Up and Coming

 Laney was selected to show their art at the Olathe Education Center! 

The first of many, no doubt!

Maycember. Vol 1

 It's Maycember. 

We kinda need a big felt calendar to keep track of all the awards assemblies, concerts, special occasions and farewell dinners that we will have in the next two weeks. 

Let's do this. *crack the knuckles*

Megan's final band concert:

This girl has loved band. They are her people. And it's finally time for her to walk across that floor and shake Mr. Fila's hand for the last time. 

I'm gonna miss seeing her serious expression as she furiously counts. Coming in on time when you play percussion is a big deal. 

Pops in the Park:

Laney is an 8th grader and this is the last Pops in the Park for her. She rocked the bass clarinet!

The grade-level talent-show (Everly and Anna both qualified!):

Everly sang "Barking at the Moon"

Anna sang "I Do Adore"

Honestly and objectively...they both killed it. They were selected for the whole school talent show on the last day! 

I mean, how does a mama's heart handle all this nervous pride and happiness and nervousness? How are my kids this smart and cool and brave?

Stay tuned for Volume 2!

Garden variety rehearsal

A little practicing among the corn and lettuce 

 

The BEE

As in many things, the reward for winning is more work. 

Winning her school spelling bee autimatically qualified her for the district spelling bee. 

There were tears. 

And threats to drop out. 

But in the end, she showed up and represented her school.

She made it through three rounds! 

When she missed a word, I expected some dissappointed tears. 

But mostly she was ready to get out of there.

So we got to leave early and take a picture of her in her super cool t-shirt Uncle Jim and Aunt Ameli sent for the occasion. 

 

Doodles

 Some people doodle on themselves when they are bored. 

Megan doesn't doodle. 

She illustrates. 

The Final Rose

Megan's final art class project

 She wishes she was able to spend more time in class so she could do all of the projects they had planned before the pandemic hit....

I wish that too. 

Isn't she talented?

Megan's hones her skills

 One of my favorite things in the world is to hear Megan practice. It is the soundtrack to our lives! 

Sometimes she asks me to come in a listen to a little snippet that she's been working on. 

And sometimes I sneakily record her so that I can play it for myself when she GROWS UP AND ABANDONS ME TO SEEK HER FORTUNES OUT IN THE WORLD!

Isn't she fantastic???

Inktober - Week 1

 Megan has decided to participate in Inktober. All month, she will draw something and post it for other Inktober artists to see. She has tried before but has succumbed to the crippling and time-consuming effects of perfectionism. But she's older and wiser and she's given herself permission to have fun and just draw what she likes. 

Here's her first week!

October 1st:

October 2nd:

October 3rd:

October 4th: 

Once again, I sit back a marvel at the talents that my children possess. I love that they have gifts that belong only to them....little sparks of brilliance and divinity that the brought with them.

Reimagined

The girls love to find their old artwork and recreate it...it's so fun to see what they can do with their original ideas now that they are older and have more skills under their belts.

Here is one of Megan's latest:

age 10

age 15

I mean....come on!!

Galaxy Wolf

This girl.

She has so much talent.

She saw this galaxy wolf watercolor tutorial and it was destiny. She had to do it.

But it was harder than anything she'd done yet. She gave up a couple times and walked away....watercolor is like that. It doesn't look like you want it to look, until it suddenly does. Her dad gave her a pep talk and she dove back in.

I'd say it turned out pretty fantastic!

And we're all kicking ourselves for not drawing in the other half of her French Mustachio!

The Writer

Have you heard the story about the band of warrior cats that are trapped in a valley and unearthing the secrets that have kept them there against their will???

Oh baby...it's a doozy!

Role Reversal

I've decided to start learning to play the piano!

Luckily I have a good teacher right here in the house....and even more lucky...I'm the boss of her!

Our first duet!

This picture proves that she can actually play circles around me....with her eyes closed!

Anna the Lifter

She has this drive in her. She wants to be a part of anything physical that happens around here.

At long last

She's dreamed of this moment for 6 years.

She did it. She made the All School Talent Show.

And can I say? She was FABULOUS.

Take a bow, Laney!

Way to go out with a bang!

To Perform or To Puzzle?

We all have our own ways of entertaining ourselves.

And both seem totally crazy to the other!

Art for Juliette...A Silent Story of Friendship

Laney does this.

And I am amazed.