what I love about holidays...

What I love about holidays is that a nearly 15 year old girl can go out side wearing flip flops, jeans rolled up past her knees and her grandpa's rain jacket to pump the water out of a paddle boat (While its still raining) so her and her siblings and granny can go hunt for treasure. I also love that while sitting in the pumped out paddle boat that you can't tell was pumped out 5 minutes before, getting drenched to the bone (Despite the rain coat belonging to my grandpa) and getting stuck in the mud because we couldn't wait for the tide to come in, she can sing all the verses to 'there's a hole in the bottom of the sea', 'I know an old lady who swallowed a fly', 'The ants go marching one by one', 'down by the bay' and 'lukeys boat is painted green' with out feeling the slightest bit weird.
What I love about holidays is that I can be that girl and no one thinks twice about it.

P.S. I am on holidays right now and having a great time on the west coast! There will be many posts coming (With pictures!) about my time away!

Hey sloan, what song do you think I have stuck in my head?

Sloan: (singing) Its the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fiiiine.

Me: No

Sloan: OH! Baby, give me one more chaaaaaance. (To show you that I love you) Won't you please let meeeee (Back in your heart)

Me: No

Sloan: WAY-HEY-HEY ITS JUST AN ORDINARY DAY!!! (Me: No) AND ITS ALL YOUR STATE OF MIIIIIIIIND!!!

Sloan: The old black rums got a hold on me will I live for another day (-Me: No-) (Raises her hands in the air with gusto) HEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!

Sloan: Oh! I can't believe I didn't guess this yet!!! A boat like Gideon Brown!

Me: No

Sloan: WWWWEEEEE'LL Rant and we'll roar like true newfoundlanders... We'll rant and we'll roar, on deck and belooooooowwww! (See, you have to read this like she's singing...)

Me: No.

Sloan: I'm tiredof this game.

Me: I'm loving it! You have to guess at least three more before I tell you. I'll give you a hint. We listened to it while I did our nails today..

Sloan: I KNOW!!! We were far from the shores on England!!

Me: Yes!

Sloan: Far from our children and wives!!!

Me: Yes, Sloan. You got it right...

Sloan: To play our hand, in the newfoundland!!!

Me: YOU DID IT WRONG!!! You have to say it more like three words in this song: New Found Land

Sloan: Where the wind cuts like a kniiiiiiiiiiiiiife.

Well... If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Both of us:  WE WERE FAR FROM THE SHORES OF ENGLLAAANNNND!!

Today I had a gig at a schools christmas party...
Lets just say it wasn't the best gig...
We were supposed to start playing at 11am, and at 11:20 our teacher comes into the room and says to us, "There is nobody here, but we are going to go play anyway." So we walk into the gym...
There was literally about 4 people in the room.
It was slightly depressing. There were rows of tables set up, stacks of pizza, games... But no people...

Oh well, it was good practice :-)

WOOHOO!

I'm off for my first gig of the year! I'm soo excited!
I'm also kind of nervous because my teacher made a big deal about what pants we can and cannot wear and how they were supposed to look etc... I'm sure mine are fine, but if they are not I don't know what I will do! I already looked at 6 different stores and the pair I have is the only pair I could find that were black and fit me!!
At least I know my shoes are ok! I am wearing the same pair of shoes I wore last year and the year before! Ummm, I guess my feet don't grow very fast?!
And I will have fresh breath because of the minty gum I bought yesterday, hehe...
Well, I have to go eat lunch before we leave!

Pic - but not of Ephraim

If you know me, you know that I love music. I play in a group called the Bow Valley Fiddlers (or BVF)

See? That's my group. I'm the girl in the front row closest to the left.

I just auditioned again earlier this month... And found out yesterday that.....

I MADE IT INTO THE SENIOR PERFORMING GROUP!!!

YAY MEEEE!

My new favourite song

On Saturday me and Sloan babysat for a family from our church. The whole time we were there they had the christian radio station on. During the 5 hours, this song came on twice. Then I came home and youtubed it :) It's my new favourite... And I think Lincoln Brewster is my new favourite artist. (But I didn't really have a favourite before) Actually, /Let The Praises Ring/ was one of my favourites when I was about 6 :)

Stupid blogger/youtube won't let me cut and paste the link though... Look up: Lincoln Brester - This is the day... And /the power of your name/ AND all of his other songs that are on youtube :)

Gord Stobbe!

On Monday I had my workshop with Gordon Stobbe! We had the wrong address at first, so I was late, but I didn't miss too much...
Today I had a private lesson with him, which was AWESOME!
I had so much fun... Usually with me, a person has to wait 3 lesson's or so before I get comfortable with them, but somehow Gord had me comfortable within 15 minutes! At first he played through all the songs with me on his violin, then he played the piano while I played.
First we worked on the songs from the workshop. (Those are the ones we will do at the dance) Then since we had some extra time (Since I was such a great player I didn't need any extra help, says Mr. Stobbe :) He taught me one other song. (I forget what its called, but he has to send me music for it. Something like Hi-lo or Hi-ho :)
He thought it was so cool that I had 6 siblings, and an even cooler thing that our family (along with cousins) had enough kids to do a fiddle camp, and EVEN COOLER that I was related to Erin. (Whom he knows really well, apparently)
Anyway, I'll write later about the most funnest thing in bow valley's... (Drumroll) THE BORN DANCE!
So excited...

I'll just throw in some ballet...

So, yesterday I had my big christmas jam... Y'know, we all go around the circle, name a song, and play it...
Close to the end, someone suggested I Saw Three Ships. If you were at Fiddle Fantasia you would remember the Irish dancing during that song? None of the Irish dancers were there.
All of a sudden, I look up, and Mollen is standing in front of EVERYBODY (There were probable 40 or so fiddlers pluss all the parents) trying to do an Irish Jig!
At first it was ok... I kept playing... But as her dance became more intence, and more un-Irish, I found myself not playing anymore, and laughing so hard that I had tears steaming down my face... I do have a tendancy to start sobbing uncontrollably when I laugh. When the song was over, and everyone else joined me in not playing, my friend turns to me, 'Does your sister do irish dancing?'
'NO! That's what makes it so funny!'
Mollen walks back to my mom, "I love my moves... If they do a slow song, I'll just throw in some ballet..."
No. She doesn't do ballet either...

Fiddle Fantasia

Yesterday was Fiddle Fantasia! All together I sold 24 tickets, but only 22 people came because of weather and traffic.

First we had our sound check. We were supposed to be there at quarter to 6 for sound check, but it didn't start till we got there at 6:30.

My Favourite song we played was probably Little Drummer Boy with Peace on Earth. I also really liked I Saw Three Ships. I'm trying to upload a video but its not working...

I have my recital tonight and Granny and Gramps are still here, so I'd better go!
Cairo

Violin

Today I had my second last violin lesson before christmas break. I have the BEST violin teacher EVER! Actually, two of the best violin/fiddle teachers. One with bow valleys and one classical. I'm so lucky :)

Did I write on here that I got my full sized violin?? I DID!!!!

My bow valley concert (Fiddle Fantasia) is in eight days!!! I'm so excited!

Tommorow I have my last BVF rehearsal before all the christmas performances start...

Cairo