2011!!

Happy New Year! So grateful and blessed to see 2011 roll in! 2010 was an interesting year, fraught with challenges yet rich with blessings. I imagine that is the whole of life, joyfully experiencing the wonder and delight of the journey while participating in the learning and growth that comes from navigating the potholes and rough places along the road.

I was determined that no matter how busy our lives became, I would not let a month pass between updates...so, I'm skating in just under that wire, but with a hearty new self-challenge: daily blogging! Think I can pull it off? Not so sure myself, but want to give it the old college try. Life seems so fast-paced these days, I want to be sure to take a daily pause to marinate in the wonder of it.

So, that's my 2011 fun challenge for myself...lets cyber-toast to new beginnings!

Mid- to late-December for our family was saturated with holiday performances. But, while logistically challenging, they were delightfully heart-warming, poignant, entertaining, sweet, and rather soul-feeding. All of the Bedford children did their things and I did the Mommy thing and captured it all on film (well, on nano-technology :-)

Moskie performed with his trusty trombone in several holiday concerts. From my "arriving-not-so-early" vantage point at his school's auditorium, it was hard to get a performance photo I could really see him well in,

 ...so I settled for some behind-the-scenes shots to capture the moments...

...until his band went to perform at our city's school headquarters -- a smaller setting that provided a great opportunity to capture him and the brass in action!

Wow, a bit of a solo too!

You did great, Moskie!

And here's Josiah with the best band teacher ever! We feel so fortunate to have Mrs. Schmitt at OUR neighborhood school. She goes the extra mile and then a few more for these musically interested kids. We think she's awesome!

And of course, after performances, there must be grub! This sweets reception might just be Josiah's favorite part of the whole performance idea...so many sweets, so little time....

...better take up residency at the sweets snack table with a best bud, Emmett...

...but gotta take a grub break to horse around...

...then back to the snack table!

 (The subject in the mural behind Josiah is rather interesting;

 they must have the same barber!)

;-)

I think Johngideon was in sweets satisfaction too!

More on performance central tomorrow...so many starlets to choose from...wonder who'll show up next?

Take care. Much Love.