Adriana learned how to Irish step dance at school from a friend at recess on St. Patrick's Day and then she taught Ariel. Free dance classes are cool, and it looks like they have this dance down better than the weekly dance classes they have been going to since they were 3. Ariel has a friend who is teaching her gymnastics at recess too.
This is the 4th year in a row now, where after Adriana came home from school, so excited about St. Patrick's Day and searching for Leprechauns, I have thought to myself, "We should do something next year to celebrate." But I have consistently forgotten to do anything about this holiday. I take that back, two years ago she was supposed to bring the treat on St. Patrick's Day, and I bought rainbow airheads and put them on a cupcake, like it was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but I did nothing at home. Maybe it was becasue growing up we didn't celebrate St. Patricks Day at home, that I can remember. Maybe it is becasue we are not Irish. I have a feeling that in an effort to indulge our kids even more grown-ups are gradually making more and more efforts to celebrate holidays for kids. Has anyone else noticed this trend?
As we are trying to plan out our summer and our expenses, we have come to the conclusion that it makes more sense for me and the kids to join the fitness club that Nikolay has a membership to through work, than to join the swim team again, because we can swim there and they have free child care for the non-swimmers. I started to take that thought a little further with all of the activities the kids want to do this summer: gymnastics--monkey bars, dance--learn it from your friends at school like Irish step dancing, basketball--we'll put up a hoop, and I'll run a basketball camp (their friends can pay me $45), soccer--backyard. We'll never have to pay for the kids to do anything again and we can start saving for retirement, and we won't have to drive them all over the place and be worried about being late and having the right clothes on. I haven't come up with a good alternative to the amusement park close to our house. As it is, Ariel is just dreaming about the day she will be old enough to work there. Oh, yeah, Nikolay's work has a day day in the summer where all of the employees go with their families for free. Problem solved.
OK, honestly I am being kind of sarcastic, but we are going to cut back on the number of expensive and time consuming activities the kids will be in.
On another note, remember how I was having a tough time getting a good picture to put on Alice's birth announcement?
Here is the one I decided on. I was waiting until everyone I sent them to actually got them before posting it, as not to ruin the surprise.
After the Irish step dancing I got the kids to sit down together and I snapped this picture of them all together.
Here is lovely Annika. I never imagined I would have a child with such beautiful brown eyes. About this time last year I couldn't even bribe her to look at the camera, but now she is constantly asking me to take her picture.
9 comments:
Camille has asked why the leprechaun doesn't come to our house - my reply - We aren't Irish!
I try to celebrate holidays just to enjoy life. We also like to go on walks. I love that the girls are learning dance from their friends. James is totally convinced that she can Irish Step Dance. She and Campbell also think they know karate. I am constantly reminding James that she has a long time to grow up and that one day we will - go to the Ballet, go to Disney World, etc. It doesn't have to happen right now.
Look at that red hair! I didn't realize that Alice was a redhead! So cute.
Sorry Susan, she is not really a redhead, I tried to lighten up the picture, but didn't notice how much it changed her hair color. I will fix it.
Your kids are all so gorgeous! No one at my house growing up was even a tiny bit Irish but my mother celebrated it anyway in that we had to wear green or we would get pinched. She loved all holidays and made every single one of them fun for us. I used to wear green for a week every March (you know, around the Ides) and listen to Celtic music all winter once Christmas was over but I forgot to wear green or listen to any music at all this year. I was too busy trying to meet the St. Patrick's Day dreams of my 8 year old who had some pretty fancy-schmany ideas about what dinner should be to celebrate the holiday. Oy, the stress!
I guess the lesson I need to learn is not to be such a Scrooge and celebrate all holidays more, just because it is fun. I do have a good time being the Easter Bunny though, although the only decorating I do is get out all the toy bunnies and Ukranian Easter eggs we have.
redhead or not, still a cutie! :)
My dad has a St Patty's day bday and always called himself a leprechaun.
Your kids are adorable.
That dancing is darling. Good exercise! I agree about celebrating holidays. You don't have to buy a single thing from the store, but you can have a lot of fun. My kids usually make decorations to hang around the house with whatever craft stuff we have on hand and we make up games and stuff like that. But holidays certainly are highly marketed. Fortunately you don't have to buy stuff, because if I lived in the states, I wouldn't do it either!
Good idea about the BB camp! Would you seriously want to do something like that? That would be awesome.
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