Yes, the residents of the Brick House are alive and nearly well! Emma has come down with a cold. Poor girl--it is spirit week at school and she is looking forward to the 80's Dance this Friday. We have already purchased a bright neon outfit for the occasion and she has located an online tutorial on how to replicate Madonna's hairstyle from the early 80's. I'll be sure to take pictures!
Emma found my high school yearbooks and was giggling while looking at all the photos. She especially liked all of the big hair. Mtn. Home was not known for being too fashion forward. We were still wearing the prairie blouses, 501 Shrink-to-Fits, and Sperry Top-Siders. The Madonna look didn't really surface in my area until I went to college in '85. My first roommate LOVED Madonna. She was my polar opposite. I was poor preppy and she was farm girl Madonna. She drove a black Trans-Am and I walked. She managed to use every hair product available on her peroxide-dyed tresses and I still feathered my hair. She taped our phone number to the window, which faced the eight floor boys dormitory, while I spent hours answering the phone, emphatically explaining that I was not the blonde one they met at the party last night! By October, she had quit going to class and spent her days sleeping off the night before. The morning I woke up to find a guy passed out on our floor was the last day I saw her that semester. It was clear from the start that her mom had filled out the roommate interest form! I clearly remember the "very-pleased-to-meet-you" look I received from her mom when we all met at freshman orientation. We were quite the pair. To be fair, she never stole anything of mine or borrowed any clothes (hard to believe, I know!) I saw her several years later when she stopped by my apartment and asked me for $10. It was weird. I gave it to her, wished her well and that was the last time I ever saw her. Whenever I hear an old Madonna song, I think of those crazy days!
Well, I have digressed . . .
So glad to have a spring break in my sights. I am now working a full day at the elementary school I started with last September. One of the afternoon tutors left to have a baby. She has decided not to return, so I am filling in until the end of this academic year. I am thankful to have the extra hours and it has not disrupted the routine too much. Katy is the one to "suffer". She has been spoiled this year, as I have been picking her up from school since almost day one. Can't swing that now, so she takes the iPod with her and tunes out the world on the bus ride home. I think she'll live . . .
Emma had a choir and a solo clarinet performance this month. Both went well. She will continue with band next fall, but will likely miss choir as she has been selected to take an advanced math class at the junior high during her 6th grade year. Both choir and advanced math are only offered before regular school hours, so choir will be the one that gives. I'll tell you more about the class when we have the parent meeting next month. It is a great opportunity, though, as she is managing the 7th-grade level math she takes now. Very proud of her math skills. Eric and I assume she gets them from one or more of the grandparents, as I am constantly befuddled by it all and Eric is only slightly better than I am in this area!
Katy has several Jazz band performances this week and next. They are preparing for a competition in Pasco, Washington on April 12 & 13. We plan to drive up behind the bus and make it a weekend. We had hoped to see some of our Washington family, but I think they are otherwise occupied on those dates. We have convinced Emma that it will be a fabulous place to spend her "almost" birthday and I think she actually believes us! The
Tri-Cities area really is quite beautiful. We will just have to steer clear of the Hanford Nuclear Site and the actual town of Pasco! The owner of Table Rock was in the Tri-Cities area a few weeks ago when his SUV broke down. He was told he was lucky he was not in Pasco, as they would have had to wait until morning to be picked up. I booked a hotel in Richland. Doesn't that sound like a nice place . . . Rich. . . land. I sure hope it is!
Here are a few pictures of Emma and Linus. We had a warm Sunday a few weeks ago and they took advantage. Emma is trying to train the little beast. Linus does love the bubbles, so she had a great time making him jump.
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| He can really catch some air . . . |
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| Amazing . . . |
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| Great form! |
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| Reward time . . . |
