How talented are we?

 
At breakfast the other day AnnaLisa asked me (again)if she could start taking lessons again. Just to give a bit of history, she took lessons about a year or so ago, but had difficulty with daily practice and thought she was doing better than her skill was (she wanted to pass of songs very quickly, without mastering them). So we decided she was a little too young and waited. We had already discussed this a few times this spring/summer and felt like we would try it again this fall. So I jumped on the teaching moment, "Well, I don't know, you did not practice daily last time. Are you willing to do that this time?"

"Yes mom."

Ok, I tell her I will let her. Now Andrew jumps in, "Can I take lessons too?". I repeat the conversation about daily practice, etc. He agrees to that as well. I tell him I will check with the piano teacher to see. He tells me who it is that is "the" piano teacher (I actually have a few friends who teach piano, but since he picks the one AnnaLisa tried last time, and I was planning on using, then I agree with him.

Then AnnaLisa informs me that after she learns the piano, she wants to learn the violin. (OK, I think I am sort of cultured, and Jeff more so than I, but where is this kid getting these ideas? Then Andrew agrees (he has always loved the violin when played by someone who has great skill, but I hesitate to think how he would handle the screechy beginnings of learning violin). Then without missing a beat, he tells me and when I learn how to do that I will learn how to play organ so I can replace Brother Blake (the man at church who plays the organ). Right now I am calculating the cost of maintenancing piano, buying two violins, and then an organ. Then Andrew says, "Grandma and Grandpa Williams have an organ right?".

That is when I come up with the new stategy - send off Andrew to live with my parents and then I can afford lessons, instruments, etc for my other child.

Where did these kids come from?