RCC Dance Recital, 2014

Wow, wasn't it just yesterday that we moved here and Leah started dance with the wonderful Ms. Jan? And yet, we just finished our third Spring Recital, second for Bug, and it's hard to believe that next year Hattie will be up on that stage too!

I was so excited to watch the girls. The first two years I stayed in the room and watched class/rehearsals but this year I felt like the girls didn't need me to. Plus, there were plenty of other mom friends in the lobby for me to chat with...Emily, Jaci and Denise.

So for the most part, the routines were new to me. I really got to see the dances for the first time at dress rehearsal and even then I had Hattie to wrestle with...she wanted on that stage so badly!

Leah's routine was just beautiful. They did a ballet performance to 99 red balloons (the German version) and I cried. She was so graceful and danced wonderfully. Leah keeps asking to do Hip Hop but Ms. Jan says she really needs to stay in ballet too!

Bugs class danced to La Bamba, it was a sassy little tap number and she really had it down. She didn't miss a beat and I'm so excited to see how far she has come. She was born to perform. She smiles so big up on the stage...Lord knows she has the personality for it!

On Friday night Ellen watched Hattie so we wouldn't have to struggle with holding her in the audience. Gigi and Papa came to watch the girls and gave them flowers when it was all done. Leah and Kiersten LOVE that part. It makes them feel so grown up and special. And it reminds me why I am so happy that we were able to move back to the midwest. Saturday night Mitch stayed home with Hattie and I worked as a volunteer in the dressing area. But I still got to watch the girls from backstage, and I cried on night two as well. So proud of my tiny dancers! They worked hard all year and it showed.

The Real Deal

I still can't believe my sweet baby girl is 6?!?! Leah's actual birthday was on Friday the 9th, but we couldn't do much to celebrate. It was a school day so she took cupcakes for the class to enjoy, of course. She laughed and thought it was so funny that Mrs. Johnson gave her birthday spankings. After school we had to hurry and get ready for the girls dance recital. More on that later.

The next morning she had her first softball game and pictures at 9 AM...yeah, that early. I stayed home with Bug and Hattie and Mitch took Leah. After they got home we decided that we of course needed to go get our traditional birthday ice cream cone (lunch first) from Dairy Queen. The girls LOVE that we have this tradition...they look forward to it so much, and knowing they will always have the memories of it, makes me love it too!

After Ice Cream, we went home and rested up for night 2 of Dance recital...the next post will have all the details and will be a picture overload! Now I'm off to celebrate Mother's day...what a busy weekend!

Birthday Girl, Leah!

We told Leah that she wasn't going to have a big birthday party this year...I don't think my kids need a big party every year and I don't want to set that standard. But then I felt bad. Bug had the joint party with Tatum. So I figured I may as well have a small party. I did try to keep it small, but we just have too many friends (first world problems, right). So on Sunday May 4th, after her school concert we SURPRISED her with a birthday cookout. The Gray's, Habrock's, Brown's, Fawer's, White's, Zavela's, Ellen and Gigi and Papa were all here.

She had no clue, and it was so fun to see her reaction. We just kept dinner simple. Hot dogs and Brats, and had chips, pasta salad and fruit too. The kids had a great time playing and the parents enjoyed a chance to catch up. It was FUN! And now I'm totally looking forward  to all the summer cookouts!