I am slacker

SO it's been almost a week since our last post. To those who crave a little chun-beeks every day, I apologize, and I thank you for reading. Thank you especially to Julia, who finally wrote me an email at least to tell me to post on the blog again! Good call.
Here's what's been happening this week: Monday and Tuesday "post-travel-weekend recovery days" (we had a great Thanksgiving in Lincoln, NE) aka do laundry, go grocery shopping, plan menus for the week. We were hoping to hear from our real estate agent with news about our bank approving the offer we received for our house (long story, but most of you know the details). No word from them, yet. Then Wednesday through tomorrow (Saturday) Kelly and Renee have been babysitting all day for a local family of 4 girls: ages 3, 5, 12 and 13 years old. The older girls pretty much take care of themselves so it's the little girls we spend most of our time with, but they all have activities, preschool, gymnastics, tennis, school projects, etc. It's been a fun week so far for Renee having the other two little girls, Ava and Kendall, to play with! We also have lots of snow, and it's been a little chilly, around 17 degrees during the day and colder at night. Hopefully this weekend I can get pictures of Renee and Daddy's snow fort for you! I have a funny story to share about John's Christmas shopping, but it will wait until after Christmas, since it involves gifts that some of you reading might receive.
Oh, not to be forgotten, I have been researching info for the Wartburg Community Symphony. It's a little orchestra in a small town just north of here called Waverly, IA. I recently joined the Development Committee through a good friend of mine who knew they needed a volunteer, and at my first meeting I took on the task of researching "How to start an Annual Fund" for the orchestra. To do that, I emailed my two favorite trumpet teachers and reached out to the local orchestras in our area for advice. I had a nice meeting on Tuesday this week with the Executive Director of the Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra (she even let me bring Renee!), and I have a phone meeting scheduled later this month with the Executive Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. A very huge "Thank you" to my old trumpet teacher Bill Lucas for the hook-up with the DSO! I'm learning a lot, and I hope someday this will help lead me into a career in orchestra management. Mostly it just feels good to be needed. Isn't that all we ever really crave?
P.S. I got a phone call the other day while babysitting. The woman who called was looking for the folks who weren't home, but then she said, "Oh you do babysitting overnight? Gosh it's so hard to get a weekend away sometimes. Do you ever watch kids for people you don't know? Maybe I should get your number?" I laughed and told her I'm just a trumpet teacher, and I bring my 2 1/2 year old daughter with me, and that maybe she should ask for a recommendation after this weekend to see if she really wants to hire me. But it did get me thinking, it might be a good way to earn a little extra cash...? This time anyway! Kelly as "nanny" ...I never would have imagined that in my career profile!