Question-Pet Peeves

So I have a question for band directors and the wives. Maybe this bugs me more than it should and that could be the fault of my director. Does it bug you when your kids dance when the opposing band plays or cheer with the other team and their cheerleaders? I don't know why but that is one of my many pet peeves. I also have a pet peeve when a player is hurt for either team and the kids talk. We would get the stare to end all stares (love you Mr. Pry) if we made one peep. Mostly it was directed at upper class men because it was their responsibility to keep them under class men quiet and in line. I basically just stare either into the vast expanse or at the back of my husbands head. It never works. I guess it will always be a pet peeve and I will suck it up and stare into the vast expanse. 

Week 10-What is a Wardog?

It is the final game of the regular season and the final game of the Hornets season. This season has flown by very quickly and to tell you the truth it is bittersweet. I know that concert season is just around the corner but it is. Not nearly as fun as football season. I know my husband enjoys it because he gets to see a lot of growth in the kids but I don't get to be as involved. 

Tonight we head to Miami to play the Wardogs. I don't really know what a Wardogs are but their mascot looks a lot like a scary bulldog. Now I need to do some research on what a Wardog is. We aren't marching tonight so we decided to stop at Pizza Hut and eat before we headed out. Can you tell I don't have much to talk about? For some reason I have been stressed the last couple of days and it has nothing to do with being a band directors wife so I will just leave it like that. 

I guess I could catch everyone up on last week since I never came back and updated my blog about senior night. I did great during the procession of the kids walking in with their families. Since they didn't group the kids by activities but alphabetically I didn't have time to get weepy. Halftime on the other hand was a different story. Every year the Pom and cheer girls do a dance to honor their seniors and it was sweet, then our kids took the field and our weekly announcer, who is one of our seniors, started to announce them and he started to name our seniors and the tears started to well up. I was doing great til one of our drum majors took the stand to direct and I started to lose it. He made me laugh because he is silly and for senior night the seniors wanted to dress up in costumes and he decided to dress up like Homer. Well during Circle of Life he held up a donut box and it made the crowd go wild. It was great but I realized that is one of the last times I would get to see him be silly. I watched our second drum major direct the next two songs. The first song didn't make me tear up until the end when I saw two of our seniors head down to play the percussion feature on Under the Sea and the tears started to fall. Let it Go wasn't ugh better since one of our seniors plays the first solo in the song. I was a mess but I think I hid it fairly well. I will probably lose it tonight since this is the last game but we do have almost 6 more months with these kids. I probably won't have much more to say because I forget about this so I hope I don't forget tonight. Oh yeah we also lost last week for senior night but we should win tonight. 

So I found the meaning of Wardog and what it is. Click on the link and it is a great history from Miami School website. http://www.wardogathletics.com/history-of-the-wardog.html 

Well the hornets season is over. We lost to Miami 34-10. Oh well I think we had a good year with a new head coach. We had learning curves and we will come back stronger next year. Our next big thing before the end of the year is the Vinita Christmas parade which is in about a month. After that it will be ground running to District contest in March and hopefully a band trip in April. It has been a great marching season. Granted shorter than normal because of illness and weather but still a good one. I probably won't post about the Christmas parade because I forgot to ask off and I doubt I will get it this late in the game. Oh well that parade is cold so I will stay warm at work. 

Week 9-Happy Marching band Friday/Senior Night

It's officially week nine and we have already done a really cool thing. The kids along with the football seniors, cheerleaders and Pom girls all went to one of our elementary schools and did a pep assembly for the kids. It was so neat to see the little kids eyes expand as the saw the big kids come to do something neat with them. I also watched as the little ones dreamed that one day they could be in band playing a trumpet or pounding a drum or even conducting like a drum major. It was just beat to see those kids eyes light up as the watched our kids. 

As you could possibly guess by the title that tonight is senior night for our little town. Tonight is the last time our seniors will march on their home field. As I sit here in my house, the waterworks start to fall. I am not sure I am ready for tonight. I know full well I have about 6 more months with this group of seniors. I have sonny stories about these 12 kids. Yeah we have 12 seniors this year and that makes my heart hurt even more. This group has made me laugh and made me want to kill them, but in the long run they have been a great group of kids. So since I  tearing sitting on my couch, tonight is going to be so hard. I am so proud of these kids and can't wait to see where their road of life will take them. I have watched most of these kids since they were in 8th grade. One I have watched since he was a kid because we go to the same church and a couple others came in later. As I start to think about these kids I can think of funny stories with each of them and know they are going to do great in their futures. I will definitely update later in the evening and let you know about the waterworks that will most definitely fall. 

Week 8

Can't believe it is already week 8. That means counting this game we have three games of the regular season left. Granted I love football and going go games I must admit I am kind of happy the season is almost over. I will say that it would be awesome to see our boys make it to the playoffs. Sorry there was sarcasm in that sentence and I don't think I could apologize for it. Granted there will be years when going to playoffs would be fun but this year ain't one of them. It might be when we have kids of our own and they are excited about going on trips, but since we don't have kids of our own yet, games get tiring after awhile. My husband loves to watch the game so he might miss the games. Granted this year we do have a band kid that also plays so it is neat to get to watch him play. The only thing is I don't remember his number but at least I know he plays defense so I just cheer louder on defense then offense. Next Friday is senior night and I promise I will be a blubbering mess next Friday. I have watched this group of seniors since they were in 8th grade. Graduation won't be fun in May, but let's not talk about that. 

As I sit here and watch Wagoners band I start to think about the rifles that the guard issues as a prop in the show and it makes me think I wonder when liberals will start saying those are wrong. I think about that from time to time, but it makes me wonder when will they tell band directors and guard leaders they can no longer throw a piece of carved wood into the air. It is only a matter of time.  Sorry it is something that I think about from time to time. I mean the freak when a girl decided she wants to have a gun in her senior picture and they believe that is crossing the line. Things you think as a band directors wife. 

 

Happy Marching Band Thursday?

Yep you read that right it is Thursday Night Lights so that could mean only one thing and that it is fall break in Oklahoma. This is the first fall break in three years that we are home. Two years ago we were in Miami and last year we were at Catoosa so it feels great to be home for a game this year. So far the night has been uneventful but there is still twentyinutea before the game is supposed start so there will be something. One little joy though is making our Junior High roadies run around and do things for me. That is one of the great joys of being married to the director. Granted they don't always listen to me but it is more often than not. Tonight we play Cascia Hall so it should be an interesting game, I just hope it isn't a long night. All directors wives understand that.  I just hope the long night of people using the ramp next to us won't happen. I doubt it because people don't learn easy especially around here. Takes about twenty tries and since we are only home for 5 of the 10 weeks they will probably never get it. That is why I miss the band stands we had when I was in band. Mr. Pry had a rule that if you weren't in band you couldn't pass Rosie his wife sitting in the lawn chair on the concrete and it seemed to work. Also we didn't have to cheer along with the cheerleaders. Man I need newaterial, my posts are quite boring. Not having any good stories except we had a kid completely convinced that my husband who only leaves out house for work and when I drag him to Tulsa had contracted Ebola. This kid is definitely in the running for most guillible at the band banquet at the end of the year. Granted this child isn't the only one. Every band needs a couple every year to keep it interesting. This game is also not going to be that fun because my sweet niece is out of town with her parents. Don't they know she isy entertainment and should have been left with me to keep me entertained tonight. Geez where are their priorties. See I can be somewhat funny. Okay I am not funny at all I know. 

Well the evening is over and the 7th game of the season is done. This leaves at least three more games. Yes the mighty hornets fell to the Cascia Hall commandoes. I don't know the final score because I come back before the end of the game to let the roadies in the band room with our mountain of equipment. Okay it isn't quite that much equipment but it seems like a lot. At least we got an awesome cart to haul everything this year. Well I am tired and hopefully my husband will take me on a date day tomorrow to Tulsa.

Happy Regional Marching Day

It is here, the day has arrived. The day the kids have been working so hard toward. It is regional marching band day for our region or the one we choose to go to. I know that I will see se friends and their groups today. This is a nerve wracking day. My husband has been repeating just breath and have fun, not only to himself, but to the kids. I will meet them there because I have other errands to run for my husband. We had a fundraiser and the forms needed to be there like yesterday so I am waiting not so patiently at the post office for it to open so I can get this sent and on the road. I can't believe that this day is really here. That means that football season is almost over and concert season will be starting. I honestly don't like that. I actually like cold football games and spending time with the kids. We have such a great group that I miss hanging out with them. I don't like the late nights and loud bus rides, but it is fun. 

Well it is official we have made it to Skiatook. This is where regionals will be held for us. It is the closest place at almost an hour and a half. We stopped at Pizza Hut to feed the brood some food. And our kids can put it away. My husband is a lot calmer than I thought he would be. I am excited to get to the school to see how our friends have done throughout the day.  Hopefully we load up soon and head to the school. I can only sit in a restaurant with teenagers for so long. 

 

We got to the field and are listening to Okmulgees band and the sound great. Found out that a friend of mine got a I. For those that read and don't know what that means, it means he did great. So very proud of Eric Bates. I knew he could do it. 

It also seems like the curse of Skiatook reigns true. It isn't nearly as cold as it has been in the past but oh my it is windy. Wind coming straight out of the east off the end zone. Without a doubt every year it is windy. At least it isn't cold. I will come back in about an hour and a half with our score then I get to leave and head back for work. 

We got a II. That to me is great with my husband being off for a week because of being sick. The kids did great and played great in the wind of Skiatook.  I wonder if this is what they mean in the song and the wind comes whipping down the plains because it is whipping today. I am very proud of the kids and all their hard work. This just makes me look forward to the rest of football season and concert season. I also look forward to next year. Granted I don't want to think to hard on that because we are losing a great group of hard working seniors that truthfully I am not ready to see walk across that stage in May. 

Week 6

Happy Marching Band Friday. It is officially football weather here in Oklahoma. It has been cold the last two Friday nights so it is finally here. Yes I  weird and I love the cold weather on Friday nights. This also marks the Friday before regional marching contest. Usually we would have two more performances before Regionals but because of the rain Northeast Oklahoma has gotten since yesterday the contest has gotten cancelled for tomorrow. I have officially been to no contests this year. We were supposed to go to one on Tuesday, but my husband got sick so it got cancelled for our kids. At least I get to go on Tueday to Regionals. I still have to work that evening, but at least I get to enjoy some of the day. Nothing's happening funny or all that interesting happened at the game. It was cold and miserable and the football team got beat. It has a fairly boring week and this week I haven't locked my keys in the car, knock on wood. It counts when you type it right.  Well I will do it when I get back to the band room. 

Homecoming Friday.

Tonight is our homecoming. I always hated this time of year when I was in school. I hated the dress up days and the Hornet Olympics. Our band kids on the other hand seem to enjoy it. Tonight's homecoming I am actually excited about. I believe this will be the first time that I am actually excited about. I found out earlier in the week that my band director will be in attendance at this years game. I haven't seen him since I graduated high school. He was such a great influence on my life. I pray that my husband is that great of an influence on his kids lives. So far nothing funny or annoying has happened because it is 10:30 in the morning. I know a ton of funny stuff will be reported because like I said it is homecoming night and right now it is about 60 degrees here. 

Well the game has started and it is not nearly as cold as the Nowata game, but this time I am little more prepared. I brought a jacket and a sweatshirt so I should be good. I also got to relive some memories while the team ran out. When I was in high school our stands were down  by the scoreboard and I stood down there because I pulled a stupid and locked my keys in the fat. Yeah that is a long story that I will recount at a later day. Maybe at the contest we have on Tursday I will relive my embarrassing story. More like scary okay it was embarrassing. Anyways back to my walk down memory lane. I could almost hear my classmates being loud and obnoxious. I could hear our percussionists being silly. I almost walked over to where they stood and just soak it in. That is the only thing that I truly miss about high school are the Friday nights in the band stands. Maybe part of me relives it every Friday night, but this time I can't get in trouble for talking when I am not supposed to. Now I don't have to memorize music, I just get to sit by my husband and enjoy the game. I also get to say the director is sexy and it not be really weird. 

4th Friday night.

Holy geez it is the fourth Friday night of the season. That leaves 6 more games of the regular season. This year is flying by. We have started district play tonight and so far it isn't going great but it is only the second quarter. 

I have decided to write a what irks me part of the blog. Tonight what irks me well this is every week irk is the fact that there are three very good ways to get in and out of our stadium with a fourth one down by where we sit and people decide to use the ramp and/stairs down by where we sit. Little kids don't bother me so much because they have truly learned respect but they won't learn it if the adults and teenagers walk right in front of us. I don't know how everyone else's stadiums are but our concession stand is down by the entrance that is on the other end of the stands. The only true reason to leave the stands is to go to the concession stand right. You paid perfectly good money to watch a game right. I don't understand it. Come and sit don't run around and if you have to use one of the exits please use the other three. 

Another week, Another Marching band Friday

Happy Marching Band Friday to my band friends. Yes it is that time of week again some of us load on a stinky hot bus and go to a football game. This week The Pride of Vinita is heading toward Dewey to watch our football team beat the Dewey Bulldoggers. We are on the road and as I look out the window from my favorite seat(right behind my husband) I see the cheerleader bus, more than likely a cheerleader parent behind them, our suburban and trailer and then us. We are still fairly a ways from Dewey. I must admit though and that riding on a bus is one thing I didn't miss from being in band when I went to high school. I must admit 10 years ago when I was dreaming of my future I didn't think that on a Friday I would be seating on a school bus headed to a high school football game. I will always know that God has a sense of humor because of the fact that would fall in love and marry a band director. 

Happy Marching Band Friday

I have seen a director friend and his wife use this so I thought I would steal it. Yes I know I have net kept up with this. I had a feeling I wouldn't do that well of keeping it up. Oh well. I will try to do better. Tonight we are headed to Nowata for the second game of the football season.  Last week our football team played Jay and our band kids helped cheer them on to a 41-28 win. I believe that is a great way to start the season. Our show this year is Animated Blockbusters. It is Circle of Life from The Lion King, Life is a Higheay made popular by Rascal Flatts from Cars, Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid and Let it Go from last years popular movie Frozen. So in other words it is The Disney show. I would take a picture of the shirt, but you have to see me so I won't do that to you. 

As I sit on the bus listening to a podcast with the kids voices breaking up the words being spoken through the podcast. I must admit that is a sound I have missed hearing on a weekly if not bi-weekly basis. I will always say that God has blessed me with a great ministry. These kids always try to make me smile. I must admit there are times that I want to ring their necks, but teenagers will make you that on grumpy days. I have learned through the almost 5 years that I have been helping my husband you have to pick your battles as a wife. I admit that I made my mistakes with a lot of these kids past and present that I am ashamed of. I lost my temper when I shouldn't have, I have said something in a tone that should have been kinder. For those I will say I am sorry. I know it is late but my momma always said better late than never. 

As I look out the front window and I can see the Friday night lights of Nowata in the distance and I am excited about that. This is the first year I have actually been excited about a football game since I have been out of school. With last weeks game I hope it will be a game worth watching. 

Encouragement

There are times when these kids will break your heart, both in good and bad ways. There are the ones who struggle with life, the ones who walk away from band, the ones that move and then the ones that you will feel drawn to just to love on and hold in high regard. In the four years that I have been involved with these kids we have had our highs and lows. Most times you have to almost put your head between you knees and remind yourself to breath to the days you are cheering louder than their own families. The last couple of months for one of our kids has been hard. I will not go into details because that isn't what is important. What is important is how to be there in the ways I can be there for this child. I wish I had all the words for them. I wish I could hug away all of their problems, but I can't do that. So I have decided to just pray for this student. I will let them know I am there for them. Sometimes kids just need to know that sympathetic ear is there if they ever need it. So I will pray for this student and encourage them. As a band wife that is all we can do at times. Just be there for the students and at times just smile and cheer them on to all the great things we know they are capable to do. So this post is to be an encouragement to other band spouses to be a cheerleader, be an encourager, to be there when they need you and always know they may not like you in the moment but you are making an impact.