Sunday, May 27, 2012

Cool/precious/enjoyable/interesting

Hello!


The crazy-busy couple of weeks is over!  Now, it's a fairly normal schedule till the end of June when my summer "break" begins.  


Congrats to those of you who just finished up a school year, as teachers or as students!


My last couple of weeks were full of blessings and good things, but what topped it all off this weekend was the celebration of the marriage of two of my good college friends.  Another good friend and her boyfriend came down for the weekend/wedding, and it was great to spend some quality time with them in addition to seeing everyone at the ceremony and reception!  These types of gathering/celebrations in life are so very special, and I'm thankful to have been able to attend (and be a part of the ceremony!) and see so many "old friends."  


In other news, I had the privilege of witnessing a partial solar eclipse last weekend!  Did any of you?  God is so awesome...and creative!


Stories from my life as a nanny:
On the way home from her second day at "school," I asked the 2 1/2-year-old I nanny for if she'd gone potty at school (so I knew whether we'd make it home, or not).  She said she had, then her 5-yr.-old brother asked, "Did you go poopy?"  She defensively said, "No!"  Then, he asked "Did you fart?"  I waited for her response before telling him that kind of question was inappropriate.  She hesitated, thinking about her answer, before replying, "Umm...yeah, I did."  Obviously appalled, he gasped and said, "(insert her name here)!!  You're not supposed to fart in school - it's against the law!"  I explained to them both that this isn't true - accidents happen.  She seemed relieved, but he didn't believe me.


Earlier in the same afternoon, after we'd dropped his sister off at school, my 5-yr.-old friend and I stopped to put some gas in the car.  When I got back in the car, my backseat passenger notified me of a bug on my arm.  After I shooed it away and we got back on the road, he asked me, "What happens if you don't have enough blood?"  A discussion of the circulatory system, donating blood, how we don't die from minor cuts, etc. followed.  About 45 minutes later, and after many unrelated conversations, he came back to the topic saying, "I want to give you some of my blood."  When I asked him why, he responded, "Because that mosquito took some of yours and I don't want you to die!"  Apparently, the bug from an hour earlier had resembled a mosquito...and the precious kiddo was concerned about my loss of blood.  


One last story about these guys:  When they play "Cowboys and Indians," they call it "Cowboys and 'Indianans.'"


Lastly, I've been meaning to share this for awhile: I'm reading through the Old Testament, and came across this story a couple weeks ago (2 Kings 4:38-41):

Death in the Pot

38 Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.”
39 One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.40 The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.
41 Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.



I don't remember ever hearing of this story before, and I had a hard time knowing what to make of this - I think I laughed out loud when I first read it.  Am I/are we supposed to be taking something from it?!  Flour makes everything better...?  Does anyone else remember ever reading it, and/or do you have any thoughts about it?


Hope you all have a relaxing and reverent Memorial Day!


Stay cool,
Kensy


Favorites of the day:
dancing!!!  (So much of it last night - and sooooooo much fun!)
Hawaiian Pizza from The Isles 
catching up





Sunday, May 13, 2012

♥ = full

Hello, hello!


First of all, Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers (and mothers to be...and future mothers) out there!


I've been busier than usual with some extra "music librarian" duties (by the way - add "clock battery changer," and "calendar flipper" to the list) at Arts Inc.  These have included scheduling and making visits to middle and high schools in Lincoln to tell music students about all the opportunities offered through our groups.  It's kind-of fun, but time-consuming...and makes for longer days than I'm used to.


Anyway, as a result, I have some kiddo/student stories I've been dying to share.  Please enjoy...


I don't remember whether or not I told you all about this when it happened, so I'm going to tell you (again?) before I add to the story:

A few months ago, one of my students (whose mom regularly sits in on her lesson) brought an iPhone to show me a video...and was VERY excited to do so.  With no explanation, I watched, and gasped/shrieked fairly loudly.  The video was of their family (her and her two younger brothers) looking in their oven and finding a bun.  It was the video they were showing family and friends to announce her mom's pregnancy.  Then, last week at her lesson, she brought an unmarked shoebox and was beside herself with the anticipation of me looking inside.  I opened the lid to find two rolls/buns with googly eyes and pink bows.  I probably had an over-reaction to this news, but she was soooo excited to show me and I am soooo excited for her/them!  I also just loved their creativity in sharing the news.  ☺



On our way home from taking her brother to school, the 2-yr.-old I nanny for said, "I wished I could be a bird."  I said, "How come?"  She replied, "For fun.  I'd be a pretty bird, so then, everyone would say, 'Look at that pretty bird!'"  I said, "Yes, that would be fun, but you're already a pretty girl!"  She giggled and said, "I guess it would be fun to fly, too."


In the CMA (Children's Music Academy) class I teach, we chanted the "Fuzzy Wuzzy" story near the beginning of class.  Then, toward the end of class, we used our keyboards to tell stories.  My example was a caterpillar down low on the ground (low notes) becoming a butterfly who flies high in the sky (high notes).  One of the students wanted to share his story next.  It started with a caterpillar in the forest who ran up a tree and back down again a few times trying to outrun a bear who was chasing him.  Then, the caterpillar stopped on a branch above the bear and started pulling out the bear's fur, one piece at a time.  Eventually, the bear had "no hair," and his name was "Fuzzy" (as in "Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair)!  And they lived happily ever after, he said.  I was astounded by the connection he made (he's only 4!) and his ability to bring the class full-circle.


Now, to get you up to speed on this weekend:

We had our student recital for the studio yesterday.  All my students did such a wonderful job, and it was so fun (and rewarding) to sit back and listen to them share what they've learned.  
I received flowers, gifts, compliments, and lots of hugs...and I wasn't even the one performing!

Then, today, I took a spontaneous trip to Manhattan, KS.  Two reasons for the trip:
1. surprise Mom for Mother's Day
2. meet Norman (my brother's pet baby goose)
There are no words...
We were instant friends...he was preening me.
Who knew birds could be so cuddly?!
My heart is so full after this trip.  For some reason, I really felt the need to spend some time with the family, no matter how brief, so I just went.  Meeting that precious goose was pretty great, too!  ☺


One more thing:  While I was on my drive this morning, I passed a cemetery in the middle of the Flint Hills.  As I drove past, I noticed an older man sitting near a headstone in a lawn chair...alone.  Whether he was visiting his mother or his wife, I do not know.  Either way, though, the sight instantly moved me to tears...and made me even more grateful for the opportunity to spend time with loved ones.


With love,
Kensy


Favorites of the day:
Coldstone
Norman
"guy" time
quality car time (and the Passion 2012 speakers on CD)

Friday, May 4, 2012

Results of being done

Oh no!  I just realized I never actually posted this!  Sooo sorry for an even bigger lapse between posts - this was supposed to be posted a couple weeks ago.  Oh well!


Hey, hey!


My free time at home the past couple of weeks has been consumed by filling out student evaluations...and now, I'm done!!  The process was much more drawn out this time around (because I was ahead of schedule, rather than unintentionally behind, like last year), and it was nice to be able to spend quality time evaluating, suggesting room for improvement, and praising each student in writing.


As a result of being done, I've had time to catch up on various videos I've been meaning to watch.  Here are some of them:


 In other news...
We went to Titanic in 3D...a few hours after I posted about hoping to do so.  It was everything we hoped for, and more! 
We had another photo shoot for the studio on Saturday.  What was supposed to be a few head shots and "ensemble" shots turned into this...(as well as shots of us as carolers in Charles Dickens-esque costumes - products of those to come soon, I hope).


Also, because I took one of the kiddos I nanny for to preschool the other day, he, his sister, and I had the following conversations:
(They're fascinated by my car (a red Honda Prelude).  Their parents drive big cars (an SUV and a truck), so they're not used to little 2-door ones, like mine.)
4-yr.-old boy as he was getting into the backseat of my car: Do you ever travel in here?
me: Yes, every day!
him: No, I mean far away...like Minnesota.  (They have relatives there and have taken road trips there often...it's our default destination when pretending to take a trip.)
me: Yes, I have.  Why do you ask?
him: I was just wondering if you could fit a suitcase in here.
me: Well, yes, I could, but I could also put it in the trunk.
him: Oh yeah!  Cool!


2-yr.-old girl as we're stopped at a red light: Whatcha waiting for?
me: I'm waiting for the light to turn green, so we can go.
her: Oh yeah.
...
her, at the next stoplight: Whatcha waiting for?
me: It's a red light.
her: Oh yeah...it matches your car!




I think that's all, for now.  Hope you enjoyed some or all of this post!


Have a great rest of the week!


-Kensy




Favorites of the day:
the movie "50/50"
having an unexpected day off (I was supposed to sub today till I heard otherwise late last night)
running errands