Years ago on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, right out of college, I shared a big farmhouse with a roommate and her dogs. One of the dogs was a Weimaraner... Owho really enjoyed singing along with my flute students. Bitsy would sit right next to my chair and sing and sing and sing her heart out. If I stopped playing she'd stop singing...when I started back up she'd start back up. She looked so forlorn if I took her out of earshot for the lesson, you could tell she loved her voice lesson!

Anne's new cello teacher, Miss Frances, has a dog that reminds me of Bitsy. Chloe has been singing for cello lessons for quite some time. When Miss France's daughter practices violin she considers it sing along time too. Some songs are just OK but if she know's the piece well she really belts it! Some of Chloe's friends have captured her on this little video...The videos are called www.littlepearls.org and they have some very beautiful ones if you care to browse around. Enjoy your day and sing it from the roof-tops.
Love, Yvette

Peek-a-boo

Hello friends, It's me...Yvette ...

Are you still there? Have you been waiting for me? I think I'm ready to get back to posting, I know I promised.

Things to do:
Download phots from my camera (Anne took some shots of me with my TRUCK)
Change my driver's license.(I have to take a written test!)
Get new tags for my car.
Get new magnets for my car.
Register to vote!
Change my address for journals.
Figure out the online banking for my new bank.
Change the message greeting on my cell phone (still says Kindermusik of Holland).
Get business cards.
Unpack more boxes.
Find my tea kettle.
Write Thank You letters.....(I couldn't have done it without the help...the generous, generous help).
Go to the local farmers markets.
Make salsa.
Find a coffee shop as good as Lemonjello's.
Go to the local La Leche League meeting (that's the 4th Saturday).
Make new friends.

Miss you....miss you all,
Yvette

cleaning off my desk

The "perma crud" is pretty amazing! But among the bills, scraps of lists and reminders, photos, love letters from you and your children, and other stuff (some of it unidentifiable) ... that I've kept on top I've also found some thought provoking quotes that I'd written down. The first one has probably been on my desk for 3 years. I love it and I think about all the people who are taking care of children...that we should remind themselves that:

This world is nothing more than Beauty's chance to show Herself.
And what are we?
Nothing more than Beauty's chance to see Herself. For if Beauty were not seeking Herself we would not exist....

Ghalib

These next two quotes are more recently added to the piles on my desk. They are by different people but definitely related. I apply them to parenting and to teaching. I regret the times I was a "monster" to my independent toddlers! But I forgive myself and try to learn through my mistakes.

Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.

F. Nietzsche

I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.

Ghandi

Peace,
Yvette

I surely won't stop blogging.......

Only 3% of the general public really "get into" classical music. Why?

Why do so many people want their children to learn to play the piano? And why do so many children give it up after only a few years?

What if the whole world LOVED classical music?

Oh, and do you know anyone who is "tone deaf"? Here's a video of one of my favorite musicians.

Thanks for watching.
What would the world look like if we never said anything that wouldn't stand the test of being the very last thing you would ever say to them.....to your children, your partner, anyone?

Make a difference.
Love,
Yvette

Thank You

Dear friends,
A bunch of years ago I read a book called the Five Love Languages of Children. It's a great book by Gary Chapman.

These 5 love languages are

Time (presence)

Gifts

Touch

Acts of Service

and ....

um...

I always forget the one that speaks to me! Of course. We moms tend to do that.....

Oh, yes....

I do remember:

Words of Affirmation

From the bottom of my aching heart I so appreciate the kind words you have written to me and spoken to me since I've broken the news of my moving to North Carolina. I treasure them. I do feel very loved. Thank you.

Love,

Yvette

Farewell

Dear Friends,

Have you ever experienced when your toddler, busy in the adjacent room, becomes very quiet for a stretch of time...you jump up in a panic to check because surely something is up? Well, I've been quiet on this blog for a bit and sure enough something is up. My heart is trying to make some distance so it doesn't break too badly in saying goodbye.

“The winds of change are blowing my way. I can feel it in my bones.” This quote comes with a melody sung by the children’s music group, Gemini, that often performs in the Holland area. It’s been playing in my head and heart for a month now. I am relocating to Asheville North Carolina! It is exciting to be moving close to extended family members but at the same time I am experiencing great depths of sadness at leaving the Holland community and my “Kindermusik fan club”!

Needless to say I have great concern about passing the baton of Kindermusik on to an entity in the Holland area who can continue to offer this premier program to the many families who have and will continue to look to Kindermusik for their children’s musical beginnings and for the program that nurtures relationships between adults and children and gives children a solid start in cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

If you would like to connect with me on the possibilities of Kindermusik of Holland being part of your passion, part of your umbrella of music and art programs, and part of your community building relations programs please contact me at your earliest convenience. I will be formally closing the doors of my studio on July 25^th, 2008. I know I have lots of details to wrap up and if you have any questions or need to remind me of anything...please drop me an email.

Musically yours,

Yvette Odell
Kindermusik of Holland
616-392-7182
http://holland.kindermusik.net
www.kindermusikofholland.blogspot.com
singandtwirl@sbcglobal.net

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." A. Einstein

The POWER of a few moms.....

Just over 50 years ago a group of moms met at a picnic and started chatting. These moms each had young babies in common. Through their passionate conversation and connection they were inspired to meet again with the purpose to nurture precious support in their choice to breastfeed their babies. By word of mouth other moms joined the conversation. Soon it was necessary to organize and allow circles of moms all over the world to benefit from the information and support these few women had begun to amass. This is the story of La Leche League.

This story means a lot to me because in the first 10 days or so of nursing my first baby I teetered on the edge of giving up because of soreness. Calling a La Leche League leader saved me! I've attended meetings for over 20 years and have for the past 13 years as a leader been helping moms who are asking the same kinds of questions I asked!

La Leche Leage has been a powerful entity in my forming of my philosophy on parenting and nurturing children in general. Perhaps most poignant was that La Leche League encouraged me to listen to my heart first in everything I do concerning my work with children.

Yesterday, June 8, 2008, Edwina Froehlich, one of the moms in that very first conversation at the picnic in Chicago, passed away at 93 years young. Many La Leche League friends are wearing a pearl necklace in her honor this week. I'll be wearing mine in gratitude for her passion and activism.
LLLove,
Yvette