The centerpiece disco balls and film reels were on loan, and each golden trophy was engraved for one of the Seniors. 
This was the first year that we had a dance at the 
Homeschool Spring Formal. Dorito impressed Meggar with his swing style. Meggar said after, "It finally feels like we are normal teenagers since we have been to a dance."
Meggar and Brent were so well matched with his green tie, and they had a great evening talking and dancing with everyone. 
Hannah and her fun date posed on the red carpet under the twinkle lights. She was a great help to the decorating committee.
As a joke, we rented a Camouflage tuxedo for Dorito. Thought you would like to see! Hard to believe, but I fell for the text message from Captain.
Last weekend, our family attended the "Russians Are Coming" season finale of the St. Joseph Symphony. We knew it was going to be something special -- and it was Amazing! The Tchaikovsy love theme from "Romeo and Juliet" nearly made me cry during the first set. But we were eager to see Dr. Matthew Edwards perform on the piano after the intermission. He's the new director of keyboard studies at Missouri Western. He is not Russian, but he plays the piano with fingers that are on fire! I like Rachmaninoff already, so the "Piano Concerto No. 2" was destined to be a new favorite of mine. Bright and brilliant, his playing makes you want to come home and practice more. 
In fact, I think all my children practiced longer in the days following the concert. We were treated to very good seats, compliments of Dorito's door prize at the Suzuki Workshop. We even had a spare ticket and brought along Vee, our adopted great aunt. Everyone was glad to dress up and enjoy a truly elegant evening! I think this will be a springtime of piano music we never forget.
Today is the actual anniversary of my college sorority, and I am planning a luncheon for Friday to honor two "Golden Arrows." These ladies have been members in good standing for 50 years, and it will be my pleasure to listen to their stories about train rides to college with only one trunk.
Maribeth gave me some Lily of the Valley last fall, and I put it in a pot and promptly forgot about it. But in early spring, I lined up my flower pots by the back fence to make plans for filling them with flowers -- and after a spell of warm weather, I had a most delicate set of white blooms! They smell great and will come up every year. If I manage it just right, they may also spread! How lucky is that? Wikipedia notes that it may be a difficult flower to contain or to get rid of it (shocking problem!) Maribeth has been a flower-splitter-and-sharer for years. Since the time she lived 3 blocks from me in St. Joseph. My garden is blessed and so am I!
I was having trouble with my digital camera, but my friend Dee sent me this photo from Good Friday mass. The twins (left) specifically asked if they could serve with Brooks (center) for this mass! They love the pageantry and extra tasks for acolytes during Holy Week. I love our pastor and the relationship he builds with his helpers. Good Friday is always important for another reason--it's the anniversary of my cancer "cure." That day marked the end of treatments in 2004, and I could hug my kids again!
On a daily basis, Judith Anne comes up to me and says, “Mommy, when Elizabeth goes to college, I will cry.” And I reply, “Me too, but we will hug each other and write her letters, and she will come home again.” Today Judith asked, “Mommy? Is college real?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“But giants are just pretend, right?”
Dorito and Hannah held an impromptu practice for Prom in my hearth room. Any time a Michael Buble song is heard, you just have to dance!
Another couple was doing a few twirls. Captain just wanted to show them how it's done!
Our discussions of "The Enchanted April" at book club were light and easy--like the novel. It is my favorite thing to read this time of year. It's particularly good during a rainy spell, as Elizabeth van Arnim tells the sotry of four British women who rent a castle in Italy for the month of April to escape the horrid weather and their dreary lives. Soon enough, the sunny landscape works its magic and warms their hearts. Witty and full of wafts from the wisteria. Winning all the way through. That's the power of Love. National Review says it "is a book about two unselfish women with a great sense of humor and two selfish women with no sense of humor." Quite right.
Dorito didn't hang out long with his patrol today as he was busy helping with the Regional Camporee. Our theme was "Wild, Wild West" and included pioneering skills, whittling, furs, footprints, and Pony Express re-enactors. I helped by bringing a table of artifacts from 1860s for Show-and-Tell. There was also a Pioneer Trivia Contest at my table, where the top five winners were awarded Buffalo Beef Jerky. It included a campfire popcorn popper, brick of tea, quilts, and a jar full of antique buttons. This evening will include a Mic-o-Say dance which qualifies "Northern Spirit" to earn his blue coup. Only he and Alexander have ever earned the blue coup in their first year as a Brave! Good job.
Would you believe I had already blown through $40 by the third inning? Meggar got cheese fries, Dorito picked a frozen lemonade, Polar Bear got peanuts to shell with Grandpa Gerald, and Winger wanted a chocolate malt. My kids are so predictable! The front row seats at Royals Stadium meant we REALLY enjoyed the spring sunshine :-) Too bad the team fell apart in the end. I think KC always loses to Detroit.
The Zacher's family joined us for an Easter feast around our carved
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Here is the Blacksmith Shop, newly unveiled for the Sesqui- centennial Cele- bration this weekend! Cowboy even made the fire look real! There were 10,000 visitors today to the Museum. The Schmidlings were busy in the back room. At noon, we hosted a luncheon for 55 direct descendants of Pony Express riders and station keepers. They came from Ohio, Idaho, Utah, Kansas and Nebraska. And they brought grandchildren and scrapbooks and family trees. It was quite interesting to listen to their stories. We made copies of their ancestors' letters and read about memories of the Pony Express. Then we made our own memory. The Museum sold First Day Covers with a homemade stamp depicting a famous painting of the Pony Express. So I purchased four and enclosed a special letter to each of my children, and I sealed it with the words "Do not open until April 3, 2060." We'll see...
Our final event during the Sesquicentennial was an afternoon tea party for American Girls. It was so much better than I anticipated! Lots of girls and dolls and moms showed up--including my Pastor's Wife friend, her daughter, and granddaughter. Our tea table was spread with a pink tulip cloth and laden with four kinds of cookies, mini quiche, truffles, and sweet potato biscuits (can you guess where those came from?). The local doll club members brought calico shawls for everyone's doll. Best of all, our special speaker was Cheryl Harness, author of several children's history books including "They're Off" about the Pony Express. She told how she researched the guns and horses in her watercolor illustrations for the book. And she talked about becoming a writer and what she does every day. Then she had everyone join in the song she wrote for this important day, sung to the tune of "I Ride an Old Paint." Lastly, she played the refrain on her pioneer harmonica. It gave me goosebumps! Cheryl is a former Hallmark Cards artist who lives in nearby Independence, Missouri, and we have seen her at various book fairs before. But today she was glorious in her stories and funny remarks. History should always be this fun!
The boys' violin teacher (left) took the stage during the Chuckwagon Dinner. We love listening to "Fresh Cut Grass" every chance we get. And the barbecue was delicious! Several bottles of Sarsaparilla have been purchased this weekend to go with the warm weather, which is good for attendance at the PX Sesquicentennial. The boys also enjoyed watching the gun fights and train robberies all afternoon!
At first we thought her windshield was struck by lightning. The glass blew out of (not into) the car. And flew on top of the roof. But her hatch-back was still latched?! It could have been a wind shear or low pressure area during the storm, according to the glass company. We're just glad it happened while she was in class and not in the vehicle!
Our Eagle-bound Scout took his first step in an important project: organizing a Color Guard for the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the new One-Room Schoolhouse at the Pony Express National Museum. He will install a flagpole with an 1860s flag, bearing 33 stars like it did 150 years ago. Dorito is shown here with the rendering.
And shown here with a golden shovel. He was a member of the Teen Advisory group who helped set-up the Penny Drive for the Pony School (last month) and hosted the first ceremony of the Sesquicentennial. Although it's Easter weekend, we have already seen lots of visitors. I'm proud of Dorito's involvement and planning for the past 8 months.
The rainstorms held off just long enough for awards to be announced, and some 4th grade girls performed their jingle about the Pennies Fundraiser. (pioneer rhyme!) Then our crowd released more than 100 golden helium balloons to spread the news about the new Schoolhouse that will be finished this fall. Dorito and his group started filling the balloons at 7 a.m.! One farmer has sent back an email that he found a balloon string and note in his fields in Casey, Iowa. That's 156 miles from here! I guess the storms gave the balloons an extra push for that distance.
