Homecoming dances and warmer weather

 Bella went to the high school Homecoming dance with friends this year.  I was happy for her that she got to go.  I wish I'd gotten more pictures but I didn't want to be annoying.  The kids were all band kids and went to dinner and then the dance together.  In between they came to our house and played nintendo in the basement.  Peter loved having them over and some of the boys loved playing with Peter and his hotwheels cars more than playing nintendo with their friends.  It was very cute.  Bella looked beautiful in her dress.  This picture doesn't really do it justice.  

Benjamin and his friends chose not to go to the dance.   They went out to eat and then watched movies and played video games at a friend's house.  I was happy he spent the evening with friends, regardless of whether they went to the dance or not.  Much cheaper this way, anyway.

Marching band season is officially over.  Final concerts were great and I always love watching the kids play.

Bella's last concert was indoors for the parents.  She's smack in the center in this picture.

After Benjamin's concert, they had a little cookies and milk social.  I wasn't in attendance but another mom took this picture.  The cool guys of the drumline.

We also tagged along with Benjamin's school band to see Michigan State University marching band practice.  We'd gone with Bella's band to see the University of Michigan and I have to say, the UofM did a much, much better job making their practice session impressive, but the kids still really liked seeing Michigan State practice and Benjamin specifically loved seeing the drumline.  They were incredibly inspirational.  I really hope he chooses to continue marching in college. (Bella was the only one brave enough to photobomb the school picture.  Christian, Peter, and I stayed out of it)

Peter is not to be outdone.  He got Bella's trumpet and has been "playing" in every day.  It's adorable.

Here's a short video of it.  Hopefully it works.

We're having a blessed Indian summer here where after being in the low 40s for two weeks, we're back up to the 60s and 70s.  It's been wonderful.  We've been outside every day enjoying it.

It's getting cold

It's really become fall in Michigan.  Cold weather, strong winds, and lots of falling pine needles again.  I spent several hours raking on Saturday and Peter spent it jumping in the piles.  He was so cute, though.  Before every jump he would ask, "Can I jump in the pile now?"  I told him he was always welcome to jump in the piles and that he didn't need to ask, but he still did each time.  He had a blast.

The funny thing about fall is that the temperatures aren't bad at all if they were in March.  Coming out of winter, 50s feels hot.  We wear t-shirts and spend all day outside when it's in the 50s in March.  However, when it dips into the 50s in October, I am miserable.  One day it was high 40s and windy and I couldn't bare the thought of playing outside, so I suggested we visit the Outdoor Adventure Center again and just pretend we're outside.

Peter had a great time pretending to camp, hunt, ride snowmobiles and atv's, and climb trees, all inside.  He also finally got up the nerve to enter a pretend bear cave that has a hibernating animatroinic bear which wakes up when he come inside.  It has always absolutely terrified him, but this time he went in. (Yes, clutching my legs and hiding behind me, but he went in!)  

In other news, our whole life is marching band at the moment.  Benjamin and Bella's bands both got the highest score possible in the latest regional marching band competition.  They are doing great and having fun and I'm very happy for them.  I'll be sad when the season ends in a couple weeks.  They have such great friends there and I know it'll be hard to lose that daily comradery.  Bella got a part in the school play, though, so she'll still be as busy as always - The King's 17 Women - it's about Elvis and it looks very funny. 

Benjamin and the band at their celebratory party following the competition.  His director is the man front and center - Mr. Vanham.  Benjamin is in the middle back.

Bella is much harder to spot in the band and I often struggle to pick her out until I learn the path she takes during the songs.  Here she is right in the middle front. (third from either direction)

Christian had the day off today due to parent teacher conferences.  I basically went there to listen to the teacher gush for 15 minutes about how amazing he is.  She showed me the scores of his last nation-wide standardized test.  He got a perfect score and maxed out the test in both reading and math. She says he gets along with everyone, is very motivated and focused, helps others stay on task, and is always kind and respectful. She recommended he test at the end of the school year to skip another grade in math for his 7th grade year.  If he passes, he'll be doing 9th grade math in 7th grade and he'll have to go to the high school for math in 8th grade.  He wants to try, so we'll see what comes of it.  She says he and one other are the brightest math students she has.  Says a lot when it's a school for the gifted. 

It was actually pretty nice weather today so we spent a lot of time playing outside.  Christian set up a soccer-style game and he and Peter had a blast.  I love seeing Peter get into soccer.  I'd love to see him excel at it too.  FYI, yes, Peter is wearing a bunny tail.  We've been tyring to decide on a halloween costume.  He changes his mind every single day!  Today he wanted to be a bunny.

First Concert!

 Bella and Christian both love the singer Alec Benjamin.  Back in May Bella told me that he was coming to Detroit to the Masonic Temple and we should get tickets.  She told me later that she fully expected me to say no, but was shocked when I said yes and bought some.  At the time Sept 30 felt like an eternity away but it finally arrived and, although I was nervous about a lot of the details logistically (parking, long lines, crowds, downtown Detroit at night), none of those things ended up being an issue at all.  It was all seamless and fun.  We got there in plenty of time to be near the front of the line to get in and at front of the merch line so Bella could buy an overpriced t-shirt.  (You can't go to a concert and not buy an overpriced concert t-shirt!) We also got great seats in the balcony which my old body and my introverted children much preferred to the standing-room only mosh pit area in front of the stage.  The only downside to the whole thing were the girls behind us who kept screeching at top volume after every song and the two girls in front of us to kept standing up at random times and blocking our view.  Overall, I think the kids decided that they were glad to have gone.  It was a lot of fun to listen to him personally play his music and experience the show aspect of things and see more of his style and personality than you can on spotify, but will stick to listening at home in the future where you can get the music without all the crazy fans.

Christian has decided he'd like to join the school band.  He promised me he'd never do that because I'm so tired of kids in band and all the work and time that involves. He was almost nervous when he told me and apologized about it but said he really thought it would be fun.  I was initially peeved at the cost of renting the bell-kit yet again!!  However, I'm happy for him that he wants to do this and I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun for him.  Also, it's meant that Benjamin now has a brother in percussion and he's been so sweet about teaching him.  They've been playing together and talking about it all the time.  It's the most I've seen them interact in a long time and it's so heart warming.  Benjamin even said today, "it's really too bad you're not a freshman so that we could be in drumline together.  That would be fun."  Never thought I'd hear that.  So sweet.  Peter has also loved having the bell kit at home again.  It's a fun instrument to play.

Christian has been enjoying soccer again this season. I made sure he was placed with a different coach and a couple old teammates have joined him on his new team.  Only sad part is the nearly all the games are on Sunday, so he's only playing in two games all season.  Thankfully the coach has been very understanding.

This is what it looks like when mom is too cheap to pay the $30/season for professional team photos.  She stands behind the photographer and secretly snaps her own photo.  Then she forces you to pose in the back yard for the individual shot. :)

A couple cute Peter photos from the week:

This was the closest I've come to getting a dog in my entire time as a mom.  Our friend Thea was dog sitting and Peter fell in love with the dog, Rooney.  They were so cute together, playing, wrestling, watching the garbage truck, etc.  I was so sad I didn't have my phone with me to get pictures of the cuteness. I finally went and got it, but I'd missed the best part.  When Christian found out, he said, "Don't you dare get a dog for Peter after we move out!  We've wanted one all this time and you'll get one when we're gone, won't you?!"  "He's going to be so lonely," I responded, teasingly.  "Then get one now!" he demanded.  No, let this be my witness, I will never get a dog.  I just think we should dog sit from time to time. :)

Peter stopped napping at the beginning of Summer but that doesn't stop him from falling asleep at random times now and again.  Here he was listening to Bella's piano lesson and the music soothed him right to sleep.

Peter has a group of little boys with whom he hangs out a lot.  Malcolm, Luke, and Peter have nursery class at church together and we moms get together at least once/week for playdates at various parks.  This week it was Malcolm's 3rd birthday and so we met at the park for the party.  An 8 year old brother of another guest took a liking to Peter and played with him the whole time.  Here they were all drawing with chalk together.  So funny how Peter keeps making friends with older kids.  Makes sense for a boy with teen siblings, I guess.