Spring Social shopping

I am ashamed to say, but there is a theme to these posts...things we are able to do with mom in rehab.  It's a lot more work for me with her someplace else, but it's so freeing to be able to go shopping and out to lunch or out for coffee or to pick up the kids or go for a swim.

Peyton's Spring Social is coming up and it's an occasion to buy a new dress.  I told the entire story here.  (you could sub-title it, 47 Dresses!)  I'm pretty sure we did more shopping for this dress than I did shopping to outfit her nursery! 

But we got the best one and she will be stunning at the big event!

Happy Easter!

I know the kids don't believe in the Easter bunny anymore, but they still like the candy and the annual egg hunt.  And I don't mind at all now that I can get them to help me shop for candy and get the eggs filled.  I still do the hiding and this year, I still went out in the very early morning to hide the eggs, but only because I happened to wake up, not because I had to set an alarm and go on this Easter Bunny stealth mission!

We still have the tradition of hiding one egg in each kids' underwear drawer and one in one of their shoes.  They did pretty good - there were 2 that didn't get found until after Easter was over.  One the next day and one 3 days later! 

 Before the hunt - Easter baskets with the big bunnies and all the other stuff that can't be outside over night if it rains

 Breaking one of the ASDA confetti eggs over Daddy's head ... Peyton's favorite part of the morning!

 Sophie was not as fond of her confetti egg...especially when she discovered that she couldn't eat it!

 On the hunt...even at their age - it's still a competition!

 Murph finds the stuff up high...

 ...and Peyton finds the stuff down low!

Checking out the final haul!

ASDA Easter Picnic

Yesterday was the annual All Star Dance Academy Easter Picnic and Egg Hunt.  I forgot.  I've been so busy with mom and completely out of my routine, that I actually thought Easter was next Sunday.  Hard to believe it's been 40 days since I gave up computer games for Lent.  The ones on my phone that were sucking precious time away from getting other things done. 

Anyway, Peyton reminded me about the picnic early last week and I asked her to get the information from Miss Tiffany and we would go.  Of course that meant shopping and baking something and finding something to wear that was semi-cute, could get muddy and was perfect for coolish/warmish muggy weather.

She was excited to do the Easter Egg hunt with her friends - it's such a wonderful, girly environment when the dancers get together.  But yesterday morning via text - she found out the girls on her team weren't going.  Dilemma!

Do we go to the picnic (which I still hadn't shopped for or baked anything and Peyton hadn't gotten any details)?  Or do we hit the mall to shop for a Spring Social dress?

Luckily, she chose the picnic and just like last year - we had a ball.  I bailed on the baking and brought buns and chips (I've always secretly envied those people who don't cook or bake who get to bring plastic silverware or bags of chips!), we both found suitable outfits, Patrick dug out the Easter baskets and off we went.

 And they're OFF - check Peyton out on the right - these girls are serious

 

The basket is full, most of the eggs have been found...but still looking, just in case

Basket full of candy and maybe $$$ (she found 2 this year)

A girl and her Easter basket

 The confetti eggs are always the biggest hit with the girls and the parents and the little brothers and the instructors.  This is from the one Kara broke over Peyton's head.  We're saving one to use on Sophie this morning during our Easter Egg Hunt

April Bits and Pieces

Mom is out of the hospital and in rehab now.  She is so weak she cannot sit unassisted, she hasn't stood up for 10 days or so.  She couldn't even lift a plastic cup with less than 2" of water in it yesterday.  I am worried about her ability to come home.  They got her up and got her dressed for the first time and she screamed in pain.  She is restricted to a wheelchair and pull-ups until she gets a bit of strength back.  And she is so out of it mentally, that I have to be there all the time. 

If I'm not - she will tell the doctors and nurses all kinds of things from her ALZ World that have no basis in reality.  So I have been busy.  She is also very difficult for the therapists to work with because the one thing that hasn't changed is how much she detests any form of exercise!!!

But I did manage to be home most evenings with the kids and captured a few bits and pieces.

 100% recylcled material Egyptian costume for Peyton's GT class...duct tape, plastic bag, plastic party tablecloth, tin foil (or chrome paper, as Daddy used to call it!) and cardboard and twine for her sandals.  Quite fabulous!

 They never miss a chance to pose for picture!

 The "Blood Moon" total lunar eclipse.  Not the best picture, but when you set an alarm for 2:00am and the entire family drags out to see it - you must take a picture!  It really was pretty cool.

 It's a new tradition for the kids to pull the One Word Wednesday prompt from the jar.  Sometimes I forget until bedtime and then it's a scramble, but they are always happy to help...especially Bubbles

 I've ben trying to take Sophie with me to pick up Peyton - sometimes we walk down and sometimes we drive.  But I have so much freedom with mom at the Harrison - I might as well take advantage of it while I can!

The best thing about mom being in rehab is Saturday morning.  I don't have to set an alarm or get out of bed if I don't want to.  And this Saturday I had a snuggly dog to encourage me to just relax!

Next Level Dance Competition

Second dance competition of the year and we were definitely better prepared.  Being a dance mom is an art form and I need more practice.  And truthfully, there should be a class or a handout or something.

On the bright side - we brought too much to our first competition, so we didn't forget anything and didn't have to rush out and buy anything - we just had to lug extra stuff around. 

This time we had just the right amount of what we needed.  The dressing room wasn't as nice - making me wish we'd had the "Dream Duffle" and its stool.  I hated having my beautiful girl and her beautiful costumes ending up on that nasty floor - which I'm sure was clean, but nasty looking, nonetheless!

It was also the first competition Patrick and Keaton got to attend.  Mom is still in the hospital.  It's awful to see her so weak, but it made it a lot easier for all of us to go Peyton dance. 

 Waiting backstage to get called for lyrical.  All stretched out - might as well have a drink!

 They don't let you take pictures inside while they are performing, but they did provide this great backdrop to take pictures before and after routines.  

 Nicole, Peyton and Victoria in their jazz costume "Ooh La La"

 The girls in full splits...because they can!

A little touch up between routines...the judges actually make comments about their makeup and if they look washed out or too pale, etc.

They ended up with platinum on all their routines.  This was the first time they had performed their lyrical routine with the giant diamond prop and they were so elegant.  Jazz was my favorite this time (and it's usually tap), but her facials were spot on!  Sadly, they don't allow any photography from inside the auditorium and their stills are $20 each which is ridiculous!  But they danced beautifully on all their routines.