June was…

a bit crazy. There was the week long dance marathon. We had my mom’s, my dad’s and Katie’s birthday (Grandpa’s is in there too!). Then there was Father’s Day…to celebrate for 3 set’s of Dads’. A family birthday party for Katie. A joint birthday party for Katie and Ezekiel celebrated with a few more family members. We also wrapped up our school year and began swim lessons!

Oh, did I mention all this happened within a span of 14 or so days?

The month felt a bit like a whirl wind with me always 2 steps behind. A planner I am not. A good organized person? Not so much.

Needless to say from the aforementioned activities there was much cake consumption in the month of June (and early July).

As always we have a immediate family only celebration on the actual day of birth. This is usually when the homemade cake is enjoyed.

And how could you not let the littlest man have his own taste?

He was as quiet as a church mouse and busy as a bee. : ) What can I say? The frosting was killer!

We had another party a few days later celebrating with some additional family members and some friends for both Katie and Ezekiel’s birthday’s. Their birthday’s are just about 2 weeks apart and it is hard to get everyone together twice in that short of a time. So rather than have one left out we made a two-for-one party! : ) (Saved me a second sad attempt at getting the house picked up and clean. I still haven’t dusted!!!)

For the bigger party Katie picked out this cake. : ) What a nut.

We grabbed some cupcakes for Zeke and put a lone candle on it. One year old…(almost here)

Good times and a whirlwind of a month. My how the summer flies. I long for it to slow down a little sometimes, this time away from school, but it seems to go all the faster. Well, we will do our best to enjoy the time we have and not lament that things go all too fast! : )

Wow! I never thought…

I’d live to see the day when I could say:

- that we had a caterpillar that escaped. He was on the tiny side but Kiersten really, really wanted to bring him home. We did. He must have watched some PBS special on famous jail break-outs or some such nonsense because that little bugger disappeared from the cage never to be seen again. We’re keeping our eyes peeled to find another friend.

-I laughed when one of my children thanked me for being mean to them!

Katie has been going through an especially ornery stage. She’ll say she would like something, be it a specific set of clothing to wear or a snack- that kind of thing, I’ll agree and then she’ll immediately yell she doesn’t want what she just said she did.

It is an exhausting and frustrating game to say the least.

Here is how it played out the other day.

“Mom, I want to wear my princess shirt and skirt.”

“Sure, no problem. I’ll just run up and get it.”

“No! I want to get it.”

“Katie, I’ll just run up quick and get it. We need to get going soon.” (She can’t go upstairs on her own just now because the gate is blocking the stairs.)

Up I went while she protested at the bottom of the stairs. When I got back downstairs with said clothing she picked out she threw a grandiose fit.

“Fine. You can go back up and pick what you want to wear but I am not helping you get dressed. You’ll have to do it on your own.”

I put her over the gate. Up she went and then came back down with clothes. I lifted her back over the gate and just reminded her, “You are on your own. I will not help you.” (She cannot get a shirt off over her head on her own.")

Well, Kiersten helped her. Once she was dressed she walked over to me where I was changing Zeke’s diaper. Looked me square in the eye and said, “Mom, thanks for being mean to me.”

Oh dear, how do giggles just work their way up and out without permission?

Needless to say said aggravation waned a little as it gave way to laughter.

I just never thought I’d live to see the day I would laugh when one of my kids would point blank tell me I am mean. I’m sure it had a bit to do with a lack of sarcasm and the earnest way it was delivered. Dang it all- the Lord surely has made that child cute for a very good reason!

Singing in the Rain

Alright, so they weren’t singing in the rain. They were playing in the rain.

We had a rare nice rain the other day. It was the straight down kind. No wind blowing and no lightening. The ideal Spring rain to go play in, if you are the type who is inclined to play in rain. (Me? Not so much. I’ve gotten to be an old fuddy duddy!)

The neighbor’s boys were outside and Kiersten made a comment to the effect they were lucky getting to play out in the rain. I simply told her if she wanted to play in the rain too, get out there. Oh, her face! The shock, disbelief…a display of emotions all of which said she wasn’t buying what I wasn’t even trying to sell.

‘You’re kidding!” she said. (This is a catch phrase for her. We hear it often.)

“Certainly not,” I replied. “If you want to go play out in the rain, go on out.”

“We need our swimsuits.” (She is seeing other neighbor kids join the fray and they have their swimsuits on.)

“Not necessary. Just head on outside and play in the rain.”

She, Isaiah and the Katie girl made their way outside to the front where a may lay of children had congregated and were enjoying themselves. There was dancing, puddle splashing, umbrellas (or as Katie says – gumbrellas) appearing and much chit chatting.

There was also this one watching from the inside. It isn’t all its cracked up to be being the youngest sometimes. Awk. His time will come. He just needs to wait his turn! : )

The Power Source

“Mom! Zeke unplugged the computer!”

(This is big going’s on since Isaiah loves to play his Jump Start World. Interrupting or rather disrupting his time? A big no, no.)

“K, I’m coming.”

“The cord is wrapped around his leg. He’s stuck.”

“He sure is.”

“Mom, the screen got all dark.”

“I know Honey, that’s because it isn’t plugged in to the power source.”

Well, well. There it is. You are walking a bit in the dark because you aren’t plugged in to THE power source. Uhmm hmmm. I hear it, Lord. Preach it to me.

Prima Ballerina

This first year of ballet in addition to tap did wonders for Kiersten. She loved it. I think it made her feel like quite the little lady! : )

Well, with this first year comes the first time performing ballet at the recital. She did two numbers for ballet. There was the Bouquet Dance which was performed before the intermission. (Oh, an intermission is required when said recital is 4 hours long!)

I think it is the bun that adds some years to her…because she doesn’t look little when her hair is all done up in a grown-up fashion. I can give thanks now for this ritual of bun making we did each Friday before class. All that practice made doing her hair for the recital a cinch!

These are some of her ballet classmates- a slightly different bunch then her tap class.

You’ll find Kiersten on the back left next to the young gentleman. Enjoy! 

The Bouquet Dance from Jess on Vimeo.

The second ballet number of the evening fell just a few dances shy of the closing number. This meant dancing at around 10:30 p.m. The first night this didn’t pose too much of an issue, the adrenaline was rushing and she was excited. (Did I mention we got home at 11:15 that night?) The second night, however, you could see the tiredness in those small bodies. As you watch the video you’ll actually see her stumble a little. As I was watching I thought she might have twisted her ankle. She recovered nicely and I was happy to see she was only tired, not hurt.

These costumes were definitely more foo-fooey…more ballet style, if you will. Her partner in the dance came up to her and went, “Poof!” while jumping just in front of her making her own skirt fly up. The kind of thing you can only do in an outfit such as this. It was hilarious and gave us a good laugh.

Kiersten is standing next to her partner for this dance…the “Poof!” girl : )

I know these clips don’t do any sort of justice to what is it like to see her in person but I couldn’t let all her hard work this year go unshared. Here she is ladies and gentlemen…Miss Kiersten Girl in Spoon Full of Sugar! (Cue loud voice on speakers and envision the red curtain parting…)

Spoon Full of Sugar from Jess on Vimeo.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Dance is what consumed one of our weeks recently. Kiersten has an all class dance recital once a year. It is a bit to do. I don’t know how else to put it. On Monday there was practice, Tuesday a dress rehearsal of a full run through of the show and then Wednesday and Thursday the actual recital.

Just to give you a feel for this recital it ran from 7 until 11 both nights.

Kiersten took everything in stride and was quite the beauty. Her hair done up, costume and shoes on she was ready to go.

The first day of practice she leaned over to me and said, “Mom, I don’t really get stage fright anymore. That’s a good thing, right?”

“Indeed it is,” I replied.

This is our 3rd year in dance and our second big recital participation. Each year it is the same stage, same building, same dressing room, same side of the stage she enters, same…well, you get the point. All this has helped her feel at home and for that I am thankful.

Well, without further ado this is Kiersten ready to do the Polka.

These are most of the girls (sans 2 boys) that join her in tap class.

I’ll leave you with a view of the action. Kiersten is center of the screen for the most part. I tried to focus in a bit on her but you’ll see my videography skills leave a bit to be desired. I will say this video is better then a few of the ones to follow. It was a day of practice and I was able to be up close to the stage. : )

Polka from Jess on Vimeo.

“Look, Mom! No…..

training wheels!”

No training wheels! from Jess on Vimeo.

Isaiah recently mastered the fine art of riding a bicycle on two wheels instead of four. It was only a matter of time but trying to convince your children that this change is good when it hurts a little takes some time.  : )

We had been battling some rather unruly training wheels – they didn’t stay on the way they should. They would turn upwards with a little pressure from tilting too much and Isaiah was more than bothered by this. Trouble was you would have to ‘right’ the training wheels every so many feet. This got to be a bit much and my Beloved just told him no more and took the training wheels off.

I think it took Isaiah all of 2 or 3 days to learn. He was so funny about it though. I was out there with him a day or so after my Beloved had taken the wheels off and run behind holding the seat. I did the same only I let go before we were even halfway down the driveway and he went on his own pretty well (excluding the looking back over his shoulder at me part).

He went a few feet, had to put his feet down. We tried again. He was getting frustrated after going a little farther on his own. He said to me, “But Mom, I am not balancing!”

That made me chuckle. Had to tell him that was exactly what he was doing when I let go. Him riding without me holding him upright by the seat is him balancing. No balancing means no bike riding. He was so upset about not balancing. : )

As you can see he has mastered the fine art of riding on two wheels and is quite happy with himself. Now he is just like his big sister!!! Competition, sweet competition.