The last Saturday in October Rhiannon did a solo piano recital at the Presbyterian church. She worked with her piano teacher to put together a program and a little paragraph about each song she played. It was an amazing recital!! Friends and neighbors and church family came, and I think we all were blown away by Rhiannon's performance.
Here's what I wrote about it:
"Yesterday was a really special day for Rhiannon, a day 8 years in the making. We are so grateful to her piano teacher Melanie for setting up a senior recital where Rhiannon could perform for friends and family and showcase what she's been working on.
For me, sitting there on the front row, the only way I can describe it was this: it was like I had just woken up from a long 8-year sleep and there was this beautiful young woman sitting on a piano bench playing just for me, with this stunning grace, power, and emotion. It was like I was seeing and hearing Rhiannon for the first time, and she was fantastic! She jokes about and embraces her awkwardness, but she is anything but awkward on the piano! It was out-of-this-world awesome to see that yesterday.
We are so proud of her and appreciative of the hard work and time she has put in, and for our dear friend Melanie who has supported and helped her every step of the way.
The past two Saturdays we went to two piano recitals! Rhiannon played in an honors recital in April, and yesterday both Rhiannon and Wade performed at their piano teacher's Spring recital. We are proud of these kids and their efforts to learn and "grow" their talents!
More Crossfit for Jason
Drumline and Jazz band for Rhiannon
Subbing here and there for Ver
Piano ensemble recital for Wade
4-Day Presidents' Weekend and Valentine's Day with the Houston Sheens here!
Another blood drive for Ver
Jason and Wade running together
Rhiannon and Wade preparing for ward missionary open house
The usual: Scouts, Mutual, fun with friends, early morning seminary, lots and lots of homework, church callings, orthodontist visits, work, Ragnar preparation, misc. meetings, etc
It's been a surprisingly fast month for us all!
Tomorrow will be a busy day, too. Wade will go to the stake's Youth Service Day, a community event cleaning up around the stake center. Jason will go for a run and oversee garden prep when we get a load of manure delivered. Rhiannon has a master piano class. And both kids will be participating in the open house at the church.
All we can say is....TWO MORE WEEKS UNTIL SPRING BREAK!
I have been stressed out the past couple weeks over "first world problems," particularly the neighborhood dog that consistently wakes me up with its barking between 4-4:40 am (I guess I should be grateful that no one else in my family hears it?), school calendar woes (our academic calendar for next year is RIDICULOUS), and our ward's Scouting program. I'm feeling better about things today, but it's a slow process coming to grips with the very irrational feeling that I need to fix everything. As soon as I let that go, I start to feel better and my neck/shoulders don't feel as tense. But I'm not gonna lie--it's been rough for me! I haven't been sleeping well--a sure sign that I need to chill out because anyone who knows me knows that sleep is usually NOT a problem for me, haha!
Some pics from the last couple weeks:
Derrick, Traci, and their kids Max, Maggie, and Moses rolled into town over Presidents' Weekend, and we had a lot of fun with them! Adults went on a double date Saturday night (Vietnamese food and Baskin Robbins), we got some walks and shopping in, boys shot guns, we played at the park, ate good food, and checked out Classic Burger and the Indian Wells brewery together, too. It was a fast, fun couple of day!
Wednesday mornings we have an extra 30-40 minutes before school starts. It's been nice. One day I took the kids to Starbucks with me to help me use my birthday gift card that a kind neighbor gave me. You should have seen us newbie-Starbucks Mormons in there. We had no idea what we were doing, haha! We got some delicious hot cocoa and enjoyed baked goods, too.
During my big "Minimalism Game" clean-out, I got rid of a lot of unused items but also found some beautiful treasures. This Hungarian tablecloth was one Jason and I picked up on our anniversary trip back in 2007. So lovely!
JASON IS THE BEST!!! He got me and Rhiannon gorgeous roses for Valentine's Day. So thoughtful!
Another Wednesday morning pic. Love these cute kiddoes of ours--they are growing up fast!!!!!
Wade with his friend Tucker Anderson and piano teacher Melanie McDonald. Wade and Tucker did a great job on their fun duet!
Just one of many gorgeous sunrises this month. Most of the pictures on my phone are sunrises or sunsets, haha!
"We are in the middle of an absolutely CrAzY day and loving every minute of it. It's been a lot of fun...and I'm thankful it's not usually this busy. Rhiannon hiked 4 miles with her dad, Wade helped me with yard work, Rhiannon went to volleyball, Wade played basketball, both kids played in a piano recital, and in a few minutes Rhiannon will go to a church youth conference, and Wade and his Richmond basketball team will play in the championship bball game. Happy Saturday!"
So....this is the Piano Recital post!
Rhiannon and Wade both did a fantastic job at this piano recital!
This was also the big b-ball tournament day! I had to get a picture of the basketball pianists!
Love this lady! The mutual love and respect between the kids and their teacher Melanie McDonald is visible!
Geez, I've got a lot to catch up on from the past few weeks! This post, however, will be all about Wade. He has been a very, very busy boy!
Over the past month or so, Wade:
1. Got a hair cut. After the haircut he looked like he grew a foot taller--weird! He misses his longer hair and curls, but he likes the cut, too. (Oh, and his braces were taken off temporarily--he's done with the palate expander but has to lose about a gazillion baby teeth still, so they gave him a break. The nice thing is that he's paid for!)
2. Did a fantastic job with 3 other friends in an ensemble recital. The left piano had a damper pedal stuck during their performance, so we couldn't hear those two boys as well--their piano teacher felt so bad about this that she asked the boys to perform at her ward's talent show next weekend. Another chance to play a fun song!
3. Completed the 6th Grade Common Core Accelerated Math library--this is a big deal because he's the first kid to do it this year! Woo-hoo! (We had yummy Bacon-Wrapped Little Caesar's pizza to celebrate!)
4. Made the school's 5th grade basketball team!!! We encouraged him to try out "for kicks," saying we'd be happy no matter what and that he needed the exercise! He went to 3 or 4 practices/try-outs, and then found out he made the team. The really fun part is that 2 of our neighbors (and Wade's buddies) across the street made the team, too. He practices twice a week and is learning SO MUCH with Coach Mark and Becky Anderson (some dear friends of ours--Mark is in our stake presidency and Becky does Battle of the Books with me). The team's first game will be next Wednesday night!
5. Went on his first for-realz Boy Scout campout. The only proof I have of that is his packing list:
Yep, I made him pack ALL of that, and he probably used a 1/4 of it, hahaha! Jason was able to go and be one of the adult leaders--they both had a good time!
We are proud of Wade for trying new things and doing his best! Way to go, buddy!
Boy, we sure love this time of year! The kids did a FANTASTIC job playing in their piano teacher's special Christmas recital. We were so happy to have our friend Sandi Collins with us, too! Enjoy the pictures and videos!
I love this picture of me with the kids--just wish I'd been looking in the right spot, haha!
Rhiannon and Wade practicing their Carol of the Bells duet--lovely!
My Snowmen craft that I made at our ward's Super Saturday--I love how they turned out, and, yes, I did make those hats! :)
On Veteran's Day, Rhiannon and I drove friends down to the Los Angeles Temple day. It was a quick, busy, fun, exhausting day, and I'm glad we went and came back safely. I love this picture of Rhiannon with her friend JenAi and our sweet friend and new ward member Sister Vignault.
This picture above is worth a thousand words. Shortly after Grandma Sue got to Texas to spend time with my mom and dad, she had to be admitted to the hospital and then spend a week in an acute rehab facility. This picture was taken during a FaceTime chat after Grandma had gotten out of that facility and was back with my parents. So happy that she's feeling better!
On Friday Wade's school had their monthly Super Star assembly but went ALL OUT for Veteran's Day. This was just one of the neat things they did during that assembly. I was so glad I was there!
My chocolate order came in! :)
Caught the kids one night as they were quizzing each other. They'd ring a bell every time they asked a question--too cute!
A week after Rhiannon's Honors recital, both she and Wade performed in their piano teacher's spring recital. They did a great job! We're proud of them for putting so much practice time in, with very little reminders from us!
Rhiannon participated in an Honors Recital the beginning of May and did such a wonderful job playing L'Orage. She was the very last performer and didn't like that too much; she said by the time she got up there she was pretty nervous and played the song too fast. We still think she did a fantastically amazing job on her piece, though. We love to hear her play!!!
In preparation for Rhiannon's piano honors recital that's coming in a couple weeks, she participated in a piano adjudication, or piano judging. She had a good time and the guy was really cool. He gave her some good tips on the piano piece she'll be playing, called L'Orage.
Rhiannon really enjoyed working with this musician, Steven Vanhauwaert, because he gave her LOTS of tips on how to improve her piece and did that in a kind, energetic way. She had a good time!
You can learn more about Steven and his group here: Felici Piano Trio
Here's Rhiannon playing before the session:
And here's a clip of her session with Steven. He gave her great tips on dynamics, using the pedals, and creating more drama. It was great! We're looking forward to her performance on May 3.
Rhiannon and Wade participated in an ensemble recital yesterday. Rhiannon performed with her friends Nathan and Rachel. They played a piece called "Out...Standing," which was really funny because Nathan played all his parts standing and moving around. They did great! Wade performed "My Hat, It Has Three Corners" with his friends Jon and Sam Nation. They had fun and made a big deal of taking off their paper hats with a flourish at the end when they bowed. Fun! I'm sorry I didn't take video--maybe next time! This is just one of those "pictures to prove it" posts. :)
Wade did a great job at his fall piano recital the first weekend in November! We're looking forward to the Christmas recital in a few weeks--Rhiannon and Wade will be doing a duet to Jingle Bells, among other pieces. I love this time of year, when the house is filled with the sounds of Rhiannon and Wade playing Christmas music. It's awesome!!!!!
Waiting to go inside--love this pic of the kids in red! :)
Rhiannon performing "Stay," a Rihanna song (no, we're not huge fans of Rihanna; but this song is really pretty!)
Wade performing "Crazy Cars," without any sheet music!
With their wonderful teacher Melanie McDonald
It was a nice recital; the kids did great! They each played two piano pieces. I was especially proud of Wade, who came in just after his final baseball game of the season (a loss), and then kept going after he messed up a little on his first piece. I was partly to blame because I told him to try it without his sheet music (he'd had it memorized for a while). He knew the piece but said he got his fingering wrong. He kept going and got a lot of compliments after the recital for hangin' tough!
The kids with Melanie McDonald, their piano teacher, and our friend Melanie Litton, who asked Rhiannon to play with her student Nathan.
Last Saturday the kids participated in an ensemble recital, presented by the High Desert Music Teachers Association. Rhiannon and Wade did a piece together called Race Car Boogie--they did great!!!! Rhiannon also performed Dueling Pianos with a new friend Nathan.
We had a good time listening to all the different pieces; it was a fun hour!
I messed up and didn't get Rhiannon and Nathan's recital piece, but here's a video of Rhiannon and Wade practicing theirs. Way to go, kids! We're very proud of you!
Side bar: Jason let Rhiannon borrow one of his Ragnar shirts for "Sports Spirit Day" at her middle school. We tried to talk her into wearing the orange sweatband that went with it, but she passed. :)
I still have a lot to catch up on (EPIC Christmas in Texas!), but today is a busy day, and that will have to wait.
Today Jason is off on a campout and Wade will be busy, busy, busy with back-to-back-to-back baseball evaluations, flag football game, and a Cub Scout activity.
For now, enjoy a picture collage of my birthday cake decorator and the beautiful roses Jason got me for my birthday, plus some music the kids have been working on. We were really proud of Rhiannon yesterday--she participated in her school's variety show and did The Lord of the Rings' song "Minas Tirith." It was amazing!
Good day for the Cushing kids--Wade scored a 2-pt conversion at his flag football game and helped his team to their first win, and Rhiannon nailed her Christmas piano recital (Carol of the Bells, followed by...Phantom of the Opera!) Woo-hoo!
Of course the game and recital were at the same time, so Jason and I had to divide and conquer. He covered football, and I covered piano! :)
This afternoon I finally caught Rhiannon playing some piano--she plays ALL. THE. TIME. but I never think to capture it!
Enjoy!
This was her most recent piano recital piece called "The Matador..."
And this is her latest work in progress, the Star Wars song "Across the Stars." She got the music from Grandpa and Grandma Sheen less than a week ago--thanks, guys!
Rhiannon had her last piano recital of the school year a couple weeks ago. She was the first one to play and NAILED her piece--no mistakes, great tempo and dynamics. We were so proud of her! I'll get a video of her playing the song and add it soon!
Rhiannon with her long-time friend Ethan Bates. I was glad to get this picture--Ethan and his family are moving to Twin Falls, Idaho in a few days--we're going to miss this goofy, fun kid!
Rhiannon's teacher Sister McDonald was so pleased with Rhiannon's performance--she says that Rhiannon is just FLYING through lessons!
We're now into 11 days of puppy ownership, and we're hanging in there. Overall, Oscar is an amazing puppy, and anyone who has met him is impressed at how sweet and calm he is. He lets us sleep all night (goes potty on a training pad), is getting better about letting us enjoy our own meals while he watches, is really sweet with the kids as long as he's not in a "chewy" mood, and does great with the "Sit" command.
Then yesterday he turned the tables on me and morphed into this jumping, chewing fiend on two unsuccessful tries for a walk. I picked him up and carried him home the rest of the way both times because he would not listen to anything I said. This was especially frustrating because we'd gone on numerous, calm walks before that, with very little problems. It was rainy and wet and just a grumpy day, and I was pretty harsh with him and mad.
I woke up this morning and decided to practice forbearance. Look it up, it's a good word. Yes, he's still jumped up on me a few times today, but we've moved past it. I think he must be able to sense a difference because we just got back from the longest walk yet and he was WONDERFUL, evenly paced, happy and attentive, and hardly sniffed a leaf. He did get skittish and try to hide underneath me when the loud UPS truck started up on the curb, but that was just cute.
Enjoy some random pics of Oscar, some Christmas reindeer outtakes, and video of Rhiannon's band concerts and piano recital last week.
Merry Christmas!
Burrito puppy after his first bath
Stretched out in his crate for a nap
Thanks, Grandma Deb--the gingerbread houses were fun!
(I think Wade ate his while he was making it--check out that cheek!)
Rhiannon and two boys covered the drums on this song--they did a good job!
