Northern Lights Homeschool Marching Band: Grand Haven Coast Guard Parade Aug. 5, 2017

Northern Lights Homeschool Marching Band: 

Grand Haven Coast Guard Parade Aug. 5, 2017

Last Parade of the Season!

Look at all those bag-pipers!!  They sounded great!

Spring Lake High School--this parade had a lot of bands.  My camera ran out of battery before Dd's band even got to us!

Grand Haven is on Lake Michigan, so lots of boats and water vessels.

The population of western Michigan has a LOT of Dutch immigrants--- I have no idea why, but that's the fact!

................

SL Core H Week 23 "B" vacation July 31st-Aug 6, 2017 audition results in

SL Core H Week 23 "B"

July 31-Aug 6, 2017
Lessons Break 

Audition Results for Band In

Not great news on the band front...but, Poirot is still happy!!

Hello Friends,

It has been a hard week, but a few bright spots too.  I wasn't feeling great last weekend and decided I needed to lower the bar.  I ended up having a headache or a migraine every day this week so I called into my doctor's office to be seen; though they didn't have any help to offer.  I don't know why I'm having such a painful summer this year, no clue.  Between the chickens/ducks, garden, laundry, cleaning, cooking and my pitiful body I need more time in the week, so on Sunday night, I decided to take the week off doing our lessons.  I do hope that people don't think we do anything other than 'get through' each week!  Every week I plan our lessons and activities and every week many things fall through the cracks.    This week I only gave Dd ONE assignment--to continue to keep up her DuoLingo (German) lessons, but she never got around to it.  Yup, we are normal homeschoolers with LOTS of flaws! I know that when I look at the homeschool families around me most seem like they are so much more organized and better run than how our family appears.  I want to make sure I don't cover up our inadequacies but share our struggles and failures.  This week was ripe with failure, and our house has gotten so full of clutter with me not feeling well.

Church:

Last Sunday we were visiting Traverse City, MI and missed our usual church service; it was nice getting back to church last Sunday.  On Monday I finally took Dd to get her official "Drivers Permit--Level One Permit" so she can drive when Dh or I are in the car (or any approved adult).  We picked up Dd's friend, H., and they had fun chatting while we waited the hour in line for the permit.  Afterward, the girls had fun swimming in the pool, playing their stringed instruments together, and playing the board game, "Life."  I was glad she had company as my headache resurfaced.  I didn't know it, but my Monday headache started and is still going as I am typing this, six days later.

Church/Strings Group:
After a few weeks off, Thursday night we returned to our String's Group at church.  It was so nice to be back and singing hymn's together.

Crochet/Camo Poncho:

I figured since I wasn't feeling good I might as well start on the camouflaged poncho (crochet) that Dh asked me to make for in to use during the upcoming hunting season.  It was nice to have some "work" while I wasn't up for doing much else.  It is difficult to just sit when there is so much that needs to be done and crocheting helps me feel like I am getting a little something done while I am not feeling well.

Band: 

Wednesday was Dd's last marching band practice for this summer.

Last Parade: Grand Haven Coast Guard Parade
Saturday morning we had to set our alarms to get up early enough to make it to Grand Haven.  GH is on Lake Michigan and it takes just over an hour to get there.  We went there last year as our last parade too.  The new uniforms never did arrive this year.  We were told last spring, months before marching band, that the kids would have new uniforms this year.  At the GH parade, like others, some of the schools performed in matching t-shirts and shorts and Dd thinks that would be great to do at some of the smaller parades to keep cool.  People always compliment how great the band sounds, not much comment on the look of their uniforms.  The parade was really big.  The news said there were over 200,000 people there!

Results of Band Audition:

This is a difficult topic.  All during last year, Dd's band teacher told me how Dd was going to be in Advanced Band---definite, no hem-hawing about it...she was definitely going to get in-period.  She even said they might look at her for the class above that, Concert Band if they need more alto sax's.   You can imagine how utterly surprised we were when we finally saw the results on Thursday, that Dd did not make it into Advanced Band.  The girl in the chair behind Dd did make it in.  They took Chair One (Dd was Chair Two) and Chair Three.  So, I've spent the past three days trying to sort through these discrepancies, from how I planned next year to how it is now.  First, it is hard for me to understand how someone could tell me that Dd was going to advance over and over and then that not happen.  I had already signed up to be the "Teacher's Helper" for Advanced Band next year, that is how "certain" I was that Dd would get in!!!  Dealing with the news I have to let go of the fact that the leadership shouldn't have told me she would get in when the actual teacher of Ad Band would be the judge, not them.  I *should* have realized that, but it didn't.  If someone tells me something, I generally just believe them and it is hard when their words don't turn out as they said them.  So, now I am trying to move on and deal with the disappointment in leadership and people keeping their word.  And trying to figure out why they would tell me over and over that Dd would be passing when it wasn't up to them and wasn't going to happen.  

Some good things that can come of Dd not being moved up in Band:

*The Intermediate Band won't be too difficult for Dd and won't have to work so hard in that class.

*The bar will be kept low for her and she could possibly have a chance to move up to the first chair?

*She can spend more of her mental energy on learning how to improve her violin and viola skills.

*I've wondered if God will guide Dd towards just one musical choice--either the "Band" or "Orchestra" and maybe this is the first step to the Band door being closed?  (After the poor audition results Dd thought about opting out of Band for the school year, but we encouraged her to not give up on band so soon.  At least now she will also be in the Orchestra and will have another avenue for musical growth and possible success if she doesn't continue to advance.)

*Dd has hopefully learned just exactly how important these auditions are, and how she should have practiced more.  

*Now she knows the audition-er will ask all sorts of unexpected questions; she was thoroughly not prepared for the teacher asking her to do a Chromatic Scale and the Lower C Scale.  She had no idea that she was supposed to know those things, and no one told her.  They had told her what was going to be asked of her - specific scales and her audition song, but then he surprised her with the extra requests...next year she will *hopefully* be more prepared for the unexpected.

*Next year *I* will go into the program with my eyes fully open.  I'd had a few issues our first year which really started me to see some things but now I really think I will be more prepared to not take things literally or for what they say.  I think I will *try* to take everything with a grain of salt and skepticism--which doesn't come easy for me!!!  I'm so literal and gullible.  Luckily, Dd is not literal or gullible!  She was really, really surprised and shocked by the results; as she had also been told she would get into Advanced Band, but she was able to process the surprise faster than I did.  

*God: I always end up with God and how He knew she wouldn't get into AB and perhaps has a specific reason for this that we don't know.  We just never know why he lines us up in some places and for what reasons.  Though surprised, I know the Lord will make this a good thing, we have faith in His love and care of us.



A highlight of the Week: Monarch Butterfly larvae/caterpillars:
In the spring I dug up some baby milkweed plants and transplanted them around my house.  This week Dd yelled at me to come look---she saw one plant covered with little hairy black caterpillars!!  I left them on the plant for about 24 hours before putting them in a big (clean & empty) pickle jar with LOTS of milkweed leaves.  I have hatched various other butterflies over the years, but never Monarch's!!!!  I am super excited!!  I'm going to ensure each of these caterpillars have a good chance of surviving, whereas if I had left them out in the garden they might have been eaten.  Also, they had already eaten 98% of the milkweed they hatched on, with me they will be feed to their heart's content!

Herb garden doing really well!

Garden:
Our garden is doing great, especially now that we had a whole day of a slow rain on Thursday.  We hadn't had rain in over two weeks and the garden was starting to show some strain even though I was watering it.  This week we got a lot of zucchini's and some red 'grape' tomatoes.  The greens are still doing very well and I am benefiting from eating them each morning in my morning green smoothie.  I pulled up all the turnips this week, and hope to grow some more greens in that space soon.



Chickens/Ducks:
On Saturday the chickens laid 25 eggs!  That is a record so far.  They are all doing well and I think we only had one chicken get out of their run.  Since we have such a big run and are surrounded by woods, I have been keeping our chickens inside the outside runs where they are safe.  I'm still foraging greens for them a few times per day and/or using my garden greens to help too.

I found this "egg" on the ground in the coop...what a weird shape it was in!

  Thursday I spent a few hours digging up dirt, sand, and rocks and built up the fence walls on the perimeter of the fence to make their walls even more secure.  The chickens had also dug out big holes all around the top coops and I wanted to fill those in while the weather is good.  I cleaned out the inside coop and spent the whole afternoon fixing up things for the chickens.  The ducks love their kiddy pool, but I have to dump out the water and put fresh water in every few days, but they still manage to get lots of dirt in it in a short amount of time.  Our ducks are filthy critters!  Still no duck eggs.

Grapes are spreading like crazy!

Our lessons for the Week:

Bible:
Church and Sunday School

Driver's Education:
Dd got her Level 1 Driving Permit and drove for our errands
1-hour driving

The green beans are doing really well and growing high.

Sonlight Reader:
Anna and the King by Margaret Landon: In Process

Fun Reader:
I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson: Completed



Physical Education:
Swimming 2 x this week: 4 hours
marching in band class: 1:30 hours
marching in the parade: 1:30 hours

I planted the Sweet Potato here, and in the carbord cylinders I put squash.

Art:
Drawing: 1:00
Computer's Sketch Pad program: 4:00 hours
Crochet: 1:30 hours

Home Economics:
gardening, chicken care, dishes, laundry

We put toothpicks in some sweet potatoes and let them grow some roots.

For some reasons some of the potatoes didn't grow roots, though most did.

I cut up the potatoes into sections with as much roots as I could and planted each one as a solo plant.

Music classes:
Marching Band class on Wed. 1:30 hours on alto sax
Strings Group: 1:45 hours on ukulele
Parade: 1:30 hours

Music Practice:
violin: 35 min
viola: 1:00 hour
piano: 20 min

................................

Northern Lights Homeschool Marching Band - Byron Center Parade July 29, 2017

Northern Lights Homeschool Marching Band 

Byron Center Parade 

July 29, 2017

These two sisters have been so kind to Dd; including her in their Girl's Club, telling her about the WMHFA's band program, and helping her transition into life in Grand Rapids.

The beginning of the parade; lots of fire trucks, police, military, and American flags!

This is the Byron Center Marching Band--they did a nice job!

Here come the Northern Lights Homeschool Band!  They did a fine job!  You can always hear them coming from so far away!

I love how our marching band has kids of all ages in it!  I didn't get a lot of photo's b/c I took a video of their performance.  I plan on loading it to YouTube at some point to share.

There is a tiny chance that this could be the last parade in the old uniforms, but I feel like the new uniforms won't arrive in time for Saturday's upcoming parade.

Here is part of the Drum Majors---if that is the right term for them!  After the parades, they usually put on a bit of a show.  

It is so awesome seeing all these awesome girls doing such a great job!!!  There are some boys in the group too, but a good amount of girls.

Only ONE more practice and ONE more parade left of the season.

.......

SL Core H Week 23"A" July 24-29th, 2017 Audition Inter. Orchestra

SL Core H Week 23"A" 

July 24-29th, 2017 

Audition for: Intermediate Orchestra (she got in!)

Feeding the critters some turnip greens and odd sorts.

Hello, Friends!

The big news for this week was that Dd's audition for Intermediate Orchestra was on Wednesday.  This week Dd audition and the teacher immediately told her that she did a good job and that she was accepted into the group!  How great that she received the news immediately!  That was a big relief!  We are still waiting to hear the results from her band audition....it is hard waiting!  

To see the music organization we have here in Grand Rapids: http://www.wmhfa.org/   We, I believe, are the "largest homeschool marching band" in the United States.  Besides the public marching band that plays at various parades; they also have various music groups, choirs, bands, and orchestras during the 'school year.' 

Parade:

This week Dd had her Wednesday marching band practice; though Dd missed the first 20 minutes to do her orchestra audition.  

Saturday, the Northern Lights Homeschool marching band performed in the Byron Center parade.  It was the quickest, coolest parade this year.  They didn't have to wait around or stand in place playing but got to go straight through, of course, that could be because they were near the front of the line-up!  Only ONE more parade and the season will be over--next Saturday.  I had packed muffins and lots of water, and we didn't have a chance to need refreshment!  The band was supposed to have new uniforms this summer, but they are still in the old uniforms, though there is a tiny chance they could get them this week. 

VIOLA!

The other BIG news, we agreed to rent a viola for Dd this week.  She likes the sound of the viola better than the sound of the violin, but she will still be sticking with her violin for orchestra, but maybe if she wants she could switch later...we will see how it goes.  The sound of the viola is deeper than the violin, it is between the cello and the violin.  I wish she could have started with a viola as those first months learning the violin were a tad screechy!

Ducks & Chickens:

All is going well for the feathered friends here.  This week, for the first time, our little female Bantam laid her first egg!  Boy, it is a small egg!  I don't think our Peking duck has laid an egg yet, and we bought them at the same time.  It seems we are getting steady 18-23 eggs per day.  

The little white egg on the left is from the Bantam, she laid her first egg.  The brown egg on the right was particularly big, so I thought it would be a fun contrast in sizes.

With the ducks staying in the inside chicken coop at night the coop gets filthy so quickly.  I use to only have to clean out the coop every month, now it seems two weeks is almost not soon enough!  I'm still foraging or hitting my garden for armfuls of greens for them around three times per day.  I only let the older chickens free-range one time this week, for an hour, and absentmindedly forgot to close the garden gate and sure enough, they got into my newly planted spinach garden (again) and scratched up all the seedlings!  That is twice, in that same area, that they have destroyed my upcoming spinach.  I was so disappointed with myself for forgetting that gate!  I think they have enough space between their three pens to stay content in there, provided I continue to bring them lots and lots of weeds and greens from my garden.

Basketball Scrimmage:

Dd was invited to participate in a homeschool girls basketball scrimmage.  These girls are on the local hs team.  The coach thought Dd did great and told her (and Dh afterward) that he wants Dd for the team.  We were excited, as Dd loves bb, but then we found out they practice M, T, Th, F, S each week at the homeschool building.  That would have us driving to Grand Rapids every.single.day. but Sunday!  Oh my!  So, that isn't going to happen.  Not just b/c of the driving, but b/c poor Dd wouldn't meet herself coming or going!  But, she had a BLAST playing!  Too bad that door didn't open for her.

The camo poncho I've started for Dh

Close-up.  I'm using two chunky threads with a big crochet needle.

JoAnn Fabrics:

We stopped into JoAnn to use the gift card my mom had sent me for my birthday, and I had printed off coupons ahead of time.  The cashier commended me on all the deals I did and getting a whole bag of things for $17.00!  Dd wanted to make a special scarf for herself, and this funny loom thing to make it with, and I needed a new, big crochet hook (as I can't find my normal one) and they had t-shirts on sale - 5 for $10!!!  Dd loves to tie-dye, so that will come back around soon.  I'll use the 50% off coupon I got with our purchase this week for that purchase in a few weeks!  Thankful for my mom's thoughtful gift!  We sure do like making things!  I'm working on a new camo poncho for Dh when he is out in the freezing weather and needs to stay warm!

Migraines/Health:

I've still been having a rough go on health issues.  My biggest regret about me having sick days is that Dd always feels like she should get a day off if I am in bed.  It happens every time! As for Dd, we went to her dermatologist this week.  We only have one more appointment (next month) and then we can take a nice long break from going there!  Dd's skin is doing very nicely, such an improvement!  She is on Accutane for acne and it does an amazing job at helping her skin look so nice.

Gift from Giz:

My m-i-l sent us a package this week---two hummingbird feeders!  I was lamenting that I still haven't found my feeders and it is almost August, so she sent me some!  Isn't that super nice!  I had already told Dh that they were going to be on my Christmas list! 

I didn't get a good picture, but this was one sweet kitty!

Stray Cat: "Ton-Ton"

So Friday Dd spotted a stray cat in our yard, and not one of the neighbor kitties we know.  I went out to see it and it was clearly distressed.  It was panting and looked very lost.  I called it, and it came after a bit of my chatting to it, and it chatting back, as we came to an understanding that I was there to help and only wanted to help it.  Once he understood my intention he came to me and I brought it inside to safety, with plenty of food and water.  I drew a picture of the cat and posted it on our communal mail box area....no response Friday night.  When I posted that I'd found this sweet, heavy, well-fed, affectionate, obviously-has-a-home kitty on Facebook and within 15 minutes the owner found me!  Can you believe it?!  I did try calling all the vets in the area, but since it was afternoon on Saturday no one was still working.  We decided to meet the owner at our local library and deliver the kitty back to its proper owner.  I can't tell you how happy I was to rescue this cat and find it's owner so quickly.  We do live in the woods, with LOTS of predators and I thought he wouldn't last the night.  I'm so glad he got back to his family, though I would have loved to keep him!  I've not met a nicer, sweeter, more chatty kitty.  He made Agnes look anti-social!

On left is the viola we are renting, and on the right is her violin.

Planning our next year:

This week I had to sign up for Dd's classes and lessons.  We are still a little heavy on music, but perhaps her future career will have something to do with music?  She would like to be a music teacher, but I remind her that career might not pay her bills and to consider backup plans as well.  Our plan is one band class, one orchestra class, violin/viola lessons with Christie, piano lessons with Mrs. March.  She is also wanting to take a painting class at the homeschool building and I hesitate to agree with being away from home two days per week.

Our Lessons This Week:

Bible:

We are still working our way, chronologically, throughout the New Testament.  This week we studied Luke 2 and Matt. 2

SL Bible:

Live Like A Jesus Freak by DC Talk: COMPLETED

Science:

Apologia Physical Science: 

Module 7: Factors That Affect the Weather: COMPLETED

Math:

Math U SEE: Geometry 

last week when Dd did Lesson 14 & 15 she missed too many problems so we redid those two lessons this week, and rewatched the video segments.

Math: Khan Academy: 30 minutes

(I've been having a lot of fun doing Khan Academy's math too!)

Foreign Language:

DuoLingo: German: 3:00 hours

(Dh has got back on DuoLingo-Italian- and is challenging her time!)

Poetry:

To Celia by Ben Johnson---one of my favorites!

Drink to me only with thine eyes, 

         And I will pledge with mine; 

Or leave a kiss but in the cup, 

         And I’ll not look for wine. 

The thirst that from the soul doth rise 

         Doth ask a drink divine; 

But might I of Jove’s nectar sup, 

         I would not change for thine. 

I sent thee late a rosy wreath, 

         Not so much honouring thee 

As giving it a hope, that there 

         It could not withered be. 

But thou thereon didst only breathe, 

         And sent’st it back to me; 

Since when it grows, and smells, I swear, 

         Not of itself, but thee.

Memorizing: The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

The Harp and Laurel Leaf: this week we worked on Shakespear's sonnets: 18, 19, 30, 36

Poetry Writing:

Dd wrote 3 poems this week

Dh has built up some new tubs to grow some squash in, beside it is a new bed for our sweet potatoes---it is late in the season to start, but why not give it a shot!

SL Reader: In Process

Anna and the King by Margaret Landon

Dd says this book is very descriptive, and not a fast read, but she is enjoying it.

SL Read-Aloud:

Banner In The Sky by James Ramsey: COMPLETED

This could be a book that could be dropped or skipped.  It is a good book, and Dd didn't think it could be skipped, she liked it!  But, I don't think it added a whole lot to our core.  This was an adventure book, climbing a great mountain, working as a team, putting others needs in front of your own, thinking of others, serving others...

SL History Reader:

Abraham Lincoln's World by G. Foster

pg 223-251

Dd loves reading these Foster books instead of the Kingfisher Encyclopedia's that she had already read for years.  She likes the fun details and story form of history found in Foster's history books.

Fun Reader:

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson (In Process)

Art: 13:00 total hours

Drawing: 2:00

Mermaids and sketches

Painting: 7:00

Completed the 'Paint by Numbers' Owl: 2:00 

Galaxy Painting on pencil box: 2:00

Mermaid painting: 3:00

Knitting (new scarf): 4:00

Physical Education: 6:00 total hours

Marching Band practice: 1:30

Parade: 1:30 

Swimming: 2:00

Basketball Scrimmage: 1:00

Music:

This was a pretty good music week.  Dd took out her flute this week; it hasn't surfaced in a while and was nice to hear again.  Since we rented the viola she has played for hours. Our rough estimate of hours played:

Violin: 3:00 hours

Viola: 3:30 hours

Flute: 1:00 hour

Sax: 3:30

..............