Little Dancing Buddhas

Above pics are of some of my favorite dancers: my girls, my niece and a friend.

What a day. I taught 5 hours worth of Zumba classes on Monday at 3 different locations around the city. At one point, I had 15 min between classes to drive from down town all the way to the University. But I did it! I had over 50 students in my last class. WOW. I was starting to feel a wee bit exhausted but I put on my smile and the show went on.

My first male (adult) student approached me after class to say he LOVED it J and would be coming back.  I told him to bring his friends.

Pippi and Tabs and my niece Nem are in my ZumbAtomics class at the Rec Centre and they are so adorable to teach. I love their smiling little faces. Mist helped me out by taking over the last dance game as I slipped out of class a little early to make it to my next class (this was a one time event as next week the classes are an hour apart thank G!). I love having my girls involved with my dance classes when I can. It is so good for them to work with Mom at something fun, I believe.

Teaching large groups of school children is the most difficult as some are reluctant dancers and other have emotional/ behavioral issues. In one of my elementary school classes a little girl burst out crying. I had prepared the kids for a line dance game: two lines face each other. The head of each line turns and dances down the middle with their partner while the line cheers them on clapping. Well, when the kids saw the person across from them that they would dance down the centre with, a few made faces, backed away, said rude comments—hence the tears.

I used my Buddhist philosophy to explain a little act of kindness to them. The next class, after my quick kindness talk, I asked the kids, “ Who is ready to show your classmates kindness from your heart? Because everyone needs a little kindness in their life.” They all put up their hands and everyone danced down the isle without insulting their partner J I felt good about that class, not only did they get a great dance class, they learned how to give a little kindness in order to not hurt another’s feelings.

I arrived home at about 7:30 p.m. too tired to eat much. Then I started to get really cold. Dancing for five hours keeps my body temp super high all day and then coming home and eating, my body starts to cool down.  This always happens after an entire day of dancing—I freeze afterward. I attempted a bath but we have yet to replace our hot water tank, as we have been so busy with other house renos. I had a 1-inch bath before it turned icy.  I grabbed a towel and bolted for the living room. I was so cold; my teeth were chattering uncontrollably and my body shaking. I lay down on the giant dog bed (strategically placed in front of the fire) and shook away.

My teeth chattered so loudly, my darling Pablo started to cry and lick my face.  A great way to end my crazy day—lying on the dog bed with my dog boys (Pablo and Fernando) in front of the fire.

BONUS: found out my UBC Zumba classes are open to everyone! One doesn’t have to be affiliated with the University in any way to attend. It’s a really good price too. $30 for unlimited classes on campus. And drop in is only $3. SO, anyone wanting to try my classes should  call campus rec and show up in the ballroom at the University Centre Building Mon, Wed evenings or Friday at noon—I’ll be there!

The Boys and I

Me and my dogs. (top) Wee little Pablo, our Old Boston Bulldog puppy and (bottom) Fernando our pug. Mistaya practiced her theatre makeup skills on me last week and then we took these pics. I think they are just festive enough for the pending New Years Eve Celebrations!

Our home is a little inside out at the moment. Our stairs are half covered in oak (thanks to Peter and all of his hard work). We will have to leave them for a few days as we are going to Nelson, BC to celebrate the New Year with my sister and her family and we are bringing our girls, dogs and my two darling little nieces with us for the journey through the mountains. It is very warm in BC this season, thus big avalanche warnings. Our route is clear so far. Driving in any direction out of Kelowna in the winter is always a challenge--highways are extremely high mountain passes in all directions and they are often closed due to blizzards or in warm winter weather--avalanches.

My lungs are still infected with a virus which I am nursing as I start teaching full out (3 classes of ZumbAtomics at Ecole Glenmore) on Wednesday. I'll be trying to learn my 2 newest songs all weekend while we are away. I wonder if I can dance in the new Hart Hall? My sister recently purchased a beautiful historical building in Nelson. Inside she has a large theatre/hall like room perfect for both my dance classes and painting exhibitions. Not to mention great studio spaces. Sigh...I need to live in Nelson to take advantage of such a wondrous and perfect space for me and my passions.

I'm feeling a little freaked by January and my commitments. Also we have many house duties to fulfil when we return: finish the hardwood stairs, purchase a new hot water heater. Thank-goodness a repair man was able to fix our furnace and a fireplace yesterday. Signing off until I  arrive in the Kootneys...
Watch out Nelson, here we come with 2 crazy beasts and 5 crazy young girls, one serious dude and one most distinguished woman (in top hat) ;)

Mistaya and Monty

Just returned from Mistaya's band concert at her school. She plays the bass clarinet. She has played 'Monty' for four years. She is very talented and has amazing lung power.

I taught ZumbAtomics for the Boys & Girls Club tonight with Tabs. The participants were very eager. There is always one or two students that has had a hard day or perhaps week. You just know that to come to dance for one hour really lifts their little spirits. I feel good that I can be the teacher that smiles at them and compliments them for one hour every time they come to my class. One of my students has Down Syndrome and she is such a darling to teach. She gives it her all and enjoys every minute of the class. She melts my heart.

Tomorrow I make gingerbread houses with Pippi and her kindergarten class.

Had a difficult time at supper tonight. Peter was working late so I alone had to deal with two little girls who refused to even try one spoonful of my Moroccan Carrot Soup or one bite of my lettuce/beet/ radish and feta salad. I refused to let either Pip or Tabs leave the table until they at least tried one spoonful of soup. They were stubborn and naughty in their own ways. Pip bolted from the room and hid. Tabs arranged the kitchen chairs into a long bench and lay down for the night.
After I captured Pippi, they eventually tried the soup, one by one. Pip gagged, and spit it all out. Tabs waited me out another fifteen minutes before succumbing to a spoonful...or not...she gagged, she spit. Damn and it was REALLY delicious soup--my favorite homemade soup I make with sauteed onion, carrots and cumin. I simmer the veggies in vegetable broth and puree the works.
My rule is that if they refuse supper, they must only eat fruit or veggies for the rest of the night.
But alas, I had to go out to Mist's concert with their dad. So, who really knows what they actually ate tonight. They were both up when we arrived home at 9:30: Tabs in my bed on my computer and a naked Pip wondering the house. Tabs was supposed to have put her to bed at seven. Oh well, the house is quiet now and everyone nestled in their beds. Sweet dreams.

Fifteen

This is what 15 looks like at our house: my darling daughter Mist. She truly is the most sophisticated 15 year old you'll ever meet. She is so much fun to hang out with :)

Her party had a Pokemon theme :)

Party girls!

The coffee-toffee icecream cake I invented, soooo good!

Happy things are falling into place for me. UBC is open to having me teach many more classes this winter and I have a dance audition to teach at a new gym. The audition is next weekend in Vernon. The gym is in Kelowna but we are auditioning in Vernon as they have a small version of the gym there. Might post the song I'm going to dance to. It is difficult to know which song to dance to, on one hand I want to wow them the most difficult moves. Yet on the other hand, I must show case my teaching so I don't want it to be too difficult for my students (we teach to our fellow auditioners). I also start exam invigilation training this Friday. I may end up having to turn down someone in the winter--too many dance classes to teach. Oh, and I am teaching dance all January for the school district (3 classes are hiring me so far)--very happy about this!

This Friday is going to be so busy. Training at UBC until 3:30--race to teach ZumbAtomics at 4:30 to 5:30 and them a Zumba party starts at 7. I love dancing so all the dancing is going to be the best!
I debated throwing a dinner party on the same day as my audition but have decided to do it next weekend instead.

Working on my novel. Publishing Queen of the Godforsaken is first on my list and then I'll follow it shortly with publishing my junior fiction novel Peter Not-Pizzaface and the Decrepit Caboose. I will be painting chapter illustrations for the junior fiction series. The series deals with nature extraordinaire so this is where my wildlife painting comes in :)

Finding time to meditate each evening again. It feels so good. I am in the process of changing all my past negative memories into positive ones. The human brain remembers negative experiences much better than positive ones (this works for survival--we don't repeat near deadly mistakes). But, in some ways it creates a flood gate of bad memories at times. The key, is to take one or two positive memories from every experience and focus on those--soon you remember the good stuff and no longer get overwhelmed with bad memories :) This is the Buddhist and neuro-science junkie side of me talking. Though, I do practice what I preach.

Portland is coming up! I am going to Oregon to train with the Gina Grant (more Zumba). Peter and I are staying at the Governor for 3 nights. Should be so amazing. My wonderful Mom is coming to help look after the girls. My sis (and hubby) is also leaving the country for a holiday so my mom will be busy with five young gals to manage! But my Mist is very mature and reliable and I know they'll be fine.

Salsa Fusion with Alex Cuba ;)

This is my latest choreography . It is a salsa-fusion dance. I call it Salsa/Funk: Salsa with a couple of chili peppers. I love Alex Cuba's music and decided I needed to dance to one of his songs. He is an amazingly talented Latin-Canadian musician. The song is Que Pasa Lola. Hope you enjoy the dance. I'll teach it to my next adult Zumba class.

My Monday ZumbAtomics class went very well, I think. I had 20 kids--boys and girls ages 7-9. It is hard not to fall in love with all of my little darling dancers by the end of class. Kids are so very dear. I just love them. Tabs was an amazing dance assistant as usual. I love when she comes to class with me :)

Mist has done it! She said she'd read all 4 Twilight books in the series in one week and the kid has done it in three days. She wanted to read them all before she goes to the movie this Friday. She wants to go to the latest Twilight movie with her friends on her birthday. She says she finds the movies hilarious. But, let her be clear, this is NOT her birthday party. No, the movie is for fun but she wants another real party with more friends the next day--such is life spoiling one's (soon to be 15 year old) baby girl!

Pippi is, well...Pippi--adorable as usual. She handed me a poster this morning. She had drawn it up herself. It was decorated with designs and had these words written in bold across the top in Pippi's  handwriting:

PIPPI IS CHINESE

Yes, Pippi is now a Chinese girl. She also sketched a picture of herself as she envisions the new Chinese Pippi--she has 3 pony tails in the picture.

***3 MORE DAYS TO VOTE! THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU MY DEAR READERS!

Snails Climb Trees

There is a tiny patch of forest left between a pond and tennis courts near our home. Inside the forest lives a wondrous world of snails. Each tree is covered in the chartreuse creatures. It is a like a magical snail forest. Pippi and I had the pleasure of exploring this little forest before her first day at kindergarten. I think I shall create a series of snail paintings. But after the wolf series of course. 

All my babies are in school. So very unusual. I have had a preschooler at home for 15 years now! Oh, how I love my babies. So now it is time to go crazy building my painting career, publishing all of my waiting books and saving Canadian wolves! Wish me luck.

Very excited to teach my first ZumbAtomics class tomorrow and then I start teaching Zumba at UBC next week :D

A little blown away by the cost of private voice lessons for my Tabs at the Community Music School--don't know how to get out of them now--Tabs LOVES them. Yet, how can I justify 30$ per 1/2h lesson? I thought the Community Music School would be geared for allowing the masses to learn about music. Wrong! The cost makes the school elitist :(

My Little Pistachio has a Mustachio

I've been saying the above phrase to Pip all morning so that is why it is the title of this blog--she had a little chocolate milk mustache after breakfast. Pictures are from Pippi's first day of kindergarten. We stopped at the park before the big day for a picnic. Pip was so excited to start school, she was trembling and said, "this is the best day ever!"

Good news, at least 8 students for my ZumbAtomics class--we start Friday. 

My little mermaid Tabitha has decided she must enter the lake on a full moon, just at its peak in order to determine if she will indeed become a mermaid. Tabs is a huge fan of the Australian television series H2o: Just Add Water. I was game to take her down to the lake last night for the full moon until, I could honestly not think of one close beach I could take her to at 2 am that would be safe (unfortunately we could get mugged at all locations except the one directly down our mountain,  but who wants to walk through the forest at 2 am down a steep mountain with a flashlight?). Thank G she decided to wait until May's full moon when t he moon is at full rise at 8:20 pm. Phew!

Mistaya is all set for dance this year--she is taking jazz/hip hop at school and ballet privately. Outfitting her in shoes and leotards proved to be most costly. However, she is excited about dancing. All girls started piano today--little Pip had her first lesson. She said it was good. She's going to play for me tonight. Tabs starts voice lessons tomorrow. Tuesday to Friday we will have evening classes in this family. But thank G we have 3 free evenings :P

Our new fridge arrived today. It is huge. I love it! A family of 5 needs a big fridge when they live on a mountain top and want to cook at home each evening. Down side is that it is too big--Peter is trying to remove a cupboard at this very moment to make room for it. I hear "MJ, I need your help!"...to slip out of the house and into the dark night unnoticed...

Working on a campaign to save our Canadian wolves from a horrific mass slaughter--will post more  about this soon.