I'm with the Band

This may not be a surprise to those of you who have been members of a marching band or who have had children in a marching band, but marching band is very time consuming.  This was a surprise to Jake who was never in the marching band.  Marching band started in July with two four hour practices each day.  That's right.  Four hours in the morning and another four hours in the evening.  These practices were conducted before the school semester even began.  Once school was in session, band became even more intense with band class every day, rehearsals after school twice a week and a football game every Friday night. But wait, there's more.  The band also participates in parades and has three band competitions scheduled for the year.  Now we just found out that the band has been invited to participate in a college bowl game which is going to cost a not insignificant amount of money.  Of course the kids have been given to an opportunity to sell pecans to help pay for their trip.  Pecans?  Really?  Do you know how many pecans it takes to send a 200 member band plus staff to a college bowl game for a week?  But at least the football season will mercifully end in November right?  Wrong!  The football team has gone undefeated during their first 5 games and is likely to advance well into the playoffs if not all the way to the state championship.  And did I tell you that Jake and Mary are supporting the band by selling hot dogs and pop corn the in concession stand?  Yep.  There were 6000 people at the game last week.  Do you know how many hot dogs and boxes of pop corn 6000 people can consume?  Lots!  It's OK though, because Jake has always wanted to utter the phrase, "I'm with the band."   And now he gets to say it every week.  At least until the football season is over.  "Go Team!"