The Jungle Book

Last weekend Mikayla and Maddie performed in their year end dance recital.

The studio where the girls dance is really unique.  It is a Christian based arts center so the costumes and music are always really tasteful.  I like that.  When we started Mikayla in dance I was determined to avoid ever watching my kid in hot pants and a bra top dancing to Brittany Spears.  This will not happen at Creators.  I love the positive, encouraging, loving environment.  There is no pressure and the kids are encouraged to enjoy themselves.  The other thing that I love is that the year end recital is a show.  The studio picks a theme and all the classes create their performances to go within that story.

This year's show was The Jungle Book and it was fantastic!  I was proud to have an ant and a parrot (Maddie), a frog princess and a vulture(Mikayla).

Maddie is on the far left in red.  She did so well and had a smile on her face the whole time but she informed me that dance is not for her and she does not want to do it next year.

 Tap dancing ants!  Maddie is second from the right.

 Ugh!  I don't know enough about my camera!  I should have read the book again before the show!  Darn. Anyways, Mikayla is on the end.  This is her vulture jazz dance.  You know, from The Jungle Book, "We're your friends..."

This year Mikayla almost quit ballet after the first week.  Thankfully one of the teachers called and talked her out of it and I am so glad.  This year the girls improved so much.  They were doing "real ballet" and I was so proud.  Their tutus were pretty fabulous too!  Mikayla has danced with a few of these girls since she was 4! 

 I helped at the afternoon show so I got a few photos from the wings.  Here is my serious dancer.  She is glad she stuck with ballet and is looking forward to next year!

I love the movement in this photo!  Mikayla is on the far left.

Weekend to Remember in Colorado

Hi!  I am back!  The blog has been neglected because Mike and Cait and I went to Colorado over the long weekend.  Mike went to a Maximized Living conference and Cait and I went to see my best friend in the whole wide world, Gretch.  Gretch had a baby girl the day before Cait was born, you may remember me mentioning this once or twice.

I had one of the best weekends ever.  Here are a few pics to prove it!

Strolling down Pearl ST in Boulder enjoying the peaceful easy feeling of life with one baby!  DOn't we look relaxed?  I have made it my goal to be like this everyday. I can hear all of you who know me saying "Good luck with that".

We got to visit with the Rolfe family.  Daniel and Laurie have 7 children and she home schools them all.  It was a real encouragement to see their family in action! 

Here we are with our babies, Caitlyn and Sophia.  We had such a great time dressing the girls up in matching outfits, watching them play, doing crafts and just talking and laughing and eating and shopping.  This girl knows me inside and out, she is the most familiar soul in my life next to my Mom, our history spans our whole lives and is rich with so many memories.  I can't begin to express how in awe I am of our loving and caring and creative detail oriented God who chose to bless us with little girls just one day apart in age...we made a lot of fun plans as kids (I think we were going to marry twins in a joint wedding at one point) but could not have dreamed of this scenario and it is still surreal how fun this journey has been to share together!

Our little ladies in their dresses from Aunty Jen and the fabulous ruffle leggings we scored at Target for the fantastic low price of $4!  Ahh the cuteness!

Cait was going in for a kiss but it ended up in just a little snuggle session:)

What a refreshing weekend to get away from the business of life, meet some new friends, treasure and old friendship and realize that I really cherish my busy crazy messy home and all the little people who reside within it!

I must add, Mike was a fabulous travel buddy.  We were both so relaxed, it was a lot of fun!  I am thankful that I got to hitch a ride on his travel plans!

Baby Bear in the Backyard

On Mother's Day Mike made dinner with the kids and I got to enjoy the sunshine and our new grass with Cait.  I took the opportunity to get some pictures.  Cait is growing so fast and seems to be changing daily.  I just want to soak in every minute of her edible cuteness!

Getting out a toy gumball...

 So happy to be vertical!

 Practicing her walky-walky skills.

Inspecting Mommy's new flowers.

Sporting her pretty shoes from Grandma Linda, a gift that she received at her baby shower.  So excited that they fit!

 Oh that scrumptious baby!

A Garden in Banmanland

I've been collecting pots for a few weeks now.  Somehow in the 10 years that I have been keeping a home of my own, I have never had a desire to keep plants.  I suppose I was too busy growing babies!  This year I am so excited to do some gardening.  I will let you know how it all works out.

 Today after taking the girls to soccer and ballet, we spent a little time outside.  Here are two of my pots with their new inhabitants.  The plant on the left is a citronella plant (Mosquito plant...hopefully it works to keep them away!) the other is a begonia.  Isn't she pretty?

Two more pots, one with geraniums and one with another bubblegum pink begonia.  I may need to put a third geranium in the big pot...

Have I shown you our retaining wall?  That went up last year.  I guess it's been in the background of pictures.  Anyways, it's back filled now with soil and we are planing a garden!  This is another new venture that we are going to take on as a family.  Should be fun!

I am not a fan of how ugly that dirt hill looks.  What is the solution?  If you have any ideas, let me know!!!  I am planting zinnias and sunflowers along the back of the garden but they won't grow tall for a while (if at all) and I want a quick fix!!

Here's another view of the garden.  We are trying "square foot gardening" .  I say "we" very liberally because so far I have purchased the plants and drawn up a "plan" and Mike has planted them so this is most definitely not an "I" type of a thing! If you have any tips, please share!

 
Now let me introduce you to our new yard!  This is at the end of the deck.  Luxurious grass!  Soon the fence will be complete.  We are so excited to have a "real backyard" with grass for the kids to roll around on!

 Look at that pretty grass!  Cait Bear is going to have lots of fun toddling around back here while I am "gardening" (ha ha, it makes me laugh to think of myself with dirty hands, all one with the bugs and dirt!).

 This should be a fun summer project that the whole family can enjoy together.  Stay tuned for updates as our little garden grows.

Walkies

Yay!  Pull out the dresses, we're walkin' baby!

Caleb's Birthday

Today is Caleb's fourth birthday.

I love my little boy so much.
I don't always understand him.
But I really really love him!
I am so thankful to have the pleasure of seeing the world through a little boy's eyes!

 Little boys are too fun!

Happy birthday to my favorite boy in the whole wide world!

Newish Couches!

I guess I forgot to mention this cause it all happened the week of Cait's party.  Mike's Grandma got new couches and we inherited her old ones!  They are neutral and comfy.  What more could we want?  The plaid chair was at mike's office.  It is Gretch's from high school.  Such a cute little chair!  I have started collecting pillows and it's all coming together really nicely!

Look at all those fun textures!!

Cait-N-Me