A letter for Caitlin from Miss Cindee

For my children's Tae Kwon Do school, they need to earn "attitude" stripes by receiving a letter from parent or teachers for exceptional behavior. Caitlin really needs one to graduate this month. I told her I would write her a letter if she just remembered to do her basic chores without being asked. Unfortunately, she has been especially scattered and hasn't remembered once this week. She was in serious danger of not getting her stripe. However, I asked her ballet teacher if she would write a brief letter since Caitlin helps out with the three year old class. Her teacher wrote the most glowing letter for Caitlin and I just know that Caitlin is going to bust her buttons when she hears this letter read aloud tomorrow night in class.

This was Miss Cindee's letter:

Dear Tae Kwon Do Instructors,

I would like to recommend Caitlin Kubina for an attitude stripe because of her exceptional drive for getting it right. Caitlin has been a Ballet student at my dance  school for about five years.  She is a delight to teach on many accounts. Caitlin loves to dance. She listens well, takes correction to heart and applies it with commitment. She is respectful, pleasant, talented and a supportive team member. Recently she volunteered on her own account to help out with a class of three year old dance students. Not only has she been a big help to me, the younger students look up to her and their parents have complimented her on her contribution to the class. This is exceptional behavior for an 8 year old child!

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this further.

Best Regards,

Cindee Velle
Ballet with Cindee Velle

Celtic knot snowflake

I finally finished the small wall-hanging quilt for the holiday craft exchange.  I am rather pleased with how it turned out.  The knot was my own design, I made it with graph paper and a compass.  It is a smidge inaccurate, but I think it still resembles a snowflake.

Advent Wreath from Wool Roving

Finally, I've come up with a solution to my Advent Wreath dilemma. Using real evergreens for the wreath usually ends up being messy and the branches become dry as tinder before Christmas. But, using fake evergreens is just nasty, not to mention full of toxic materials. Celebrate baby Jesus with PVC? I don't think so. This year, I found this lovely green wool roving at the Sheep and Wool festival and I made this soft, puffy, natural and flame-resistant reusable wreath. I think I want to adjust the wraps a little bit, but otherwise I am pretty happy. I think this will work!

Best Bath Night Ever

Tonight, while Caitlin was taking her bath, I brought in my harp and played for her while she washed.  I started playing Pachelbel's Canon in D and she started vocalizing along.  No words, just following the melody with her voice.  And that girl can really sing with gusto.  We totally rocked the powder room.

The sweet things they say

Caitlin requested yellow yarn for a project she wanted to do.  I found the loveliest shade of pastel sunshiny yellow and gave it to her.  She told Gwen all about her knitting project and Gwen said that it was sure to brighten up anyone's day.

A good heart

Today at Trader Joe's I saw chocolate filled Advent Calendars for 99 cents. I asked Gwen if she wanted me to buy one for her and Cait and she answered, "No thanks, Mom. It is only 99 cents for all that chocolate. That means someone got ripped off." 
I guess I just need to teach her to cook and drive and my work here is done.

Breakfast in bed

Today, for no reason what so ever, I got breakfast in bed.  It was Caitlin's idea and Jeff, master omelet-maker that he is, went with it.  I had a glass of apple juice, a mug of coffee, a bowl of raspberries with a square of milk chocolate, a toasted and buttered bagel and an amazing mushroom omelet.  And, to top it all off, Caitlin climbed in bed with me and read to me (between bites of my bagel).  She read me the story we are reading together before bedtime, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  It was such a treat to listen to her reading to me.  I adore my family!