12 years ago you changed our world. Our sweet surprise, our Christmas baby, our beautiful dancer, with your funny sense of humor, and your grace, always balanced by just the right amount of silliness. We love you!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Happy Birthday Banana!!
12 years ago you changed our world. Our sweet surprise, our Christmas baby, our beautiful dancer, with your funny sense of humor, and your grace, always balanced by just the right amount of silliness. We love you!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Observation
This week was observation at Banana's dance school. Why, you may be asking, would I wish to sit through 3 hours of ballet instruction after I just spent a week watching ballet at the Nutcracker? (I assure you, Kat asked me that very question more than once, as she had to sit with me.) Well, for a couple of reasons. One, because I'm a mom and this is what mom's do. They watch their children. I adore mine, and love to watch them do anything. In my humble opinion, which is not biased at all, Banana is a beautiful dancer and I enjoy watching her. Secondly, watching a class take place, observing instruction, is quite different from watching a performance. I learn a lot during that observation time. I learn how Banana is doing in her "learning"...how she relates to and responds to her teacher, how she behaves in a class setting, and how she has progressed in her skill.
I only observed two classes this week, both ballet. I didn't get to see Jazz, I'll do that in the spring. The first ballet class I watched was with Miss J., the ballet director, and owner of the school. This is a younger class, and Banana is the oldest and one of the most advanced. It was interesting to see the difference in that class and the Thursday class with girls her age/level. The second class, today, was with "Miss Andrea", Andrea of "Living a Legacy". Andrea and I became blog friends, but now we are "real life friends" too. And she is a wonderful teacher...Banana really loves her.
So, here are a few pictures from Ballet class. There is one of Miss J. giving corrections, one of Miss Andrea teaching, and one of her with Banana. She was concerned that Banana was almost taller than her. But I think they look beautiful together!
Banana is the tall one in brown. The other girls in this picture are in green...color denotes level.
I thought this one was awesome...I got her in the air!
Today was also Christmas party day. The girls played dirty Santa at the end of class.
Banana and her awesome teacher!
I only observed two classes this week, both ballet. I didn't get to see Jazz, I'll do that in the spring. The first ballet class I watched was with Miss J., the ballet director, and owner of the school. This is a younger class, and Banana is the oldest and one of the most advanced. It was interesting to see the difference in that class and the Thursday class with girls her age/level. The second class, today, was with "Miss Andrea", Andrea of "Living a Legacy". Andrea and I became blog friends, but now we are "real life friends" too. And she is a wonderful teacher...Banana really loves her.
So, here are a few pictures from Ballet class. There is one of Miss J. giving corrections, one of Miss Andrea teaching, and one of her with Banana. She was concerned that Banana was almost taller than her. But I think they look beautiful together!
Banana is the tall one in brown. The other girls in this picture are in green...color denotes level.
I thought this one was awesome...I got her in the air!
Today was also Christmas party day. The girls played dirty Santa at the end of class.
Banana and her awesome teacher!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Lots to Update: #2 Nutcracker
We survived another year of Nutcracker. Every year it gets a little more intense. As Banana progresses through the Company levels, she gets more and more "stage time". Translated that means more practice time, more rehearsal time, more everything, later nights, longer "notes and corrections", and more work for mom and dad. Last year, we were still "newbies" and got away with "not knowing how to do things". No such luck this year. Kearsdad and I are full-fledged dancer parents now, with jobs and everything. You may remember that Kearsdad was on tech crew last year. Well, this year he got to the technical rehearsal to learn that he was "in charge" of stage right! He wore the headset and everything. Fun times. I leaned that I like decorating, and that I don't like taking tickets. Don't ask, just trust me!
Banana did a beautiful job and had tons of fun. She is almost fully independent, changing costumes, doing makeup, and even getting her face paint taken care of. Yes, I said face paint. She changed from a mouse nose and whiskers to a doll's red circle cheeks more times than I can count. It is nice to know that she can take care of herself. And it was fun to watch her dance.
Kat was a great help. She was named, by one of Banana's friends, "the backstage-helper-girl". She did a little of everything...tying bows, zipping zippers, running errands, playing Nintendo DS, filling tea party cups of ice, selling raffle tickets...you name it. I was very proud of how she pitched in and had such a great attitude about the whole thing.
It was very good. It was a lot of fun. We were exhausted, and we are glad to be done for another year. Sweet dreams, Clara!
Here are Banana the Mouse and LouLou the best friend. LouLou and Aunt Junebug came to watch dress rehearsal and take pictures.
Mice and Soldiers...Banana is the tall mouse.
LouLou, Banana the Polichinelle, and Kat the backstage-helper-girl
Banana did a beautiful job and had tons of fun. She is almost fully independent, changing costumes, doing makeup, and even getting her face paint taken care of. Yes, I said face paint. She changed from a mouse nose and whiskers to a doll's red circle cheeks more times than I can count. It is nice to know that she can take care of herself. And it was fun to watch her dance.
Kat was a great help. She was named, by one of Banana's friends, "the backstage-helper-girl". She did a little of everything...tying bows, zipping zippers, running errands, playing Nintendo DS, filling tea party cups of ice, selling raffle tickets...you name it. I was very proud of how she pitched in and had such a great attitude about the whole thing.
It was very good. It was a lot of fun. We were exhausted, and we are glad to be done for another year. Sweet dreams, Clara!
Here are Banana the Mouse and LouLou the best friend. LouLou and Aunt Junebug came to watch dress rehearsal and take pictures.
Mice and Soldiers...Banana is the tall mouse.
LouLou, Banana the Polichinelle, and Kat the backstage-helper-girl
Lots to Update: #1 Thanksgiving
It's been awhile...yes, I know. I've been a tad busy. Trying to catch up now.
We had a nice Thanksgiving. Lots of driving, although not as much as last year. We spent the first couple of days with Kearsdad's folks. Kearsdad got to go hunting with his dad and brother, something he hasn't done in about 20 years, and he really enjoyed himself. Sadly, he didn't shoot anything. The girls had fun playing with their two younger cousins (all the older ones were gone here and there).
Here they are playing games in Mema's dining room.
On Thanksgiving day, we drove to Macon to my brother's house. There we had a big ole family dinner. My mom and dad, my aunt and uncle, my sister-in-law's mom, step-dad and grandma, and all six kids. In spite of the potential for disaster, we had a really nice day. Really. Then we did something we have never done. We spent the night at my brother's house. All the kids slept downstairs (the boys in their room, the girls out in the playroom). The adults all slept upstairs (s-i-l's family and my aunt and uncle, as well as my dad had gone home). We enjoyed just hanging out with J and T, something we haven't done in years and years.
Thanksgiving day, we were treated to a play by all the kids. I can't tell you what it was about. I have no idea, but we all cheered and clapped anyway. Here they are taking a bow. Yes, one of the boys, W, wore his Batman costume for the play.
Actually, I never got a picture of both boys out of costume. But here is a really cute one of them all.
We had a nice Thanksgiving. Lots of driving, although not as much as last year. We spent the first couple of days with Kearsdad's folks. Kearsdad got to go hunting with his dad and brother, something he hasn't done in about 20 years, and he really enjoyed himself. Sadly, he didn't shoot anything. The girls had fun playing with their two younger cousins (all the older ones were gone here and there).
Here they are playing games in Mema's dining room.
On Thanksgiving day, we drove to Macon to my brother's house. There we had a big ole family dinner. My mom and dad, my aunt and uncle, my sister-in-law's mom, step-dad and grandma, and all six kids. In spite of the potential for disaster, we had a really nice day. Really. Then we did something we have never done. We spent the night at my brother's house. All the kids slept downstairs (the boys in their room, the girls out in the playroom). The adults all slept upstairs (s-i-l's family and my aunt and uncle, as well as my dad had gone home). We enjoyed just hanging out with J and T, something we haven't done in years and years.
Thanksgiving day, we were treated to a play by all the kids. I can't tell you what it was about. I have no idea, but we all cheered and clapped anyway. Here they are taking a bow. Yes, one of the boys, W, wore his Batman costume for the play.
Actually, I never got a picture of both boys out of costume. But here is a really cute one of them all.
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