Tonight at Good Shepherd Lutheran School we had the Christmas concert for K-2.  I have three students in that age group, but only 2 elected to perform, both in 2nd grade.

They met me in the practice room where we usually have lessons to get tuned, run through their pieces, and then I asked them to pack up so I could take their violins up to the sanctuary where the concert was being held.  They returned to meet their class.

I got up to the front of the church and unpacked the violins to get set up… and realized one of the girls no longer had her bow.  She also hadn’t zipped up her case, merely velcro-ed it…which I didn’t notice until I got to the church.  (I guess she was nervous, because she certainly wasn’t thinking clearly!).  I went back downstairs but couldn’t find her bow.  I had her play using the other girl’s bow.  I asked her what happened to her bow, and she said, “oh, it’s on the second piano.” (which is an organ that needs to be plugged in, though the practice room has no plugs.  don’t ask).  Okay…why? Why is it on the organ when I asked her to pack up?  Ugh.

Anyway, the girls played very well, and afterwards I found her bow right where she said it was.  Wow.  That story is very confusing, huh?  I am too tired to fix it, but I really wanted to tell it

Suffice it to say, I was proud of their performances!

In other news:

I bought a beautiful tree skirt today for the Christmas tree!  Last year I didn’t have a skirt for the tree, and the year before was just a cheap-o one that looked pretty raunchy by the end.  I was perusing Christmas decorations at Target and I saw one I really liked, so I bought it.  I’ll put up a picture later, it’s too dark now to get a good one.  I also bought a few new ornaments for the tree (it’s nice to get a few new ones each year).

I’ve done a bit of online shopping for gifts over the past week or two—and packages have been arriving at the house!  I did Christmas cards tonight (at least phase one) but tomorrow I hope to do some wrapping and really make the tree look nice.  I may need to buy more Christmas cards—I got some nice ones, but I thought I had some left from last year and it turns out I did not.  Exchanging Christmas cards seems very old-fashioned in today’s “digital age” but I really enjoy the tradition.  I think it’s important to keep that going.

Alright, I’m going to post-date publish this entry and go to bed.  Happy Wednesday, readers!  (I have been rereading the Harry Potter series and am working my way through Goblet of Fire right now.)

HBBC:  dec 7: 7 servings f/v:  1 point, 1 hour workout with Mike: 4 points, 1 mile walk: 1 point, total: 6 points

dec 8:  7 servings f/v: 1 point, 3 mile run : 3 points, total : 4 points

I want to get a new tree topper and maybe a few new ornaments.  But I’m pleased with the tree!  It’s a really nice shape this year.

I only had two students cry today.  Is this normal?  I don’t think I’m mean—usually I think the students cry out of frustration.  I just try to be kind then and offer kleenex. 

One of them cried because I took away their stickers.  Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I was frustrated.  Remember the sticker chart from before? I opted to continue using it just because…well, I got tired of the begging and pleading, and decided there wasn’t a huge harm.  And there wasn’t except for the one student who has a real love/hate relationship with the chart.  He got three more stickers for songs completed, but then in prep for the concert last week said he didn’t know one of the songs.  I told him he would lose his sticker if he didn’t relearn it (I know he was more than fully capable of doing this with minimal).  He didn’t relearn it and ended up not performing it.  Now, in my mind, the sticker chart is the songs the child KNOWS and can play.  When we play games, I take my assignments from the chart.  The same student today refused to play another song on the chart that he knows.  He said, I don’t know it.  I said, really? because the chart says you do (and I know he can play it).  He refused to try, so I ripped the two stickers off and told him he’d have to redo them.  Then he started crying.

I feel bad, but I also hope this makes him realize I am serious about my threats.  I told him he can get them back at any time by simply playing through the song, and in fact he can play with the music.  I think that’s reasonable.  Thoughts?  Did I go overboard?

My other tough love student:  the one I told last week that she needed to buckle down and learn her piece or she wouldn’t be able to play the concert this weekend. WELL!  She was my first private lesson today and she came in with a big grin on her face.  I knew this was going to be good.  She had improved EXPONENTIALLY.  Was it perfect?  No.  But I could tell she had worked hard and knew the piece much better.  I told her how proud I was of her work and how she showed me she could really perform well under pressure.  I’m glad I was tough on her, because it paid off. 

My spinning class that I signed up for (just a five week session) got canceled due to low enrollment.  The question is:  do I sign up for a Jan-March weekly class or do I wait and see what happens at my gym?  (They are expanded and adding a spinning room, but I don’t know the schedule.)  The weekly class is only about $6 per class which is quite reasonable.  But my gym would be free…but I don’t know how busy it would be? or when the classes would be. 

HBBC:  Day of rest: 0 points, 7 servings f/v (this is becoming my daily goal!):  1 point, total: 1 point