Saybrook Parade

The girls had to be in Saybrook at 9:30 this morning for a little more marching band rehearsal and warm-up. Less than half of the band members were there, but it is always fun to watch the new freshman learn.

Here on the prairie the marching band rehearses between the antique tractors
when getting ready for a parade...

VIDEO: warming up

I feel for Sylvia and Isabella, who have a new instrument [mellophone] to learn at the same time they're learning how to march! And it's not an easy one to carry, either!

VIDEO: monster stomp practice

Percussionists and their very heavy drums...

Everybody around was enjoying this fun upside down truck in the parade. 

Isabella and Sylvia, french horn turned mellophone buddies

Kyle, Isabella, Sylvia, freshman friends, ready for their first parade!

Annah was on the run, and hard to get a picture of when it was time for line-up.

As Caeden and I were walking to find a spot to stand and watch the parade, a voice yelled his name from out of a fire truck.  He turned around to see Owen and Eliza! 

 They were riding in the truck with their grandpa.

The band was early in the parade lineup this year--right behind the firetrucks and sirens--so they didn't have to march behind any horses.  Mr. M said that was ok if they weren't heard, because they were playing a new song and had less than half their members present. Ha!

They finished the monster stomp and weren't playing when they came by the spot where we were standing.

Annah!

Sylvia!

They started playing just after they passed us, then played a whole song while marking time as the ambulances went around the corner very slowly.

My piano student, Alex, had come to his 8:30 lesson this morning in his Cub Scout uniform, because he was marching in the parade. He spotted me and waved, what a sweetie!

VIDEO: We ran around the block to catch the band again as they finished the last leg of the parade.

There's Annah playing her clarinet!

There were only 2 trumpet players who could come today, so Mr. M jumped in to play trumpet as well. Sylvia was a bit nervous about playing right into his ears!

Sylvia playing her mellophone!

(She may or may not have been "stabbed" in the head by that trombone slide behind her a few dozen times today.)

I had to get some pictures of Reece playing that big bass drum for the first time to text to his momma, who is in Italy visiting her sister right now.

Our cute little tie-dyed twinsies after the parade...

They were fortunate to have nice mild weather today, and didn't even break a sweat marching the short parade! It was a fun time.

Meanwhile, Jeremy is up in Naperville golfing at the 21st annual Fischer Golf Outing!
Such a great day for it!