Kids--De-stress With Yoga!

At our school one of the units the physical education teachers provide for us is yoga! I notice that during our yoga unit, the kids are calmer and more relaxed. You don’t have to limit your yoga practice to school—you can even do yoga at home! Click here (with your parental figure’s permission, of course) for a great link to a yoga site with videos that you can watch and follow along!

I love to do yoga! Rocky (my cat) and Benny (my dog) like to do yoga with me. Sometimes they get in my way like when Rocky walks under me and tickles my nose with his tail. Or when I’m in Shavasana (that’s corpse pose when you lay flat on your back and really relax) and Benny wants to lie on top of me.

Try yoga—I’ll bet you’ll feel calmer, more relaxed, and you might even get along with your brothers or sisters better.

Have you ever tried yoga? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

What is Your Child Trying to Tell You?

Is your child crabby? Is she having trouble in school? Does she get sick frequently? There could be many reasons for this.

An important question to ask yourself: “Is she getting enough sleep?” I’ve blogged about that before. Kids need a lot of sleep.

Another aspect to investigate is her nutritional intake. If you’re not sure, ask your doctor for a referral to a nutritionist. You might be surprised at how easy it is to tweak your family’s diet to get more value from your grocery budget—not just in your wallet but also in terms of health and wellness.

What about her schedule? Does she have any “down time” to just relax and daydream? Does she have daily afterschool activities? Consider letting her choose a favorite and eliminate the others.

Is she organized? Sometimes children get overwhelmed if they have not yet developed organizational skills. Check her agenda book. (I’ve blogged about that before, too.) Is she writing down her assignments? Keeping on top of due dates helps alleviate a lot of stress for everyone—parents and students alike.

Sometimes our children can’t vocalize what they are feeling. Sometimes it manifests in negative behaviors or even illness. If your child seems unhappy, listless, or isn’t doing well in school, a little detective work goes a long way.

"Interrupting Chicken"

My current favorite picture book is “Interrupting Chicken” written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein. The pictures are so awesome the book received a Caldecott Honor Medal! The best thing about this book is the main character, Chicken.

Just like most children, Chicken likes to hear a story at bedtime. Just like most children, Chicken wants to be good. And just like most children, Chicken gets too excited and interrupts.

You can’t help but love Chicken, though. Her enthusiasm is contagious. You also can’t help but feel sorry for her frustrated dad, whom she calls Papa.

Does Chicken let Papa read an entire story without interrupting? Does Chicken fall asleep so Papa can relax? You’re going to have to read the book to find out! Enjoy!

Have you read “Interrupting Chicken” or another good book? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Face Painting

Do you like to get your face painted? It’s fun! The most important thing about getting painted is to make sure the artist knows exactly what you want. Be clear when asking for your design so you’re not disappointed with the results.

The next important thing about getting your face painted is to sit really still. The face painter can’t do a really good job if you’re wiggling and jiggling about.

When the face painter is done, make sure you say thank you!

Have you ever wanted to be a face painter? You can! There are some really great kits out there. My favorite is “Face Painting” by Klutz. The designs are clearly explained with fabulous photographs to show you step-by-step how to paint them.

The first secret to being a good face painter is to look at the shapes within the designs. Everything you want to draw can be broken down into basic geometric shapes: circles, ovals, squares, triangles, etc. The second secret to being a good face painter is to practice, practice, practice! Happy painting!

Do you have a picture of you with your face painted?  I'd love to see it!  Ask your grown up for permission then send it to me and I'll post it!

The Cats In My Life

Do you have a pet? Through the years I have had many pets from mice, hamsters and guinea pigs to cats and dogs. I was a “cat person” before I became a “dog person” but that’s a story for another day. 

The first cat in my life was a black cat named Inky. It was fun to watch him bat a ball around the floor with his front paws.  He was a great "soccer" player but he got sick and died. (That was before the veterinarians knew about feline leukemia so there was no vaccine for it, yet.) Then we got two orange tiger kitties named Buffer and Ginger. Buffer liked me and Ginger liked my younger sister Marcia. Funny how cats choose their “people”. 

My younger sister Marcia and I spent many hours training Buffer and Ginger how to sit pretty and shake paws. We had lots of cat treats and they learned readily. Of course, it’s debatable who trained whom. 

The best part of having a cat is playing with them.  The worst part is scooping their litter box.  But it must be done every day.  Cats like a clean place to do their "business".

My earliest cat memory is of me playing with my grandmother’s cat at her house. Grammie Forbes had a house that went “round and round”. All the downstairs rooms—dining room, kitchen, and living room connected around a central staircase.

Somebody, I think it was Grammie, tied a piece of newspaper to a length of yarn. The newspaper looked like a grey butterfly. I dragged it behind me as I trotted from room to room with the cat chasing me. It was a great game. I think I was around three or four years old and the game was probably more to amuse me than the cat.

I’ve had my current cat Rocky for about thirteen years. (His brother, Romeo, got sick and had to be euthanized.)  Rocky likes to play with his new laser pointer. He got it for Christmas and he actually “asks” to play with it. He goes to where I left it last and paces around.

When I pick up the laser pointer, the key chain part of it makes a clinking sound and Rocky’s eyes actually dilate with excitement. When I click the button to turn it on his eyes look to the floor for his favorite red spot. It’s fun to swirl the dot on the floor as he chases it. I sometimes let him “catch” it.

Right now it is time to feed him. He is sitting next to me on the futon and staring at me. Every now and then he reaches out his paw and taps me as if to say, “Hey, remember me?” He just got down and started walking towards his food dish, looking back at me to see if I’m following him. Uh, oh! He’s starting to meow! I’d better stop typing and go feed him.

Do you have a pet? Do you help care for your pet? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Celebrating the Year of the Dragon!

Did you stay up to ring in the New Year this year?  I did!  It was great to see people all over the world celebrating the New Year, starting in Sydney, Australia.  When my children were little we liked to celebrate the Chinese New Year with my Chinese-American neighbors.

The Chinese calendar is based on the phases of the moon—that’s why it’s called a lunar calendar.  That is also the reason why the date for Chinese New Year can be anytime from January to March each year.  It lasts fifteen days!  CLICK HERE to learn why the Chinese New Year is celebrated. 

The best part of celebrating the Chinese New Year—the red envelopes!  These are filled with money and given to the children.  Red symbolizes good luck.  It certainly is good luck to receive money!  Other fun activities include making a very sweet New Year’s cake and a dragon puppet.   

This year is the Year of the Dragon!  Every year is named in honor of a particular animal.  CLICK HERE to read the legend explaining how the animals were chosen.    

Happy New Year!  Want to say it in Mandarin Chinese?  CLICK HERE for an audio clip.  

How did you celebrate the New Year?  Leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

Christmas Traditions

One of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions is decorating the tree. After getting the conifer as vertical as possible in the tree stand, Dad hangs the lights. Then each ornament is unwrapped and held up as excited questions bounce back and forth. “Do you remember when…?” and “How old was I when I made this?” Memories of days gone by swirl around us as we carefully place each treasure in its place of honor amid sticky pine sap and needles as sharp as knives. The cats watch with interest — thinking (I am sure), “Yay, cat toy!

But the best part of decorating our Christmas tree is also the tastiest—Grammie Forbes’s caramel corn. My family enjoys this treat just one day each year. We plan this day carefully; making sure everyone will be home. As the children get older, finding a compatible schedule for everyone is becoming trickier but not impossible, as this is an event no one wants to miss.

Making homemade caramel corn is classic kitchen chemistry. After mixing the butter, sugar, and corn syrup you then bring it to a boil. Not the 212 degree F boil of water, no the 290 degree F boil of almost hard crack candy. My favorite part is the final step of mixing the vanilla and baking soda into the hot liquid, creating an almost volcanic eruption. Stir, stir, stir or it boils over the sides of the saucepan!

One year, we almost had a caramel corn calamity! While in the middle of mixing up a batch of my grandmother’s caramel corn, I had an uncontrollable urge to text my daughter to see if she was on her way. I interrupted my kitchen duties to tap out a message on my cellphone.

Meanwhile, back at the stove, a saucepan of sugar, corn syrup, butter, and vinegar boiled merrily as the needle on the candy thermometer inched toward the goal of 290 degrees F. Usually I tend this molten mixture closely, stirring frequently until it turns creamy amber. Too hot and it burns, too cool and it stays sticky, never reaching that crisp, crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth heaven that is Grammie Forbes’s Caramel Corn.

I snapped my phone shut and mixed in vanilla and baking soda. The foaming froth of scalding liquid threatened to bubble over the rim of the pan. I quickly stirred it over the waiting popcorn, coating every kernel. It wasn’t easy waiting for it to cool enough so a sample wouldn’t burn my tongue. I popped a morsel into my mouth and chomped down … only to discover that my teeth stuck together!

 With visions of pulled fillings, I kept my teeth clenched and waited for the sugary sealant to melt. Finally I was able to open my mouth. Argh! The batch hadn’t reached the proper temperature! It turned out to be a soggy ruined mess! Only one thing to do—throw it out to the squirrels. They wouldn’t notice or care.

Back to the drawing board, er saucepan, for me. I made another batch of caramel corn, this time focusing on the task at hand. The result? Perfect. Melt in your mouth. Sweet, buttery, crunchy. Alternating between hanging ornaments and munching on caramel corn, the family agreed that it was the best Christmas tree decorating session yet. Thanks, Grammie Forbes!

Do you have a favorite family tradition? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Are You a Gracious Gift Receiver?

Let’s face it, most kids get gifts at one time or another, especially at birthdays and certain holidays. Sometimes the gifts are just what you wanted—that special toy or article of clothing. Other times, however, you might get what you consider, a “dud” of a gift. You know, socks, or something you don’t quite like.

What’s a kid to do? Do you say, “Yuck, I don’t like this!”? Do you throw it on the floor and stomp on it? Some kids do this sort of rude behavior, but I don’t recommend that. It could hurt the feelings of the person who took the time and money to get you something. Even if it’s not what you expected or even want.

No, it’s important to thank the giver no matter what. And really put in the effort to be sincere. Nobody likes a fake thank you. Take a breath; look at the giver, smile, and say thanks. It won’t kill you to be nice. Some kids in this world never get gifts, good, bad, or ugly. Be grateful for what you have.

Have you ever received a "dud" gift?  How did you react?  Leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear from you!

Positive Self-Talk and Achieving the Impossible

One of the biggest roadblocks to success in school is negative self-talk. That’s when you think in your brain, “I can’t do this.” As soon as you start thinking that, your brain shuts right down. Of course, once your brain has shut down, you can’t learn. This is a vicious cycle! And very frustrating!

This week my fourth graders tackled long division. After my glorious lesson involving the mnemonic device “Does McDonald’s Sell Cheeseburgers?” (Divide, multiply, subtract, check, bring down), only two people grasped the concept.

We kept working and working on it and more and more students caught on. But not before one student put their head down on their desk. I knew the student was thinking that deadly phrase, “I can’t do this.”

Negative self- talk happens to all of us at one time or another in our lives. The best strategy is to recognize it, stop it, and turn it into positive pep-talk. The absolute worst thing you can do is give up. That’s what this student did. As I continued to demonstrate, they refused to watch. They sat there at their desk with their eyes squinched shut. As a result, they are very far behind the rest of the class who didn’t give up. The rest of the class is getting it.

And now those who have resisted learning their basic math facts are finding out how important those pesky facts are! They are able to do the long division but it takes them twice as long as those who have their basic facts memorized. I tried to warn them.

Here are some strategies when you get frustrated and start to hear “I can’t do this” in your head.

1. Picture a big stop sign. This will stop your negative self-talk.

2. Think “This is hard, but I’ll get it soon.”  Now picture the word "Go" in your head.

3. If you can, take a break. Go for a walk or shoot some hoops, etc.

4. Have a drink of water or a healthy snack.

5. Promise yourself a reward when you’re done.

6. Set a timer and get going! You can do this!!!

I hope you found this helpful! Have you ever overcome any negative self-talk? Please leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Halloween Gorilla Prank

I love Halloween!  I’m never a clown—I’m usually a witch for October parties.  At school I wear black pants and a black turtleneck with a sandwich sign that looks like a math flashcard.  I tell people I’m a basic math fact and if you don’t memorize me I’ll come back to haunt you!  Scary, huh?

My favorite Halloween prank of all times was when I wore my gorilla costume and sat on a lawn chair on my front deck.  My plan was to let the kids come really close and then I’d jump up and growl at them.  My theory was that they’d be so scared they would scream, drop their candy, and run away.  Then I would get to eat all of their candy.  Bwah-hah-hah!

Oh yes, they approached the house.  I could hear them debating whether I was real or not.  They bravely got closer.  I put my plan into action, jumped up, and roared at them!  They screamed and ran away—with their bags of candy clutched in their little hands.

That was the one thing I didn’t consider—the vise-like grip on their bags of candy. 

Oh well, it was fun anyway.  I’ll have to come up with another plan for next year.

Crosswalk Smarts

Getting hit by a car is no joke. Crossing the street safely and responsibly is serious. Remember that drivers can’t always see you and/or they may not be paying attention.

Also, cars can’t stop quickly. A car is about 1,000 pounds. At just 30 miles per hour a car needs about 90 feet to stop. Do you know what 90 feet looks like? Go outside and find a safe place to walk 90 short steps in a straight line. That’s about 90 feet.

You are not built to be a speed bump. You need to be extra careful at all times near the road. Obey the pedestrian laws and you’ll be safer as a result. Click HERE for the AAA website that has traffic safety activities for really young kids.  Click HERE for a website with activities for older kids who can read.

Remember your health and safety is your job. Stay safe. The life you save may be your own!

Magic Words

Did you know there are magic words? I’m not talking about abracadabra or hocus-pocus. My favorite words are ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ People are more likely to do something for you if you ask nicely and say please. It should always be followed up with a polite thank you.

‘Excuse me’ is an important phrase that you need to know. You say this when you burp, you need to get by someone, or if you need to interrupt a grown-up for something really urgent.

According to an article on Oprah.com, “when talking with others, always use a form of thanks and the person's name in the first 12 words you speak ("It's good to see you, Mary," or "Thanks for picking me up from soccer, Dad.") By following this rule of 12, people will want to continue to do nice things for you.”

Remember the “Golden Rule?” (Treat others the way you want to be treated.) Being polite and using manners not only makes you a better person, it makes the world a better place. Go for it!

What do you think? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Grocery Games

Have you ever had to go to the grocery store and you really didn’t want to? Sometimes kids get dragged along because they can’t stay home alone. But there are ways to make an adventure out of everything!

• If you’re old enough, perhaps your mom or dad could send you on a mission to find an item on the grocery list. 

• Bring a pad of paper and a pencil and go on a scavenger hunt. You can stay right with your parents while you search the shelves for items beginning with the letters of the alphabet A-Z. 

• Have you heard of unit pricing? Look at the little tags on the shelves and try to find the most expensive unit priced item and the least expensive. 

• A lot of food on the shelves is imported from different countries. Make a list of the countries that the food comes from. 

• You can play “I Spy” with a brother or sister, or you mom/dad as you shop. 

• It’s fun to guess how much some fruits or vegetables weigh and then use the scale in the produce section to see how close your guess was! 

• Look for the most interesting and different foods that you find—pretend you’re having a party and make a list of the foods that you would like to serve you guests! 

The most important thing about going somewhere with your parents is to make the best of it. Remember to be respectful of the other shoppers. They really don’t want yelling kids running around. Nobody likes a brat and somebody could get hurt.

What do you think? Do you have any strategies for when you go to a store with your grownup? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Treasure Trove, Packrat Pile, or Clutter Collection?

Are you always searching for things in your room?  Do you barely make the bus in the morning?  Have you ever gotten to school only to find out that you forgot something important that you needed for that day?  If so, you may suffer from unorganization.  But don’t panic!  There’s a cure.  It's called being organized.

Organization is a big word but it takes just some small, simple steps if practiced every day they become good habits for a lifetime.  Where to begin?  Let’s start with your room. 

Who cleans your room?  If someone else cleans your room you might not know where everything is.  If you clean your room then you’ll be able to find things in a jiffy.

Is your room really cluttered?  The first thing to do is to set a timer for fifteen minutes and go through all of your things.  (Go ahead, I’ll wait here.)  Sort them into piles.  

Have three piles to start with:

*Keep—any toys and clothes that you are currently using/fit.

*Donate—any toys and clothes that you are not using and/or no longer fit you.  These can be donated to a younger brother or sister, cousin, neighbor, or taken to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or other local charity.

*Throw away—anything that is broken or worn out.

Ding!  Good, you’re back.  How’d you do?  Now set that time for another fifteen minutes and go put all of the Keep items away neatly.  (Go ahead, I’ll wait here.)  Put the Donate/Throw Away items in boxes or large plastic garbage bags and ask a grownup where you should put them.  

Ding!  Wow, that was a fast fifteen minutes.  How’d it go?  How’s your room look?  Now the tricky part is to keep it neat by putting things away immediately after you’re done with them.  That way your room will stay looking nice.  Oh, and another thing, I like to put on some really upbeat music when I’m cleaning/organizing.  It helps me focus and keep working!

How do you stay organized?  Please leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

Home Alone

Do you stay home all by yourself?  Do you enjoy it?  Some people like to be home alone, some don’t.  My mom was a stay-at-home mom when I was growing up so Mom was usually home when I got home from school.  If I didn’t see my mom, I would walk through the house yelling, “Mom!  Where are you?”

One day I looked all over the upstairs and even in the yard.  No mom.  Then I heard the washer in the (gulp) cellar.  (I was afraid to go down in the cellar but that’s a story for another day.)

I walked down the rickety steps, ran over to mom, and tapped her on the shoulder.  She practically jumped out of her skin!  See, she couldn’t hear me due to all the noise the washer was making.  She gave me a hug and we had a good laugh!

My younger sister Marcia did not like staying home alone.  She would call the operator and ask what time it was.  That was back in the days when it didn’t cost anything to call directory assistance.  Finally the operator got fed up with Marcia’s frequent time inquiries and said, “Little girl, learn to tell time and stop calling me!”

If you’re going to be home alone, this information should be posted near the phone:

• when to call 911
• your address and phone number
• the name, location, and phone number where your mom or dad works
• the name, phone number, and address of a trusted neighbor
• the name, phone number, and address of another emergency contact person, such as a grandparent or family friend

Are you bored or lonely when you’re home alone?  After you’ve done your chores and homework, perhaps you could try some of these:

• Read a book or magazine.
• Work on a hobby or try a new one.
• Listen to music, sing, or play an instrument.
• Write a letter or phone a friend.
• Write a story full of made-up adventures of what happened to you when you were home alone — and don't forget to give it a happy ending!

The important thing about staying home alone is to be safe.  Make good decisions and you’ll be fine.

Do you stay home alone?  If not, would you like to?  Do you like to stay home alone?  Why?  Please leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

Haircuts

Do you like getting your haircut?  The worst part is all the little hairs that trickle down your neck and make you itch like crazy until you take a bath or shower!  Ugh!

Do you like sitting in those uncomfortable chairs waiting forever for your turn?  Suggest to your mom or dad that they make an appointment, if possible.  Or bring a book to read to help pass the time.

Does your hair always come out the way you expect?   Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the stylist what you want in a hairstyle.  You may want to look through magazines, find a few pictures of some styles you like, and bring them into the salon.

Do you like spending hours fixing your hair?  The stylist is a professional; they will know which style will look best on you.  They will give you good advice as to what is the easiest to maintain.

And most important of all:  don’t cut your own hair!  It could be a total disaster, unless it’s Crazy Hair Day at school, of course.

Have you had a haircut disaster?  Please leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

Manners Are a Must!

Politeness pays! Do you say please and thank you? Can you wait for your turn patiently? Are you well-mannered?

People are more apt to want to be nice to you if you are polite. The basics of please, thank you, and excuse me come in so handy every day! As a clown I give the patient, polite child a balloon much faster than the demanding rude child.

This applies to the classroom as well. School gets you ready for the “real world” for when you grow up and go to college or get a job. Being able to wait your turn and use courteous words gets you farther in life. Your teachers and fellow classmates will prefer that you not be rude!

How do you like to be treated? Do you like it when people are polite to you? It’s a two-way street—you need to be polite to others!

Do you use your manners? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Are You Stressed Out?

Do you know when you’re stressed? I can usually tell when my students are overwhelmed—they’re crabby. Sometimes, though they hide it really well from me and I don’t have a clue until I get a phone call, email, or note from their parent. 

I feel sad when my students are stressed and I try to do what I can to not contribute to it. However, when a student is stressed over schoolwork, yet is highly overscheduled in afterschool activities, I’m really not the one to blame, right? It’s a team effort.

Procrastination is a big contributor to stress so my advice to you this next school year is to keep on top of your obligations. I like to say: “It’s easier to keep up than to catch up.”

Breathing helps you stay calm. Sounds simple? It is! Just sit quietly and breathe in and out, paying close attention to your breath. You can even give yourself a pep talk as you do so. I like to breathe in and think to myself, “I’m calm.” As I breathe out I think, “I’m relaxed.” It sounds silly but it works! Try it!

What causes you to be stressed? What do you do to decrease your stress? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Writing!

Do you love to write? I do! Writing is so much fun. I love to write by typing on my computer. I can “touch type” that’s where I can type without looking at the keys on the keyboard. I learned how to do that in high school on a really old fashioned type writer! 

Kids today are so lucky: you get to learn to touch type in elementary school! I recommend that you practice touch typing at home, too. There are lots of learn to type programs available. They’re free and fun! They’re full of games that help you have a good time as you practice your typing.

Because I do my writing on my computer, not only is it fast, I can edit and correct my work much easier. I DON’T rely on spellcheck, however, and neither should you. I have found that spellcheck is not always correct! 

What? That’s right. A computer program is only as good as the people who wrote it. That, and the fact that spellcheck doesn’t catch grammar errors, can leave you in the lurch.

What is the best strategy to proofread your work? Proofread out loud, pointing to every word. Go slowly and listen to what you are saying. If it sounds weird, it probably needs fixing up. It’s your job to correct your work.

I think it’s safe to say that all writing needs editing. I don’t know of any writer that can just write something and be done with it. Writers love playing with language, selecting just the right word to convey their message is like a game or a challenge for us. 

When people read your work, it is an opportunity for them to create an opinion of you. If your work is full of errors, what will your reader think of you? You owe it to yourself and your readers to make your writing the best it can possibly be.

I Love Music!

Do you love music?  I do!  When I was growing up my mom was our church organist.  We had an old pump organ (aka reed organ or harmonium) in our cellar for her to practice on!  You had to pump the pedals to make it work.  The pedals worked like bellows and pumped air through the reeds to make the sound.  We always argued who was going to pump the pedals!  We sang all the childhood classics to the wheezy sound of that old organ.

My childhood memories frequently involve music.  My mom loved show tunes.  She had a song for every occasion.  When she washed our hair, it was to “I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair” from the musical “South Pacific.” 

While on road trips we took our shoes off in the car to be more comfy.  As we approached a rest stop, Mom sang, “Put Your Shoes on Lucy,” by Hank Fort.  That was our signal to get our shoes back on.

When we went camping, our fireside sing-alongs were a wonderful way to end each day.  We’d roast marshmallows and sometimes make some-mores.  Click HERE for the recipe.  My favorite campfire song is “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.”  Sometimes we played “Name That Tune” and tried to guess a song in three notes or less.  Fireflies, glowing coals, and shooting stars—good times, good memories.

When I was about eight my favorite birthday gift was a book and record set of “Peter and the Wolf.”  It’s amazing how the different instruments can bring the characters to life!  To this day that music brings me right back to my childhood and the hours spent listening to that classic.

I took flute lessons through my school when I was in fourth grade.  This continued through sixth grade.  I was in the school bands:  elementary, junior high, and high school.  The band (or chorus) experience is not to be missed!  Ahh, band trips…a story for another day.  I still play my flute.  It’s in my classroom and I pull it out now and then to play for my students.  They learn the recorder in third grade.  I like to encourage them to continue it. 

My family enjoys “The Nutcracker” during the holiday season.  We like the dancers and costumes but most of all, we love the music!  The holidays don’t seem complete if we don’t get to see “The Nutcracker.”

Do you like music?  If you could take music lessons--voice or an instrument, what would you choose?  Leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!