High school Disney trip

Nick's orchestra and choir teamed up together to go on a field trip to Disneyland.  Er, I mean it was the 'Heritage-something-or-other-music-thing-that-happened-to-give-out-awards-in-Disneyland trip'

Basically the two groups (choir and orchestra) went to California and had special sessions with talented conductors/musicians and then performed for judges and given awards.  I'll spare you the suspense.  Both choir and orchestra won Golds and orchestra even came home with a couple of extra awards.  Pretty much by the end of the awards night the other schools were pretty sick of hearing "Campo Verde High School!"  over and over and over again. Ü

I pulled a few strings and begged and pleaded and reminded the choir teacher that he owed me because I helped out with the choir retreat and so I got to be a chaperone for this field trip.

It was fun.

One of our first stops was this restaurant in Los Angeles- Slaters 50/50. It was practically a near-religious experience.  But what made it extra cool for Nick and I was that John figured out that day that he was going to be in LA that day and was actually able to extend his trip and spend a good 24 hours with us.  He surprised Nick at the restaurant. It was pretty awesome.  (of course one girl actually questioned Nick as to whether or not he was his dad, she thought he was the restaurant manager or something, which makes me wonder what she thought when I walked up and kissed him....)

Anyway, that restaurant.  Bacon lovers heaven basically.  (I actually heard a couple people say they now knew there is such a thing as too much bacon.)  The burgers are amazing.  I wanted to cry.  For reals. The meat is actually 50% bacon and it has a nice pink color to it (but it's fully cooked)

And most burgers have a poached egg on them, and I'm pretty sure there's bacon in the bun, and in the dressing, and there's even bacon salt...

And if you told me the fries were cooked in bacon grease I wouldn't be surprised cause they were fantastic, and served with a side of bacon ketchup.  (for reals- see how chunky it is?)

And then when you're all done with that, there's bacon brownies with caramelized bacon in and on it, and it was so wrong it was right...

Anyway, my advice to anyone who goes is to SHARE.

The music clinics were fun.   At least the orchestra one was.  (He, and therefore I, missed the choir one) Being in both groups Nick had to miss out on some competing activities, which kinda sucked, but what can you do?

The orchestra clinic was at UCLA, (I think. Memories are slippery things) and the clinician was pretty funny.  To illustrate a point he actually pulled John up from the back of the room and had him conducting Nick's orchestra.  It was pretty funny, cause it was apparent he was totally and utterly clueless.  (I have video- sorry for the crappy picture) The mom next to me was doing her best to stifle her giggles and failing spectacularly.

The kids performed later, and were amazing.  I'm only including choir cause my orchestra picture is blurry and you can't see Nick anyway.  Curse of being a viola.  He's always hidden. (I just realized I can't even pick Nick out of this picture.  He's the one in the black tux... with the bow tie...facing the audience...)

And then we went to Disneyland.  I actually hung out with the teachers and other parents.

I admit to being conflicted cause I wanted to hang out with Nick, but he was off with girls and our paths rarely crossed and none of the other adults were following their kids around...

 

But it was fun.  I joined in the fun of Disneybounding.  I decided to go as Goofy cause I had an orange shirt and blue pants.  And then one of Nick's friends heard  that's who I was going as so she brought me her hat to wear.  So I wore that too.

And yeah, it was fun.  The kids did awesome, they rocked the whole adjudication thing.  We ate some awesome food, and as far as I know everyone had a fantastic time.