Just Your Typical McKenzie Time

McKenzie decided to teach me ballet. She told me exactly how to place each limb of my body. Then, she suddenly threw a curve ball at me (as if talking me through a high extended leg lift on tippee toe wasn't enough - purposely not shown here). "O.k., now I'm going to go through the hole and if you fall over, I get a point, o.k.?"

o......k.......?





"O.k., now it's your turn".. No, she can't be serious. Nope - yep - she's serious.



What are we doing in the following picture? I don't know. Whatever McKenzie wants. That's the whole point of McKenzie Time, afterall. Sometimes kids need to feel like they get a say after all of the "eat this, line up the shoes, make your bed, empty the wastebaskets, no candy, watch cartoons, play with toys, get dressed"....all day (Yes, sometimes we do get dressed around here).


And so, you see, ballet skills that-are-sure-to-win-a-lead-role-in-The-Nutcracker-in-years-to-come are the kinds of things that my daughter learns at "preschool".

Coordination, creativity, and the love of a mama are just bonus.


Now what would possess a 29-year-old woman to spend her time doing silly things such as this? I do it in hopes that when McKenzie is a mother, the memory of her magical childhood will make her job as mom that much more enjoyable, and will in turn create a more magical childhood for her own children. That's the gift I strive to give her - the same gift my mom gave to me. And so the tradition continues. (It's like watching "The New Leave it to Beaver" done in the 80s where Wally, "The Beav", and the "Haskels" are all the adults now and have kids of their own http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFf-PuxvjkI Oh, I loved that show! Why don't they make 'em like that anymore?)

I'm so glad I got off on that tangent. Seriously. It was a good one.

Which reminds me...........My dearest Elisa Hassler, you need to view this link: http://www.tvland.com/video/index.jhtml?bcpid=174317557&bclid=202217716 (oh, and you have to scroll down to "Chain of Events") I can't BELIEVE you don't remember Eddie Haskell! That little trickster. This is why I sometimes lovingly call your girls "the Haskell girls". Because, well, when I am around them, I'll just be eating, minding my own business, casually glancing to the side (which I know I should NEVER do), when to my utter horror, something is inevitably and suddenly missing from my plate (sound of fork hitting empty stoneware). Those little Haskells! Bring them to me the beginning of December. I'll teach them a thing or two! And kiss their little cheeks.

End of tangent(s)
and end of post