Our Week... Parties, Games, Recitals
I have been awful at recording what my family has been up to.
Bad, very bad! The whole reason I even started blogging was to keep a journal for our family.
It doesn't matter that it isn't going up until now, I need to get it recorded!
Last week we started with Father's Day. I posted a little about this when I showed off my deck. It felt so good to host, to have friends over. I've recently felt inclined to reach out more. We build friendships by being together, I used to have people over a lot, and stopped for some reason. I want to do better.
I love these people! We laughed and laughed together. They fill my life with joy. I love that we have found such great friends in this stage of our lives. That our kids play well together, that we know each other so well.
We BBQ'd, ate great food. The kids ran around, played kick ball, ate ice cream. We sat and visited, got to know A Miner a bit. It was fabulous!
Last year G started working on his pitching. He has continued into this year. He is pretty accurate just needs a little more speed on him. He has gotten much better at hitting too. At the beginning of the year he was very timid, afraid of getting hit! He has really grown this year! He was invited to the All-Star team again this year, he's excited about that.
I had dress rehearsal, I met Amy for lunch, I did my last recess duty, I did an impromptu mini shoot, took dinner to our friends down the street, also fed the missionaries, then at the end of the week helped out with the 4th grade picnic.
It was great to just hang out with Ames. She is my oldest friend here in the Buff. I met her the summer we did our internship here. Fell in love with her then, still adore her today. Her laugh is infectious, you never see her flustered, she is relaxed most of the time. She is so much of what I am not! I remember years back, while our kids were still bitty, listening to and adopting some of her parenting styles.
I am quick to observe and deliver what I think is necessary. She always seems to leave room to question and understand before she delivered. I like that. I want to be more like that.
It was great catching up. We don't spend too much time together these days.
It was fun hanging out/helping out at the picnic. I didn't last year because I still had the two little's at home.
It was a party! The kids had a great time.
This is G's good friend who lives down the street, probably the girl he feels most comfortable with, because she is most comfortable with things he likes to do! They will play basketball and chess together, his own sister won't do that with him!
This is one of his best buddies. They teamed up for the balloon toss and made the final 4. They do make a good team. So bummed they are going to different schools next year.
Saw my cute friend and took time to catch up. She'd been gone to UT. She is such an integral part of my everyday life, summers are a real bummer w/o her!
The class tug of war. This is a big deal! I video'd it, but will spare you due to my screaming 'pull, pull, pull'!!! It's nice and loud into the camera!!! These kids were all about strategically placing people for the best chance of winning...
They won!
My boy got a little emotional. It was a sweet moment for him...
Friday night I performed in the recital. It was great seeing these girls, the girls I taught and connected with.
I missed my good friend Kristy. I love being with her this time of year.
I didn't get to taste the sweet reward of both my choreography and dance classes being on stage.
There is such a magic there, under the lights. When the year is at it's end, when you are tired of the movement, class time, hard work, the recital is there to reward you with it's magic.
I faced some burnout the following year. I taught, at two different studios, but didn't take class at all.
This year I didn't want to teach, only wanted to take, to feed that part of me.
It ended up being a difficult year, trying to squeeze that in, coupled with the fact that I took ballet, and I'm a modern dancer. I didn't quite feel 'it' during the year, that fulfillment.
When I walked backstage though, in hair and makeup, when I saw and felt the glow of the lights, heard the music, the magic returned.
This is not the place for me to be always, at all times. I made that choice years ago.
I feel so blessed, though, to be able to just taste it on occasion, still, at this stage in my life.
I love dance!
M and I went for a ride Saturday morning. We looked at some houses on our ride home. I photographed a wedding most of the day, G had a game, we all were exhausted at the end of the day.
Sunday M, Q and I went to a few open houses in this area. It did get us excited for what is ahead!
Oh, and so proud of this little boy!
He won the coloring contest for all of the Kindergartners! Booyah! He and G worked hard on their pictures. He was the big winner! Yea!
Bad, very bad! The whole reason I even started blogging was to keep a journal for our family.
It doesn't matter that it isn't going up until now, I need to get it recorded!
Last week we started with Father's Day. I posted a little about this when I showed off my deck. It felt so good to host, to have friends over. I've recently felt inclined to reach out more. We build friendships by being together, I used to have people over a lot, and stopped for some reason. I want to do better.
I love these people! We laughed and laughed together. They fill my life with joy. I love that we have found such great friends in this stage of our lives. That our kids play well together, that we know each other so well.
We BBQ'd, ate great food. The kids ran around, played kick ball, ate ice cream. We sat and visited, got to know A Miner a bit. It was fabulous!
G had a game last week. Last year I wasn't at every game. The boys were still a little cra-crae and sometimes it was just easier to stay home with them. Of course my boy wants all of us there, so this year we've all tried to be there as much as possible. The little's run around and play. The boys love to visit G in the dugout. His teammates call them both little G! The boys think it's pretty cool.
Last year G started working on his pitching. He has continued into this year. He is pretty accurate just needs a little more speed on him. He has gotten much better at hitting too. At the beginning of the year he was very timid, afraid of getting hit! He has really grown this year! He was invited to the All-Star team again this year, he's excited about that.
It was great to just hang out with Ames. She is my oldest friend here in the Buff. I met her the summer we did our internship here. Fell in love with her then, still adore her today. Her laugh is infectious, you never see her flustered, she is relaxed most of the time. She is so much of what I am not! I remember years back, while our kids were still bitty, listening to and adopting some of her parenting styles.
I am quick to observe and deliver what I think is necessary. She always seems to leave room to question and understand before she delivered. I like that. I want to be more like that.
It was great catching up. We don't spend too much time together these days.
It was fun hanging out/helping out at the picnic. I didn't last year because I still had the two little's at home.
It was a party! The kids had a great time.
This is G's good friend who lives down the street, probably the girl he feels most comfortable with, because she is most comfortable with things he likes to do! They will play basketball and chess together, his own sister won't do that with him!
This is one of his best buddies. They teamed up for the balloon toss and made the final 4. They do make a good team. So bummed they are going to different schools next year.
Saw my cute friend and took time to catch up. She'd been gone to UT. She is such an integral part of my everyday life, summers are a real bummer w/o her!
The class tug of war. This is a big deal! I video'd it, but will spare you due to my screaming 'pull, pull, pull'!!! It's nice and loud into the camera!!! These kids were all about strategically placing people for the best chance of winning...
My boy got a little emotional. It was a sweet moment for him...
Friday night I performed in the recital. It was great seeing these girls, the girls I taught and connected with.
I missed my good friend Kristy. I love being with her this time of year.
It has been several years since I've been on the stage.
Two years ago, right before recital, my dad died. I left to UT just before the show.I didn't get to taste the sweet reward of both my choreography and dance classes being on stage.
There is such a magic there, under the lights. When the year is at it's end, when you are tired of the movement, class time, hard work, the recital is there to reward you with it's magic.
I faced some burnout the following year. I taught, at two different studios, but didn't take class at all.
This year I didn't want to teach, only wanted to take, to feed that part of me.
It ended up being a difficult year, trying to squeeze that in, coupled with the fact that I took ballet, and I'm a modern dancer. I didn't quite feel 'it' during the year, that fulfillment.
When I walked backstage though, in hair and makeup, when I saw and felt the glow of the lights, heard the music, the magic returned.
This is not the place for me to be always, at all times. I made that choice years ago.
I feel so blessed, though, to be able to just taste it on occasion, still, at this stage in my life.
I love dance!
It was wonderful to go home to my sweet family. M came to the show and his opinion this year is that he missed seeing me 'move' more, the ballet didn't do it for him either!
We did movie time together, actually ended up watching The Truman Show.
As I do, I wanted to capture the moment, which created more moments.
"Mom, why can't we just do something w/o you taking a picture?"
I don't always take pictures when we watch movies as a family!!! I don't!
This was a sweet moment for me, though. I came home to my family, assured that my family is my life, dance was never supposed to be my life.
That is G's hand... he is protesting and think's it's a wonderful photo!!! E is the one asleep!
M and I went for a ride Saturday morning. We looked at some houses on our ride home. I photographed a wedding most of the day, G had a game, we all were exhausted at the end of the day.
Sunday M, Q and I went to a few open houses in this area. It did get us excited for what is ahead!
Oh, and so proud of this little boy!
He won the coloring contest for all of the Kindergartners! Booyah! He and G worked hard on their pictures. He was the big winner! Yea!