Emery's "Reflections" Entry

Emery has produced a piece she calls "Faces Together" for the National PTA Reflections Program. The topic for this year's program is 'Diversity.'
Emery's artist statement:
"I drew many faces in many colors, shapes, and sizes. When I think about diversity, I think of all of the different kinds I people in the world. We all have faces, but each face is special. My picture shows all of the special faces together, just like we see them each day."

The Circle of Life

Out with the old, and in with the new.

Good-bye 'Goldie' ....

Current names under consideration for the new guy:

* Shockwave
* Blues
* Bumps
* Buster
* Bullet
* Sam

Vacation Bible School 2011

Miles and Emery have had a wonderful experience this week at FCCC's Vacation Bible School.  Thanks to everyone involved that made it a very special week!

Tango & Chopsticks

Congratulations to Miles and Emery for their great performances today at Ms. Hudson's Spring Piano Recital.

The video begins with Miles' DG Music Club Honors Recital performance last weekend, and then continues with today's performances at First United Methodist Church.

Click here for the video.

Hillcrest Vareity Show 2011

Congratulations to Miles & Emery for two terrific performances tonight at the Hillcrest Variety Show.

Emery performed "Firefly", and Miles performed "Got Those Boogie Blues."

Click here for the video.  It may take a moment to load fully.

Less than a month ...

On October 26th, Emery declared she was a vegetarian.  I was appropriately supportive, but secretly wondered how long it would last.

Tonight, as we ordered dinner at a restaurant, she said, "Daddy ... I like meat way too much so I'm done being a vegetarian."

Just in time for Turkey ...

Blackhawks Parade - Stanley Cup Champs

Last Friday, Miles, Emery and I joined the Williams family, and we took the train into Chicago for the Blackhawks Stanley Cup Victory Celebration Parade. It was the first "ticker tape parade" for all of us ... and we had a blast!

It was an absolute sea of Red and Black coming out of the train station, and we worried we wouldn't get anywhere near the team or players. But by avoiding the throng of people walking down Wacker, and zig-zagging a few blocks at a time toward the middle point of the parade route, we got AMAZING spots for the parade.

We decided that, instead of going to the rally point (which we knew would already be a mass of humanity), we'd try to find a spot along the parade route on Washington. We got there 90 min. before the parade started, and found a spot (in the shade most of the time - and right in front of a 7-11!) where we were only 2-deep back from the barrier. By the time the parade started, the men in front of us let Miles and Emery sneak up next to them ... so they could see. (Thank goodness there are still nice people left in the world.) I reciprocated by letting a young woman who was behind me, come up and stand next to me, and use here very nice Nikon camera to shoot pictures over Miles' head. Turns out she works for the Indiana University student newspaper. She was so appreciative of me letting her move up that she took my email address, and told me she'd send me some pictures later. When the parade was over, she followed me and the kids into the streets and started doing - essentially - a family photo-shoot in the streets. The first two pictures in this post are from her.

We didn't plan it this way intentionally, but we were near an El track over-pass for the Loop. So as the double decker buses for the team came by they had to slow way down to make sure no one banged their head as the buses went under the tracks. The net result was that by the time the final bus with Kane (and the cup) came by, the bus STOPPED for about 30 seconds right in front of us. Kane put down his beer long enough to hoist the cup in the air, turned around, and looked right at us. The crowd roared. The picture of the cup in this post is one I took at that moment.

The estimated crowd along the route and at the rally was put at 2-million. (The city had expected 350,000.) I think by the time the parade started there must have been 10-15,000 crowded just in the one city block we were standing in. Really amazing.
Link to a video from our vantage point:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbym-5t4M4k

Emery's GPS Voice Revenge!

I love gadgets and technology ... and you would think that as much time as I spend experimenting with them and reading about them that I wouldn't be easily surprised by (and happy about) a relatively simple tech 'gimmick.' But today I was.

You know how when you're driving in a car that has a GPS system, you are instructed by some seemingly random computer voice (typically a woman's voice) to "Turn left in 500 feet," or "In 1.5 miles, exit right." I recently discovered that you can record your own voice(s) to be uploaded to a Garmin nuvi GPS. I stumbled upon this on the Garmin website because the kids were begging me to upload some new "cars" for the onscreen display. (You can do that at the 'Garmin Garage.') They call it, 'Garmin Voice Studio', and it's a free downloadable application that turns your computer into a mini recording studio for articulating traffic commands.

So, this morning the kids and I huddled around the laptop, and everyone took turns recording the approximately 60 commands that make up all the words spoken on a Garmin GPS.

We had a blast doing this, and it got really funny when Emery (who went second) decided to make two very purposeful 'variations' in her recordings. First, she decided to record the words "stinky feet!" instead of "feet." Second, she substituted her own name for any reference to the word "miles" or "mile."  This competitive gesture was not lost on her brother, Miles, who protested this was "not appropriate."  Emery just smiled a little "I'm innocent ..." grin.  Dad, the judge, let the modified voice commands stand as recorded.

So, when we ran errands this afternoon, we used Emery's voice heading to the store, and Miles' voice coming home. Here are the first things we heard the GPS say - in Emery's voice:

"Proceed 200 stinky feet to the highlighted route."

And then ...

"Travel 1.5 'Emerys' - and then turn right."

I started laughing so hard I had to pull the car over.  I love Emery.

Emery Begins Piano

Emery had her first piano lesson today, and returned from Mrs. Hudson's home all smiles!

The Golden Plate Award

We've instituted a new 'recognition' initiative at Casa de Teague this week: the "Golden Plate Award."  Family members can nominate other family members for the award when they see them doing something nice/helpful/friendly or there is some sort of special achievement we want to acknowledge.  The winner on any given night gets to eat with the Golden Plate and Cup.

We went shopping at Target and picked out - as a family - our new "dinner bling."

Emery was our first recipient yesterday.  When church was over yesterday the Youth Choir Director approached Kristen and me and told us that Emery came up to her - unsolicited - and said "I just want to tell you that I think you're a really good teacher.  Thanks for being our director."  Go Emery!

Emery's "American Idol"

Last Friday night Kristen took Emery to see one of her favorite 'American Idol' contestants, Lee DeWyze.  She and Emery were two of about 40,000 who showed up at Arlington Race Track to welcome the singer back from Los Angeles.

Good girl-bonding time.

Winning the Fish Lottery - Goldie the Guppy arrives home ...

Emery was so excited today as she came bounding off the school bus carrying a plastic bag with fish.  She was the lucky recipient of one of the class fish - which were given away through a drawing today.

Because Kristen is Kristen, the "free fish" quickly turned into a $40 trip to the pet store, where a new fish tank was purchased for "Goldie" the guppy.

But WOW is Emery thrilled to have a new pet at home.  This is a BIG DEAL for her, which of course is fun for mom and dad to watch.  Reminds me of a Master Card commercial:

"Supplies for the 'free' fish .... forty dollars.  Your daughter's excitement ... priceless."

Hillcrest Open House

Emery Sings In Church

Congratulations to Emery for worshiping today with the Children's
Choir. She did a great job!

Emery's Opus

"I'm living the dream Dad ... I'm living the dream!"

This was my conversation with Emery tonight as we drove home from the District 99/Woodridge Library Art Show reception:

Emery:  "Dad, do you know what I wished for on my birthday?"

Me:  "What do you mean?"

Emery: "You know ... when I blew out my birthday candles."

Me: "You mean last February?

Emery:  "Ya ... at my birthday party."

Me:  "No, Emery ... what did you wish for?"

Emery:  "I wished that I'll always have a family that loves me.  And Dad, do you know what?"

Me:  "What honey?"

Emery:  "I'm living the dream Dad ... I'm living the dream!"

Wow.  Very cool.  I knew I needed to write this one down so I'll remember it some day ...

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

Emery announced earlier this week that she wanted to see the painting, "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."  Well, actually, she didn't call it by the real name.  She said something like, "... that painting of the Sunday park and there are lots of dots and there is a ship sinking in the lake in the background ..."

I had personally never noticed the sinking boat in the background, but we knew what she meant ... so we stopped at the Art Institute of Chicago this afternoon for a close look.  Hey, if my child says they WANT to see a painting ... and it's local ... we're going!

First Time Skiing

We had a terrific time skiing at Cascade just north of Madison, WI today.  Miles and Emery did a great job, and we all enjoyed the opportunity to hang out today with Bill and Victoria Seliger.

A special thanks to both Bill and Victoria for helping Miles and Emery (and their father) today!

The following link takes you to a short iMovie of today's action ...

Birthday Quilt

Emery and Miles were both given beautiful quilts - by the DGN Band -
when they were born. We've made it a tradition to take a picture with
them each birthday. Here's Emery on her first birthday (2005), and
again this year as she turns six.

Emery's 6th Birthday Party Video