By small and simple things are great things brought

We concluded our busy Saturday by taking our kids to see the BYU Ballroom Dance Company performing at the Oakland Interstake Center. Elijah had bought us front row tickets and we were excited to have a great evening watching beautiful choreography, colorful costumes, and excellent dancers.
We weren't disappointed. The music, the choreography, the dancers, and the costumes were breathtaking. However, the evening would have been a total success if we had sat in the center instead; we were sitting on the sides, and although the view was fantastic, we had a disadvantage - an organ right in front of our kids. As a result, we had our boys on our laps for most of the time. I had James on my lap, and between his head moving trying to see better and his legs dangling because he had to go to the bathroom, by the end of the program my neck needed a message and my patience had reached its limits.

Nevertheless, the children seemed to have truly enjoyed themselves. Gillian, who loves dancing and theater as much as singing, kept saying that she really wanted to be a ballroom dancer. When we told her and the boys that they were already on their way to becoming great dancers, Gillian was surprised. We added that by running as they were doing and keeping their bodies strong, they were preparing themselves to participate in any artistic endeavours they wanted. This resonated well with Jefferson who really liked the lifts and jumps that the dancers did in their many dance pieces.

In the end of the program, all of the dancers came to greet us and Gillian was able to ask a couple of them if she could have a picture with them. Jefferson was too shy to be in them, and James was taking care of his bathroom issue.
I really enjoy taking my kids to see plays and concerts. My most precious memories of my childhood are my outings with my mother to see plays, operas, ballets, and any other artistic program that were offered. I remember being the only child in an adult crowd watching an Ibsen drama or a Verdi opera. I cherish those memories with nostalgia, and I want to give the same and even better to my children. A classical education opens minds and broadens horizons, which in turn make you not only an interesting person to be with, but a person who has a better understanding of the human nature and allows you to see the world in many perspectives. That kind of knowledge helps you get rid of prejudices and guides you to see the world with deeper love and compassion. Whether my children become doctors or dancers, it matters little. What truly matters to me is that they yearn to learn each day and use that learning to make them more Christlike people. So although I didn't have quite the best seats in the house and all of that dangling did make me tired, I'm still happy we took all of our older children with us (Charlton stayed home and went to bed early.) It was a good family time, and it helped us be one step closer to planting inside them a desire to become better.

Laundry and classical music go hand in hand

Since all of my children are home now, the house gets messier or dirtier faster. As a result, I had assigned two days for deep cleaning, Tuesday and Saturday. Being a Tuesday, the first half of our day today was spent cleaning. Between the children and myself, we folded and put up 8 loads of laundry, vacuumed 6 rooms, cleaned two bathrooms and a kitchen, did dishes, tidied up their bedrooms, and washed windows and mirrors. This took us about four hours. As we sat down for lunch, we hear knocking at the door. My boys' toy guns had arrived. Their father had ordered them a few days ago using the money that they had earned climbing the rope. Needless to say my boys had been in great anticipation for these precious items to arrive. They opened the box it seemed as quickly as the speed of light. However, I had to sour the moment by telling them they couldn't get their guns out and play with them because we hadn't done school yet, and no toys were allowed during school time. I was expecting some complaining but they behaved astonishingly well and did as they were told.
School was better today. They knew what to expect and followed the schedule. They worked on their spelling, math, grammar, as well as enjoyed reading on early nomads and learning about the weather. Altogether we did four hours of school. I was amazed at that fact, especially as I personally didn't expect them to last that long. Afterward they played outside with their neighbor, and at dinner time we had friends over. Before bed time we read a bit of House on the Prairie, followed by a few verses of scripture and song and prayer. It had been a long, but a very productive day.
My favorite part of the day, however, was during the time we were folding laundry. As I was putting my laundry up, and Gillian hers, we hear this very loud music in the living room. We got down and saw the boys dancing a self- choreographed ballet to the music of Grieg's Peer Gynt. It was so good and I thought my boys did such a good job following the rhythm of the music with their movements that I had to record it. Unfortunately, Blogger won't let me download it. Gillian followed suit by asking Jefferson to dance with her a ballroom dance. What more can a mother want, kids who do laundry, who don't complain about spelling, who love history, and who dance to classical music?! I'm so happy to have my kids home.

Do you know of any tap dancing classes?

Last time, I mentioned that these past days every time I wake up I find my boys dressed in style with their striped pants and vest, as well as church shoes. Since we watched Holiday Inn, my boys want to dance constantly all day long. They have watched many singing and dancing movies with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire in the past, and every time they watch them, they beg me for tap dancing classes. I encourage them to dance at home. This morning, they begged me to record them doing their jig. So, here it is:



Is there any tap dancing classes for boys?