All credit to Josiah, who had the busiest day of all of us. He was out of the house around 8.40am for a choir rehearsal 9-10.30. He then had a service to sing from 11am-12.15pm. Then came a brief break while we collected the girls from Orchestra, dropped Abbie to a friend’s, and made it into town with half an hour to grab MacDonalds before he played violin with the Suzuki Group for the best part of three hours. I walked him back to the Cathedral at 4.45pm where he had a rehearsal from 5-6pm before tea in the boarding house and then the Cathedral Choir’s Christmas concert from 7.30-9.30pm. The choristers were given £5 each for having sung the extra service in the morning so he dashed off to buy sweets in each break from the violin playing and enjoyed sharing them during the busking. We’ve been doing this busking each Christmas for five years now, and it’s quite interesting to see how much Josiah has grown up since we started! And Anna too … we had to drag her away from her friends at the end, as they’d started improvising around various pop songs and would happily have carried on for hours I think, but the Harlequins Centre had had enough of them by then

The Choir’s concert was excellent too, we really enjoyed it. Josiah is definitely more confident now and it’s lovely to watch. He’s signed up for an extra choir jaunt to support a choir in North Devon this week, so that shows how much he enjoys the choir aspect of his life – it’s VERY hard work but it is fun too.

Yesterday we had the ECO Christmas concert – very enjoyable as usual and we particularly enjoyed having the Ockment Valley Handbells performing both separately and with the orchestra – I wish I had video-ed some of it but I only have photos I’m afraid. Again fun to see the pictures from Christmas concerts in years gone by and compare them to this year’s!

We now have a week off school, where I’m trying to be as productive as possible so that we can have a proper break from Christmas Eve onwards. Time to stop blogging, have lunch, and get on with some school-work …

In other news, Oliver! is happening, so Anna has been rushed off her feet playing bassoon for that; she’s really enjoying the experience, her first time playing in a professional band.

Luckily for her, the girls had a brief reprieve with two days off school on Friday and then tomorrow – the fire alarm system at their school is broken so they’re at home until it’s fixed! I gave them housework to do on Friday and school have set them work for tomorrow so they won’t have too much time to kill.

Josiah sang his first service of the year this morning before joining us at Crealy; he’s changed sides in the choir again which will no doubt confuse me when I make it in for evensong later in the week.

My first week with children at school was a bit of a whirlwind but I think everything went ok. This term I’m teaching two days in the Early Years class and then three days in my Key Stage 4 class so I have lots to juggle but I think I’m going to enjoy it. I’ve been going into work very early each day and then not working at home in the evenings which seems to work well for us all round. Steve is here to sort things out and do the morning school run, and then I don’t feel guilty about ignoring the kids because I’m here for them in the evenings. So far so good, anyway.

It was very exciting – not only for the children to be involved with the professionals for a morning, but also because we were recording a piece that Richard Bowyer, our musical director, wrote himself. It’s called the ‘Exeter City March’, and was written for Exeter City Football Club – the piece features football rattles and whistles in the percussion section. Richard likes to call them hooligans; we call them supporters

Anyway, I was gutted that I couldn’t be there in the end, but one of the other parents kindly took some photos for me

Now all we have to do is listen to Radio 3 on the 24-26 June, and hope that we actually hear it. We’ve already played the piece as far away as Russia, as well as in our more local concerts, but it will be pretty cool to hear a proper recording of it on the radio. Hopefully the producers will tell us if and when we’re likely to hear it.

A while ago, I wrote about how much I love Exeter Children’s Orchestra … it’s been a fabulous place for my kids to play their instruments, develop musically, and make friends. It’s also been a place where I have made some wonderful friends too, through being involved as a parent and working on the committee.

A number of years ago, someone nominated the orchestra for The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. We didn’t win it immediately, in fact we have been ‘pooled’ before and not made it through for selection, but the nomination is carried forward each year.

So, in the Autumn of 2010, we had a visit from one of Devon’s Deputy Lord Lieutenants to re-assess us, and I am pleased to announce that this year we were successful. I had the letter almost a month ago and have had to keep it a secret until the official lists were published today (that has been incredibly difficult, given how excited I’ve been about it!).

In a couple of weeks time some of us are off to County Hall for the presentation of the award by Devon’s Lord Lieutenant, Martyn Lewis CBE is going to be there too in his capacity as chair of the QAVS committee. Then in July, a few of us are going to Buckingham Palace for one of the Royal Garden Parties. To say I am excited about all of this is an understatement – it is an amazing honour for ECO and I’m so proud to be part of it

Anna and one other ECO member joined in – Anna loved having the opportunity to play some more challenging music. In fact I did have to laugh at one point as she was grinning at us and sliding her hand up and down the cello – clearly not actually playing the notes!! Anyway it’s given her a taste of the big wide world which I suppose she hasn’t really had before; she is still only really involved in school things rather than anything bigger. It sounded great, too – they played Holst’s Mars, and themes from Gladiator and Pirates of the Caribbean – if Josiah didn’t have a concert on the same night I would be very tempted to go to the concert as well!

On Friday night we had a lovely meal down at the Chinese. I’d lost track of time and not managed to cook tea in time, plus it was the start of half term, plus we hadn’t really done anything for Steve’s birthday, so all of that meant we felt justified enough!

Saturday was back to normal this weekend – after a longer-than-usual break it was back to choir, and ECO, and all the other things that regularly happen on Saturdays. Excitingly, ECO have been invited to record with the BBC for their Light Fantastic festival, so we have that to organise – but everyone’s really making an effort so it shouldn’t be too difficult! Had to pop to town to buy Joe some cricket whites, and then it was Suzuki group lesson in the afternoon; it’s held at the girls’ school so Anna came with us to practise in the practice rooms upstairs. I did some school work while there too.

On Saturday evening Steve went out for a gig with his band, while the rest of us took Anna to a charity garden party where she was accompanying some friends she’s met through Panto. A bit cheeky of us all to go really, but we enjoyed ourselves anyway! Anna got to perform by herself as well, and did a great job – especially as someone popped a champagne cork during her song – behind her, so she just heard this massive ‘bang!’ as it hit the wall of the marquee. She jumped a mile! But carried on singing and playing despite the interruption. I am incredibly proud of her. She came away with a little donation towards her Romania fund, too
I’d promised them all that if we made it home before 10pm we’d watch Dr Who, and we made it by 9.45pm, so snuggled up in bed together for that.

Today Josiah was at the Cathedral all day; and Abbie & I ended up at the Barnfield theatre pretty much all day. Abbie wanted to audition for Oliver – she didn’t get in but she’s not too bothered (and I’m quite relieved!). Anna and Steve did lots of housework this morning and have left me all the horrible jobs. I am terribly behind on ChoreWars so I’m going to have to do the ironing, bathroom cleaning, and make dinner – and even that won’t catch me up … just got a little bit of school work to finish off as well. I don’t think it’s really fair that *some people* come home from work in the middle of the day and do jobs …

The kids are making cakes – Anna’s having a cake sale at school tomorrow – more Romania fundraising. Apparently there is also going to be a recording session tonight … and some Grand Prix viewing … so yes, fairly normal around here.

More pics here, only fairly rubbish iphone ones as unfortunately I managed to leave my big camera on the settings for the ECO Christmas Concert last night, so none of the snow pics I took on that came out. Silly.

A quick word about the orchestra concert while I’m here though, it was fab as usual. I don’t think I will ever tire of it! Abbie in particular did really well with her glock parts, and both girls played throughout as they are also part of the Wind Group that were sharing our concert. Sad to say goodbye to leavers, and a number of people didn’t make it because of the weather, but most people did, and we managed to re-sell most of the tickets (we’d been sold out but then there were some cancellations), so it was a success all round I think. Glad that concert was last night before the heavy snow though, I must confess!

We’ve got one of Devon’s Lord Lieutenants coming to visit next Saturday as we’ve been nominated for a QAVS award, and I am truly hoping that we are successful this year.

They got the Christmas music out today – standard Christmas favourites as well as a few new pieces – so that made me feel all warm and fuzzy as well. I think I may cry when I have to hand out the leavers’ certificates at the end of the Christmas concert this year, I don’t know how Richard has managed for 33 years!

Perhaps I’m just having an over-emotional day

Yesterday was ECO; final rehearsal before the Autumn Concert in the evening. Luckily there wasn’t anything else on for us in the afternoon so we made cupcakes for the concert first, then caught up on homework, room tidying, cleaning out guinea pigs, laundry, etc.

Steve and I had the luxury of going out for dinner while the kids were taken down to the concert by some friends (thank you!), so that was lovely – we just went to the Mill on the Exe which we do have a soft spot for, since it’s where we met, way back when we were far too young!

The concert was fab as usual, a few comedy moments, but generally excellent Not that I’m biased or anything

Abbie went for a sleepover with Riona afterwards. Today Josiah’s been at the cathedral all day, while Anna had a quartet rehearsal with Suzuki violin friends this morning. I took work to do while she was there, but didn’t actually get that much done due to ending up chatting with another mum instead. So I had to work for most of the rest of the day – but Steve was watching the Grand Prix and Anna had homework to do, so it’s not as if I was missing anything else terribly important!

Steve picked up Joe and Abbie then came home and we cooked dinner while Josiah faffed about moaning about violin practice (he did actually manage to do some as well), and now we’re trying to catch up on last night’s X Factor before the results show comes on!

On Saturday afternoon, Josiah went off to evensong, and I took the girls out to Creative Stitches. They were incredibly lucky that I’d just been paid and was feeling in need of retail therapy! We had a nice time – it wasn’t as expensive as it could have been, either. They both came home and got on with their new arty stuff while I cooked dinner – my favourite Cottage Pie … comfort food! Steve came first in his class at the new hillclimb at Manor Farm so he came home in a good mood too.

Today I was up early to take Joe to his morning services – then came home and worked (huge ironing pile plus school work) while the girls did more arty bits and bobs. After picking Josiah up we rushed off to Charmouth to watch the hillclimb – it’s the last race of the season and the first time we’ve managed to go and spectate! The venue brought back happy (and some not-so-happy!) memories of Hesfes, and actually it was a good hillclimb venue too – not too steep, and not a long hike from the paddock to the spectating area! Not as much fun to watch as Wiscombe though, although Steve said it felt fun to drive. (nb turn speakers off before watching video otherwise Abbie’s annoying cheering voice will grate somewhat – I did tell her not to do it but she thought I was joking, apparently )

Anyway, after the race we stood around chatting for a while, then went down to the town for a cache, then to the beach for an earthcache where we had to find fossils, something the kids love doing. Steve found a whole ammonite which looks like we could polish it up – so have been googling that this evening – anyone know anything about that?

Now home and trying to fit too much ‘finishing off’ into one evening – there’s ironing to finish, school work to finish (all four of us schoolies have some!), not to mention a shopping list that needs making and other general tidying up …