Can't sleep

woke up in a coughing fit - and can't get back to sleep. I hate summer colds.

Wading pools

We're hitting the wading pool again - this time it's the one close to Nathanael's school. The one in Vimy Ridge park is being redone - may be sometime I'll take some pics and put them up here as well. It's pretty depressing, though - it's taking the whole summer for them to be done - August will be done before they are finished working on it.
It's getting us into the heart of Wolesley, though, which we do like.

Orff Level One - done tomrrow!

Been away from the blog these past two weeks because I've been working on my Orff Level one. It's a 10 day intensive course at U of Manitoba, and I have one day left - Day nine, today, was the last of the testing days - I had 5 tests - recorder improv, dance presentation of the anulelul, movement test, Orff lesson, and my Basic Orff instrument skills test. I'm very tired now.

I've definitely learned a lot - and really am looking forward to taking the things I have learned here and applying them to the Music program at the school I teach at. Perhaps I'll have some pictures to post after tomorrow - we are doing an Open House as our final presentation.

TTYL
Chris.

I'm an uncle!

Check out this photo - my sister's baby at mid June - already sucking his/her thumb! Cool!

summer is here

July 1 has become a milestone for me since I began teaching. It signals the beginning of the summer and two months of recuperation and recharge time for me. I will be spending some of the summer relaxing, but I do have some things that I will be doing that people wouldn't call relaxing.

In preparation for the next school year, I am taking a two week course for music. It's Orff Level One, and the course runs from 8:30am to 5:00pm for ten days (July 5-18), with homework on each day. Needless to say, I expect to be very busy with this. The advantage is that it is a 6 credit hour course, and I am taking it for credit.

I have been confirmed with Winnipeg One again for next year - 1/2 time music, and 1/2 time Reading Recovery. I knew nothing about this program until this year, and it seems that everyone I meet knows a bit about it, or knows a student that goes through it. I hear nothing but good things. The training for that begins in September, but I have 4 books to read over the summer (total thickness 4 inches), so I'll start that after the Orff course.

Other than that, we are both involved in a drama for church in August - that means a number of rehearsals throughout the month of August.

So, my summer is not being spent lazing around - although I am sure to fit that in somewhere. Maybe I'll do that at my parent's place in July (we're going after the course is done).

Goldeyes Baseball!!

Took Nathanael to his first Goldeyes Baseball game today. It was pretty good - he lasted until the 7th inning, and then started to loose concentration - too tired. The "fish" won 6-1 over Edmonton.






The best part was the autograph session prior to the game. Nathanael's favourite signature was from Goldie, although Matt Mann was a close second.

UPDATE: - Goldeyes swept the Cracker Cats. Good job, guys.

I hope this works..

I saw this video from another blogger - there's piles of videos on exploding pop. Enjoy!

Grandma's Birthday - 90 YEARS!

We all got together - the entire Budlong clan - to celebrate Grandma's 90th birthday. The kids got to play, even the big ones, and we enjoyed catching up with each other. It's kind of neat to see the number of lives that have been affected by one person.


This is a picture of the direct descendants.















nathanael brought a few toys to share. Rush Hour was a hit.













The boys played soccer the most.

It's Dance Recital Time!

Nathanael's Dance recital was Sunday, and he did a great job. This year his two dances were in the same show AND act, which made Daddy's job of volunteering much easier. doing two shows is very draining, even if they are a week away. This year he only had to do one show!

The costume was not his favourite, but he was a trooper about it and did a great job of the dance. The entire class was gingerbread people, and he was the only gingerbread MAN (or boy!). The red stuff on his cheeks is lipstick, which was a real pain to take off. During rehearsal, I think I took off a layer of skin with the soap and water on the paper towel I tried to use. Gentlemen, this does not work well.

After rehearsal, the two of us raided Mom's makeup case and made off with the real stuff - makeup remover. Two swipes of the cotton pads, and voila! the lipstick applied with a trowel came off with ease!

The second number was tap, and was number 13 on the program. When you are 7, the time between the 2nd and 13th numbers is just enough time to remove the makeup, strip off the gingerbread man/boy costume, don the tap costume, tie up the tap shoes - all while the other four boys in the group are yelling - "It's time to go! Hurry up!". Basically a quick change, really.

Here's a picture of my "Tap Boys":
They look like something out of a 20's or 30's set movie or show. The sparkle on the bowties is really what did it, and the five of them LOVED the hats - there were actually extra hats for the costume, so the other boys who shared the changeroom with them were wearing them as well. The girls in the dance had shawls made from the same sparkly material - I joked with all of them that we would be blinded by the reflection of the light!
Here's a cast photo:

video

http://www.kinnon.tv/2006/05/king_of_the_hil.html#comments

A couple of blogs I've checked out have got video on them. Here's a link to one. When I figure out how to put the video in mine, well.... maybe