It's ALL About Dance

Well, there she is. Clara, in almost all her glory. Right now (and for the next several weeks), our life will be consumed by ballet. Everything and every waking moment revolves around Nutcracker. It's a grind, for sure, but when you look at that little imp - well, you really don't care. She's doing well, and we are really proud of her.

Practices are six days a week now, and usually run around 2 to 3 hours. I am thankful that Bailee is staying healthy and still enjoys it all. Most kids complain about practicing, but she actually seems thrilled to go every day. She has never lost her passion for dance. In fact, it merely seems to grow.

Meanwhile, I am sick with what the PA at Community Care referred to as "almost a sinus and ear infection." Good heavens! If that was an "almost" then I am glad I missed out on the real deal. I have been miserable. Headache, body aches, sore throat, stomach ache, and an earache that had me sure my ear drum was about to burst. I feel somewhat better today, but still did not go in to school. It was a workday, and I figured I could do that at home just as well (and not have to be civil to anyone while I did it).

Diana has finished her Parent-Teacher Conferences, so her life is seeming MUCH better today. They are so stressful, as you always have to tell some parents things they absolutely do not want to hear. I am glad that we are both done with them until the new year. Now all we have to do is get our kiddoes through the holidays.

The weather is dreary and cold, but it's November, after all. I wouldn't mind seeing some snow, but Mom is adament about NO SNOW UNTIL DECEMBER! I personally like winter. I think it is nature's way of telling us to slow down already! I am more than willing to hibernate for the next few months. A season of good books read in front of a fireplace sounds like a slice of heaven to me. I certainly wish we HAD a fireplace. Oh well, maybe someday. Until then I'll satisfy myself with a warm house, a cozy throw, and that good book. (Which right now is H.G. Well's "War of the Worlds.")

The First Week of November

I am a Halloween Scrooge. I admit it freely and without shame. I hate Halloween. I mean, I REALLY hate it. I just can't stand the focus on gore and horror that has become the twisted soul of the modern version of Halloween. Ick. The evening door pounding gives me a headache (mostly due to the frenzy the dogs go into). The surly teenagers who show up with a pillowcase and an attitude make me want to reach for the nearest taser. I almost prefer those teens dressed up in no more than their greed to those who put on a display of garb that nearly sends you retching into your candy bowl. Extremely icky.


My fellow fifth grade teacher topped everything however, when she shared an experience that her son had at a local grocery on Halloween. It left me shaking my head and confirmed my dislike for the day. He was in search of more treats for the legions of ghouls who would come knocking on the door that evening when in walked a young man decked out as Jesus - complete with a crown of thorns and blood streaming down his face. He said that the whole store went dead silent. Inappropriate? Absolutely. Yep. I hate Halloween.


I did, however enjoy our friend Marsha's take on Halloween in her blog. If you're looking for a giggle about how our imaginations can take us for a ride - check out her Early Halloween entry at
http://www.beetleeyes.com/.


Bailee had a miserable week with her braces. It was so hard for her to eat that she lost three pounds. That's a lot of weight on a very tiny girl! It hurt to see her in so much pain. Thankfully, this week she is doing better and is eating once more.


I actually had a wonderful day at school today - due to the fact that my biggest pain in the butt was home sick. What a difference it made! You hate to admit to this, but his absence changed the entire climate of the room. Without his constant disruptions and distractions the other students did much better. Without his negative and bullying attitude we had a peaceful and happy day. How do you tactfully suggest home school to a parent?

Swine Flu

Diana and Bailee went to the Swine Flu Shot-a-thon on Friday. They spent two hours sitting out in the cold and wind (poor planning on the Health Department's watch), waiting. Diana still does not qualify for a shot, but Bailee got hers. She ran a low grade fever on Friday and Saturday and did not feel well. Last night the fever disappeared and she perked right up. We heard that this is a normal reaction to the flu shot for kids, so don't freak out if your kidlets don't feel well post shot. Normal, normal, normal. It seems like half the population is freaking out about the H1N1 shots, but Dr. Oz (from Oprah) and every other doctor I have heard speaking on it say that it is not a risk. Given Bailee's asthma and the fact that she becomes extremely ill whenever she has a respiratory illness, we felt that it was important to protect her. As a teacher, I see how fast sickness can spread in a classroom, even when you are harping on hygiene and disinfection everything. Kids, by natural, are prone to passing on bugs. When it comes down to it, you have to decide for yourself (weighing out the risks etc.), but I am really glad Bee will have an immunity edge.

Yesterday we had to take Miss Ballet Star down to the Pointe Shop in Pocatello for new pointe shoes. Yes. Plural. The shank on her last pair of Grishkos (which I had hoped we could dye for the party scene) went soft in the center, so they have to be replaced. Ouch and dang! That meant we had to buy two new pairs for NUTCRACKER. She got another pair of Grishkos to dye, then begged for a pair of Gaynor Mindens. They are more expensive, but are designed to last far longer than other pointe shoes. Bailee's feet are stable right now, so we decided to go for it. I don't want to have to make another ballet run to Pocatello until spring.

Bailee gets her braces (last week we got spacers) this Tuesday morning. I think she's going for black and orange. I recall when silver train tracks were the only option. Times sure do change. She'll have to have clear for NUTCRACKER, but Dr. Mooso said she can play around this time, as they will replace them in late November/early October. We are certainly learning a lot this year!

Murphy's Law Day

What a day. I came home from a rough day at school to the news that Grandma and Bailee had a visit from the fire department an hour or so before. Our stove caught fire! No damage to the rest of the house, but the stove is a loss and will have to be replaced. Great.


Since we had no way to cook dinner (and we were feeling sorry for ourselves) we decided to go out to dinner. We stopped in at Red Robin, which is one of Bailee's favorites (she loves their onion rings). Two bites into our meal, Diana produced a piece of wire from her food and proceeded to cough and choke. We had to rush her over to the E.R., where they did x-rays to see if she had swallowed a piece of the wire. Given the deluge of swine flu fearful, it took well over three hours. No wire was found, but her throat was scratched and the incident provoked an asthma attack. They gave Diana a breathing treatment and told her to stay on a liquid diet for a while.


Red Robin and their staff were great about the whole thing. They didn't charge any of us for our meal and the corporate office is going to cover the cost of the hospital visit. The manager called several times this evening to check on Diana. I thought that was pretty decent. Mistakes happen to all of us, and I thought that Red Robin handled the incident in an honorable and caring way. Will we go back to eat there again? Yes. Accidents happen, despite our best efforts and precautions.