Valentine's and responsibility

For Valentine's I made my two boy's scones and shakes.  I also decided it was time to get Zachary a cell phone, and the one I selected happened to be red, so it went with the theme.  It's a basic phone with texting and calls.  He doesn't need much more as we work on responsibility.  I don't expect he will go over minutes or texts because he is not a social butterfly looking to visit with friends.  But he does need to be able to call us and make contact with family if necessary.

Bed head so early in the morning!

I guess I should confess, I really got the phone for me.  He likes to wonder around school and visit with teachers after he has finished in 7th period.  I figured a phone might help me find him a bit faster than tracking through the whole school looking for him.  So far, he hasn't gone to visit anyone lately, so we haven't had to use it.  But on the good side, he hasn't lost it and remembered to take it to school every day.  I've told him to turn the ringer off as he gets out for school, but who knows if he is.  His 7th period teacher said he would remind him to turn the ringer on at the end of school.  Just one of the perks of a little private school...teacher's often go above the call of duty. 

I think his favorite part is the camera.  He loves to take pictures of whatever he happens to be interested in at the time.  If you think of it, send him a text.  We are working on how to respond and loading in contacts.  Everything is a process, but I'm thankful he is willing and able to learn.  713-876-86xx (text me the rest)

English horn reed

As we were packing up after our oboe lesson, Zachary asked his teacher if he could see her box of dud reeds.  These are reeds that just didn't work out for some reason and the staple can be re-used to make another reed.  As he was sifting through it, they came across a piece of English Horn cane.  His teacher knew he would want it, so she offered it to him.  Of course he said, "I need a staple."  And she caved and gave him one of hers.

We proceeded to gather our stuff and they talked reed measurements as we left, since the English horn reed is longer and would have different measurements.  Not much was discussed and we headed home.

After that, there wasn't much more on his mind than to tie that reed.  And tie he did, and actually, it was absolutely beautiful when he finished it.  I will say, we had to look at a few online images, but that only clarified some measurements for him.  There is not much on the web on English horn reeds. 

He was so pleased of himself!

First Solo & Ensemble contest

Tuesday was Zachary's first solo and ensemble contest.  This is all new for us since neither parent has had any involvement in choir or band.  We have been lucky to meet an oboe instructor in the Clear Lake area that has pointed us to a school she works with.  They have allowed us to participate in their Region auditions and now their solo and ensemble.  I have since learned that the private schools may have a solo opportunity for Zachary as well.

As I signed him up, the teacher at the Intermediate school asked me what class the music was. I had no clue what that meant, but come to find out, Zachary was playing an easy Class I piece.  I figured Class I was the easiest grouping...nope, it's the hardest.  It was then I think I began to feel a bit more nervous.

My friend played as his accompanist.  She was very impressed from the first practice, so I figured that was a good sign.  Jennifer was instrumental in walking Zachary through the steps and allowing him to practice what the contest would be like.  And she was so giving of her time to come to our house and play with him on three separate occasions. 

When he played on Tuesday, Jennifer said the judge looked up very surprised.  And her comments were nothing but nice.  He received a rating of a 1, which is a Superior rating, so he received a little medal.  He said, "I've officially received a medal."  It was sweet, and he was proud of himself in a humble sort of way.  I said he could wear it to school, and he said he would look like an oddball.  :)

By the way, I'm not sure why it is called a contest.  You are playing a piece, and receive a rating.  That is it.  Zachary kept thinking he was going to win something.  I think he hoped it would be money.

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An Old Find Equals New Fun

We were at my mom's over Christmas break and Zachary found a sleeping mask I had sewn in Girl Scouts.  I'm not sure where he found it, but this is how I found him. 

He thought he would pose.

He made me giggle when I found him.  I'm not sure if he slept with it on or not, but he slept until about 11am the next morning.

The Night Shift at the Falafel House

Before Xmas break, our school put on its annual Christmas show.  Well, it was very cute and involved all grades.  Zachary has taken to acting, which I think is wonderful as it encourages him to use his imagination and to apply what he has seen others do.

Zachary was asked to play a little solo before all the actors streamed on stage for the final number.  He was a customer at the Falafel House.  He played Come and See.  I expect at a Christian school you can guess who the cast was coming to see.  He played the very sweetest sound in his oboe solo. 

 I was so proud of our little shepherd soloist!

Happy 13th Birthday

He's officially a teenager!  And for his actual birthday, which happened to be on a Friday, he wanted to go to his Nana and Papa's.  No, I'm not hurt (sniff, sniff).  We celebrated on Sunday with many of his favorites from hamburgers for lunch and his favorite nacho dinner.  Plus a cake, that John and I thought was to die for.  Zachary said it was good, but he liked Nana's better.  "More for us," John told him.

On Friday morning, before he left for school, we opened presents.    He received 20 pieces of spare cane for making oboe reeds, a robot puzzle, LOTR calendar, and I finally finished his scrapbooks and had them published in books from 2nd-5th grade.  Most children would not be so excited about this, but Zachary enjoys reading about the past.  And his most favorite gift was receiving his iPad mini back after six short months of parental confiscation.  He also received Forever Comfy from his favorite Aunt Traci.  He thinks advertisements are still 100% truthful.

Happy about Forever Comfy

With an added favorite - Hershey's chocolate

Finding money at the bottom of the box - woohoo!

Notice the leaning candles because the cake was just out of the oven & they were melting in the cake!

Blooooooowww!!!

I'm 13!

Zachary always enjoys his birthday, but as a special treat for me this year, he declared it was his birthday as he walked out of his room in the morning.  "I'm 13 today!"  We were a little late to school because of opening gifts and pictures.  The Front Office ladies told me he walked in and said, "I'm late, but it's OK because it is my birthday."

Cute picture

Zachary and I volunteered at church for the Santa and baby Jesus pictures.  I was milling around and apparently he snuck in and took a picture.  We knew the photographers, so I expect they thought nothing of it.  It wasn't until we were sorting pictures, I came across this jewel. 

He looks like an elf.  He really enjoyed the movie Elf and a several other older Christmas movies this year.  It made me laugh when I saw it.  Cute and silly, often his personality.