How To Play Tenor Sax Like John Coltrane

In case you're wondering, here it is in one easy lesson. Just play the notes as they appear on your screen and you'll be playing just like Coltrane!

Da

The pic of Hannah that's on Cathy's cell phone wallpaper
Hannah has been making sounds that could be interpreted as pre-speech for some time, especially when she's fussing for a bottle. For example, I remember distinctly hearing a single "Da" once when she was crying back in early February, although it was probably a random syllable that just came out... I've heard "Ma" that way a couple of times as well. But in the past month or two she's been doing a lot more cooing and making sounds... most of the time she needs to be in a good mood and it can take a little coaxing, but she'll sometimes give us an "Ohhh!" or a gurgle or three, especially if we Oh and gurgle at her first! Anyway, the picture at the right is kind of what she looks like when she's about to talk. She kind of sticks her chin out and sometimes even raises her eyebrows. It is SOOOO CUTE! (Sorry about the slobber glisten on the photo... that's not part of talking. That's part of being a baby. )

Easter Kitties Maintain Focus

Some kittehs get on a train of thought that you can't derail, even two days after Easter is already over:

Someone else wants in on that Easter action

(You're a day late and a dollar short, kitty cat... Easter was yesterday!)

Happy Easter 2008

Mikey got this dinosaur at the Grace Church Eggstravaganza 2008. I snapped this picture of the menacing fellow while I waited for Mikey to finish collecting his second basket of candy. Mikey named him "Paddy" after I explained that although most people call this kind of dinosaur a Brontosaurus, the actual name of this kind of critter is Apatosaurus (you learn all kinds of useless stuff when your daddy is a bookish nerd... maybe Mikey will get this as his $1,000,000 question on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire one day). Anyway, "Paddy" is short for "Apatosaurus," although since Mikey got him/her the day before St. Paddy's Day gives it even more appropriateness.

Happy Easter!

Mikey's First Soccer Game

Today was a big day for Mikey! His soccer team has been practicing for several weeks, and today they had their first game! But before that, we went to Lowe's for today's Build and Grow Clinic... he build a "Goofy Golf" game; it's kind of a personal-sized version of the windmill hole that you see at most mini-golf courses (see it in the pictures). Papaw Jones always goes with us. The Lowe's projects are simple and fun... they don't take a lot of time and they're perfect for a kid Mikey's age. We finished that project up, and then we went home and got ready for the game!

Mikey's team is the "Thunderbolts" team in the Foot Action Soccer league. All of the Foot Action Soccer games are played in an area behind Lewis & Clark Middle School, which is a perfect place for it, although the parking is a moderately long walk. They played a team that was really well-trained, the Bulldogs... our kids did their best, and they did a great job, but ultimately they were outplayed. HOWEVER: Mikey did an EXCELLENT job on defense! Both of his coaches made a point to seek us out afterward and brag on him. Several times during the game Mikey got the ball moving back toward the right goal when the other team almost had a score. I took quite a few more pictures during the game... take a look at the rest of them!

Why?

Why did it have to be a friend
Who chose to betray the Lord?
Why did he use a kiss to show them?
That's not what a kiss is for.

Only a friend can betray a friend,
A stranger has nothing to gain.
And only a friend comes close enough
To ever cause so much pain.

And why did there have to be a thorny
Crown pressed upon His head?
It should have been a royal one
Made of jewels and gold instead.

It had to be a crown of thorns
Because in this life that we live
For all who seek to love, A thorn
is all the world has to give.

And why did it have to be
A heavy cross He was made to bear?
And why did they nail His feet and hands?
When his love would have held Him there.

It was a cross for on a cross
A thief was supposed to pay.
And Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away.

Yes, Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away.

from The Life by Michael Card
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