Dance recitals, cloudy days, and babies...oh my!

It's taken a few days, but I think I've finally recovered!  Last weekend, I entered a territory that only really brave mothers dare to go.  It's a world of tutus, red lipstick, oversized hats, and blue eyeshadow.  I'm talking about dance recitals, people.  And this was no ordinary dance recital. I realize that it was my first recital, so how can I say it was not like every other recital?  I just have a knowing deep in my heart, that this particular recital was in a league all it's own.  It started with a dress rehearsal Friday night.  I want to add that Friday was my favorite part of the recital experience.  The getting ready was the most fun!  This was the first time my little girls have ever got to really wear "grown-up" make up (not counting the lipgloss heist involving my 3 year old hijacking my lipgloss from my purse and hiding it in her pajama drawer for 2 weeks while sneaking it out to reapply every 30 minutes).  We curled hair, and glossed lips, and mascaraed lashes for a good hour before it was time to go.  The giddy squeals of delight were the absolute highlight of my weekend.

After a dress rehearsal on Friday, we had a great dinner with my mother-in-law who came in town for the recital.  Then it was off to bed for these little dancers.  Saturday was the crazy day!  We had TWO recitals that day, but the girls did great and had a ball!

Ready backstage!

My sweet cowgirl, Ava.

Me and my dancing girls!

Check out this lipstick!!

Lined up and ready to go!

Aren't we cute??

The recital was followed by a wonderful Sunday of rest and hanging with Grammy (my mother-in-law).  It was a super fun weekend topped off with the call that my sister was in labor!!  My adorable niece, Selah, came and spent the night at our house, so her mama could go have that baby!  Ava gave her lots of tips on being a big sister and we had good time with little Seh-Seh.  I love my nieces so much!  There is nothing better than seeing my girls grow up with their cousins and being their La-La!

My new niece, Haven Joy, arrived early Monday morning and I could hardly wait to get my hands on her!!  

(Yes, I know what you're thinking.  I'm LONG overdue for a new hairstyle.  This was a particularly awful hair day.)

Just a few hours old!  Isn't she precious??

It's been rainy and cloudy for the last few days and I'm loving it!  My hair, not so much, but whatever.  That's why I've decided today is hat day!  Ok, ok, I'm calling the hairdresser right now!  Hope you've had a wonderful week too!

School's Out for Summer!!

What an exciting two weeks it's been as we've wrapped up the end of another school year!  Well, the little girls are done.  Poor Taylor still has two half days of finals.  This year, my littles went to two different schools.  We were at Lakeridge again and also at KDO at our church.  It was the first year for KDO and it was awesome!  We had such a great year at both places.  I'm thankful for good friends and teachers for my kiddos.

Lakeridge Memories:

This was Ava's 5th and last year at Lakeridge.  She started before she was a year old and we have just loved every year that she has had there.  This year, she made wonderful friends and had amazing teachers!

Ava and Lauren, sweet butterflies at the Spring Program

Ms. McMinn- Ava's super fun music teacher!

Ms. Irelan- such a sweet teacher!

Ms. Marshall- the BEST 4 year old preschool teacher!

Me and Ava at the Mother's Day Tea.

Best Friends: Lauren, Ava, and Kennedi

Molly Kate was a Busy Bee this year!  She had such a great class.

Busy Bees Spring Program

Ms. Ellon- Molly's favorite teacher!

Molly and her buddy, Jackson.

KDO Memories:

This was the first year of KDO and what a blessing it has been for ALL of us!  It was so nice to just bring the girls with me to work and know that they were having fun with all their friends and teachers.

Ava with her mutton-bustin' buddies, Hunter and Fisher, before they moved in March.

Ms. Margaret and Ava.  

Seriously, we could not have had a better teacher than Ms. Margaret.  She was the perfect teacher for right before kindergarten.  She taught Ava to read!  And I'm not talking "Wig on a Pig."  This girl is reading her Bible stories and gets all the words right.  I am so thankful for Ms. Margaret, she is truly a blessing!  This picture was taken at Ava's Lakeridge program.  Ava invited Ms. Margaret and she came!  What a sweet lady!!

Molly Kate the Mouse and Jack the Jar!

I'm kind of disappointed in myself that I did not get more pictures of KDO end of year stuff or any of Molly Kate with her sweet teachers, Ms. Amanda and Ms. Catrina!  

Taylor is finishing up her 6th grade year.  This was her first year at Shallowater Middle School and we have LOVED it!

Not a great pic, but this was Taylor's choir concert.

Taylor tried out for cheerleader and I could not have been more proud of her!!  She didn't make it, but she did such an awesome job!  She learned a chant, a cheer, and a dance in just a few days.  She totally rocked it!

Well, now we are ready for summer!

I'm (blank) because....

I'm Blank Because...

I decided it has been way too long since I last wrote on this here blog, so I decided to get back in the swing of things with this here post.  I was inspired by Little Miss Momma who wrote a similar blog, and since I love sharing interesting facts about myself, I thought I'd give it a go.  Maybe you'll learn something new about me!  Remember, this is a "No Judging" zone!

I'm weird because....

• I have OCD tendencies, like counting all the lines in the numbers on a digital clock, but desperately wanting them to add up to an even 10.
• I know more useless information than you can imagine. Things just stick in my head.
• I've learned how to cook solely from watching Food Network.
• I go through hobby phases. Cooking, refinishing furniture, crafting, scrapbooking, cooking again, writing, collecting random things. I just jump from one to the next and don't really stick with a hobby for long. But while I'm into it, I dive in: 100%.
• I've had some really random collections over the years: keychains, bouncy balls, a CD collection of obscure artists (all alphabetized, of course), shoes, cookbooks, stationary, picture frames, nail polish, kitchen utensils...the list goes on and on.
• I do NOT like to cuddle while sleeping.
• At lunch, I like to get drive thru and go sit at a park by myself and eat.
• I kiss my hand and touch the ceiling of my car every time I drive through a yellow light and lift my feet anytime I drive over train tracks.
• That Thing You Do is my favorite movie and I can quote the entire thing. I still cry every time they hear their song on the radio for the first time.
• As I kid I watched musicals more than cartoons. My favorites were Grease, Sound of Music, and Mary Poppins. This might explain my love for That Thing You Do.
• I have a very real fear of clowns. They completely creep me out.
• When I cook, I will only use certain knives and utensils for certain things. For example, I will only use one certain spoon for stirring spaghetti sauce, even though I have at least a dozen that would do the job.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   I'm sad because....

• I'm horrible at taking pictures. I'm afraid someday I'm going to look back and regret not capturing more memories.
• Sometimes I feel like I need to be or act a certain way because it's what's expected of me. And I'm not quite sure it's really who I am.
• I don't go visit my grandmother as often as I should.
• Sometimes I yell at my kids and feel really bad about it.
• I too often get consumed with guilt over things like not visiting my grandmother enough or yelling at my kids.

I'm happy because....

• I have three beautiful, happy, healthy daughters.

• I get to do a job I love.
• I live close to all of my family.
• My husband embraces all my quirkiness and loves me for it.
• I met Sara Bareilles and she was totally cool and didn't treat me like an annoying, over-excited fan, even though I was an over-excited fan who tried not to be annoying!

I'm a bad friend because....

• I tend to talk too much about myself when I need to listen more.
• I don't usually open up and really let people in. I'm fine with keeping things on the surface with most people.
• I prefer to be by myself than with other people.
• I've been known to lay on a really thick guilt trip a time or two in my life.

I'm a good friend because....

• I like to give gifts for pretty much any occasion.
• I really like to laugh and be silly with my friends.
• I can keep a secret.
• I will pray for you, cry with you, laugh with you, get mad with you, and make you dinner if that's what you need.

I'm excited for....

• Some changes at work that will make my life easier.
• Summer time and spending fun time with my girls.
• A trip to the beach with my family.
• Grilling out! Yes, I am the Grill Master in my house.
• Date night with my hot husband.