaters. By noon we had counted up over $4,000! It was nice hearing the kids all play together. They filled the whole gym. One row of each instrument stretching the length of the basketball court.

The afternoon was spent learning marching music. The 7th & 8th graders will march in two parades this spring.

Well, I just got an email saying that the goal was met- so a pig will be kissed!

My Life was Revolving Around the new Carpet

Well, the carpet is finally in! Tuesday was the big day. Now if we can just get everything put into its place. What a job it was to get everything moved out of three bedrooms, and crammed into the bonus room and master bedroom! We hauled out a lot of garbage, and have bags of stuff to be taken to the DI truck. I don't think some of those beds had been moved in years. That was evident by the stuff under them. As the old carpet was being carried out, we wondered why we didn't do it years ago. The old blue carpet from the 60's was truly nasty! It is so nice in the kid's bedrooms now. It has been nice for the kids to sort through their stuff and move into their rooms at a slow pace. I've noticed that Melissa and Rachel are even making their beds daily now(Grandma Lois would be so proud!). They like it clean in there! YAH!!!!

Here are some pictures of Rachel and Melissa's room. They are still in the process of moving stuff in and organizing. They like being upstairs in the big room, but not so sure they like the upstairs bathroom and having to climb the stairs all the time.

Jessica hasn't been home long enough to set her room up much yet. She got her bed in the first day, then her dresser the next, then her bookshelf. We carried her desk in yesterday. Her room is still empty looking without Jennifer's stuff and empty walls. It even echos in there. We will move in Jennifer's bed today, there is always a space here for you Jennifer!

Kevin's room was an easier move in and out. We sorted through his stuff when we painted and got his new furniture in October. He hasn't been home much so his shelves and desk are still empty. Here is a cool wall hanging Rachel and I found at Ross a couple months ago and couldn't pass up. It is so cool and perfect for his room! Also some photos Jennifer took of his horn for Christmas.

The only problem now is that that the new stuff, makes the old stuff look bad. Is it time to start working on the other rooms?

What a long process this has been. Jessica said that she feels like she hasn't had a room since Jennifer left in January. She has been in limbo since then. I'm glad we are almost done- As the bonus room empties out I will be able to get back to my normal routine. I need my sewing table unburied so that I can make my melodrama costume, and I would like to be able to get back on the treadmill once again. But at the same time I hope the kids don't feel they need to save everything.