With Brendan having shows for Miss Nelson is Missing during school vacation week, we had to schedule our fun- but not to worry, we did still have fun!
Brendan and I had out traditional Disney on Ice date and enjoyed singing along and being silly.
Aidan had fun hanging out with his friends and sleepovers.
And we found time to be silly together and have fun goofing off! Â AND Sully’s opened!
It’s the last week Obama’s presidency. And it’s been a tough one. From Mrs. Obama’s last speech, to the Vice President receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, to the letter to the first daughters to the President’s Farewell Address. To quote a favorite song in the O’Brien house, “How lucky we are to be alive right now.”
And I do feel lucky that our kids’ childhood was filled with so much progress and so much history. We did our best as it was unfolding to show them and talk to them about it. As they get older it is our hope they do not forget.
The tributes and #ThanksObama messages have been heartwarming and a reminder of all the little ways and big ways things have changed in the last eight years.
The other night/day I found myself awake at 3am. When the kids were first born this was quite common and I became very fond of watching World New Now (also called insomniac news). It’s a fun, looser newscast that often rotates anchors. On this particular day, Gio Benitez was co-anchoring. During an entertainment segment there was a story about popular places tagged on Instagram. Gio has quite a following (I will admit to being one of thousands). He and his female co-anchor both showed pictures comparing stories of places on the list with pictures of themselves with their husbands. It was a simple mention, a simple conversation. But it showed how far we have come that on a national network news program love is love.
Obama campaigned using the word Change. So much has changed in ways big and small for the better. And we hope that it will not be undone.
Yes we did, yes we can.
This past fall Aidan told us he was chosen with several other students in his class to participate in a program called Citydance sponsored by Boston Ballet.
The program was for ten weeks beginning in January. Â Each week the students would take a bus to Boston Ballet’s studio. Â They would change into their ballet uniforms and have two classes with Boston Ballet staff- a ballet class and an enrichment class. Â Some of the enrichment classes included square dance, Chinese dance and Haitian dance to name a few. Aidan loved the week he learned more about the teaching assistants and “behind the scenes.” Â He also loved that live music was played for the classes.
When we went to the Parent Orientation we were so impressed with the program- completely free to families. Â This is the 22nd season of City Dance and about 300 third graders from BPS participated. Â We also had an opportunity to see about midway through the session how the class was going a Family Week. Â It was amazing to see! Â It was amazingly well organized, respectful of the children and inclusive of all. Â We were so proud of Aidan. Â Boston Ballet also invited families to a performance- we went to see Cinderella. Â The boys really liked it.
This week was the last week and I got to attend graduation. Â Aidan did great. Â He didn’t always love it- it was challenging, some of the children not going teased a bit and it was out of his comfort zone- but he stuck to it and tried something new. Â Students have the choice of continuing for another 5 weeks (still free). Â He says he is done but has an appreciation for dance more than before.
(Grandparents at Family Day)
What I loved about the whole experience is how much it spoke to his school’s values- challenging yourself, appreciating the arts and collaborating. Â It certainly spoke to the mission of Boston Ballet- being in the community.
I know it is something he will not forget and we are so appreciative he had such an amazing opportunity.
(With friends at Boston Ballet’s Cinderella)