Mason School Music Program

Mason debuted in his first school music program. They sang Friday Nights, Under the Sea, and You've Got a Friend in Me. They had actions they did with the songs and a speaking part he had to memorize. The video of him singing is too big to upload, but you really aren't missing anything. Rob captured the smile in the and it shows his excitement. We were surprised that he actually participated and sang. When they sing at church he doesn't sing and he may or amy not do the actions! As the night went on the actions were smaller and smaller as Mason lost interest or was just too tired to carry on!

Ellery Singing

Ellery is a funny girl and I can't remember if I wrote this story? We listen to Christmas Music year round.

Ellery: "I don't need any help, PLEASE!" While we are singing Away in a Manger in the car

onto the next song of We Three Kings

Ellery: "You can help me with this one is you want."

Hysterical, she views my singing in the car with her as help not as a duo. She is a one girl show! In her defense, I really can't carry a tune! She also really does enjoy music and singing. She sings songs she knows and if she forgets she just makes something up. I never caught Mason singing songs off the radio, but Ellery listens to Rob's music and has started singing some Kesha. I think it is time to switch from hip hop listening in this house. Nothing like hearing a 3 year old sing "Wake up in the morning.........Tick Tock Don't stop........on and on she goes!

Rockin Out

Uncle Todd and Aunt Jill sent us some cool shirts this year! They make music. We could be the Von Trap family or the Osmond's? Actually we have no hope in the musical talent area, and Ellery shows a very strong interest in music. Let's hope she has talent from some distant relative, because it isn't coming from her parents! Bryson got the microphone while we have guitar, drum, and keyboard shirts. We sound just as great as kids toys that make music and noise, which means we could use some practice and lots of work! It does bring us lots of joy so mission accomplished!

High Hopes

Just an FYI I am making fun of myself just as much as I am Rob! The kids are really getting into music and dancing these days. It usually was them listening to music while I dance around like a firefly attracted to light. Now we all flail and flop around, well Rob still doesn't participate. Anyways, I hear laughter and Rob singing upstairs one night around bed time. If you know Rob, he can't sing. I can't either, but this post is about Rob! One doesn't know if they should laugh or cry when he sings. Cry because he is so horrible, or laugh because he is singing funny but only to find out he is dead serious in belting out his tunes and he is awful! The point at hand is that he is singing the song High Hopes. He was really getting into it. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/frank+sinatra/high+hopes_20055241.html We are talking belting out the lyrics and getting down with the chorus. I have been sheltered my whole life and had never heard this song, let alone knew that Rob knew it. It is a catchy little jingle I must say, after a few minutes, I chimed in as well!

Cause he had high hopes, he's got high hopes.

He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR14hsxNbm0&feature=related

Blue Grass Festival Take 2

Rob had official conference meetings today so Bryson and I were left to explore the city on our own. I decided we would hit the Blue Grass Festival again. My line up consisted of Indigo Girls, Randy Newman, Elvis Costello, and Patti Smith. Rob was jealous that I was going to get experience all these artists in one day without him. Bryson and I hit the public transportation circuit and made a few friends along the way. I should have taken pictures, but I failed to take any except when I was skipping out a bit early. See the sea of people, it was outrageous and tons of fun. I did learn that over 750 thousand people attended the event last year on one day. Also, Warren Hellman is a financial guru and gives this festival to the city every year for free in celebration of his birthday. This was the 10th year. My first acquaintance I made was a man named, Tim, openly gay and in his 60's. We had a great conversation on the bus and found out we were both heading to the same stage to start our day. He felt compelled to walk with me and show me the way. I didn't have the heart to tell him I knew exactly where to go, but it was nice knowing he was so willing to help. It was a shocker to him that I was from Omaha, NE and venturing out into the city on my own with a small child. I didn't ask him why, but I assume he stereotypes the midwest and pictures me being barefoot and pregnant. I did run into him a few times and it was fun saying "why hello Tim". I next met up with some hippies. I think they might have been some of the original hippies from the 70's just living like it is still 1977. I found a picnic table tucked away in the corner and used it as a changing table and was sitting with Bryson enjoying the music when the hippies joined us. They openly took out their marijuana and placed it on the table and rolled themselves a fat one. They were well mannered and offered some to me, I declined and pointed to the baby. They also would go into the woods to smoke it so Bryson and I didn't get a contact high. Oh so very thoughtful of them. We were also joined by an old man named Bruce who was carrying his body weight in cans of alcohol he bought at the nearby quickie mart. I really should have taken a picture of the eclectic group we made. It was a great time listening to the music and enjoying conversations with my new acquaintances for the day.
Lastly, my public transportation story. The bus would get packed on the way to and from the festival. I learned that it gets so packed that they the bus doesn't stop at other stops unless someone is getting off due to the fact we are packed in like sardines. I decided to walk through the park and get on the bus prior to a few other festival stops so I could get a seat since I had Bryson strapped to me. I was successful and by the 3rd stop the bus was filled. We are cruising home and not having to stop much due to full capacity when we stop all the sudden and the driver dons on big black gloves and pulls a crank on the back of the bus. Bad news, our bus broke down and I am supposed to be meeting Rob. I allotted enough time for a non broken bus. We all get off the bus and some people start walking to a different station immediately. I keep hope that a bus will come and not be as full so I can hop on, wrong. When the fifth bus passed without even a brake, I decided to get creative and walk off the beatin path a few blocks and hop on another bus. I have no idea where it is taking me. Rob was texting me and asked where I was and how much longer I would be, and I responded with I am on an adventure. My adventure worked out for me. I ended up on the other side of the street from where my original bus would have dropped me off. BONUS, I have to admit, I was a bit nervous. Plus I was only a few minutes late in meeting Rob. That is because I didn't stop by the hotel to freshin up

Blue Grass Festival Take 1

Rob is here in San Francisco for a conference. He has a few conference things to do and receptions to tend to the first few days, but we were able to spend some quality time with him before he was committed all day every day. So we decided to explore the city. We came to a conference here when he was in residency and did some of the other big touristy things, but we never went to Haight Ashbury Street. We decided to get some culture in our life and had a great shopping experience. We ate at a quaint restaurant that was good, but I have no idea how they ever passed a health inspection code. We had heard that a blue grass festival was going on and decided we should check it out. It was in the Golden Gate State Park, which is beautiful. We jumped on public transportation to get to the festival and had a fantastic time. They call it Hardly Strictly Blue Grass and I didn't realize some of these bands considered themselves bluegrass, but that is why they call it hardly strictly. I guess it has something to do with the number and type of instruments used? Who knows who really cares, but we got to see/listen to Jenny and Johnny with an Elvis Costello jump in along with The Dukes of September with an appearance from Ba Skaggs. It was amazing and tons of fun.
http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/
Rob posed with Hulk Hogan. Not really, but Rob was standing there and I said just smile and say cheese, he had no idea the Hulk was right behind him. I think it is hilarious. It really does look like the hulk! Here is my funny story....
Rob was out exploring and getting closer in the crowds while I stayed back with Bryson in the stroller. I am listening to the music and having a good time when I realize the man beside seems to be having an even greater time. Rob snapped a picture for me when he came back, but my friend was leaving me. Check him out in his cowboy hat, maroon jacket, and "water" bottle. You can't buy alcohol in the park, but they let you bring it in. My friend brought it in and I am pretty sure he had a few before he came in. I think he was bolting because he was out of his "juice". Needless to say I was minding my own business when I get a nudge from him and he is asking or either stating "What is that about a hundred grand a pound?" He was referring to Bryson in the stroller. Before I could respond or come up with a witty response he then states "Throw your purse on that and dance with me." Again he is referring to my baby in the stroller. When I don't throw my purse on Bryson and just smile at him, he fills the need to fill the awkward silence. He then moves his comments onto the stroller. "This looks like a dirt model....Looks like you have some good suspension.....Does it require a racecar suite?...." Mind have you the man has a sweet smile, but he missing some teeth and a few screws are loose or possibly missing altogether? He then gives a few closing statements..."What don't they grow out of it in a week" I am not sure if we are back to talking about the baby or the stroller? He does leave with a memorable closing statement. "You sure do have a cuter model" It left me totally confused are we talking about the baby, the stroller, or me?

Bon Jovi

I headed out to Bon Jovi with some girlfriends this evening to relive my past. It was a good show, but man have they aged. We had a great time dancing and singing. It is so nice to be singing in a huge stadium because I feel I sound good and can really belt out a tune. What I forget is the person in front of me might not think I am as good as I think! We did have a good time watching the man pass out in the chair next to us and miss the whole concert while a friend in his party fondled him and us every time she passed through. It is a funny thought that we paid money for all of these experiences.

Can we call this music?

I think we have some time before we start thinking about American Idol, but if they ever make it in the music business this might come back to haunt them.

Thumbkin

Next time I am having a bad day and need to express myself to someone, I am going to use Mason's version of middle man from the hot tune of Where is Thumbkin. I was almost tempted to use it while I was driving today.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Mason loves to sing songs. I have caught him singing to himself in his bedroom, but for the most part he lets me sing the song to him and he joins in at his convenience. We were playing with the dinosaurs and the tarantula spider lives with the dinosaurs in their container. Usually when we play with the dinosaurs we line them up and then we have to give kisses to every body part because they bite us. Today however Mason picked up the spider and started singing the itsy bitsy spider song. Thank goodness the itsy bitsy tarantula spider doesn't bite.

Music Class

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Get your own

Mason has been taking music classes for the past 8 weeks at Haleybird Studios. www.haleybirdstudios.com This is actually his second session and he really enjoys it. It has been fun watching him progress each week and open up more and more. We think we can get in another half session but we are going to miss Haley. She plays a musical instrument each week and Mason is mesmerized by it. I didn't realize she played a longer song each week to work on attention span, but this week she played a 2 min. song and by the end Mason was getting ansey. I always wished she played more each week, but now I realize why she didn't. He also got to play instruments, sing songs, and dance. We start each class with a Hello song and Mason waves sometimes and sometimes not, but he always gets the clap in at the appropriate time. He hasn't ever joined in singing the songs at class, but I have caught him at home singing songs. We also sing a song in a circle holding hands each week that usually ends with a falling down. Mason loves it and is the first kid up off the floor signing and saying more. It is like he is telling everyone hurry up and get up so we can do it again.

Ellery is the sweet one at class. She usually sleeps through it and was joined by her new friend Brice on the right who is only 2 weeks old. He is so tiny that it really shows how big her cheeks are. Mason is playing the drums with Brice's older brother Brody.