Boys First Piano Recital

Though the boys have been taking lessons for a number of years, last Saturday was the boys very first piano recital.  It was held at a charming log cabin called King's Cabin.  The boys even had a dress rehearsal Friday night to get used to the Baby Grand Piano and how things were going work the following day at the recital.  As a treat we did a pre-recital celebration at Panera Bread.

I think this is most dressed up boys have been in a long time.  There were 18 students at the recital and according to their teacher our boys were the stars of the show, people were even talking about them by name afterward.  Of course to their mother and father they were awesome, we couldn't have been more proud.  However, it was the joy the boys had in performing that was most important to us.  Lucky for you we got it all on tape so enjoy!

Titus was first to perform:

Then it was Jared's turn:

Lance was the final performer of the Otto Clan:

After everyone performed there were drinks and appetizers but Titus kept performing :-)

 Miss Kathy is an awesome teacher and has a wonderful group of performers.

Major League Baseball

Lance was thrilled to finally be playing baseball again; missing the fall season was tough.  Thankfully he landed on a really good team.  Good in the important sense, good coaches and nice kids with great time spirit. Chris was also an assistant coach on Lance's team which believe it or not only led to two conflicts the whole season, where he had to choose which game to miss.

After the first game, Lance played catcher every inning of every game.  No one else wanted the job and Lance didn't want to play any other position so it was a perfect arrangement.  With all that practice it's no surprise he really improved as catcher over the season.  He had a great out a home and some other great plays but the best for him was being part of an awesome triple play.

Chris had video taped Lance batting about mid-season and worked out some tweaks in his swing.  Then, on evening of June 3rd, they went to a three hour USA baseball camp.  Here Chris was able to really study his swing, after the camp Chris made one more tweak to Lance's swing.  At the next game, Lance hit a line drive past the short stop, almost all the way to the fence. After the hit the other team mom's jokingly asked what I fed Lance that day (LOL).

The Marlins record of wins and losses doesn't really give the team the credit they deserve for really improving over the season.  Given a few more weeks and I think they could have really done well in the tournament.  As it was they fought it out to the very last play, only loosing by one run.

Our other favorite major league player had a great season as well.  Matthew's incredibly fast legs served his team splendidly in the Right Field and his team went on to win their Spring Season Tournament.

Rabbit Day Book Reviews

We finally graduated this month to being the people that bring a basket to check books out from the library.  That said I am certainly not going to review all that the boys checked out but stick to the few that stand out.


Good Master by Kate Seredy.  Kate is one of my new favorite authors.  She writes in a manner understandable but elevated; that is to say her sentences are well structured and abounding in wonderful vocabulary.  Her plots and character development are excellent as well.  This particular book is the first in a two book series.  I had Lance read this for his independent reading this month.  Lance said he loved it because it was based on the authors own life and he found it amazing that she had really gone through all that growth; "from monkey to normal country girl". The second book centers around her experiences in World War II "The Singing Tree".

Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney.  This was the second book Lance read this month for independent reading.  The story is about a boy learning to appreciate the people his community and place in the world.  I had pre-read the book and there was one chapter I made had him skip (regarding the story of the pesky girl's uncle and the ship in the glass bottle) and I penciled brackets around a section of a paragraph in another chapter talking about the nightmares the boy had from the story; to be skipped as well.  Lance liked that the book was very unpredictable and how the writer described the different characters in the book.

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry.  I can't believe I never read this as a girl; I thought I'd read every book of horse fiction on the market.  It would be a nice story on its own but the fact that is based on real people and real events really brought the book alive for Jared.  This was Jared's book for independent reading this month.  The author writes in a simple manner easy for younger children to understand but certainly not dumbed down in any way.  Jared liked that end the best, that the boy did the right thing and thought of what was best for his horse.


Titus had an uncanny ability to pick really cool books randomly off the shelves of the library.  Here are our favorites illustrated books we found at library this month:

True story about how a community came together to save a baby hippo and the tortoise that adopted him.

Civil War book, safe for young children, beautifully illustrated with neat twist at the end.

Beautifully illustrated book focusing on Babe Ruth's career and skipping his poor behavior.

This is a grammar book that uses a complete story to drive home its point.  The boys and girls wanted to read this one over and over again.

Jared too this book to heart and created "Jaredstine".

Nice historical fiction, hidden message about how being queen isn't always fun.

Enoyable for parents as well, stressing the importance of not always taking life so seriously.

Minor League Baseball

This Spring, Jared got off the bleachers to play baseball on his first team!  Two years ago, I could not see this ever happening.  What a great blessing and what an exciting season!

His team was the Redwings whose home city is Rochester, NY. It was ironic since Uncle Wayne, who is from Rochester, had just sent the boys a bunch of Redwings merchandise, so we the fans were all set.

He played Babe Ruth machine pitch with rubber balls.  This increased the safety level and helped my nerves, but he still wore the best chest protector on the market.  Also his father was one of the assistant coaches (by my demand :-P and Chris' desire).

Throughout the season Jared played many positions.  His first game he played First Base one inning and I had to smile as I watched him play concierge.  He was high-fiving everyone who made it on base and continued to talk to and encourage them while they were on base.  Later in the season he had a number of great plays protecting 3rd Base.

His friendly nature was appreciated by his team as well.  At the year-end celebration another team mom came up to me and told me how thankful she was for Jared always being friendly and encouraging to her son. This too made my heart swell.  That's the kind of thing you want to hear about your boy.  Then his coach topped that compliment when he gave Jared his participation trophy.  Coach Brian said that on the days he was really tired from work, the thought that seeing Jared at baseball with all his smiles and enthusiasm made him excited to go.  He also said that Jared was the most consistent player on the team, he hit the ball nearly every at bat and frequently on the first pitch.  The first compliment was appreciated most by his parents but he later was a great second for all.

Though there was no score keeping by the league, the kids and parents kept track.  His team finished the season with one of the best overall records at 8 wins and 2 losses.  As a bonus the team's last game and party were today on Jared's birthday.  So the season-end party was part birthday celebration as well!

As if the game and party weren't enough baseball for one day we added a bit more.  Lance, Jared and Will (Who is on Jared's team and whose birthday was the next day) went to the College Division Championships at USA Baseball that night.  It turned out to be quite the game going into so many extra innings that Chris called the game at 10pm.  The boys had a great time!

Jared Our Super Boy

It's hard to believe my Super Boy is nine years old.  The time has passed so fast and it has been such a road of blessings.  This year he did many new things he had never done before.

Since he was really excelling at swimming over the summer and had already made great strides running in the spring; he decided to participate with Lance and Matthew in his first triathlon.

Last fall we had gotten a one year extension on him doing the Brevard Zoo rope course the boys had won for selling Boy Scout Popcorn, hoping he'd grow enough.  Well he did, plus a bit more, so he and Dad tackled the course September 10th.  He did awesome and had a wonderful time.  It was neat that the rest of us could see them and cheer them on as we walked around enjoying the animals.

We moved to North Carolina shortly after and Jared was a trooper through it all.  Tackling our new chores with gusto.

Using his incredible creativity to add joy to everything and enjoy time with his siblings; be it his "Beach Parties" in the creek or one-on-one time with his little sister.

He also uses his imagination to make incredible Lego creations, drawings (now displayed in the Art Gallery he suggested), and even his own music videos (His piano teacher is sure he'll write his own music some day).

Speaking of piano, this is another area where he has really come into his own.  His playing is amazing; check out this sample from earlier this year. 

In February, we had one more first.  Jared and I took the train together on a whirl-wind trip to Florida and back in 48 hours.  We went for his check-up with Dr. Carson and I'm happy to report that they said he's doing great.  Jared did so awesome on the train, enjoying talking and getting to know everyone we sat with at each meal on the train.  It was really neat to have that special time together.

Inside our sleeper cabin on the train.

In addition to all he has done and experienced this year, there is also how much he has grown as a person which is infinitely more important than all these things.  Jared has such a loving and sensitive heart, a heart for people. 

Daddy and I are so proud of you, not just for all you have done but for who you are becoming as a young man of God.  May God continue to bless you abundantly in your needs and your wants!

PS.  Jared had one more big first this year but that's the subject of my next post.

B & B Saturday

Part of me wishes I meant a quiet weekend at a Bread and Breakfast but it wouldn't have been nearly as fun.

The first "B" is for "Baseball", no surprise there but this time the boys weren't playing they were watching.  The College Championships were being contested out at the USA Baseball fields in Cary only about 20 min. from the house.  

Chris took our three boys and two of their friends.  When they got there they met up with other friends from homeschool and baseball.  The park was quite beautiful and the game exceptionally played.  Lance and Connor hung out to watch the game, the other boys divided their time between watching the game and playing on the lawns surrounding the fields.  Everyone had a great time!

They came home to a very big surprise....  Grandpa Harvey was at the house waiting for them!  I had told them we might have company to encourage their enthusiastic support in cleaning the house on Friday but I hadn't told them whom might be coming.  They were all very excited.

After relaxing a bit we all piled into the car to go to the Booth Amphitheater to listen to the symphony play our second "B",  Beethoven's 5th Symphony.  We had been studying Beethoven, all the boys have been learning to play Beethoven on the piano this spring and the boys had nearly memorized the Audio CD "Beethoven Upstairs" but we had never had the opportunity to hear the entire 5th symphony, so the boys had really been looking forward to this event.  The Amphitheater is only 15 min from the house, and you can bring whatever you can carry.  The kids are always free to the Summerfest Concerts so we were pleased to see lots of them (then I didn't have to worry as much about Little Miss and Titus making a little noise).  It was a truly enchanting evening, such beautifully moving music and surroundings.

A Rival for Saturday: Field Day, Golf, Baseball and Band Concert

Our life has been busy in bunches lately.  The amount of activity on Thursday rivaled the previous Saturday.

First up from 10am till 1pm was a "Field Day" with our homeschool group.  I didn't know what to expect but was really impressed at how things worked out.  They had a schedule of activities for the kids and they really kept them moving the whole time.

Here was the schedule:

• Opening Ceremonies
• Parent/Kid Ultimate Frisbee (Lance made, two points, Jared fielded well and Titus kept moving)
• Potato Sack Race 
• Wheel Barrel Race
• 3 Legged Race
• Capture the Flag
• Kick the Shoe Off Contest
• Water Balloon Toss (Lance's team won)
• Running race (for anyone who still had energy like my three boys)

While the boys were actively engaged, there was a nice playground for Amber and her best bud Lily to spend their time playing and teleporting to keep me on my toes.

Everyone had a great time and could have easily rested the rest of the day but there was no time for idleness.  We went home ate, rehydrated and took off for Golf Lessons.  Lance did skip this event out and stay home with Amber and Chris to eat and get ready for then next activity; his baseball game.

Per our normal routine we show up 45 minutes before the game for Lance to warm up with the team and for the rest of the kids to play at the playground (as if they hadn't played enough). 

Once the game started we moseyed over to the stands and I took out my new secret weapon to keep Amber in the stands....Playmobile horses.  At one of Jared's game she was kept entertained by another little girl's play horse but frustrated that the doll couldn't ride the horse.  So Chris and I had spent our date time on Mother's Day going around town looking for a toy horse WITH a rider.

We could only stay at the game for the first half because Jared, Titus, Amber and I had a concert to attend across town.  Our friend/neighbor/babysitter really wanted us to come to her high school band concert.  The concert was exceptionally good and they were happy to see us there.  My kids were exceptionally good as well.  Now we were all truly done.  We had survived an enjoyed another full day.