In the spotlight

My boys seem to enjoy being in the spotlight like their dad (I, too, grew up performing music, but am not as relaxed as being in front of an audience as Mike is). Chris' Sunday School class is going to be doing a little Nativity play next Monday night, and the teacher invited the younger kids to participate as "extras" by dressing up as shepherds, etc. Kieran desperately wanted to be in the play and when I explained to him that most younger children would be too shy to be in the play, he was completely dumbfounded by that thought. I asked the teacher if she could give Kieran a very small speaking role...and now he is slated to be a sheep. He's not completely enamored with this, as he's struggling with his "baa" sounds! But the teacher said that it is a very important role...so he's happy to have a part.

Recently the kids have had lots of opportunities to perform and demonstrate their creative abilities. Today's the last day of the term for swimming lessons for the younger boys, and I'm looking forward to watching them demonstrate their progress in the past several weeks.

Here is Kieran with his drawing, a la Michelangelo (adorned with star stickers!):

A few weeks ago the first graders performed at the mall--so cute!! Here they are lined up getting ready to go perform:

And singing their little hearts out:

Santa, I have the measles:

Chris' fifth grade teacher, who just had a baby and is out for a year's maternity leave, stopped by with her sweet baby boy, Dutch, to listen to the first-graders:

Kieran took an acting class over the past few months, and they recently did a small performance of "Where the Wild Things Are":

Then we went to the middle school music concert last week...during all of the instrumental numbers, Nicholas was singing along to the carols! Chris is in choir and band this semester, so he was busy.

Singing in the choir:

And playing the drums in the band:

His favorite part was getting to play the drum set on one of the more upbeat songs! Chris is third chair in percussion, and the first two chairs are eighth-graders...so his competitive dad is looking forward to having Chris be first chair next year! :)