My Weekend

This weekend has been calm, quiet, and pretty low key. Outside it looks like the inside of a snow globe, huge flakes drifting everywhere, all day long. I have been busy choreographing for the dance recital, teaching my little ones their routines, and taking my daily photos for my 365 project. I went to Trader Joe’s and picked up some gorgeous white tulips to brighten the dining room table and have been making batches of scones (which get gobbled up before I can take photos). All in all it has been pretty nice.

My goal is to get back into the habit of blogging everyday or every other day, even if it is just a quick hello. I had forgotten how nice it was to de-stress by writing more about what is happening in my life. =)

Well, back to working on dance stuff, have a great night and see you back here tomorrow!!

 

Sea Dragons, Books, and Ballet Shoes!

Whew! What a week so far!! This week has been chock full of funness and it seems like the fun isn’t going to be over anytime soon. =) Hmmmm… where to begin?

Well Tuesday the girls and I got to model for my friend Ali who is a face painter and VERY gifted artist. It was beyond a blast! I am just as giddy about it and can’t wait to have her come to AJ’s birthday party to paint faces. I think my friends and their kids are in for a treat, just check out Gabby’s cat face and the awesome sea dragon on mine. (AJ blurred hers out accidentally before I could get a good pic.)

Aren’t they amazing! I am in love with sea dragons so this was especially cool for me. =)

 

We have been spending a lot of time in the various libraries lately, always a plus in my book.It’s funny because we always agree to not get more books than we can carry and then end up taking out way more books that this poor mama ends up carrying. I honestly don’t mind though… the girls and I have a lot of interests and books only fuel the fire. Here are some of the books currently on our shelf:

A wonderful list and only a small fraction of what we actually have out, lol!

 

Finally, Miss Amelia had her first real dance class yesterday! It was exciting and a little bittersweet because it made me see the little lady that she is all too quickly becoming. I would have put her in dance last year but I wanted a year at my studio to get acquainted before I threw my kids in the mix lol! I also didn’t want her to be in one of my classes, been there done that, it just doesn’t work out well. So this year AJ is in Miss Mandy’s class, a lovely teacher who I know will both teach and inspire. She couldn’t stop talking about class and her favorite teacher, lol, it was cute. Here are some of the photos this proud Dance Mom had to take, lol!

Sigh… she is growing up too fast!!!!!

Have a great day friends!

Glambition

Well, I survived my first recital week with Dancexcel. It was one of the most intense, physically demanding, emotional, and enjoyable weeks I ever had. There were times when I was smiling so big that my cheeks hurt and other moments that I was sure I was going to throw up from the stress. Our job was to put on a recital that ran smooth, kept the safety of our students in mind at all times, and was fun to watch and I know that we did that- something that not every dance studio can do.

After working at studios that are disorganized I appreciate a well thought out recital. Most of the parents didn’t know that we start thinking about songs and costumes well before Christmas and have our dances choreographed before returning from Christmas break. Every detail is ironed out, spelled out, and conveyed many times over to our parents so there is no confusion about what is going on or expected.

I loved watching all of my little girls smiling for their parents in their costumes, seeing a year’s worth of hard work come out on stage, and feeling so proud of a job well done. Of course there will little bits that they forgot and things that they did, like stopping in the middle of the dance to take a solo bow!, that weren’t choreographed in, but the audience ate it up. Nothing cuter than 3 and 4 year-olds in tutus!

And then of course, I also danced in the shows with the other teachers! Oh yes, after years of just teaching I got up there and danced… it was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to do it again next year.

I love working at this studio so much that I am going to enroll AJ in a Kinder class for fall (not with me) so she can dance in the recital as well. She has been asking to take dance again and now that I know all of the teachers I am fully confident that no matter who she takes class with she will learn a lot and be thrilled. It is an amazing thing to be able to share this art with my girls and I am so very excited to get teaching again for the summer!

Anyone in the greater Cleveland area who is looking for a dance studio for their kids, Dancexcel is the place to go. All of us teachers work great together, we strive to make sure every child learns a lot but is having fun as well, and the studio itself is so pretty, clean, and well run. You can find more information about it here, be sure to click around and watch the ad for our new Angelina Ballerina classes!

Now to recover from the recital and get my house back in order!!!

Working On Something Big…

I have a project in the works… it is going to big (hopefully) and lots of fun. It is something that is going to take a lot of planning and I can’t do it alone. I have a lot of research to do, need to find some crazy people to help me along the way, and I’m hoping that I can do some good for a lot of women who need a helping hand. This is my inspiration:

 

 

So here is what I need from you lovely readers:

1. Anyone want to suggest some organizations in Africa that benefit women?

2. Any of my Cleveland friends want to help me organize something that is fun, will benefit women, and will be good for the soul?

3. I am looking for a graphic designer who will help me design a tee shirt for the event, possibly pro bono since the point is to raise money, not spend it… =)

I am excited. I get to combine my favorite things for a great cause. So very excited!

Guilty Pleasures When Life Isn’t Pleasurable

In the last two days we celebrated two wonderful occasions- my 8 year wedding anniversary and Moira’s 1st birthday. It was wonderful but hidden in the midst was a bit of unpleasantness that I am trying so very hard not to dwell on. The night before our anniversary someone broke into our car and stole from us. What did they steal you wonder? Not the iPhone speakers, not the change in the cup holder, and not the toys that the kids left in the car. No… the only two things stolen from the car were my makeup bag full of half used mostly Target brand makeup and my Vera Bradley diaper bag that had all my dance gear inside.

My ballet shoes, tap shoes that Klint gave me for a birthday, my jazz sneakers that got me through college, and other necessities to teach dance. Smelly, glorious shoes that are my love and the source of my income. The loss of them is something that is beyond monetary- although that part sucks as well.

I am sure that the thief thought that they were getting a pricey large purse full of good stuff and not a bag with tiny dance shoes. The kicker is that my shoes are probably sitting in some dumpster somewhere… ugh. So the lesson I learned is that if there is something in the car that would kill me to have to replace, even if I am the only one who values it- lock the car. Even in one’s own driveway.

Lucky for me that I bounce back, even when my heart is hurting. So I made a list of things that make me happy, little guilty pleasures that can bring a smile to my face but not put a dent in my now tight pocketbook.(Did I mention that my dance paychecks were also in the dance bag, waiting to be cashed the next day?) These are the little things that make everything ok, at least puts things back in the right direction.

What are your guilty pleasures?