We had a bad week in the Browning house. Robert has had some hard lessons learned this week and I had to fight him on it all the way. Turns out Mom was right and Robert was wrong. Bottom line, Robert is not singing anything in the pops concert- why? Because he worked on a song, then last weekend he screwed his voice up between the football game and the band competition. Wednesday the day he was supposed to try out, he was mad at me and didn't think he was up for it emotionally so he told her he didn't have his CD. Thursday he really DIDN'T have his CD. Then, when what he really wanted to do was to emcee, he didn't work at that either and didn't find someone to do a skit with until the last minute. It didn't fool anybody. Lessons learned. Not easy on Mom, when half of me wants to hug him and tell him I am sorry and half of me wants to say "I tried to tell you". Robert has had this thing with getting things his way even when he shouldn't have. He has FINALLY gotten old enough for people to expect him to earn what he gets and I don't think he is adjusting well. I debated about whether to even put this on the blog, but somewhere down the line, somebody may be running into the same thing, just wanted you to know this "Mom thing" has conflicting days even when the kid is almost grown.
He also went to the oral surgeon on Monday, his Christmas vacation is going to be spent recovering from having his wisdom teeth removed. Mine went from vacation time to sick time, because I don't think being at home with him is going to feel like a vacation. We are all getting wisdom teeth for Christmas. The receptionist handed me the bill, our dental insurance does not have Dr. Jenssen on their network. They want their money the day of the surgery, all $2004 of it. Wonder if we could get matching necklaces made out of the teeth??
To top everything off, I am trying to balance too many things and have had to spend this week admitting it. I am in charge of selling the old uniforms for the band, when we started talking about selling them at the fall festival, I said I thought it was a great idea but I wouldn't have time to take off work on Friday. Thursday morning, we were still looking for workers for Friday (Thank you Vaneta, Michelle and Glenna for filling in the gaps!). I had a list a mile long at work of things that needed done and I knew, I really knew that by Thursday night, I would be in tears. I also knew that my time wouldn't be my own until at least 8:00, so I didn't "have time" for a breakdown until at least 8:00. Shortly after 8:00, I hear the band and yell at Andrew that I thought they were marching down Washington. We took out of the house to go watch and listen. Sure enough, they were getting ready for today's parade. They looked really good. They turned around and went by again. When they were all the way past, they did a roll off and started playing, it was really, really GOOD!!! I love their parade song this year! And that was it, tears started running down my face. Andrew was like, "What is wrong", I said I told you this was going to happen, it just needs out. I just need to cry." By the way, Julie Matson, THANK YOU for telling Andrew last night it just a woman thing! I feel a little less crazy.
So, I am realizing this is not my normal "Life is Wonderful" post and I also know tons of people are going to be reading this and tons more that I don't even know follow the blog. Sorry about the downer, I am secretly hoping that just by putting it down in words, it will all go away.
I went to a book signing of Dave Pelzer's (The Boy Called It) once. Someone asked him how he handled carrying around all that resentment. He told them he had not resented any of it for a long time. He tells his story to let people be aware and to help others. He said something to the effect, "if you carry around all your troubles, it gets to being like going to the bathroom in a bag, then tying the bag around your neck, after a while, nobody wants to be around you because you reek of bad stuff". I am hoping this is now behind us and we can have a great day. So, if you see me uptown today, I hope and pray you see the cheerful, happy me you are all used to.
Happy Saturday!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Competition Weekend #1
Well, Marching season has offically begun. I am super-excited about the show! Last Saturday we travelled to Belleville and O'fallon. We placed 5th at Belleville, which is fine, the big thing is we outplayed Mater Dei, both times. As in football, there have been times, Mater Dei has been a bit of a thorn in our sides. Mater Dei and Newton were predicted to run for the title in our class for both competitions, Belleville didn't happen. I still don't understand the class set up in Belleville but you know, you always have to have the "very first" time on the field. These two competitions gives the kids that starting point.
The big news of the weekend was O'Fallon-- We placed 2nd!! AND our auxillary won the caption award AND we won the caption award for Best Visual! Okay, here is the secret--the kids still have things to add to the show--lots of things. Effingham is who took us out, We split the caption awards with them and when it came down to it, they were first, we were second. I am looking forward to seeing the scores.
There are a couple of things in this years show that the next time you are at the football game, or at a competition, be sure to notice. First, the kids start performing this year before they ever get on the field: When they get lined up across the back of the football field, Mrs. A. calls Parade Rest; in sequence, starting at the 50 yard line, they all go into parade rest, doing a wave down to the ends, it is cool. The coolest thing though, is when she calls them to attention, they do it in reverse meaning the two people on the ends start it and it always ends with the three snare drummers on the 50. It looks SHARP!
Another thing, there is a point in the opener where they are back marching, they turn around and it is gorgeous. At this point, sometime just shut your eyes and listen to the music. I think at times we get so involved in the show, you don't just enjoy the melody.
I am just really excited and talking to the kids lately, my biggest thrill is they are too. I have especially been impressed with the enthusiasm of some of the freshman. They are enjoying being a part of something bigger than themselves. I'm not going to go off on a whole post of how band teaches you things you can never learn in a regular classroom, but I will say there are reasoning and coping skills I use everyday that comes straight from my young years of learning to become one with 250 other people.
The rest of our weekend was good too. We stayed in O'fallon Saturday night. Plans were to go back to the hotel and swim, somehow, after everyone found the beds, nobody made it down to swim. It was really nice not having a two hour drive home though and I will venture a guess I plan the same thing next year. We went to the zoo yesterday and had a great time. I am in a picture taking funk at the moment. I gave the camera to Robert and he took pictures but nothing of US at the zoo. Oh well, deep down inside that is some physcological thing because I am so far behind on scrapbooking--if I don't have pictures I can't scrapbook, I will have to work on that before I end up regretting it.
Here is the rest of our Marching Season schedule:
September 19th Fall Festival here in Newton-- we stay home the rest of the day!
September 26th Eastern Illinois University--they didn't have this competition last year but Robert's freshman year, we took home Grand Champion!
October 3rd Robinson
October 10th, Newton Classic/ Effingham
October 17th University of Illinois
October 31 Oblong.
The big news of the weekend was O'Fallon-- We placed 2nd!! AND our auxillary won the caption award AND we won the caption award for Best Visual! Okay, here is the secret--the kids still have things to add to the show--lots of things. Effingham is who took us out, We split the caption awards with them and when it came down to it, they were first, we were second. I am looking forward to seeing the scores.
There are a couple of things in this years show that the next time you are at the football game, or at a competition, be sure to notice. First, the kids start performing this year before they ever get on the field: When they get lined up across the back of the football field, Mrs. A. calls Parade Rest; in sequence, starting at the 50 yard line, they all go into parade rest, doing a wave down to the ends, it is cool. The coolest thing though, is when she calls them to attention, they do it in reverse meaning the two people on the ends start it and it always ends with the three snare drummers on the 50. It looks SHARP!
Another thing, there is a point in the opener where they are back marching, they turn around and it is gorgeous. At this point, sometime just shut your eyes and listen to the music. I think at times we get so involved in the show, you don't just enjoy the melody.
I am just really excited and talking to the kids lately, my biggest thrill is they are too. I have especially been impressed with the enthusiasm of some of the freshman. They are enjoying being a part of something bigger than themselves. I'm not going to go off on a whole post of how band teaches you things you can never learn in a regular classroom, but I will say there are reasoning and coping skills I use everyday that comes straight from my young years of learning to become one with 250 other people.
The rest of our weekend was good too. We stayed in O'fallon Saturday night. Plans were to go back to the hotel and swim, somehow, after everyone found the beds, nobody made it down to swim. It was really nice not having a two hour drive home though and I will venture a guess I plan the same thing next year. We went to the zoo yesterday and had a great time. I am in a picture taking funk at the moment. I gave the camera to Robert and he took pictures but nothing of US at the zoo. Oh well, deep down inside that is some physcological thing because I am so far behind on scrapbooking--if I don't have pictures I can't scrapbook, I will have to work on that before I end up regretting it.
Here is the rest of our Marching Season schedule:
September 19th Fall Festival here in Newton-- we stay home the rest of the day!
September 26th Eastern Illinois University--they didn't have this competition last year but Robert's freshman year, we took home Grand Champion!
October 3rd Robinson
October 10th, Newton Classic/ Effingham
October 17th University of Illinois
October 31 Oblong.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Never a Dull Moment
That can certainly be said at our house. I was just trying to put down on paper everything that is going on this week, it's exhausting and exciting, I have to say. A couple of weeks ago, Andrew and I were working on the old band uniforms. For those of you who haven't spent any time at NCHS lately, the downstairs boys bathroom is now storage for the band. It was hot in there and there are little benches outside of the bathrooms now. I sat down on one of those and looked down the hall toward the rec room. I could almost see me, Dani, Tammy, Tina and Valerie sitting on the floor down there, eating our chips and drinking our pop for lunch. Did I have a clue then? I don't think so. You know I honestly thought, because of all the people who had died in my life that I wouldn't live to be 21? I NEVER thought I would get married or have kids, I seriously never even thought that when I was engaged at 21--probably the reason I didn't stay engaged long (on my first date with Andrew--I knew I had been wrong all those years but I never had an inkling until then).
Growing up there was a plaque by our backdoor. "Happiness always thrives on very full and busy lives". Yes, saying you were "bored" at our house was about the same as cussing a blue streak, somehow, it must have soaked in. And when I sit down and really think "Am I happy or am I crazy?" Well, the answer is probably both but I DO know how to say no. I just don't find many things I want to say no about.
Andrew goes back to work tonight, his schedule will be Tuesday-Fridays from now until the first of the year when the restructuring of management schedules happen. We don't know what any of that will bring, but it will be nice to have him home Saturday afternoons and Sunday's for a while, plus Robert will get to spend time with him on Monday nights, that's a good thing too.
Today, I have to work at the Sr. Center here in Newton to get a computer hooked up and going, then I have to run a tower to Tuscola, tonight I have class, which is going well but slowly, I always want to take it at the pace my students can learn.
Tomorrow, I speak to everyone in the office about their computer usage, I hope and pray it is received well. Thursday is Band Boosters, and somehow I have misplaced my agenda from the last meeting, which wouldn't be such a big deal if I weren't supposed to have minutes done Thursday, I have my notes, and Vaneta will save me on the agenda, just makes me mad I've misplaced something!
Tomorrow night we have our planning night for Awana, I am super excited, especially since I have ran into some of my kids and they are ready and excited too.
Tonight and Thursday, Robert has band, Thursday starts auditions for the pops concert too. I am proud of how much he has worked on this, I hope he does as well in front of everyone as he has here at home.
Saturday is the band's first competitions of the year. Bellville and O'fallon. I am encouraging Andrew to try to get off early, the first band starts at Belleville at 10:15, I doubt if we make it but I would like to see as much as possible. This year, Belleville and O'fallon overlap so we won't stay for the awards, which I hate, but I can't feature missing the O'fallon performance. Historically, we have done better at O'fallon than Belleville anyway.
Saturday night, we are staying over in O'fallon and spending a family day together, either at the zoo or the science center, depending on the weather. I am still kicking myself because we didn't get a real vacation in this summer but a day away will be good.
That's our week in a nutshell, I am either very happy, or very crazy, but as I said earlier, it's probably both--have a great week!
Growing up there was a plaque by our backdoor. "Happiness always thrives on very full and busy lives". Yes, saying you were "bored" at our house was about the same as cussing a blue streak, somehow, it must have soaked in. And when I sit down and really think "Am I happy or am I crazy?" Well, the answer is probably both but I DO know how to say no. I just don't find many things I want to say no about.
Andrew goes back to work tonight, his schedule will be Tuesday-Fridays from now until the first of the year when the restructuring of management schedules happen. We don't know what any of that will bring, but it will be nice to have him home Saturday afternoons and Sunday's for a while, plus Robert will get to spend time with him on Monday nights, that's a good thing too.
Today, I have to work at the Sr. Center here in Newton to get a computer hooked up and going, then I have to run a tower to Tuscola, tonight I have class, which is going well but slowly, I always want to take it at the pace my students can learn.
Tomorrow, I speak to everyone in the office about their computer usage, I hope and pray it is received well. Thursday is Band Boosters, and somehow I have misplaced my agenda from the last meeting, which wouldn't be such a big deal if I weren't supposed to have minutes done Thursday, I have my notes, and Vaneta will save me on the agenda, just makes me mad I've misplaced something!
Tomorrow night we have our planning night for Awana, I am super excited, especially since I have ran into some of my kids and they are ready and excited too.
Tonight and Thursday, Robert has band, Thursday starts auditions for the pops concert too. I am proud of how much he has worked on this, I hope he does as well in front of everyone as he has here at home.
Saturday is the band's first competitions of the year. Bellville and O'fallon. I am encouraging Andrew to try to get off early, the first band starts at Belleville at 10:15, I doubt if we make it but I would like to see as much as possible. This year, Belleville and O'fallon overlap so we won't stay for the awards, which I hate, but I can't feature missing the O'fallon performance. Historically, we have done better at O'fallon than Belleville anyway.
Saturday night, we are staying over in O'fallon and spending a family day together, either at the zoo or the science center, depending on the weather. I am still kicking myself because we didn't get a real vacation in this summer but a day away will be good.
That's our week in a nutshell, I am either very happy, or very crazy, but as I said earlier, it's probably both--have a great week!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Our Weekend Getaway
If you are on facebook, you have probably seen many more pictures of our weekend from my sister's perspective. Most of the pictures I am posting are actually "Robert"s perspective". I will be excited when he gets his own camera! His granddad has promised him his professional grade 35mm. Robert has already figured out that he is going to need to set up and learn to use a darkroom!
The fly in on Saturday morning
The fly in on Saturday morning
One of the balloon setting up Saturday evening
Railsplitter Wind Farm
These each stand 300 ft tall
Sis had this same picture, the windmill is several 100 yards
behind the farmhouse.
My van is at the base, it's so small you can't see it.
Now you can at least see the van, but I am about 1/4th
of the way down the lane.
this is Phenious Fairhead, at the Postville 1800's craft fair. He was telling us Robert's abilties. He also admitted that
his practice was mainly one of quackery.
Imagine how exciting it was to see a '77 El Camino in the car show.Robert's has a way to go, but he will get there!
This is a regular El Camino, Robert's is a Classic, which is why it
is the two-tone.
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