fifteen years

 we celebrated chanda's fifteenth birthday today.

 korrina made her the most beautiful hat. do you recognize it? she also made one for herself just the other day. it's a pattern from the yarn store she works at.

 greg and i gave her another leotard. she has so many but never tires of acquiring a new one. of course this one is special . . it's a yumiko with cap sleeves and a scoop neck. she picked it out at our last visit in october, and wore it out the door today as she had a repeat performance of the folly piece she did for fashion week at the beginning of september (the one in madison square park).

 this time it was at manhattan movement and dance center on 59th street along with several other ballet schools from around the country, presented by kat wildish (who i believe is a former ballerina and now gives private coaching sessions and produces dance concerts). 

 i thought the piece looked really good (i love the music) and the dancers did well. another mom filmed it with her phone so i'm hoping to get a copy . . or a link to it on youtube, and then i'll put it up here.

 chanda received two comps so deychen and i went this evening (korrina was working and greg did a coop shift). 

 i like the hat!

 we stopped at whole foods, columbus circle, so i could get whole wheat pastry flour and flounder fillets for dinner. the holiday lights were up.

 back at home she sat at the computer exclaiming over all the ballerinas that are dancing in pieces she would like to see in the spring. she was supposed to be helping me get dinner on the table, but i didn't complain because i was just as thrilled about the upcoming performances. the biggest news is that misty copeland will be dancing romeo and juliet AND swan lake! we're hopeful that this means she will finally be made a principal dancer with abt. it's also quite an accomplishment because she is the first african american ballet dancer at abt to do these roles. i cannot wait to see her as juliet. other big news is that xiomara reyes, another favorite ballerina at abt, will be retiring from the company along with paloma herrera and julie kent. xiomara reyes will be dancing giselle for her final night. (sigh). we'd both like to see that too . . along with marianela nunez who is visiting from the royal ballet and dancing cinderella. there's just too much to see . .

 somehow dinner was finally ready. chanda had requested lentils with orzo and carmelized onions, a greek dish she found in a recent library book i had taken out (how did i get back to books about greece? we supposedly finished that topic. i don't even remember putting these books on hold. it must have been a very late night for me when i did so). we had it with a salad and fresh flounder.

 after dinner chanda finished up the lettering for her lesson title on old st. peter's basilica which is due tomorrow in her monday waldorf class.

 and practiced turning with a special turning gadget a ballet friend gave her today.

it's supposed to help you perfect your turns . . hmmm . . i think i'm a little dubious . .

 i cooked all day before going to the dance concert. i made the lentils and orzo, and an apple pie (and used our corer and peeler gadget for the first time - usually morgana or chanda peel and core the apples for me).

 i was pleased with how it came out . . i cooked it at 375 for 25 minutes with the edges covered, and then 25 more minutes with them uncovered.

oh, i also made sour dough bread today! i think it's been a year since i baked a sour dough loaf. that's much too long. i also made cookies for the class tomorrow as there will be a small celebration for chanda's birthday. i also had to prepare vegetables for the group lunch. i'll roast them in the morning before going out.

wow. that's a busy birthday. chanda and i also found time to start the fifth harry potter book, which is my and korrina's favorite. she has been exclaiming over all the character connections she's encountering (she keeps jumping out of her seat and going oohhhhhh!!! which is fine if it's the middle of the day . . but everyone was sleeping . . ) and now i better go to sleep myself. i am soooo tired. it's been a few late nights in a row for me . . and i'm starting to see double and feel a bit dizzy . .