New Year's Gifts

: : Might've been a good buy ;P : :

: : Gardening was the latest hobby : :

: : I think this being Australian Made was the only reason it was bought for me :P : :

: : Nearly 16! : :

: : Recently Danielle made a collection of these bonnets : :

: : Because his office isn't healthy enough, apparently ;P : :

: : My car must be too dirty . . . : :

: : Kitten Bowl : :

: : We told them they had to wait and all open their gifts at the same time :P : : 

: : Apparently we needed ice creams in addition to all our other gifts :P : :

: : My collection : :

: : Dad's : :

Musical Performance

Bethesda Rest Home Concert || December 2014

So I didn't actually go . . . but some of the videos are pretty good so thought I'd share them. :)

Recorder Quintuplet || Ode to Joy

{Actually just a duet played with five recorders}

Diana || Recorder Solo

                                          

Danielle || Recorder Solo

Swan Lake Theme ~ Tchaikovsky 

Recorder & Violin Ensemble 

New Zealand National Anthem || God Defend New Zealand

Diana's Birthday Party || 9yrs || Part 1

So I meant to have these up *ages* ago, but left it in the hopes that the missing images would be found first. What happened was our [Mum's] memory card filled up half-way through the party and I allowed someone else to download them and clear the card. Then I'm ready to edit them and they're nowhere to be found. #nothappy Most of the images I captured of the card-making, including individual shots of each person with her card were in that first batch, along with various new background images, and {I think} more photos from Nana's visit to Auckland. (More on that in a future post.) *sigh* Fingers crossed they'll show up at some point . . . they don't seem to be in the recycle bin.

: : Plenty of outdoor play took place throughout the day. : :
Both Jarrod's homemade swings and the swing + bar/rings set were well enjoyed.

: : Since up is always better : :

: : Laura loved playing with Katie all day! : :

: : Aww... : :

: : It was so special to have Nana here for Diana's party, it had been several years since her last trip to Auckland! : :

: : Always a jam session with musicians around! : :

: : And Amelia has a turn : :

Concert @ Bethesda Resthome

Although not something we have done a lot of, historically, performance is an important aspect of music education. Along with the Campbells (who teach Jarrod and Monique violin), and my recorder students, we concluded term 2 with a concert at Bethesda Resthome in Manukau.

: : Opening with Amazing Grace : :

: : Violin Duets : :

Allegro Andante by John Stanley on my flute:

Danielle began clarinet at the beginning of this year, but she has/has just about caught up to the year 2 students, so we asked her to play a solo. Just before she walked up she asked me what she should play, but since I don't oversee either her lessons or practice, I wasn't really sure. I did, however, expect her to play something she had worked on in her lessons and could play well. So I was a little surprised when she announced she would play Botany Bay, which she found the music for online fairly recently! That's typical Danielle style though, so I should have known(!), and she played really well.

: :