Kulturskolan

Our daughter LOVES kulturskolan... or in English, "Culture school." 

This program is in our part of town and focuses on helping kids get into music instead of growing up on the streets. 

Imagine, what a joy it must be to see a kid learn to play an instrument and read music and be in a little orchestra instead of learning to assault and throw stones at the local bus or metro coming by...

A kid who realizes that they CAN achieve at something, even something like hiphop dancing, singing, playing a drum, whatever....it goes a long way for kids!

So yes, our daughter loves kulturskolan, and soon our son will be joining the fun too. 

In a year's time, Lydia has gone from playing two little notes on a trumpet to being able to read music and play (within a certain range) many basic songs, including her two christmas favorites, "Nu tandas tusen juleljus" and Jingle Bells. 

If you are ever over for a visit, we have an eager trumpet player here!

This child..... certainly gets more than his fair share of attention and love...and that might be why he sleeps so well at night...he finally gets a few hours of peace and quiet away from all those noisy but fun siblings!

 We have to keep an eye on little miss "mamma" who would happily wrap our baby up with her other babies and drive him around in her toy stroller.

 This brother is just waiting for a wrestling partner...

And the most helpful big 8 year old who adores her brother!

This tea towel (and several others) has happily kept our kids busy for the past month. 

 also....a big winner also when the kids have a friend over and want something to do together. 

A bunch of sharpies, a blank tea towel, a lot of imagination, a little bit of drooling over their favorite things, and there you go, a fun project. 

You know that feeling when you turn on some kids music and you think, this is just too bouncy or silly, it is gonna drive me crazy!  But not this CD, this is some smoooooth jazz that we dig.

I never  thought my kids would be able to happily memorize the following verses, but music is truly a golden key to learning stuff!  We have listened and listened and not gotten tired of listening to "Sing the Bible, Christmas edition," by a fun band called Slugs and Bugs.

So if you have kiddos, grandkids, really at any age, this is a great CD.....it makes the Bible verse easy and fun to listen to and always quotes where the verse stands.

http://www.slugsandbugs.com/sing-the-bible-family-christmas/

• 1:09
  01. In the Beginning

  John 1:1-4, 14
• 1:04
  02. When The Fullness Of Time Had Come

  Galatians 4:4-7
• 1:12
  03. Unto Us A Child Is Born

  Isaiah 9:6
• 1:02
  04. Mary's Song

  Luke 1:46-49
• 1:02
  05. Joseph's Dream

  Matthew 1:18-25
• 1:20
  06. O Little Town

  Luke 2:8-12
• 1:03
  07. Glory to God

  Luke 2:14
• 1:14
  08. Mary and Jesus

  Instrumental
• 0:59
  09. Zechariah's Prophesy

  Luke 1:68-70
• 0:59
  10. Sing O Heavens

  Luke 1:68-70
• 0:55
  11. Silent Night

  Luke 2:15-20
• 1:04
  12. I Heard the Bells

  Music: Randall Goodgame Text: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Randall Goodgame

This sums up two of the biggest joys of this Christmas break; 

a sweet Samuel and my parents visiting!

Samuel is just three months, yet he seems older....this kiddo has been sleeping through the night for more than a month (i.e. 8 hours a night).  He just gave us a real hearty laugh tonight, and will give a big toothless smile to most people that engage him.  

His siblings squabble for the right to hold him, entertain him, run and put in his pacifier, etc, so he is pretty spoiled in that category. 

My mom was daily stimulating the kids through playing games, doing crafts, and chatting with them, and my dad was great to go out to the playground with the kids, sing several rounds of Abiyoyo and the marvelous little toy, and hold and be drooled on by Samuel for hours on end...