Camp Amadeus 2013

Both kids got to do the Camp Amadeus Strings Camp at UC this year.  And they both seemed to really enjoy it.  The camp runs for a full week from 8:30am to 5:30pm.  What great times...??!!  It allows for a parent to actually go to work for the day. They, of course, learn new music, play in small groups and big groups; but they also have art classes, tie dye concert shirts, make videos, compose new music, etc.  It really is a great camp.   Here's a pic of Isaac post concert.  I love that design on his shirt.
Here is Lexy back stage after I caught up with her.  She had already put her cello away and was socializing.  Check out Lexy's shirt, who would have thought that she would have made hearts on hers...??    Our friend Ciara came to watch the kids play.  It was fun to have her come support the kids.  Ciara skates at the rink, sometimes coaches Lexy and often watches the kids for me.  She is ALWAYS a big help...!!
Here are the chamber music bits with each of the kids. Lexy was somewhat featured with her group. Isaac was the leader of his group. The highschool councilors for the camp put together this little bit for the show. I sure love to listen to the kids play.  They both have natural talent for music.

LAX Last Game

Well, a good season of Lacrosse has come to an end. Isaac ended up playing with the Middle School B Team. He was a great asset to them on the defensive end. He got that long pole out there and disrupted everything. No more running down the middle of the defense zone. He'll drop you for that. If'n you have the ball of course.
This was the team picture at the last game of the season.

Here is a post game (season) picture of Isaac with Coach Dave.  
And one proud papa pic. Isaac really enjoys playing lacrosse.  He doesn't enjoy the running at practice so much, but the playing is fantastic.

Live on the Levee 2013

I love live music. I would rather hear a good cover that the original recording any day. So, Live on the Levee is perfect for me. AND... (extra bonus for me) the kids love it. 
This is from a few weeks ago when Toothless Ruth played. They are a great 70's, 80's, 90's Rock cover band. They are local and have a pretty strong following.
In this photo of the stage the far right is the guitar player, who is also a local wastewater treatment and collection system operator. Great guy..!!  And he can melt a guitar...
  Lexy was looking super cute as always.  I got such a great surprise with they starting playing Ozzy's Crazy Train and she squealed, "Oh, I love this song."  That's my girl...!!

Good Kids

Isaac tried out to move up a level in the WV Youth Symphony.  He did not make it.  When I got home that evening l found that Lexy had put this together for him, unsolicited. 

How sweet is she....!!??

WV Youth Symphony

My goodness Isaac has been busy with violin concerts lately.  Seems like about three a week.  Here are some snap shots from the West Virginia Youth Symphony show.  It just happens that they needed someone for some percussion for one of the songs. So, Isaac played there too.  He has done great with this group, earning his spot as one of the alternating first chairs for the second violin part.

Inside Out Ponytail

I haven't posted pictures of Lexy's hair for a while.  I like this stand-by cute do...  The inside out ponytail.  With our without a bow, it's still cute.

GeoCaching with the Girls

We invited the Payne girls to geocache with us last weekend.  It was a pretty good time only one of them had ever done it at all.  We had a lot of fun even though half of the time we were searching in the dark and rain.

The first one they found was a stand by close to our house.  It's pretty fun.  It was named 'Picture Place'.  It's found at a great overlook to the city and the container is an old camera, super fun.  I made them get in the truck to look through the container to get them out of the rain.

 The next one that we found was along the back of a strip mall in South Charleston.  It is located behind a nail salon.  Inside the cache was a coupon for the nail salon.  The owner and her brother were nice enough to stay a little late and paint the girl's nails.

  Lexy insisted on Paper, Rock, Scissors to decide who got to go next.

Pretty dang cute.  And they were all able to keep it on from Friday evening until Church on Sunday.

 After some Saturday morning pancakes were hit the Geo-Trail again finding three more before we took the girls home.

This one was at the Volvo dealership.

 This one near the Staples.

And this one near the Fire Station.

I think it's a fair harassment to say that they all had a blast with it and can wait to do some more geocaching.

Thriller Show Finale

Lexy skating in the Zombie Thriller Spring Skating Show Finale.  They were going for a zombie look.  I just grabbed what ever I could find at the house.  We did her hair crazy 80's style, with some dark blue streaks, and some streaks of white across her face.  She looked pretty cute, plenty zombie looking from the stands.

 Way to go Zombie Lexy...

 Good thing I don't have much for brains, so that she didn't eat me.

New Hobby - Geo-Caching

We have started a new hobby.  GEO-CACHING...

We have found them all around the area here.  We use the iPhone app Geo Bucket which links to the web at www.geocaching.com.  It's a fun, free treasure hunt.  Easy to fit into a spare 30 min or less.  We load up the app, find one close, the kids navigate while I drive, once we get close we get out and search.  

This one was pretty tough, especially for after church.  Isaac is the best at finding them.

 Lexy and I have done several by ourselves too.  She LOVES going.  This on is in the park near where we practice for soccer.  One of the best that we have found so far.

 Urban style too.  This micro cache was in the Lowe's parking lot.

LAX Season - Morgantown at Charleston

The lacrosse season is in full swing. The schedule is rather sporadic, but we do make most of the practices.  This last weekend the Morgantown Middle School kids came down to Charleston to play.  This was Isaac's 3rd game this season.  His coaches have figured out that he is pretty good to do his job on the team when assigned.  He didn't come out at all during the game this weekend (except for the penalty minutes that he served).  He was pretty strong on the Defense. 

Here he is pregame, just before trotting out to the coin flip as a captain.  If you aren't familiar, lacrosse players like wild shorts.  His are middle of the road, not too wild, not too plain.  Of course he was able to get the bright color in with the socks.

Pre-game huddle.

He looks like a monster out there.  He is big for a 6th grader, fits in the upper half of 7th graders size-wise.  Morgantown brought some 5th graders to play.  They are tiny next to Isaac...!!

Isaac was bummed after the game.  Charleston lost 5-4... Muddy, rainy game.  Would have been more fun if they would have won.