Busy Busy Busy

There is just so much happening here. K's 16th birthday is coming up. She is making list after list preparing for her party. She is having a party bus with about 25 of her closest friends (and my sister there to chaperone). I'm still in the process of finding a photgrapher and doing damage-control on the mess Party City made of her invitations (they are now being redone and will be ready Saturday. This, after I not so nicely or in a ladylike manner expressed my unhappiness over finding out that our order of white cards with black writing came in as dark pink and orange cards with black writing. How do you get "we need white" wrong?).

This Tuesday is J's Confirmation retreat - an all-day gathering and reflection of faith. Her Confirmation is next Saturday. She has chosen my mom as her sponsor. She's had 4 weeks of preparation classes this year (as well as all of last year's CCD classes). We were going to have a party for her, but have settled on a nice family dinner instead since she has an audition the following morning. Her dance solo for this year is finished and all that's left is some clean-up. It is 2 minutes and 30 seconds long, but a 1 minute portion will be used for auditions. this piece falls into the "Modern" category and is a very different style than any of her other solos. She's always done bouncy, cutesy jazz and musical theater numbers. This is a more mature piece that really shows her passion and strength. J has also chosen a new vocal piece and will get started on vocal training soon. Costumes are already being ordered and made for this years competitions. J will be competing with 9 numbers (2 solos and 7 groups). She's excited for this year's comp season where she makes the big transition from the junior category (which she's been in since she was 9) to the teen category. She's going to a Halloween party tonight (and was at one last week as well).

W is very active with cub scouts and dance. He'll eventually start basketball. The league he was in conflicts with his Sunday CCD right now. His weekday mornings are full of readings, fun workbook pages, lots of dry-erase writing, and finally his TT5 came! He's been doing a lesson a day since it came and loves it a LOT. I'm trying to make art study, composer study, and nature study a regular thing, but boy is that hard. I keep thinking it has to be more complicated than it really is. That's why I love reading A Charlotte Mason Companion (Andreola). She reminds you how just exposure to these things is enough and that kids will make their own connections. So I have the beautiful Sanzio artwork displayed around the dining room. I play bits of Ralph Vaughan Williams' music throughout the day (on songza.com). And I make a point to get at least a little nature study discussion in when we're out. The journaling and sketching we'll get to one day.

My wonderful husband B has now been at his new job for about a month now. He was freelancing there for about 6 weeks before they hired him full-time. He was out of work for almost 6 months, but thankfully we are back on our feet again. His band has a gig in Tribeca in about a month and I'm really trying to actually get to see this one. As for me, I'm keeping sane. Work is great. It's fun and pays just a little too well for how much I enjoy it. I consider work my "me time". It's 4 quiet, easy, mellow evening hours that come just at the right time for me after a day of running around.

I do love our fun, busy lives. We're so fortunate and grateful to live in this city of so much opportunity. There will be plenty of time to relax when I'm old, lol.