Where Have I Been?

Well, obviously I haven't blogged in a long time. I've been spending my spare time building my music studio by taking on new piano and voice students. I've heard from some of my students that finding a voice teacher in Marysville was difficult for them, so I've been building a business website to let interested singers know I'm here. I've finally got my site to a point where I feel that I can let you (my friends) see it.

Voice Teacher: Melinda Lawrence Marysville, Wa

Let me know what you think.

I've been having a lot of fun teaching. I organized a recital for my students which we held in January. I accompanied most of them, so I spent many hours practicing for it. Several of my students auditioned for our high school's spring musical "The Sound of Music" so we have been learning lots Rogers and Hammerstein music.

I've been teaching two pre-teen voice students, both girls, who are a blast to work with. I've also been working with eight high-school voice students (three boys and five girls). One of the boys auditioned for the BYU school of music and passed the vocal audition (Yeah!!) Four of the girls got parts in the musical (Yeah again!!) I have one student who is majoring in Musical Theatre and has some big auditions coming up next month. Another of my students is the lead vocalist in his rock band (surprisingly, he has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever trained). Another of my adult students is preparing to sing in a Jewish festival at her church next fall.

My six piano students range in age from 5-17. I am starting to enjoy teaching piano as much as I enjoy teaching singing. I think it helps to have dedicated students who practice. It also helps that now I've had enough teaching experience to I know what I am doing and can help my students be successful.

Caitlin and Joseph have been teaching piano lessons too. Caitlin has three students, two kindergartners and a second grader. Caitlin is really sweet with her students, and she is a great teacher. I have been monitoring her teaching to help make sure she knows what she is doing and I am amazed at how well she does. Joseph has been teaching for three years now. He is very good at helping his students build solid musical skills.

Well, if you know anyone who is looking for a piano or voice teacher and they live around here let them know about us. I have room for a few more students and so do Joseph and Caitlin.

Hike to Heather Lake - Almost

Last Friday, Roger took the day off and we hiked to Heather Lake. Joseph was playing with the band for graduation and Caitlin was too hot and tired, so just the two little boys came with us.

It was a beautiful hike. It was mostly in the shade, so we were not too hot (neener Caitlin.)
The hike took us three hours. It was at least 1.5 miles up and 1.5 miles back.
We saw these huge stumps.

Then we saw some huge trees.

The trail was often rocky, muddy and steep, but we kept trooping.

We crossed these falls, and then Preston started to get tired.

Just before we got to the lake, the trail was covered with too much snow to continue. We decided to call this the summit of our hike.

Preston was glad to be heading back down. We really wore ourselves out.

Party-hearty

On Saturday, Joseph and Caitlin played in a piano recital.

Preston had an end of season soccer party at the soccer dome.

We celebrated Roger's birthday. It was a few days late, but it was the only time he could fit it in. What a fun Saturday.

Kick-tastick Holiday

For Memorial Day we went on a family outing.

Here we are getting ready to go with our usual antics. We stopped to buy Caitlin a brush. She can't go anywhere without her brush.
We bought lunch at KFC. They now serve grilled chicken, so Joseph says we have to call them KGC.
We ate our lunch at the park.

After lunch, Jacob and Preston played on the playground. While Joseph, Caitlin and I visited the Gardens.

Caitlin and Joseph sure have a good friendship.

We found the biggest Easter basket ever.

After lunch we went on a hike in Robe Historic Canyon.

On our hike, Caitlin described everything with the word kick.

She thought it was kick-awesome to hike next to Joseph and his kick-normous brain.

They had a kick-rockin' time.

Here she is with her kick-skinny dad.

She thought throwing rocks in the river was kick-weird, but she did it anyway.
Kick-whoa!

She thought this climb was kick-awful. It was also kick-painful and kick-lame.

The trail is supposed to follow an old railroad. Due to rock slides and washouts, here is what is left of the railroad. That is kick-sad.

Here's Caitlin's kick-noying brother. At least that's what she thinks. Kick-nice.

We stopped for a kick-licious snack. Caitlin kick-snarfed two granola bars.

Here's Jacob helping Preston cross a kick-dangerous spot.

Kick-sweet.

Here's Preston, deep in thought, contemplating the beauty of nature and the demise of the old Robe railroad. Caitlin thinks he is kick-smart.

It was a kick-deckish hike and a kick-tastick holiday, at least according to Kick-Caitlin. Kick-bye.

Why Are We Going to the Y

Jacob will start Boy Scouts in July. He will be our second scout, so we are pretending we know what we are doing this time through. Yesterday, we took him to the pool to see if he can swim well enough to pass the scout swim test or if he will need to take swimming lessons this summer. Roger administered the test. Much to Jacob's dismay, he will need more practice and a few lessons.

While Roger and Jacob played in the water, I went to work out. I was there all alone, so I took a picture of the empty room.

Now you can see what it looks like, only usually it is filled with people. I was the only Y member dumb enough to exercise inside on such a BEAUtiful Saturday. I really enjoyed having the whole place to myself. I always worry about what I look like while I exercise, especially when I do clumsy things like hit myself in the head with the handlebars or try to go fast. I also don't enjoy exercising next to smelly people, especially ones with gas. I must admit, the gassy ones who like to turn on the fan and point it toward themselves when I am downwind, just kill me. They say you have to breath while you exercise, but on these occasions, I try not to. So you can see why it was so, so nice to have the room to MYSELF!

Meandering In Mind and Body

I have been supplementing my morning workout at the Y with an evening stroll. Sometimes the boys go with me.
We have a lot of fun wandering around the neighborhood.
I enjoy hanging out with my two youngest children because it makes me feel younger. If I pretend they are my only children, I feel very young and free. I hang onto every moment meandering in my mind and with my feet.

Selected for Select

Jacob tried out for the select soccer team again this year.
He made it! Good job, Jacob!!! Here he is at his first practice.

For the first hour of his soccer practice, I walked around the field getting some exercise and taking pictures. To the north of the soccer fields, there is what appears to be an overgrown tree farm. At first glance, it looks like natural forest, but if you look closely, you can see the trees are all in rows. And then there's this oddity: fine shrubs growing wild. Reminds me of my children . . . and myself.