Time to Dance!

Today was the "Variety Show" and it was such a beautiful day for it too!  We had to be there by 12:30.  Since church got out around 11:15, Pete picked up lunch for us and dropped me and the girls off at the high school, so we wouldn't have to rush around at home and drive back separately.



We sat outside the school and ate our lunch and the weather was just perfect!  I could've sat outside all day with my girls. :-)

They were anxious to get inside, though, so we went in about a half hour later, so we could get ready.  Had to take the recital picture on the stairs outside the school like I always do.  Granted, I usually have to say something to the effect of "Stand next to each other and act like you like each other!", so that all the pictures I take, I can look back on and think, "Boy, they were such happy sisters back then.".  ;-)

When we got there, we were still so early, that I had time to get them both dressed and in make-up and hair before anyone else showed up.  The bottom floor of the school is where they usually have most of the classrooms for the kids to get ready in, but that area is all under construction, so Madie was on the 2nd floor and Livie was in the basement, so there was a lot of stairs to climb.  I kept them together as long as possible, so I didn't have to make so many trips!  Don't they look cute in their get-up?

Madie's room was right outside the door for the balcony and with general admission tickets this year, we decided to sit up there.  It was kind of nice having her right across the hall.  After she finished, she came right to our seats, without me having to go get her.  She was getting ready to line up as Pete and Noah came in.  She was pretty excited!

This is the third picture I took of Pete and Noah, because it took 3 shots to get one of Noah looking up from his DS and actually smile at me.  The first one I couldn't get him to stop playing his game.  The second one he was frowning in.  I thought he would actually enjoy the show, because he didn't have to sit through all the tech and dress rehearsals like in years past, but I was wrong.  He kept complaining about how boring it was and kept asking if it was "halftime" yet.  I think he's becoming more and more like Pete every day! ;-)  He just resorted to playing his DS through the entire second Act.  I was just happy it kept him occupied and quiet.

Here is Madie in all her glory!  She's on the far right, second from the back.  She did a great job!

Livie did a great job too!  She was fourth from the left.  So proud of my girls!!

What's That Growing in my Yard?

I was outside one day with Tater and I saw these tiny little things growing in a bare spot in our grass.  Last year we had this GARGANTUAN tomato plants growing in our garden.  Two tomato plants had turned into 2 of the biggest plants I've ever seen.  They got taller than the kids and got so heavy, they ended up falling over and laying in our yard.  Thus, the bare spot, where it killed all of our grass in that area.  

Upon closer inspection of the little "weeds" growing in that patch, I discovered that they were tomato plants growing!  I've never seen this happen before, but I guess a tomato off the plant from last year left some seeds and new plants started growing from it this year.

In fact, I realized it wasn't just one plants, it was three!  How fun is that?!  So, I told Pete he wasn't allowed to mow it (he did at least once before I figured it out) and they have grown and grown and already have flowers on them.  I wanted to let them grow in the yard, but Pete wanted to move them before they "killed the rest of his grass", as he put it.  So, after I took this picture, he moved them back into our flower beds.  I love that our amazing plant from last year is continuing to yield more fruit for us this year.  Can't wait to see how these grow for us!

Variety Show Practice

Our dance experience began back in 2005 when Madie was just 4 years old.  Since we began, we have had recitals every other year with a year break in between.  This year they decided to have them perform on an off-year on the stage in what they are calling a "Variety Show".  It's basically a toned-down version of the recital.  Instead of costumes that cost hundreds of dollars, special hairstyles, and 3-day performances, they're wearing clothes from their own closets, wearing their hair in ponies, and only doing one performance on Sunday afternoon.  It's a real treat, because we get to see what they've worked on without all the craziness that comes with recital weekends.

Today was our dress rehearsal/practice.  Usually during recital, they have a Saturday devoted to practice on the stage.  This usually lasts all day, depending on how many performances your kids are in.  Then you have dress rehearsal, which usually lasts 2 weeknights, one for Act 1 and one for Act 2.  Because of it being a singular performance and a slightly less serious production, we got to knock it all out today by noon.  Yay!  Livie's group had to wear Easter dresses.  It was hard for me to choose which dress, because she has so many cute ones!  But, this is the one that Livie wanted to wear.  Her Nana T got it for her and she loves it.  Gotta say, she picked a good one!  She looks adorable.

It was cute seeing her sit with all her dancemates in their beautiful dresses.  Tomorrow they will shine even more when they have their make-up and hair all done.  And, since Livie LOVES wearing make-up, she is always sooo excited about that part! :-)

I never get to see what they are working on, because their practices during the school year are closed, so it was fun to see Madie practice today.  I got a few pictures of them while they were putting their marks down.

It's hard to get close-up shots when she's on stage, so I apologize that they are blurry, but I know that these pictures of them practicing are probably the only good pictures I'll get of them doing their performances, because it goes so quickly when they are actually doing their routine. 

Madie's first performance was when she was only 5, so it's been so fun to see how her skills improve each year.  She's really got some moves and this number is particularly sassy!! :-)

Even Livie has improved in the 3 years since she started taking dance.  I noticed how much more she's learned!  This is her first tap number on stage and she LOVES tap, so she was very excited!

They get to use real cell phones in their performance and she sings while on the phone.  She did a great job and they all looked so cute up there.  Can't wait to see it all happen tomorrow! 

Thirteen Years

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary.  Thirteen years ago, we moved from seeing each other every other weekend and making numerous phone calls in between those visits, to being together for the rest of our lives and I haven't regretted a day of it.  I remember being excited that morning, but as the moment got closer, I got so stinkin' nervous!  I knew I wanted to spend my life with him, but, like I said, we had never spent more than a week at most together at one time for 5 yrs.  Now we were going to live together, move away to New York and leave our old lives behind.  Yep.  That kind of thing brings on the nerves!  But, once I was up there at the altar with him, all I could do was smile.  We had made it!  We made it through 5 1/2 long years of separation.  We made it through my battle with depression.  We finally were standing in front of our friends and family and God to announce that we were ready to begin our lives together for better or for worse, 'til death.  It's been a journey so far.  But, I have the best helpmate, the best dad, the best caregiver anyone could ask for.  Does he drive me crazy sometimes?  Of course.  I know for a fact I drive HIM crazy!  But, we love each other through it all and I have never doubted his love for me... ever.  It's been a wonderful marriage and, to me, that was way more important than the wedding itself.

Here is a picture of us just a few short months after we were married.  This was late '99 and we had been living in NY for a little while.  Dad had come out to visit or something and we took him to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  We look so young here.  I didn't have all the grey hairs I have now or the three-kids-later body.  We were just starting out.

And, here is a picture of us now.  My beautiful family.  This is the joy that comes from 13 yrs of being married to one of the best.  I couldn't be happier and I am so thankful that God brought us together on that hot day in May back in the spring of 1999.  Love you, Pete!

Special Days

This weekend I really wanted to have some special time with our kids.  I decided to use my last paycheck of the year to take the girls out and do something fun with Noah, as well as spend time together as a family.  Almost like a celebration that school is out for the summer. :-)

On Saturday afternoon, I took the girls out to a cute little place in town called C230.  It's a tapas restaurant, so a little fancier than what they are usually used to.  They loved it!  Sadly, Madie started feeling sick shortly after she started eating.  I think the heat got to her.  They insisted we sit outside and with it being nearly 90, it just got to be too much for them.  So, she ended up going home after our lunch and didn't get to continue our adventure.  She'll get to go next week and do that instead.

Our afternoon of all getting girl pedis together, turned into just a me and Livie time, but boy did we enjoy it!  I haven't had a pedi in YEARS and the only one I ever had wasn't all that great.  This one was heaven!  Livie got her first pedi too and, as you can tell from her face, loved it just as much as I did.

Now, our plans that evening was to watch "Capt America", since the kids are so in love with "The Avengers", but our power went out just as the kids had gotten settled with their popcorn and the DVD was in the player. 

*Note - the power has gone out 3 times since Sat morning.  We'll see if the trend continues today!*

So, with no movie to watch, we had a very sad family... except for Livie who still was eating the popcorn. ;-)  To make the end of our night a fun one anyway, we went on a bike ride, then came home and decided to play with some fireworks!

That was a great way to end our day 'o fun!  On Sunday, we did some shopping and ended up watching "Capt America" (after the power came back on... again!).  They loved it!  Tonight we're hoping to watch Thor.  We're backtracking our way through the Avengers.

The thing we bought yesterday was a new set of golf clubs for Noah.  That was to be HIS special present.  The girls got lunch and a pedi and Noah got clubs and left this morning to go golfing with his dad.  I can't tell you how excited he was.  Just hoping it ends up being a great day for him! 

Last Day Fun

Today was our last full day of school.  They go back on Tuesday just long enough to get their report cards.  Noah was lucky enough to get to do a walking field trip to the local city hall for his last afternoon in class!  Because they were having lunch, they said I could come and give him his insulin.  I stayed the whole time and it was a lot of fun!



We walked a few blocks down the canal trail, which I had never done before.  It was pretty cool.  We got to walk behind a bunch of houses, like I used to do when I was a kid.  My friends and I would always find hidden and out-of-the-way alleys to explore in Royal Center, so this was kind of reminiscent of that.  We even got to cross that really cool, old bridge in the background.  Noah left with his friends, so I walked and chatted with a little girl in his class, who recently did the St. Baldricks thing, like my nephew Trevor did.  She was such a sweet girl and fun to talk to. :-)

Across from our tiny little City Hall is a tiny, little park and that's where we had lunch.  Because I came right at noon when they were leaving, I was able to cook up some chicken fries to bring.  Let's just say that was met with lots of joy - and not just from Noah.  Sufficed to say, we did a little lunch sharing today. :-)

While we were waiting for the other classes to go through, the kids got to play.  Here's Noah getting ready to kick the kickball.  This is one of his favorite things to do during recess, so he tells me.  It was fun watching him play!

Then we got to go into the City Hall.  Like I said, it's little.  I've only been here a few times when we were fighting with the counsel to redo our road.  Not a lot of good memories here, but the kids had been learning about local government, so they really enjoyed it.

Their favorite part was visiting the ajoining police station.  They liked seeing the handcuffs and stuff.  I told Noah the only time he's ever allowed to see the police station is on field trips.  He should never find himself there under any other circumstances!! ;-)  It was a great way to end the year and I'm really glad I got to spend it with him.  On the way back, he walked the entire way with me, without leaving me behind for his friends.  That was really nice.  Glad he still likes having me around sometimes. :-)