With Ludi, Josie, and Joseph all in high school together for this one year, the fall musical presented a unique opportunity for all of them to be in the same show.
Three Renauds in “The Little Mermaid”
Sunflower fields
Jadzia loved the “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” soundtrack. As we were preparing for her funeral, I learned that “Sunflower” was one of her favorite songs.
Like some of her siblings, she might have complained before going out to Columbia Bottoms to visit the sunflower fields. But once we got there, I’m sure she would have appreciated it.
I wish we had her in these photos.
The Renauds’ most epic road trip ever
The Very Big Christmas Show
Editor’s note: This year, Ludi, Josie, and Joseph all participated in “Miss Kathey’s Academy,” and performed in “The Very Big Christmas Show” in December. All of them did awesome. Josie in particular had a memory she wanted to share:
I am in Miss Kathey’s Academy. I didn’t really expect it, but Miss Kathey said she wanted a small kid to sing a solo called “Happy Birthday, Jesus.” She wanted someone 8 or under.
Me and my friend both went to Pastor Bob to try out. He chose me to do the solo! After that, we practiced once a month every month until December.
I was super-scared at our first performance. Even the tape that held the microphone on to my cheek made me scared. But when I got out on stage and looked at the audience, I realized I couldn’t just chicken out. I said my lines to Santa, the music started, and I began to sing.
Tracking down a hot-air balloon in Ferguson
Editor’s note: The following post is synthesized from accounts by Yoli and Jadzia.
One day after Josie finished her guitar class, we saw a lot of hot air ballon passing over our heads. One of them was getting increasingly larger and closer to the ground, so we decided to chase it. After trying to find where it was going, we saw it land behind the field at Walnut Grove Elementary. The balloon had come from the Forest Park race, even though it’d been cancelled.
The kids helped the pilot, Mr. Mike Wade, disassemble the balloon and put it away. That was quite an adventure, and exhausting to say the least.
An All-American Christmas
Ludi got her first taste of the theater this year. We enrolled her in a new program at church called “Miss Kathey’s Academy for the Performing Arts.” She spent the last several months learning dances and songs in preparation for a big Christmas production.
Finding Fire Capt. Frank J. Becker
My great-grandfather Frank Becker was a fireman. I knew that he had been promoted to captain at some point, and some relatives had once told me they thought it had been covered on TV or in the newspaper.
I wanted to see if I could find a news story about the promotion.
Viper Bots go to the Capitol
On March 3, Jadzia and her Viper Bots teammates joined the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri for a STEM expo at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.
Our great summer: San Antonio
What would summer be without a trip to San Antonio to see all our family? Evenings spent swimming in Nan’s pool, the buzz of cicadas, the tinkling of wind chimes, the dry heat.
Our great summer: Swim lessons
For the last several years our kids have taken swim lessons at January-Wabash Park.