family time, bad dancing, and hair color

So, I been away from the blog a few days. Truthfully, I'm still working through this sickness, and between the sinus pressure and the cold meds, my head is barely clear enough to put together a coherent sentence. In fact, the previous sentence, which I can only assume is grammatically correct, took an extremely long time to write and made my head hurt a little in the process. *FOG*

Anyway, since fluency has been a bit of a challenge lately, I've been focusing my energies on activities that don't require as much clear thinking, speaking, or writing. So, last night, the kids seemed to be desperately seeking some attention, and I've been a bit distant the past few days. Trying to come up with an activity I could mentally hang with, I popped in a dance mix CD I made for a road trip last year-- Moby, Dirrty Vegas, Shakira, Wink, and the like-- and we had a little dance party in my 5 year old daughter's bedroom. Imagine, if you will, 3 beautiful little children (ages 4, 5, and 9 for those of you who don't keep up) crowded around Mommy, ready for her to impart her years of wisdom gleaned from teaching dance, performing in live shows, and generally ruling the dance floor. Anxiously awaiting the first move, they all stared at me intently while Bodyrock blared in the background. The intensity built, the pressure grew, and I knew I better come up with something good. So, I started with the robot. What kid doesn't need to know how to do the robot?

I must mention at this point, just to help you get the complete mental picture in your head, that Daddy-O (who does not dance) was sitting on the daybed, watching the spectacle and trying not to laugh too hard. So, where was I... Oh yeah, the robot. So, we were roboting all over the room, and then I showed them popping (remember that from that slew of really crappy breakdance movies from the 80s?). My kids really liked popping. Then we moved on through the whole slew of cheesy dance moves that I can do oh-so-well: The Running Man, The Roger Rabbit, The MC Hammer, and the "MC Lyte." I don't think it's really called the MC Lyte, but I saw her do this step once where you hold your right foot in your right hand and put your left hand behind your head and then spaz out rythmically, and ever since I have called it the MC Lyte. Sadly, I bet that many of you between the ages of 20 and 40 know exactly which dance move I'm talking about. Anyway... Cold meds... *fog*... Where was I? Oh yes, the MC Lyte. Then, as "Days Go By" blasted from the stereo, I decided to teach my children how to do the worm. Have I ever done the worm? No. But hey, I figured, how hard can it be? Answer: Very. Especially for particularly busty women like myself who have never before done the worm. Ow.

So, then, "Whenever, Wherever" came on, and I decided that some basic bellydance instruction might be in order. So, drawing on what I remember from these belly dance videos I used to have, and many entertaining meals at the Morocco pavilion at Epcot, I began to shimmy and shake and twirl. My 5 year old daughter thought it was DELIGHTFUL and joined right in. My 9 year old son stood in the corner, grimacing at my every move. My 4 year old son, it might be noted, continued to do the same kick-yell-fall down combo that he had been doing for most of our dance party. (He's at the age where kicking followed by yelling followed by falling down is extremely cool and edgy. If I were 4, I might have to agree.)

So, we bellydanced until bathtime. After baths, we turned on the TV to discover that the Celtic Woman concert was on PBS. I might note, at this point, that in spite of my penchant for dance music, rap, and rock, I am a BIG SUCKER for celtic music. So, Daddy-O and I curled up on the couch with three beautiful children smelling of freshly shampooed hair all around us, and enjoyed some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard. It was a perfect end to a perfect evening. Ahhhhhhhh....... I would LOVE to go to that concert, or at least own the CD and DVD. What beautiful voices...

All in all, we had a surprisingly wonderful evening, considering how sick we've been, and I am once again reminded of how precious my family is to me.

Was I going to talk about haircolor? *FOG* Stupid cold meds...