Saturday, December 19, 2009

A few of my favorite things


I love homeschool with all of my heart. I love being there when a certain light of understanding dawns. I love letting the girls spend as long as they want on the subjects they enjoy. I love being done with "school" by lunchtime and leaving the afternoons free for creating art, playing, reading, making up big science experiments and exploring outside.
But last year, in our first year of having school at home, I really, really missed the community Christmas program. I missed seeing all the children of our rural area perform with instruments and voices and big personalities.
.
So it is wonderful this year to be a part of the school's music program. Madeleine is learning clarinet and Sarah is playing flute. That's Madeleine in a solo (!) and I am so proud of both of them for taking on these instruments at ages 9 and just-turned-11.


And this year Grace is a Kindergartener who loves learning at home and visiting with her "school" friends on Mondays and Wednesdays for music. When we were getting dressed for the program (she was one of "nine ladies dancing") Gracie chattered on about how excited she was to see her sisters perform. When I mentioned that she would be on "stage" too, she went white and still despite two weeks of rehearsal. She hadn't realized she was in the show. Her stage fright lasted all the way until we arrived at the school gymnasium.

And then the dancing began. From the left, above: Clara, our Sarah, our Madeleine, Olivia with the smooth moves.


There's Madeleine helping Olivia up from the fall after the big dip. You can see Grace on the far right, spinning.

Laura enjoyed time with Grandpa and Grandma. She even shared the contents of her Santa treat bag.



Gracie was sure this wasn't the real Santa.





But she was sure that these are her real(ly adorable) friends Clara and Shelby. Aren't they sweet?










No comments: