Disney Cruise

In October, we got to go to Disney World and on a Disney cruise. We had waited for over a year and it was definitely worth the wait!

Painting

Pop Pop came when we first moved and helped me paint. Well, I should say that I helped him :0) He took off all the nasty old wallpaper (steamed it and scraped it then steamed it again) and then we painted Ramble & Raptor's rooms.

Daddy painted our entryway, way, way, way up in the air!

Raptor

I love this little girl. She is so spunky, curious, loving, cuddly, and vibrant. She loves life. I love all the questions she asks me. She is in the 'why' and 'how' stage. How are light bulbs made? Do you know how they make hats? Who made the trees? Why do we have . . . ?

She loves gymnastics--swinging on the bar or rings, jumping on the long trampoline, and jumping into the pit are her favorites. Her first flowers from Mommy & Daddy and Nanny & Pop Pop.


Jumbo cookie!



Her first big girl bike and time on it. Her stuffed animal friend always comes along.

Stylin'!

Waiting for her stuffed animal friend to take it's bath: Worried that it will never be finished!


Chilling in her room!

North Dakota Here We Come. .

. . .Way too far from where we started from.





We made it. We've been here for almost 2 weeks and I'm doing okay. I just don't think about our old home, friends, or places we loved. Our house still hasn't sold--that's a major stressor for me. But the kids love our new house and seem to like the town. Pop Pop came out and helped me put furniture together, unpack, scrape and steam ancient wall paper off the kids walls, & paint almost every room on the main floor and both kids bedrooms. He put amazing clouds in Ramble's room to go along with the bed Daddy is making (in all his 'spare' time). Raptor is having an animal kingdom bedroom & Pop Pop helped put up neat animal stick ons on the walls. When we eventually finish them, I'll post pictures. I've decided not to finish my bedroom this time. I had just finished our house in Illinois (w/my bedroom being the last one) to exactly what I wanted when dear Hubby came home from work (about 2 weeks after finishing) on his birthday no less, and said that they were adding more duties and that he wanted to leave. This time, if I don't finish my house then we won't move. Hmmm. Maybe I'll wait until I see what winters are like here before I decide that. On second thought, maybe I will finish all the rooms!





We miss all our old friends! Keep in touch. :-)

El Toro

One of the places we will miss when we move is a restaraunt called El Toro. It is family owned and operated and we love it. On Thurs., Fri., & Sat. nights the 'Balloon Lady' or 'Balloon Guy' come. The following are some of the kids' balloons.

I forgot to post the following picture w/the dance recital pictures. We went to El Toro after the last recital for a late, late dinner with Nanny & Pop Pop.

Fun at the Park

In May, we said goodbye to some good friends who were leaving for the summer. They will be back after we move :0( Raptor and her friend had fun at the park. She really misses her.

Would you like to buy some food?

Playing as birds in their 'nest.'

Having fun with their princess dolls (even though Raptor told us that hers was immodest and her friend was worried that Snow White was not dressed right. All was better when us moms told them that they were ballerina princesses.)

Dad's Dance

The kids studio has the largest Dad Dance in the country and has been going for 15 years. The dads go all out for costumes and this year's theme was Space so Daddy gave in to the kids begging :0) and was in it with them. They all ended up having a great time and looked good. Behold Han Solo (complete w/gunbelt and blaster), Anakin Skywalker (getting ready to race his pod), and Princess Leia (dark locks and all).

Dance Recital

Each year at the beginning of June we have an entire week of dance recital. It starts on Friday or Saturday for pictures and then there are dress rehearsals Mon, Tues, Wed and performances Thurs, Fri, & Saturday. The nights are late but the kids have fun. Ramble likes it that he can play video games, play on our phones, and talk w/friends. Raptor loves watching the dancers, eating popcorn, and playing on our phones. Oh, yeah, they also have fun performing!

Raptor loves that she gets to wear makeup and sparkly glitter. She sits so still for her hair to get fixed and her makeup to be put on.
Waiting to go on stage.
Shake your groove thang! (the song they danced to)

Here goes hip hop.

Finishing up his freestyle.
Finished!