12 and playing with bubbles

 M likes very tactile experiences.  She set up a slip and slide a few weeks ago for the kids.  Last week she had them collecting pollen strands and making buckets of brew.  Then there were bubbles involved, lots of bubbles.  I'm glad she still likes to play in nature and have fun being a kid.  I can't believe she's 12, and I can't believe she's only 12.  Good times.

Last weekend she played "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen" in her piano teacher's recital.  A-maz-ing.  I didn't actually attend the recital as I was at Scouting University with G.  But I have heard her play it for months and it just kept getting better and better.  We switched her to a new teacher because she was so much more advanced than any of the students in her previous studio and we wanted her to be challenged.  She's still in a different league but the new studio does have other teenage students working on pieces above the first few years of piano.

This Saturday M will attend Student Day in Jaxtown.  4 hours of theory, ear training, and a recital where she will play 3 pieces that don't even include Wedding Day.  She'll do fine.

Sometimes M gets stressed out and tries to claim that she's not able.  I have to stay calm and remind her that she is capable and she will survive.  She is able, kind, funny, coordinated and beautiful like a ninja.  That's tough.  I know.

 G mowed the back yard this year and it has been fun to be free to roam about the back yard.  M created this habitat for the 3 peas in a pod.

pierced ears

M got her ears pierced last week.  She had asked to get them pierced when she was 12, or that's the earliest we preferred.  When she turned 12 she wanted to wait until the winter so she wouldn't miss out on a single beach or pool event. 

We went to the piercing pagoda and got stars in our ears.  I got them pierced again a little higher than my old holes that didn't hold the earrings up very well.

M was brave and cool throughout the process.  She chose to get the spray for cleaning that makes it possible to switch earrings after 3 weeks.  She's been very good at remembering and reminding me to spray my ears and twist the earrings.