Pieces 'n Parts

Deja vu. That's what I'm feeling right now while sitting in my Parent Orchestra Chair listening to the group rehearse. Ok, and I just had an epiphany... wouldn't it be cool if I had a name tag here at my 'lil place? I mean, the kids all have name tags on their music stands, so why not? We parents have names, too! Anyway. In the meantime, I'll just keep quiet and do my blog thing, nameless.

So what's been up over the past week? On with List Time:

• School – two words: FUNDRAISERS OVER. And let me tell you, I couldn't be more relieved about those two words. Why? Because we have absolutely NO family members living nearby to hit on for support in this arena, which basically means we have to open up our wallets and hand over as much as we can part with so the kids get some sort of prize for participating. No, we don't have to do this, but schools push sales and we're just big fat suckers when it comes to these things. Erg.

• CCD – this past week the class enjoyed Outside Time after completing the lesson at lightning speed. Amazing what can be accomplished when rewards are to be had. Really, who would've thought GOING OUTSIDE would be so motivating? I guess being couped up inside a middle school building all day does that to a 7^th grader. We grown-ups forget about little things like that.

• Music – remember that additional orchestra I mentioned last week? The new one the oldest applied for recently? Well, it's now in full swing and eating up our Saturday mornings, but in a good way. This particular orchestra group is GINORMOUS with what appears to be @100 musicians. I know! And before knowing this, I actually volunteered to help on the first rehearsal day and ended up directing @100 families to the rehearsal hall. “Up the stairs, straight ahead down the hall, and in the cafeteria on the right.” I felt like Vanna White sans the evening gown and turnable letters. Great, now I'm all famous and important. Cool beans.
  

• Consulting – guess what? Client who requested that website makeover held a meeting over the week and decided they actually LOVE the redesign prototype I created for them. Yay! This means more serious crazy busy-ness to come in the near future as we re-launch the site with the new look & feel. (I'm trying very hard to contain my excitement on this topic, as you can tell with all of the exclamation marks, right?! Yay, again!)

• Miscellaneous - reading is going on like gangbusters at our house, with me finishing 2 more novels and with the youngest and I halfway through our newest series. Speaking of which, another cool thing in progress involves eBay and several online auctions with children's books and toys taking up way too much space in the Peepstead. Sadly, Fisher Price toys and board/picture books really don't have a place in our home these days, hence the auctions.

Leaves falling, tans fading, temps dipping... October just about here? Seems like time is screaming past us at the speed of light. Or maybe it's just the espresso talking? Probably not.

Duly Noted Stuff

Friday here at the Peep Homestead, and guess what? I'm finally sitting down with 30 minutes of FREE TIME to myself before the afternoon Kid Shuttle. So what to do... I know! After uploading random photos/video from the family camera, here are a couple blog-worthy bytes to keep this here website fresh:

Yes, this is a view of that lovely, make that blinding, sunrise we've been experiencing each morning during our morning commute:


And to close this blog post right, snicker along with me at this video of Hubs' exciting discovery while mowing the lawn earlier this week:


Ahhh Fall Fridays.

Creatures from the Deep

Oh man, yesterday. I've got too many words to describe it, let alone wrap my mind around the entire list of events, thus Oh man, yesterday. But I'm giving it a shot quickie-blog-style, so here we go:

First, the family and I had our annual photos taken in the local park by a good friend/photographer. Next, the Peeps played around at the school end-of-fundraiser bash while I stayed home and finished up some client web work. And finally, the nation and I witnessed a much hyped-up football game between our NU Cornhuskers and Virginia Tech, which basically left us with our heads completely deflated after experiencing the devastation of losing in a very bad wicked way.

So here's a bright spot to lift Husker fans from that dreary black hole of defeat:

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' - Keep Those Doggies Rollin'

Back at orchestra rehearsal and with fellow parents sitting a chair away from me on either side. Must be careful not to blog about them – I'm nice that way. Anyway, so what's up with the clan these days? Let's see... oh yes, that handy bulleted list helps like nobody's business:

• School – besides Pre-algebra kicking the oldest in the pants, she's musical and literary and wants nothing to do with something so trivial/abstract as math even though it's in her blood to be amazing at everything she does, both kids are doing so well in school they're bored silly. Yes, the gifted programs challenge them to some extent, but still. Why so much reteaching every August? That's what they want to know. Unfortunately, that No Child Left Behind plan forgot the gifted peeps, so we deal with system as best we can.

• CCD – still loving this whole 7^th grade CCD teaching experience, and with students actually showing an interest in scripture. How odd is that? But it's true. My people are finding their way around the bible without breaking down and asking for specific page numbers (gospel, book, chapter, verse!) plus they're actually getting what it's all about. In fact, I'm so proud of those folks that Oreos will be making a special appearance at the end of class this week.

• Music – is keeping us so busy it's just crazy. The youngest is reaping the benefits of having private baritone lessons all summer by leaving fellow bandies in the dust, and the oldest has applied to participate in yet another orchestra, as if she doesn't have enough to do already, right? Crazy. Busy.

• Business Clients – involves more crazy busy-ness, but technology is near and dear to my heart, so I'm perfectly cool with it. In fact, I'm in the process of overhauling a client's website and feel like a kid in a candy store, or maybe IT person in Best Buy is a better comparison. The web redesign experience is like hosting a “What Not to Wear” episode, only web-style. It's like I'm Clinton & Stacey pulling outdated clothes out of the closet and dumping them into the trash, replacing them with spiffy-new-modern digs. Ooo-aahhh.

• Stylin' - amidst all these fun and exciting activities, I broke down and had a good hair chopping which basically gave me a refreshing new look & feel, probably due to the fact that my head is 10 lbs lighter, or something like that. A girl's gotta do what a girl's got to do.

Did I mention our Huskers are back in the game?

Life. Is. Good.

Free To Be

We're finally settled into a routine after all that back-to-school ruckus, so now what? Here's what - Me Time is back! Only now I just need to figure out exactly what that involves, because Me Time disappeared at about the same time summer break started, which basically feels like a century ago. So I'm kicking it off with this fun 'lil beach video:

That SMELL is in the Air

Ah, the crispy coolness of the air always brings back that long-loved feeling that is FOOTBALL SEASON! I clearly remember those fall high school pep rallies and Friday night football games... lining up on the field in full cheerleading uniform while the team came bursting onto the grass as the band blasted our school song to the tune of "Anchors Away":

The purple and the white, stands for blah-blah-bleeeee...
colors of our school and emblem, of our faith in you
GO Blah Blah!

But come on now, isn't it a little early to go tearing down goal posts? I'm just sayin'.