Back to the Dance Recital

Danica's dance recital took place more than a week ago, but since then, I have put two videos on YouTube. In both cases, I will identify Danica early on to help you follow. Last year, she was the veteran in the beginners group, but this year, she is one of the younger ones in both her groups and is in the back row much of the time. The first clip shows off her highland stepping, while the second is her jazz and tap class.






Follow this link for a Flcikr slideshow of all the pics that I have posted there. I used to be able to embed a slideshow show here in Blogger, but I can't with the new and improved [sic] Flickr, or at least I can't figure out how to do that. Once you click the link, you may advance the photos one-by-one, or you can click the little play icon near the top right for an automated showing. http://flic.kr/s/aHsjFUuGoQ

Fathers Day Breakfast

We celebrated Fathers Day on Saturday this year. We did this at least in part to tie-in with a little outing with the kids later.

I actually gave my SIL a gift — my pro style Expos ballcap, which I have
had since 1995. I don't wear ballcaps, so I thought he might as well have it.
I'm not sure if he will wear it either, but what the heck.

Now here's someone who really looks cute in the cap.

The girl who catapulted me into fatherhood.

My descendants, minus the far flung Allyson.

My women, minus the far flung A Team.

Gifts were bestowed in the parking lot after breakfast.

Dance Recital 2013

Danica performed in her third annual dance recital this past weekend.

First she was a highland stepping clown.

Then, she was a a jazzy tappy lollipop.

I don't know why they didn't have the younger, shorter folk in the front row for the finale.

Parktime

As are all kids by definition, JJ is absolutely unique. He lives in a world of imaginary power rangers and super heroes. We took him to the park, and he barely bothered with the equipment. There was something going on about a super hero hole or some such, and he had a great time.
 

Dirty from playing in the sand, I had to feed him his timbit by hand afterward. What a hoot!

Before School

Can you believe that a six-year-old, Kindergarten child can play hangman and hold her own? Holyfrickindoodles!

On the next day, she grabbed her grandmother's iPad and searched for a certain video on YouTube. The cluster of search words included "despicable," which the brat was able to type in all on her own. Where did this child come from?

Heads or Turbans

There is a big foofaraw taking place in the province next to and near to us — Quebec. You see, the Quebec Soccer Association has placed a ban on turbans — both for coaches and players, apparently.

There is a great howling over this. Perhaps there should be a brouhaha although on one hand I find it refreshing that some politicians are willing to take a stand and declare that there are certain acceptable norms in society. On the other hand, I am not sure whether banning children from playing soccer is the right venue for the battle.

The deeper problem (because the turban thing will likely be resolved sooner than later) that nobody is talking about, however, is to figure out what are the parents' rights and what are the childrens'.


Do parents really have the moral right to so impose their religion on their children to the point where they cause their children to stand out and apart from the others? Should boys wear turbans? Should girls wear the veil, even in it's minor variations? Wouldn't it be a great idea to let kids be kids without turning them into billboards for their parents' superstitions?


I have had proselytizers come to my door with their poor, sweet children in tow. I'd like to smack them. I have had students who felt it necessary to leave the room rather than stand for the national anthem. Do you think that this sort of singling out should be allowed to occur? I tell you; I don't like it.

Too many adults take their indoctrination of society's precious children much too far, for they are society's children and not just chattels of the parents. As part of the larger society, I am quite against such practices.

I wish people would talk about this elephant in the room at least as much as they react to the ban on turbans.

I confess that religion goes over my head, but I would rather it didn't go on the heads of innocent children.

So Effing Cute

My little grandson is so effing cute. I had to do a run into town to pick up a few thing, so he came with me. At one stop, he saw a gravelly area beyond a fence at the end of the parking lot. Of course, he simply had to investigate.

Yes! Of course, we brought some rocks home with us. Such treasures, you know.

The big treat was going to Mickey Dees where he insisted on sitting smack in front of the fish tank.

On top of that, I had to spring for the gimmicky Happy Meal. Oh well.