Happy Birthday Father Dear from Way Up There

My father could have been 66 today. He died too young and I always wish that he was still around till this day. It's been 14 years since he passed and I always imagine how he would have enjoyed being around his grandchildren. He never saw my kids because he died so suddenly, few weeks before my wedding. It was a very  hard loss because I never expected him to go so soon.  The difference about passing away from the country where I came from to here is that there is no such thing as Dayton obituaries index  or any  obituaries like you can find here in the states.  

 One thing that I miss about my father is his passion for cooking and he also love to sing and dance. His father was a really good musician who played different instruments but my father never really learned to play. However, he had always loved singing.   Anyway, I am browsing  around online and checking all the great deal !   Sometimes, there are  things that  reminds you of someone and  it makes you think of them.  Music instrument, food, and jokes are always  the  keys for me to remember Papa.  

Second Year for Young Musician's Audition

Our daughter will be participating again to the Young Musician's Audition at West Liberty University this year.   Last year was her first time and she did great, she got the highest grade that the judge gave out to all the participants.  Unfortunately, they did not  get many who have the higher grade so they didn't  got to play again in a recital.  I guess the judge last year was very hard and only gave out  the highest  grade to few.  Hopefully this year, lots of  young musicians will get the high grade so they could have a recital.   West Liberty University has awesome PA system, just like this    fender passport, check it out at MusiciansFriend.com.  I hope that she'll be  in great health condition this Friday, she caught a cold  last week and kind of clogged out this weekend.  

Changes of Schedules in Music and Sports for our Minions

During summer break, my children's  piano teacher conducts her lesson at her home.  It's a walking distance from our house and we like this arrangement because it adds up to our  outdoor activity. She lives by the woods so we enjoy seeing wild  animals.  

 Back in June,  cicadas were thick so  my daughter wanted us to stay  at the teacher's porch because she is  scared of  cicadas.

 My son on the other hand ain't afraid of those critters.  He picks them up and  lay them in his hands.

 So we had more fun  walking around the grassy area and explore what is out there.  We usually see deer, different kinds of birds and  a lot of turkey.

 Kids nowadays don't normally go in the woods anymore.  With the  gadgets around, they tend to bury their faces in their gadgets all the time.  We discourage that for our kids.  We see to it that they go outside and enjoy what is out there to see and learn.

 Our young man love any critter out there.  I remember when he was a toddler, he picked up even a wasp lol.  He cried but that did not scare him from exploring with bugs though.  

 These mushrooms on the tree  is always his favorite thing to see.

 He always asks a bunch of questions so I always have my phoone for a backup when I can't answer his questions lol.  

 I am bummed out that he  stopped taking piano lessons but I don't want to force  him to do anything that he doesn't want or not passionate about of doing.  

 On the bright side, it works great that he stopped  taking lessons because it conflict with the time schedule of his  football practice.  They can't even do the tennis this Fall because  it is also conflict with the schedule of other things that they are doing.    

 He loves football and he wishes he can still do the tennis this Fall.  I told him that maybe, we can do it again next season.  We are however, see to it that we go play tennis  every weekend so that they won't forget what they learn during the first season that they  signed up for it.  Hubby and I learned how to play tennis through them so  that is something tht we can all do every weekend while the weather is nice.

Upcoming Recital

Browsing the  music instruments at www.guitarcenter remnds me of the  upcoming recital   that my  kids have this weekend.  They will have a rehearsal  on Saturday and the actual  performance will be on Sunday.  The photo below  was taken last year 's recital .  We came a little early so we had the chance to take a family photo before the  recital starts.  This was my son's first recital so he was nervous but he did good.

Singing at the Festival of Nation

The kids are part of the SJS  choir and they are going to participate to the annual Festival of Nation at the community center tomorow.  I am glad that these two are interested in music  because it is a big part of my being.  I mi-ght not know how to play an instrument not we ever had a   portable karaoke machine but I grew up listening to usic or listen to my parents sing.  I had fun memories  of listening to old music with my father especially on Sundays.  

These photos were taken two years ago as the SJS choir participated to the above mentioned event.    I can't wait to watch them  sing again tomorrow.  

Singing Folk Song

It's been a while since we last  used our karaoke mic here at home.  I believe the last time was wqhen my daughter was still in KIndergarten.  I mayhave to buy a  mic box to  store it since it is just here in our living room collecting dust lol.  I am looking forward to summer breah from school, maybe  the kids and I can  sing songs again.  Below is the song that  my daughter  love singing before, the Filipino folk song, Leron Leron Sinta.  You may watch it and tell me what you think.  She'sll be embarassed if she would know I  have  piosted it here in my blog lol.

Violin and Guitar

Hubby and I talked about switching our focus on what our son could do to hone his talent. He is also musically inclined like his sister but he doesn't have that patience to sit for a longer period of time and be taught. We are thinking of registering him to a swimming lesson in the area starting this Fall because he is never afraid of the water and in fact, he can swim now even without proper lesson. We want him to learn the proper strokes though so we will definitely look into signing him up for a lesson. For now, I am saving up for another project that our daughter is interested into, a violin. She likes to have a violin lesson but we told her that we have to save up first and buy her one before we can sign her up to it. I frequently visit website like this one to check if they have deals on violin and guitars.

Lesson Plan

Not the lesson for the teacher but the lessons we plan for our sons to try.  We are considering  to enroll our son to have a guitar lessons but before we inquire about it, I have to look  at the guitar centre if they will have  an affordable one that we can buy for him to use at home.  We are also planning to enrol him in a swimming lesson this Fall so  he will have something to do.  I hope that I could save up the money we need.

Center for Music and Arts

We went to the Center for Music and Arts last weekend, the place where we bought our piano last year.  We informed them that the guy who delivered  it never  returned to tune it as we have agreed   that it would be tuned  as part of the deal when we bought it..  Anyway, they said that they will contact him and let  him know.  The guy called us and said that he is coming this Tuesday.  While we were there, we looked around and see some  galaxy audio and other music  and arts stuff.  Below are some of the photo I took.  

Do you notice that the establishment's roof looks like a  musical instrument?  I am not sure if  it's a grand piano or a shape of a guitar.  

After our trip there, we  dropped by at the mall and   have the kids played miniature golf.  That would be another post  folks.  Thanks for dropping by.

Wurlitzer Piano

We went back to Wintersville, Ohio last weekend and bought  the piano that we liked.  Hubby and I leaned towards getting the Kimbal but Ms. Burrito  really liked the Wurlitzer so that's what we got them.  I was happy as  the Kimball is $1,600  but the Wurlitzer is $1,400, so my baby saved us a couple of hundred dollars.  

According to the piano teacher who assisted us, both  brands are "working horses"  so either way, it's good.  They haven't  called us to when they are going to deliver it but I hope soon, preferably before Christmas, I hope!

Center for Music & Arts

We went to the Center of Music & Arts last weekend to canvass the prices for piano as we want to buy our children one.  There was only one working there so he couldn't assist us but he showed us where the  display of the pianos are.  Since nobody  was there but us, I busied myself taking photos lol.

There are so many piano's to choose from.  There are new ones and there are also used ones.

Mr. Burrito immediately sat in one of the chairs at the art room.

Ms. Burrito was drawn to the rack of  drawing  books.  I am not sure if the rack of the guitars has violin but they are  pretty colorful.

Anyhow, we did not buy one yet as the  worker wasn't much of a help.  We are planning to  go back there maybe this weekend.  We were told that  the price for  tuning  a piano ranges from $75 to $100 and it has to be done twice a year.

Strumming a Guitar

I have been browsing online and trying to  find some deals on piano lately  because we promised our daughter that we are getting it for her this Christmas.   I wasn't looking for a guitar but I thought it won't hurt to look at the selections and  they have  different kinds online.  I kind of miss strumming  a guitar, although I am not good at it but I like it as a past time hobby.  I should have brought  my guitar with me when I came here.  I learned to play  guitar when I was ion college and I am not sure if I could still play, it's been so long.