Mama + kids = music, art & sports

Daddy + kids = science, math & history

It's so funny to me to watch the activities of the boys when they are influenced by either me or Justin. When we take our turns with the boys separately, the days are geared so differently. With Daddy, the boys are all about science, math and history. When they are with me, it's all about art and music and being active. While Justin was away, we spent our week making field trips to the college practice rooms for their real pianos to practice on. We spent three nights at Sugar Creek rehearsals getting ready for our gig at James Ranch and then an evening of performing and goat herding. (We had a baby goat join us on stage for Wagon Wheel!). We spent a day at the lake swimming and went on countless bike rides. I got the stuff for them to craft in their scrap books and I've had watercolor "classes" at the kitchen table. And we piled all the balls, bats, tennis rackets, frisbees and the sort and went to the park one day to have some skills practice. There is a reason God intended there to be two parents. They learn so many different things from each of us.

Here are a few captures from James Ranch.

Piano Playtime

Since last week was spring break we had double the amount of piano homework this week. The boys decided they wanted to try to do the theme song from the Lord of the Rings as a duet and it's HARD. Aeneas has to count things out and keep the beat and Patrick is reading two hands in the bass clef which is more difficult than it sounds. (I personally hate the bass clef and was so relieved as a kid when I switched from piano to trumpet where I could say adios to reading the bass clef forever!)

All that to say, that through some days of tears and some days of excitement, they have made some really good progress on the song. What's amazing to me is that even now, after a week of hard work and frustration, they still manage to sit down at the piano and "play" at playing. Patrick has about 5 songs that he is currently composing and the other day, the two of them came up with what they call "Ocean Deep." Yeah, they play legos and they play "talkin' cars" and they get on each others nerves and have to be separated at times. But then there are times they do something like this and it just doesn't get any more constructive than that. And that makes for one proud Mama.

Here is a preview of "Ocean Deep" by Patrick and Aeneas. We will see where it goes. And when they are recital ready, I will post their LOTR "In Dreams" duet so stay tuned!