Pre-School Program

Miles and his class had the end of the year program last week.  Miles tried hard, but anxiety got the best of him and he fell apart.  Maybe next year!

Oh Yeah, There was a Birthday Last Week

Last week I was pretty anti-blogging so I am playing catch up!  Jonathan's birthday was on Thursday, which was also the last days of finals at THS.  His music theory class was watching a movie that day so I arranged to have a special delivery for Jonathan- Nolan wore the gorilla suit and carried in a birthday while Miles carried a bunch of balloons.  Later that night Jonathan got to open his presents.  While he liked his camera and tolerated getting a tent, he was most amused by Miles' gift.  Miles gave Jonathan a "Happy Napper."  Happy Nappers are a stuffed animal that looks like a house, but when you turn it inside-out, it becomes a stuffed animal.  Jonathan has given his Happy Napper back to Miles who has been happily sleeping with it.  We had Jonathan's birthday dinner on Saturday.  Surprise (not!), he chose Sweet Tomatoes.  Happy 17th birthday, Jonathan.  We love you!

Seventh Grade Academic Awards

Esto es Nolan. Él recibió un premio en la escuela hoy. Fue reconocido como el estudiante de séptimo grado en el departamento de español. Trabajó duro en español de este año. Es genial ver a su duro trabajo reconocido. (Thank you Google Translate for your help with the previous sentences, I think)

This is Nolan.  He received an award at school today.  He was recognized as the outstanding seventh grade student in the Spanish department.  He worked hard in Spanish this year.  It is great to see his hard work recognized.  Nolan was also recognized for his awesomely perfect GPA.  Great job, Nolan!

Sometimes We Do Things the Redneck Way

And Happy Memorial Day to everyone.  To kick off the unofficial start of summer, we decided to knock a few projects off the list.  On Saturday I prepped the family room, eating area and kitchen for painting, and today I got busy and painted.  It's only taken me 3 years to get the upstairs walls (almost) all painted.  It looks so much better to have a non-disjointed color scheme!  I'm not done painting; doors and frames, and moldings and baseboards still need to be painted, but at least the walls are done!  I think I'm going to ignore the detail painting and start on the common areas of the downstairs which need some serious love.  Dan kept Miles busy while I painted.  Nolan mowed a neighbor's lawn.  Jonathan was at work.  After the paint job was finished, Dan and I tackled the next item on the list... stump removal, the Redneck way!  We had 3 stumps that needed to be attacked.  Digging them out was proving to be fruitless.  Dan went and got a chain and wrapped it around the stumps and hooked the other end of the chain to the truck.  He used the truck to pull the stumps out.  My job was to watch for slippage.  I must admit that it was fun watching what a V6 engine can do to a stump, and how hard a stump can fight back against the engine.  The 2 evergreen stumps came out without too much of a fight.  The Aspen stump had other plans.  After pulling on it with the truck to no avail, Dan starting digging around it to see what he was dealing with.  The stump has roots that are at least 6 inches in diameter. They also are growing straight down.  We hacked at some roots for a while, then re-chained the stump to the truck and started pulling on the stump again.  It still wouldn't budge.  Dan says the stump is staying put. The stump won the tug of war contest.  Dan hauled the 2 evergreen stumps off to go rot somewhere.  I came in and untaped the areas I painted.  Nolan mowed our lawn.  Dan weed-whacked.  Jonathan came home from work.  I cleaned out a section of the garage.  Dan and I went and got some dinner (we tried out a new Indian food place.  It was good, but not awesome).  We came home and planted a new tree in one of the stump holes.  Hopefully, in 5 or so years, that area of the yard won't look so barren.  I'd say today was plenty productive.

Oh wait, I got hurt today!  I was stepping off a 3 foot high stool and stepped directly onto one of Miles' current obsessions- a can of Black-Eyed Peas.  The can rolled and I crashed hard.  I have a gnarly bruise forming on my left forearm.  Later in the day, as I helped Dan lift the stumps into the wheelbarrow, the wheelbarrow bucked and slammed into my calf.  I should have another impressive bruise forming there.  Lucky me!

Eclipse

A week ago Sunday there was an eclipse.  We almost live in the optimal viewing zone.  The weather forecast was for clear skies.  We were excited.  The sky was clear with the eclipse began but the clouds rolled in as it reached its peak.  For a few seconds, the clouds thinned and I was able to get a semi-unobscured picture of it.

Who Wants a Miles Love?

Dan did!

Alpine Honor Band Spring Concert

Jonathan and the rest of the Alpine Honor Band played their spring concert on Tuesday.  This group met once a month, starting in January, and put together a great performance.  Here's Jonathan and part of the clarinet section.

Here's a video of them playing Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna.