Got a Hat?

January 13, 2013

Today I tried to take it easy and recover from the busy weekend.  Great morning at church, then home to pack Glen up for his next trip. 

Not a lot of excitement today .... After Glen got on the road, Sean and I ran a few errands.  He bought ANOTHER new hat.  He is really into hats lately, all different kinds, baseball hats, cowboy hats, you name it he likes it.  I guess it is my fault as I kinda like hats too and when he was little ... I did tend to put hats on him quite a bit ....

So here he is with Sissy sporting his new hat.

Got a Clone ?

January 11, 2013

Today was one of those days that I needed not only 1 clone but 2.  I got about 4 hours of sleep.  I was so wound up after the Bluegrass Battle of the Bands that it took forever for me to fall asleep.  I had to be up at 5:30 AM and out of the house by 6:30 AM.  I had to teach a class at Pow-Wow today.  For you non-scout people, Pow-Wow is a day long fun and educational day for Cub Scout leaders. No kids allowed, well we had a few Boy Scouts doing traffic duty and assisting one of the instructors, but for the most part this is a day for the adults to act like kids and learn a ton of information to take back to their packs to enhance their program.  Pow-Wow starts at 8 and ends at 3.  BUT WAIT .........

Today is Winter Jubilee and Sean has to be on stage at 11 and again around 3.  Glen is in Savannah at a trade show .... how exactly am I going to pull this off ???

Well .... with a little help from my friends ..... and family.  I asked Marty (Glen's cousin) to do me the favor of getting Sean over to the Jubilee.  I asked a gaggle of friends to please keep track of the little banjo picker for 90% of the day until I could get there around 5.  I have to say, I know a bunch of amazing people who agreed to this unreasonable request from me.  I was not worried one bit because I knew he was in wonderful hands. I appreciate each and everyone who helped me more than I can put into words.  I owe a bunch of people for today.  I hear the Sweet Potato Pie Kids did wonderful on stage, so sorry I missed it.  I know a bunch of people enjoyed them jamming in the hall too.

I arrived just in time to catch the end of the Little Roy and Lizzy workshop.  Sean LOVES and holds a special place in his heart for Little Roy and Lizzy.  He met them when he first started to play the banjo, and Little Roy helped him purchase his first real banjo ...
here is a flash from the past....

The first time Sean met Little Roy (December 2010) ... Roy handed him his personal banjo and was helping him pick. Notice he has no picks on his fingers as Al taught him to play without picks.

Then Little Roy picks up his guitar, leaves Sean with HIS banjo and they play with Lizzy.

Later that same day, Little Roy and Sean went "shopping" for a banjo.  This is Sean with his new banjo and one of his idols.

Another blast from the past .....

At Bluegrass Under the Stars (Summer 2012), Sean brought his Heartland banjo to show Little Roy his "newest" banjo and wanted him to play it.

  Fast Forward to today .......

Little Roy and Lizzy Workshop at the Winter Jubilee, how far he has come in 2 years.

I love the way he is looking at Lizzy and listening to every word they are saying and  note they are playing.  Sean LOVES spending time with these two .. they are very high on his idol list! I so appreciate how wonderful they always are to him.

If you have never seen the Little Roy and Lizzy Show .. you are missing a TON!  Put it on your bucket list.

Got Orange and Blue ... grass that is ?

January 11, 2013

Today was an exciting evening ... The Blue Flame Bluegrass Band Competition.  Nine Bluegrass bands competing for a $1,000 grand prize.   I was on ticket booth duty for the evening so I only got to see the competition on the hall monitor and over the hall speakers, it was an AMAZING show of talent.  On top of the 9 competing bands Slik Nickel, Nuthin' 2 Lose, Unspoken Tradition, Pinetop Revival, Destined 4 Glory, Smith Family Band, Wrecked Frets, Carolina Blue, and Appalachian Generations, we were also graced with the music of  The Blue Flame Bluegrass Band and the always impressive Most Wanted Bluegrass.  Sean had a BLAST hanging out with friends and watching the show!

As I was watching the people walk past the ticket booth ... something VERY VERY STRANGE caught my eye ..... wait ..... NO .... I am seeing things ...... wait .... are you seeing what I am seeing ??

Documented Proof !!!!

  I had to take a picture to document this as I knew not one person alive would ever believe my story.  Yes friends ... this would be the one and only Jeff Catlin wearing ORANGE !  He tried to scribble some crazy words on that ORANGE band to make up for it ..... so just ignore that.  What is important is he is wearing ORANGE!  For the record .... Reid Toth was also sporting ORANGE ... but I admit my fear of taking a picture of that !  I decided seeing Reid wear ORANGE with MY own 2 eyes was enough and I wanted to live another day to see Little Roy and Lizzy !

The evening was awesome!  Wrecked Frets won first place, with Slik Nickel in 2nd and Unspoken Tradition in 3rd.  I am really glad I was assigned the ticket booth and not the judges station!  I can't wait until next year. What an awesome show.

Got Mud ?

January 10, 2013

Thursdays are normally our jam packed school day.  We don't normally have to be somewhere like banjo lessons or church or ...... so it is normally a very long school/work day that ends with us just being able to be home !  Today was Sean's last day of the first semester ...all work had to be in by midnight .... He did it .... if I would have let him he would be submitting something at 11:59 ... AUGH ..... He has SO much of Glen in him at times .... He could have been done days ago ... but instead .... he dragged it out until the last day ... we have till Thursday, Mom ..... Anyone that knows me knows he did not get that from me ..... :)   He has all A's with one B just by the skin of his teeth he dropped it to a B .... I am proud of him.

Since there was little school work to do today ..... Sean's feeding chores took him HOURS ... it is a maybe a 30 to 45 minute job ..... 3 hours later I find him in this condition.

Not sure the feeding chores require mud caked jeans!

Not just a little muddy, these jeans are CAKED with mud. 

I keep telling Glen we need an outside shower like they have at the beach.  I can't tell you how many times I have had to have him hosed down and he is only 11 !  AUGH .... when I ask the very silly question "Sean, how in the world did you get this muddy" .. I get the answer ... "Mom .. it was fun!"  .... Sigh ... Maybe it is best I really don't know.  :)

Got Carolina Now ?

January 9, 2013

Today was EXCITING and nerve racking.  The Sweet Potato Pie Kids had the opportunity to perform on television on the Carolina Now show.  I think most of the parents were a lot more nervous than the kids were!   :) We arrived at the station at 10:30 and went to the Green Room where the kids tuned and warmed up.  They went live shorty before the end of the show and were cut mid song, so some of the kids did not get to take their breaks .....they were a little disappointed but I am really proud of all of them, they did wonderful.

Here are some pictures and the video of their segment on air !

Sweet Potato Pie Kids hanging out in the Green Room before going on Carolina Now.

Got 5 strings ?

January 8, 2013

Tuesdays are always busy.  Tuesday is better known as "Charles Day" around here.  We make a pilgrimage to 5th String in Greenville for Sean's weekly banjo lesson with Charles Wood.  Yes (as someone asked me) ... THE Charles Wood ... the one and only.  Sean is his biggest fan too!  Charles is more than a banjo teacher to Sean he is a mentor and friend.  For those of you that don't know who Charles is ... here is one of Sean's favorite videos of him on David Letterman with Steve Martin, Earl Scruggs and Pete Wernick. Charles is the middle one who plays right after Paul plays the keyboard.  Sean has also had the opportunity to play with Pete Wernick (aka Dr. Banjo) as he won a scholarship to Pete Wernick's Jam Camp last year and got to play on stage at Merlefest!

Normally after banjo lessons we go to Scouts, but tonight there was a meeting about enrollment at a new charter school here in Pickens called the Youth Leadership Academy.  We have put Sean's application in for 6th grade.  There are 48 spots open, and if need be the lottery will be held in February.  Everyone say a little extra prayer Sean gets in ! 

Got Handyman?

January 7, 2013

Today was a very busy day.  Work was really busy, Sean had school work to get done and I had to play IT support to a family member (who I won't name to protect the innocent).

Once a month my Webelos meet at the Boy Scout Hut to visit and work on activities.  This is something the Scoutmaster and I started last year and it has worked out wonderful.  My Webelos really LOVE it and it gives the Scouts an opportunity to help my Webelos (and ME) out.  It really has been an outstanding opportunity for all involved.

Tonight they worked on part of their Handyman pin and did bike repairs.  It was COLD outside but we had a lot of fun and I learned a lot too !

Sean doing bike repairs for his Handyman pin.