Christmas Singing

I had a great Christmas & have sooo many things to post, but for now, let me post some Christmas concert music.

I missed Jacob's year-end concert, as I was in Panama.  Luckily for me, Jacob has a good friend, Lauren, who not only video taped it for me, she watched Isabel that night too, since David had to work and we could not leave Isabel at home or in the audience by herself.  So thank you Lauren!!

Jacob's in a bazillion choirs at school, so it's hard to keep up.

This first video is a mix of two choirs:  The all girl "Bellisima" and the all boy "Teal Sound" groups.  It's a mash-up of "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Sleigh Ride."  And just so you know, Jacob and his teacher wrote the ending music to make it all go together.  :)   He's the handsome one wearing a green tie, second from the right, in case you don't know.



And here are a couple more songs.



Merry Christmas!!

2011 Buffyfest Ornament Swap: Second Ornament Received

I received my second Buffyfest ornament.  This one is from Danie.



It's a small wood box with the Firefly crew wearing Santa hats.

Inside we found a Shrinky Dink ornament.



Yay!  Jayne's hat!  Thanks Danie!

Epcot's Candlelight Processional 2011 and Admiral Adama!

For the 3rd year in a row, Jacob's school was part of Disney's Candlelight Processional at Epcot Center.

Every year, stars from tv, movies, music, etc. read the Christmas story while selected auditioned high school choirs from all around the state sing alongside the Voices of Liberty and other professional choir members.

We've been there when Whoopie Goldberg read, Steven Curtis Chapman, and this year Edward James Olmos!!!  Edward "Admiral Adama" Olmos!!!  Jacob and I were PSYCHED!!!  He and Neil Patrick Harris were our top choices.

Disney is very strict about backstage photos and videos, so I have none.  We chaperones took turns since the kids were singing in two shows.  Half of us stayed behind to watch the kids' stuff while the other half got to watch the show.

I watched the 8:15 performance.  I got teary-eyed knowing this is it; the last year for Candlelight.

Here are a couple of videos for you to enjoy.  I love Mr. Olmos' voice.

Panama in December

I just got back in from a week in Panama.  I flew down to train the new Admin.  I made them all cookies as Christmas gifts.  Only 3 of the 24 cookies got broken (My bag got tossed by TSA.  The cookie tins might have confused their X-rays).

I arrived in Panama the same day as Noriega came back to the country after a 20-year absence.  I had no clue.  Luckily, I had arrived hours earlier and did not get the crush of reporters and traffic.

After checking in, I had lunch, took a nap, then met a co-worker for dinner at a local restaurant I could walk to.  On the way back, I heard loud music.  There was a Christmas parade in front of the hotel!  FUN!

I took these two videos with my cheap camera.  It was a fun parade.

Most nights I was on my own, but there's so much around.  There is a mall within walking distance of the hotel.  EVERYONE walks, so I felt really safe.

Walking back to the hotel from the mall.  
This is a hotel that connects to the mall via this walkway.

I also happened to arrive during the two or 3 times a year when Panamanians get an extra paycheck.  Everyone gets paid at the same time.  Everyone.  The 15th and the 30th.  Two or 3 times a year they get a second paycheck.  This is when I came.  Traffic was a NIGHTMARE.  People were out to spend their dough.   A 3 minute drive from a certain corner to my hotel took 25 minutes.  I kept telling my co-worker I would walk, but he would not let me, as I had caught a cold and it was raining.  He refused to have me get wet.  Poor guy still had to fight the traffic home.

From my hotel window.  Jam-packed traffic stalled in this area for at least half an hour.

It was another eventful trip, but boy did I miss my family and am glad to be home.

Running a 5k at Disney

I signed up for the 2012 Disney Royal Family 5k, part of the Disney Princess Half-Marathon Weekend in February!

As a non-runner, this is a big deal for me, so you marathon runners, no scoffing!

I walk on a treadmill at home.  I try to use it at least 3 times a week, sometimes more, often less.  :(   The company I work for has health incentives that lower the cost of of insurance premiums; participating in 10 events/online courses/challenges/surveys/physicals, etc.  By participating in the plan, I am paying almost half what my non-participating counterparts are paying.  But we have to participate! If we don't, next year you cannot qualify for the discounted rates.

This year, the plan changed, causing us to have to go "outside" to earn at least 3 of our 10 yearly points.  Hence, my trying a 5k.  A few coworkers in other cities that I communicate with have done 5k's (3.1 miles or so).

I have had friends run the Disney 1/2 Marathons and the 5k's so I thought, I can train up to 3.1 miles.  There is a caveat; you have to keep a 16-minute-mile pace.  On my treadmill, I have been averaging an 18-minute mile pace on average, but I figured with extra training tips from the health plan website, I could bump that up.

Finally, I signed up.

$50 gets you:

5k Tshirt
Finisher Medallion
Official Reace Program Guide
Goody Bag
Bib
On-course and Post-Course refreshments.

If you're not staying on-site (me) you have to get in Epcot by 4 a.m.!   Here's a map I found online.  Not sure if it changes every year. 

Here's a picture of last year's medal.

(Not my picture/hand. Found online)

I'm going solo so far.  I've invited some sisters and ex-sisters-in-laws to go, but still no takers.  Anyone care to join me? 

Another Day at the Estuary

I chaperoned again for Jacob's AP Environmental Science class in November.  We headed over to the same estuary as last time.

He was in my group this time, so we headed off to do some bird watching.

After that, we did some water testing.

My feetsies were COLD!

On the way back, I spotted a turtle.  We named him lefty because he was missing his right claw.   The people at the park were going to take him to an animal rescue site to see if they needed to help him along.  He looked like he was doing alright to me.

Hi Lefty!

Then, it was time to get into the water.  COLD WATER!! Holy cow, and it was higher than last time too.

Yep, I am in the water too, taking these pictures.

We were joined by another high school that was only there for 3 hours (we were there for like 6).  Our school learned last time to not mess with the lady who ran the place.  She did. not. play.  After a few run-ins with her, Stoner learned his lesson last time.  We all behaved.  This new school had not met her before and incurred her wrath.  The difference between that school and ours?  Some of their male kids talked back to her.  They were completely rude, especially one kid who thought he was the king of the park.  *head shake*  At least our kids complained quietly to each other the first time.  Not these kids.  One teacher had to tell the kid to let it go already because he was being a jerk.  Ahhh, respect.  We miss you so.

After changing and having lunch, and that other high school left, we worked on a CSI-style case.  Our group was one person short, so I teamed up with a student to help solve the case (we did!)

It was another fun AP Environmental Science field trip.

More of Isabel's Art

This blog has been All-Jacob All the Time lately.

Little Miss Isabel is still a wonderful, sweet amazing child.  She's a top reader in her class, having recently been the first of 2 kids to reach the "100 Books Read" mark since school started, and getting a medal for it this past week.  She loves Rock Band.  She finally learned to ride her "big bike."  She could ride bikes without training wheels for a couple of years but she'd been riding her baby bikes.  She got a "big bike" with hand brakes in March and had been terrified to ride it.  She finally got riding it down because I told her she could get a bike bell for the bike once she actually mastered riding it.  *ring ring*

Here's some more of her computer-drawn art.

She called this one "Me Outside."

This one is called "Inky Mess." I love the perspective.

Glacier National Park

And lastly,

"Dudes Funny Thing"

She's pretty awesome.  She's my Sugar Muffin Lumps.

Aaaaand, she decided to cut her bangs by herself; they were in her face.  0_o

2011 Buffyfest Ornament Swap: First Ornament Received

Hooray!  I have received my FIRST of 4 Buffyfest Swap ornaments!  From Heidi, I received this adorable Angel/Angelus ornament.  His face can be turned to go from "Grrrr" face....

to regular face.

So cute!  Thanks Heidi!

2011 Deland Music Festival and Padlock's Performance

If you recall, Jacob took part in the 2010 Deland Music Festival.  He even got a mention in the newspaper!  This year he signed up again.

After the ACDA concert and lunch, we headed home. Jacob and a friend headed off to the festival early.  I was to meet them later with the 6 foot long table he was going to play on.  Call me RoadieMom.

It started drizzling.  Yikes! Not good for Jacob's equipment.  We drag the table from the Jeep to his corner when he suddenly realizes there are no speakers set up.  He asks the person "running" the corner where the speakers are, and was told that the owner of said speakers took them home because of the rain.

Jacob was near panic and MAD.  While his friend watched our stuff, we walked over to the event staff tent to see what we could do.  While the event coordinator placed some calls on his walkie-talkie, Jacob looks over to the corner he was on last year.  We decide to head on over and see if the guy had any set cancellations and could he fit us in.

Thankfully, he could!  He had one cancellation and another person who wanted to go on earlier than she was scheduled for, so we got a slot right around 8:00 p.m.

We owe the owner of the sound equipment, DJ Excite, a load of thanks!

Jacob, aka Padlock, played a 45 minute set.  Here's a video of about 15 minutes worth of music.