Recital 2013, Soap and a Fall

Well, I am very glad to be done with dancing for 2013!!!  Jillian was very excited about the make-up so I slathered it on because I wanted her to be happy!!  She was not excited about doing her hair, she was not excited about the headband and she was not excited about the costume!  Whatever!!!! 

 

Here she is on Sunday as we made it up the stairs to Laurie Auditorium at Trinity University.

 

 

They do not allow any pictures or videos on recital day (hence you have to buy the video) but this is her on Saturday at the dress rehearsal.  (DISCLAIMER:  I do not know where she learned to shake her hips like that!!!)  I love it when she sees and proceeds to forget all of the steps.  Classic!

 

 

Next up:  let's talk about kids talking back.  My kids are at it.  Summer is here, the structure is out the window, there are no teachers, just Mommy and the kids.  We are having some major back-talking, name-calling and general meanness from mainly Jillian and Rocco but they are slowly teaching Hadleigh.  At times, you can clearly hear Hadleigh say "Mean Mommy."  Bryan and I have been discussing and discussing what to do and finally on a VERY ROTTEN Sunday afternoon when all the kids had NOT had a nap.  Everybody snapped.  We had tantrums, hysterical crying, screaming, etc.  After Rocco had screamed at me that I was mean, screamed he did not want to be a part of our family and then he tried to hit me, I reached my limit.  I got the soap, put a dollop on my finger and swiped it in his mouth.  THAT GOT HIS ATTENTION.  I then held him as he gagged and cried himself to sleep.  I felt awful. 

 

After he woke up, he has been a different person.  He has not called me names and even when he doesn't get what he wants you can see him about to lose it and then he remembers what happened.  Wonderful!!

 

Jillian did not learn from her brother's mistake.  Last night, she kept ignoring me at least 5 times as I told her to get in bed.  Finally, at 9:45 p.m., I said enough was enough and get in bed and she called me "Mean Mommy."  Rocco was watching from his bed and I knew I had to do it so that they knew I was fair.  Jillian got soap in the mouth.  I felt awful.  I then held her as she gagged and cried herself to sleep. 

 

It is VERY hard being a Mommy!!!!  I feel like time-outs are not working, spanking definitely doesn't work for Rocco so I hope both of them start seeing that Mommy has set the boundaries of no name-calling and we won't have any repeat offenders. 

 

This morning, my Mom and I took the kids to the movies - Alvin and the Chipmunks 10:00 a.m. for $1 a person.  This would be Hadleigh's first movie.  I stepped out of the car and slid on my shoes and fell so hard in the middle of the parking lot.  I hit so hard.  I scraped both elbows, the side of my face, and all down my back.  I look like a train-wreck and I am seriously so sore.  I am such a klutz.  It is only Wednesday.  This week is bound to improve.  

VBS 2013

This year we have gone to the Wild, Wild West.  The church is decorated with corrals and the kids are wearing cowboy boots and hats.  Well, mine aren't because it is 100 degrees and it is too hot for that!

 

 

But they are ready to learn more about God and this year they are focusing on Moses.

 

God turned Moses' staff into a snake so the kids got to paint snakes.

 

Snack time!!

 

Music class!

 

I love this photo!  Hadleigh's two year old doesn't always come into the sanctuary but Jillian and Rocco ran over to Hadleigh when her class marched in.  She loved it!!

 

This year, our mission project is to build a well in the country of Niger.  Every time one of the kids donates money, they earn a different mustache.  Big incentive for these kids!!  Ha!!

 

Jillian and her friend Luke!!

 

Two more days!!

Swimfan

Week 1 of our summer vacation is OVER and what have we been doing??  Swimming!!!

Well, and truthfully dodging the rain.  We have had a VERY rainy June which presents some problems in the swim world but we have had lots of make-up classes so we are still very busy swimming. 

 

Jillian has been competing in the 25 free and the 25 back.  This week we got an email that she had been placed on one of the relay teams so now she would be in 3 races.  She was very excited.  She is loving swim team.  Well, Saturday morning came with a 5:45 wake-up time.  (It is seriously painful to wake up that early during my summer vacation!!)  We get Jillian there in time for warm-ups and the relay event is the first event.  I start noticing that everybody is a LOT taller than Jillian.  These girls look huge.  I mean what are they 10??  What is going on??  This is a picture showing I am NOT exaggerating the size difference.  With some questioning on my part, we discover that the relay events are for girls age 8 and under.  Oh my word!!!  Well, let's just say that Jillian's little team of 6 year olds got demolished by the 8 year olds but she did not seem to notice and it is good experience!!  Jillian was the anchor and let's just say that she was the only one in the pool as the other teams had already finished the race.  Ha!! 

 

 

She is waiting for the 3rd leg girl....

 

OK, back to competing against other 6 year olds!!!!

 

That went a little better!!

 

 

The thing about swim is that it is really fun for about 5 minutes and then the rest of the time it is very difficult entertaining this boy.  He is struggling right now to share any of the spotlight.  Here he is modeling a swim cap.

 

After the meet, we were off to KK's 2nd birthday party!!!!  He is all about golf and hitting the ball!! 

 

Mom made the cake and I was in charge of decorating.

 

Gotta have cupcakes too!!  I made these and decorated!!

 

Despite their faces, the kids had so much fun celebrating with sweet KK!!  I feel terrible that I did not get one pic of him with my camera.  (I was in charge of taking pics with Summer's camera.)

 

We are on to Week 2 of summer vacation = VBS, swim and dance recital.

 

1st Grade - Here We Come!!!!

I feel like my district is the last one to have a last day!!!

She did it!!!  She is going to 1st grade!!!!

She got her certificate!!

I am so proud of my girl!!!

As you know, I am going to 1st grade too!!

Here are some of the songs they sang this morning for the parents!!

Now on to summer!!!!!!

More End of the Year Fun

Well, this year's talent show was so much fun because it wasn't just the faculty this year....we invited some of our favorite kids too.  The kids did an awesome job and the big kids have really got some moves!!!  The cup game at the end was really cute too.

First Swim Team Meet

Saturday was Jillian's first swim meet.  It was my first swim meet too.  I have never been to one in my life.

We had to wake up at 5:45 on a SATURDAY and be at pool by 7:00 a.m.  Who does that????

She had to be labeled with event, heat, and lane.

She had to warm up.....

She had to wait for her turn (That was the bad part.  There was a lot of waiting.)

OK Jillian.  Take your mark. 

This is her in the freestyle...

This is her in the backstroke.

We learned a LOT in our first meet.  We were all so proud of her that she completed each race and did a pretty good job.  Seriously, they take after their Daddy!!!!  We may have a Speedy Jr.

Field Day 2013

Jillian's first Field Day was a success.  Even though the skies threatened to rain the whole time, it was nice that it wasn't broiling hot like it usually is. 

The "javelin" throw.

Her game face.

Skooter race

A very messy muddy race for balls.

A very difficult game of "hook the clothesline."

Here is a clip of my favorite game - fill the barrel with water.

Tug of war - her class vs. my class.  My class won!!!!

Finally, the teachers participated in sumo-wrestling!!!  What you didn't see is that we were the first participants.  They didn't know how exactly to put on the outfits.  I knew immediately that mine was not on correctly.  But I didn't know how to fix it because it was already on.  It was so tight around my neck.  Oh well.  Game on.  But when I fell, the whole outfit pulled so hard on my neck that I couldn't breathe well.  I was coughing and couldn't get up.  It was funny but not but funny.  Got it!

I have watched it twenty times and I laugh so hard every time.  Ha!!!!