The Best Babysitting Job EVER!!!!

So guess what we are babysitting all summer? 
You'll never guess. 
No, it isn't a who...it is a what. 
Okay, I'm sure you've already seen the picture so there is no purpose in trying to surprise you. It is a PIANO!!!!


Some good friends of ours are moving. There house is for sale. However, they are spending the summer in the South (the husband sells home security systems) so all of there furniture is going in storage. The wife was saying that she didn't know what she was going to do with her piano. She hated to put it in storage where it would be exposed to heat/cold (yes we still have cold nights) and humidity. So I offered to "babysit" it for the summer. After thinking about it for a day, she took me up on my offer. Eric wasn't thrilled about moving it here...he is not a fan of moving pianos, but they live on our street and he is a helpful kind of guy so he agreed. Luckily it turned out to be one of the lightest pianos he's moved (and yes, he has moved a lot of them being Elder's Quorum President!)

So this is the picture of our newest member of the family...temporarily. I can't tell you how much we love it. It is like having a long lost family member back that you didn't even know you were missing. Does that make sense? Not really. But I just can't describe how much this has meant to us. But I'll give you a glimpse --

Renae has been taking piano lessons off and on for a couple years now. But we only ever had a tiny electric keyboard that we kept in the basement. It was better than nothing...but barely. So Renae has been in heaven being able to practice her pieces with pedals and dynamics and having the full range of keys. And it has been great to listen to her.

Eric will sit down for 30 minutes at a time and play Hymns or songs from the Children's Songbook. Even I can't seem to keep away from the lure of the ivories. I took lessons as a child and I can still pick out the notes to the simplified Hymns. It has been so fun.

And don't get me started on Colby. He has been composing his own songs. He now says that what he wants to be when he grows up is a Piano Teacher who writes his own songs to teach the students!!! Too funny!!!

Sadie has learned one simple song. The one where you roll you knuckles across the black keys. Do you know which one I mean? And she plays it (and variations of it) all the time. 

The first week the kids were seriously lining up to have turns on the piano. Things have slowed down a bit now that it has been 2 weeks, but it is still a treasured addition to our family. Who knew that my family was craving music so much? The only problem...I don't think we will be able to give it up at the end of the summer!! I'm already so attached! I guess we'll be piano shopping come August.

 Where it fits (just perfectly) into the living room. 

I always felt that this room wasn't complete. Now it is.

I would never have thought of getting a shiny black piano. 

But I love it and think it is just PERFECT for our room. 

A wood piano would probably just clash with my flooring. 

Only problem...shows fingerprints horribly.

And an "artsy" picture...just for fun.

I know I am crazy, but I felt like it was our new baby. 

I probably took dozens of pictures of it the first day or two. Do I need help or what?

I need to keep reminding myself that it isn't really MINE.

Maybe they'll want to sell it to us. Crossing my fingers!!