Rock Solid, Part Three

Ok, so this is my final "Rock Solid" post, and I'm going to talk about something very near and dear to my heart--the musical numbers.

First up, "Rock Solid", the first song the kids learned. I was pretty pleased with it. This was also the only song that used props, empty plastic water bottles, and though they worked great with the song, they were such a pain! They were difficult for our stage crew to keep up with, and the kids kept using them as swords! I keep fearing they were going to break out in a swordfight on stage!





The next song was "No, No, No Never". The girls really loved this song, especially the movements, which basically allowed them to wag their fingers sassily at the audience. There was also a really neat mime-like choreography that went with the tag: "God will never stop loving you" that Kelsey and Jennifer, our soloists really got into practicing.



"Walkin' By Faith" presented us with one of those great "kid moments" that are so awesome in children's musicals. The choreography was simple: when you enter the stage, immediately turn to your right and start walking in place when you hear the music. Naturally, that is not at all what happened. Kids were facing every which way, even with me and Leslie whispering as loudly as we could, "Turn to the right! Face the piano!". We also got a great moment from Kelsey and Jennifer, who dueted in this song.



"The Amazing Thing Is" was, in my opinion, one of the prettiest songs in the musical. We had Jordan as a soloist, the Steen triplets as a trio, and some really pretty choreography. It was also very difficult for the kids to learn how to sing, because of the pacing of the music was not fast, but also not slow, so very often, they got behind the music. But those are the sort of things that no one notices but the directors.



This next piece was not so much of a song as it was a chant called "Storm Scriptures". The book called for the choir to chant the piece in crescendo, starting out with a whisper and ending up in a yell. We came up with a different presentation, which I think worked better. We started off giving the Steen triplets the first "verse" all to themselves, and on the second time around, the blue team joined them and made them a little louder. Finally, the red team joined in and they basically yelled, "God is my strength and my refuge! I trust in Him and I am helped! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" I thought it went quite well.


All the songs in the musical had very catchy, very singable choruses. "God Does" was no exception. Everything about this song, from the lyrics to the choreography was exciting, and even the boys got into this number. When I first heard the "Rock Solid" CD, I knew this would be Brian Michael's song, and he completely threw himself into it when we gave it to him.



"What Will Your Answer Be" was the only ballad in the musical, and Cathryn really wanted to sing it. I didn't want her to sing the whole song, because it wouldn't be fair to the other soloists is she got to verses when all they were able to sing was one or two lines, three at the most. I was so excited when Cathryn's friends Erica and Jordan began attending children's choir, because I knew Cathryn would be comfortable dueting with Erica, who is in the same class with Cathryn at school. Unfortunately , Erica came down with strep throat and couldn't perform, but her sister Jordan already knew all of Erica's part. It was a lifesaver! Now, I know that I'm partial, but when Cathryn stepped up to that microphone, I literally saw all of her fear melt away. And when she sang? It was as if a heavenly choir had joined her. I could barely direct her for being so enthralled with her performance.


The final song was "The Best Is Yet to Come", and when we were choosing soloists, lots of kids wanted to sing in this song. Ultimately, we chose Dalton, because the song is high energy, and so is he. Savannah was also chosen for this song for two reasons. One, I wanted "Claire" to sing a song celebrating her salvation. Two, Savannah had a ballad for Christmas, but her favorite songs to sing are upbeat. I think it was a perfect matching of singers and songs for both kids, because they had lots of fun:

Rock Solid, Part Two

In this post, I'll talk about the drama parts of "Rock Solid". I'll try to be positive and not put my "director's eye" to it.


This is the very first scene, where "Ranger Nick Hicks" calls all the hikers to the "25th Annual Summit Challenge". The kids did a great job getting up on that stage quickly, and I was so proud of them for crowding around the youth and not immediately getting into choir formation. My only complaint (and that is my complaint for the entire show) is that they had more enthusiasm. But, it was hot outside, and they had all been to school that day, and I'm sure nerves had a lot to do with it, too. Besides, they're kids , not professionals.


The Blue Team had the most scenes, so we gave those parts to older kids who could handle the heavy memorization. Hiker #1 was Matt, Hiker #2 was Ward, Hiker #3 was Kelsey, and Hiker #4 was Gabi. I really appreciated these kids because they had so much going on besides this musical, and there they were, constantly showing up. My heart really went out to them, too, because this was only their second play, so I know they were nervous.


Leslie and I called the Red Team our workhorses. They took whatever we threw at them and ran with it. THey were just the most earnest bunch of kids, and they continually surprised us. They only had two scenes to themselves, but they really did a great job with it, despite some of the sound issues we were having. Hiker#5 was Cathryn, Hiker #6 was Dalton, Hiker #7 was Brian Michael, and Hiker#8 was Jordan.


Here's Shelby (Aside #3) and Brooke (Aside #4) delivering their lines. They really did a great job and I don't think they needed the laptop at all! I can't wait to use them both at Christmas!

Here's the Blue Team again, this time meeting Claire, played by Savannah.

I was disappointed that we couldn't get the wireless mics on the kids fast enough, because this was a really cute scene where the Blue Team takes a lunch break after meeting Claire. Ward gets peanut butter stuck in his mouth, and they spend the rest of the scene trying to figure out what he was telling them.


This is the Red Team's final scene, and I think by this point the nerves had gotten to them, because they were quite fidgety, as proved by Dalton, who was inspecting the mountain in the background.

We began our play with Ranger Nick, and here we are ending our play with Ranger Nick! His faithful assistant, Hillary, is also there to oversee the Blue Team and Red Team arrivals.

And now everyone has successfully climbed the mountain! Wooo!

Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the kids busting loose on the songs of "Rock Solid".

Toodles!

Rock Solid, Part One

It's so hard to believe that "Rock Solid" was a week ago! You plan, you organize, you schedule, and you practice for months, and it's all over within less than an hour. Amazing. Anyway, a few pictures for you all (and of course, some stories):

Every plot has it's evil masterminds:

Lynn (mother of Ranger Nick, Aside #3, and Claire) took this picture twenty minutes prior to call time. I'm pretty sure Leslie and I were both at our wit's end. Myself, I had a cell phone in my pocket set to ring at certain intervals so I could make sure that we were on time. I also had my trusty list.

Our trusty sidekicks:

Karen, Dillon, and Michaela were our stagehands. They were so willing to do anything we asked them. I am so proud of each of them and can't wait to use them in other capacities next time!

Literally, Leslie and I could not have done this play without Pastor Ellis and Sylvia. They were completely in charge of all the sound and the mics. Each year, Leslie and I are learning more and more about what works and what doesn't work onstage from them. They are invaluable to the children's choir!

Our Youth:

Hillary (Aside #1 &2), Brandon (Ranger Nick Hicks), Shelby (Aside #3), and Brooke (Aside #4) had dual roles: they were characters in the musical and our backstage kiddie wranglers. I think a few of them were not prepared for the energy of our crew and had to take some breathers. No worries--Leslie and I have to do that, too. These guys were great about learning their lines and did a great job on stage and back.

Our children's choir members:

Savannah played the part of "Claire" in the musical-- a hiker who wanted to blaze her own trail. She had a lot to memorize, plus she had a solo. I was so proud of all the hard work and effort she put into her part. I'm so sad that next year is her last in children's choir--we'll miss her so!


The Blue Team: (back row) Matt, Gabi, and Ward. (middle row) Cairo, Sydney, Julie, and Kelsey. (front row) Emily, Erin, and Erica. These guys were something else. Really high energy. A really fun group. They loved goofing off in their "holding cells" backstage.


The Red Team: (back row) Kayti, Jordan, Cody, Brian Michael, Cathryn, and Tanner. (front row) Dalton, Jennifer, and Gabriel. This group was totally our workhorse group. They were up for anything, and were fearless in their efforts. A couple of these kids had only been to a couple of practices, but they were totally on board with learning what they had to so they could perform, too.


Our set:
Our backdrop was completed and hung within 24 hours by Luke, our Minister of Music and Youth. Leslie told him that we needed a backdrop, and bam--there it was. It really added that something extra to the stage. One of our choir mothers, Angie, made the mountains for the set, as well as a couple of boulders and donated a tree. The other trees and plants were donated by church members. Leslie and I loved the way the stage looked--we thought it really resembled a mountain trail. Anything more and the kids would have been crowded out.

Our banner. Well, it's not the prettiest thing, but it served it's purpose. At the beginning of the play, Shelby and Brooke held it, then taped it to the Lord's Supper table. It fell twice. The first time, Leslie taped it back up. The second? Well, we had bigger fish to fry. But that's another post.

Speaking of other posts, tomorrow is "Rock Solid, Part Two"--and I'll recap the dramatic scenes, both onstage and off.

Toodles!

Short and Sweet

Y'all, it's Thursday, and I am still exhausted. But, long story short, "Rock Solid" was a success. I believe that, though the performance wasn't perfect, God was honored, and that's the most important thing.

Between Leslie, Lynn, and myself, we have hundreds of pictures. I guess you all know what that means for the next couple of posts, huh?

Toodles!

An Invitation

The Screven Baptist Church Children’s Choir proudly presents:

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

6:30 pm

Screven Baptist Church Sanctuary

2221 South Island Road, Georgetown

_____________________________

That's right, my dear readers. The musical is this Wednesday night, so I will not be posting until Thursday or later. But I promise, when I post--there will definitely be pictures.

Pray for me and Leslie, but definitely pray for the kids--that their nerves would be soothed, that they will truly learn the lessons this musical has given them, and that God will be glorified through our meager offering.

Toodles!

Busy, Busy, Busy

This weekend was incredibly productive, but also incredibly tiring. So much, in fact, that I almost feel like the weekend has just swept by me!

Saturday brought us dress rehearsal. I don't know what to say except I came home with a migraine, and Leslie had to tell me the kids were just riled up because it was the first dress rehearsal, and things will be much better on Tuesday, and even better on Wednesday when parents are in the audience.

After dress rehearsal, I went over to Mildred's house--Richie's grandmother. She's gotten a new phone and I went to program it for her. It didn't take me very long, but Cathryn and I stayed for a while, socializing. Mildred is such an interesting lady--she has that great Charleston accent, and I always think that she came from the pages of a book, where they sip mint juleps and watch polo matches.

Richie and I also went grocery shopping with Cathryn, which is usually an adventure in "Please, can I have it?", but this time she was really, really good. We also found my sugar-free popsicles, but of course, I would have much preferred the Pepperidge Farm Sausalito cookies that Richie chose for himself. Ah, well, my time is coming, and soon I will indulge myself with whole-wheat toast and whole-grain pasta.

Sunday was another productive day. We didn't go to morning service, but I did make breakfast for Richie, Trey, and Cathryn (blueberry pancakes from Boone Hill Farms), and also cleared out all those bags of clothes lying around in our bedroom as well as cleaned Richie's side of the closet. I finally feel ready for summer, and won't feel guilty about going to Pirateland!

I did, however, make it to Sunday night service, and I'm really glad that I did.

Toodles!

Nerves

Leslie and I were talking yesterday, and we both admitted that we were very nervous about the musical next week. Like, nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. And it's not like the kids haven't been working--we had all the kids sing and recite their lines from the first half of the play last Wednesday, and that went great.

Of course, I have theories.

1. "Rock Solid", the spring musical, is a much bigger production than the Christmas musical "Mystery of the Manger". At Christmas, the kids never left the stage, or their places for that matter. Rock Solid uses lots of movement, and there are seven dramatic scenes that have the characters moving on and off the stage. A moving kid is an unpredictable kid!

2. In the spring, time moves more quickly. We had four months to practice for Christmas, as well as four months to practice for Spring. It just FEELS shorter!

3. The kids have spring fever! Plus, they are stretched thinner this time of year, with field trips, tests, and extracurricular activities. It's more difficult to get them to focus.

Of course, it doesn't help that people have been telling me their own personal children's musical horror stories. It's like being pregnant--everyone wants to tell you what went wrong. Well, no offense, but I don't want to hear it!

Be positive, people! Positive!

ETA: Last night's practice went reasonable well--behavior was not much of a problem, though they were a rambunctious group. We keep telling them that they will "play how they practice"--maybe one day we'll actually explain that phrase to them. Leslie and I also got a lot accomplished, scheduling- and decorating-wise. All we can do now is pray and decorate the sanctuary.

Actually, I already know that prayer is sufficient. I keep leaning on my own strength instead of giving it to God. I need to be careful--God gave me this ministry, and He can just as easily take it away.

Toodles!

Second Blocking Practice

All semester, I've been worried about the spring musical. Wednesday night practices just seemed fruitless, like none of the kids were 'getting it'. But it's amazing what seeing it on stage, all put together, will do for your perspective.

On Sunday, and this past Wednesday, I was blown away. Well, Sunday, we practiced in the sanctuary, and I was worried about the music, choreography, and the Blue Team's scenes, but blown away by the Red Team's scenes. Wednesday, we practiced in the gym, and I was blown away by the music and choreography, but still worried about the Blue Team's scenes.

What really excited me was seeing the boys participate and get excited about their parts. We have a character who is not in all of the scenes, and not required to sing with the other choir members, but she wanted to anyway, "just to get some practice". I thought I would burst. We had the kids from 6-7:20 last night, so we were able to get through the entire play except for the last two songs and the scene between them. Overall, a very successful night!

Tattling has been a BIG issue with our choir, so while Leslie was cleaning the church kitchen, I implemented the Tattle Jar. First, I explained that there's a difference between being helpful and tattling. For instance, if someone is doing something that might get them or another injured, tell me or Leslie. However, if that is not the case, it's just tattling, because Leslie and I can see everything that's happening in the classroom. So, each time someone tattles, they pay me or Leslie a penny. I'm thinking that each year, we'll donated the proceeds from the Tattle Jar to the VBS fund, Annie Armstrong, or something else worthy.

Toodles!

He moves in mysterious ways

Is that a U2 song or an INXS song? I can't remember, but I really want to say that it's U2, because I hear Bono in my head. Maybe that's just because I saw him on the Idol elimination show last night. This is the way my brain works--just go with it.

ANYWAY, it seems like pushing the musical to the 21st was absolutely the best thing that could have happened. I've found out that two more of my kids have games that night, plus parents were having to cancel their out of town plans so their kids can make rehearsals.

I have great choir parents.

So, I'm done complaining, because it's like Leslie told me--God has a reason why it's being pushed back, and He will be glorified by this musical.

Josie and the Blustery, Flusterating Day.

I think American Idol hates me. I don't know why--I've loved it for so long. Another of my favorites--gone tonight! I'm reeling. Ooh--I know how to fix this!

I LOVE KRISTY LEE COOK AND I HOPE SHE WINS THE WHOLE SHEBANG! WOOO!

There. Let's see what happens next week. *fingers crossed*

Also? My Wednesday was...interesting. And towards the end, quite stressful. First, I got the news that I was still going to be the Music Leader for VBS, even though we have a new Minister of Music. In fact, he's going to be my assistant. I spoke with him briefly after choir practice, and he's cool about it. I think it's just me being weirded out by having the Minister of Music be my assistant. Hopefully, I'll get over that by July 13.

One of my children's choir practice lowered the boom on me last night that one of the kids, who has a speaking part AND two solos, has a baseball game the night of the musical--May 14. I got home late--which I don't like--and was very flustered. I just had no idea what to do!

When I woke up this morning, I began making a list--call Leslie, call the Pastor, etc. Thankfully, Leslie was Ok with the idea of pushing the play back until Wednesday the 21st, and so was the Pastor. Tomorrow, I'll start calling my choir parents, and hopefully, they'll all be amenable to a change in the program.

It's like I told Leslie today--the Christmas play went too smoothly. Talking to the Pastor today, I realized that when a ministry starts to grow, the devil will do everything he can to knock the legs out from under it. Well, I'm not going to let that happen. The show WILL go on.

Even if it's a week behind schedule.

Toodles!

A New Approach to Children's Choir

Leslie and I are constantly looking for new ways to approach teaching the children's choir. Two weeks ago, on the way to work, the best idea ever hit me. Why aren't we splitting these kids up? Leslie's in charge of the drama part of our musical, and I'm handling music and choreography. We have 45 minutes together. We can pray and go over our verse in the first five minutes, go off to our groups, and then switch groups after twenty minutes.

In theory, it sounds like a great idea. In reality, it worked out even better than we planned.

When I got to church, I had the girls that ride with me clear the chairs out in the choir room, so that when we came back from dinner, all the students could sit on the floor. We had a student who I had to call down about three times before we even prayed, so I took him downstairs to his mother. When I came back up, Leslie and I had a serious discussion with the rest of the students about actions and consequences. The disrupter gets three chances: the first is a verbal warning, the second is a time-out, and the third is removal from the classroom. I'm hoping this trend continues, because this group listened better than they ever have before.

Leslie took the Blue Team to rehearse scenes for twenty-five minutes while I took the others and we rehearsed choreography. I just...it was just splendid. Then, Leslie and the Blue Team came back, and she traded them off for the Red Team, whereas I had the new group rehearse a separate set of songs. Then we came together again for announcements and dismissal.

Sure, we ran over about fifteen minutes, but given that this was the inaugural run, I thought it went extremely well, and now I have more confidence than ever about the spring musical.

Toodles!

Free Association--because planned blogging is for whimps!

Since I'm not recapping American Idol this season (not that it's not turning out to be a very good season--the guys were completely on for 80s night. Well, most of them--Luke Menard and Danny Noriega left me quite cold last night.) I've found myself quite stress-free and incredibly productive. It normally takes me a week to do a week's worth of laundry, but I got it all done in two days! I know that sounds strange, but I usually separate clothes on Mondays (into whites, darks, red, lights, and towels) and then begin washing and folding on Thursday (because I'm recapping on Tuesday and Wednesday) and finishing up around Sunday. I also was able to cook myself some dinner (turkey burgers--no bun-- with a side of cauliflower and broccoli) and help Richie with their dinner. PLUS I cleaned up all the dishes! I am so proud of me!

I'm really beginning to get fired up about Children's Choir. The play is two months away, and we're kicking into high gear. I've got some choreography concerns, because we had a low head count last practice, and I'm hoping that more will show up this Sunday. I wish that the kids were as committed to it as Leslie and I are. That is one thing I miss about being in the drama team when I was a teenager--no one forced you to do it. It was up to you to sign up and serve. I don't know--maybe the kids are excited, but they're just not showing it because it's not cool to be excited, because our class is growing. We've got 21 in class now, and if it grows anymore, I believe Leslie and I are going to need to ask for a helper!

Speaking of excitement, I've discovered a new catalog. It's called "Hands On Fun" and it's published by Oriental Trading. It has so many neat ideas about decorating a classroom, and has lots of projects for the kids. If I were an elementary school teacher, it would be my go-to source for supplies, because C-H-E-A-P! Anyway, I've found a couple of props for the musical in the catalog, and it's cheaper to buy it whole than in pieces and put it together. Plus, it takes up less time.

Weekend Update

What a busy, productive weekend I had! I've learned that you have to strike when the iron is hot, and I was hot to rearrange the house! I started out by making a list (naturally!) and by 1:30 Sunday morning, it had really gotten out of control, the things I wanted to do to the house.

I decided to start small by rearranging the master bedroom. I took the computer out of our room and placed it in Trey's room, and got rid of the defunct computer that was living in his room. Now Cathryn has a place to watch television and play on her sites when Trey is not home. Second, I removed all the DVDs, the television, and the DVD player out of the dilapidated entertainment center that had been housing them, and Richie and I threw it to the curb. Then I took all of my books and children's choir supplies off of the table I had been using and made it our new entertainment center, which I moved to a better location in relation to our bed. My darling, precious books were moved to a proper bookshelf (which made my darling, precious shoes homeless for about three hours), and the computer desk was converted to a hobby desk for Richie. I also moved the overstuffed chair in our room to a comfy corner where I can read or blog while Richie inspects his coins.

Since my shoes were homeless, and kind of heaped up sadly in a Tupperware container, I was forced to do a Wal-Mart run, since that's the only place in town you can get a shelving unit. I cannot see myself driving to Home Depot at 8 pm. It's in Surfside, and probably would have been closed by the time I got there. Wal-Mart was a scene of mass hysteria. I had a total of SEVEN things in my cart, and yet I did lot leave the place until 9. The only registers open were on the grocery side, and then there were only about five of those working. Forty-five minutes in line is forty-two minutes too long. UNACCEPTABLE.

When Cathryn and I finally got home, she and I put the shelf together. More proof that I've not given birth to another human being, but a clone of myself-- she drew out a plan of the shelf on her dry-erase board, complete with ponytailed figures with tools in hands. I don't know if I'd ever been more proud.

When I woke up the next morning, I saw that parts of the shelf were backward. I'm still too tired and sore to correct the problem. Speaking of being tired and sore, I could barely get out of bed Sunday morning, so I knew that there would be no dressing up to go to church. That's right--I played hookey. I'm not entirely proud of it, because I know that I need to be in church, but I seriously, seriously needed a day of rest. I finished Wicked (so, so awesome!), wrote, watched Band of Brothers with Richie (another piece of awesome!), and went to play practice.

Play practice went so, so well. Leslie's in charge of all the drama-related stuff this year, so this was her practice. She had us all sit in a circle and we read through the play, each actor just reading his or her lines until we had read the entire play through once. Then Leslie had us split into two groups (since there are two teams in the play), and go over timing and lines that way. My group was the Red Team, which is the younger team, comprised of Cathryn (Hiker #5), Dalton (Hiker #6), Brian Michael (Hiker #7), and Jordan (Hiker #8). What worried me the most was Cathryn reading her lines out loud, but she surprised me once again at how calm and collected she was. Folks, my little mini-me is brimming with confidence. I was surprised at how well they all read, given their ages. The kids were also pretty excited about their parts. When we reconvened, Leslie told me that she feels really good about the play now that she's gotten to hear them all read. We still have a few kinks to work out musically, but I have no worries. The next two practices are choreography-related, so no doubt Leslie and I will be steeped in prayer. And Valium, for our nerves.

Next up on the project list: cleaning out the closets, rearranging Cathryn's room.

There's no theme to this post!

Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Sometimes, I just love random posts, where nothing is really connected. Just to throw y'all off. It's Friday, and I'm feeling eeeevilllll. *laughing maniacally*

First and foremost, Trey's name is all over the Georgetown High School baseball site. If you look under awards, there is his name in several places. Richie and I were jumping with joy, because the website hadn't really been shown any love in the last couple of seasons. The IP Classic will be coming up very soon, and there will be pictures of my boys' name up on that wall when he was named last season's MVP. Hooyah!

Second, Richie and I are planning a trip to Charleston with Cathryn in the next couple of weeks. I know I just came back from Charleston, but there's nothing like taking mini-vacations with your family. We'll be staying at the Holiday Inn Riverview (the round hotel off of Savannah Highway), and I requested a room toward the top. We're also planning on visiting the Charleston Museum, the Market, and the SC Aquarium. We're hoping to take a carriage ride, but we'll have to see how time permits. There will be lots of pictures, rest assured. That Cathryn Gale is a ham. I don't know where she got it from.

What else? OH! I finally finished the Elvis puzzle! At 6:25 am, I pushed the last piece in. I did a little jig in the dining room, all by myself in my pajamas. I did all the heavy work on it last night, so much so that when I closed my eyes, all I could see were puzzle pieces! I tried to take a picture to post here, but since it was a holographic puzzle, the quality came out fuzzy. Oh, well.

Not much else going on, except we'll be doing a little rearranging and house cleaning on Saturday, and then play practice on Sunday.

Disappointment rears its ugly head.

I really should have seen it coming. I mean, it was going too well, and I was just way too excited about the spring musical.

One of my girls told me that she didn't want a speaking part, and she didn't want to sing a solo, either. And neither did her brother. It broke my heart, because I was so sure she wanted to be a part of it. She seemed so excited at rehearsal on Wednesday, and she was always one I could count on to sing and participate during Christmas play rehearsals. Her brother, well, I halfway expected it, because typically, boys just aren't that interested in plays. I don't know what happened. Did someone say something to her at school, making fun of her for being in a church play? I wish kids knew--the way adults know--that kids say cruel things because they're jealous or insecure.

I was really despondent throughout the entire Sunday night service, blaming myself for getting too excited about the play, thinking maybe I assigned roles too early, accusing myself of choosing a play that was too difficult for the kids to learn.

But as soon as service was over, two little rays of sunshine peeked through. Another of my students wanted to talk to me about her part, and I had the opportunity to tell her why she had gotten such a big part. Once I was able to talk to her about her part, we both felt better, and at least she was back on track. But then, my boy student that had wanted to quit earlier rushed up to me and informed me that he needed another script, because he had lost his. I talked to him, and he confirmed to me twice that yes, he really did want his part. So it turns out that I only have a little bit of shuffling to do.

I keep learning, play by play, and week by week. I'm thinking of holding auditions for the Christmas play, a few weeks after they've had a chance to listen to it. That way, the kids that really want parts will get them.

In other news, no headaches. Plus, it's almost a relief to have the writer's strike still on, because I would be watching way too much television if Heroes, Ugly Betty, and The Office were still on, especially now that Project Runway is in full swing, and American Idol will be premiering in two days. One thing I've learned--there is such a thing as too much television.

Best Day Ever

Yesterday was a great day. Just a really, really good day. No headaches, for one. I think I had too much adrenaline coursing through my veins due to my excitement over introducing the kids to the musical.

I was able to recruit two new members for the Children's Choir. Jordan and Erica are sisters and friends of Cathryn. Their mom was so excited when I asked them, because they both love to sing. What really pushed me to ask them was finding out that they don't have a church home. Naturally, I'd love for that home to be Screven.

When I arrived at church, Lil told me that my material for the musical had been delivered, and that fueled my excitement even more. I got complete lesson plans, an instructional DVD, a clip-art CDROM, a book for each child, and a DVD for each child. I am such a nerd for school supplies. I think I was like the only kid ever who got excited about the start of school, and buying school supplies. A blank notebook page and a pencil still get me excited.

Leslie and I had a great meeting before concerning the way we were going to handle the class this semester. (Though I know she had to be sick of meetings last night--she had a couple.) We also came to the conclusion that we would divide the teaching of the play--Leslie will teach the kids drama, and I will teach the music. I just can't help myself from being excited. I think this semester has an incredible opportunity to run smoothly.

We decided to have a class assistant. The class assistant is the line leader, and the designated person who prays at the beginning of class. The class assistant also marks the items off the agenda, and passes out and collects all of the materials for the class. The line the class assistant sits in is also the first line to leave class. It worked out beautifully last night. There was no fighting over who gets to pray, or lead the line, or do this that or the other. The agenda works really well, too, giving the kids a heads-up about what's coming next. We also tried some warm-up and vocal techniques that the kids weren't accustomed to, so it was new and fun for them.

They really seemed to like the music, and having lyric sheets for them really helped. We went around the room and let everyone recite in rhythm a couple of lines from the song. I think it really helps with memorization. There's also enough speaking and singing parts for everyone in the play, so no one is left out. They seemed really happy with the parts that they got, on the whole. I tried to be fair, but of course, you can't make everyone happy.

Coming home last night, Richie informed me that the gorgeous 1950s vintage dress that I had been looking at on eBay was now mine. He won it for me! I was just elated. I love vintage clothes so much, and have admired them in movies and online, but I never had the nerve to actually buy it for myself. It's pink and blue and has this full skirt and this cute neckline and I can't wait for spring to come so that I can wear it. He printed out the buying information for me, and I've just been staring at it. It's so pretty! I can't wait to go through my summer shoes and see what I can wear with it.

What a day! It's just hard to replicate days like those...but I'm all for trying!

Bounce! It's what Tiggers do best.

I woke up this morning with an unusual amount of energy. Strange, because I had absolutely none yesterday. In the amount of time it usually takes me to get ready in the mornings, I was able to get ready, do last night's dishes, PLUS burn two CDs for the Spring Musical. Righteous! I just don't know why I'm so bouncy this morning, but I'll take it! I hope this is a trend that continues.

Speaking of the Spring Musical, practice starts tonight. Naturally, I am pumped. I've been listening and making lessons plans since December 26, so I'm excited to see how the kids will respond to the music. It's not your mother's church musical. It's kinda rockin'. I've also decided to take a new approach to teaching the class. If it works out, I'll fill you all in on what happened. Well, even if it doesn't work out.

Let's see...what else is going on today? Oh! I know! Cathryn is testing for voice lessons Tuesday the 15th! The teacher told me that she was kind of on the young side, but if she tests well, she'll take Cathryn on as a student. Naturally, Cathryn is all kinds of excited about her "audition". We started practicing scales last night. This morning we began working on matching pitch to my voice, and on Thursday, we'll begin matching pitch to the piano.

I'm having a bad hair day. It started off looking so cute and wavy, and now it's bushy and I've had to pull it in a clip. *sigh* One day, my hair will shine like the sea.

But I want to end on a happy note, so I will conclude by saying that I haven't had a headache in two days! I'm being stupid about this, though--I'm carrying my medicine in my purse.

Toodles!