Music Anyone???

The kids enjoy playing instruments and singing.  I would have to say they get their musical interest, or love for music, from the Jackson side of the family.  Sure I did the junior high choir, but only a year or two while we lived in Broken Bow, NE.  Then in high school I wanted to play the saxophone, but my true interests lied in volleyball and basketball, so I never had the opportunity to learn an instrument. 

All three kids take piano lessons and I love listening to them progress through each new level.  Cassie started when she was seven when we lived in Parker, CO.  She actually started taking lessons over the cell phone with Grandma in Ohio, while her father supervised.  Then Zack started piano a few years later after we returned back to Ohio, and then shortly after that Mackenzie was on the scene. 

One day Cassie said she wanted to learn another instrument.  Well, as we all know musical instruments, along with private lessons, are not inexpensive. So, we weren't too open to the idea.  Then one day while we were in Omaha, NE visiting my mom, we went into a thrift store and they had some instruments for sale.  We walked out of there with a flute for $9.99.  We got back to Ohio, and Grandma Karen took it to a gentleman she knows that overhauls instruments, and for only $100 more Cassie had a working flute. 

A couple of years ago, just a few short months after starting piano, Mackenzie decided she wanted to play the violin.  WHY??  There's no one I know that plays the violin and why she had such an interest I have no clue.  Well, we ventured over to The Loft Violin Shop and rented a quarter sized student violin and Grandma Karen started teaching Mackenzie.  Shortly after that, one day we were at Ohio Thrift and they had a full sized violin for $34.99. It was missing all the strings, the bridge was broke, and it had some other minor defects, but we figured it could be overhauled.  For less than $150 we have a full size violin for her when she gets there - she is currently using a half size and she loves her private teacher her in Bismarck. 

Okay.  So for the musical students in our house, Cassie plays the piano, flute, and tinkers with the guitar; Mackenzie plays the piano and violin; and Zack plays the piano, and oh yeah, the drums.  They all take piano lessons from Grandma, currently via cell phone but soon via Skype, Cassie was taking private flute lessons, but will soon start taking those too with Grandma, Mackenzie takes private violin lessons, and Zack takes drum lessons from his dad - who too plays the drums. 

That should be enough music, right?  Well, apparently not.  Cassie has been talking about wanting to take on another instrument, but for obvious reasons it really hasn't been an option, besides I would really like her to focus on the flute and piano.  Well, today we walked into one of the local thrift stores, mind you looking for bean bag chairs for a youth movie night, and the girls gravitated toward two clarinets, two trumpets, and some other instrument. 

We walked out of there with one trumpet for $16.99 and a clarinet for $34.99. I have already placed a call to Grandma to find out how to make arrangements to have the instruments overhauled, and oh yeah, now she has something else to work with the kids!!

I think they look pretty good.  So, here's hoping they can be overhauled and then we'll be hearing some other fine sounds through out the house.