Music

This year, Mark, tried out for All City Band and All City chorus.  He made both!  Excellent!  This is in addition to Fifth Grade Band and Fifth Grade Chorus from his elementary school.  Last Wednesday he was in an All City Chorus performance.  His chorus of fifth and sixth graders, performed and also the 7-9th grade All City Chorus sang at the same event.  Then the finale was done together.  It was a great night of song.

The chorus director is very specific about clothing - she provides the white shirts, and the kids must have plain black pants, black socks and black shoes (no sneakers).  She is providing not only a great musical experience, but also the whole thing about looking the part.  She is very precise and direct.  So far, so good.

Then on Thursday we had the Elementary School band, orchestra and chorus concert.  I loved watching and listening to the kids play the instruments.  This is voluntary.  The kids were great.  Then all the fifth graders sang in the chorus.  Another great night.  It is hard to imagine that this is Mark's last year in elementary school.  Tears were shed.  But we have one more Fifth grade concert before he leaves the school.

Then today was the MLK celebration.  Another All City Chorus performance, along with the Newton North Jubilee singers, who were amazing and the LOVE TONES from Myrtle Street Church.  And a few speeches, and then this marks the end of the musical week - at least performance wise.  Because right now Mark is having his trombone lesson.

Cooking this week

The other night I made an amazing eggplant Parmesan from my Betty Crocker cookbook that we got when we got engaged.  The dish was terrific.  So terrific that even child #1 liked it.  Amazing.  I don't make it often because it takes a long time to prepare, but I was very happy with the outcome.

The next night I made the Tart and Tangy Beans from the original Moosewood book.  It says serves 6-8 . . .  . I did not like it, nor did child #1 or child #2.  Luckily Adam liked it.  And he is eating it and eating it.  No one wants to help him out.

Tonight, I decided to make cheese blintzes (crepes).  Child #1 was asked to help me, and he lived up to the expectation.  We made the cheese filling, and then we made the batter for the crepe.  And then we made each crepe.  And he helped with the stove top.  He was able to run the spatula along the edge of the crepe, and when it was done, he would have me flip it out of the pan.  We made almost 20!

The crepes are cooking right now, and I know they will be great.  I made them from the Temple Beth El cookbook.  (Yes, Temple Beth El in Swampscott is no longer there, but the cookbook lives on.  Actually my mom has the original blue one. . . . I have the one from the 90's).

Can't wait for DINNER TIME!