She's a dancer!

Due to scheduling issues, we enrolled Caitlin in a Lyrical dance class instead of ballet. This style of dance is very flowing and interpretive and emotional. Caitlin LOVES it. This is what she dances like when she is at home and music is playing. This just comes naturally to her. I can't wait till the spring recital, Caitlin is going to be in dance heaven. Music, dance, costumes, make-up, stage lights! Does it get any better?

Pictures - arranged or deranged?

I finally got around to hanging all my framed family pictures back on the hallway ways after painting the walls over a year ago. So, I thought I would take this opportunity to be a little more organized this time around, rather than hanging them up all willy-nilly. I hung them arranged by frame style, in neat rows and columns. Then I stepped back and looked at it. It looked totally deranged, like it had been decorated by Adrian Monk, completely OCD. And I realized that there is such as thing as too orderly. I fixed it. I rearranged the pictures in a rather haphazard manner and viola, it looked better. At least, it didn't look like a cry for pharmaceutical intervention. So, come see my hallway. Don't bring a ruler.

Oh, now for something completely different, my co-worker/supervisor, Beth awarded me the "Best Comment of 2009" selected from all the comments entered into our versioning system for the following entry:

Fixed unterminated string in vendor.css file that made IE fuss and produced a bizarre telefonica/leapdrive frankinstein-style hybrid. Not pretty.

I do love my job. I wonder if the award comes with a cookie?

New Year's Resolutions: Item 1 - check

I finally finished it. My first knitted sweater! The photo isn't the greatest, but you can sort of tell that it has cables in the front and a belt of the same yarn. The yarn itself is really cool, it is a silk wool blend from a Maryland farm. It is really soft.

Now, I've got to get to work on my next project - recording a harp CD. I'll keep you posted!

Scooter Girls

When the weather is too cold to play outside, where do you scooter? Everywhere! The girls have been having a blast with their scooters. They zip around the house at a speed Gwen describes as "wicked fast." Watch your toes!

In other news, Caitlin took her first Lyrical dance class today and it is a perfect fit. She loves it. Lyrical dance is basically exactly what she does when she has music and a little open space. She was born to dance. Both Gwen & Caitlin took their first Kids Yoga class today. Caitlin loved it and Gwen didn't completely hate it as much as she thought she would. I guess that is the best I can hope for.

We wrapped up our day with a Uno tournment in front of a nice blazing fire in the fireplace. As much as I hate the cold weather, I could get used to quiet Saturdays like this. Life is good.

Little yoginis

I signed Gwen and Caitlin up for a kid's yoga class. Caitlin can't wait. She is ready to go. Check out her downward dog:

I'm not sure what this one is called, but it looks fun. Gwen hasn't quite worked up any enthusiasm for the idea, but I hope she likes it.

Amazing Chore Chart

I have been seeking a good way of getting the girls to remember all the things they should do in the morning without me nagging them. Or worse, as we are headed out the door, having this conversation:

"Everybody ready?"

"Yep!"

"Wait, your hair doesn't look brushed, did you brush it?"

"No."

"But, you said you were ready, you were playing around just a second ago."

"You didn't tell me I had to brush my hair."

"You have to brush your hair everyday. All of it. Not just the front part."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

"Yes you did. We had this conversation yesterday."

"Oh, I forgot."

This represents conversations I have actually had with my children. Only, sometimes it isn't hair brushing, it is putting clothes in the hamper not on the floor, brushing teeth, putting on socks, etc, etc.

Enter the wonderful folks at Doug & Melissa Toys. They made this magnetic chore chart pictured above. There is a list for chores and little smiley face magnets that you can put by the chore once you have completed it. The girls LOVE it. They were actually excited about doing their chores today. I didn't have to remind anyone once! I did have to take a moment and admire the work of art that was the completed chore chart, but I am so happy about that. I love the chore chart. I may even write fan mail to the manufacturer. Thank you, Doug, Melissa, you are my heroes.

New Year's Resolutions

1. Finish knitting my first sweater. (Almost done.) And no new yarn till my other works in progress are done.

2. Eat more ethically. That means reducing the amount of plastic my food is wrapped in, buying locally and fair-trade whenever possible, finishing leftovers instead of letting them spoil.

3. Exercise. 2009 was the year of not exercising very much. I resolve to turn that around, maybe even rejoin a martial arts program.

4. Record my harp playing. I bought that fancy, smancy harp mike last year and failed to do anything with it. This is the year!

5. No more Starbucks. I was just a little bit addicted. I will still get lattes, but I will have to go out of my way to get them from locally owned businesses.

6. Do the garden right this year. No more planting seeds, ignoring them and then hoping for the best. No more tomato plants raging completely out of control. No sir! I'm going to keep that garden military-style ship shape.

7. Learn to make applesauce and can tomatoes. Well, I'll need to do something with all those apples and tomatoes.

OK, wish me luck!