Move Over Mozart

Cooper has been taking piano lessons throughout the school year.   It is a great after school program that the kids work at their own pace to learn.  He has been a great student and is very willing to practice each night as part of his homework.  They had a big recital at a local church where he got to show off his skills. 

We were so proud of him for getting up in front of everyone to play on that huge piano (much different from the keyboards they use at the school and for his practice).

He received this awesome certificate!  So like the class name says....Move Over Mozart....Cooper's on the keys!

Cooper says "I like the piano I played on but you had to push the keys a lot harder than I was used to.  It was really fun too."

Statistics

37 - the number of holes we dug last weekend

4 - 15 gallon

18 - 5 gallon

15 - 1 gallon

1 1/2 - yards of planting soil we shoveled in

2 - yards of dirt we shoveled out

37 - the number of gopher baskets we made

The Result -

As you can see we were quite excited when we finished!!!  We worked our a@*es off last weekend.  It took us 2 days, 1 sunburn (poor Eddie) and some tired muscles but we did it.  This project has been a year in the making we are so happy to have finally planted.  It's amazing what a few trees & plants can do to make an area.  We've got 4 more 5 gallons we are waiting for.  I don't think either of us minds if it takes a couple of weeks to get them in.  I think we can live without out digging some holes for a bit!

Music to our ears

All the forth graders at Cameron's school are required to take "recorders".  He has been playing all year and has earned 3 belts (the teacher lets them earn belts like in karate - he is a purple belt and was the first in his class to get to purple).  They had a Spring Concert at the middle school last week.  I thought for sure we were in for a lot of Hot Cross Buns.  Much to my surprise, they played 6 songs and they were awesome.  They all did an amazing job.  A few of the girls I spoke to over the weekend were pretty sure they were better than the 5th grade band.  

Cameron is seated third back from the music stand.  I'm hoping he got a taste for performing.  I've been trying to talk him into playing in the jazz band in middle school-I've got a while to work on that one still.

GO CAMERON!

Cooper's B/D Party

Well...it took me a while but I finally had a minute to sit and add these party pictures from Cooper's birthday party.  He had a gymnastics party which was a hug hit.  All the kids, including Cameron & a few of his buddies that came loved it. They got to play in the foam pit (the favorite from everyone there), jump on the trampolines, zip line & complete an obstacle course.   Cameron & Cooper were ready to get the party started!

 Cooper swinging into the foam pit

 Jumping in via springboard

 zip line

 Cameron went for the backwards zip

 finally some ice cream cake to cool down

The added bonus for all the parents was the amount of energy they used!  They left by 12:30 well fed and plenty worn out!  Happy Birthday to our baby...who quickly is growing up!

Happy Birthday Cooper

Happy 7th Birthday Cooper!.....party pix to follow soon.

Happy Easter

Happy (Late) Easter Everybody! Hope the bunny was good to you. Luckily for us he even travels to campsites. See...he left the boys all this great stuff in their baskets (OK well on their Easter decorated paper plates they made since we didn't have their baskets)

We made a quick trip to our favorite riding spot for the weekend since the kids & I had a 4 day. Good thing I remembered to bring the eggs & dye - no Easter is complete without dying eggs.
The boys were so excited to ride. It had been months since we had been. So long Cameron is quickly growing out of his bike and gave mine a try. Here they are dreaming of their ride on Saturday.
Hope you all had some good food and ate some candy. Happy Easter.

Spring Break cont...

With all the rain we had been getting for Spring break, Lake Tahoe was getting lots of snow. We decided to take advantage of it and get some skiing in. Following are tons of pictures from our trip, it was a quick one but we had loads of fun.

Here we are at our usual stop at a park in Tahoe City.

A park in Truckee we played at - the kids loved the play structure here and the skate park. Cooper wanted to go buy a skateboard so he could try it out. Cameron was wearing Roxy out.
Roxy enjoying the snow
Cooper took Cameron & I to this snowman he built in ski school earlier that day
The boys @ Mt. Rose - Reno in the background
Eddie enjoying some relaxing time @ Squaw Valley
The kids & I @ the top of Squaw - Lake Tahoe in the background
Top of Squaw with dad
Gotta relax those muscles after all that skiing - Roxy wanted in
The gondola ride to the lifts @ Squaw
Taking a break
Us

It's always nice to get away for a few days. Sometimes it seems like the only time we really relax. We are all rested and back to work & school. It's hard to believe only 2 more months until summer.