dance recital 2012

Evyn wrapped up her 5th year of dance with the big recital in June.
She did three numbers this year - ballet, tap, and jazz.
Here are a few pictures from rehearsal and the recital:

second from right

right, standing

second from right

center right

center left

8

Evyn's eighth birthday fell within Holy Week, just as it did the year she was born.

8.  Can you believe it?  She's almost officially a "tween."  How did that happen?

It was a busy week.  We kicked it off with Palm Sunday dinner at Grams & Pops house.  The kids did an Easter egg hunt and got lots of great gifts (and there was that incident with Andrew leaning over the table to lick  a cake that hadn't even been cut yet.... sigh....).   School events, dance class, allergies (ugh), and we were all more than ready for the weekend!

Friday - Evyn's birthday- was pretty quiet.  I took the kids to Moe's for breakfast- at Evyn's request.  Grams, Pops, and Aunt Chris visited in the evening.

On Saturday a gaggle of second-grade girls arrived for Evyn's much-anticipated birthday party!

Once again this year we were blessed with beautiful sunny weather for her party, so the girls (and Andrew) spent a lot of time outside being crazy and blowing through a dozen cans of silly string (which has become sort of a tradition at Evyn's parties).  The girls made fleece pillows, ate marshmallows and jell-o, talked about boys, and shared more than a few giggles.  They kept us busy, so I didn't get many pictures, but here are a few I did manage to capture:

dance recital 2011

After wrapping up Evyn's 4th year of dance lessons, all that was left was the big show!  Evyn had three routines in this year's recital (ballet, tap, and jazz), and she did a great job. 

second from left

second from right

right of center

second from left

She loves performing so much that she has decided to start her 5th year in the fall- somewhat to my surprise, because she was pretty burnt out by the end of the year, but  being up on stage again recharged her interest.

hanging out, part 2

Andrew's fondness for hanging on our towel bars inspired me to find a chin-up bar for the kids, and it was an instant hit!  The kids get some indoor exercise, and our towel bars get to stay intact.

hats, and time for a haircut

The kids recently shared some crafting time and designed "magic hats." Evyn is (usually) a patient and nurturing big-sister, and helped Andrew cut and tape his own hat.  The finished product:

Andrew, of course, thinks his sister is super-cool, and is always wanting to borrow her things - and, her looks.  He often begs for piggy-tails:

The pigtails are no more, however!  I convinced Scott to take him to the barber for a proper summer buzz-cut.  Photos of his new 'do to come....

a few things i haven't captured on my camera lately

• Andrew's obsession with boots (galoshes) and sunglasses.  He frequently wears them all day - including to bed
• the black smudge marks on the wall over Andrew's bed, where he kicked his booted feet
• Evyn's poor, swollen allergy eyes (although you get the idea from this post back in 2009)
• Andrew snuggling in bed with us after waking up with a croupy cough in the middle of the night
• The latest tooth that Evyn lost
• the kids running through the sprinkler with a bunch of kids from the neighborhood
• both kids caked, head to toe, in mud
• the same two kids with Easter chocolate all over their hands and faces
• Andrew's green-stained toes after he "helped" me mow the lawn
• painting the house with chalk (yes, painting, go figure) 
• Andrew putting himself down for nap each day last week
• Andrew refusing to nap this week
• Evyn trying to teach her little brother how to jump rope
• Andrew playing air guitar and growling, "Rock and roll!"
• the kids arguing over whose turn it is to vacuum
• Andrew counting one to ten, and backward from 5

7th birthday party

Evyn's friends came for a party on Saturday to celebrate her 7th birthday.  This year's theme was one of our favorite places - the beach.

the craft table

fruit kabobs, blue jello, and other munchies

I was pretty proud of dessert....  If you know me, you know I'm NOT a baker.  In fact, anything I bake is almost guaranteed to flop.  But somehow I managed to pull this one off  (unlike the brownies I made earlier in the week to share with Evyn's classmates...  that adventure took 6 hours and resulted in lots of brownie-flops in the garbage!).

The girls enjoyed sand-colored cupcakes with blue 'wave' frosting, and chocolate sea creatures on top (all handmade by me!).  Some chocolate beach pebbles and brown sugar 'sand,' and the display was complete.  Pictures don't do it justice, it looked very good- a fluke, for sure!

 

We finished the fun afternoon with crafts, games, singing, dancing, balloon attacks, running around the yard, and general mayhem.

it's that time of year again:

mudpie season!

St. Patrick's Day

 

Evyn made a leprechaun trap, which she left by the front door on Saint Patty's Eve.

The little guy outsmarted us, though, and escaped capture - but not before turning our bathroom tap water green.

She wanted something green to wear to school, and picked this dress from the back of her closet.

Hmm, that dress looks familiar!

After school she had to change into dance clothes for dance class, and Andrew took the opportunity to try it on: