Project Miami

 I had the tremendous opportunity to go to Miami to help my aunt Tricia babysit my godsons, my cousin Sarah's boys, while Sarah and Roland were on a trip.  It just so happened, and this is a true miracle, that the dates of Sarah and Roland's trip happened to be during a week that nothing mandatory was happening at home.  Both orchestras, ballroom and guitar had just ended and had their recitals.  Golda's flute teacher was out of town.  I hadn't scheduled my Tuesday students because of Tziporah's ballet recital, so I only had to make up half my students.  I did miss Tizzy's recital and Freestone's Shakespeare play, and I cancelled violin and piano, but this time of year, having a calm week like that is unheard-of.  The previous week, we had 6 recitals!  So.  It was meant to be.  Incidentally, the minute I got back, the end of year firestorm resumed.  Scott said, "Why was it so calm while you were gone?"  It's me.  I'm the problem.  :)  And Ptolemy.  He didn't have to be taken to tee ball or kindergarten while we were gone.  One less kid makes it seem like a cake walk. Ptolemy got to go with me because I thought it would be fun for him to hang out with Alex and Lincoln.  Everyone else had things they had to be to.  School, for one.

 Anyway, we took the redeye nonstop from Salt Lake to Miami.  Once Ptolemy drank his gin and tonic, he slept like a baby the whole way.  I'm kidding.  He found this ultra cool mini bottle under his seat.  It's his favorite toy now.  And he did sleep the whole flight.  Ptolemy is preternaturally cheerful.  Get dropped off at the airport at bedtime and wait until midnight to board a flight?  OK!  Get woken up at 6 am to get off the plane and call a cab?  OK!!  Play all day with kids you haven't seen since Christmas and other kids you've never met?  Sure!  He is shy, so most people don't know how playful and fun he is.  He can rip a tantrum, but it's like a cloudburst.  Wait a minute and it's over.

 Sunday morning, Ptolemy still in his flight attire, playing with Lincoln.

 And Alex and the puppy, Betty Lou Choucha.

Sarah and Roland's house is a work of art.  Sarah has a design business, B Design.  Her house reflects her cutting edge style and impeccable eye.

 We arrived Sunday morning and Roland and Sarah flew out Sunday night.  We had to maximize our time, and we sure did!  Tricia came from Hollywood and we all went to lunch and the pool at the Edition Club with Heidi and Pierre, Sarah and Roland's friends.

 Sarah and Heidi's daughter.  It seemed terribly touristy to snap photos at lunch, so I tried not to.  But now I don't have any pics of Roland, Heidi or Pierre.

Heidi and Pierre's dock

 The kids and I went home with Heidi while Roland and Sarah hurriedly packed.  They have a beautiful home, and Heidi gave me the complete tour while the kids played in the toy wing.  Heidi is authentic and fun, and I appreciated her friendship while I was there.

 I sent this pic to Scott.  I didn't even try to pretend that I was overworked.  Trading 7 kids for 3, and none of my regular responsibilities?  Let's face it, this was a vacation, a time to spend with my aunt Tricia, a time to get to know my godsons better.  All of those things were accomplished, and it was like a key lime slice of heaven.  (Foreshadowing of our adventures!)

 I just wish Sarah and Roland could have stayed longer, but too soon, Juan and Esther were on the scene trying to expedite the packing process.  They ran Sarah and Roland the the airport probably just in the nick of time for their flight to Rome.  And Project Miami began!

Mountain Man Rendezvous

Our little pioneer, off to the 4th grade Mountain Man Rendezvous.  Xanthe has worked her little bonnet off this year in school.  She has come a long way.  Next year, she will be repeating 4th grade, without the Frnech Immersion program.  Even though it's a repeat, it will feel like blazing a new trail.  She is nervous about going back to 4th grade, wondering if people will think she's there by accident, or wondering why.  She is also excited about being in the same grade as her cousins, and doing school in English.  She asked me why I didn't just hold her back when she was in kindergarten.  Tough question!  When Xanthe entered kindergarten, I had already had her in 3 preschools the previous year because she drank it up.  She loved preschool.  There was no indication that she would fall behind later, no indication, academically at least, that she had auditory processing problems.  She was a difficult child who was happiest at school.  Why would we hold her back?

Later, when we did try to hold her back, our request was denied.  So like I said in my letter to the school, it just took us this long to get it right.  Although it scares me, I just have to turn it over to Heavenly Father and ask him to make up the difference.  We are doing our best, Xanthe is doing her best, and I am trusting in Him to fill in the gaps.  So now we move forward.  Westward ho!

Freestone's Book 3 Recital

From many hours of this...

Freestone achieved this.  His Suzuki Book 3 recital.  He played the Martini Gavotte, the Back Minuet, Gavotte in g Minor, Humoresque and the Bach Bourree that he played in Suzuki graduation a few weeks ago.  Janet Buhler, his teacher, accompanied him, and I played with them on a couple of pieces.  Or maybe just one.  I can't remember.  I was proud of Freestone.  He played well.  The beginning of this school year was rough for Freestone, all around.  He wanted to quit violin in the worst way, but I just said no.  We were not going to let one rough patch define us.  Sometimes things are hard, but if it's something that's part of your overall goal, you don't give it up.  I knew I would be sick about it forever if I let him quit, so he suffered through.  Janet and I both think he's turned a corner where he's not so resistant.  He's learning faster.  He has no idea how much he knows, if he would just apply himself.  Besides that, he is smart and has a good ear.

All said, I am happy with our experience in violin.  Freestone and I are starting to have some fun practicing.  I've learned a lot about patience and understanding.  Freestone has learned a lot about not pushing me to the breaking point and how if you do, I might hit you with my bow.  Actually, he hasn't learned anything about not pushing me.  In fact, I think he does it on purpose to see me go ballistic and scream, "Don't waste my time, Freestone!  Put your violin up and PLAY THIS!"  He is a master at stalling.  Sounds fun, huh?  ;)  But it's hours and hours I have logged with Freestone and I'm grateful to my boy that he has hung in there.  He's doing it for me, I know that.

Thankfully, Freestone never complains about going to lessons, even if he's less than enthusiastic for Janet.  Granted, it's at 6:30 in the morning.  Every Thursday I wake up Xanthe and Freestone at 6 and they roll into the car.  Last week, we forgot Freestone's violin.  But usually, we're with it enough to drive through McDonald's for Freestone's breakfast burrito and Xanthe's 3 chocolate chip cookies, and get to Janet's house in time to nap in the car for a few minutes.  Janet is a teacher who instinctively taps each child's strengths and has infinite patience, as long as kids are practicing.  She has been very accommodating with Freestone's reticence, but she doesn't cut him any slack.  She hold his feet to the fire.  And what she has done for Xanthe is a whole other story.  She is one of those teacher who is more than a teacher.

Janet came up between lessons to play for us.  Thank you!

It's always great to have the grandparents there to support us as well as Jennie and Ryan, Nikki and Clint and Josh and Emily.  I can't remember exactly who was there that night, but we needed an audience, and we got one!  Thank you!

Freestone gave invitations to his friends that said, "Please come to my Suzuki Book 3 recital, followed by pizza and Magic the Gathering."  We were pretty sure they wouldn't come if it was just the violin recital!  We drove the boys down to Hajomaje, the new location, and they played Magic, this deck-building game, against grown ups all night.  They're solid friend, these boys.  Sam and Carter here and the other friends Freestone plays with.  They're the geeky smart kids.  That makes me happy.  But if Freestone would put the effort he puts into Magic, into anything else, he would be unstoppable.  He could have learned Book 3 in a month.  The other day, he said, "I have a lot of research and studying to to tonight."  Of course it was for the card game.  It's complicated.  He tries to play it with Scott and me, but we don't get it.  I try, though.  If Freestone can plug away at unravelling the mysteries of the violin, I guess I can give Magic the Gathering a shot.

Tizzy and Ro

The two most beautiful girls, right?  One is sweet and one is salty.  Rolayne seems to always be watching Tizzy warily, nervous that Tizzy will do something bad.  And she usually does.  Then Ro tattles.  The Tizzy punches her.  Then Ro cries.  Then Tizzy shouts at her.  Then they have an argument about who is a princess MORE.  Yin and Yang, these two.  I love that they have each other, and I pray they both survive the relationship!

This is right after they "did peeps" in the grass.  These two have a strange competition going.  We call it "anything you can poop I can poop better."  They take turns on the potty all day long.  I think it stems from when Coco potty trained them together and used competition as motivation. :)

Soiree

And here they are on their way to soiree, the Dance Company formal dinner at Oakridge.  The best aspects of Dance Company are...well, where do I start?  The dance.  But the friendships, opportunities for choreography and leadership, practice at being in a group and not creating drama or gossip, working harder that you thought you could, and loving the dancers you're with.

Get ready. Here are all the Pictures from Soiree