extravaganza

autumn continues and i couldn't be happier. the crispness, the colors, the seasonal fruit as well as sunrises and sunsets seem particularly striking yet casually comfortable. early sunday morning, pastel light flooded our windows so beautifully it enticed me to leave the warm comfort of bed, grab my camera and go outside to capture its fleeting colors. that same evening, just after sunday lunch with friends, gabi and her boyfriend mason called us all outside to see the rare, bright pink and blue evening sky. she too couldn't resist capturing the bold color with the camera. (i photobombed one of gabi's photos which profiles my recent hair cut. i had 7 inches cut off, ouch.)

now that school has been in session for a couple of months, in the fairview high school main gym the fine arts program annually introduces the new school year choirs, there are ten, five bands and two orchestras, as well as a gallery of artwork by the visual art students on display at an event entitled extravaganza! since every one of our children has participated in the fine arts program at fairview this was paul's and my thirteenth year in a row attending extravaganza and i still look forward to it each autumn. fairview's fine arts program has been such a big part of our children's high school experience, laying a foundation for their interests, love and passion for art, film, music, dancing and singing. thank you fairview, we have appreciated the amazing, supportive efforts of the school towards the arts.

to begin the evening, the marching knights perform their band competition formations and music then each of the large, hardworking, prepared and costumed ensembles performs a couple of pieces for the audience, which always fills the gym to capacity. to close the musical night every performer participates in the magnificent finale singing or accompanying a mass choir ensemble. another performance featured during extravaganza is a teaser for the up and coming musical. this year's musical is bring it on, a sassy, competitive, cheerleading drama full of high school politics and romance and you can bet gabi is right in the middle of it all cast as one of the leads. i am involved again on the costuming committee and we are up to our necks in cheerleading gear and all things hip hop. this is going to be fun!