3 Quarters Today

My Life, my photography, my passions

Omaha

Day 54/365: BOCH Music Festival

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Day 54: Honor Choir, Band and Orchestra

I’m taking some time out to be a Mom. My son sang in last weekends Honor Choir during the BOCH Festival. This stands for the Honor Band, Orchestra, and Choir at the Holland Center Festival, which was held in Omaha Nebraska Sunday February 22, 2011. He is a senior in high school and sings Bass II. He is right of middle, in a white shirt and tie. You can see him can’t you?

Only last year did he even begin to start participating in honor choirs and events. It wasn’t for a lack of talent.  Mrs. Colbert, his choir director, had been begging him to audition for years. Now he has the bug and has two more honor choir concerts in the next three weeks. Maybe it was singing at Carnegie Hall last year that did the trick. Whatever it was I’m enjoying it immensely.

Students were selected by audition and chosen from hundreds of students across the state and even some from Minnesota and Missouri. It’s quite an honor. Hence the name Honor Choir. Only two whole days were spent practicing their music, but remember, these are the most talented voices in the state. They were long days, singing for six hours a day and only one piece was in English. (just why do they do that?) But the result was simply wonderful!

Elmwood-Murdock high school had 15 students accepted into the choir, half in the Women’s Chorus and the other half in the Mixed Chorus. The photo above is bother choirs combined for the final number performed with the band and orchestra. America the Beautiful.

When the audio selections are made available I will post them for your listening enjoyment. For now, just call me a proud Mom. Yeah, he’s going to hate this post if he finds it, but at least I didn’t give his name.

Day 50/365: Airport Adventure, With My Marine

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Can you find my Marine son in this picture? It’s as if he’s playing hide and seek. Now I can see why US Marines do not wear their cammies, ACU’s, or uniforms in public. They would stand out, and the purpose of camouflage is to hide and fit in with your environment.  The official regulations  on wearing uniforms at certain times is very strict in the Marine Corps and much too long to describe here. Since Nathan is strongly apposed to wearing it, I’m sure there are good reasons.

Day 50: Find the Marine

There is quite a bit of uniform envy around, if you can call it that, on both sides of the fence, with some very heated opinions on the pro and con. If you’re interested you can read more on the Terminal Lance forum. Terminal Lance also has a pretty funny Marine comic site that both my sons love to read.

Day 50: My son the Marine

We had quite the day, arrived at the Omaha Epply Airport early at 8:00 am just to find out we were six hours too early. So I got some extra quality one-on-one time with my son that we didn’t get during his leave.

The only thing I regretted was not being able to sleep late and wash my hair in the shower this morning.   To make it up he paid for my breakfast, blueberry pancakes, went shopping, and ran some errands  in Omaha. Lunch at Arby’s, again his treat.

Yup, I had a good day.

I LOVE my Ugg Boots

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Fashionable Ugg Boots and slippers
Day 47/365: Ugg Boots

I love my Uggs!

What’s even better is I got them almost 15  years ago, before the Ugg fashion craze, brand new (no tread wear), for only $5.00, at a Goodwill store. They are original sheepskin and are the best boots I’ve ever worn. Even in the coldest Nebraska winters, my feet have never gotten cold. Sometimes they are too warm, but you won’t find me complaining.

My Uggs are  so warm I only wear them a few months of the year, that’s why they are in such good shape. Sure, they don’t stand up straight and tall anymore, but don’t they look comfy cozy on a cold January winter day?

This style of Tall Classic Uggs sell for well over $100, at that price I would be afraid to wear them. But at the bargain I got, I go out in everything!

My UGGs  have proven themselves worthy. It’s one of the reasons why I’m a thrift store addict, you never know what you will find at bargain prices.

Why pay full retail for designer clothes when you can pay a fraction of the cost?

You can pay $170 for Uggs from the upscale stores, but me I prefer to buy a whole wardrobe by thrifting for the same price that includes fashion designs such as Ann Taylor, New York  & Company, Nordstroms, Eddie Bauer, and LL Bean.

Day 46/365: Belly Button Piercing

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Day 46: Jewelry in the Belly Button...oh my

This isn’t where I expected to give my daughter her sweet sixteen present. For some reason I was thinking more girly? She actually asked me last summer, while we were at Linoma Beach, and pointed out several belly button rings and jewelry. The approach was more like, “Would you consider letting me get one for my 16th birthday?” Considering this was more than six months away,  she had a good strategy.

My answer, “I will consider it, but can’t give you an answer yes or no.” She was happy with that and didn’t push. Occasionally I would get a reminder during the year, or a comment about friend or classmate who had a belly ring. Not pushy, and not every comment was positive, some were more inquisitive in the line “I wonder if I can still run track with one?”  But it was always followed by “Are you still considering it?”

Normal concerns circled around the possibility that belly bearing shirts would follow, but since she had never worn those before I was assured it wasn’t going to be a problem. This accessory was more of an addition to her existing bikini attire during pool, beach and sun bathing activities.

Timing was an issue. It needed to be early enough before swimming season so infection wouldn’t be a problem, and even leave some time to take Lifeguard classes in the spring, if she decided that was the summer job she wanted.

After consulting with many friends on where they went to get theirs done, we left on a chilly January Saturday to Dr. Jacks Tattoo and Piercing in Omaha, Nebraska. Walking in you would think every 16 year in Omaha had the same idea. It looked like a cheerleader convention. More young girls than anyone getting tattoos, maybe they need to rename the shop. After my ID and hers was checked against each others, Jen filled out the form and waited.

She was nervous, asking if it would hurt. The technician said, actually the anticipation is worse. It will be uncomfortable for about 1/2 second, some have told me it’s anticlimactic. I was impressed with the aftercare discussion. “For 48 hours, don’t touch it with your fingers, don’t wiggle, don’t move it, don’t slide it, don’t mess with it, just don’t.” A saline spray rinse was provided and instruction given. Found out later other locations have the cleaner as an “option” which you pay extra. Thus the reason for some infection stories we had heard during the last six months.

I wasn’t the only Mom with a camera, and Jen wasn’t complaining this time. Facebook pictures had to be posted,…duh? But not before she posted them. Hence the delay on this post.

Here is the result. Tiny, and so far, four days later no signs of redness, swelling or irritation. So I think it’s going to be fine.

Day 46: Belly Jewelry

Day 35/365: Airport Homecoming

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Day 35: Homecoming

My Marine son comes home on leave. (any ideas which one he is?) First thing he said to his poolie brother, “Where is your regulation hair?” If their smiles were any indication they were pretty excited to see each other.

This visit is bittersweet, yes it’s soon enough after Christmas that the tree is still up and I get another Christmas with cinnamon rolls tomorrow night. But, I have to fly out to Connecticut to my Mothers hospital bed on Thursday.  She had a severe stroke and difficult choices will be made this week that will affect many lives. So, if you don’t see postings for a week that’s where I will be, prayers for peace and guidance is needed.