Hmmmm - can you guess what time it is?

Yup, you guessed it. Or if you didn't guess it. It's recital time. Interestingly enough, for some reason I didn't get any pictures of Andelyn in her costumes. Yes, we bought a few from the stage photography but I didn't really get any snap shots of her this year. I happened to be at the studio the day Amelia had most of her pictures so I snapped a few outside. These 4 little girls are the best of friends in dance class. They actually spend about 5 hours a week with each other dancing and so it's no surprise that they are such good friends. They belong to a Company group that has been together since they were 6 and this years recital was their 4th year to dance together.

What a beautiful ballerina pose from my sweet little Amelia. She loves all her classes and absolutely adores dance. Both Amelia and Andelyn take tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary and hip hop.

Long Time, No Entry

Okay, I have to admit that I don't actually like the way this blog site works. I have been having a hard time getting my pictures and text to go where I want them to go and I usually just end up giving up. Especially if I have a lot to put on one post and I have to figure out what happened in backwards order. Maybe I am lame and not getting the way posts should work but I find that I am having a hard time. Alas, all my excuses aside I decided I would just post a few pics and right a tad bit for each one no matter what today. So here goes. May the pictures fall where they may.

My sweet little baby girl turned 10 on the last day of February and we decided to have a little friends party. Amelia invited 5 little girls over and they played games galore and ate a wholotta CANDY. The best game ended up being the most simple of them all. We blew up a beach ball and I wrote silly questions all over the ball. The girls threw the ball around and who ever caught the ball had to answer the question that their right thumb was closest too.

She also cut 12 inches off of her very long hair. I seriously cried as I cut but in the end it was pretty cut and Amelia loves it. That's all that really matters anyway.

SUGAR FREE

So.... I made myself a little itsy bitsy New Years resolution this year. I'm out to conquer sugar. Yup, no treats for a year. No cookies, no cake, no pie, no muffins, no soda pop, no candy, no chocolate, no jelly etc. Yes, sugar is in just about everything so I'm not going absolutely nuts with the sugar police. I still have a bowl of Cherrios or bread or ketchup, for heavens sake even oatmeal has 1 gram of sugar in it. It's been almost 2 months and I've only had one slip and that was a licked finger of jelly while making lunch one day for the girls. Ooops, old habits die hard. Anyway, just because I am riding on the insane train doesn't mean my family is following me down the same track. I decided to make myself bake the usual treats every week or so and sugar cookies during Valentines was no exception. I must confess that I did smell a few cookies several times but you've gotta give me some props for not licking a single frosted finger while decorating over 100 sugar cookies to the max. And when I say to the max I mean the MAX. We had chocolate and vanilla frosting, red hots, conversation hearts, m&m's, licorice and all manner of sprinkles. Cookies are my biggest weakness and sugar cookies with just a smidgen of frosting are my absolute favorite. I know it sounds nuts but I actually feel proud of myself for this commitment I have made. Now... whether this no sugar thing will affect the shape of my body I am doubtful since I have actually gained 2 lbs since I started. Go figure!

Family Photo Shoot

With all our busy schedules, especially Dave this year with School, work and finals. Our annual Christmas picture didn't happen until the 1st week in January. Oh well, better late than never. Thank you Scarlett for fitting us in at the last minute.

Top Ten Christmas List O9"

#10 - Listening to Christmas carols on the radio.
#9 - Our ward Christmas party and singing "The Prayer" with Bryce.
#8 - Putting up the tree and decorations while listening to Celine Dion's Christmas CD with my family.
#7 - Seeing Family and friends for parties and gatherings.
#6 - Opening Scarlett's presents.
#5 - Sleeping in!
#4 - All the cards and well wishes from family and friends.
#3 - Looking at my lit Christmas tree and candy lights at night. I love Christmas light ambiance.
#2 - Singing in "The Forgotten Carols" at Gammage Auditorium.

and drum roll......................................

My #1 most favorite thing from this Christmas Season.................................... Dave's graduation from radiography school! The best Christmas present this year!

My sleepy girls on Christmas morning. I love all 4 of you.

50 mm Baby!

I purchased a new lens for my camera today and I was so giddy I drove home and begged the girls to get ready and let me take a few pictures of them in Down Town Mesa. Andelyn was the only sweet child (therefore my "favorite child") to offer up her smiles. I love the technique I get with this lens. Soft out of focus back ground.I had a little learning curve since the lens does not have any zoom (I am the zoom I decided) and what fun I had.
Andelyn: "Mom, you said it would only take 30 minutes".
Mom: "I lied, lets take pictures till I run out of space and battery K".

RUBY ROO

This is our sweet little Ruby Roo. A.K.A......Roobs, Roobaloobs, Rubeee Rubee Roooo, Woobee, Boobie, Scruffy, Sugar Butt, Puppy, Puppy Wuupy, Baby, Widdel Wooby Girwl, Fur Face, Fluffy Wuffy. You get the picture I'm sure.
She is a mixed bread of Bichone Frise, Shih Tzu and a tiny bit of something called a Griffon. She only weighs 7.5 lbs so obviously a serious lap dog. She can fix just about anything going wrong in your life with one little snuggle and lick. She acts like we have been gone for days at a time each and every time we come home, even if it's only been a few moments. She has learned to sit, shake, beg, stand, walk on two feet (for a long time) dances, plays dead and stays. She is a fabulous watch dog as she likes to stare out the front window for goings on outside and sounds her bark/howl alarm if anyone gets close to our house. Of course all she would do is lick a robber to death if they ever made their way in our house, so she needs a little work in that area. She has some quirky habits like chewing on a tiny spot of her toys for hours at a time, she thinks she needs to get praised for every single time she goes outside to go potty (which is left over from her potty training days) and sometimes she just goes burzurk running around the house like a greyhound all excited over who knows what??
Ruby's Favorite Things: VISITORS! Sun Spots on the floor, peanut butter, Mommy's lap, sleeping on top of Amelia's bed pillows, open windowed car rides, New toys, water bottles, her bears, tummy rubbings, chicken and lunch meat and the groomers..ha ha.. just kidding.