Emma and Henry took a big step toward truly becoming Marinites (someone from Marin County, not the mineral) by competing in the 2012 Marin County Fair piano competition. Under the tutelage of their piano teacher, Kenn Gartner, they’ve become quite the piano players. They’d practiced the same pieces over and over for the last several weeks all in anticipation of the big day.
Emma’s award-winning performance of Rondo from Sonatina: Opus 36, #5 by Clementi. This clip showcases classic Emma behaviors, from the way she talks about the left-behind music, to her frustration that the music stand won’t go down and the way she starts even before she’s fully seated. Classic, I tell you.
I started this website a little over 10 years ago, just before Emma was born. It’s hard to believe that that tiny, dark-haired bundle of joy has grown into the smart, beautiful and funny girl you see up above.
Emma joined the Marin Dance Theater almost as soon as we moved to Marin this summer. Her first performance was a quick collection of pieces put together over the summer session. The winter performance was far different. It was a full-length, two hour long ballet called Sophie and the Enchanted Toy Shop featuring a full 150 dancers. Emma and the other girls practiced multiple times per week for hours on end, including back-to-back full dress rehearsals as the night grew closer.
The two explorers prepared to enter uncharted territory.
Emma is performing in her very first school play, a performance of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She will be playing a Wonka Bar and has been practicing relentlessly for weeks. Here’s a little preview.
Emma joined the Rancho Santa Margarita Dolphins swim team this year and took to the water like, well, a dolphin. She practiced multiple times per week focusing on the 25 m freestyle and 25 m backstroke. Despite being the shortest person on the team she wasn’t (always) the slowest. By the time for the first meet her body was tan and her stroke smooth.
Since our trip to San Francisco last year Emma has been in love with trollies. When searching for a place for her birthday party this year it was natural to choose The Old Spaghetti Factory in Newport Beach. The trolley dining car in the middle of the restaurant was a dream come true.
We thought it might happen at Christmas and give us cause to sing that old song, “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth…” but it came and went with Emma’s two front teeth merely wobbling. As of this morning, though, both of the shiny white front teeth are gone! Continue reading
Emma has joined The Brownies this year at school and, unlike her experience with blah, she seems to be enjoying herself. There are no protest signs this time around and she looks forward to each meeting.