May at Overstuffed

Wow.  It's been nearly a month since I have blogged.  I actually really miss blogging and wish I could find the time to sit down and really write like I used to do.  For now, some photos and video of the last month will have to suffice.


The last time I posted, I mentioned how my mother was flying in to bring the sunshine to the UP.  The day that she flew up, we were expecting another gigantor snowstorm, named  Zeus.  I was so worried her flight wouldn't make it in and that she would be stranded for days in the Chicago airport.  The weather forecast kept changing slightly, and the storm was expected later and later.  Well, it started snowing pretty hard just after she took off in Chicago.  They were told that if they couldn't land in Hancock, they would simply turn around and fly back to Chicago.

I obsessively watched the little flight tracker online.  Can you see that monstrous storm?  The blue was snow, and the green was rain.  You can also see that there was a little tiny pocket of no storm action right where the airport is.  I consider it a miracle.  They landed without incident (well, unless you count how my mom lost her watch and stayed on the plane to look for it and then was locked out of our tiny airport and how I sort of freaked out that she didn't seem to be on the flight), and I had my mommy here for a few days.

The storm began in earnest shortly after we got home from the airport, and we woke up to another winter wonderland.  Well, we were already in a winter wonderland, it was just whiter now.  We had had so many snow days already that I wasn't surprised to see that school wasn't cancelled, but it really should have been since the streets hadn't even been plowed yet!

Because this is the bus that my children ride. (I did not take this picture; it was being shared feverishly on Facebook that day and made it onto the front page of our local paper the next day.) It never actually showed up to our stop--this is the stop a couple blocks before ours--and we ended up having to take the girls to school.  Would a two hour delay have killed anyone?  No.  But trying to have the buses run in this weather might have.  Yes.  I was angry.  Onto more pleasant subjects...

My mother really did bring the sunshine.  The rest of the week was gorgeous.

We went to see Bria play in the advanced student recital.  She played the Allegro from the Vivaldi Concerto in g minor.  (I love how she dealt with the music falling off of her stand at the end there--I thought I might go up to help her, but I knew she would never forgive me, and she managed just fine!)

The snow began to melt.  We even had a picnic table sighting in the backyard!

Then we had to say good-bye to Mamah.  Her visits are never quite long enough.  I felt like I hardly got to see her because I had to work so much while she was here, but I sure appreciate her coming out  to help me and spend time with the girls.

The day after Mamah left it hit 70 degrees!  We still had a ton of snow, but we got to go on a lovely walk with Puccini.
And Sophia enjoyed laying herself out in the oppressive heat (seriously, we were dying!).

All of the snow did finally melt.  We had so many nice days all in a row, that it actually melted too fast and our basement couldn't quite handle it.  Big flood.  It's under control now, don't worry!  And, no snow!

The main reason I haven't blogged is because, even though I'm done teaching "spring" semester, I have so much music to learn/memorize/practice for Pine Mountain.  I am putting in a good 3-4 hours daily of practice and I'm still nervous about being totally ready for June 5 to roll around.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity, though, and I am really loving immersing myself in music.  I'm such a lucky girl. 

The girls played in their first family recital.  It wasn't easy finding something that worked for their very different levels of playing, and it REALLY wasn't easy getting them to practice together happily.  I have a new found respect for Maria Von Trapp and the Osmonds and any other family music group because OH MY HECK doing one little number nearly killed me!
But, they did so well when it was all said and done!  We will do it again, and though it may kill me, it will be worth it!

Then there was Mother's Day.  I sure love Mother's Day!  I was spoiled with a new dress, lots of cards and school-made gifts from the girls, breakfast in bed, and my favorite gourmet dinner.

From the Mother's Day book Sophia made at school. 

Even though we woke up to a few inches of snow on Mother's Day morning (don't worry, it was all gone by the end of the day), I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful day.

Or more wonderful children.