Days with the Dorans

So while I was in Cedar Point with Ali Jane, I was missing a lot back home which I really REALLY hated. I missed soccer games AND Joey's piano recital. To make matters worse, Nana was on a golf trip which meant Dad and Papa were in charge of pictures/ video. I got ONE picture (the first one) and a video (which I took screen shots of for this blog. Joey picked out two difficult pieces- Charlie Brown and Beethoven's 5th. There were a few measures in Charlie Brown that he hadn't mastered and with his crazy schedule with the play, he finally decided just to omit them altogether. Jeff sent me the video via text and I listened to it a few times while we waited in line for rides. I'm so incredibly proud of this kid!!!! He sounded great (you can hear him HERE ). He's decided he has at least another year of piano in him which means I DIDN'T miss his last recital (yay!!!). Keep up the great work my piano man!

In spite of not practicing piano as much as we'd like him to, Joe was invited to play in the advanced recital. He's been playing a lot of guitar lately which I think has cut into his piano practicing, but he did well. He picked the songs (obviously) and you can see how he did by clicking HERE . He didn't prepare as much as we would have liked him to and as dad would quote our friend Paul, "It sucks to suck and I don't want to suck so that's why I practice." Joe had a little hiccup in the beginning of his first piece (which I edited out because he stopped and restarted) though after that I was nervous for him. I think he played Star Wars better than I'd ever heard him do it before. The last time we were at this location for a recital, Sean was screaming and Jeff had to leave and he missed it. We were happy to see that Sean is all grown up and behaved. He took his library book in with him and thankfully didn't lose it. Joe has grown so...

Sometime I come up upon the sweetest of moments. I noticed Joe teaching Sean some piano. I got some video HERE but also these precious pictures. I'm a lucky girl to have such sweet kids. I really don't take that for granted. I am very much, blessed!

Joe did a great job at his recital. He still goes through rounds where he doesn't want to practice and I find that he WON'T unless I am sitting in the room with him or watch him get started. This year he had a fun "Mario" song that he did. He also did "When the Saints Go Marching In" which was pretty easy for him... You can watch him play HERE . We are so proud of him and love listening to him play! His kind of bouquet!

So Joe was ABOUT to quit piano... mainly because I was sick of paying for him to have lessons when he refused to practice. Well, I finally put my foot down and started sitting in the room with him as he practiced to MAKE SURE he did what he was supposed to. Just my presence made a HUGE difference! Last week, Joe's teacher told me that she is amazed that where he once struggled with "easier" scales he is now "breezing through" difficult lessons that "should take him weeks'! Joe is also realizing that a little practice goes a long way!! I still can't get him to play much trumpet for me (athough he is doing Jazz band) and I haven't heard him strum a guitar in a while but I am TOTALLY digging his tickling of the ivories. You can click HERE to have a listen (and hear my boys changing voice!!) Yikes!!!

 It's hard to believe that Joe's been playing the piano for 3 years. He played three songs at recital and one was called, "Wake me Up When September Ends."  That was his choice. I love that song~ since it really applies to me though I had forgotten about it.  Joe also played a song with his friend and neighbor, Trevor.  They did Rockin' Robin and did great! I think the two only practiced this together twice but they did a great job! I put all Joe's songs on a video HERE so I can go back and watch it again. As for those who were watching... it was my folks and all us Dorans (minus Al). I had to take her to dance pictures prior to the concert so she just watched the video. Sean was good and played a video game during some of the recital since it was long for a 6 year old. Thankfully his video game was made of paper and he put it on mute. After we left, he told me in the car he needed to charge it so he could play it again.  Such an awesome ima...

 Joe was pretty upset with me when I told him he'd be playing in a little Christmas Concert at an Old Folks' Home (where my Auntie Irene used to live).  With all of his practicing for the play he hadn't been the best at practicing his piano and trumpet. Still he did a great job and I was really proud of him.  I can't believe how good he's getting (especially at trumpet since he hasn't been playing that long).  You can see/hear his performance by clicking HERE . Joe and his friend Ella

 Piano this summer has been hard.  Joe has not wanted to practice and when we tell him to, it seems he gets distracted on his (short) walk to the piano and doesn't get there.  We basically had a come-to-Jesus-meeting with Joey where we told him either he begin practicing or we're done.  It's not that we don't want him to play but we don't want to pay if he's not going to practice so he's on notice for three weeks... He says he wants to play but his actions will talk louder than his words and we'll see what they say... On Monday, Joey went with some other kiddos over to a retirement community (where my Auntie used to live) and he played a couple pieces.  Afterward, they gave people ice cream.  Jeff and I skipped out on the dessert but Seany (shockingly) didn't want all his so Jeff DID have some.  It helped wake him up.   Here is a video of Joe playing...

 I'm so proud of Joey! It hasn't always been easy and he doesn't always want to practice, but he's stuck with piano and did great in his second recital.  Joey is a musical kiddos and so many times he'd rather play a song the way it sounds to him (rather than how it's written), but he's really done well with reading music.  This year he got a medal for his second recital!  Also this year, Sean is older and was SO much better!  We were all so proud of Joe!! He did a great job!!  He's going to be working on some contemporary Christian stuff for church and he's also decided to take (gulp) trumpet next year in middle school.  I think my house is about to get a lot louder!! HERE is a video of Joey's piano recital.

I'm so proud of Joey!  A little over a year of lessons and he's turned into quite the little pianist. His Great-Grandpa Jonasen (an AMAZING Jazz pianist) would have been so proud!  I actually was busting Joe's chops a few weeks ago about not practicing enough.  I thought his teacher would call him out, but it backfired on me.  When I asked how the lesson went I learned it not only went well, but his teacher thinks that he could be joining Jeff on stage in a year or two! I had to think quick and said, "Ummm... Joe... Just think how much FASTER you could get to that point if you practiced more!"  Oh well.  The fact remains that I am proud of him and love listening to him play. On the 22nd, after Painting with a Twist, Joe put on a new shirt and we were off to The Grand Court where my Great Auntie Irene used to live.  It had been YEARS since I was there.  I learned I was pregnant with Ali the day of her funeral so it's been over a decade! ...

 What a crazy day we had!  Ali had dance pictures (thanks Julia for helping) and Zach had his birthday party in the evening.  We skipped two baseball games because today was a big day... Joey had his FIRST piano recital!  Joey decided today that he wanted to wear a tie.  So, after dropping Al off at pictures, I called Jeff (who had his own practice this morning) and he met me at the store.  We swapped cars (so he could take the boys home) and I ran into JC Penney and picked up some clothes for Joe.  Of course I forgot he needed a belt, so we used his baseball belt.  His pants stayed up and he looked so handsome.  Did I mention that I went into the store at noon and Joe needed to be at his recital at 1?  I'm still tired thinking about it.  I take my days minute by minute. Joey's only been playing for 9 months, but he's doing so well.  He looked very confident and comfortable.  He did a wonderful job introducing the ...