CuppyCakes

 

Check out this video of "Cuppycakes!" It's a delight and perfect for Valentine's Day. Afterwards be sure to take a peek at http://www.cuppycakes.com.   This "little girl" is now 18!

Here are a few of my favorite lyrics from the song:

You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum

Pumpy-umpy-umpkin, You're my Sweetie Pie

You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop

Snoogums-boogums, You're the Apple Of Eye

And I love you so and I want you to know

That I'll always be right here

And I love to sing sweet songs to you

Because you are so dear

Happy Valentine's Day to my friend, Helen, who found this video and shared it with me.

If watching this video makes you want to bake cupcakes, check out these recipes from Martha Stewart!  

May you each have a "cuppycake" valentine's day!

Scarf Play

Ever wonder what happens when Mom walks out of the room with big sister and leaves Dad to play with baby?  Cute, cute!  Yes, that's a Kindermusik scarf. Alexis, you are styling and profiling.

Mama Paquita

Meet Silvana.  She and her brother, Dom, love to sing and dance to a Kindermusik favorite, "Mama Paquita."  Her mom captured her singing on video this week and I couldn't wait to share it with you.  Enjoy!

Go Steelers!

Today is "Black and Gold Day" around the city of Pittsburgh and our Kindermusik classrooms were no exception.  Despite the crazy weather that went from "we expect 1 inch of accumulation" to "snow dumping from the sky for several hours," many families ventured out to our Kindermusik studio in Mt. Lebanon where we danced to the Steeler Polka, waved our Terrible Towels, and cheered our Steelers on to victory for Superbowl 43!  Thanks to all who came and celebrated.  We really missed our other friends who couldn't make it this week.

Cinderella and Steady Beat

Many of you have heard me say over and over again that Steady Beat plays a big role in developing your child's Physical Coordination.  Case in point.  Watch this video of the Mt. Lebanon High School Winterguard in their very first competition last weekend.  Yes, that's my daughter, Lyndsey, and I'm SO proud.  But more importantly - notice how steady beat competency plays such an important role in the ability for these girls to move together.  And they look pretty, too!  The song is Steven Curtis Chapman's "Cinderella."

Coffee and Connection!

Yesterday many of our local Pittsburgh Kindermusik Educators gathered over coffee to catch up with each other!  It's always great when we can be together even for an hour on a Tuesday afternoon.  We're all part of our local chapter of the Partnership for Kindermusik Educators (PKE).

We spent time sharing ideas about adding value in the classroom, comparing classrom policies, and reviewing all the new and exciting changes at Kindermusik International - including online enrollment and licensing requirements for 2009-2010.

Our next meeting with be a training event in August where we plan to focus on curricula and preparing for our Fall classes.  For those of you that could not join us, you were GREATLY missed!

See our group above from left to right: Uta, Carrie, Christa, Lynda, Lisa, Samantha, Beth, Katie, Carrie, and me (not shown as I'm taking the picture!)

Free To Be Me...

Ever feel like you are falling short of the mark?  As a woman, wife, and a mom, I feel that way several times a week!  You know what I mean....The laundry isn't done, you've not made your daughter's orthodontist appointment yet, a bill is past due, you're behind on a deadline at work, and you lost your patience this morning before 9 AM.  Sound familiar? But thanks to coaching from my dear friend and mentor, Carol Penney, I'm learning that Perfection is the Enemy of Excellence! 

Recently this has come up in conversation with my 14 year old daughter.  We've talked several times lately about making mistakes and falling short, but that perfection is NOT the goal.  Excellence is the goal - to be good at what you do and to be the person God has made us to be and just letting the rest go.  (Just let it go and feel a weight lifted!)

A new song, "Free To Be Me", by Francesca Battistelli speaks to this whole idea.  I just bought it on iTunes for 99 cents.  I'm convinced it's the best 99 cents I'm going to spend for the next month because of the encouragement it brings! Listen to a clip on iTunes or buy it and invest in yourself this week! Here are a few lyrics:

Sometimes I believe that I can do anything

Yet other times I think I've got nothing good to bring

But You look at my heart and you tell me 

That I've got all You seek

And it's easy to believe, even though...

I got a couple dents in my fender

Got a couple of rips of my jeans

Try to fit the pieces together

But Perfection is my Enemy

And on my own I'm so clumsy

But on Your shoulders I can see

I'm free to be me

And you're free to be you