Wildwood...FINALLY!

In my life, two weeks qualifies as ancient history, but I'm going to do my best to recollect the Wildwood trip and share some of my favorite pictures...here goes!

This is the Mechanicsburg Indoor Percussion Ensemble warming up for prelim competition at championships in the parking lot of the Wildwood Convention Center. They have their uniforms under their jackets and sweatshirts, because it was quite chilly and there was a fine (and very constant) mist...and breeze. How could I forget the bone-chilling breeze?!? I took this pic from the tailgate of one of the two trucks it takes to move all of the equipment.

This is a shot looking down the front row of marimbas as they warm up. Sam (the guy at the end of the line) isn't crying over his instrument. He's restringing all the bars...with the "marimba string" that Jim always purchases at Lowe's. Something tells me that is not what the shelf label says in the store... :-)

Jim cleaning something in the snares during rehearsal...

'Love the blues in this one! The last few minutes of a run-through - now on the boardwalk - before prelim.s...

The post-performance re-folding of the floor. "The floor" is a huge basketball court-sized tarp that is designed and painted to go with/portray the theme of the show. It takes countless hands to drag and fold the huge thing. Here are the kids, "backstage," reloading it onto it's very own wheeled cart after a performance.

Jim addresses the troops...he speaks, and they actually listen! I'm sure some of their parents are scratching their heads! :-)

Beach time! As I made this insanely loooooong hike to the surf, I just kept thanking my lucky stars that I didn't have a pre-schooler with me who might, at any minute, turn to me and say, "Mommy, I have to pee!"

And my favorite part - the food! Here's a balcony shot of the finely-oiled machine that was MASH (Mech. Area Sr. High) Percussion Catering. :-) We traveled with 4 easy-ups, 4 gas grills, numerous tables, chairs, coffee makers, insulated food containers...you name it, the Food Crew had it! It just boggles the mind!

What a wonderful idea the whole thing is, though. Each person - students, parents, even just family members tagging along, paid $25 each to eat for the entire weekend - Thursday dinner through Sunday lunch, snacks included! One of the pit member's moms is a caterer and helped out immensely. And from what I've witnessed, I would highly recommend her! She's based out of her home in Mechanicsburg - Esther's Country Kitchen. She's well worth looking up if you're in need of a caterer. I even heard her talking about doing cookie trays at Christmas time...something to remember! I digress...

Here's a birds eye view of breakfast on the barbies! :-) We had grilled french toast, scrambled egg and sausage sandwiches. Uhhh! I'm making myself hungry!

The battery (marching percussion) warming up before finals. This is my favorite edit! Don't look too close, Elaine, Jen, and Dennis! :-)

Game Time! Look at those intense faces...

The tenors mid-show...

A shot during their finals performance... If you enlarge this, you can easily see the intensity and concentration written all over everyone's faces. :-) I snapped this a little early - that bass on the far right is going to pull into the form tighter in the next two steps.

A group shot at the "Wildwoods" sign. I had to crop the two oblivious strangers out on the far left and thus lost the "W." Still cool though...

After this picture was taken, we feasted on pizza that was delivered to the parking lot. We returned for a full retreat awards ceremony. The kids placed 2nd, as I said earlier (two weeks ago!). We went back to the hotel for a few hours of hanging out (which included Jim ambushing the ring-leader of the recent house-decorating with a shaving cream pie to the face!) and left for home the following morning.

And we all lived happily ever after.

Whew! I did it! Hope you liked all the shots. Probably feels like you were all there with us, huh? I'll have to work on my choosiness before we get to the family beach vacation pictures this summer...