Dance Recital 2012

Our dancers had their dance recital this past Sunday and they performed their little hearts out!  It takes such inner strength to stand up on stage in front of a thousand strangers, complete with the lights, props, costumes, hair and make-up.  They have practiced every week and were very excited for this day.  I know that at certain points throughout the year, when I am very tired driving them all over the place for their activities, I always wonder if it is worth it...if they are really getting anything out of it, what benefit will come from the weekly class, will they have any fun with it?  Looking at these pictures, I don't know how I ever thought about not driving them or supporting them in their activities.  Participating in a dance class, or any activity, is a part of their journey and will shape them into the ladies they are becoming.  I am so proud of them and what they have accomplished!  

Katelyn took a beginner hip-hop class, but it turned out to be a more advanced class than what we were expecting.  We were hoping that she would get some basic movements down, learn the beat and rhythm of the music.  Her teacher was very advanced and Katelyn would often get frustrated at the speed at which her teacher would move, especially considering most of these kids were beginners.  But she stuck it out, stayed in the class and smiled throughout the show.  I am so proud that she believed in herself and knew she could do it.  The recital's theme was Monopoly and Katelyn's dance was "Money".



  



Vanessa took a hip-hop acro class.  She loved it, as it combines her two favorite activities - dancing and gymnastics, but she was actually too advanced for it.  She needed something a bit more challenging, which is part of the reason why we'll be switching studios this Fall.  Her dance was "B&O Railroad".

It's Summer!

Summer is here!  I love summer because it gives us the opportunity to be outdoors, enjoy our beautiful Earth that God has created for us, spend time together as a family, try new things and go on adventures. 

The girls' last day of school, a few weeks back, were filled with mixed emotions.  I love their school, the staff, and the way they teach to the entire child.  However, come mid-May, I'm ready, as much as the girls are, for a break.  Thank goodness for summer!  We always make a list of activities and/or adventures that we'd like to try to accomplish over the summer.  We don't always get everything crossed off the list, but we have fun trying. 

Last day of Second Grade

Last day of Kindergarten

We recently took in our first game of the season.  The girls love attending and getting into the spirit of it, dressing in the team's colors, wearing their team's gear, and cheering/screaming loud when the stadium goes crazy.

All three girls have been taking swimming lessons daily too.  Both Katelyn and Vanessa already know how to swim, but it is not always pretty, so I was looking for them to get some stroke refinement and breathing techniques.  Paige thinks she can swim, but her brain hasn't told her body that she isn't water safe yet.  But at the rate that she is learning the skills, she'll be swimming on her on within the next year.

We visited some sea life at the Academy during our visit with Uncle Barry and Hannah.  I hear so often from others that Paige is no longer considered a baby or a toddler given that she is now (as of just a few weeks back) three years old (so why is she using a sippy, having toddler snacks, so very curious about the world...the likes of comments I am told!!).  However, look at her cute fingers and how can you not call those the fingers of a toddler?   

Check off of our Summer To-Do List...Visit the beach...

She's as happy as a clam living in the waters behind her!

She REALLY wanted to go run, roll, and play in the sand, but I made her stop and pose for this picture.  That must have been the longest 2 1/2 seconds of her life!  Just look at all of those grains of sand and gallons of water calling her name to come play with.

Ever wonder what they're thinking?

First they were just running away from the waves....

Then it became fun to stand in the deeper part of the wave without actually getting taken down by the wave.  No, we didn't go home dry. 

Summer is a time when many of our friends are in camps week and week.  Camps are a wonderful way to keep your kids busy, as well as to expose them to new things.  However, historically, we may do one or two camps, but then take the rest of the summer as unstructured and unplanned time.  It allows the girls time to just be kids.  We may stay home, hang out at The Lake, and go on picnics or on other fun day adventures.  I have never forced them to take a camp.  We talk about it, but ultimately it is up to them. I don't want to burn them out at such a young age in something that they really don't have any interest in.  This year, both girls participated in Vacation Bible Camp (at our Church) right after school was dismissed, but I don't have any really good photos during that time.  It's a lot of fun, like one big play-date every day, and the girls enjoy it tremendously.  

Last week, Katelyn participated in a soccer camp and Vanessa in a dance camp.  Katelyn had a wonderful time and made some good connections with her coaches.  She said she learned some new skills and refined some she already knew.  She made a strong bond with one of her coaches, which made attending every day fun and exciting for her. 

While Katelyn was on the soccer field, Vanessa was in the dance studio learning all kinds of crazy dance moves.  This was at a new studio for us and, so far, we are really impressed with it - the staff/instructors, the dances that they can teach the kids in just a few days, and the excitement for dance that they recognized within Vanessa and gave her an opportunity to express it.  I loved watching her passion develop over the week...this is a kid who sings, dances and does gymnastic moves from the moment she wakes up until five minutes after she is in bed for the night!

All the dancers in this dance, Kids, had some kind of kid-related prop, hence Vanessa's attached teddy bear.

And it's only June...we have so many wonderful adventures awaiting us in the coming summer days!

Two Peas in a Pod

I went into Vanessa and Paige's room the other morning to wake Vanessa up for school and found two of my precious princesses sound asleep.  Since we are in our temporary home, Vanessa and Paige share a room and, in fact, share a double bed.  They will be sharing a room in our new house, so had no issues with sharing a bed here.  And since they usually like to sleep touching someone else, holding my hand, snuggling with Mommy or Daddy, it made sense to have them share a bed.  For Katelyn, this situation would have NEVER worked.  Katelyn is a very light sleeper and, as it is now, takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r to fall asleep.  I could only imagine how long her falling asleep process would take if she had to share a bed for several months.  I'm hoping that when she finds a husband that she will have adjusted to having someone sleep next to her! 

So, here is what I found the other morning...

Attached at the hip, even in their sleep

Notice the empty pillow and entire other half of the bed?

Now Vanessa knows how it feels on most mornings when I wake up to discover Paige had made her way into my bed at night.

Every girl needs to feel pretty!

A few pictures of the girls getting ready for Katelyn's First Communion.  You're never to young to visit the nail salon!

Sitting so still!

Aren't those some of the cutest piggies you've ever seen!

Enjoying the entire experience.

I think she could get use to this!

The tickle-y part.  She went with a grape purple color - very pretty.

Imagine that...hot pink was her color of choice.

Mother's Tea

Friday afternoon was Vanessa's Mother's Tea in her class.  All of the moms were invited in for a little celebration in honor of moms.  It was a beautiful way to begin the weekend.  Vanessa wrote a little story for me, made a beautiful bracelets that I proudly wore all afternoon, and we shared a yummy treat.  It was really special spending some quality one-on-one time with her.  I'm amazed at Vanessa's growth this year and am having a hard time realizing that in just a few short weeks, she'll officially be a First grader. She has bloomed more and more with each passing day, has become more social with her peers, and has gained confidence that blows me away.

 

I recently read somewhere that as a mother, our days are long and busy, but the years go by fast.  So true!  Every day I say I cannot wait for bedtime to come because I'm just exhausted from the long day.  But then they all are asleep and the house is quiet (just like it is now!) and I realize that someday I'm going to miss these young years.  I know for some moms, they cannot wait for their children to grow up and move on.  But I'm really enjoying being a mom, love it's challenges, and cannot wait to spend each day with my kids.  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of days where I am just so "spent" that I cannot do anything but put everyone (including myself) in a timeout.  But it's usually in those moments, just after yelling at them to stop fighting and my throat starts to hurt from yelling over their screams, that I'm aware that this day too shall pass and tomorrow will be anew.  And before I know it, all three will be in school full time and then off to college and out on their own.  I cannot wait for them to develop into confident independent women and right now my days are incredible long and busy, but I wish I could slow them down just a little and enjoy these childhood days a little longer. 

Our Gymnast

Saturday evening was Vanessa’s big gymnastics performance. This annual show is very much like a professional competition, yet geared for younger recreational gymnasts.  Vanessa is our gymnast. And she’s good. And more importantly, she LOVES it. She is incredible strong and extremely flexible. All of those trips to the ER for her dislocated elbow seem to have foreshadowed how easily her bones can move and bend to where she needs them to go years later in gymnastics. 

Her favorite event is the floor, where she can show off her amazing bridge. When I hear “bridge”, I think of the kind over a river. Well, Vanessa’s bridges are so high and strong that a river could very well flow right under her!

Each gymnast completes on the vault, the bars, the beam and the floor.  They receive scores in each area and then an overall medal.  Every child goes away with ribbons and a medal, so it is a very encouraging and uplifting event for the children.  The children are not really competing against each other, but against themselves and their personal best.  This event is very special because it allows Vanessa to shine.  She gets very focused during her routine, but truly is enjoying each moment. 

Easter 2012

Happy Easter!

What a beautiful morning it is! The sun is shinning bright and the sky is crystal blue.

During breakfast this morning, we were discussing the meaning of Easter and why it is an important day for us. We reflected that Jesus died for us, making the ultimate sacrifice. We celebrate His Resurrection and eternal life. This day symbolizes new life, the beginning of something new. And given that we've been sick for many days, I'm looking forward to starting over this week, to some healthy bodies, to feeling new again.

Even with stuffy noses, deep hard coughs, and sore throats, we managed to get some smiles while coloring eggs.

A colorful collection of masterpieces

Under the weather

This is the beautiful collection of drugs that currently live on my kitchen counter. Yes, I have been a drug-giving Mommy, something that I usually don't do. We are sick. Or as Bill keeps telling me, it's a mental game and that we need to tell ourselves that we were sick and are getting better...but that comes easy from the ONLY person in the household who has not been hit with something. This has not been a fun week, to put it nicely. I'm hoping that with tomorrow, being Sunday and the beginning of the next week, that we'll be on the mend.

The flu knocked me out for a few days and now leaves me with a throat so raw and sore, and little energy to move from the couch. Bronchitis took over Katelyn's chest, Vanessa is fighting a good strong cold and an ear infection, and Paige has been battling a sinus infection. Apparently, we all have weak spots in our bodies and each of us got attacked in those spots.

Today we ventured outside for the first time in days, taking a little stroll outside. The girls had a good time in the sun and enjoyed taking in the fresh air. I'm hoping that tomorrow, being Easter, brings wellness and energy to my family.

Beautiful afternoon

We spent yesterday afternoon playing in the backyard. It was a beautiful day - the sun was shinning bright and there was a cool breeze. If I didn't know that it was only February, I would have thought it was the middle of Spring. Apparently, the flowers think it's Spring too.

Getting over guilt

I was visiting one of my dearest friends a few months ago and she told me to just start writing…write about our visit, or anything to just get over the fact that I’ve completely ignored this part of my life for so long. That was in September 2011. It is now February 2012. But here I am, writing, finally! Where I have been and what have we been doing for the last two years? So many
questions and probably not enough answers.

I was recently digging around on my computer and came across the post below that never actually was posted. I could say I have no idea why I never posted, but that would just be more excuses and I really don’t like excuses. Here's what I had the best intentions of posting back in September 2010...

Well how about that?
I blink and time passes…and I’m not talking about a few seconds, but like months and months. We are all still here and growing and changing as quickly as possible. So fast, that I seem to have very little time lately to write down memories, which just makes me feel soooo guilty. But either I’m going to sit here and have a glass of wine and wallow in my self-induced guilt, or I’m going to start typing again.

So here I go, again…

With drink in hand… Oh, speaking of wine, I’ve discovered a new tasty beverage that Bill and I have been enjoying lately. It’s a spin-off of a drink I had at a restaurant recently – light and refreshing, not too strong on the alcohol nor too heavy to drink. You mix Elderflower
liquor, club soda and lemon Italian soda. If you want it a bit sweeter, add champagne. It’s yummy!

Sorry, back to where I was headed…oh yah…and no guilt…We spent the majority of the summer at the lake, which is always such a blessing. The girls can run all day long and get filthy dirty and have the best time doing so. We rode horses, went on long bike rides, paddled kayaks and paddle-boats, went for walks, hung out at the beach, played miniature golf, had picnics, ate ice cream (a lot!), made s’mores over the new outdoor fire-pit, camped in the backyard, made ice cream, went out on the lake, visited with family, went up the gondola, and took the trolley on outings. I’m sure there are more things I’ve forgotten, as each day was extremely busy and full of adventures.

Paige:
She is now 15 months old and has 7 teeth. Her eighth is just starting to break through, so that’s been fun! She took her first few “real” steps at our friend’s Rusty and Jen’s going away party in mid-July and she’s been nonstop since then. She loves to try to keep up with her sisters and actually does a pretty good job at it. Paige is a happy girl and loves her baths, playing, snuggling, dancing, and “driving” her car (including pushing the horn, a.k.a. the beep-beep). She
communicates very well and has a few words – Mama, Dada, dog, book, ball, milk, done, more, no, shoe, hat, up…of course, all are pronounced in her dialect but understandable nonetheless. She understands conversations and is able to follow directions. Her hair is blonde-blonde and curly in the back…both things that the other girls never had.

Vanessa:
At four and a half years old, my dresses-only-wearing girl, is full of energy and spunk, yet has a real compassionate and nurturing side. All day long, she goes and goes and goes, until her head hits the pillow and then literately, she is asleep in about 30 seconds. She is a busy girl,
attending gymnastic and ballet classes and is in a pre-K class every afternoon. Attending school every day is a new experience for her and one that I wasn’t so sure of. But she is a child who needs consistency and repetition, as well as socialization with peers her own age. It’s only been a week and so far she seems to be handling it alright….tired, but always ready for the next day. A few weeks ago, she swam across the swimming pool all by herself, which was just awesome to watch. She took lessons at the beginning of the summer, but then we headed to the lake so didn’t get much pool time after that. But since being back, she seems to have picked up right where she left off in her lessons and really enjoys swimming. Vanessa has a very soft side to her, one that most people probably don’t notice too often. When someone gets hurt, she is the first person to run and get the ice pack or a band-aid or if needed, an adult. To Vanessa, a band-aid makes everything better, so I’ve started purchasing band-aids at Costco in the jumbo pack and
learning to let go of, what seems to me, the wastefulness use of them.

Katelyn:
My first grader! At six and a half, she is becoming a girl. I took the girls shopping the other day for a few new fall outfits. Usually, I purchase online or when I’m out by myself, but I needed to go to the mall, so decided that I would just take the girls with me and let them pick a few
outfits out themselves. It brought a smile to my face as I watched Katelyn choose her outfits carefully and thoughtfully, picking items that were no longer “little girl” looking, yet
still very much age-appropriate. She loves horses and is getting very good at soccer. This is her first year on an U8 team, which brings a larger playing field, more rules to follow, goalies, positions to play, and referees. I am the coach of her team and that has brought a new experience for all of us. I was able to recruit Coach Papa, which was a blessing and when Bill is able, he helps at practices too. She recently figured out that she was able to tell time, so I guess that means no more little white lies about “only five more minutes” and then leave in two. At
least she’ll keep me honest. Katelyn is social and has lots of friends at school, playing with girls and boys. She loves her teacher and really is thriving – in all ways possible.

Bill is amazing in his position for work and seems to really be enjoying it. Assisting with
Katelyn’s soccer practices has brought back a lot of fond memories for him. He was, and still is an exceptional soccer player, so I think is eager to pass on those skills to his own children. The old soccer cleats that have been sitting in the garage for years got pulled out the other day and wash clean. He is an amazing father and watching him one-on-one with each of his daughters is rather special. His relationship with each of them is very different, and rightfully so. With Katelyn, they’ll lie in bed and read together and he is always teaching her new things,
as she is so inquisitive. With Vanessa, she calls him her snugly, as she’ll climb into out bed and snuggles up to him and you know he just loves it (even if it isn’t always the best night’s
sleep). With Paige, she just makes him smile and melts his heart.

I’m super busy with the girls and all of their activities, as well as my own volunteer work at the girls’ schools and my work on the Board of Directors that I’ve been serving on for several years now. Recently, it occurred to me that the girls’ childhood years are so few – from age 0-10 is only 10 years. They have years and years of being an adult. Since their childhood years are so few and go by very quickly, I better make the most of them and cherish every day. Perhaps that is why I enjoy being a mom so much and giving to my family as much as I give. I want each day to be full of memories and adventures for all of us. It is always something I’m working on and by no means am I even close to having it all together, but I strive to happiness.

Speaking of memories, last weekend the girls were swimming and asked for an ice cream.
Feeling generous at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon, I brought one out to them, knowing that their dinner appetites wouldn’t be very big. We joked that they were having dessert before
dinner and that led into the thought of having a “backwards” night. And that is exactly what we did. After swimming and eating dessert, we took baths and put our pajamas on backwards, and then ate dinner complete with the table set backwards and then said grace at the end of the meal. It was a completely spontaneous evening, but one that was extremely funny and entertaining.

Fall is quickly approaching us – the evenings are getting darker earlier, the leaves are already starting to turn, and the weather is cooling off. The girls already have their Halloween costumes picked out and have started working on their Christmas wish-lists. The days are passing so quickly, that I need to go find some toothpicks to hold my eyes wide open so that I don’t blink as often…then perhaps I can keep current on recording our memories and adventures on this amazing journey.

Apparently, I have two budding fashionestas

I was helping Vanessa with her hair this morning and asked her if she wanted to wear one of her favorite headbands - an adorable pink and blue plaid around-the-head kind with a bow on top. She looked at me and proceed to tell me, "Mom, that is plaid!"

"Ya, so? It is cute and the pink matches your outfit"

"But I am not wearing any plaid. It doesn't match."

"But you have solid pink leggings and a white and pink shirt on. How does it not match?"

"But I don't have any plaid on!"

"Where did you learn about plaid?"

"Katelyn."

Thankfully she only has two

A recent conversation I had with Vanessa as we were running late for an appointment...

Me: "Come on...hurry it up!"

Vanessa: "I am...I only have two legs!"

A budding photographer

I was downloading some pictures and noticed a few additional photos taken by a young photographer in my home - Vanessa. These photos are hilarious! They capture what is important to her - some of her favorite toys, her laptop, the mouse to the laptop, her dolls, and her sister. In all, there were 38! Thank goodness it was digital, otherwise she would have wanted me to change out the film roll for a new one. Seeing the pictures caught me by surprise, but gave me a good laugh, especially since so many of them were taken at crazy angles angles like this one...

Summing up Daddy’s existence

Apparently, we shouldn't have verbal conversations in front of our three year old. Maybe we’ll have to resort to communicating through text messages or IM only, or perhaps just S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G T-H-I-N-G-S O-U-T.

Me: “Do you have any money?”

Bill: “Sure. Here’s what I have, you can take it all.”


Me: “Oh, I don’t need it all, you can have some.”

Bill: “It’s OK, I don’t need any money.”

Vanessa: “Yeah Daddy, you can work for more money so Mommy can take it and spend it.”

Full of engery she is

And determination and intensity she is too. On top of that, she is quite a funny girl. This summer, she enjoyed her time at the Lake, playing outside as often as possible, swinging as often as possible, and eating as many popsicles as possible. It was awesome to see her use her imagination out on the fort and playing with Katelyn so well…well, not all of the time, but after all, they are sisters. Anytime she could get into the water, she would, regardless if she was fully-clothed. Vanessa’s first horse-riding was not as comfortable for her as it was for her sister. She was so sure of herself at home that she would ride the horse. But once we got to the stables, it was a different story. But at least she sat on one, which of course we made a BIG deal about.

Her painted nails lasted, oh, about 5 minutes. On the way home, she peeled off the paint on her thumb because she felt she couldn’t suck her thumb with paint on it. And of course, that led into peeling off the paint on the other fingers too over the next few days. Funny thing is…when we paint them at home, she doesn’t peel off the paint. But she did from the nail spa. So sad, becuase it really was a cute flower design.

Vanessa’s new love of her life is her dance class. She would go daily if I would let her. She has been waiting to take ballet forever, if you ask her, but I told her she had to wait until she was three. As soon as we get home from school, she puts on her leotard and wears it for the next several hours. Needless to say, it is so not clean by the time we head off to dance, but there is no way I am changing her into a clean leotard because in our house, the laundry breeds on its own so we don’t need to help it along.

And speaking of school…she has finally opened her wings and landed as the beautiful butterfly that she is. She is comfortable within the classroom and with her teachers, loves to do art and play on the playground, and is learning how to use her words. Of course there are many days where she is hesitant about going and asks for me to stay in the classroom or clings to me outside the door, but as soon as she engages in a job, she has relaxed and is ready for the day.