A Big Saturday

 Our big Saturday started with an event Stace has been anticipating for a year now. He got to drive two supercars around a track, as a 50th birthday gift from Dean and Jenny.

First up was this red Ferrari 430.

Stace is in the driver's seat here, getting the low-down from his instructor.

Sue and Gord purchased this photo from the professional photographers on site, for Stace's upcoming 51st birthday.

His second drive was in a Aston Martin DB9.

A final thrill was a trip in a BMW with a professional driver, who could really zoom around the course's hairpins.

Stace loved the whole day out!

We paid a few more quid to have an extra passenger - Dean was thrilled.

Awww, brothers!

The driving experience used an old air base that was very near to Dunkeswell airfield, which housed a U.S. Navy airbase during WWII. Navy, you say? Yes, Navy, as the pilots here were tasked with monitoring the English Channel for German U-boats.

This building was a museum that described the base's history and role, and was quite interesting. President John F. Kennedy's older brother was stationed here and died in a training exercise.

We then went to nearby Honiton for lunch and a wander around the high street. 

Later that evening, Stace and I went to see Livy perform in a children's choir in Yeovil. We were so pleased to be in town for this! While we waited for the show to start, we enjoyed a drink.

It was a very entertaining show, with different musical, theatre and dance groups performing. Livy did great!

Variety Show Success

After six weeks of practice, Violet's big moment came Friday evening, when she took part in the school variety show.

The show was set up so well, with decorations and the performer's head shots up on the walls. We didn't know the photos even happened, so it was a fun surprise to see her beautiful smiling face on the wall.

When it was Violet's turn, the student emcee read out her biography.










Then, the curtain opened, and Violet stood there, staring at the audience, apparently taking it all in. She looked so, so cute, with her small stature, pink sparkly dress, and big smile.

She started skipping rope, and called out her little song:
"Coca Cola went to town,
Diet Pepsi knocked him down.
Dr Pepper fixed him up.
Now I'm drinking Seven-Up.
Seven-Up caught the flu,
Now I'm drinking Mountain Dew.
Mountain Dew fell off the mountain,
Now I'm drinking from the water fountain!"

Violet got through the entire rhyme without missing a beat, and was loud enough to be heard without a mic. She did an amazing job! Stace and I both had tears in our eyes, seeing our little thing be so brave and perform so well.

Turn up your volume and enjoy the video - many thanks to my friend Sara for most of these photos, and for the video clip!

Sara's daughters Emily and Alli had the whole audience laughing with their hilarious performance of "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better."

All in all the show was very, very entertaining and all the kids did a great job.

School Fun

One of the best things about our school district is its music program. Cora is learning the recorder in third grade, and next year she can take part in the orchestra, if she so chooses.

To help the children decide if they want to learn another instrument in fourth grade, the third graders on Monday took part in a "musical petting zoo." Here, they were able to try a variety of instruments on for size.

Cora enjoyed the violin the best.

She also tried the clarinet, which is where I was stationed as a volunteer with my friend Elaine. We sanitized the mouth pieces after each student, while real musicians helped the children learn how to play them.

Cora also tried out the trombone, here, and a trumpet. (I don't know why my phone sometimes makes halos appear around the subject matter.)

Later in the week, I helped out in Violet's class, as always, and then in Cora's class. When I was in the room, the students all had computers and were working in a writing assignment for an assessment.

After school on Wednesday, the students taking part in the variety show had a rehearsal. Violet enjoyed herself a lot, and on her second go, made it all the way through her little rhyme, jumping the whole time. I hope she can do the same in April, on the big night!



Also, in recent weeks Cora had her 9-year-well check. She is very healthy, and in the 40th percentile for weight, and 23rd for height. Dr. Brockett said that if she maintains her place on the growth chart, she would reach 5'3" as an adult. Given her genes, I'd be very pleased if that were the case.