Sense-sational (Dance Recital 2011 - Part 1)

The Farm Girls

(Bianca, Katelyn & Sarah)

 Five Senses

(Julianne, Emily & Abby)

Julianne posing...

My girls...Katelyn and Julianne (in her Ice Cream outfit)

Sarah, Katelyn & Bianca

(after a great job dancing on the big stage)

Celebrating a great weekend of dance...

Dance, dance, dance!  The girls love dancing.  This was Julianne's fourth year of dance and Katelyn's first year.  It is hard to believe that 4 years ago Julianne was in just one dance.  This year she was in five dances!  Both girls did a wonderful job and their faces lit up when they were dancing on the stage.

I AM SO PROUD OF THEM!  

Brian also did a great job with his dance part.  He got to dance with Julianne in a father/daughter dance called "When I See an Elephant Fly" (these pictures will post later).  

My girls made me so proud this year in their dance classes and dances on stage.

Katelyn learned the basics of ballet and teaches me what she learns each week at class, including 1st position, 2nd, and so on.  When Katelyn can't remember she asks Julianne.  It is great that they are learning to work together even more.  They both have learned discipline, patience and listening.  I look forward to watching each one blossom thru dance as the years continue.  They will continue to point their toes, flex their hands and smile on stage.  Their smiles light up the stage and warm my heart.  Some days I don't know if I should smile or cry because I am so proud of Julianne and Katelyn!

Julianne...learning to correct

At school Julianne is learning about the proper way to correct writing papers.  I think this is awesome.  However, I noticed something the other day when she was writing a story.  She was purposely not capitalizing words and leaving out punctuation.  I waited to see what she would do and she went back and corrected it.  Underlining the letter that should have been capitalized 3 times and then writing the capital letter by it.  Then she went and put the little sign for insert and put in the punctuation mark.  When I asked her why she was not writing it correct the first time (and she clearly knew she wasn't), she said she liked to go back and "correct" her paper because it is fun to add in all the fun correcting marks!

Maybe I have an English teacher on my hands!

I love it, I just hope she grows out of this phase because it drives me batty!

I had to just laugh when I opened a paper from school that she did and she had corrected herself!

Katelyn the witty...

Each morning we have a routine.  Get out of bed.  Get ready for school.  Eat breakfast.  Shoes and coat on.  Get in the car and buckle up.  The girls are usually good about doing all of this.  Once I have William in the car and buckled up we are off to drop the girls off at school (on Tuesdays and Thursdays they both have school).  On the way to school we talk about what is going on for the day and what they each have after school.  Today happens to be dance day for both girls.  I usually remind them of this a few times in the morning or they say I didn't tell them.  As Julianne got out of the car this morning, I reminded her one last time that she has dance tonight.  She just gives me that look that says, "You already told me, why are you telling me again?!?!"  I tell her have a good day and we are off to take Katelyn to preschool.

On the way to preschool Katelyn asks if she has dance tonight.  I tell her "Yes".  She says do I get to dance on the "big stage" tonight.  I tell her "No, that is on Saturday."  "Oh", she says.  Next she asks, "Are you going to put my hair in a bun?"  I tell her again, "On Saturday".  She then continues on, reminding me that buns do not stay in her hair.  I tell here, "Mommy will get it to stay in."  She then replies, "Are you going to use Jell-o?" I started laughing and reply, "No, I will use gel to get your bun to stay in."  She looks at me in the most serious way and says, "Close enough, they are pretty much the same!"  I just left it at that, no use in arguing with the logic of a 4-year old.

Oh how I love her and how she makes everything seem so simple.  I can't imagine using Jell-o to get her hair to stay in a bun, it is nasty once it is in hair (yes, I know from experience...Jell-o wrestling at USD).  I think I will stick to the gel for her hair and let her eat some Jell-O!

A Tribute To Our Logical Mothers

Note to readers: I did not write this.  I do not know who did.  I got this in an email and I wanted to share it with everyone.  I can relate to so many!

A Tribute To Our Logical Mothers  1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.  "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."  2. My mother taught me RELIGION.   "You better pray that that will come out of the carpet."  3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.  "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"  4. My mother taught me LOGIC.  " Because I said so, that's why."  5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .   "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."  6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.  "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."  7. My mother taught me IRONY.   "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."  8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.  "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."  9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.  "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"  10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.  "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."  11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.  "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."  12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.  "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"  13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.  "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."  14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.  "Stop acting like your father!"  15. My mother taught me about ENVY.  "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."  16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.  "Just wait until we get home."  17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.  "You are going to get it when you get home!"  18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.  "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."  19. My mother taught me ESP.  "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"  20. My mother taught me HUMOR.  "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."  21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.  "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."  22. My mother taught me GENETICS.   "You're just like your father."  23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.  "Shut that door behind you.  Do you think you were born in a barn?"  24. My mother taught me WISDOM.   "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."  And my favorite: 25. My mother taught me about JUSTICE  .  "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Mischievous William

Crawling onto the elliptical.  He got himself stuck!

His shirt reads, "I Make Noise and Trouble"!

Climbing, climbing, climbing

Emptying out the lazy susan!

Yes, he climbed all the way in it!

I was trying to unload the dishwasher and when I turned to put the silverware away and turned back he was on the dishwasher door!

He can climb up onto the dining room chairs and then on the table.  So, the chairs are no longer up to the table!

Katelyn cleaning up for me after William emptied the cabinet out.

K says the darndest things...

Katelyn, my middle child and 2nd girl, is witty and has quite an imagination.  She uses both frequently.  She especially seems to use both when she is in trouble and knows we won't be able to keep ourselves from laughing.  Sometimes, she doesn't quite know that she is being funny...in all actuality she is being serious!  So today, we had this conversation...

So, today when we were at HyVee gas we were parked by an OATS bus.

Katelyn asks, "Mom is that the dog catcher van?"

I say, "No, it is a bus that people can ride on."

Katelyn then asks and points, "Why is that on the back then?"

Me, "Katelyn that is so people that are in wheelchairs can get on and off the bus."

Katelyn, "Oh, when I was a daddy I was in a wheelchair at the middle school."

Me, "What?  When you were a daddy?"

Katelyn now repeats what she said and says, "Yep, when I was a daddy!"

I love her imagination, I hope she continues to embrace it as she goes thru like, my spunky middle child!!