Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Ingrid's Preschool Music Program

Last Wednesday afternoon, we had a little end of the year music program at Ingrid's preschool (Sacred Meadow Montessori Children's House--kids aged 2-5 in my little choir) where I teach music classes (my own class cirriculum, not Kindermusik...) every Wednesday throughout the school year. Boy, was it cute! :) Ingrid did a great job, and I was very impressed at the job the children did listening and singing. I left feeling like maybe I taught them a little something... :)

Here are a few video highlights (sorry it's so dark...it was a dreary day--and in a couple of these you can't see Ingrid very well, but there are some where you can...if you look hard--she's wearing a white shirt in the front row all the way on the left end...):

1) Here's the intro and the kids singing "Do-Re-Mi" from the Sound of Music using sign language.


2) Here are the kids singing our version of "Singing in the Rain" :)


3) Here are the kids singing their "5 Little Snowmen" song--we teach math with music too!


4) Here are the kids doing their last song--in FRENCH! "Alouette"

Thanks, Carolyne and all the staff and parents of Sacred Meadow Montessori for lending me your children each week! We'll see you again for class in September! :)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Our New Little Arrivals!

We've got a Mama Robin who has made a nest on our front porch light. She's sweet. She bounces around in our yard and sings to us from her cozy little spot. We've been pretty sure she's sitting on eggs. She flies away if Andrew and I come around, but the kids don't seem to bother her. She lets them play around wherever they want, but she keeps her eye on Andrew and I. It's been great having her there. She feels like a pet, although we try to leave her alone as much as we can, and opening and closing the door as carefully as possible, so as not to scare her too much. We leave the light turned off, too... :)

Yesterday, Andrew and the kids were playing outside as I came home from voice lessons. We were watching our Mama fly back and forth from the nest, marveling at her deftness, guessing which tree she would fly to next.

Andrew said sadly that he saw one of the little blue eggs broken on the porch that morning....but he didn't see a yolk--

He stopped in mid-sentence and smiled as he hushed me from sighing...

From the top of the light, in the cozy little nest, we heard the faintest "cheep, cheep"! We have babies at our house!

What a cool thing to think our family's energy would attract a nesting Mama Robin and her chicks! It warms my heart. Easter is more than a story. It's a way of life... Thank you Lord, for this very tangible reminder of that.

I LOVE SPRING!
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Spring Has Sprung!

Spring has sprung in WV/MD! :) We enjoyed a picnic of carrots and strawberries out on our beautiful green grass carpet in the front of our apartment the other day! The strawberries were sweet, the breeze was cool, the sun was hot, and we were all home at the same time! -- a rare occurance at our house lately. It was a great afternoon.

After our "meal" of berries and carrots and juice, we all decided we were still hungry--and went to the Creamery for ice cream by the lake! What a FANTASTIC afternoon!! :) Mom and Dad enjoyed the treat as much as the kids! :)

I LOVE Spring in WV/MD. It takes its time... It stretches and yawns to wake up instead of bursting out of bed. It gives you time to savor the resurrection of the Earth...and gives you time to remember how you fit into the equation. Sometimes, the world doesn't give you the chance to find the resurrection happening inside of you. At least here, it's like Nature understands you need some time to stretch and yawn and remember that you are coming to life as well.

And I appreciate it.

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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Computer Blues and Little Boys

So, I haven't blogged much lately because I'm ending month TWO of not having a laptop. I've started to dread going to the computer. I've been using our desktop computer for Internet, and it's pretty slow...and not everything is on it that I use...anyway, it's been more than frustrating. Luckily, I have some wonderful students at Fairmont who have helped me out. I've had lots of work done on it for nothing! (Well, I bought the kid who's been fixing things a gift card, but just because I'm soooo grateful!) So, anyway, here I am. No pictures, but I hope to get one from my Mom about this next story...

Today, we went to my Mom's church for Mother's Day (Andrew took me out for really yummy Japanese food and gelato and book store time last night while Nicole and Julia took the kids! Thanks, hon!). Of course, the kids woke up WIRED. Not sure why, but Rowan COULD NOT sit still in church this morning. Usually, if I pack a drink and something to munch on, he's OK. I may have to talk in his ear to keep him quiet, but it usually works... Well, this morning NOTHING was working. He went from one person to the other, asking for a "bobble" and refusing anything that might have ordinarily worked. Andrew even had to take him out for a while, which we try not to do so he learns to sit quietly. That worked for about 10 minutes, and then he was back to whining and trying to climb under the pews...

We passed him around, and he finally ended back up on Andrew's lap. By this time, everyone around us was watching him. He decided that he was making a big enough scene that he could perform. He then proceeded to stick his finger up his nose and snort. I don't mean little snorts. I mean big, long snorts. Everyone around us was laughing as quietly as possible, but I felt sorry for the pastor (of course, he was a visiting speaker...) because our family (anita and her family were there too) made up probably a quarter of those in attendance today! Geez...

It doesn't end there...

Later, we went to the farm for the day. After lunch, I was eating a piece of triple chocolate cherry cake (yeah. It was as good as it sounds.) and couldn't eat the whole piece because it was so rich. I put it on the TV tray by the couch where I was sitting, and of course, at that moment, the kids came in and wanted some. I said no, there was some crying...well, who am I kidding? Lots of crying, dramatics, and rolling on the floor. Finally, they got distracted with some toys and books. In the mean time, I forgot about it and accidentally left it on the TV tray. You can probably predict what happened...

About an hour and a half later, we see Rowan coming into the kitchen from the family room with chocolate ALL OVER HIS FACE. ALL OVER. And he was so happy! :) The happiest he had been all day. It had been a bit of a trying day for him...clingy and whiny. Not now! He was in rare form...

Mom asked him where Mama's chocolate cake was, and he opened his mouth as wide as he could! Geesh...

Then, she asked him what he did in church and he stuck his finger up his nose and snorted.

Day over. I'm ready for bed!