March Madness

After a month of crazy snowy days, it was a relief that March was a month of just normal chaos.
We started off the month with a band concert.
There were performances by the 6th grade band, the 7th grade band and the jazz band.
The music was a little slow and gave us an understanding of why CJ is not interested in playing in the band next year.Fortunately he is still very much interested in music and the clarinet.So off to lessons we go. CJ started with a private instructor and has been learning and enjoying. He's still not interested in band for next year, maybe high school...

Later that same week we headed back to the high school auditorium for the orchestra concert.
This time it was the 6th, 7th, 8th and chamber orchestras playing for us.
Each put on a great show. I continue to be amazed with the improvement each time they perform. The kids are learning so much and really seem to enjoy themselves. CJ is looking forward to next year and maybe trying out for chamber orchestra.


Soon after the concerts, Pia came to visit. She arrived during beautiful weather. We were all glad to see the sun and warm weather.

The warm weather must have stirred something in me as I started to think about a new car. Steve was thrilled and started looking immediately. Soon I was driving a new/used car. Less than 12 hours later (6am) Steve was on the phone with the salesman and demanding to return it. Amazingly enough they did allow us to return it. Did they know that there was a problem with the engine when they sold it to us? Or are they just that customer oriented? Being cynical I believe that they knew. So back to the hunt we went.

That same week CJ's Tour of Europe took place. Off to school he went with his 160 pierogi. His part in the project was to bring in the pierogi and to keep his group on task. I was a bit skeptical about that last part so I contacted the teacher just to make sure. Turns out he's pretty good at keeping a group on task, he brought home an 'A'.

Then came spring break. We opted to stay home this year and get some things done around the house. Steve worked on creating a new shelving system for the garage. His new creations opened up and brightened up the garage along with it being more organized!

CJ came down with a nasty cold on the first night of break, good thing we weren't on vacation. It stinks having a cold and not getting a day off from school , but it did mean that he missed out on the somewhat boring task of car hunting. Yep, we used spring break to look for a new/used car. We drove lots of cars and thought we were settled on an Infinity. Then I sat in an Acura TL and loved it. We drove it home Thursday night in the rain. Only it wasn't raining when we arrived home - it was snowing. Friday morning we woke to 3 inches of snow.

Tucker and Pia had a great time romping in the snow. CJ wanted nothing to do with it!

Friends of ours went somewhere sunny and warm for spring break and I got to take care of Teq. So each day Teq and I moaned about the cold and dreary weather. She would squawk and I would complain then laugh with her as she did her Stevie Wonder imitation.

The yucky weather for spring break was not as I had wished but it was nice to not waste beautiful days building garage shelves and buying cars!

March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. Will April flowers bring May showers?

Weather Update

March has arrived like a lamb. We can add that to our unusual weather for 2010.
The days are ever so slowly getting warmer. We've seen the sun the past couple of days. The snow is melting. Much of the front yard and woods are uncovered. The grass that is visible is very sad looking. It is all smashed down and brown.
The days are getting noticeably longer. It has been wonderful to have dawn arrive before CJ leaves for the bus. Daylight savings time arrives soon and with it the hope of summer!

6th Grade Social Studies Project

CJ is studying Europe in social studies class. The kids were put into groups and given a country to teach the rest of the 6th graders about. CJ's group is going to teach their peers about Poland. CJ chose to make pierogi for his part of the project. This morning we started out making the filling, mashed potatoes.
He peeled and chopped.


He mixed, tasted and declared them good.


Then, after a trip to the grocery store, it was time to make dough.

And fill them.

And eat them.

Some of the pierogi were really good. Others opened up in the boiling water which made for soggy mashed potatoes. So, we tried again and had a little more luck keeping them closed, but still many were waterlogged. We will have to do some research and try again.