Tuesday

Emmelia had her 3rd violin recital this past weekend. The recitals are nice because they are very low-key. It's basically all the students taught by the same person (plus an occasional extra few). The recitals are not so much to show the parents what the kids know because in Suzuki, the parents are an integral part of the music education. We go to every lesson and take notes and teach the child during each practice. So the recitals are mainly a way to give the kids practice playing in front of other people. They occasionally play solos and the whole group plays every piece they know at each recital. Emmelia was a little nervous before the recital and didn't want to go, but afterwards she told me that she didn't feel at all nervous when she was up in front of everyone playing. What's nice is she's getting used to this at age 5, so that it will never seem like it should be different to her.

We got Emmelia a new violin a couple of weeks ago. We've been renting one, but Southwest Strings had some decent ones on sale for the cost of about 10 months of rentals. Since Em will be in this size violin for another year and then Maura will use it, it made sense to just buy the thing. Southwest Strings has a trade-in program where we can use this violin as a down-payment towards a bigger size if we'd like. Or we could sell it when the time comes. Although I'm sure it will hold a little sentimental value for me.

Here's Emmelia playing "Twinkle Variation A" at the recital. It's not the greatest photo because I was too far away for the flash to work. That's her over on the right in the front row with her fellow pre-Twinklers. This recital is much more casual than the other ones - it's got a western theme, so the kids are encouraged to wear denim and they play more fiddle tunes than classical pieces (the pre-Twinklers played a part on "Pop Goes the Weasel") and then afterwards we all have a chili pot-luck dinner.

It's that time of year where spring allergies are starting to hit, making me tired, and we're hoping to avoid the RSV and pneumonia making the rounds at the daycare. Hopefully we can all stay healthy. I haven't been scrapping much, but am hoping to do more. I just haven't felt all that inspired lately. I did make a layout late last week with some photos from last December:


Other than that, I'm staying caught up at work and trying to catch up in my Health Physics review class. I am walking without a boot now and so far, so good. I still don't have a normal gait, but that seems to be more related to my ankle having been kept still for so long as opposed to my tendons. I'm sure it'll loosen up in a week or so. It's very exciting to be able to walk on my heel for the first time in my life!