"Follow the North Star" Recital

Allison has once again spent the year in ballet lessons. Her recital was last night and it was wonderful. I can't being to say how much I think of the women how run Light of the World Ballet School and company. They are amazing and inspired and really do bring the Light of Christ to the people and places they visit.

Last night's recital was a story ballet based on Harriet's Tubman's operation of the Underground Railroad. Allison's Ballet 1 class portrayed water and danced to "Wade in the Water." I got about half of their dance on video before the camera battery died... I feel lucky that the dying battery didn't corrupt the file! Allison is the one on the far left of the video that runs on last just as it starts. She's also the littlest. :)

AND, I got lots of photos too. I tried to balance getting photos with actually watching her dance with my own eyes, not the camera lens. :)

 coloring in the dressing room. She was excited for this... :)

And now with her friends.

 Allison's class with her teacher, Miss Alyssa

I was so proud of Allison last night. For the first time, she was nervous about going on stage this year. We talked about her feeling and how it was okay to be a little nervous. We talked about how she loved dancing and that I knew she would do the best job she could. I could tell from the smile on her face that she got over her nerves and really enjoyed preforming.

 Nervous...

 Opening number

I really love watching that little girl dance. It brings me so much joy. And I am so glad for the special moments we got to have together last night talking about her nerves and her love of dance, and my love of seeing her dance. It was a really special night for our relationship, I think.

 "God's gonna trouble the water!"

 

I love this photo. Look at that great 1st position... and her arms look beautiful. And that SMILE!

 

 

Running off stage. I'm pretty sure that her class lost track of where they were in the dance (it was very forgiving music, and they could be completely lost in the choreography and still look like they knew what they were doing)  and has to be encouraged off stage by the company member in the photo here.

 Closing number, "We Are (the Light of the World)"

 So proud of our little girl. :)

Happy girl. Feeling good about her performance and SO happy to be given flowers. :)

Carter's Preschool Program

Three kids seems to have me far too busy to blog. But since use the blog to justify being terrible at journal keeping, I must blog.

Carter has finished his first year of preschool. He mostly loved it, except for the couple of days this spring when I literally had to carry him in kicking and screaming (I wish I were exaggerating!). He learned a lot: he knows his colors and shapes, and can count all the way to 39, as long at you don't care about 15 (he misses 15 every single time!). His speech is also coming along. I think he can properly say and "L" every time without thinking about it now. If only his "th" would come. :) He knows his letters and most of his letter sounds and is interested in starting to sound out words. I suppose it time to start helping him learn to read... how did we do that with Allison again?

At the beginning of May, Carter's class put on a short program of their favorite songs from the school year. This happened to be one of the days that he was determined not to go to school, telling me that he hated school and programs and he didn't want to be up on stage and see all those people smiling at him. And he didn't want any of his classmates smiling at him either (apparently being smiled at is something Carter takes major offense to). I pulled out my big parenting guns and told him that if he got happy and did the program happily so that I could take great pictures, we'd go to Target and get a small Lego set for him. Bribery makes the world go round...

You'll have to pardon any photo-quality issues: I was wrestling Lindsey, who wanted nothing more than to get up on stage with Carter, while trying to take photos.

So, just a few pictures to remember it by. :)

 Skidda-ma-rinka dinky-dink, skidda-ma-rinka doo... 

 I love... 

 YOU!

The BEST part was when the kids came out for the ending wearing star sunglasses and sporting poster-board guitars. They sang along to parts of the story "Pete the Cat: I Like My White Shoes" on CD. It was awesome, and I'm buying Pete the Cat books on Allison's next book order! :) So adorable. 

 

Carter gave being in the program a big thumbs up. And he thoroughly enjoyed buying his Lego set too... 

FOUR!

Our favorite little boy turned 4 a few weeks ago.

He's all boy with a love of hot wheels, construction, ninja turtles and legos.

I made him a carved cake to look like a road. It had Swiss meringue buttercream... and I didn't have any. :)

He got lots of Hot Wheels for his birthday, and tracks!

They were a hit all around. :) Happy birthday, buddy!

Impromptu Dance Party

A few things to note:

Yes, my house it messy. Yes, my kids are wearing their pajamas (and I'm in yoga pants). Yes, that terrible cough is Allison (she has the flu, hence the messy house and kids in pjs). And yes, that funny little fast stomping action is Lindsey's interpretation of "dance."

I really love this video. :)

Rochester

Out here, Rochester is kind of the place to be. Better restaurants, awesome kids museums, close to the temple... all sorts of good things!

Over Christmas break (yes, I'm still trying to catch up!) we took the kids for a little 2 day trip to Rochester. We hit up the Science Museum and the Museum of Play. It was two kid-focused days and helped break up the winter break. But next time, I'd like to take after my friend Estelle and run away to a craft/home dec store while Brian does the museum with the kids... we'll see how that goes over.

Warning: Picture overload ahead. Hope you think my kids are cute... cause I took SO many pictures. 

 Digging for Mastadon bones...

 Allison got to be a special helper in an electricity demonstration, because she was wearing light-up shoes. She thought that was pretty fun... :) 

 Carter with a Devonion era fish fossile replication... I know I used to know the name of this creature back before my children stole all my knowledge.

 Lindsey enjoyed it too... she was trying to do what the big kids had done. 

 Daddy explaining how the solar cars worked

 Carter digging up dino bones. I LOVE this picture. 

Oh no!

 T-rex! Run!!!

 Roar!

 Lindsey loved the reading pit.

 

Climbing the obstacle course

 

 Racing at the Museum of Play

 Making constellations at the Dora Exhibit

 Lindsey like "planting flowers"

 And digging in "rocks"

 Carter planted flowers too.

 Allison made a magic wand

and used the spotting scope.

 Carter's king of the world.

 and a shopping master at the mini Wegmans.

 Mmm... fake food...

 First sliding experience. She loved it!

 Carter did too. And he moved fast, which is why the photo's blurry. 

 Cutest taxi driver ever.

And otherwise, I promise we're not dead over here. Just busy. I swear I've barely had a minute to stop and think for the last few months. And its all my own doing... just call me queen of self-inflicted over-commitment.