Eatin' Fish

Jerry found a fishing pole in his toy box and happily brought it to me. I asked him if he was going to eat it or release it and he responded with a silly gulping sound. I quickly got out my video function on my camera and took this video.

Dress Rehearsal

This year was Gracie's second dance recital, and Bee's first. Every night at bedtime, Bee would ask "is tomorrow my dance day?" I think she lived for Thursdays! Gracie was not quite as into it. She was disappointed because her teacher changed on the first day. She was supposed to have the same teacher as last year (who she loves) and we were never told it was changing so she had a big surprise on the first day of class. Some days she'd be excited to go and others she would ask to skip it. We are not allowed to video tape at the actual recital, so I record all the numbers at dress rehearsal so I don't have to spend $30 on the professional video and this way I only have my own kids!

All ready for rehearsal, on our front step.

We have arrived!

They practiced the finale first so we could leave once the kids did their dances.

Bee's first time on stage!

Tap; We Are Dancers

Gracie's whole class.

Bee's class only did one song, ballet to The Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Gracie's ballet number is Ballet is Fun

Videotape Week

Every year the girls' dance studio has a video tape week, when parents can record their child's dance to practice to at home to prepare for the recital. It was last week. 

Gracie's ballet dance: 

Gracie's tap dance: 

Bee was upset that Gracie got recorded and she didn't, so she put on her own show in the lobby. Her class is on Thursdays and Gracie's is on Mondays. 

Bee's ballet dance. She is only in one dance.

Gracie Turned 5!

Getting treat bags ready for her friends.

Playing in the Burger King playland.

I had a bit of a difficult time getting a nice shot of Gracie with her 5 cupcake.

Boxcar Children

If you have children, perhaps you've seen the show, Timmy Time. It's a spinoff of Shawn the Sheep (Timmy is Shawn's nephew), but I personally like it even better than Shawn the Sheep. It's more for the preschool bunch than older kids/adults like Shawn. None of the animals talk, they all use their typical sound but can somehow understand each other. For example, the owl teacher said "Hoot, Hoooo-oot," to give instructions. Below is a video of the opening theme song. 

Cute, right? We've been watching a lot of Timmy. They have good morals and the girls giggle through the whole episode. In one episode, the kids learn about trains and Timmy pretends to be a train. The cat feels left out and tries to one-up Timmy by making a train out of a box and stealing the other kids for her own train. They go back and forth, one-uping each other until the other kids give up on them and play something else. 

Ok, that's the background story for our post. Daddy cleaned out JR's room the other day and condensed two diaper boxes and a wipes box. He put them by the door so the next person to leave could take them out to the recycling. The next thing I knew, Gracie pulled a box out, stepped into it and started walking around the room chanting "Mew Mew Mew Mew" (say it like a train!). I laughed and she asked for string to make it into her own train car. 

Of course, as soon as Gracie had one Bee and Jerry needed one too!

Hockey

Gracie has been really missing Momma lately. Every  night she asks me if I have to work the  next day, and comes close to crying when I say yes. It's pretty tough on this Momma's heart. Luckily, a few weeks ago I signed her up to try hockey free for a day with the Hudson Hockey Association. I've gotten grief from a few people for letting her try the most expensive sport there is, but we can get skates and sticks from a second hand store and use the rink across the street from our house. The free night was tonight, so my parents came out to play with the littles while Gracie and I had a date night. 

Waiting for her turn.

Skates are on, ready to go!

First time on the ice!

 This high school hockey team member was very patient with Gracie, but eventually brought her back to me and invited me to join her on the ice.

Taking a little break.

She was very excited to use a stick.

Snow Day!

With Momma being a teacher, we try to make the most of our "snow days" around here. Most of them that we've had this year have actually been due to cold, so we haven't been able to go out and play. That changed a couple of weeks ago. School was called because of icy road conditions, but it warmed up significantly by mid morning. I decided to get the kids outside for a while. 

Being pulled in the sled around the yard.

Watching his sisters make a snowman.

"Just one more thing!" was uttered many times before SHE was complete. 

Their first snowperson that Momma didn't help with at all!

Tried to get Jerry in there but he just ran away. 

After nap the girls made dinner-homemade pizza!

This is how a Momma of three gets her exercise in! The girls now beg for it before bed.

Our Night

 With summer quickly coming to a close, we decided to have some fun tonight. I got some bubble swords and a ball sprinkler and let the kids loose.

This one cracks me up.

Jer loved the mud puddle!

Fake crying because I turned the hose off.