Baby Take a Bow

From the very beginning Lily has loved dance class from the very beginning.  There has only been one or two days where she hasn't wanted to go.  I was thrilled to know that I wasn't forcing Lily to do an activity but she was choosing to do one.  

After eight months of practice Lily had her Spring Dance Recital.  It was held at the local high school, so the girls got to go up on the BIG STAGE.  After lots of primping backstage the girls finally went on stage.  Lily did great for her ballet number.  We got a few pictures of her dancing, nothing high quality, but you get the point.

Starting out in 1st position {The only dance position I know, lol!}

Arms out.

Toe touches

I ran backstage after Lily's dance to take her into the staging room and get her dressed for tap.  We were done in time to take a few pictures.  I first asked Lily to strike a pose and I go this attitude.

I then got a quick picture of Hailey, another girl in Lily's class.  I of course forgot to get a picture of Lily and Aly the little girl that Lily truly attached to, but we should be seeing her around since she lives in our subdivision.

Shortly after the pictures Lily and her dance mates ran out on stage and performed Baby Take a Bow.

After all the performances were finished the dancers got an award based on number of years participating in dance.  Lily got a medal that had ballet shoes on it and that said dance.  

Lily was really excited about that medal but she was most excited when Daddy and Allie surprised her with some Lily's and a balloon!  What a thoughtful daddy and sister.

The night was over and things were winding down, but Lily couldn't leave without getting a picture with her dance teacher Miss Daniel.

Dance is over until September.  Lily had such a good time this year she has requested to take it again.  I enjoyed the low key and safe atmosphere Daniel provided for Lily so we will be signing up with her again.  I'm glad for the few weeks off as other activities soon take the place of dance class.

Random

I can't enough of the random things kids do.  My kids are no exception.  Allie was happily playing with her little people and their house when I heard a little more noise than normal coming from her pretendings.  I looked up to see this....

Playing with the people was more fun if you were in the box, apparently.  I decided to leave her alone, and for about 10 minutes she played like this.  Silly girl!

Chattin' with Lily and watching Allie

Me:  What did you learn in church today?

Lily: About Jesus

Me: Anything else?

L: Yeah, getting married and something else.  I forgot...

Me:  Get married in the temple?

L: YEH, that's it!

Me:  Did you know when you grow up you can get married in the temple?

L: Yeah but I have to be old....like 10!

Me:  You probably need to be a little older

L:  Yeah, maybe on my birthday when I turn 5 THEN I can get married!

*I sure hope not sweetie!*

As I had this fun conversation with Lily I was going VERY slow in the parking lot.  A girl {3 yrs old} was standing by her car waiting patiently for her dad to finish putting her brother in on the OTHER side of the car.  I was worried she might dart in front of me so I went extra slow.  I looked over my shoulder as I was passing her.  Allie who was sitting by the window closest to the girl waved at her and blew a kiss.  Too cute!

News about Looky, Looky!

A few weeks ago I was reading on my friends blog how her and her family decided to go to Disneyland.  I think it was the following week they up and went.  I just kept thinking WOW, I wish we could do that.  With Disneyland being 24 hours away, it didn't really seem like a possibility.  Also, we just bought a house, we really don't have the money to go right now.  So, I chalked everything up to wishful thinking and decided we would save up and go next year.  One thought kept rolling around in my head though.  It was something my BIL Ryan had told us...at least I think it was him, "You'll never have the money to go on a vacation.  You just go."

A few days later I was talking on the phone to my mom and she stated how she wished we all could go to Disneyland.  It has been a dream of hers for the whole family to go together there.  Then words started tumbling out of my mouth, "Well lets just us go!"  Mom started backpedaling as quickly as the wishing had begun.  I didn't care, in my mind WE.WERE.GOING. 

That night I presented the idea to Russ who gave me a budget and said, "If you can find a deal under this much we can go"  I scoured the sight for a few days and found just such a deal for Disneyland!  I talked to Russ and he got the days off.  We booked the trip for ourselves because we had decided to go no matter what.

My dads schedule was a little trickier.  His vacation time is set back in November and trading vacation time is very difficult.  After a week or so he found someone almost willing to trade.  He was waiting to here back from this person when my mom's knee became a problem.  She had been having pain on and off for a few months and finally went to the doctor and found the problem.  She has a tear and will be having surgery sometime soon.  There is no way she can go to Disneyland when we had planned.  I was heartbroken when we found out,.  I had wanted them to go with us almost as badly as I want to take Lily and Allie to Disneyland.

So that being said here are a few statistics about our trip:

June 18 & 19:

Drive to California

June 19 & 20: 

Stay with Doug and Suzi, 

attend nephew's baby blessing,

have a very mellow b-day party for Allie {Still not sure on details of this}

June 21:

Get up early and hit Disneyland.  

Stay over at hotel across the street from park entrance.

June 22:

California Adventure HERE WE COME! 

Stay over at hotel.

June 23:

Early entrance into Disneyland.

Head back to Doug and Suzi's

June 24:

R.E.S.T

June 25:

Travel to Utah

June 26 - July 1st?

Stay with mom and dad

visit Tawni and Rob

say goodbye to Doug and Suzi {Their going on a mission to Paris, France!!!

Have a BIG b-day bash for Allie

See Jessica

July 2 & 3

Travel back to Texas :(

It is going to a busy, tiring trip for us.  But we know in our hearts it needs to happen now.  So in about a month I'll be taking a LONG hiatus from blogging but when I get back you better watch out.  I'm sure I will have a whole memory card + some of pictures to share!

Now if I forgot to answer any questions feel free to ask :)

Chores

Before leaving our apartment we had set up a chore system with Lily.  Everyday that she completed her chores she got a nickle to put in her piggy bank.  When the bank gets full we roll her money up and let her take it in to the bank.  It was the best plan we could come up with to teach Lily about money and saving and also for her to learn to start helping out around the house.

Upon moving that quickly fell by the wayside.  Life was in upheaval and not organized.  It was to difficult to keep up with.  The other day Lily started scrounging around in some boxes I haven't unpacked yet and found her chart.  Immedietately she started working on her chores and asking if she could earn her nickles.  I figured that I could find a nickle or two if she kept taking care of her chores all by herself.  To my amazement she has kept on her chores everyday without reminding.  It is nice to walk into the kitchen at 5:00 to start dinner and find this....

What a great girl she is!

Curly Sue

It is official, another curly sue is joining the family.  It was very humid today and Allie worked up a little sweat from planning.  Next thing I know her hair has curled up like this.  Her hair has the exact same texture as Lily's did, in fact it is even growing exactly as Lily's did.  The only difference so far is that hers is read instead of blonde.  I guess I need to get better at the whole curly do, it seems I'm destined to take care of curly hair!

Strawberry Shake

Allie loves to dance just as much as Lily does.  When we go to dance class she cries quite often because she can't go inside and dance with Lily.  We first noticed Allie liked to dance when she would come running in from a different room because she heard the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse "hotdog dance" come on.  We've tried over and over to get her dancing to it but she always pulls camera shy and won't do it.

Recently Allie has latched on to a new favorite dance.  The Strawberry Shake!  When I bought Lily a Strawberry Shortcake doll for her 3rd birthday she got a little DVD in it.  The DVD included two Strawberry Shortcake music videos, one of which was the Strawberry Shortcake.  Lily used to play it over and over, and would drive me crazy with it.  I finally taught her what button to push on the DVD player to get it start again.  One day Lily played it, Allie heard it, and the rest is history.  Lily now has the unfortunate job of pushing the play button when Allie yells, "gin" {again} about 30 times a day.

I was lucky enough to catch Allie doing her enthusiastic Strawberry Shake before she got to shy.  I had to cut it off a little early because she saw me and stopped dancing.  Enjoy the Strawberry Shake, and consider yourself lucky that you only have to hear it once! LOL!