Knox Idol - Round #3 Katja Sings Again...

Well, today was Round #3. The category was Top 40. The kids could pick any song that was on the top 40 list in the last calendar year. Katja sang "Party in the USA". See song below.

Compared to the other contestants, I felt she did very well and should move on to the next round of six. However, I must admit that I found her singing lacking in energy. She sang this song for me various times at home in the living room with much more energy while dancing and having fun. Today, when I watched her, I felt she was going through the motions but her heart wasn't into it. Later I asked one of her teachers if she agreed with me and she told me that Katja had been acting like she was "out to lunch" all day long at school. We all have those days, I guess.

Chris (her boyfriend), one the other hand, was ON! He sang "Hey There, Delilah!" and dedicated the song to Katja. The gesture could have come across as quite "cheesy", but he was so earnest and passionate in his singing that he moved us all. One of the teachers claimed to have cried. His song is below....

Only six will move to round #4. We'll see if Katja and/or Chris are among them!

My 12 Favorite 2009 Christmas Moments...

(in no particular order!)

#1 - Santa's Helpers....

Jack and Jayce LOVED everything associated with Christmas. At the sight of a camera they would scream "candy cane" and crack themselves up....

#2 - Waking up Christmas morning in coordinating (warm & cozy) holiday "jammies"...

What can I say? It's a tradition that started when I was a child and I've continued with my kids.

#3 - Watching my kids come down the stairs to see what Santa brought them.

They are so good. They actually wait for me to get my first cup of coffee, feed the dogs, and get the camera before they rush to look under the tree.

#4 - Grandma and Papa's annual attempt to get a picture with all of their grandchildren.

This year the grandchild count reached 7 with the birth of Luke to Paco and Kerrie. Unfortunately, Luke did not make it to the picture this year. Maybe next year!

#5 - Spending time with my big brother and his family.

Robert Jr. travels a lot so while we get to see his kids at least once a month, we don't get to spend time with him and Beth nearly enough. Christmas is the one time we know we'll get to spend some time with them.

#6 - Spending time with my baby brother and his family.

We hang out with them all the time as Jack and Jayce are not only cousins but best buddies but having the boys discover the joys of Christmas together made it even more special.

#7 - Spending time with my sister and her family

Michelle and Chris own two stores so during the holidays we barely see them until they close their stores on Christmas Eve and FINALLY get to relax.

#8 - My Kids' Reactions on Christmas Morning to their loot...

Never mind that they are now 12 and 10 years old respectively, I can still manage to surprise them with gifts that they weren't expecting but were thrilled about. For Katja this year it was book #2 of a series she just fell in love with. For Robbie, what else, a new football and kicking tee.

#9 - Finding The Perfect Gift for each...

If you know my kids, NO explanations necessary, right?

#10 - Cousins playing football in the yard

I am saving this picture! I bet they'll still be playing football like this on Christmas ten years from now! Of course, grandma won't have to worry about them running into the street then and they won't be in matching outfits.... ;)

#11 - Robbie Singing Karaeke on Christmas Eve

Robert and Beth got a portable karaoke machine for all the cousins to have fun with. Much to our surprise Robbie was first to grab the microphone and give it a go!

#12 - Katja Singing a Solo (One Candle) with her choir about Peace.

She sang this several times. The first time was during the choir's Winter concert with all the lights off and her lighting the first candle during her solo, etc. Unfortunately, the lack of lighting resulted in a black screen during video taping much to our disappointment. Fortunately, the choir went from school to school during their Winter Tour singing songs from the show and I was able to record her while she sang at Robbie's school. His classmates found her to be pretty. Robbie was perplexed, "Pretty? Dude, that's my sister..."

First Highlights!

Katja got her first highlights on Columbus Day. My hair dresser of 20+ years (Beth) did the honors. She foiled about six strands around the face and we were quite pleased with the results. Katja is quite into grooming and primping these days. She wakes at 5:30 a.m. just to roll her hair and puts much thought into every outfit she wears. She such THE girly-girl. I thought I had a few more years before we reached this stage, but alas, time snuck up on me! Sighhhh.... Here's the latest on Katja:

• Her new nickname (at school & with friends) is "Kat" though she does go by Katja as well.
• She is playing volleyball for Knox as well a singing in the choir and playing in the school's orchestra.
• She just had her first concert "chair audition" with the Houston Youth Symphony and will be playing 2nd chair viola at the November 8th concert. This means she gets to sit front and center on the stage. Of course, she wanted 1st chair but got beat out by a girl that has been playing since she was four years old. The good thing is that she will have someone to push her and challenge her so she will be motivated to continue to work hard on improving and maturing her skills as a violist.
• She goes to Junior High All Region Orchestra Auditions tomorrow. Since she made it last year as a middle schooler, her goal this year is to make the top orchestra and rank in the the top three in the region. Her teacher told her that all of the top students will play the right notes, but that the top players will be those who can make their violas sing. We'll see!
• She had her first junior high boyfriend last week, but as of today he is already ancient history. Her only regret is that she is now without an escort to her first dance- a Halloween costume dance at Knox Jr. High. However, she did point out to me that word is out that she is once again "single" and there are still almost two weeks before the dance.
• She is also trying out for All Region Choir Audition. She is singing "Alice Blue Gown". I will post a recording of her singing it soon.
• Speaking of singing! All of the Knox Jr. High volleyball players went to watch the College Park volleyball team play at one of their home games. Just before the game started the announcer introduced Katja by saying that she would be singing the national anthem. When I asked her why she had not told me that she would be singing she informed me that she had been volunteered by her teammates at the last minute and even she had not known anything about it. So, she had no qualms about singing "cold" without practicing even a bit and in front of hundreds of people without a moment's reservation. Poor thing my child, she is so shy!

Jack loves to watch Robbie's football games. He yells "Go Robbie!" from the sidelines, climbs the fence to get a better view (as seen below), and runs up and down the sidelines having a ball. It was so cute the other day... I took Katja and some of her girl friends to see the Woodlands High vs. College Park football game at the new football stadium (gorgeous!). Jack had the most fun of all. The weather was misty all day so he got to wear his London Fog coat with his yellow rain boots to the game and even got to hold mama's "brella" at times. He would stand on the stadium benches and make comments such as these on the game:

• "(Gasp) He catch the ball, mommy!"
• "Oh, no!!!! He fall down!"
• "Go Robbie!!!!!" (He assumed, of course, Robbie was one of the players ;)
• "Holy moly! He kick the ball highhhh!"
• "He run with the ball, mommy!"
• "Isha big helmet" (at half time when WHS brings out the giant inflatable helmet for the players to run through."

Robbie got a hair cut. The "bowl" haircut is no more. (sniff, sniff) I will post recent pics of him with his new "doo" after tomorrow's football game.

Videos Only Grandparents Will Love!

As everyone else will be bored stiff by them.... but, since Nana, Grandpa, and Jeff were not able to attend Katja's latest concert at Sam Houston State University I have posted them here for their viewing pleasure.  Above is Katja after the concert holding her viola. Notice, only Katja deems it necessary to accessorize her instrument to match her outfit!

A bit of background on this....  

• Katja went on her first overnight summer camp to Sam Houston State University's Orchestra Camp.
• It is a combined High School & Junior High camp.
• Students audition upon arrival and are placed in one of three orchestras based on how well they performed during the audition.
• Katja was proud (and surprised) to make the first orchestra (her realistic goal had been 2nd) since she's only going into 7th grade & she was competing vs. H.S students also....
• The students got their music on a Sunday night and had to perform by Thursday.  That's only four days to learn three new songs & play them with complete strangers.  Seems a daunting task to me, but then, I'm clueless when it comes to producing music myself and am easily impressed.
• Her orchestra played three pieces.  I will post two of them here.

The piece below is "One Hand, One Heart" by Bernstein from West Side Story. Katja is the violist in the middle of the screen just behind and to the right to the boy in front center.  This first video was very shaky due to Robbie bumping into me repeatedly (while "trying" to help) and me not able to tell him to back-off (he ignored my LOOK) lest it be recorded in the audio. If you feel queasy, just close your eyes and listen only.  Sorry!

This next piece was my favorite.  It is called "Incantations" by Myer; however, Katja and I call it the "BATMAN song"... as it makes us think of that movie's theme song.  Unfortunately, I ran out of battery before the end of the song!  Next time, I'll only video Katja's orchestra and forget the others....  The camera I was using went from 37 minutes of battery charge to zero in about 2 minutes.  Even I can do better math than that!

Now her teacher wants her to buy a good viola.  Apparently, I have been renting an OK instrument, but not nearly up to what her needs are about be now that she's improving so quickly, playing for the Houston Youth Symphony, and aspiring to attend Julliard School of Music in New York for college (as her "role-model/heroine" who just graduated from College Park H.S. in The Woodlands just did). 

Her teacher also wants her to attend Interlochen Summer Camp in Michigan for three weeks next summer. Apparently it's some major Arts Institute with lots of history. You can only attend if you are accepted after they view your audition DVD.  It costs over $4,000.00 for only three weeks. ;O  LOL!!!!!!!  That does not include airfare and uniforms either!  However, I did find out that they give out over 6 million dollars in financial aid each year, and that they favor giving such aid to aspiring violist & bass players since there are less of them, so I am hopeful.  I do have a Master's in Education.  Surely they have need for some of my skills and I can barter my services for her tuition?!?  Anything... I'll even do windows and toilets.  The lengths we go for our children. Thank goodness Robbie's into football!  Texas has got to be the best place to train for that.  And I used to think shoulder pads & helmets were expensive! LOL!

I think I'll go buy a lottery ticket now ;)