Is it Possible to Find Harmony on a Budget Vacation?

About 15 years ago, in our early married days, my husband and I took a weekend trip to Spokane, WA.  No kids, two incomes, endless time.  Sounds like fun, right?  Turns out, it was an early lesson in the marital art of compromise.  How we ended up on the sidewalk in front of our hotel, on a sunny, brisk morning, arguing about the coffee and paper he'd just purchased, is the topic of my most recent post at Blissfully Wed.  You can read about the compromise that saved all future vacations at Blissfully Wed (aka Wedded Bliss).  Pop on by for the gritty details!

A Sampling: Phelps, Guitar Hero, Madonna, Air Supply, and L'il Wayne

That title should get a few hits, huh?

Speaking of hits, this morning I was checking in with some bloggy friends, and I laughed out loud when I read Anne's post "Don't Phelps that Bong."  I found her 3rd point about journalists particularly amusing, the best being the one who said Phelps was caught "taking tokers from a bonger."  I'm still laughing.  Did someone really say that?  I don't care how busy you are.  It's worth a short click over for a good laugh.

Then I popped over to SusieJ's and read about how Guitar Hero has built a musical bridge between Susie and her teenage son.  Since just last year we suffered more than a bit of angst over our oldest son's intense desire to fit in and download all of the songs his friends were downloading, I found this compelling.  Guitar Hero can help?  Perhaps we should relent.  I'll take Fleetwood Mac over L'il Wayne any day of the week.

SusieJ mentioned Love Me Two Times by The Doors, so of course I watched the YouTube link.  Then I had to listen to this one, for really old times sake.  Well, you know what happened next, right?  I had stumbled onto Nostalgia Lane and I couldn't leave.  I just kept clicking.  Madonna, The Eagles, and Tears for Fears all reared their heads.  I'm not saying for sure, but Air Supply and Journey may have made a quick appearance too.  Suddenly it was 1985 and man, I was young.

I even rediscovered Men at Work and their vegemete sandwich.  And hey, do you remember this one?

I had totally forgotten, but there it is, preserved better than I'll ever be.  No wonder my dad hated MTV.  Between these guys and Madonna's lingerie, I'm surprised we didn't toss the TV and move to the woods.

It wasn't all wasted time, though.  Ever efficient, I was able to learn something new during my foray into the past. Until today, I thought you could find just about anything, anything I tell you, on YouTube.  But apparently, Prince (of course I tried to find Purple Rain!) and his record label have a ban on posting his music on YouTube.  You can find a few soundless videos, but really, who wants to look at that?  It's all about the listening, Prince.  No one wants to watch your 1984 writhing.  Okay, lots of people probably do, but I'm not one of them.

And then, Prince-deprivation notwithstanding, I began to come up for air. I surfaced from the depths of YouTube and my long ago musical past, and realized that I had doctor's appointments to make, articles to write, a Valentine's party to plan, a birthday cake to bake, and that none of my children have clean clothes.  So it's back to 2009, where I am less young but oh, so busy.  And if I need a flashback, there are always YouTube and Guitar Hero to help me out.

Happy Thursday, all!  

If  you want to join me in wasting some time, enjoy these blasts from the past, courtesy of YouTube:

The Good Old Days of Summer

Wordless Wednesday.

Is Stealing Wrong? I Need...

Last week, instead of doing the 25 Random Things About Me thingy, I stole this idea from Slackermama and came up with this.

I discovered that I kind of like stealing.  

So this week, I stole this idea from Coal Miner's Grandaughter, who is quite funny when she wants to be.

So here is the product of my most recent thieving.  Enjoy!

I need...

...a few more hours in each day.

...a few more minutes in each hour.

...a warm, sunshine-filled, palm tree-laden vacation (see above).

....to love my husband on purpose.

...to make the bed more often.

...to learn to let things go.

...to laugh with my friends.

...to laugh with my kids.

...to enjoy the present.

photo credit:  sirtrentalot 

3 Cheap Dates for Valentine's Day

With our wallets feeling the pinch of the faltering economy, spending a big wad of cash for Valentine’s Day might not be this year’s best move. Instead, celebrate things you love about one another and keep your money in the bank.  Pop on over to Blissfully Wed to read my ideas for 3 Cheap Dates for Valentine's Day.

4 Simple Ways to Say I Love You

Showing love comes easier for some than others, wouldn't you agree?  If you’re one of those people who are all hugs and kisses and moonbeams, it’s probably easy-peasy for you.  But for the rest of us, those who are still wondering what moonbeams are and how to find them, it can be a bit more difficult.  Our culture doesn’t encourage showing love as much as it encourages lust.  Don’t believe me?  Take another look at those Super Bowl commercials.  Funny, yes.  But if we want to help our kids demonstrate love, we’re on our own.  

Here are a few things our family does to share the love:

The Video/DVD:  I’ve received these for various occasions, including Mother’s Day and my birthday.  The one I received for Mother’s Day remains one of my favorite gifts of all time.  My husband and the boys created a Top Ten Things We Love About Mom video, which, as you can imagine, brought tears to my eyes.  And as much as I enjoyed watching my precious boys act out the things they loved about me, I understood that this was also an act of love from my husband.  You can’t have a better Mother’s Day than that.

The Scrapbook: If you’re the type that faithfully records your family events in a scrapbook or album, or if you worship at the alter of Creative Memories, you get this one immediately.  Putting together a small scrapbook to celebrate an occasion, a special year, or a trip together is a great way to demonstrate love. What if you don’t have a crafty bone in your body?  Not to worry.  Simply upload your photos to a site like Blurb.  Slide and drop the pictures onto pre-formatted pages, and they’ll print a lovely hardcover scrapbook for you.  You’ll never even have to go near a Michaels.

The One-on-One Date:  When my third son was born, I realized that time alone with each boy was a valuable commodity.  To make sure life didn’t pass us by, we scheduled monthly “dates.”  These dates don’t have to be expensive or complicated.  Sometimes we take a board game to the café in Barnes and Noble, buy some treats, and play for an hour or so.  Other days we ride bikes around the lake.  Occasionally we go out to dinner, just the two of us.  I remember one meal in particular, a dinner at a Chinese restaurant with my oldest son.  As I sat there, enjoying the conversation and watching him order General Tso Chicken, I could see him growing up before my eyes.  It’s one of those moments that’s burned into my being.  Sometimes we have to step out of the ordinary routine to really experience our kids and love them where they are.  

The Take-A-Break Gift:  Let’s face it.  While we all love our families dearly, there are times when we need a break.  We need an hour, a day, a weekend, some tiny bit of time all to ourselves so we can regroup and recharge.  I have one friend who’s really good at this.  The rest of us fail regularly.  Spouses who understand that a little time alone is good for the soul are worth their weight in gold.  One of the biggest investments we can make in our spouse’s well being is to help him (or for him to help us), take this time.  (Yep, I’m working this angle for a weekend away.  Of course I am!)

The thing about love is that the old adage is true:  Actions do speak louder than words.  It’s so nice to be told, “I love you,” but so much more powerful when it’s accompanied by action.

This post was written for Parent Blogger’s Network’s blog blast.  They’re collaborating this week with LIFE, a non-profit Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education.  Check here for other great posts about love.

photo credits:Joe Shlabotnik, petit hiboux, donger, superash, fresh head films, and BeccaG

Valentine’s Day: Take It or Leave It (But Keep the Piña Colada)

So Mommycosm is off in Aruba, and I’m sitting here with several feet of snow outside my door. That person—the one who said “IT'S NOT FAIR,” was absolutely right. But, hey, I’m not one to begrudge a girlfriend some time in the sun. As long as you raise a glass to me while you’re living large, I’ll raise one right back. Preferably one with a little pink umbrella sticking out of it. And maybe a pineapple…

How on earth is this lovely beverage related to my feelings about Valentine's Day?  To find out, click on over to Mommycosm, where I'm guest posting today while she works on her tan.

How Old Is 13 In Dog Years?

Wordless Wednesday.

Instead of 25 Random Things About Me

I've been tagged for the 25 Things thingy quite a few times.  But last week, I saw this on Marilyn's blog, and I liked it.  I really liked it!  Since she stole it from Randi, I'm going to steal it from her.  Instead of 25 Things, you get 15, but I just love how you have to find your answers in Photobucket.  So, that's why I'm doing this one, if you must know.

If you want to play, be a good blogger and follow the rules:

1.Go to www.photobucket.com (don’t sign in).


2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box.


3. Copy the html and paste for the answer. 

Here Goes Nothin'!

1. What is your relationship status?

2. What is your favorite color?

3. Who is your celebrity crush?

4. What will you be doing tomorrow?

5. What is your favorite Disney princess?

6. What would you splurge on if you won the lottery?

7. What was the last thing you bought?

8. Where is your dream vacation?

9. What cell phone do you have?

10. What do you want to be when you grow up?

11. What do you love most in life?

12. What is your favorite food?

13. What is your least favorite food?

14. What is your favorite dessert?

15. What is your biggest fear?

Why Do All The Cool Kids Have Allergies or Asthma?

Apparently, moms, it’s because we’re keeping our homes too clean.  Or at least you are.  My son has asthma, but that’s definitely not the reason.

Don’t know what I’m talking about?  Go read this.

So, to be clear, I’m all for letting kids get dirty.  Come on, I have three boys.  We have a lot of dirt around here.

 

But, ummm, worms in the intestines?  Gross.  Seriously?  Gross!

And how about this:

“Dr Elliott pointed out that children who grow up on farms…are much less likely to develop allergies and autoimmune diseases.”

I knew those farm kids had it going on.

Maybe my dirt-loving brother should’ve been a farm kid.  When we were little, he made up this sing-song rhyme:

God made the earth,

Dirt don’t hurt,

Put it in your mouth,

And let it work.

Then again, maybe he should’ve been a doctor.

Simply Joy Sunday: 3 Things I'm Thankful For

I’m feeling thankful today, so I thought I’d join Heather’s Simply Joy Sunday.  Obviously, I’m thankful for my family and all things related—good health, good choices (mostlyJ!), and good relationships.  So what are some of the other things in life that bring me joy?  Here are today’s top three:

1. I’m thankful for friends.  For someone who’s lived up and down both coasts, and in a couple of states in the middle, friends rank high on the list of things that bring me joy.  Holly (Wisconsin), Kathy (Washington), Missy (California), Debbie (Massachusetts), and Samantha (Pennsylvania) could all be long lost strangers by now.  Instead, they continue to fill my life with joy year after year.  They rock.  Not to mention the friends closer to home, whose names I don’t dare put on the Internet—you know who you are. You rock, too.

2. I’m thankful for Facebook (see number 1)  Yes, you read that right!  Although Facebook can be a huge time drain, it has allowed me to reconnect with friends I haven’t seen in FOREVER.  Kara—from high school!—just friended me last night.  Jen—who I haven’t seen since 1989—was one of the first people to find me.  How cool is that?  I loved these girls and life just took us in different directions.  At least now I can peek in on them and see how they’re doing.  It always makes me smile. 

3. I’m thankful we have plenty of snacks for the Super Bowl.  At first glance, this seems to have nothing to do with friends, right?  Think again.  I’m thankful both that we have the resources to be cooking up chili, and cornbread, and hot wings today, but also that we’re sharing them with our friends & our kids’ friends.  Go Steelers!

That’s my Simply Joy Sunday folks.  Hope you’re finding joy in life’s little things, too. 

Inexpensive Family Fun

One of the things I quickly realized after relocating to the Midwest, is that down-to-earth, fiscally responsible Midwesterners have an affinity for the state of Florida. 

photo credit:  Jenah Crump

But in this difficult financial year, even Midwesterners are re-thinking their annual pilgrimage south.  Are you looking for inexpensive family fun closer to home?  To find out how my family enjoys the winter months without breaking the bank, check out my article over at Midwest Parents today.

How to Make a Kid's Pirate Ship Cake

Apparently, baking a cake is some kind of parenting novelty these days.  I guess getting a big, tasty cake from Costco does have certain advantages!  But I thank all of you who sent me kind e-mails complementing my very amateur cake decorating efforts.  If you're going to throw a kids' pirate birthday party, you definitely need a cake.

So, how do you make a kids’ pirate ship cake? 

Here’s what you need: 

• Cake
  
• Icing
  
• Very thin dowels rods or straws
  
• Pepperidge Farms pirouette cookies
  
• Malted milk balls
  
• Rolos individually wrapped with gold wrapper
  
• Root beer barrels (candy) or Lego-type barrels
  
• Pirate guy
  
• Long wooden skewers
  
• Construction paper
  
• Mini-flags (either Playmobile-type or made w/ toothpicks and paper)

Getting started:

Start with the cake part, of course!  Bake 2 round pans, from scratch or Betty Crocker, whichever you prefer.  Oh, you thought Betty Crocker was scratch?  Close enough—that works.  Just bake 2 round cakes and let them cool.  I think I used 9-inch pans.

The ship:

Cut each cake in half.  Slice a sliver off of the rounded bottom of each piece to make a more sturdy ship bottom.  With the rounded sides all facing the same direction, stack them together with a thin layer of icing between each piece. Now stand the cake halves on their rounded ends, all 4 pieces together.  You can hold them together with icing (and who doesn’t like more icing?), but unless your icing is extremely glue-like, you’re going to need a little more help.  I’d either use a couple of very thin dowel rods (you can get them at Michaels) or a couple of straws to hold them together.

The masts:

Use chocolate icing, either homemade or from a can—you know who you are!—to thoroughly cover the cake halves.  Drag a toothpick or knife around the edges to make lines in the side of the ship.  Whew, that’s hard work.  Take a break now, and put your cake in the fridge for an hour or so to let the icing set.

When you’re rested up, get busy on the sails.  Just cut some out of construction paper and slide them onto the skewers.  Voila, you’ve got masts!  I made two and placed them side by side.

The rest:

Decorating the deck is really personal preference.  I put the pirouette cookies around the edges for a railing.  Then, I used malted milk balls for the cannon balls and Rolos in their gold wrappers for stacked gold.  We had some Playmobil pirate guys and flags, so I finished it off with those.  You could make the flags with paper and toothpicks though, similar to the masts.

The candles:

Be careful not to torch the place with the masts!  I stuck the candles into extra (unwrapped) Rolos and put them on the side of the cake.  But I still stood nearby, just in case.

Ahoy, Matey.  Have fun! 

Please note:  I got this Pirate Cake idea from Family Fun Magazine, which has lots of great party ideas.  As you can clearly see, however, the above photo is from my son's birthday party.  This cake was cute, but not nearly as picture perfect as the one in the magazine!

Who's Writing for Blissfully Wed?

Oh, I am, thanks for asking.

If you're not familiar with Blissfully Wed (also called Wedded Bliss), it's part of the online magazine Blissfully Domestic, founded by Allison Worthington.  There are great channels on anything  you can think of:  spending money, saving money, having kids, being stylish, cooking healthy food, and the list goes on.  There are lots of terrific bloggers.  Allison Worthington also has a personal blog, where you can see her funny side-or some days her more serious side.  You can check it out at Mrs. Fussypants.

Now click on over to Blissfully Wed to see what I have to say about applying the Golden Rule to marriage.  Yep, you heard me:  to marriage!

How to Host a Kid’s Pirate Party on a Budget

My son has a summer birthday, which has its advantages and disadvantages.  On the plus side, the weather usually cooperates and we can be outside.  With a slew of boys, this is always good.  On the other hand, he never gets to hear his class sing “Happy Birthday,” a fact he learned to capitalize on quite early.

Perhaps because his birthday isn’t celebrated at school, we always have a party.  However, we haven’t always had the funds—or the inclination—to turn the celebration of another year of life into a pricey affair complete with a scary clown and the moon bounce.  Nonetheless, we want his parties to be fun, and memorable.

To this end, when he turned 5 we sent his friends invitations to a treasure hunt.  Ahoy, Matey, there’s treasure involved! 

The inexpensive fun included:

• A tattoo for everyone upon arrival
• A pirate hat (homemade, with construction paper)
• The homemade cake you see above
• Games:
• Hot “treasure” (hot potato, with a bag of “gold”) My husband still mocks this game.

• Pirate-Pirate-Gold (duck duck goose) Okay, he mocks this one, too.
• Pirate tag (tag)
• Walk the plank (basically, a very low balance beam made from some wood in our garage) 

If these sound completely lame, think again.  That’s because you’re all grown up.  The kids totally loved this!  

But they especially enjoyed finding the clues that led to the treasure—a big gold box (thanks to the magic of spray paint) filled with their goody bags. 

After the cake and ice cream, they went after the bad guy (dad) with their balloon swords, sugared up and full of energy just in time for their parents to take them home.

Now that’s what I call a successful party, on a family-friendly budget.  Ahoy, indeed!

An Open Letter to My Son

Before I had you, my life centered around me. Time was a commodity and I spent it doing things I enjoyed: working at a great job, eating at fun restaurants, and reading good books.

When you were born, the center shifted and it was dramatic. As I held you, my first tiny baby, in my arms, I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of being a parent. I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of the road ahead. Instead of seeing the world through the lens of my own wants and needs, my peripheral vision intensified. I was suddenly and deeply aware of how my choices would affect you – you as a baby, as a boy, as a man.

I was overwhelmed, too, by the less significant things: the laundry—which seemed to triple with the addition of one tiny little being; the food—scheduling, and preparing, and feeding; the sleep-deprivation—enough said! Little did I know that your schedule had only begun to affect mine.

Fast forward:  

3 boys, 3 schools, 3 book fairs (fall and spring), 3 parent-teacher conferences (fall and spring), 3 PTO meetings (every other month), roller skating parties, birthday parties, soccer practice, games, tournaments, football practice and games, basketball practice and games, yoga, Pilates, updating the scrapbook and the list goes on. The laundry and grocery still need my attention. Writing and speaking take time; lots of it. And don’t forget the fun stuff: foosball, darts, Barnes and Noble visits, dinners out, dinners at home, Yahtzee, dates with dad, and time with my friends.

Here’s the thing, sweetheart: there isn’t enough time to do it all, and there isn’t enough time not to do it all. Before I blink you’ll be living in a dorm. You’ll get a job and you’ll marry a wife. You’ll have kids of your own and then, slowly, you’ll begin to understand all of this in a way that you just can’t until that day comes.

And I will have time to spare.

So until that day, I balance these things the best I can. On good weeks, I plan ahead. I know on Monday what’s for dinner on Friday, even if the plan is eating out. I have a load of laundry in before you go to school and you get it folded before you head out to practice. The other weeks, I wing it and it’s not always pretty. But either way, we eat together, we play together, and we enjoy time together as a family. These are the moments of balance. The rest is just life, flying by, whizzing more quickly than I could’ve ever believed.  I wouldn't miss participating in it for the world.

Love,
Mom

This week’s blog blast is about motherhood and balance (or the lack thereof). This post about was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by BOCA.

Wii-Free Family Game Night

Have you tried it?           

I know, it’s tempting to go Wii bowling or do the hula, and I freely admit that I love to play these things on our friends’ Wii (thanks Sharee’!).  But since we remain one of the only Wii-free homes in America (until, maybe, my birthday), our game nights still involve flipping cards, drawing pictures, or rolling the dice.

photo credit: Thunderchild

The boys didn’t have school this Thursday or Friday, so we were able to spend more time playing darts and foosball than usual these past few days.  No nasty homework or early bedtimes interfered with the intense competition, thank goodness!  And tonight, after I cooked the highly nutritious pizza from Costco for dinner, we all sat down to a game of Yahtzee.

All right.  It’s true.  I totally cheated.  Okay, the boys knew it, and I didn’t take the points, but still, I had the worst Yahtzee rolls in history which was completely unfair.  So, occasionally I asked my partner (the 6-year old) to roll again, when  we had already used all of our rolls.  I didn’t matter.  We still lost by a bazillion.

And, you know, it worked out okay.  Because I used this unfortunate situation to demonstrate a long-standing truth to the boys:  Cheaters Never Win.  Bah!

Maybe next time.

How to Get Your Kids to Write Thank-You Notes

We’re more than halfway through January, and I’m embarrassed admit that my children haven’t finished writing their thank-you notes for Christmas.  Yikes!  How did this happen?  We have litany of reasons, of course:  the looong drive home from visiting family (too tired), the quick return to school (too much homework), and basketball and soccer practice (too busy).  But the truth is that these aren’t reasons; they’re simply excuses.  Having kids write thank-you notes means parents need to be present, and I haven’t been.  My own calendar’s been chock-full and in the evening I look forward to winding down with a lovely glass of Merlot. Relaxing in my favorite chair doesn’t include helping kids say “thank you”.

But we’re buckling down, now.  We’re getting to it.  We’ll mail the notes by the 25^th if I have to run a sweat shop here.  

I don’t know what Emily Post has to say—probably that letting a whole month go by is akin to sticking your tongue out at the kindness of the gift givers—but I feel better knowing that we’ve got them in under the wire.  One month is better than two, right? 

This year we’re more behind than usual, which is probably why I’m feeling the stress.  Generally, we don’t let it go this long.  But since I don’t know any kids who clamor to write them, and I haven’t been on my parenting-with-manners game, the time has slipped by.  If your kids are among the few who graciously grab the pencil and hop to it, count your blessings.  For the rest of us, here are a few suggestions to help get the thank-you ball rolling:

1. Stuff their stocking.  Every year, along with random miscellany from Target and a deep red pomegranate, my children find thank-you notes in their stockings.  They also get them for birthday gifts—and there are usually just enough to get through the current gift-getting occasion!
   
2. Break out the glitter and markers.  It’s the old “skin in the game” idea.  When kids help create their own thank-you cards, it’s more fun to send them. You have several options here.  The most inexpensive is to simply take some paper out of your printer, fold it in half, and let them express their creativity on the cover.  Craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby also sell blank note cards that kids can decorate to their hearts.  For the past few years, my kids have drawn a picture that we’ve sent to Original Works to create cool note cards.  Any way you do it accomplishes your goal:  they’re invested.
   
3. Show, don’t tell.  One year my son was complaining, endlessly, about the time it takes to write thank-you notes. I’d had enough.  The next time he was invited to a birthday party, I put my plan into action.  We checked the clock.  He did some chores and earned some money.  It took quite awhile, and he didn’t earn much.  We checked the time again, and then we drove to the toy store.  We wrote down the prices of games and toys he liked.  We calculated how long it would take to earn a gift that cool, how long it took to drive to the store, and how long it took to look around and select something he wanted to give.  Don’t forget about the time to wrap the gift!  We talked about how every single gift he receives takes time and money and effort.  He got it.  The old adages are true:  Seeing is Believing and Actions Speak Louder Than Words.  Worked like a charm.
   
4. Make it easy.  If your kids are like mine, too many gifts come through the door for any given occasion.  Rather than sitting down to thank everyone at once, set a few “writing appointments” throughout the day or week.  My 6-year old can handle one or two notes at a time.  My older boys, at 9 and 12, can do many more.  But asking kids of any age to write 8 or 9  notes at a time is a deal-breaker for encouraging gratitude.
   
5. Talk about it.  Showing thankfulness doesn’t always come naturally.  Some extremely verbal children can write a note that sounds like they copped it from Miss Manners herself.  Other kids struggle to get past “Dear Auntie Jo.”  Before they pick up their pencil, talk to your kids about which gift they’re writing about.  Help them think of one or two things they really like about that gift, so they can describe it in their own words.  Most children aren’t likely to add a conversational ending, so give them a few suggestions:  I enjoyed seeing you at Christmas; I hope to see you soon; I had a lot of fun at my birthday party; etc.  A kind one-liner before they sign off can add a much-needed sentence and help them develop better note-writing skills.
   
6. Go Digital.  Take a photo of your child wearing the pants, building the Legos or shooting the Nerf gun.  Your child can keep a copy for their room or scrapbook, and include one with their note. 
   
7. Bribery.  Hey, who doesn’t like a few M&Ms for a job well done?  Thank-you notes completed without complaint deserve a little snack.    Enjoy it, kids, and thank you for demonstrating gratitude.
   

Take Your Kids to the Symphony

As you might imagine, the top event of the weekend for three boys does not involve buttoning up an oxford shirt, pulling on freshly-pressed khakis, and slipping into the dreaded loafers, only to have to sit still for 2+ hours while listening to music. "What will we do there, mom?" my second son asked.  "Just sit and listen?"

Nonetheless...

This weekend, we did exactly that.  This wasn't a kid-oriented performance, either.  We've been to those; they're short, sweet, and aimed right at the kids.  But Peter and the Wolf and Green Eggs and Ham are an entirely different scenario from a "real" night at the symphony.   With babies crying in the next aisle over and kids passing goldfish around like trading cards, the kids' productions don't call for top-notch behavior.  Sitting next to people who haven't spend time with kids in decades changes the dynamic a bit! 

We decided to risk the change in dynamics and took the boys along to Saturday night's not-to-miss performance.  Victor Vanacore, a Grammy winning composer, conductor, and pianist, who has worked with Ray Charles, The Jackson 5, Johnny Mathis, and Barry Manilow, brought his show of salsa and mambo music to our little corner of the world.  He wowed us with his enthusiasm and energy.  He inspired us with his dedication and excitement.  He made us want to move to the Caribbean to hear more of this delightful sound.  

We were banking on this delightfulness, of course.  We hoped that by taking them to hear salsa and mambo, we'd up the odds of them actually enjoying the show, much more so than if we took them to a traditional night with straight-up classical tunes.  It was the perfect opportunity to ease them in with something a little more uptempo and fun.  Our youngest plays my old steel drum band CD endlessly, so we knew he'd like it.  Our eldest loved it, too.  He's taken piano for years and is learning the drums at school, so he has a good deal of appreciation for just how much practice goes into getting those notes exactly right.  Our second son pretty much just endured it, dropping his head to his hands every now and then, wondering when this was all going to end.  Because we're not above a little bribery, we indulged him with Sierra Mist and lifesavers at intermission.  This simple act went a long way towards boosting his spirits and may have given us another chance at taking him again.

In the end, however, there was an entirely unexpected bonus to the night.  As we watched Victor Vanacore play and lead and thoroughly enjoy himself, my eldest son remarked "I think he's having the most fun of anyone here." I think he was right.  You couldn't help but to be awed by this man's verve.  He loves his job, he loves his job, he loves his job.  It was that evident.  I'm fairly certain that given the choice to go back and do it all over again, he'd end up in exactly the same place.

The opportunity to see that lesson in practice--find your passion, follow your dream, develop your strengths--was priceless.  Our boys didn't have to listen to a lecture from us about the value of finding your passion.  They saw it with their own eyes.  We didn't sit them down and say "Work hard boys.  Follow your hearts and you will find your calling."  Nope.  We didn't have to say a thing.  As our boys sat there watching and listening, they got to experience Victor Vanacore radiate love for his profession first-hand.  They heard him talk about the early struggles and they heard him talk about winning a Grammy.  And they watched him conduct and play with joy that was palpable. Thank you Mr. Vanacore.  That lesson alone was worth every bit of cajoling it took to get the oxfords buttoned, the khakis worn, and the loafers on.