The children are always excited about the first Sunday they get to sing after a long summer break, and yesterday was that Sunday! This year we still have only two choristers in the children’s choir (Chickadee isn’t quite ready for the kind of commitment), but both Moose and Ladybug were excited to be back, and it was nice to get a picture of the two of them wearing their new medals in the renovated sanctuary for the first time:
I recorded one of their pieces, and it was an excellent choice, because not only do you get hear the new organ playing along with the choir singing, you also get to hear the choristers playing handbells!
It’s a small group this year (only five members), but if the first Sunday was any indication, it’s still going to be a great year of music!
Actually, the excitement started on September 5, when Moose brought home a letter from school, letting us know that the teachers at his school unanimously selected him as “student of the month” for his academic work and respectful demeanor. They even put a sign in our lawn for everybody to see!
I cannot tell you how proud I am. He works so hard, even when things aren’t easy for him. And I am thrilled that his hard work, not to mention his attitude, have been noticed by his teachers. Tonight he got to be recognized in front of the school board with the other “student of the month” winners from the various schools in the district.
I’m so happy we were all able to be with him tonight to recognize his achievements!!!
The Fab Five are all ready for a new school year…Turkey and Bunny are in 11th grade, Moose starts eighth grade tomorrow, Ladybug is in seventh, and Chickadee is a second grader!
Last summer, Chickadee, Moose, and I rode the MetroLink from one end of the red line (Shiloh-Scott) to the other (Lambert Airport). This summer, Moose decided we needed to do the same for the blue line, so this morning, we hopped on a train in Fairview Heights and rode all the way to Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 and back again!
Chickadee had to ride standing up for part of the trip, because that makes it even more fun!
I think MetroLink is going to need to add a new line so we can do this again someday!
This week was Kantorei Kamp week at Hope Lutheran Church in St. Louis! This time, only Ladybug and Moose were at camp, so Turkey, Bunny, Chickadee, and I had some adventures while they were making music. On Monday, we went to the St. Louis Zoo for a nice walk before it started raining (again), and then went for a treat at Ted Drewes, since the choristers went on an ice cream walk that day:
On Tuesday, we visited the Missouri Botanical Garden, and then joined the choristers for a swim at the YMCA:
We spent the day Wednesday with the choristers, first for their performance at Laclede Groves, and then to take in a performance of The Marriage of Figaro at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. It was the first time the Fab Five and I had ever seen an opera!
Today we went to the Butterfly House, and then back to Hope for an evening recital of vocal, instrumental, and handbell music!
Oh, the Fab Five and I also had a pizza picnic at Tower Grove Park for dinner:
Here’s a look at several of the pieces the choristers presented this year:
The choir not only has talented singers, but talented musicians, as well, and they joined together for a special arrangement of “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.”
They also did two just-for-fun pieces, which were very popular!
And just like that, another year of Kantorei Kamp is done. We’ve very blessed to be able to have our children be part of such great musical instruction!
Tonight, the children’s choir sang for the last time of the season, as they do on Ascension Day. I went into the service assuming that for the first time since we joined the choir, none of our children would be receiving an award (although Ladybug is testing for a new level next month). You can imagine my surprise, then, when Moose received his very first RSCM medal…and not even he knew he was getting it! I’m so very proud of him!
Today is Moose’s 13th birthday!!! Yes, we now have three teenagers in the house!
He starts school a little later this year than he has in previous years, so he had plenty of time to open his gifts this morning. The humor in him receiving a Lego City hospital from us (which I purchased months ago) was not lost on me, considering the events of the last week.
Things were even more fortuitous than that, though. He told me a few weeks ago that he wanted a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. He didn’t require a cake with a special shape (that would require fancy frosting), or complicated fillings or anything. So it was an easy cake to make, even with a broken ankle, and it looked really fun thanks to the Funfetti frosting! As always for a 13th birthday, I bought candles that spell out “Happy Birthday” because there are exactly 13 letters in the saying:
It was a more low-key birthday than we usually have around here (well, except for the unexpected snow showers, which he was very excited about…I don’t think he’s ever had birthday snow before!), but he didn’t seem to mind, and I was just happy to be able to celebrate with him!
