My Little Ballerina...

While everyone else started school yesterday, Erin was with her Grandparents.  They missed her last week and decided to get her for the day/night on Sunday.  I didn't mind because she's still at the same school, with the same kids and with a teacher she's had before.  So, off she went to Gram and Pawpaw's. 

But....we did have a first yesterday!  It was a our first ballet class.  We were on vacay last week when it officially started, but yesterday was Erin's first class.  And what kind of a mom would I be if I didn't go armed with a camera???  Right!

They have one way windows that look into the classroom but had the curtains drawn.  They allow you to watch every other week, because this studio is huge and there are several classes going on at one time.  So yesterday they were closed meaning next week they'll be open.  It was so sweet watching her in her little ballet outfit.  She was a little intimidated going into the room but the teacher came and got her and she walked right in and sat down next to the other girls.  There were 5 or 6 in that class.  They were all so cute in their pink!

I sat there outside the door for 45 minutes listening to all kinds of noises.  I'm not sure what they were doing in there but I didn't hear crying so I was okay.  When the class was over, Erin was the first one to the door.  She ran out looking for me and jumped into my lap.  I asked her if she liked it and she said she loved it.  She then told me, "I'm very happy".  So, I think we have a successful first day on our hands.

In the locker room before class started.

 

At home refusing to take pictures again!

Back to Bizness...

We're back from Florida and we had a great time. 

Erin was perfect on the way home.  She sat in the backseat watching movies and singing songs the whole way back.  We were in Texas right outside of Winnie when she finally laid her head to the side on a blanket and crashed.  She left the rest of the way home.  It was too cute seeing her crashed out. 

This was a different kind of vacation or us.  We were more interested in doing things Erin wanted to do.  Both of us agreed it wasn't our typical relaxing beach vacation, but we wouldn't trade it for the world.

Tommy got a speeding ticket on the way up and lost his sunglasses on the way home.  Happily, Charis found his sunglasses on the edge of the driveway.  We left at 5:00 am and he had them hooked on his shirt.  Some time during the loading, they came off and he didn't realize they were gone until we got to the FL state line.  (About an hour from where we started.)  He was super sad.  When we got pulled over in Lake Charles he was talking very nicely with the State Trooper.  I thought for sure we were only getting a warning.  I was wrong.  It was a full fledged ticket!

Those were really the only hiccups we had along the way.  All is well and we are trying to figure out if we can do it again next year since we're also going to Hawaii next summer.  We'll just have to see what happens!

Back to Bizness...

We're back from Florida and we had a great time. 

Erin was perfect on the way home.  She sat in the backseat watching movies and singing songs the whole way back.  We were in Texas right outside of Winnie when she finally laid her head to the side on a blanket and crashed.  She left the rest of the way home.  It was too cute seeing her crashed out. 

This was a different kind of vacation or us.  We were more interested in doing things Erin wanted to do.  Both of us agreed it wasn't our typical relaxing beach vacation, but we wouldn't trade it for the world.

Tommy got a speeding ticket on the way up and lost his sunglasses on the way home.  Happily, Charis found his sunglasses on the edge of the driveway.  We left at 5:00 am and he had them hooked on his shirt.  Some time during the loading, they came off and he didn't realize they were gone until we got to the FL state line.  (About an hour from where we started.)  He was super sad.  When we got pulled over in Lake Charles he was talking very nicely with the State Trooper.  I thought for sure we were only getting a warning.  I was wrong.  It was a full fledged ticket!

Those were really the only hiccups we had along the way.  All is well and we are trying to figure out if we can do it again next year since we're also going to Hawaii next summer.  We'll just have to see what happens!

A Little Peek From Florida...

We got here safe and sound on Saturday evening.  We had a quiet night in and ordered pizza.  We woke up Sunday to rain and it rained almost the whole day.  We didn't even attempt the beach, but we did get some pool time in.

The kids watched a lot of Mickey and played PlayDoh so they were just as happy.

Yesterday was a Chamber of Commerce day for South Florida.  It was beautiful.  We stayed out at the beach all day.  It's not very relaxing being out there with Erin.  She runs head first into the water and has absolutely no fear.  The water was getting in her eyes and she was going completely under, but would come up laughing and saying "do it again".

Florida or Bust...

Well, vacation time is upon us again.  We've officially started the countdown.  I cannot wait to leave.  I'll miss Mae and I know I'll still have to "work" when I'm there, but at least I won't be at my desk working!!!

I plan on taking plenty of pics and working on a scrapbook as soon as we get home.  I took off that Monday following our trip, so I should be able to knock it out then.  Now that I've gone to the digital scrapbooking, it's very quick.  I love it too because the book just comes in the mail all bound and pretty.  Not sure why I haven't always been using Shutterfly!!

We've been stocking up and the bed in the guest room is covered with things we'll be bringing.  It's crazy what you think you'll need.  We've done so many beach vacations that I feel like we're experts on it.  Now, if I could just learn not to over pack!

We've Got Ears...Say Cheers!

We've been preparing for our Florida beach trip all week.  We've stocked up on sunscreen.  Gotten our guest bedroom stuffed with must haves...but the most important thing we'll be taking is the DVD player for the backseat.

I got Erin these headphones yesterday not knowing if she would wear them.  I took them out of the packet this morning and explained what they are.  She immediately wanted to put them on and loved them.  We wore them to school and she didn't want to take them off. 

Now I'm going back to ToysRus today to buy another pair for Tommy's truck!

Three Mizes + Two...

We're keeping Bailey this week while the other Mizes are in FL for the week. 

She's having a good time.  Her favorite pastime in the world is stalking and watching squirrels.  Tommy feeds our squirrels so Bailey parks herself at the backdoor to keep watch on them.  I even had to pull the blinds down on the door to keep her settled.  She just moved to the window beside the door!

In the meantime, Mae is dying to get Bailey to play with her.  She jumps and barks and nips at her in an effort to get her attention.  Bailey is too wrapped up in her squirrel watch most of the time. 

They get along great!  Maybe Dear Mae will learn something this week!

Smile...We're Going to the Tent...

Erin had her first dentist visit yesterday.  I told her about it and talked to her for a long time about what they were going to do.  She told me later that we were going to the tent.  I kept asking her what she was saying and she kept saying tent.  I figured out she was trying to say dentist!  So, she was excited to go.

After a small scheduling snafu, we were in the room waiting for the doctor. What the scheduler forgot to tell me was that I needed to request an "exam and cleaning" because I we ended up with was an exam.  So we go back today for our cleaning.  Lesson learned.

The doctor was super nice.  It's a pediatric dentist so she is set up for kids from the waiting rooms to the dental chairs.  Erin got to watch Dora while they worked on her.  She loved it.

She was very, very good.  She was taken for x-rays and I couldn't go.  I was a little worried about how she would do, but apparently it was all for nothing.  She just walked off with the nurse and came back smiling about how good she did.  (I should probably be a little worried about how easily she walked off with the nurse!)  

Then came Dr. Ragsdale.  She leaned Erin back in the chair and talked to her about what she was doing.  Erin was very compliant and listened to everything they said to do.  She got a great check up with perfect teeth and she told us to keep doing what we're doing, but to not forget to brush her teeth in the morning too.  So, we add one more thing to our list of morning duties.

Going Native...

I made William a teepee for his birthday.  One of Erin's friends has one that they bought at the Nutcracker Market.  No telling how much they paid for it.  We've been to her house for play dates and Erin loves the teepee.  So, I found a pattern at the fabric store and decided to make William one for his birthday.

I cut the pattern to size and bought the PVC.  Tommy helped me cut it and it was pretty much done after I sewed it all together.  The worst part was cutting and sewing them together.  It was not hard, but very time consuming.  So, together it went.

We had to put it away because we didn't want Erin to see it.  Then I got to thinking she needed one too!  So, back to the fabric store I went.

I decided to make Erin's bigger then William's so I went off the pattern and just increased the size about 4 or 5 times.  So, her teepee wound up being big enough for Tommy and I to get in with her.  It worked out well because we have just the right amount of room for it in the dinning room.  

Here are some pics of the finished products.

I monogrammed William's name on his later, but didn't get a picture of it.  It turned out really cute!