UIL Band Champs

 I was able to tag along the the UIL band benchmark with Zeke and the rest of the Cougar band.

They were given some pointers to work on by the judges, and a few weeks later they attended the real Band University Interscholastic League.  Each year about half a million middle, junior high and high school students participate in ten UIL music events.

The Cougar Band walked away with a superior rating for their concert performance, and an excellent rating for sight reading. You can tell they were feeling pretty proud about their accomplishments.

The percussion team: Maddi, Zeke, Diego, Areli, TJ and Braxton

The hardware they brought home:

The competition was super early. After the kids returned to school, one of the moms and I helped serve them breakfast. 

We treated them to some cute cookies.

My boy loves his band community.  

🎵And he's good at it.🎵

[April 13]

To Be UNT or Not To B UNT?

 Zeke, Daisy and I checked out the University of North Texas in Denton. Without morning traffic it's about a hour drive.

UNT claims to be one of the nation's largest universities with 113 bachelor's, 94 master's, and 37 doctoral degree programs. Established in 1890, UNT is a Tier One public research university with more than 44,000 students.

Only one pose per visit. I had to sneak this picture. You can tell he's not pleased with me. It's so embarrassing when your mom takes pictures during a college tour. 🙄

Years ago, after a game with their rival Southern Methodist University, some SMU students painted  this administration building. It was after this stunt that UNT decided to light their tower in their school colors of green after any school victory.

Discovery Park is a 300-acre research facility located 5 miles north of the main campus. It is in the old Texas Instruments building so it was well suited for engineering classes and laboratories.

This computer lab was funded by the makers of  the game Halo. All the posters on the wall are games that were developed here on this campus.

Will Zeke be a UNT Eagle?

[April 10]

Easter in Kansas!

After three years, DanFam5 was ready to celebrate Easter in Kansas! 

One of our favorite daily activities while at the folks' is the evening walk in the pasture.

Zekers drove Grandpa in the ranger.

These two snagged a ride in the back.

Grandpa doesn't look too scared.

Since we missed celebrating Christmas in Kansas, we played A Whole Lotta Gifts with the presents that Grandma had bought way back in December. The ironic part was that my Mom provided all the gifts but she did not win a single one.

Saturday we celebrated Easter with friends and family.

LeRoy, Sandy, Mom and Dad

The kids played Clue.

Then they hunted the eggs that Abe and I hid.

Zeke, Daisy, Reika, Stevie, Brandi and Eli

We had a grown up kid hunt, too, but I was too busy looking for the 'eggs' that I didn't get a single picture.

The kids and I read the Easter story with my Resurrection Eggs.

Then they played Clue again. Zeke had a little help.

Daisy also took a turn driving the ranger.

Grandpa was holding onto his Oh Sh*t bar pretty tightly.

There are always the best sunsets from the folks' back porch.

Checking our growth on the sign before we left.

I didn't get any taller.

And getting goodbye hugs.

When we got home, the Easter Bunny had stopped by our house!

Don't forget the reason behind the eggs and candy.

[April 9]