Music Lessons

We've slowly been adding to our office/band room; piano, drum set, guitar, amp, microphone, speaker. Roxcy and her friends have formed a band called 5x Unique. They are playing a Taylor Swift song in the school talent show this week. Roxcy is loving her guitar and piano lessons so we decided to sign her up for voice lessons as well. She just wrote a song that is so sweet and cute and 12, all about beautiful sun filled days and making the most of today. She's also started playing hymns.

Jonah is plugging away at piano, he doesn't love it yet, but he will. He's zipping through his books. He recently started drums. Rhythm comes very naturally for him. (Famous Juddy of Erik the Red is both Roxcy's guitar teacher and Jonah's drum teacher. EtR just released their first CD, you can hear it on their website: eriktheredmusic.com)

Colin had been asking to take piano for several months but I didn't take him seriously. I guess because Jonah didn't start until he was 9, it didn't occur to me that Colin might be different. We started lessons together a few months ago and he's already finished his first set of books. He's doing really well and I love the one-on-one time I get with him.

Petrea and Julian have been particpating in a co-op kind of music class that I organized. They loved it, but it got to be a bit much so we stopped doing it a few months ago. We try to do songs and games a few times a week. Julian especially loves to dance, whenever he hears music coming from the office he runs in and starts dancing or trying to play with the musician.

I love to see my kids taking pleasure in music and being able to make music independently.

Colin

Yesterday, while playing basketball in the street, Colin fell.



A trip to instacare fixed him all up good. He was the best patient.





This morning he assembled valentines for his classmates. Red for the boys, pink for the girls.

Kids in box, kids in train

Julian is one

First Day of School 2010

Roxcy was nervous about her first day in intermediate school but she came home so happy and excited about all her classes.




Jonah was cool about the day, he's a old pro. He liked being with his friends.

Colin won't start kindergarten until next week.

Lemon curd and phyllo tartlets

I love baking with lemons in the spring. This year my friend (and professional pastry chef) Sara taught me how to make phyllo cups. She put shrimp salad in some and lemon curd topped with meringue and torched golden brown in others. Both were really yummy. I couldn't wait to try it with my kids. They loved helping me with this project. The little ones like painting melted butter on each layer, the big kids were challenged by cutting the phyllo into even squares and putting them in the muffin tins. I love Ina Garten's recipe for lemon curd. We topped ours with whipped cream.

Phyllo Cups
Unwrap phyllo dough, spread one sheet on counter (keep the rest covered in a slightly damp towel). Brush with melted butter, top with another sheet of phyllo. Repeat until you have four layers of phyllo. Cut into 12 squares with pizza cutter (3 by 4). Push into mini muffin tins. Bake 10 minutes at 350, until golden. Remove from oven, let cool and fill.

Zion, bangs and smiles