Friday, February 22, 2013

Mini-Stay-cation

Laci and Calvin had a day off school on Monday and Tuesday.  I realized that I have plenty of vacation time left before the end of May so I stayed home with them.  It was a nice break.  We tried to do a lot of extra activites and have a lot of down time to just be at home to play.

Saturday - Laci and I used a groupon for ice skating.  It was a lot of fun.  Laci has definitely improved in the 3 times she has done it.  she liked to try to ditch me and skate by herself.  Sneaky.  I must have had better skates because my feet and ankles didn't hurt nearly as much as they did the last time we went.  Her feet were bothering her.  Ice Skating is tricky because I wasn't tired at all skating but on the way home, it hit me.  I was worn out.  We went to the library and got some movies.

Sunday - quiet day.  We cleaned.  We played.  We took a bath.  We need the quiet days.  I actually got three closets cleaned, all the bathrooms and regular kitchen, family room, vacuuming, laundry done!
 
 

Monday - Playdate.  Laci's friend from down the street came over to play.  I usually just leave the girls alone and let them play by themselves unless they need something specific.  It's so funny to overhear their conversations.  They were building a fort and had a whole discussion on coworkers - they are coworkers because they are working together and they are friends.  i liked that.  Her friend was a little bossy though and I often overheard her tell Laci that they had to do it her way because she is the guest.  I'm sure she has heard that in reverse at her house.  I didn't saw anything because they need to work it out and learn how to play together on their own.  
Playing a little catch in the house.
 
Tuesday - Chuck E Cheese.  I love Chuck E Cheese.  It's a cheap and a easy place for entertainment and lunch is included.  I came with lots of online tickets for the kids and that helped too. And you can't lost your kids at Chuck E Cheese.  Although I feel bad for the kids when they have to chase Chuck E Cheese around and dance for him to throw tickets.  They all look like they are whoring themselves out for tickets!  Calvin fell asleep on the way home and took a good nap.  I worked on my scrapbook while Laci rested and watched a movie.  After the nap, we went to the YMCA where Laci just joined and picked up her summer camp t-shirt. More on that later but I am so excited for her summer camp!  She is going to have a great time.  And the last treat was Dairy Queen.  I had buy one get one free coupons for smoothies.  They wanted Dilley Bars and in retrospec, the dilley bars may have been cheaper but I had a coupon!  

All in all it was a great little break.  Only 5 more weeks until Spring Break! 

Writing

Laci loves to write.  She complains that she doesn't get enough writing time at school.  She loves taking notes too.  The note feature is her favorite on the ipad and she loves writing little notes on it.  She writes around with a little notebook.  The other day, she took notes in Sunday School.  Last night she took notes and wrote down what we were all doing.  Lucky for me, I was "shaking my booty".  I'm so glad she was paying close attention to me dancing around the kitchen!

She wrote down 10 of her friends at school.  Then she told me that she was going to talk to these kids on Friday because she is having issues with them.  Issues?  What kind of issues is she having with the kids at school?  Apparently, they are spending too much time with each other in little groups and not playing with everyone.  I wasn't sure whether to be proud of her for trying to be friends with everyone and creating a friendly environment at school or if I should worry about her getting beat up today!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

No more... car electronics

We have a DVD player in the car and have been really good about not using it on day to day trips.  2 hrs is the minimum car ride to get to be able to watch it.  I always see people on grocery trips or day to day errands watching DVDs and I didn't want to be one of them.  Then I realized we were getting just as bad ...  with phones and ipads.  We don't have any video games yet except a leappad.  But I have a few games on my phone and my ipad.  The other day, as we were going to church, I noticed one kid had the phone and the other had the ipad.  This has got to stop.  They need to learn to be able to sit quietly for 20 minutes.  One of my new phrases that I heard from someone recently is "part of being a kid is being bored."  They need to learn to be bored a bit.  I like to teach by example and I am very guilty of pulling the phone out as soon as we get in the car - with Charlie driving of course.  So I am banning myself from playing on the phone in the car.  If I pull it out and they see it, they immediately ask to play.  In the last week since I started this, Laci has only asked for the phone once.  I am not a hard and fast rule maker or enforcer so I occasionally give in.  But I want the norm to be sitting quietly in the car and not playing games.  Hopefully this will become habit.  I think that I may struggle just as much as the kids.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The Wizard of Oz

I decided a few weeks ago that Laci needs to see The Wizard of Oz.  So last night, after Calvin went to bed, we had Girls Movie Night, snuggled in bed and watched the Wizard of Oz.  Overall she liked it but she was scared a few times.  I just kept reminding her that it is a movie, it is a dream and Dorothy defeats the Witch.  My problem was that Laci likes to watch TV in bed with the lights off.  That means sleep to me.  I could barely stay awake for the movie at 8:00 in the dark.  Here are a few of my favorite comments from Laci:  She thought that a better name for Dorothy would be Delaney.  She didn't quite understand the black and white parts or brown as she called it.  She had to remind herself that Dorothy could see color but we couldn't.  We spent some time trying to figure out who which ranch hand was the Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow.  She thought the lion was a little silly and they weren't fooling anyone.  He is clearly a man in a lion's costume.

At the end, I told her that that movie is one of the greatest movies of all time.  She asked "Better than Annie?"  I said that most people think the Wizard of Oz is better than Annie.  Laci clearly disagrees and Annie should be in the top 10 greatest movies of all time.  

Monday, February 11, 2013

Hey Mickey!... Winter Dance Review

Laci had her first dance recital Sunday night at the Winter Review.  The winter review is a smaller recital than the big recital that will be in June.  She only had a tap dance and wore a khaki skirt and white polo shirt.  Her song was Hey Mickey.  At the big recital, she will have a ballet dance and a tap dance and very glitzy costumes.  Even at that, it was still over an hour and a half long.  Calvin did great and watched it all.  Laci was so excited.  I was the class mom and sat with the girls in the auditorium while they waited for their turn.  After each dance, they asked if was their turn yet.  They started off slow and nervous but ended the dance well.  It was great. 
 
The girls before their show.

 
My in-laws even made it to the recital.  Having two boys, this was their first dance recital.  Like most parents and grandparents, they were probably bored to tears waiting for their granddaughter's two minutes on stage.  My MIL had even heard from her friends to remember to bring a rose for Laci.  The rose is proudly displayed in a vase as the centerpiece on our table.

I loved every second of the recital.  The preschool and kindergarten classes were cute because the girls basically just stood there.  There is always one that starts to cry or walk off in the middle.  But the dances I really loved were the "big girls" - the junior high and high school girls.  There are usually in multiple dances - jazz, ballet, tap, modern.  They have many costume changes.  I love the excitement backstage - the make up, the shoes, the costume changes, the productions.  I love watching these girls dance their hearts out.  They aren't great.  They are good.  They are okay.  But this is their moment.  This is their moment to shine.  There may be a few that pursue dance in college or later.  But for most of them, this is it.  This may be the only stage they will ever dance on.  They aren't dancing for their parents.  They aren't dancing for the audience.  They are dancing for themselves.  They love to be onstage and to dance.  This is their dream.  This is what they work so hard for.  I remember that feeling.   

I smiled and tears came to my eyes watching these girls.  i was watching the recital with different eyes than Charlie and his parents.  I watched and loved every single dance - not just Laci's.  I haven't danced on a stage in almost 20 years.  But I remember that feeling.  The feeling of dancing on a stage... for myself.  I dance in the kitchen all the time.  My kitchen is my stage now.  I can still have the feeling of dancing my heart out in my kitchen.  I was so happy for all of those girls and what they did yesterday.  I can't wait for the June recital and to see the magic again.  

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Reading herself to sleep

A few nights last week, Laci asked if she could read to herself before bed.  This is what she looked like when I went to check on her a little while later.  I love that it looks like she is reading to her animals.  

She often reminds me of the parable of the lost sheep with her animals.  She has about 15 - 20 stuffed animals on her bed at all times.  Every night she arranges them just so.  Occasionally she will cry out because one is missing.  We have to tear about her room looking for it.  I am always amazed she knows where each and every one goes and when one is missing.  I love how caring and nurturing she is. 
 
We had to rearrange everyone's sleeping spot a few nights ago because she kept falling out of bed.  There are so many on her bed, that she was sleeping on just a small sliver on the bed.  The funny thing is that she never realized she would fall out of bed.  Charlie would hear a thump and go find her still asleep curled up on the floor. 
I have written before about how difficult bedtime for us was for a long time.  Now it is so wonderful.  We read a book.  She reads a book.  I give her a hug and kiss, turn out the light and walk out.  Sometimes I need to go back a few minutes later.  Other times she goes right to sleep on her own.  She's growing up.