The Singing, Cornet-Playing Ballerina

Originally Posted 8/20/07
We had our first day of TAFA today. For all you foreigners, TAFA stands for Travis Academy of Fine Arts. This our second year, and the kids absolutely love it. TAFA is home to over 500 of the most creative, talented homeschoolers you will ever meet.
This year, Hannah is taking band, ballet & choir. Samuel is taking choir, art & drama. Here's how it works-on Mondays, we pack up all our belongings in the van and spend the day in Ft. Worth. My job, primarily, is to cart about all those belongings in a tightly packed backpack. There is also a lot of running to get them to the right classes at the right time, lunchroom monitor duties, and teaching the younger two while the older ones are in class.
Of course, after we get home, Hannah had to practice her cornet. This must be done in the schoolroom, as a cornet can be surprisingly loud, especially after having lunchroom monitor duty. After a while, things got quiet in the schoolroom. Apparently, Hannah thought this would be a great time to sneak up on her mother and demonstrate her new horn. Let me tell you, if you have never been surprised by a cornet-playing ballerina, it is something you will never forget. Hannah thought this was the funniest thing she had done in a long time. I assured her that it wouldn't seem so funny when I move her practice out to the back porch.
Samuel wants to sign up for band next year, and we're thinking of something in percussion. Any instrument that gives him permission to whack something with a stick would be appropriate.
All this cornet playing has inspired a rousing game of homemade orchestra. Hannah on the cornet, Samuel playing pots & pans, Gabriel on the keyboard, and Gideon using pot lids for cymbals. This is a popular game at our house that tends to go on for hours.
All this creativity has got me thinking-do parents of creative children buy more Tylenol? It seems to be something worth studying.