bitty ballerina... & tap.

Ella & I have been soooOOO excited for her ballet/tap class to start. We researched studios, visited several and finally decided on the perfect place for her. We pulled out her leotard and ballet skirts. We shopped for tap & ballet shoes (can I just say they are so cute when so small?!) We were all ready for the first day.

That morning we got the big boys off to school, ate breakfast and put on her ballet clothes. I put her hair up into a cute bun, (which she refers to as "ballet hair" like as in, "mom, can you put my hair in ballet hair, please?"--good thing that hair has grown back!) and off we went to her first dance class!

They start off with tap, so they parents can put their shoes on for them before class starts, then when they transition to ballet, the girls can just slip on their ballet shoes by themselves.

Ella was instantly in love. She listened to her teacher, like it was just the two of them in class. She was smiling almost the entire time and did such a great job. She's a natural!

Then they transitioned to ballet. I didn't know a girl could get even happier!

At the end before leaving class, they all learned to curtsy to their teacher. Adorable, isn't it?! It was just so cute to watch her class. They don't let the parents come in to class usually, so this was a special treat for the first day of class... I was elated. I am so happy we put her in the class. It's worth it!

She practices a lot too... especially the curtsy.

LOVE this girl of mine!

Hot day at the park

Since Devin works nights, I usually try to keep Ella & Joseph quiet or occupied in the mornings so we let him get sleep. We hadn't been playing at the playground too much over the summer because it was so hot, but recently I thought it was a nice day to go down there and make use of the nice playground.

Higher, higher! That's what she is constantly saying when I am pushing her on the swings.

One of her neighbor friends was walking over to the pool while we were at the playground. She saw us and ran over to play for a little bit, until she was too hot, then she ran back to the pool with her mom. She is barely younger than Ella (a few weeks, I think)

Silly girly

Of course Joseph has to do everything his sister does!

Inevitably, after playing at the playground for a little while we were hungry, hot & ready for some swimming. We ran home, changed, ate lunch, woke up dad and went off to swim at the pool. It's nice to have such sunny weather!

Earthling baby? Hmm...

What a funny baby. I walked into my bathroom to Joseph playing with the Q-tips. I swear this is how I found him... this wasn't me trying to get a funny picture.

 He looks like he's preparing for a low budget sci-fi, doesn't he?

Then, he's tired... probably tired of me taking pictures of him all the time.

Cutie

I think he's upset because I wouldn't let him have my camera

Luckily he recovers quickly and turns back into

This happy baby!

And YES, that is Joseph. HIS hair is long & curly. Isn't it cute?

And these EYES... they get me every time. Love Anson's eyes.

I know it's totally unrelated to the post, but he was sitting next to me when I was taking the pictures. Couldn't pass up taking a shot of him too.

In the Kitchen with Tan-man

One Sunday afternoon I wasn't feeling so well. I was coming down with something (later discovered Strep Throat - yuck!) I had just gotten back from a long Sunday full of church, Primary & meetings. Devin made me rest while he & Tanner made dinner. I sat at the counter & rested while I told them my pancake recipe. The results... hilarity & deliciousness!

It was fun to watch Devin & Tanner make dinner together, while talking, joking, and trying to entertain me. Great memories!

Primary Carnival 2010

 We had a primary carnival! It was so much fun! I rented a cotton candy machine, we had a popcorn machine, cupcake walk, prizes, lots of games, and tons of fun! We invited the other ward that meets in our building to join in the fun, and asked the young men & young women in our ward to run the booths. It was a very successful event. Everyone had fun & ate a lot of junk. Perfect, right?!

Here are just some of the things we did:

Classic bobbing for apples & fishing game

Bean bag toss & prize table, to cash in tickets at the end of the carnival

Face Painting & Lots of POPCORN! Yumm.

Tanner just had to put his whole head in the bobbing for apples bucket. 

Good way to cool off on a HOT day!

Joseph with one of his favorite people, and my good friend Milo

Nothing occupies this boys attention longer than a sucker. Maybe if I had given him one of those sucker binkies when he was a baby, he'd have taken a binky? Ha, ha, ha...

Ella's butterfly. She loved it... and cried when I eventually had to wash it off.

What a fun day we had! A successful Primary Activity!

Surprise!

Some things I learned on August 19th

1. Joseph loves Doritos
2. Joseph will do anything, including learn to climb, when faced with the opportunity to eat said Doritos
3. Once acquiring new skill & previously mentioned Doritos, happy dancing ensues no matter the danger

Since this day, my once timid baby, is scared of nothing. 

He climbs EVERYTHING if presented with the opportunity. Step stools must be put away when not in use, chairs put up on tables. If he can't find something to climb, his last resort is to just dance on the coffee table.

Back to School

(okay, this post is late... we started school 2 1/2 weeks ago. But better late than never, right?!)

The first day of school is always an exciting one. My boys... 3rd & 1st. Can hardly believe it! They are growing so fast! Nothing but excitement for Anson. Tanner, though a little excited at this point, but was also nervous.

Typical Anson & Tanner

Who's that watching us with that cute little face pressed against the window?

Overall it was a great first day of school for the boys. They came home happy, excited, and loving their teachers/classes. Tanner, my more reserved child even wrote on our big white board, "I LOVE 3rd GRADE!" I was so happy to see this! Especially since he was not excited to go back to school. Anson, as always, said his day was "AWESOME!"

I wasn't ready for the school year to start this year. I was enjoying having all the kids home, free to do as we pleased. Swimming, biking, running, playing... and all the other things we did all summer long... but I was looking forward to getting back into our schedules. Always a bitter sweet time of year. I was really excited about their new teachers. We were able to meet them 2 days before school started and they made great first impressions on me and on the boys. Yeah! I always enjoy school supply shopping. Don't you just love the smell of new pencils & erasers! And paper! I love paper!

Welcome back school time!