To all my friends and family -

May it be filled with peace and contentment!

The Best Card Ever Received From A Student:

"Ms. Creek,

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year. Thank you for being such an awesome teacher and also for being so willing to help me be a better singer. I am hoping to make the Swing Choir in high school so I thank you for helping me reach my goal. You are one of the reasons why I want to become a teacher. I want to be able to reach kids in the way you have reached me. You are truly an inspiration to me.
From,
Mitch"

Well, Mitch, it's students like you that keep me coming back every year. You have been in a wheel chair all your life and have faced more obstacles than most of us ever will, yet you always have a smile on your face and never give up. As a music teacher, I've always just wanted students to enjoy music as much as I do, and I believe you truly do.

Thank you for being the student that you are. Thank you for allowing me to stretch your vocal range and vocal repertoire. You work very hard! And mostly, Mitch, thank you for sharing your feelings with me.

From,
Ms. Creek

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! I HOPE YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON IS FULL OF PEACE AND FAMILY!

Oh, so cozy!

Isn't this the cutest little wood stove you ever did see? We just wanted a little something to take the chill off and we are SURE enjoying it!

WOOHOO!

Last day! Last concert of the season!

Birthday Prezzies!

Mom used to always get teary-eyed when we gave her sentimental cards...now I understand why! Here's my card from Ed and Cathy -
Scott has been working overtime and now I understand why! Here's my new oak entertainment center he custom built for me! Behind the door is the dvd player and as you can imagine...by now...the bottom 2 shelves are filled with books by Barbara Kingsolver, Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, etc...


The girls came up on Thursday night so I could open my gifts with them as they had to work on my birthday. They are so special, I love them dearly!
Thanks, everyone, for a wonderful, meaningful birthday!

Happy Birthday, Husband!

Love ya, oodles!

It's My Birthday!

Whopper Wednesday

I just love gingerbread houses, don't you? They are so cute and happy and sweet and creative and fun! Have a tasty day!

Taco Tuesday

Secret Movie Club is meeting tonight! Pizza at my fav. place then off to see Invictus. I'm looking forward to it. This weekend, I need to get packages mailed to my sisters and then 2 more days of school and we are out for Christmas break! These next few days can't go fast enough!

Have a good day!

E

Don't 'cha

just love this time of year?

Good News!

Ellen's surgery was a success and no cancer in her lymph nodes!!! I get to see my best friend today!

The Concert

was great! I wish I could show you a picture of the kids and the songs and dancing, etc, but I can't post students without permission from their parents and 170 parents are just too many!

It was lovely and we had a great time and now I'm going to relax in the -6 (F) weather!

Make it a good week!

Ellie

What This Week Entails:

Monday: 7:20 AM Swing Choir rehearsal, all day last rehearsal before the concert, 3:00 Dr. Appt.
Tuesday: Set up risers, piano, chairs, and decorate the gym. Have rehearsal in there with my 41 7th graders, Swing choir/soloists and 130 8th graders! BIG concert at 7:00pm
Wednesday: Get up at 5 to post grades. Watch the concert, go to daughter's eye appointment, my best friend is getting a mastectomy, Community Band rehearsal
Thursday: teach until 12:30 then have parent teacher conferences until 7pm
Friday: teach until 12:30, then early out, then mammogram.
Saturday: Fund Raiser/caroling at Barnes and Noble, Ed and Cathy arrive
Sunday: Community Band Concert, Ed and Cathy leave for BALI and will be gone for 2 months :o(

There, I laid it all out, I can just reflect back to this blog post when I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off!

Ever Googled Your Name?

This is Ellie Creek, don't know where the heck it is...

Saturday -

Mr. Sandman,

Where are you when I need you?

December 8, 2009

Just a few more days until my giant WINTER CONCERT. Yes, I mean GIANT.

THe whole gym full of people (usually around 650 or so) and the concert begins with everyone standing and singing JOY TO THE WORLD! ... a tradition I've done for years. It was momma's favorite carol and I just keep on doing it for her :o) While everyone is singing, the 41 7th graders will walk in and go up on the risers. They have 5 more songs to sing, one spiritual called Walk Dem Bones then 4 more Christmas carols, including Mr. Grinch and a medley of Jingle Bells and Jingle Bell Rock!

Next, a piano solo and a vocalist singing WINTER SNOW.

Swing Choir is next with a GORGEOUS arrangement of In The Bleak Midwinter (I'm hoping to get a youtube of it), a spoken piece. Next, I'll kill time talking about our fund raiser while one of the boys dress up like Santa. Soon, when the Swing Choir starts singing a jazzy version of DIG THAT CRAZY SANTA CLAUS, "santa" will make a spirited appareance, delivering a gift to the soundman, my accompanist and the orchestra director that always films for me. (hope to get some good shots)

When the Swing Choir is finished 130 8th graders will get up on the risers (that extends across the whole end of the gym) and sing a latin piece, a spiritual, a jazzy finger-snapping arrangement of Three Great Kings, an arrangement that combines First Noel with Pachelbel's Canon, a medley of Most Wonderful Time of the Year/Let It Snow/Winter Wonderland and end with Hallelujah from Handel's Messiah! (I'm really excited about that one!)

Finally, the 7th grade will come down to join us and everyone will do hand sign and sing WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS :o)

I'm pretty dang excited!

7:00PM in the Gym! Hope to see you there! If not at mine, I hope you enjoy some live Christmas music somewhere during the holiday season!