Spencer's Last 6th Grade Band Concert

I realize I have been extra terrible about blogging lately. It's not that life is so boring around here - on the contrary, most days I feel like I'm running from one chore/activity/appointment/whatever to the next, non-stop. But do you really want to hear about another one of Josh's baseball games? (Wait - have I blogged about baseball yet? I can't remember and can't be bothered to check. Well, he has FOUR games this week, so I'm sure you'll hear something.) Or about how I still don't have a garden in yet because it's been so dang cold? Or about how Cole and Josh can't seem to stop fighting All The Time? No. No you don't. Neither do I.

It's not that I've lost joy in the business of raising this family; I just don't feel the need to capture and record all the minutia anymore.

Also, Google got rid of my favorite photo editing tool, so now I'm having to test out new ones. Blergh. What a pain.

Also, it's just so much easier to post a little blurb on Instagram and Facebook. Not as detailed, true, but way easier. I need some sort of happy medium.

Also, I have still yet to find an acceptable replacement for Blurb to make my blog books. I have honestly caught myself thinking "Why blog about it? The kids will never see it. It's not like they're gonna go back and sift through my blog posts." I mean, I could be totally wrong on this - they might actually prefer digital over print in this case. But I might be right.

Anywho...

This past week was Spencer's last 6th grade band concert. Only Tess and I could make it (cub scouts and such). I can honestly say it was better than the first concert! (Hah!) Actually, it really was. I'm impressed with how much they improved. I'm also very impressed with the band teacher. It takes a special kind of spirit to become a middle school band teacher!!!

Here's Spencer's band playing the theme song from Batman. (My favorite part is Tess singing along at the beginning.)

And here's his band playing "Ghostbusters". You can tell the kids weren't that into saying "Ghostbusters!" at the appropriate points. (I think they were jealous that the other bands got to play Star Wars songs. Who wouldn't be?)

We had a pleasant surprise at the concert: Spencer won an award! I didn't even know this was a thing. I was, in fact, so surprised by it that I didn't even get a picture of him accepting the award. But I got one after!

Spencer was SO VERY PLEASED with himself - it was darling. Wait, can 12 year old middle schoolers be darling? Well, whatever the equivalent is, that's what he was. Kids congratulated him as we walked down the hall and patted him on his back. He handled it very gracefully.

So apparently they have this award every year. The kids all vote for who is the best band member, not based on musical skill, but on friendliness and stuff like that. Spencer was the bandiest (yes, that's a word now) kid in 6th grade! I am very proud of him.

The certificate is now in a place of honor on our fridge. It's a major award.

In other news, I may or may not have been perusing through this book during the concert. (But only during the other bands' performances. I paid total attention during Spencer's!)

Yep, this is happening. Not until 2017, but there's much to be planned. I am in heaven.