Empty Pot Recital

Anna had her first dance recital last week.  We were able to get some cute pictures of Anna and her cousin Liz before their first concert.

The recital was based on the book The Empty Pot.  Anna's class did two dances.  For the first dance they were little children with flowers.  I wish I could have videoed Anna doing this dance on the dress rehearsal day.  She was having so much fun...ALL over the stage.  Too bad they didn't practice with the emperor and his attendants behind them.  Anna was so distracted by what was going on behind her that it took a while for her to realize that her class was dancing.  

She still did a great job.  Here is the flower dance from Friday and Saturday night.

The second dance they were butterflies flying around flowers in pots.  Anna loved this dance because she has lots of friends who were the flowers in the pots, and what little girl doesn't love to run around pretending to be a butterfly.

Enjoy the pot and butterfly dance from Friday and Saturday night.



One of my favorite moments of the first night's concert was the curtain call.  Anna's class was last to come on and being distracted by everything going on she didn't realize that her class had moved to the side and she was standing dead center on the stage for a bit.  It was pretty cute.  She was loving every minute of it.

Then she realized that she should move over with her class.  Too cute!

Anna has loved dance.  She loves her teacher Miss Maddy.  Maddy was the lead in the recital.  Anna can't stop talking about how she wants to grow up to be like Miss Maddy, to dance on her toes, and to teach little girls to dance. 

We are so proud of Anna.  We were really worried about how she would handle being up on stage, other than getting distracted, she danced, smiled, and loved every second of it.  We well definitely be doing this again.  The next show is based on Peter Pan.  OH I CAN'T WAIT!!!! '

**Special Thanks to Devin and Mahon for being the photographers.  Horse shows taught you boys well how to cover the bases with video and photos...so I guess I should be thanking Pam....Thanks for teaching them well Pam!

A BIG Day!

Back in June of 2010 a cute little girl got her first bike.  Remember this?

After almost two years of cruising around on her Strider bike we finally bought her a bike with pedals.  We were hesitant to just let her go without the training wheels, so she has had the training wheels for a few months.  She needed to figure out how to pedal.   A few weeks ago I tried to convince Anna to take the training wheels off.  Our neighbor even took them off for her.  But she didn't want to do it without her Dad.  Today we had time and Devin took the training wheels off.  Sorry for the far away video, but you get to watch the first take off and it is beautiful!!!

She did great!!!!!  We are so proud of her. We are both grinning from ear to ear.  The Strider bike has been fantastic.  We have loved it.  Now it is Nicholas's turn.  He is loving the bike too!

Happy Biking Everyone!!!

Easter 2012

Easter is always lots of fun.
The last few years I have pulled out the baskets and eggs the week before and let the kids play with them. Anna loved playing "Easter Bunny."  She would hide the eggs and Nicholas would find them.

I thought I'd try to be one of those "cute crafty" moms this year.  I saw a easy craft in the Family Fun magazine and thought, why not try it.  Anna loved making little bunny ears for a bunch of eggs. (This picture was before the bunnies got their faces.)

Anna is such a sweet little girl.  I asked her who she wanted to give the eggs to and she started listing off a bunch of people. I love the random ones that she picks.  She really loves to make other people happy.

Anna loves to decorate eggs.  She would make them all green if we would let her.

Nicholas liked writing on the eggs with a crayon first.  Anna did too!

Devin always has to show us all up.  He does the fancy dipping the egg multiple times process.  I'm more of a pick one color and be done kind of girl.

The Easter Bunny was good to us.  He always has a fun time hiding the eggs.

I need to download all the video of Easter morning.  Nicholas was funny.  He knew he was suppose to pick up the eggs and put them in his basket.  He had been practicing that all week with Anna.  After picking up a few eggs he realized that these eggs were different.  There was something shaking inside of them.  He sat down, open an egg, discovered there was candy inside, and it was game over for him.  All he wanted to do was sit and eat candy.  He didn't even want to try and find more eggs, he just wanted to eat the candy in the eggs he already had.

The kids liked their Easter baskets.  I picked up some new board books at Walmart for 99 cents.  The kids love them.  Nicholas wants me to read them to him over and over.  Mommy liked her favorite candy in the world, Reeses Pieces Eggs.  I only got one bag this year and I am trying to use some control.  The bag isn't gone yet, but it is getting close.
We only had one small hiccup with Easter.  Anna's dress.  I was way excited about her dress.  I loved the material, and the pattern was cute too.  I should have trusted my gut though.  I followed the measurements given with the pattern.  I checked over and over.  Well, the dress was finished and is WAY huge on her.  I kept thinking that maybe after I was done it wouldn't be so big.  Nope!  It is too big for my little Anna.  So she has a cute dress for maybe next Easter...if she ever decides to grow.

We tried to help Anna focus on the real meaning of Easter.  When we were kids and my dad had tons on meetings on Sunday and so the Easter Bunny started coming on Saturday morning, because he knew my dad didn't want to miss out on the fun...wink wink.  I am grateful that the Easter bunny has also started coming to our house on Saturday.  That way Sunday we really focus on Christ.  All of the bunny and candy stuff is done and over with by the time Easter Sunday comes.  Anna was so cute as we did different Easter activities.  She would say, "Mom this is a fun thing for Easter, but Easter is really about Jesus."  Yes, Anna you are right!  We sang lots of primary songs about the resurrection.   My favorite is "Did Jesus really live again?"  I loved listening to Anna sing the last line.  "Did Jesus really live again, after he had died? OH YES! and so shall I!"