You're a Star! Recital

Recently, our granddaughter, Sophia, had a piano recital.  Her mommy had her pass out the programs at the door.

After Sophia took her seat, Hannah took over passing the programs out to those who were arriving last minute.

Our daughter is the piano teacher for several students.

Jill and our other children began piano lessons at either age 4 or 5.

Here she is at one of her first recitals.

Thank you, Mary, for the years of teaching them!!

The theme for the evening was

"You're a Star!"

Each child was given a large star cut-out.  It was their "cheat sheet" with the name of the piece they would be playing on the back.  As the child went up, they would say their name and the number they would be playing.  Then they would place the star in a bucket.




Sophia played "Christmas Day Secrets" by Dutton

After all the children played their pieces, Jill had Sophia draw out a star from the bucket.  The child's star that was drawn was the winner.  Well, the Mommy and Daddy were the winners.  Because they are the ones who have to make sure the kids practice!

 The winner was given Starbucks coffee!

 The second half of the program were duets.  Several grandmas played with their grandchildren.

Jill and Sophia played a duet.

Allegro by Suzuki

Of course, you bow after you're done playing!

These cousins played a duet too.

Great recital, kids!!
Each child received a bag of Starbursts as a gift for all their hard work!

Afterwards, several men had to move the piano off stage.

Claire and Hannah danced on stage. 

We went to the kids' home for dinner.

Sophia loves the piano and promptly sat down to play more.

Jill had invited us to dinner.

She's such a good cook!

On the way home, we were treated to a beautiful sunset!

There were storms to the north.

God, You are a STAR!!

What a wonder You are!!

May Day; flowers, bunnies and birds.

This May Day is quite a cool day!  This afternoon it is 52 degrees.  Not the 70 you would think May Day would bring.

We like to deliver May baskets on May Day.  Here is an old photo from 2011 when the grandkids delivered some May baskets to their great-grandparents.

In Sunday School, we made May baskets and I brought flowers from home to put in their baskets. I'm sad I didn't take pictures.   Here are some of the flowers I picked from around my house for those baskets along with some others that are growing too.

Soon!!

 I love the paddle plant (or flapjack plant - kalanchoe thyrsiflora)

 
The pods from our birch tree are falling all around.

looks like a worm!

This rose bush will be full of blooms soon!

The chive plant has cute pom-pom flowers - but it smells like onion, of course! 

 

 A few weeks ago, I took a picture outside my kitchen window of a bunny making a nest in the front yard.  She was so very busy!

And yesterday, there was a cute little bunny hopping around in my backyard!

The orioles arrived this week!

I know God loves the little sparrows, but they are a mess.

I'm glad God loves messes - messy people included!

"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

If you let them build nests in the purple martin house, I've read that they will attack the purple martins' eggs and even the mother or babies and can kill them.

So my husband faithfully has gotten rid of their nests.  Sparrow nests are made from dried vegetation.  It fills the whole box - amazing how fast that happens since Al tries to clean out their nest every 2-3 days!

Purple martins' nests are made of twigs, plants and mud so you can tell the difference.  Sorry, sparrow, find other places to build your nests!!

We have had beautiful sunrises this past month.

Happy May!