Dance Recital!

Grace's dance recital today and I am one proud Mama! The amount of pride/anxiety/butterflies I got watching Grace perform was crazy, it's like I was performing! I was so nervous about how Grace would do. yesterday the had a quick dress rehearsal. I stayed with Grace the whole time and she did okay.

Grace ready for dress rehearsal.

 

waiting to go on.

standing with the other girls waiting to go on stage.

On stage for practice.

Today was the actually recital day. I got Grace all dressed again, including make-up, I know sign me up for Toddlers and Tiaras.

Dance tickets.

 Grace after getting her hair and make-up done.

 So excited to go!

 Backstage very excited!

 I went backstage to drop Grace off an hour before she was to go on. By the time I walked back around to save seats I got a phone call saying that Grace was very sad. I rushed backstage to a sobbing Grace. I then decided to have Cole come grab Emma and that I would stay backstage with the other volunteer moms. Grace did great once I convinced her that I would not leave her. Backstage was a nut house with girls running all over. Grace's class had 7 girls and there was 4 of us Mom's there and we definitely needed all 4 of us, to keep girls from running off or ruining their costumes before their performance.

Grace lining up! 

 Grace went on stage and was so excited. She did very little dancing, but gave me the cutest little thumbs up! I can't wait to get the video back in a few weeks!

After her performance, Grace was so proud of herself!

 Everyone came to watch Grace's recital, and she was so happy to see everyone! Grace opening up her present from Auntie and Uncle Josh.

 

Dance recitals make for very sleepy little girls!

 

They also make for sleepy little brothers & sisters!

We promised Grace that if she got out on stage we'd take her to Build-A-Bear, we also decided to surprise her with lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. We had a little bit of a wait, so we hung out in the store for a while.

 Happy little man!

 Grace checking out her menu.

 Since it was Grace's special day we let her get the $5 light up drink.

 After lunch we took her to Build-A-Bear.

 Grace and Cole washing her bear.

 Grace was so proud of her bear that she refused to let either of us carry it for her, and we practically had to drag her out of the store.

 Grace even wanted to hold her bear in the car.

 Grace then asked me to take a picture of her sleeping with her bear, yup she pretended to sleep so I would take a picture! I love that little girl!

 Grace picked out a little bathing suit for her bear that looked like her dance costume! Grace had Emma cracking up in the car with her bear.

Grace wearing her new clip on earrings from Auntie and Uncle Josh.

And because we just got them back today Grace's dance pictures!

I'm so proud of my little baby, she did such a great job today. I could just burst with pride!

Temper Tantrum

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Carter

Kidsports

A few weekends ago it was cold and rainy out and we were trying to find something to do. We decided to check out the indoor play place in Stoughton, Kidsports. We really liked it, it was very affordable! It only cost $7 for Grace, the babies were free, and Cole and I were free! Any place that only cost $7 and keeps our children entertained for more then 10 minutes gets a super plus in our book! They also have a couple little bowling lanes that are cheap as well, $2.50 for 5 frames or $4.00 for 10 frames of bowling. We didn't bowl, but a few other kids were and seemed to have fun.

They have a couple arcade games that cost extra, but you get tickets and can pick some of those typical cheap arcade toys. 

 The babies just took in all the flashing lights and sounds, but there was a little baby-ish area they could have played in, but they were content in the stroller.

 They have a couple of inflatables, a huge one with 4 or 5 slides and a jumpy house.

 There is also this large climbing structure with slides. Grace was a little intimidated at first and needed Cole to help her, but by the end she was climbing all by herself!

They sell food there as well, we didn't get any, but it looks like they have basic things like pretzels, fried dough, candy, soda, etc. Grace really liked Kidsport, so I'm sure we will be back again soon, especially if it continues to rain like it has been lately.

Father's Day

Grace, Emma, and Carter are some off the luckiest kids in the world, because they have such a wonderful Dad. Cole really is amazing, he loves his children, and always goes above and beyond for them all.So we decided we really needed to do something nice for him on Father's Day, but our budget was very small.

"Listen guys, we need to make something for Daddy, for Father's Day."

 "That's a great idea!"

 So, with a little help from moi, we traced each kids hand and framed it for Cole. I put each kids name and age on the hands.I definitely stole the idea from Pinterest, yup still obsessed with it!

 I decided to hang it in the hall way, right near Grace's Father's Day present to Cole in 2009.

 I then all gathered the kids to make this photo present for Cole. I still have to decide where we should hang it.

 And just because I was feeling silly, I messed around with the pictures! It makes me giggle like a school girl!

 After Cole opened our presents, we got dressed and went to Cole's Dad's house to have breakfast with him for Father's Day.

Who are these chunky monkeys and what did they do with my little preemies?

 After Cole's Dad's house we went to my parents house to celebrate Father's Day and my Mom's birthday, Happy Birthday Mom!

The kids alternated between riding bikes and swimming in Grandma and Papa's pool.

 The birthday girl!

 The babies swam in the pool for a little bit and liked it even though it was cold. I have no pictures of them in the pool, well because with only 2 of us and 3 of them we are quite out numbered in the pool! After the pool the babies hung out in their diapers for a while!

 We sang Happy Birthday!

 Emma couldn't resist napping any longer and crashed with her toy still in her hand.

Happy Father's Day!