November Winners!

Janice Houck (Jada Joy) & Jessica Carney (Laney) are the winners for November. This is the third in a series of drawings celebrating 20 years of Kindermusik at Berry College. Each month I will draw two names. The first person receives $20 Kindermusik credit and a small gift for their child. The second person can choose one item from an assortment of instruments, CD's, or books.

Enter weekly, one entry per child that attends a Kindermusik class. The drawings will continue through April 2010. Congratulations to our November winners!

Holiday Fun: Music Included

The holiday season provides many opportunities for enjoying music.  In Rome we have numerous activities for you to choose from.  I will list some here now, and again in a few weeks.

Oak Hill Symphony Holiday Concert is Tuesday, November 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ford Auditorium at Berry College.  The orchestra consist of middle school through college age, with many Kindermusik grads performing.  Admission is free.  The concert will last one hour.

Rome Christmas Parade is Tuesday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m. on Broad Street.  Our family has been attending this tradition for many years.  I have held children, strolled children and been very pregnant while watching the parade.  All the high school bands participate along with churches & businesses in town.  It's crowded, it can be cold, but it's a Rome event you should experience.

Oak Hill Candles & Carols takes place on Saturday, December 5th from 6 - 9 p.m. Admission is $5 per person and includes a photo with Santa Claus on the front porch of Oak Hill.  Carolers and the Roman Festival Brass will provide festive music on this evening.  

Oak Hill in Lights will be two consecutive Saturdays - December 12 & 19th.  $10 a carload.  

For more information on these events at Oak Hill go here.

While attending music events during the Christmas season can be fun, don't forget to make some music of your own.  Go caroling with your kids, even if it is just to a neighbors house. Grab the neighbors and make it a progressive caroling! Start your own tradition.

Laughter

I have heard it said that a preschooler laughs about 400 times a day, while an adult laughs an average of 10 times per day. Children are typically joyful beings, and I think we can learn from them. I happened across an article about the benefits of laughter and thought I would share them.

• Laughter relieves physical tension, leaving muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes.
• Laughter boosts the immune system, decreasing stress hormones and increasing immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies.
• Laughter releases endorphins, elevates your mood, and enhances communication.
• Laughter protects the heart, improving blood flow.

Kindermusik provides many opportunities for you to share a laugh with children, so make sure to sign up for next semester's classes. You can get information on that here