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!

Life moves on...

Some days I sit wishing I could freeze time, rewind time, and even at times fast forward time.  Over the last month I have been savoring each day, each hour, each minute.  I knew the time would come that we would be moving, I have been preparing for this time for over a year.  I knew it would happen, but I thought I would be more ready for it then I am.

This past month has flown by.  I have watched as my daughters finished their last days of school here, danced in their last recital with Ballet Arts, did the last gymnastics practice at the Y, and many more things.  While experiencing all of these lasts, I remind myself of all that the future holds.  The future holds so much.  My trust in God is stronger than it has ever been.  That trust gets me thru each minute, each hour, each day.

In the next week I will experiences many more lasts with the kids and Brian here in Chillicothe, but I will also experience so many firsts.  I will also have some agains.  We will have Julianne's first and last sleepover in our house here.  We will move, again.  We will live in Sioux Falls for the first time as a family. So, there is so much to look forward to.  We will plan weekends with friends, we will now call Chillicothe a place to visit, and we will reconnect with friends.

I thank God for these opportunities and experiences.  I trust in God and his plan for us.  I praise God for the glorious days ahead.

Another tooth came out...

Julianne lost her 4th tooth last Saturday.  This one came out with the help of Daddy.  Julianne and Brian were rough-housing while Katelyn and I were in the bathroom doing Katelyn's hair when all of the sudden Julianne's come running into the bathroom.  I look at her and see a mouthful of blood.  Julianne rinsed her mouth and I could tell the tooth was very loose, so I grabbed a kleenex and pulled out the tooth.

With the loss of this tooth we will have to cut the corn off the cob for Julianne this summer.  But hopefully she will not be singing "All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth" come November and December (though she is singing it right now).

Fun with friends...

The small group I am a part of at church had a get together for our families one Saturday.  Our kids got to play, ride a horse and we all enjoyed a wonderful meal.  Thanks to Jill and her family for hosting us and to all the wonderful ladies that I have gotten to know during the last year.

Katelyn enjoying her ride on the horse.

The chickens were running around the yard.  The kids liked them, but didn't want to get to close.

William enjoying his ride.

Fun times.

William trying to give Benjamin a push. 

Katelyn, Sarah, and Marilyn.

Chillin' and waiting for dinner.

Benjamin wearing Jake's gloves.

Julianne in seventh heaven getting to ride the horse by herself.

Me and William.

A few rare pictures of me with one of my kids. 

Katelyn getting to ride by herself.

William's First (Professional) Haircut

William had his first professional haircut on Thursday.

On the way to get his haircut.  It was getting quite long in the front and the back.  He had lots of curls.

He did great!  He sat in the booster without a fight.

One last picture before his curls and the rest of the "mop" got cut off.

And there goes the hair.  He was busy watching everything around him while he was getting his haircut.

Say good-bye to the curls in the back.  As much as I didn't want to cut them off, we couldn't leave him with a mullet.

Towards the end of his haircut he was getting squirmy in the chair, so we put him on my lap to finish. 

William with his new haircut.  He looks like a big boy now instead of a baby.  I miss the curls, but he is still my baby boy and is very handsome!

Katelyn's Easter Party

Katelyn's preschool class celebrated Easter today with an Easter egg hunt and party.  Here are a few pictures from the party.

Katelyn showing off her Easter basket she made at preschool.

Snack time!  Katelyn brought the treats and chose Jell-o and rice krispie treats.

Sarah, Katelyn's friend, enjoying her rice krispie treat.

 For the game, the kids played pin the polka dot on the Easter egg.  I think they all enjoyed "decorating" the big white egg.