Friday Fragments, Episode #139

We all have fragments. They clutter the mind. This is our place to clean house.  

[To learn more about Friday Fragments, click on the tab above.]

***

I'm confident that a place has been reserved for me in heaven, especially after today's field trip to the Milwaukee Museum (my second), during which I spent four hours in a yellow school bus with 6th graders. Ahead of me in line at the pearly gates, however, will be the parent volunteers, who aren't used to the chaos.  (We had so many volunteers, in fact, that we had to turn several parents down!)

***

Paying the bills this week, it occurred to me that the one I least enjoy paying (trying to maintain my Lenten promise to avoid negative comments) is the cellphone bill. It has tripled in the past five years, and I'm not impressed. I guess I should be grateful that we can still pay it, though.

***

I tried the taco-flavored Doritos this week and loved them. It occurred to me that fish-flavored Doritos would taste nasty; if they ever come up with those, I will have to pass. (Talk about a fragment, huh?!)

***

I've been thinking a lot about my blog lately and what to do with it. I feel like I've told all my stories that have lead up to this point in my life. (Blogging for four years kind of does that. Holy cow! It's been four years?! That's pretty cool!) I wonder what's next for me. I don't have the answer, and I'm okay with that. Thanks for hanging out with me during my noncommittal stage. [I just realized that I have many, many more stories to tell, actually.  I'm just not ready or willing to tell them (and that's okay, too).]

***

I thankfully do not have a ton of personal experience with suicide. I know some things instinctively, but I learned a lot more this week, watching a brief training PowerPoint on the QPR method of suicide prevention. It was really interesting. For example, one of the recommendations is that, when appropriate, you can simply ask a person, "Are you thinking about suicide?" That would not be my first instinct, but apparently, it's a good idea. Who knew? I hope I never have need for such training.

***

Did you know that you can see a new/different view of my blog (and any other Blogger blog on which the feature has been enabled) by simply typing this:  /view  after my url above?  My personal favorites views for Half-Past Kissin' Time are Sidebar and FlipCard. I also love this view of my Mrs.4444 Cooks blog, because who doesn't like lots of pics of food?!

***

My Difference Makers students and I have so far raised 10% of the lofty goal they set at $3000 for Relay for Life.  If you can at all help us make a bigger dent, we'd very much appreciate your clicking on that button over on my right top sidebar and making a donation in any amount. We have eight days left and a penny war scheduled for next week, but we're going to need a lot more help. If you know anyone interested in kicking cancer's butt, feel free to send them our way, too.  You can go to the kids' page or my personal goal page to help Difference Makers make a difference :)  If you've already donated, THANK YOU!!

Okay, I'm done. I'm also out of my funk (pretty much), and I look forward to catching up on your blogs this weekend. I plan on starting here, by clicking on your Friday Fragments post. Thanks! After you link up, be sure to visit at least a few other fragmenters, too, will you? Everyone loves company! :)

Climb Every Mountain? No Thanks.

       Kendall and I went to a movie on Sunday. When we arrived at the theater, I was shocked at how many cars filled the parking lot; there were cars parked all the way out at the far edges, as far as the eye could see. It was a Sunday afternoon and not a holiday weekend, so I was puzzled. However, a minute later, when we FINALLY found a parking spot, I figured the situation out.




Wait for it......





Wait for it.....





This is the middle of the parking lot. (That's the theater in the background.)  Behind me is a discount store. (Yes, it really was as huge a mountain as it appears.)

Normally, where this snow is, there are two double rows of parking.

Kendall wanted to climb over the snow to get to the movie. I declined, though the bird's-eye view would have made for another great shot!

I'm sure it'll all melt this week. [crossing fingers]

Ode to the Little Ones

My cousin, Jeanie Carlin, has a gorgeous voice and a personality to match. She wrote this song, my niece put it to cousin photos, and I think every one of us can relate to it. This is a great way to start the week. Enjoy!

Sundays in My City, S'no Big Deal

    
          We've had plenty of snow lately, and as I've stated in the past, it doesn't bother me in the least; I think it's beautiful. That said, I'm not the one who shovels or blows the snow. My sister Judy (who's lived in warm states for many years) recently chuckled that I talked about getting "18 inches of snow" and "driving to and from work" in the same paragraph and how funny that was--the thought of even leaving the house after that kind of snowfall. For the record, I didn't go to work until the day after the snowfall. :)   It was the same day that my brother-in-law went outside to tackle his own snow removal and found his tractor like this...

I took the next shot the day before the biggest snowfall, just before pulling in the driveway. 

Kendall had ridden the bus home and arrived home before me.

The sunrise on the way to work one day was very eye-catching...

But this one takes my breath away; I just love it. 

It's one of my sister Michelle's first shots with her brand new SLR camera.

(I'm so envious.)

So, yes, it's March 26th, and we still have a lot of snow, but half of it's melted already, 

and I know I'll still see kids wearing shorts at school on Monday.

Besides, if I want to see real signs of spring, I can just head over to Unknown Mami's,

where plenty of people are sharing pics from their own cities.

Care to join me?

Saturday Sampling, March 26th, 2011

Sometimes, when I have a day off from school, I get my days mixed up. This week, we had a Snow Day on Wednesday and no school on Friday, so I got a little dizzy. If you arrived here at the usual time on Friday night and didn't see this post and worried about me, Thanks. If you thought to yourself, "OMG! Where is she? Has something horrible happened?" then you need to not worry so much :)  I actually was just out for perch and spaced it out. Thanks for your understanding.

WELCOME to Saturday Sampling!

In a nutshell, Saturday sampling is a place to catch up on some of the best posts from blogland this week (or earlier). Link up one of your own and/or any number of others you found worth a second look. Not sure of the "rules?" Click the tab above :) Thanks!

Friday Fragments, Episode #138

***I have never in my life stayed in a "funk" as I have this week. I guess this is the month of firsts. I'm just gonna let it ride; I'm sure it'll be over next week.

***We got 18 inches of snow yesterday; it's awesome. I love snow--It looks gorgeous in our woods outside, and we have a snowblower (and a man who loves using it), so it's all good. Well, mostly good--the drive to/from work today was pretty dangerous, but it'll be melted before long.

***This week, a student threw the ultimate insult my way--He told the staff person in detention, "Mrs.4444 doesn't care!" (and "This is crap!" of course)  Really--that first one hurt. Later on, in class, when he asked me for a favor, I told him, "Why in the world would I do that for you? I don't care. Remember?" He looked totally confused. I told him that I'd heard about his rant about me. He rolled his eyes.  I put more of my time into that kid than all the rest combined, and it really has little effect. This incident was just another nail in the coffin that is teacher appreciation lately.  [PLEASE do not comment on this fragment--It's not a ploy for praise; I just wanted to express it. I'm wearing down, is all.]

***If a teacher calls your house to notify you that your 6th grader skipped a class today and your response is, "He's just like that here, too--crappy attitude!  We just don't know what to do with him," then my recommendation is that you get professional help. If this is how he is in sixth grade (Seriously? Skipping class in 6th grade?!) and you don't know what to do with him, you're in for a rough next six years.

***Taking the kids to Chicago this summer? My friend Melisa (Suburban Scrawl) has written a new book that is a great resource! It's called Chicken in the Car and the Car Won't Go. I've pre-ordered my copy and am really looking forward to getting it!

***My Difference Makers students met tonight and were thrilled to see that we have made a dent in our BIG goal of raising $3000 for Relay for Life! Click on the button over on the right to see how I'm doing on my part of the goal. If you click on My Team Page, you'll also see a cute pic of the kids, as well as our overall goal progress. If you should be kind enough to donate to our team, I will put your name in a hat for a special prize. (Sorry--No idea what it is yet, but I promise it will be nice :) Right now, your odds of winning are great!

***I found a really great website this week called Free Practice Driving Tests. Do you know how soon you need to turn off your brights when approaching another car coming from the opposite direction?  I guessed two blocks, but I guess it's only one.   You can type in your state and take the written test appropriate for your area. I'm ashamed to say that I flunked mine, but the questions I did get 85%. I'm glad Wisconsin has higher standards than that for passing, and I enjoyed the little "refresher."

***Whoever said they'd share birthday party ideas for Kendall....Will you please email me again if you already did? I'm sorry--I have about 200 unread emails at the moment and hope to get to them soon, but I'd love it if you'd help me out by sending it again so that you rise to the top :) Thanks.

***Got fragments and want to share them? Link up below and check out the results of fragmentation all over the globe :)

Support Your Local "Fire Fighters"!

This kid? He's amazing. He was a 7th grade cancer survivor when I shot this video, 

and he has recently become the owner of a brand new heart!

That's right; the drugs required to save Zack's life damaged his heart so much that he needed a new one. What a tough kid. Inspired by Zach (and my Different Makers students) I have allowed my arm to be twisted to the point of agreeing to captain our school's Relay for Life team, and at the risk of giving stalkers way too much information, I'd like to invite you to please visit my donation page. The Difference Makers and I would appreciate it very much!

In a world aflame in need, I liken leading my Difference Makers to handling a powerful, out-of-control fire hose; their enthusiasm is unquenchable, their depth of compassion measureless. Those kids are so stinking cute.  They latched onto the Relay for Life idea and wouldn't take "maybe" for an answer.

Mrs.4444! We could all pitch in with the work!
Mrs.4444! We could have a karate chop fundraiser--people could pay me to break boards!
Mrs.4444!  I'll bake a cake for the cake walk!
Mrs.4444!  Can I start making the posters?

(Yes, I do hear my name called over and over during our meetings; they are always clamoring to contribute ideas.)

Upon signing up on-line, the second bit of information we were asked to offer was our fund raising goal.

How much do you think we can come up with?" I asked (thinking $1000 might be reachable)

"E" chirped, "$5000!"  She was serious. (Very serious.)

$5000? Are you kidding me?

I laughed out loud, but E was adamant. Her eyes twinkled. Her smile was set. The enthusiasm in the room was overwhelming.  Finally, I convinced the kids to compromise at $3000. They already have a penny war and "hat day" planned. The band director just told me he'll dedicate the profits of a 50-50 raffle to our team if we sell the tickets at an upcoming concert. My own personal goal is to raise $400 towards the $3000.

If anyone can do this, it's the Difference Makers--They've dampened numerous fires already.

Life is worth the fight!

To make a donation to The Difference Makers Relay team and see their cute selves (parents gave consent) click on our team page or my individual page.

Saturday Sampling, March 19, 2011

Last weekend, I took the time to read every one of the links people added, and it was a real treat; so many wonderful offerings, week after week. Thanks for making Saturday Sampling such a gem.


(For more info about Saturday Sampling, click on the tab above.)

Friday Fragments, Episode #137

Mr.4444 is so funny. On Friday night, I was working late, and I emailed him that I was working on completing something for a 4:30pm deadline. He replied with,

So I take it a fancy dinner is out of the question? I will try and shoot some squirrels before it gets dark.

See this little cutie?

She's my great niece (granddaughter of my sister Geri). I loved this Facebook status update from her mom, Jennifer,

Hannah was cleaning her room and came out to tell me she was finished. I asked, "Are you ready for me to inspect?" She said, "Yes...wait. When you inspect, do you look under the bed?"

If you like inspiring documentaries about inner city kids, I recommend checking out City Lax, the Movie.


Or, if you prefer cute videos of Wisconsin folks making fools of themselves in public, check this one out.

How well do you handle stress? I'm sort of embarrassed to say that I've never known true stress until this past month of political drama in Wisconsin, and I must say, I do not like it!  My face hurts from clenching my jaw on a regular basis. My heart aches for those of you who live this kind of stress all the time. As bad as this is for me, I know it's a drop in the bucket for some people.

The previous fragment aside, I learned this week that I'll have a job next year. Still waiting on word about my salary and benefits.

Call me a geek, but I wanted to learn more about the nuclear reactor situation in Japan, and I found this very simple video on Free Tech for Teachers, Fukushima Nuclear Reactor Problem Explained. It could have also been named, Nuclear Reactors for Dummies. Interesting.

Kendall's 16th birthday is coming up in April. We'd like to do something special, but we need to keep it reasonable. Any suggestions?

You may know that I've given up negative comments for Lent. (Guess I'll be doing some penance tonight, but it was worth it. :)

Okay, now it's your turn! Unload the bits and pieces of your week into a Friday Fragments post and link up here:

"Special" Education

As some of you know all too well, students on the autism spectrum have a great deal of trouble with figures of speech. It's because they are very concrete in their thinking; very literal.  The English language is full of idioms, metaphors, etc. and I have to be very conscious of this when talking to sixth graders in general, but especially with kids on the spectrum.

Take Troy, for example. Hard as he tries, he just can't seem to grasp the double meanings in so much of what we read in class. When I ask questions about the intentions of various authors' techniques, I always get very concrete answers from Troy. When observing him conversing with peers, it's often clear that he and the other kids are on different wavelengths when it comes to what's funny and what's not.

Today, we started working on Readers Theater, which is basically like forensics; students read scripts together, demonstrating smooth reading fluency, voice inflection, etc.  Students grouped up and began searching for appropriate scripts.  Troy was invited to join a group that quickly found a script, but he did not want to join them; he said he was sick of always working with those same kids, but no one else seemed to have room for him.  I encouraged him to look for a script to possibly invite someone to join him.  Troy quickly became frustrated with the process and was starting to lose his cool. His tell-tale anger cues (loud voice, red face, etc.) were starting to show. He just didn't like any of my suggestions, either, until finally, I asked him,

"Do you like baseball?"

Score! Troy apparently likes baseball!  I asked if he'd ever heard of Who's On First, performed by Abbott and Costello.  He told me that he hadn't and seemed only mildly interested, but it had been almost an hour, and I really needed to get him interested in something, so I grabbed my (school's) iPad and found an Mp3 recording of the original and the script.  I told Tory to let me know what he thought of it, and I walked around the corner to help a couple of other kids, who were working on their script in the hallway.

Several minutes later, I heard some loud chuckling. Soon, Troy came rushing around the corner with the iPad, enthusiastically offering, "It's totally going to work! I really wanna be the guy with the anger problem! Can I be the guy with the anger problem?!"

We enlisted the help of another student to play the role of Costello. (He's a very capable reader and has a nice, even temperament.) It's going to be great.

And just like that, Troy changed from sullen and disconnected to excited and engaged.

I wonder what Abbott and Costello would think, to know that they helped a kid with autism today.

Making a Difference, Again

My Difference Maker students have been at it again. Last week, they hung up a banner in the hallway and invited everyone to help fill it up with hearts. Across the banner are the words, "To Teach is To Touch a Life Forever." Each heart on the banner has a message about a teacher who has made a difference in the writer's life. Some are for teachers at our middle school, but many are for grade school teachers from the past.  Here are some of them....

And finally, these two, which were written by a special education student of mine for whom writing is a huge challenge (and reading even moreso). He wrote these on two separate days and asked me to come out in the hallway to see them after he hung them up. This boy is quiet as a mouse; he rarely says an unsolicited word, which is why these especially touched my heart.

(Excuse me while I choke down the lump in my throat.)

The banner is just outside my classroom door, in the hallway people pass when they enter the school. If I ever need to smile, I just walk out and read some of the messages.  It's stuff like this that makes me say to myself,  "I'm putting on my armor; more than ever, struggling learners are going to need my help even more in the coming years." I'm keeping my head down. Today is a good day.

How about you? Did you have a teacher who made a difference in your life? Feel free to share your story or put a link in your comment if you've ever blogged on this topic.

Singing in My City (Solo and Ensemble Edition)

Sundays in My City is a weekly theme hosted by one of my favorite bloggers, Unknown Mami. It's a wonderful collection of posts from all over the world. Today, though, I'm adding a twist to the title (as you may have noticed by my title.) I'm guessing Unknown Mami won't mind (she's very flexible, right U.M??)

In my city today, I am lazing around on the couch, but on Saturday, hundreds of kids from around our area descended on Tinytown to hone the ever-important life skill that is "putting yourself on display for everyone to critique!" (Yikes--Such brave kids!)

Kendall performed a beautiful duet and her solo piece, I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly. Mr.4444 and I were very proud. [I should mention that her song was a Class A (most difficult) song.]

Performers can earn a 3, 2, 1, or *1 (state) for their pieces. While Kendall would like to be going to state competition, she is pleased with her "1," which makes sense; she's always been number one in our book :)

[#1 Daughter, of course. We also have a #1 Son.]

For more about Sundays in My City, visit Unknown Mami, and tell her I said hi :)

P.S. Sorry for the crappy video quality--It might be because I used the zoom feature on my Flip camera?

Saturday Sampling, March 12th, 2011

Welcome to Saturday Sampling, the best place to find must-read posts from around the blog-o-sphere this week. Got a personal favorite from your own blog or someone else's? Link it up! In fact, link two or three up, but please be a dear (if this is your first time), and read the Saturday Sampling how-to's (see tab above) before linking up. Enjoy!

P.S. And please (if you're the praying kind) keep those affected by this week's earthquakes (literal and figurative) in your prayers this weekend.Thanks!

Friday Fragments, Episode #136

Feeling fragmenty? Me, too! Friday Fragments are the bits and pieces of your week that were too small to stand alone as posts but were too good to discard.  I'm glad you're here. {To learn more about Friday Fragments, please click on the tab above.}

*Next Friday, I'm volunteering at "Friday Fun Night" at school. Close to 400 preteens will descend on the middle school for dodgeball, wii games, movies, computer fun, karaoke, and general adolescent insanity. [Note to Self: Don't forget the earplugs.] Want to hear something really cool about Friday Fun Night?  It happens about four times a school year, and it's free.  Our school district is so awesome.

*On Saturday, our high school is hosting Solo & Ensemble! Kendall is singing a duet (The Sea) and a solo (I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly).  Since the musical just ended a week or two ago, she's had very little time to learn this new music, but she sounds wonderful.  (I promise to post at least the audio on Sunday.)

*"I really want some moccasins. And a ukulele." This is a random text that Kendall sent to me one day last week, and it made me laugh out loud. Seriously? A ukulele?"  Yes, she was serious. Apparently, moccasins  are all the rage lately, and some kids have been bringing ukuleles in to play during free time in the choir room.


[For the record, Kendall wasn't demanding these things. Think of it as something she would send to a girlfriend; she was basically saying, "I've got to get myself some moccasins and a ukulele!"]

*I have been checking out the Welcome Home Blog since I found it recently. I can't go near it without tissues, though. Tonight, I found the post In Memory of Our Fallen Heroes especially heartbreaking and powerful. Wow. As a mother, I cannot imagine what it would be like to have a child (adult, nonetheless) on the other side of the world, sacrificing his/her safety, not knowing when they'd be coming home again. If you are the spouse, child, parent of someone in the military, thank you so much for your sacrifice.

*There are only a few major events in my lifetime (so far) that have profoundly impacted me in a permanent way. Grandpa 4444's sudden and unexpected passing was one of those events. I suspect that the inevitable passage (no pun intended) of  Wisconsin governor Scott Walker's entire budget repair bill will be another; I'm certain that my life will be impacted greatly, and I have no idea what that will look like, but thankfully, I've been blessed with my mothers disposition, so I'll get over it. [Thank you, Mom. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.]

Now it's your turn! Check out the Friday Fragment how-to's on the tab above and then link yours up.  Visit other fragmenters to make new friends and influence people :)  Have a great weekend!

Sometimes, You Have to Push 'Em a Little

Believe it or not, I practically had to drag Mr.4444 down the wedding aisle, after years of whining. I totally ruined the whole engagement fantasy for both of us. In fact, I believe the actual proposal went something like this (fast-forwarded 6 years):

Him: I know I'm going to marry you some day. I just don't know when that's going to be. I'm not ready.

Okay, but what will it take for you to be ready?

I don't know. Sorry. 

[Later, rinse, repeat about ten times.]

Me: I'm done. We're done. I'm not waiting anymore. Have a nice life.

blink.

Four quiet days later, I received a bouquet of roses with a card which read, "Will you marry me?" Mr.4444

It wasn't exactly intimate (really, the poor man was terrified), but I took it and ran with it.

A year later....

Where's my ring? 

Alright! Alright! I'll get you one! 

Okay. Nice ring. Let's set a date!

Do we have to? [smiles]

I gotta tell you, though, once the ceremony was over, Mr.4444 threw off the fear and embraced the magic. He became a poster boy for Happily Married Man.  Twenty-one years later, we are still in love; holding hands and snuggling like newlyweds. (My favorite place in the world is falling asleep in that man's arms.)

Happy Anniversary, Mr.4444 (away on business). I love you!!!!

My Head Hurts

I just want you all to know that I consider my blog a safe haven, a place to relax. I have a lot of emotions about tonight's vote* in Madison, but I will not be ranting about it here. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who have shown support. I love you guys...


*The Republicans made a new rule that they could split the bill in half. They then voted on half of it and passed it. Did they vote to pass the money part? No. Just the part about ending collective bargaining!  I'm watching a live feed right now of what's going on in Madison; people are calling for a nation-side strike of all union workers. A bus leaves this morning (from my school district) for Madison. (We have school today.) This is CRAZY!!!

Update (6am): Before I went to bed last night, I prayed to God for wisdom and strengh. I went to bed at midnight. One might think I would have nightmares after watching all the drama unfold, after hearing all of the chaos and radical ideas tossed about in Madison for hours before going to sleep. However, I did not. Instead, I had a had some wonderful dreams! I took a vacation to California, where I was immersed in some delightful art and architecture exploration (and I'm not that into that stuff, but I loved it!)  It's 6am, and I feel happy and rested. I've even been singing!

So, I may have gone off the deep end. I'll keep you posted.

Something to Smile About

Holy cow! How have I never seen this before?! What a wonderful video....(get the tissues ready!)

visit Welcome Home Blog for more happy reunions.

Saturday Sampling, March 4, 2011

I'm not trying to be dramatic; it is what it is--I'm just sad tonight. When the distractions of the busy school week fade into the background, I am free to think about a state divided, friends at odds, families split along party lines, and an uncertain future for my family and for kids. I need the welcome distraction of Saturday Sampling. Thanks for linking up your inspiring, funny, poignant, moving posts. Thanks, too, for tagging them with phrases that allow readers to pick and choose what they want to read. Link up one of your own posts and any number of those from others. If the post is not your own, please add a * to the front of it. Thanks.

To learn more about Saturday Sampling, please click on the SS tab above.

Friday Fragments, Episode #135

***Kendall wears mismatched socks all the time; she could care less, as long as they are both white. I absolutely love that about her.

***Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or something in the middle, I hope you can appreciate the beauty in this video by a U.W. Madison student, Matt Wisniewski. That we live in a country in which thousands of people (from both sides) can come together and peacefully protest is fantastic.

***Did you know that the Veggie Tales guys have a new, fun website? I poked around in there (for old time's sake) and found it to be absolutely adorable. If you've never heard of them, I highly recommend the site (and the CD's, which my kids loved when they were younger.

Last week, Mel (of Fraase Family) wrote a fragment that I appreciated in a "I remember those days!" kind of way...

Jackson and Piper were both sick this week. Lots of extra laundry for pukey toddlers. I look forward to the age when they can make it to the bathroom to vomit instead of erupting like a volcano where they stand. Especially when they’re standing on my bed. Lucky for you, no pics.


I mean this in the nicest way possible, Mel--You were my Favorite Friday Fragmenter as a result of that frag. Enjoy your award :)

***When people fart in my presence, I like to say, "Conflatulations!" (This gem came from the always brilliant, sometimes offensive Lightning Bug's Butt.)

***I don't know where her dad got a hold of Walker's Budget Repair Bill, but this video cracked me up!!



***Are you "Rebecca?" If so, your comments are wonderful, but I can never reply, because I know more than one Rebecca and can't figure out which one you are. The next time you stop by, will you please leave your email address so that I can reply? Thanks.

Okay, I've got to finish up this post and get back to visiting with Kyle and a few friends who stopped by to EAT. Have a great weekend!

The Good Kind of Drama

It has been almost two weeks since the drama in Wisconsin began unfolding, and it's been emotionally tough. Thank goodness it's not the only drama we've had--Kendall performed last weekend in Tinytown's production of The King and I.  Finally...after weeks and weeks of work (and staying after school for hours and hours), they were able to share the fruits of their labors, and it was worth the wait.

The costumes were great and quite colorful. In addition to high schoolers, the musical featured grade school children who often stole the show--They were adorable.

"Anna" was terrific; I'm sure her parents are proud as heck!  Of course, she sang beautifully, but I was also very impressed with her wardrobe! Each of her dresses were gorgeous...

Take at look at this next photo and consider for just a second that it took me four hours to simply paint that blue sky and the clouds (the photo shows only about half of the sky). They had at least four major backdrops and sets, all which had to be built, painted, and/or assembled. So don't pat me on the back for helping; clearly, my help was just a drop in a very, very large bucket.

This trio was wonderful in its supporting role.
(These scenes are the Uncle Tom's Cabin play-within-a-play scene.)

 There's Kendall, in the greenish skirt; she was one of the king's wives. They did a wonderful job, too.

And here she is (in the teal skirt) in the scene in which the wives were all dressed up in western clothing in order to impress a visiting Englishman.

Here's Kendall with my mom and Grandma 4444, who could not praise the show enough--so proud of Kendall and the whole cast.

I'm so happy that Kendall enjoys doing musicals so much and has two more years to continue.

I've heard that teenage girls can create a lot of drama;

thankfully, this is the kind Kendall loves best :)

p.s. Many of these photos were taken by a friend with a much nicer camera than mine.

(Thanks for sharing, Rolean! :)