Tutu Open House

Spring 2015: Blakely's Parent Observation

Blakely's ballet class is usually closed, meaning that parents don't get to go in. We can hear them, but we can't see them while they dance. This is probably best- because at 2 and 3 years old... these girls LOVE to ham it up for their mommies. But once a semester, they have an open parent observation. I love getting to see my beautiful girl dance!

My tiny dancer.

Blakely loves her teacher Ms. Amy. She is always the girl sitting as close to her as possible.

Every good ballerina starts her routine with some stretching.

Butterflies.

I love how happy dancing makes her!

Ms. Amy is a genius! She disguise ballet techniques and forms in "play."

This has been such a fun, positive experience for Blakely.

And of course, every dancers favorite part of class.... the sticker! Blakely literally bursts out of class each week dying for me to see her sticker! She is always so proud of it. This one she called "Rainbow stripes!"

She would NOT smile for a picture with me... but ah well.... I LOVE her anyways!!!

Wild Flowers, Tricycles and Slides

April 12th: TRICYCLE TIME!!

I am going to take a minute and brag on my sweet Blakely girl! I don't want to be THAT MOM... but this is my blog. Read at your own risk! Ha!

We had purchased a tricycle to give to Blakely on her 3rd birthday. If you have been following, you will remember that she broke her arm the night before her party. Since she wouldn't be able to ride it for a couple of months, we thought it might be cruel to still give it to her for her birthday. So we decided to wait and give it to her in the future. Then... a funny thing happened, we forgot about it. That was until yesterday, when we found an identical bicycle for Banks in blue! Perfect!!! We thought maybe we would wait until Banks birthday to give it to him, but then the weather was perfection today.

Blakely had seen me buy Banks bike, and she told me that "someday I want to have a pink bike!" She then asked me for paper, and I asked her what for. She told me, "to write a letter to Santa to tell him about the pink bike." I gave her my best poker face, and told her that if she was really good maybe she would get one even sooner than Christmas!

Here is where the bragging starts. When we got there... I got her bike out and moved it to the front of the car, while Rich and Blakely got Banks bike out. At this point in time, Blakely wants a bike and knows we are giving this one to Banks. She is so, so, so excited for him! Look at her sweet face... she can hardly wait to give it to him!

I pray that she always finds so much joy in giving, rather than receiving. Her sweet smile just shows how much she loves her Banks and wants him to have a bike. She kept yelling "Here's your bike Banks! Come ride your bike Banks!"

Blakely yelling "Ta-da! Ta-da!"

Banks was really excited about his bike too!!! Ready to ride!!

Finally, Richard pulled her aside and asked her if she had been good. She said "yes," and so he told her there was a surprise for her too!

Blakely ran out from behind the car and was so surprised and excited!

She kept yelling "Thanks to whoever got me my bike!" I think she still thought it might have been from Santa! Heeheeheehee.

"It the pink one! I love pink! I love pink!"

Banks and Blakely were naturals on tricycles! They really picked up on it quickly.

Daddy showing Blakely how the bell works.... he may regret that! Ding-ding!



I love these two together... couldn't be closer if they were siblings!

Katy Ellis getting in on the bike action... she thought she was BIG STUFF sitting on sissy's bike!

This girl LOVES flowers... nobody point out to her that these are actually weeds.

"For you Mama!"

My crazy Bankster running full tilt with her tongue hanging out!

Sliding!

"Don't worry! I got you Daddy!"

Handsome boy! Sliding, too!

 

Sissy photo bomb!

Thank you Banks and Auntie for spending the afternoon at the park with us! We had so much fun! We will have to practice tricycle riding again soon!!

He is RISEN!!

April 5th: Easter Sunday 2015

HAPPY EASTER Y'ALL!! For the follower of Christ, Easter is the celebration of Christ death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. It is a time to celebrate what life it really about! I love that this happens to coincide with spring... and new birth! Everything is green and sparkling with the promise of "new life" in Christ!!



The Easter bunny came!!

GG made the girls these adorable Easter baskets!

It is so helpful to have a GG that is so crafty and talented.

My two beauties checking out their Baskets. (KE seems more interested in Blakely's basket... hmmmm? Who does this remind me of? ALYSSA!)

Blakely loves a new princess!

This Easter needs a before and after picture.... because it is pretty dramatic.

We will call this little beauty the "BEFORE" shot.

Katy Ellis in that bonnet is just making my heart beat fast!

Dear Beaufort Bonnet Company, Your advertisement that they are "only little once" made me cry... and then buy.... I am such a sucker! But MAN she really is cute!

This Easter we had an extra special guest of honor.... GRANNY KOKO!!

14 months old and still "knee walking." Not sure she will EVER walk. Crazy baby.

GG and PopPop gave the kids adorable beach pails as Easter baskets, and inside each pail was a personalized, hand made beach towel! So precious! GG is amazing.

Blakely's towel was definitely my favorite! GG had made her an Elsa towel. Blakely was so, so excited! She kept saying "Go away Anna!"

Katy Ellis had a really cute fish!

These girls love their GG and PopPop!

With two squiggly girls, taking a family picture is almost impossible... this is AS GOOD AS IT GETS people!

GG and Granny Koko had set up a fun Easter egg hunt for the kids (sans candy).

Even KK got to find some eggs!

These two would hunt eggs ALL DAY LONG!

Love her excited little face when she finds a new egg!

Daddy and his two best girls!

Here is where things start to break down....egg painting with shaving cream.

Blakely loves art projects! She literally painted eggs for >30 minutes. You can already tell in this picture that her hands are turning green!!

No picture of it, but after the egg hunt Blakely's clothes got wet... when she walked straight into the lake!

Maybe she'll be good at gardening... I think she might have a green thumb! (That was a lame joke, but it had to be said folks!)

Banks had other ideas was what to do with shaving cream.... hmmm?



At this point, Blakely has lost her clothes to the lake (hence the princess jammies in the day light), her hands are green like the Hulk, and she is flying through the yard with her new fairy wings! A day at GG and PopPops is pretty great from a 3 year olds perspective.

Keeping it classy, South Carolina.

GG also gave them collapsible, pirate daggers in their Easter basket.... the yard became the scene of a massacre!



Poor Uncle Matt! Stabbed to death by toddlers!

So we started the day in our beautiful smocked dress, new silver sandals and a big white bow, that was the BEFORE.
This.... this is the AFTER. Tacky princess jammies, green hands, no bow, bear foot and running with dagger through the yard. *sigh* She may be girlie, but she sure ain't prissy.

HAPPY EASTER Y'ALL!! Hope you had as much fun celebrating our Savior as we did!!