Photo Fun

 Nana Jana took this fun photo of Leah at the park! She's something else!

What's that? 

A leg???

A Leah!!

I took this one (at Leah's insistence) of the french fry sculpture in front of the library: 

I think she's wanting to convey that she squeezed between the pieces. 

Music Lessons

James & Leah started music lessons a little bit ago - James was right before school started & Leah was right after school. Their lessons are at the same time, which is convenient for me. 

James started ukulele lessons at A Major Music.

So much posing. 

He was VERY excited for his first lesson, which was on the last day of swim lessons. 

His first song is "Free Fallin" by Tom Petty, which I take it has 3 chords, 2 of which he learned Thursday. 

His second song was "Riptide," which he finished up today & his third song is going to be something by AJR (exciting!) 

Leah is taking piano. 

So far she's done Mary Had a Little Lamb, Old MacDonald & The Knuckle Song (which is a duet with her teacher - he is very, very patient! Here's a link to a version that is similar, but not exactly the same.) 

James Sleepover Party

James is 10!! Two whole hands! 

He had a sleepover birthday party, and could not be convinced to invite more kids or do some kind of outside the home activity. Let the record show that I offered/encouraged: indoor swimming at the ARC, go-karts or mini-golf, the arcade at the mall, ninja open gym, coding class -- or anything else! 

His cousin & one friend came over - I also offered to offload Leah and Amelie somewhere, but he said they could stay. Mostly, they wanted to play video games and stay up entirely, entirely too late. They did play outside some in the yard & with the neighbors & at the park. 

There were s'mores on the deck & pizza & fruit & a Home Alone marathon. I think they may have also gone down into the basement & done some autotune experimentation. Sam won Melissa Ethridge tickets on the radio & took James the next day, too, to prolong the birthday celebrations. 

One of the main things he wanted for a gift was a robe! Ha!

Show me the hood, I said: