13...another teenager!

Happy Birthday Haydn!! I can't believe my oldest boy is thirteen. There are a lot of great things about Haydn and plenty I am still trying to figure out. He loves to read, play basketball...unfortunately likes video games too...and likes to work and have responsibility. I'm hoping that Haydn can make his way through the confusion of being a teenager and find great friends and know along the way how much he is loved and how amazing he is.  We love you Haydn...

 Typical photo face ...

Favorite food of all time :)

Dance Review 2013

I looked forward to this year because I knew Emilee and Gracie participated in a lot more dances than in previous years. Once again we had the privilege of having Diana and Brandon and G&G Hillesheim come to watch. The best part, is Diana's girls love to watch their cousins dance and my kids love it when they come!  They also stayed the night before. It's always nice to have that time to visit.

The day before the review was the dress rehearsal, so they spent the entire day going through their numbers. Diana and I came back and forth and watched. Later on in the evening, we met up with my parents for dinner at the Coppermill. This was a lot of fun...we basically had the restaurant to ourselves.  After we were through eating, I headed over to the theater to help the girls with their hair and make-up. As I was finishing up, I realized Gracie wasn't in her costume like the rest of the girls.....

Her costumes had been left at home and the curtain went up in 40 min!!! I had what could be compared to a mild heart attack.  I had been home 3 times that day, and I had sworn Emilee picked up Gracie's costumes with her dress bags. You have to understand, I don't forget these things. I am so anal about laying everything out and checking again and again that everything is there. I felt horrible and I could tell by looking at Gracie, that she felt like everything was falling apart...EPIC FAIL mom! Yes, I definitely deserved Mother of the Year at this point. Her first dance number was 10 minutes into the review. I got on my phone and told Delon he better head home and grab Gracie's costumes. (We live 25 minutes away). Of course I told him this was life and death...the pressure was on and he had to save the day. I can't even explain how sick I felt.

He literally pulled up out back, 1 1/2 minutes before she went on. I shoved her into her costume and gently pushed her backstage...with 30 seconds to spare. I ran up to my seat and sat down just as the lights went up.

The review was amazing and so fun to watch! Emilee did awesome and Gracie was having the time of her life...

 Backstage with G&G Hillesheim

 Typical Emilee :) Messin' around.

Great job my tiny dancers!!

Dance Pics

These are just a few of the dance pictures from the end of the year...Mary Poppins :)

 Ballerina with an attitude

 Emilee and Shea

 Gracie

This was the costume for the ballet number at the end of the program.

Dance Competition

This was Emilee's last dance competition for the year. It was held at Logan High School with all of the local dance companies.  This is one of my favorites to see because they perform everything from throughout the year.

It lasted all day, which can be a bit exhausting, but it was a fun way to end the year. Emilee has made a lot of good friends in dance. One in particular is Shea...we carpooled with her this year so her and Emilee had plenty of "get-to-know-you" time in the car ride over.

The Dance Source team did really well and went home with several trophies. Most being 1st place...Congrats Emilee!!

 Trophy winners

Attitude...

Pinewood Derby

Well, the pressure is on Riley now. Haydn won his Pinewood Derby...in fact he won every single race.  Delon swore he would make sure Riley did the same. He had Riley help him work on the car, and I painted it once again - teamwork :)

I think Riley was really looking forward to this night.

After a long night of racing...on an old track...the results were in.

Riley won 1st !  And his car took 1st in every race.
Way to go Riley...

 He was so proud of himself....Riley loves to win.

Proud parents. I think Delon may actually be more excited than Riley ;)

End of Year Program

Gracie's school program the end of this year was centered around America, our freedoms and those who fight to keep us free. She was both a narrator and interviewer. They sang and danced and presented little skits. I always thought of Gracie as someone shy and quiet, but the first time she had the opportunity to be in the spotlight, she took it...and she loves it.

 Gracie has a lot of friends in her class

I'm proud to be an American....

Onstage / New York

It's that time of year again! This was the first year Emilee participated in competitive dance. She did really well, but I think in order to spend that much time and money, you must REALLY love it.

Emilee most definitely loves dance, but not in the way where she eats, sleeps and breathes it. Going to these dance conventions are mandatory...but we definitely had fun this year and she did awesome. Thanks G&G for coming to watch!

 G&G Hillesheim

Just us girls...