ILMEA District Jazz Fest

Today, Sylvia got to sing in the District 3 Jazz Festival in the Vocal Jazz Ensemble!  This was new for all of us, as she is the first Ridgeview student ever to have the opportunity!

ILMEA had a Facebook post featuring the group rehearsing this morning...

Sylvia got to Olivet early this morning for rehearsal all day.

Sylvia sent this photo...the pink dot meant she had a callback audition for a chance to go to state!

Since Olivet does such fantastic videos, I ordered one and didn't record any of the concert.  But here is another awesome snippet of rehearsal.

Caeden and Annah, "sharing" the backseat on the way up to watch the concert...

They may "grow up" but some things never change.

Sylvia absolutely LOVED the entire day and experience!!!  

She loved the director and what she learned!  She enjoyed the music!  She liked making friends and getting to know other singers!

Such a wonderful place to perform!

We enjoyed the performance so much!  We were sad to have to bolt out before the bands and other ensembles performed, but we had to get this girl back to school for another performance of the play tonight!!

Sylvia put her stage makeup on in the car and we got to school just in time for her and Caeden to get ready for the play.  Sylvia was exhausted, but adrenaline kicked in!

No Labor on Labor Day

Caeeden was playing around with the old Yamaha keyboard this morning and found the demos.  He was really jamming them.

Sam came over around lunch time and the guys spent some time playing around with his music editing equipment.  

I love that these guys are still best buds.  Sam even talked Caeden into going to homecoming and is going to go with him!

Caeden went on the Velocity youth group trip to Chicago yesterday.  They went to the zoo, the beach, Cheesecake Factory, and Chick-fil-a.  He had a blast.

We had a family picnic in the pavilion after church today.

The girls did some music for Velocity Worship Night!

They sang a duet of Give Me Jesus.

Sylvia played her cello during communion.

Annah sang Grace to Grace.

Duck, Duck, Donuts!!

We couldn't leave Duck without stopping to taste some Duck Donuts!

We decided to order a dozen of the summer feature "Anything's Popcicle" donuts, and another dozen of popular featured donuts rather than custom ordering a bunch of donuts.  

As Jeremy was waiting in line to place our order, the kids explored the adorable store.

Caeden is sporting his new beach socks from the Life is Good store.

 Annah fell in love with these silicone cups she needed for college.

Look who said yes.  And who also said yes to another coffee mug for me and a koozie for himself. He spoils us.

After a few minutes of admiring everything in the store, Jeremy realized no one was picking up donuts here--only ordering!  We walked across the way to the part where the donuts were being made! SO COOL!

All the donuts are vanilla cake donuts, plopping out of the machine here...

Next they're boxed up and ready for the COATING.

After the COATING, they get a TOPPING, then a DRIZZLE!  You can custom mix and match any 3 coatings, toppings, and drizzles you like--for every donut, if you want!

The Box

CITRUS POP - COOKIES AND CREAM POP - NEAPOLITAN - CHOCOLATE NUT SUNDAE

PATRIOTIC POP - FUDGE POP - KEY LIME PIE POP - LEMON DROP POP

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE POP - ICE CREAM SANDWICH POP - FRUITY POP - ORANGE CREAMCICLE

Annah chose an orange creamsicle!

Caeden chose a citrus pop, and Sylvia a lemon drop pop.  

 

Jeremy had a strawberry shortcake, and I chose a key lime pie.

This is our second featured collection box.  Caeden was really excited about the 2 MAPLE ICING W/CHOPPED BACON ones!  They are all YUM-YUM!!!

How fun and delicious!  It was a fun stop on our way out of town!

Sylvia is making good progress in her occupational therapy!  Her pain is gone, and now she is working on strengthening.  She is even allowed to play her cello a little bit this weekend!!!

My little piano student Juana, is so much fun.  She is working through the My First Piano Adventure books by Faber and Faber.  We like singing and playing along to the silly songs!  

This Friday we got to gobble and run like turkeys!

Last Saturday, Annah spent much of the day writing 5 essays and completing her application for the Illinois Gold Apple Scholars Program.  She was invited to interview, and Jeremy took her to ISU for that part of the process this Saturday morning.  She won't find out if she is selected for the program until mid-May, but it was an honor and a good experience for her regardless of the outcome.

After her interview, I got this text from Jeremy.  (The girl has a serious love for Noodles.  She went there Friday night, and all 5 of us went again after church on Sunday!)

Saturday was SUCH a gorgeous day, even I spent 2 hours outside raking up pine needles in the yard and pulling dead leaves out of the flower beds!  Jacob stayed for lunch after his piano lesson, and he and Sylvia walked down to the park.  They are silly.

I think this is such a cool picture of the youth group kids playing a game this afternoon! 

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

Sylvia finished her driving lessons with her instructor this week, and is working to complete her 50 hours of driving with a parent so she can take her driving test to get her license!  She's getting very close.  It is not good for a momma's nerves.

As always, our worship set was a very fun one today at PoC.

Our sermon series right now is called PolitiGOspel, and it's about why Christians should be involved in politics.  It is very interesting and SO, SO good!!!

Velocity youth group continued the discussion this afternoon.

There was time for silly and fun stuff too...like, this happened...

Jeremy and Caeden played some Mario Kart this afternoon when the kids got home!

Super Dad!