Reel Them In

I'm thinking if we spent the morning (8am to 11am) picking up food and loading the coolers at Metro Relief.  Then headed to the church building and out with the church's Thrive ministry from noon to 5pm that would be enough activity for anyone! Right?! 

Apparently not, because the girl headed out for the evening to English Country Dancing.  She invited her friends Ella, Spencer, and Isaac, who all joined her for the evening. 

My friend Lana, (Isaac's mom) sent me the video below of Abigail doing the Virginia Reel.  I know it's not great quality but I thought it would give the grandparents an idea of the dance.  

They send forth their children as a flock;

    their little ones dance about.

Job 21:11

Partner, Neighbor, Corner

One of our last events for the summer is the English Country Dancing Ball.  This is the dance where participants come in period costumes, any time period when the dances were performed. Abigail and I found a fabulous dress that we raised the waistline making an empire waist; and added cap sleeves. She completed her ensemble with elbow length sleeves which she promptly took off upon arrival at the ball! 

Caleb also attended but choose not to mess with wearing his suits or tux.  It was a good move because the air conditioning in the building could not keep up with all the warm bodies and energy being expended! Abigail invited several of her friends to join her this evening.  She enjoyed introducing her PEACH friends to the ECD friends she's made over the last four years.

It was a great evening surrounded by good friends!  We finished off the evening with a Whataburger run!  

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, 

as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:29

Swing Your Partner

What’s a base stealing, homerun hitting, pop-fly catching, diamond running, fast pitching girl to do when she doesn’t have a game on Friday night?  Take in an evening of English Country Dancing with her brother and a few friends, of course! 

You say you've never heard of English Country Dancing? If you've watched Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility or any other Jane Austen movie, you’ve seen English Country Dancing. It is a traditional form of dance has been around for several hundred years, it's marked by classical, elegant music.  Many people love the beautiful patterns that you create as you dance and weave.

One of the homeschool families, who we’ve known for a decade, runs the ECD group in Plano.  It’s funny because they have a daughter Abigail’s age named Lydia.  Abigail and Lydia are on the same CHANT homeschool softball team.  So, tonight instead of sporting eye-black these ball players were decked out in dresses and swirling!  

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness Psalm 30:11

Prom Dance Rehearsal

The Texas Christian Homeschool Prom is a special event for home schooled high-school students in North Texas. Each spring, over 1,500 students attend from Texas and surrounding states.

 

With an all-volunteer staff of home school parents, it's not surprising that the Prom is also educational. Students attend at least one Dance Rehearsal where they are presented with information about dance etiquette, formal attire, and interesting facts based on the prom's theme. There theme this year the Chronicles taken from the writings of C.S. Lewis.

 

Caleb and about ten of the Jr. & Sr.'s from our homeschool group, PEACH, have  a table reserved for the evening and I'm looking forward to the fun pictures of the evening.  I'm really grateful for the mom who took photos at the rehearsal!

 

A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24

English Country Dancing

Each time I post pictures of the kids at English Country Dancing, I always feel I should begin the post with, “you might be a homeschooler if.”  We get grief from family members about the kids ‘dancing’.  Growing up Church of Christ, we didn’t dance.  I think the first dance I ever did was the choreographed piece at Oklahoma Christian for Spring Sing with Theta.

The dances with these wonderful homeschooled kids remind me of those innocent, pure moments.  One of the local churches hosts the event for homeschoolers and their families, usually just the teens participate, but I appreciate that parents are welcomed.   

I’ve told the kids the story of my parents growing up, both with Church of Christ parents, both with fathers who were elders in the church and both with very different views on dancing.  For my Dad growing up in Oklahoma, dancing was not permitted but after church the youth group went roller skating.  My mom grew up in Baltimore and dancing was permitted but roller skating was taboo.  The primary difference was the location of the activities and the people who participated in the events.  

Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned   Ephesians 4:19-20

Friday Night Dance

The first Friday of the month means the North Texas teens have English Country Dancing!  The kids love the dances and being with their friends! Such a great group of kids, and it is fun to watch them twirl.  The young men ask the girls to dance and escort them to the floor, at the end of the dance the boy escorts the girl off the floor.  Each partner bow to thank the other for the dance.  The boys are encouraged to find a new partner each dance, so that everyone makes new friends.

Here is a video I found on line of one of the dances they do each month.  This isn't the kids but still fun to watch, it is an instructional video on how to dance the Levi Jackson, but if you forward to 4:28 the last two and a half minutes is the actual dance. Enjoy!

Time to Celebrate

How do you top of a day that has included a trip to the food pantry to deliver bread, a library visit, pizza with friends, and three hours of drama club practice?  With English Country Dancing, of course! The best part is Mom is hanging out with the kids and I have my camera, just what every teen was wishing would happen!   Always a huge crowd of kids and lots of smiles! 

Click HERE to other English Country Dancing Posts 

Then young women will dance and be glad,

    young men and old as well.

I will turn their mourning into gladness;

    I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

Jeremiah 31:13

Christmas Time English Country Dancing

As if our day hasn't been busy enough, we finished off today with the Christmas Time English Country Dancing.  This is generally a little more dressy event, complete with Christmas treats.  The kids have such a great time together learning the dances.  With each dance they are encouraged to find a new partner, boys ask the girls and escort them on and off the dance floor.  Parents and siblings are welcome to stay and dance.  It is a great family event and a fun social event for the youth.  It is also a work out comparable to three hours of a Jazzercise class! 

To the faithful you show yourself faithful,

    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

27 

to the pure you show yourself pure

II Samuel 22:26

A Dance for Charlie

On the first of the month area home schoolers get together at a local church for English Country Dancing, think Downton Abbey!  Parents and families participate and the caller will walk you through each dance one or two times before they actually dance.  

Tonight Caleb's friends from the Dual Credit Club at Collin College Preston Ridge Campus held a benefit dance for Team Charlie.  Charlie is a beautiful four year old who has been diagnosed with leukemia.  All funds raised from the dance, concessions, etc. went directly to offset the cost of Charlie's medical treatment.

Many of our home schooling friends were there!  It was fun to see the kids put their cotillion skills into practice! Great organization, great event, great cause, thank you Dual Credit Club! 

Here are a few pictures from previous dances, 2013, 2012, and even 2011.

The human spirit can endure in sickness,

    but a crushed spirit who can bear?

Proverbs 18:14

English Country Dancing

Last year we discovered English Country Dancing through some of our home schooling friends.  The first Friday of the month, local North Texas Home Schoolers get together at a local church for an evening of family fun. 

There is a caller that runs through each dance with the kids until everyone is familiar with the moves and then they dance the entire song.  It is like a two hour Jazzersize class!  It is one fun evening. 

Tonight Caleb had a wounded foot but that didn't stop my young Casanova from enjoying his evening!

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Ecclesiastes 3:4

English Country Dancing

One of the last dances 

 

 

 

Tonight we tried our hand or should I say our feet at English Country Dancing. Wikipedia defines English Country Dance as a form of social folk dance which originated in Renaissance England, and was popular until the early 19th century in parts of Europe and the American colonies.

There is a great group of homeschoolers in our area who meet together on the first Friday of the month. When Caleb and I attended the Mother / Son luncheon, English Country Dancing was one of the activities and it was delightful!

The dance is elegant and scripted. Each dance is introduced and the steps are taught before the music is added. With each new dance you select a new partner, and throughout each dance you and your partner work in and out with other couples. The dances are a work out and some can rival any aerobics class!

For December everyone dressed for the time period. Everyone brought cookies and homemade goodies served with punch cups of Ginger Ale!

I realize we live in a time of electronic gizmos and delivery pizza sufficing as a teen social event. But this was positively delightful! I know it's crazy, but the kids spoke (not texted) and visited with each other. They introduced themselves to other youth and parents. They also shared in stories of homemade sugar cookies.

It was a sheer blessing to see the youth interacting with each other and adults with complete manners and social graces appropriate to the time period. Caleb and Abigail danced every dance of the evening. Jon and I dance several, until we couldn't keep up! I think Frankie made it one or two songs before she decided it was far more fun to take photos of everyone than to dance.

Each dance began with the young men escorting their partner by the arm on the dance floor and concluded with both partners bowing to honor to their partner, thanking them for the dance. Even at the end of the night, the young men shook hands and bowed to the ladies, thanking them for a lovely evening.

Mom's fake out of breath smile!

This is something we will do again! Two years ago we square danced, this was much more elegant and minus the caller. My sweet, sweet friend, Ms. Donna loves the Pride and Prejudice style bonnet movies. That isn't my cup of tea; I prefer a good mystery any day! With that said, this uncoordinated 'church of Christ' (aka. we don't dance) girl had a great time. Outside of our square dancing adventure, I don't think I've danced since 'choreographing' in Spring Sing at Oklahoma Christian!

Then young women will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.

Jeremiah 31:13

Mother/Son Luncheon at Bass Pro



  

Awesome Day!

What a fun day!  Today was our annual Mother/Son Luncheon at Bass Pro with friends from PEACH, our home schooling group.  We joined about 40 others for a great time of worship, fellowship and encouragement.  This years theme was taken from Joshua 1:9, myself and another mom spoke to encourage the Moms to be courageous in our parenting.  Like last year, Caleb and another young man spoke to the young men.  It really was a booster shot in the arm to step up and be the parents of a Godly generation of young men. 

Public speaking is something that comes a little easier for Caleb, but with speech and debate and Leadership Training for Christ he has definitely had more practice.  As for me, I've had a LOT of practice speaking in front of young people but grown ups can be a intimidating.    But knowing you are in a room filled with people walking the same road makes it much easier.

Our day also included English Country Dancing lessons, way too fun!  The boys were good sports, Caleb called it 'bonnet movie dancing.'  

Lunch for Caleb consisted of Islamorada Portofino, which was blackened tilapia topped with grilled shrimp in a rich, creamy lobster sauce.  I opted for the catfish, both were wonderful.  The best part of the luncheon portion was the amazing turtle cheese cake!  I didn't finish all of my fish, but every bit of the cheese cake was eaten!

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,
for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Mom - Son Luncheon at Bass Pro

Swing Dancing with our Sons

Richard

Ms. Tami

Music Inspiration

Today moms and sons from our homeschooling group PEACH, celebrated a special time of fellowship between mother and son in a picturesque setting overlooking the lake in “The Lodge” banquet room located in the Bass Pro restaurant in Garland.  The Lodge over looks the lake with a beautiful view of the fall leaves on the shore.

We got together for a special afternoon with inspirational live guitar music. During a great lunch two guest speakers offered encouragement & inspiration as they talk about their mother and son adventures. In addition, Caleb was one of the two young men who spoke encouraging words to the young men, with Richard being the other young man.   Most of the sons were in that 10-13 year old category, so Caleb and Richard had the opportunity to encourage them in good works!

My son, obey your father's commands, and don't neglect your mother's teaching;

keep their words always in your heart and tie them around your neck.

Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you; when you sleep, they will protect you.

When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you.

For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you

and the correction of discipline is the way of life.

 Proverbs 6:20-23