Rain drops keep falling on my head!
So, there we were on vacation in Northern Alabama. We decided to tent camp in Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville. We had just gotten settled and started a fire to cook our evening meal. Things were looking mighty cloudy back over our shoulder, and the wind was picking up. We decided to cover the rest of the fire wood with a tarp in case it rained, and suddenly, the flood gates opened. We ran the girls into our tent, and spent the next 20 minutes standing in the pouring rain with an umbrella over the fire. It probably ranks in my top ten most ridiculous situations I have found myself in. We did manage to save the fire and ate a nice steak and potato dinner later that night.
I hear a sound, and it sounds just like this!
Being a music teacher, I am always drawn to interesting sounds, and I found a great one this week! It was one of my students shoes. They had squeakers in them. His mom said he loved the sound, and she loved always knowing where we was. I am wondering if they come in Kindermusik teacher size? :-)Check it out!
Research proves that early integration of the arts into your child's daily routine improves his ability to think, reason, create, and express. Come treasure this time with your child while preparing them for success in school and life. You'll be glad you did.
The fall schedule is now up on our website.
Pottermania!!!
Summer is always a really busy and massively fun season at the library. I don't have as much time to write reviews, but I do get to do stuff like host big ol' Harry Potter parties! I'm tellin' ya, my coworkers and our pages put in lots of extra hours to get ready for this day-before-Deathly Hallows release shindig, and our patrons had a great afternoon.
I believe! Do you?
In October, I will be attending the Kindermusik Convention in Chicago, Illinois. This year's theme is "Believe in Music". As a celebration of that theme, they have given parents and educators the opportunity to share why they believe in music. Some of the essays will be selected for audio-recording and will be featured on the convention website, at the Kindermusik Convention, and in additional projects. This project, along with some work I have been doing at a local foster home, have given me a lot to think about. I do believe profoundly in the power of music. It is a universal language that invokes emotions and passions understood without words. It unites us in joys and sorrows. It can bring us comfort when we are all alone, wash away our sadness, and stir hope deep within us. It is an outlet for our innermost feelings, and we find that we are not alone as a beautiful harmony is created with those that share our feelings. I am only one music teacher. I have questioned my ability, at times, to create something meaningful and lasting in the lives of the children I am privileged to work with, especially the ones who are hurting the most at that foster home. I can't change the world, but I do believe I can change it one child at a time, through the power of music. I believe in music! Do you?Submit your written essay on why you believe in music, between 300 and 500 words, to the e-mail address info@kindermusik.com. Send a photo of yourself with your essay. Please submit essays by Friday, July 27th.
you never know what they'll say
The other day I was teaching a group of children in my Jazz Kitchen class. We were discussing an instrument called a vibraphone. I asked the children if anyone knew the name of the green and yellow item in the picture. It is used to play the vibraphone. I was hoping for mallets or sticks as an answer. Instead I got, "a John Deere tractor?" Kid after my own heart!
bag of tricks
If there is one thing I have learned as a parent, it's how to adapt and think on my feet. What works for one child doesn't work as well for another, so we end up with a collection of "tricks of the trade" as we navigate this adventurous sea called parenthood. I thought it would be fun to share some of those tricks here, whether they be about parenting, housekeeping, or whatever keeps things running smoothly at your house. I'm going to post one of mine, and I'm hoping that you will each take the time to add one of your own as you read this.
- I make a list of everything I want to cook for the week. Then when I go to the grocery store, I know exactly what I need. I then make enough extra that we can freeze it to have again on a busy day another week.
Floating on a Rainbow
We had a great time leisurely floating down the Rainbow River! This river is fed by Rainbow Springs, so the water was crystal clear and cold. We brought our own tubes, but you can rent them at the county park along with life jackets if you need them. Be prepared for a 4 hour float down the river. It gets very deep in many areas, so if your children are not great swimmers, I recommend a life jacket. We brought along a cooler on a raft and some sun screen to reapply part of the way down. The bottom is a mixture of grass and sand. The girls had a great time watching the fish swim around under their tubes. You can buy a shuttle pass at the county park to catch a ride back to your car. We saved money by buying only one pass. I rode back and got the car and was back to pick everyone up in around 10 minutes. If you do decide to go, I recommend you arrive no later than 10:00 AM at the park as it does get crowded on a hot summer day. Also, be sure to wear a hat and shirt as the sun really beats down on the water.
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