UDA Dance Camp Day Four!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

Today was the last day... mixed emotions from everybody. Girls are excited about evaluations but sad about leaving. I cannot help but look at my rising 8th graders and tell them to savor every last minute of this experience. I told my girls each day that this was their last day (1, 2, 3, and 4) and they could never get it back... to make the most of it.

Last night after I made my blog post I was invited to the first annual "TMS Dance Talent Show" complete with commercials. I have not laughed that hard in a very long time. I never knew of the comedy in some of these girls... nor the nerve! My little bits were hilarious with their skit and costume. Dani and Brittany with their commercials were over the top. I am convinced that I will see Dani on some reality TV show in the future. My models were quite impressive featuring their products... did Lillie really say "can I just have the Pringles"? I will never forget that night and it was totally worth the one hour less sleep.

Each girl showed up in my room starting at 6:15am with their brush and bobby pins (or Jimmy pins Dani?). I created at least 14 perfect poofs and ponytails while the other 5 did their own hair. The girls packed up their room and we headed to breakfast. The girls did a number on the French Toast Sticks leaving their mark at the Wake Forest dining hall... they waved good-bye to the staff and told them "see you next year". The staff liked us because we ALWAYS cleaned up our area. We went straight to the gym for warm up and our parents started to arrive.

The girls performed their B and C routines and received high marks. During the final drill downs our very own Lilli made it to the final 3!!! Go Lilli... that girl has incredible focus and listening skills! Awards came and our team was awarded a superior trophy, 110% award for our spirit and energy, a spirit stick, and leadership pin to our very own Bethani, and I received the Coach Award! After the awards the girls headed back with their parents to visit Camp Store Sarah who stayed open just for us! The girls loaded up with their parents and left UDA. As I closed my door I thought to myself what another wonderful camp. If this is any indication of how our year is going to go then we will be over the top because I feel we are starting so high already.

This morning I was so excited standing out front waiting for moms and dads. It gives me so much joy to watch the parents watch their girls. I guess you just have to be a parent to understand the pride you have in your child watching them have so much fun doing something they love so much. You are able to see your child growing inside and you are just so proud of the person they have become... I guess as parents we all need and want that little validation that we did a good job. I also feel that way as a coach and when I see the girls perform it reminds me of why I do this. I left my husband to take care of all four of our children... 17, 16, 13, and 5! That is a lot of laundry and food! Thank you to my family for letting Mommy do what she loves to do. Thank you to the staff for making my girls feel like they are so special. Thank you to Miss Karena for being my extra set of eyes and ears... and for having so much fun with the girls... they love you! We all hope to see you as the next Cinderella at Disney World... now go and make that dream happen! Thank you to the other teams that were at the camp... you gave my girls something to reach for and you embraced them and they felt like you were their big sisters. Thank you to UDA for giving my girls the chance to make the best memories of their lives. We will be back next year. Thank you to my parents for being so supportive and helpful. Thank you to my team for giving me the chance to be your coach.

I love you,
Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day Three!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

The girls moved a little slow this morning... some even overslept...but I made sure to serenade them with "Good Morning"... that helped the sleepy dancers... so did me pulling their covers off! I had to resort to drastic measures while others just popped onto their feet. The morning classes were reviews of all three routines learned so far. The instructors conducted a mock evaluation so that the dancers knew what to expect. The girls asked me a hundred times what time it was and when was it time to go to lunch!

Lunch and dinner always consist of two main concerns... where we are going to sit and how creative you can pour your ice cream. This is very important at camp. We have nice cones that are perfect circles, then there is the tall blob, and then there is the straight sticks pilled on top of each other. Topics of conversation today at the table were how many pieces of pizza the girls have eaten, how many pounds of ice cream has been consumed, and if Miss Kim minds if they drink a soft drink. Again, these experiences help me learn each girl's personalities.

After dinner we had "A routine" evaluations where everyone earned a blue ribbon. I was so happy that everyone was excited and not too nervous. They all smiled and had a fabulous time. Grace charmed the judges with her smile over and over and over. I have to say I did have some tears watching these girls jump with happiness seeing their blue ribbons. They were just so proud.

Tonight at the big sis little sis meeting with their big sis Kath we talked about our tree. Our motto on our tree is "Be The Best You Can Be and Always Make Miss Kim Proud". The leaves are filled with each girl's individual goals and the roots are my goals for the year. UDA All Americans were announced and I am very proud to say that Bethani, Carly, Lillie W., Katherine, and Becky all made All American. They were presented with a metal and information about the parade that they can perform in.

I am being invited right now to the talent show so I must end quickly. The girls are squealing with laughter and I now I am in for a treat. I just thought to myself... memories are being made right now. They will think back when they are older about the best times of their lives... and I bet this will be at the top of their list. Today has been filled with hugs, tears, laughter, and so much more. These are what memories are made of.

Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day Two!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

Wow... 6:00am came so fast! I jumped out of the bed and quickly got myself ready. Around 6:15 I made my rounds stopping at the peace, love, and dance room. I started singing "good morning... good morning" until they opened their door. Miss Kim can dance but Miss Kim CANNOT sing so the doors were opened pretty quickly. I gave every girl a big ol' hug and told them good morning. I think the sweetest thing in the whole world is a sleepy child's face... I know dancers... you are young ladies but you will always be my girls. We left right on time and were the first ones at breakfast. Let the feast begin. There were eggs, bacon, pancakes, doughnuts, pastries, fruit, oatmeal, you name it and it was there. I made my rounds making sure everyone had something healthy on their plate and something good to drink. I loved hearing all the behind the scenes stories such as Dani transforming into a supermodel and posing in several outfits for Miss Karena.

After breakfast we broke into two groups. I took the All American girls to learn their routine while Miss Karena took the rest of the group back to brush teeth. The All American dancers were chosen by asking the 8th graders first. Three 8th graders wanted to try out which opened up three additional spots. I asked for volunteers and Lillie W., Carly, and Becky raised their hands so they will join Lilli C., Bethani, and Katherine in the All American tryouts which will be held tomorrow afternoon. When we all arrived for the first session of camp we were surprised by two teams which brought us goodies! How sweet of them. It really made my girls feel special... just a piece of candy can do wonders.

I went to a meeting which was very interesting. All the girls were given personality tests. After taking the tests they gave them to me and they were a Directing Tiger, Entertaining Robin, Steady Teddy Bear, or a Cautious Snake. We had to take them too and I was a Robin. I was really amazed at how true to life these evaluations were. Even when we went to lunch three snakes sat together while robins grouped into one large group and so on. Tigers take charge and love new challenges, Robins are motivating, do not like to be controlled, and make friends easily, Bears do not like change, listen more than talk and have great eye contact, and Snakes do not like making mistakes and are very detailed oriented. This was a great tool for me to use when I am teaching, dealing with certain situations, and just being a better coach overall by knowing how each girl learns.

When I finished my meeting the girls had finished learning their B routines. Some learned a fast paced pom routine while the rest learned an incredible jazz dance. They had a trivia game after and TMS dancers answered two questions correctly and won prizes! The girls raced to lunch like usual and filled their bellies. I laughed at one dancer when she asked me if it was supper... guess she thought it had been a long day. The dancers did enjoy a nice 45 minute break after lunch and some girls actually took a little power nap. We headed back to class with spirit in our step. The girls made a tunnel for all the other teams and cheered them on as they entered the gym. During this session they rehearsed their dances and then did something really incredible. The hit TV show "So You Think You Can Dance" is honoring National Dance Day and having dancers across America show them how they are celebrating. UDA has become involved by filming their dancers performing the hip hop dance. Our girls were filmed doing the dance and are keeping their fingers crossed that they will see themselves on the upcoming Wed night show. Who knows? Even our little Becca yelled out from the huge crowd "Hey So You Think You Can Dance"!

We finished our evening with dinner, another routine, then rehearsal, and now bed. My specialty awards tonight were "Race To The Finish Line": Maya Williamson and "Most Spirit": Carly Cates. The girls were fading fast at the last dance and these two girls kept up their energy to finish with a bang. Good job. The confidence levels in my girls are skyrocketing... doing things that I know is out of their comfort zone. There are feeling free to be themselves and have a ton of fun. They do not mind being the loudest, trying to dance the biggest, and just walking up and talking to a dancer they have never met before. There is even a high school team from Virginia that has adopted our team... they said that they just love what we do. This sort of thing happens every year. We are connected through dance... it gives us the chance to be the best we can be and do what we love to the fullest.

Good night,

Miss Kim

UDA Dance Camp Day One!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

What a day! We began our journey this morning departing at 8:00am. Girls eagerly hugged their moms goodbye and we boarded our cars with "UDA or bust" on our minds. After touring the Wake Forest campus for around 20 minutes because Miss Kim could not find her way we finally located the registration desk. The girls unloaded their bags and started there journey to their suites. This year I had several parents who helped me until Miss Karena arrived. They helped with my van, my luggage, paperwork, you name it and they were there... I almost convinced a couple of moms to stay but their daughters might not have liked that. The girls had one thing on their minds... DECORATING! Themes are just amazing this year. Christmas, Casino, Pretty In Pink, Candy Land, Rainbow, and Rock and Roll to name a few. After decorating we walked to Subway and filled our bellies. Quite a few bees joined us so we decided to eat at our dorm. The girls had a thousand questions... what do we do first... when do we go... are we the youngest... will it be too hard... and so on and so on.

We did our headcount and headed to our camp opening. I attended a meeting while the girls had their first warm-up. They split up and learned two different dances. I went back and forth to each class making sure all the girls were doing ok. I saw smiles on their faces, bounces in their steps, and screams coming from their lungs... they were finally at camp. After learning A routines we had our home routine practices. The girls listened to the criticism given by the UDA instructor and immediately looked even better than before. Then the instructor said the magic word... time to eat!!! I laughed so hard because of one particular dancer that is generally always last... run to the front of the pack... briskly walking to the dining hall. Nothing was getting in her way. The girls found themselves in a wonderland of food not knowing which way to go first. Some started with dessert while others ended with dessert. One tiny little girl put away almost an entire plate of Oreo delight! The girls sat all together and laughed until they could not laugh anymore. They cleaned their area well because TMS Dance Team would never leave a mess!

After dinner we quickly changed into our uniform for our home routines. Girls lined up in my room as I poofed several heads of hair. We had several photo ops as we traveled back to the gym. The girls danced their dance in front of filled bleachers... and they did it like they were pros. I appreciated Western Dance Team's girls cheering my girls on... thank you! The girls did not seem nervous at all to me which made me feel like a million bucks. After home routines they got to start their drill downs which is basically a dance version of Simon Says. Bethani, Lilli C., and Cameron were winners for TMS bringing in 8 yellow ribbons! We headed back to the dorm at 8:30pm to practice. We practiced for a full hour outside in our common area. I am so proud of my girls not going and laying down... instead they worked and worked hard. I saw an intense desire to do well from some of my dancers which made me feel so good. Showers began around 9:30 and some girls started to call parents when all of a sudden... the fire alarm went off! It was 10:15 I think and all of us learned a lesson (although it was not my team)... when flat ironing one's hair you should look up and make sure you are not directly under a smoke alarm! We made it back to our rooms around 10:30 to finish our showers.

We had a short meeting to talk about the day and what was upcoming on Saturday. I gave two awards... Hardest working: Becky Thomas... .Biggest Dessert: Cameron Clark!!! I did a bed check and door check and all is well tonight. I had one dancer a little homesick but that quickly passed when her roommate told her she could sleep on her air mattress with her. That made me have a little tear... my team is coming together... helping each other out in ways they never thought they would. Today these girls danced together, ate together, cheered together, laughed together, sweated together, and now are quietly sleeping together. The bond is forming. Thank you UDA for this opportunity to show these girls what being a team is all about.

Goodnight,

Miss Kim

Getting To Know You!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

In past couple of months TMS dance team has had about four practices. These practices have been filled with technique, learning, and working on our home routine for dance camp. It has not given me a chance to get to know my girls except what type of dancer they are. Well, that all changed Tuesday and Wednesday night! We had our annual covered dish supper with moms and dads. We prepared for camp and answered all the camp questions. The main thing the girls are worried about is the food and the showers... and if there are enough of both! The storm was quite intense so the pool closed early before we got a chance to swim. I knew how important this time was for the girls so we planned for the next night after dance. After dance team practice we headed to the pool. I love this time because this is when I really get to see the girl's personalities. We went off the diving board... yes... WE.... I did my flip again for them! The girls went down the slide... all of these were picture moments. They made their dancer circle in the pool and then took pictures with their big sisters and little sisters. I was so happy about what I saw in the pool... all of my girls were talking to each other... no little groups... all together. I see a team forming... not just on paper but through each other. Seeing relationships grow between girls that might not have ever been friends. That is what a team is... coming together through something we love.

UDA here we come!!!

Miss Kim

Summer At First Pres CDC!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

I finished the summer session at First Pres CDC this past Wed. What a fun time we have had this summer! The atmosphere during the summer is a little different than the regular school year. Class is much more laid back with lots of creative movement and "wiggle getter outers" as Avery would say. Attendance was lower due to vacations so I combined the classes for the past couple of weeks. Although it was loud it was so much fun seeing the boys and girls interact. My favorite interaction came between Savanna and her older brother Gabe... Savanna went into hug mode when her brother came in the room and did not stop until they left. I told Savanna that she would always love her big brother (I have two). It was heart warming watching some of my older students like Max and Reece help the little ones. Max would show little Ethan how to pop his knees and how to stay out of trouble! I have watched one sweet girl who could not stop crying her first day bloom into a smiling, bubbly dancing queen. Moments like these remind me of why I do this.

We hopped, skipped, jumped, danced, rolled, crab walked, learned cartwheels, stretched (clam shells), had an obstacle course, played games, and always ended with the parachute. My goal for each class was to have fun and burn a lot of energy. I think we accomplished that and then some. I want to say thanks to some of the teachers that stayed and helped me... I enjoyed watching you shake, jump, hop, skip, and dance. I am so happy to be able to be a part of this special family.

This fall (in just less than a month) we will start up our normal classes and get ready for another amazing year of dancing. I want to say a special thank you to parents for sharing your children with me. To CDC graduates, good luck to you and I wish you the best as you start kindergarten. I hope that you always have dance in your heart and hopefully when you hear the word "dance" you will think of me.

Love,
Miss Kim

Summer Moves at Olde Forest RC!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

Among the sounds of tennis balls bouncing and swim team swimming you can hear giggles from little ones in the upstairs lounge at Olde Forest during my creative movement and dance class. Every Thursday morning I have about 7 or 8 little girls arrive, some still with their sleepy little eyes. It is not long before those sleepy little eyes bust wide open with delight when I start the music.

I am so happy about this little group of children since they are so ready to dance. In just two classes we have mastered several tap steps and the beginning of basic ballet... but they do not even realize it. We danced to Boogie Woogie Piggy shaking our biscuits, tapping our toes, digging holes, burying bones in the back yard, and eating a cheeseburger and French fry! We worked on our shuffles by putting butter on our popcorn.

During ballet we worked on first position by opening our books... CLOSE IT!!! We bent our knees and make a pretty demi' plie'. We lifted our honey pots and then let the bees eat all of the honey. We went fishing for Daddy Duck while we walked like little ballerina's and looked far away as we learned an arabesque'. We finished our class with the parachute by popping bubbles to some of our favorite songs.

Great job girls! See you on Thursday!

Miss Kim

Miss Kim classes begin at The Growing Years!... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

I entered The Growing Years and was greeted by a very welcoming staff. I gathered my little ones and we headed to a new spot since the gym was being used for pictures. My eager little movers laid down and waited for their cue...the music! We Bopped Until We Dropped by jumping, wiggling, flying, and spinning. We went on a picnic and the ants were there waiting on us! We stretched our long legs out and chased them away with our feet. Next, we filled out bus up with gas and rode on the Dora Bus... where Swiper would jump on top and we would spin him off! I gave all the children seeds and we learned how to dig the dirt with our feet since nobody brought a shovel. Imagination Movers started to play so we jumped, squatted, and did jumping jacks to the fast beat. We learned how to do a burpee... cheeseburger French fry! I made sure everyone had big enough muscles though. Miss Puffy flew in and we sat down and stretched out muscles. We played the freeze game and worked on gross motor skills. We got in Miss Kim's frying pan and turned into popcorn! We popped both knees (Dora and Diego) as we worked on skipping. The parachute was last and we all took turns dancing in the center. They loved popping the bubbles and going under the parachute.

I have wanted to come to this center for a long time since I have heard so many good things. I am happy to be here. Thank you to Miss Claudette for giving me the opportunity to bring my program to these children. The children here were great today. One little girl asked me as we lined up to leave "Miss Kim, can we do this again"... and I said "you bet we can"!

Miss Kim

Turrentine Middle School Dance Team: Ice-cream at Mayberry! Click for Photo Gallery!

Turrentine Middle School Dance Team: Ice-cream at Mayberry! Click for Photo Gallery!

My new Turrentine Middle School Dance Team has been formed! Auditions took place last week and I am the proud new coach of 19 amazing young ladies. My team met this past week and quickly learned their first dance. They performed for Dare Day In The Park yesterday for an audience filled with 5th graders from various Elementary Schools in our county. They performed like they had been together for months. I could not have been prouder of them. This makes me so excited for this upcoming summer/fall/winter/spring with this new team. We topped the performance off by going to Mayberry. It was heart warming watching the girls bond and get to know each other. I am quite surprised how my returning 7th graders have blended among the new girls to make them feel welcome... good job girls! A big thank you goes out to my new dance moms who are filled with energy! I appreciate you driving and helping those in need in Mayberry. Thank you to all my girls... this is just the beginning.

Love,
Miss Kim

Ice Skating at First Pres... Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

I was determined to get to First Pres after being sick last week and boy was it a circus inside! Today was circus day and the little ones were dressed in all sorts of adorable outfits. There were ballerinas, chickens, clowns, giraffes, cowboys, and tigers to name a few. We had such a good time today... no tap and ballet for the girls... just strictly creative movement for all of my classes. With the playground covered with snow I wanted to make sure all my energy filled circus performers had the chance to release some much needed wiggles.

We started with Bop Until You Drop which gave me a great chance to take some cute pictures of everyone in their costumes. Next, I asked them all to sit down and we talked about the snow. I told them that their "red pond" (the carpet) had frozen and we were going to go ice skating. One little one told me "Miss Kim, we do not have ice skates"... oh yes we do! I took wax paper and cut it into little rectangles and we put our skates on and skated away. What a perfect gross motor skill this was. They had to concentrate on each foot's movement and how to continue to glide without losing the paper under their feet. Even Mrs. Michaels joined in when she saw what we were doing. In the girl's class we pretended to be Disney Princesses On Ice! What a fun time.

Next we went on a circus parade with our wonderful rainbow ribbons. We made a rainbow, a sun, a silly snake, and a rocket ship. We danced to some of our favorite songs and the boys did their favorite song "Jump Up". We rescued a hurt little monkey as we pretended to be Diego. We popped bubbles on the parachute. It was so good to see my little ones and to get so many hugs after not being there last week. I enjoyed dancing with you today and I will see you next week!

Love,

Miss Kim

FreeStylin' Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

When I was in dance class at East Carolina University I remember my first "official" modern class. It was quite unique and something I had never experienced before. I was exposed to the expression of movement and dance through dance improvisation. I could not help but to think of that when I told my little boys last week and this week that we were going to "freestyle". One little boy asked me "what is freestyle Miss Kim"? I told him that whenever he heard the music start to play, to listen to the music, his brain would hear and interpret the music, and then tell his arms and legs what to do. In other words "do what you feel". If you feel like hopping, hop. If you feel like moving your hips, shake them. If you feel like bouncing like a ball, then bounce. If you feel like being a break dancer, go for it.

Move how you feel.

Boy was I in for a treat. In both the boy's and girl's classes they made me actually stop and take a breath... to enjoy this moment of watching these children doing exactly what they felt. There were break dancers trying to spin on their backs. There were little ballerinas on their toes. There were robots moving with sharp marching movements. There were funky chickens bent at the knees moving through the crowd. There was one fella that shook his knees in and out while pointing his fingers in the sky then to the ground. There were two girls holding hands spinning round and round laughing. This all made me so happy that I opened the door and called for the director and some of the teachers on break. They stood at the door watching and enjoying watching these children move so freely.

We did plenty of other things but I want to share with you our last 10 minutes of class. We did our own version of a snow dance complete with a song. I told the children that when they wake up in the morning to tell their parents to get up and put some snow clothes on. I told them to tell their parents that they were going to make a snowman! We practiced how to do it and decorated it. I told them if the TV was on to turn it off and go outside and play in the snow. One little boy as serious as he could be told me "uh... Miss Kim... if football is on my Daddy is not going to turn it off... no way"! I started to laugh and told him to let Daddy watch his football game!

I hope they all have fun and stay safe in the snow. But most of all I hope they remember what we did this week... to continue to move how you feel and enjoy expressing themselves in such creative ways. They made my day this week... now... parents... all you have to do is play "All The Single Ladies" by the Chippettes and Chipmunks from the Squequal and you will see what I mean!

Love,
Miss Kim

Chipettes In The House! Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

First Pres CDC was just happy as it could be today as I walked in. The little ones were eating their breakfast/snack and started stuffing it in faster when they saw me.

The big girl's were first and they filled the hall with laughter and energy. We worked hard today perfecting our steps. I am making sure their shuffle technique is correct which means a lot of repetition... I just have to make sure everyone is doing it the right way. We got in the frying pan and then did "butter butter popcorn" or "shuffle hop step". We reviewed our heel ball changes and worked on our new dance. In ballet we worked on all of our ballet steps and positions. We stretched our legs and started backbends. Wow, some of these girls have to be made out of rubber!

My older boys marched upstairs and went straight to sleep. We Bopped Until We Dropped and then suited up in our finest Pirate attire. We sailed away to look for the treasure and then dug it up once we found it. We worked on our gross motor skills and on agility. We did cartwheels again and started backbends. These boys have to realize they need to use their arms muscles and their leg muscles to lift themselves off the floor. We played cat and mouse with the parachute which was so much fun... thanks Brayden for that idea.

My little boys were next and we flew to our spaceship and blasted off. We Bopped Until We Dropped and then we dressed up like Pirates... just like the big boys. Miss Puffy flew in and we stretched our legs. We worked on skipping by cooking popcorn in the frying pan. We listened to all of our favorite songs while doing push-ups, skipping, marching, jumping jacks, and hopping on one foot. We played cat and mouse... wait... we tried playing cat and mouse with the parachute but we need a little more practice.

My little girls finished out the day. When they lined up I just could not help but to smile looking at them. One little girl had her dress on with ballerina shoes embroidered on the front, another sweet little one told me to look at her pretty ballerina socks, and another adorable little girl told me to look at her "pink dancing skirt". I told her that I was going to take her picture when she spun around because her skirt would flare out... all I could see in her eyes at that very moment was "WOW". We did all of our normal things since repetition is so important at this age. Daddy duck did call and the girls went fishing. As we were lining up to go one little girl asked me if I could come play with her at her house. I told her anytime... what a compliment.

My title to today's blog reads "Chipettes In The House". This is because I had several girls and boys ask me if I had the song "All The Single Ladies" from the Chipettes/Chipmunks movie The Squeakquel. I made sure to get it and bring it last week... boy I did not know what would happen next. The girls and the boys go through a total transformation when that song is on... it is amazing. I have laughed until I have cried last week and this week. The older girls wanted me to show them how to move their hips like the Chipettes do in the movie. So, I showed them the best way I knew how. Then, one of my older girls who just happen to be my BIRTHDAY GIRL TODAY told me "Miss Kim, if you need help knowing how to shake your hips just talk to my mom... she knows a lot about shaking her hips"!!! I told her thank you... and I would be calling her mom for a hip shaking consultation! Like I said before, I laugh until I cry... over and over again.

Love,

Miss Kim

Cabin Fever!!! Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

Whoa... is all I can say after my classes today at First Presbyterian CDC! Today was a super energetic one filled with children that needed to burn off some excess energy... and I was the one who was ready to dish it out!

My day started with my big girls as always. They are so proud that they tell their teacher over and over "I am going to dance class now"... again... thank you teachers for all your patience! We Bobbed Until We Dropped, worked on heel, toe, heel, together, and heel ball changes (rocking baby Annabelle). We started our new dance to "We Got The Beat"... ok mommies... that song was popular when I was in 5th grade by what band? The first day care Mommy to leave the correct answer in my comment box gets a free "Pretend With Miss Kim DVD"! We worked hard on stretching and holding ours arms correctly when standing in first and second position. I tried hard to get all of their energy out in the end with the parachute... but they still had some left over.

My big boys were next and what a big group we had! The little boys came after the big boy class now that we have enough to have two classes. We Bopped Until We Dropped, dug up a buried treasure after swimming with the sharks... ARRRGGG... worked on our push-ups, jumping jacks, and skipping to Jump Up... and popped popcorn in the frying pan. We stretched our legs again and turned into bears! We bear walked all around looking for honey and then a big bee came buzzing around trying to sting them... hmm wonder who that bee was? We gathered the honey and ate it all up... yum yum! We worked on cartwheels and to my amazement almost all the boys can do this which is just amazing to me. I still love doing cartwheels on the beach or grass with my kids... now parents your little boys can do cartwheels with you! Miss Puffy flew in again and made us sit straight and tall. We bounced forever trying to pop as many bubbles as we could... or until I would see them slow down! After everyone had a turn we got under and played in our clubhouse (parachute).

My little girls were ready for me when I brought the little boys back down... "it's our turn now Miss Kim"... sure is! I love how these little girls seem to dress for the occasion... this just makes my day. I love that they think that we are really going to our princess castle and they are totally in the moment as I open the doors to our chariot (elevator). We Bopped Until We Dropped, rode the bus to Dora's party, dug holes in the garden, and popped popcorn. We danced with Miss Puffy, worked on our ballet steps, and ended the class with the parachute. The girls decided they wanted to swim on the parachute... a new one for me.... like I said... little ones teach me things everyday. As we left the room I told the girls that they make me so happy and I little girl (my eye cover upper... if you read my trick pony post) told me "Miss Kim... my Mommy makes me happy". What a lucky Mommy.

Love,Miss Kim

Miss Kim is back at Wee Care!!! Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

Although I did not hear "Miss Tim is back, Miss Tim is back" as I entered Wee Care this morning I did hear something as I passed a classroom... from my adoring fans... "I just saw Miss Kim... really... yes... she just walked by"... I know the teachers just love how I walk past their rooms and their nice calm students suddenly start bouncing and talking loudly... sorry teachers!

I started with my boys and welcomed two new additions... yeah! They really seemed to enjoy themselves but I think that my experienced boys had just as much fun showing them what to do and how to do it. I loved the cowboy boots on two of my little boys. Today we Bopped Until We Dropped, went on a treasure hunt dressed up like Pirates, practiced our jumping jacks, push-ups, burpees (cheeseburger French fry), and even stretched our legs with Miss Puffy. These boys do not get tired and I love that. I tried really hard to make them tired but they wanted to do it again and again (Jump Up from Imagination Movers). We popped bubbles on the parachute seeing just how high we could jump. The boys always let me know that they can jump higher than I can!

My girls were so much fun. We had two new students to join in and they did a great job. Smiles are so contagious and both of those girls had smiles for days. We reviewed almost all of our tap steps that we learned to date as well as teach the new girls what we know. We rode the bus through the town and spun every time the light turned red. We learned about our hamstrings and how to stretch them. We played a fun game with our friends to help us become more flexible. Ballet time was next and we calmed down and lowered our voices. We practiced our positions and steps. I am so proud that this group knows their terminology so well.....they never forget! We danced with Miss Puffy and stretched our legs even more. Daddy Duck called and we had to go fishing. We played parachute to end our day complete with their favorite bear that gets to be thrown up in the air over and over. Great job today young ladies!

It was great being back at Wee Care today. I enjoyed hearing what the children got for Christmas. My favorite things I can remember were Spiderman, cars and a car carpet, and a Barbie Nutcracker movie. Thank you parents for allowing me to be a part of your children's day and thanks to Miss Rolanda for having me at Wee Care!

Love,
Miss Kim

Miss Kim Is Back!!! (First Pres CDC Session III Begins!) Click Photo for Photo Gallery.

Miss Kim Is Back!!!This is what I heard as I entered the doors at First Presbyterian CDC this morning....except it really was "Miss Tim is back, Miss Tim is back"... music to my ears.

I gathered my older girls up and reminded them of our rules as we headed up the stairs. They seem so much older to me even though it has only been a couple of weeks. I looked at a couple of them and remembered last year at this very moment when I first started teaching them and thought how quickly time has past and how lucky I have been to be a part of their time here at First Pres. We reviewed our steps and made corrections to our sounds. We worked on ball changes by babysitting baby Annabelle. We talked about our hamstrings and how we need to work hard to stretch them. We did an exercise where they had to reach out and touch their friend... oh the grimaces that came with that...I hope that I captured some of those looks in the pictures. I told the girls to help Mommy and Daddy stretch their hamstrings too.

I combined my older and younger boys just for this week only. Hopefully I will have a couple younger boys sign up so they can have a class all to their own. We went on a bear hunt today (after ten requests at least). We sailed away in a pirate ship, dug up a treasure and then we were chased by other pirates! We worked on our burpees (squat thrusts), jumping jacks, and push-ups. We did those over and over to Jump Up by the Imagination Movers....hint hint to parents....put that song on and watch what they do! Miss Puffy flew in and we stretched our legs after all that work. Daddy Duck called and we listened so well to the instructions of the game. We ended our class with the wonderful parachute.

My little girls were last and we had two new girls! Yeah! I was so proud of them both. I was especially proud of one of the new little girls since she had tried my class before and it ended in tears. She was just amazing today... wow... what a year will do when a little one is just not quite ready... never give up! We reviewed our steps by going on a picnic and digging holes in the garden. We rode on the bus that likes to spin when there is a red light. We Bopped Until We dropped and danced to Miss Puffy. We worked on first position and plie'... "Miss Kim always says...no ugly bottoms"... they wanted me to say this over and over! We finished with the parachute and played in our tent underneath!

Today was a great day full of smiles and laughter. I asked everyone about Christmas and what their favorite gifts were. Some of my favorite were a Shaving Set, a BIG candy cane, an Ariel doll that her hair changes colors when you put her in the bathtub, a truck that dances, and an IPOD Touch! It was so great to be back.

Love,
Miss Kim