Music

Music has been delighting our household in a variety of forms.  Both former music majors, Todd and I have a lot of formal music education and the children are aware of this.  But we aren't practicing our instruments all of the time at home.  I play my flute occasionally, and we use our piano to accompany songs the children are singing.  But most of the time, we are listening to music or singing fun songs. 

At home, we listen to Elizabeth Mitchell, Sunday School CDs, Billy Joel, Johnny Cash, Sufjan Stevens, etc.  In the car we are usually "car ride singers" by nature, but we also enjoy listening to Madison radio (hits from the 70's-80's-90's) and classical radio.  So it made sense recently to check out books on composers from the library. 

The Young Mozart, Play Mozart Play, and Beethoven Lives Upstairs are 3 such children's books that have really been of interest to my children---and myself, for that matter.  We've learned about what life was like as children for these famous composers, how music became part of their lives, how they played, and their quirks (especially Beethoven's).  We have been reading these stories over and over, and it has been fun to listen to their music as well.

This may have led to Clara's more intense interest in the piano.  She had been interested for a while, but she seems to be moreso now.  So, I finally agreed to give her some "Introduction to Piano" lessons after a friend lent me some beginner lesson books.  We've been having a lesson per week for the last few weeks, and she's already learning about quarter and half notes, quarter rests, the black keys, and finger numbers...among other important beginner details.

To top it off, we've been using a book called Folk Songs That Will Make You Sing Your Head Off  which has been loads of fun!  We've been singing "Dear Liza" all day today, and we performed it for Todd tonight. 

Whenever I turn on music during the day or we begin singing, my mood lightens (even if it was already light!).  Good things happen for all of us.  Music is medicine for the soul, and may it always be an important part of our lives!

The Community Read

Afghanistan and Pakistan are the countries of choice for Clara these days.  Iowa County is participating in a Community Read right now on the Stones Into Schools book.  Much of our community is actually reading this book and the other related books (3 Cups of Tea and Listen to the Wind).  Our library has lots of new books and videos related to the area, and they have also put together Discovery Boxes that include traditional clothing, shoes, jewelry, books, videos, descriptions, and other informative materials.  There is a huge list of events surrounding this Community Read, and Clara & I have gone to a couple of those events so far.  The first was a Children's Event at Shake Rag Alley where we listened to a reading of Listen to the Wind.  We then created a mural collage of scenes from the book.  It was wonderful and beautiful, and it really sparked Clara's interest in the culture.

The next event was a celebration of "The Afghan Nowruz Festival," which is the traditional New Year celebration.  This was led by Dr. Aaliya Bibi and included an awesome cooking demonstration, delicious traditional food, dancing, henna, costumes, and a educational presentation. 

Our Lenten gatherings for church are carrying the same Community Read theme, with a focus on the similarities between Dr. Greg's work in the book and the work of Jesus.  We've had one gathering, and we'll have 3 more that will also culminate in an art project.  The art projects will be displayed at the final Community Read event at Folklore Village in April.

We've read some wonderful related books, including Afghanistan:  The People and Nasreen's Secret School:  A True Story from Afghanistan.  Clara looks up books on "Afghanistan Culture" on the children's catalog at the library all on her own, and I've noticed her gazing at the large map of Afghanistan & Pakistan as she looks for Korphe.

This has been a good unit, completely inspired by our Community Read.  This is such a fun place to live.

What's good these days...

1.  playing in our yard without winter coats

2.  a needle-felting workshop that has spurred needle-felted "Spy Club" pins everywhere in the house

3.  a new Afghanistan & Pakistan study ( including a festival with Dr. Aaliya Bibi who showed us how to cook traditional Afghan food)

4.  singing "Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory-Glory" in the mornings, complete with actions

5.  giving Clara mini piano lessons from a borrowed book and listening to her practice during the week

6.  telling Clara about how once my flute student cried in a lesson, and watching her eyes get big...then telling her that that is why I shouldn't give her music lessons and watching her relax:)

7.  watching Simon run to follow a red-tailed hawk that he sees in the sky

8.  hearing Simon say in the car, "I can see Orion's belt but not the rest of him."

9.  laying with Ruthie while she pulls me toward her and says "It's O.K., stay close" for no apparent reason

10.  watching Clara make Simon and Ruthie their own house out of blocks, complete with "hot stove" so they will have something to do while she plays in her room alone.

11.  Simon saying to me "I want to learn how to read the big books, Mom, so that I can read them to Ruthie."

12.  Watching Ruthie sing out the conversation between herself and her dolls as they lay down for a "nap" together in the living room

I'm ready for tomorrow.  These are the days to remember (gotta love Billy Joel)

Dinner Theatre

Plays are the theme at our house these days!  Todd and I have been blessed with theatre after our dinner a few times this week.  All three children participated, decided on the basic play, put together creative costumes, memorized lines and actions, rehearsed, and then invited us to the performance.  The prep and rehearsals were really just as exciting as the performance with all the whispering about ideas for lines and positioning, giggles as they find the perfect costumes, and the overall change in their demeanor and language once they are in character.  And all of this was THEIR idea, with no prompting from their mother!

The first this week was "The Spider and The Fly."  This is Clara playing the role of the spider.

Here are Ruthie and Simon playing the role of the flies.  In this photo they have been caught in the spider's web.

Here are the three performers taking a bow

The performance the other night was "The Sun, the Moon, and the Earth."  This one consisted of more elaborate lines, and the highlight was the "spinning Earth." Clara changed out of her more delicate moon costume and into one of Todd's shirts just prior to the performance due to inclimate weather inside the house. Simon chose bright sun colors, and Ruthie sported blue jeans with a vine growing up the side, a green shirt with a monkey and a blue silk cape for the water of the world.

Here is Clara as "The Moon," Simon as "The Sun," and Ruthie as "The Earth" following their performance.

Currently, they are working on another one.  I cannot wait to listen to the process and experience the end result!

 "All the world is a stage, and we are merely the actors."

 --William Shakespeare

 (during the time of Queen Elizabeth I, of course!)