Dance Recital Videos

This was Tater's best dance of the night - and the song is so appropriate it!

Tater was done at this point - the itchies had invaded!

There was no dancing for tap, except when she does the little pop-up thing!

(I think she cried during the entire dance!)

Staying on Her Toes!

Well, tonight was the recital dress rehearsal...enough said! The night could have been MUCH better and I definitely have learned from my mistakes! Tater WILL nap tomorrow afternoon! I WILL pack an endless supply of snacks! I WILL find a way to make her costume less itchy! I WILL end the night with a well-deserved glass of wine!

Tater found a comfy spot to watch the show!

Coming on stage for the ballet piece

Group Ballet Shot

Ballet

Jazz

(This was after she screamed about the itchies and before she ran off stage to sit on my lap!)

Waiting for Tap

(Notice how Tater is sitting - she was ALL done!)

ALL DONE!

The bandanna was to be around her neck - wasn't happening!

Tap with tears

More tap with tears!

Finale Group Dance

Around the House!

Just when you say that you are not going to do any more projects, something always happens that you have to do immediately - it never fails!

This past week we discovered we HAD to redo the floor in our powder room. The previous owners installed peel-and-stick laminate that was not lined up very well (Tater could have done a better job!). Thus there were lots of cracks where potty accidents leaked through and I could no longer get my bathroom to smell lemony-fresh! So off the the home improvement store we went! We explored hardwood, tile, and even the world of peel-and-stick (which has made amazing leaps and bounds!) before we decided on a new type of laminate hardwood flooring. It looks like real wood, was easy to install, and best of all - it's waterproof (or in house - pee-proof!)! So Daddy started the project on a Monday evening and finished by midnight Tuesday. Of course, he had to work around a preschool picnic, my work schedule, dance class, a dentist appointment, and all the little problems that arise with any project. Below are the "during" pictures - this is the part I hate - oh, the mess! Then there is a finished picture - including new baseboards and a new transition piece - it looks professional!

Yea! It's finished and it smells yummy!

I threw in this picture of a piece that I just re-finished. A neighbor had it out for the trash and I sent Daddy "dumpster diving"! All it took was new panels of bead board on the back and a coat of chocolate brown paint - and it looks brand-new! It just goes to show that you never know what treasures you'll find!

An Interview With Tater

I decided to interview Tater, age 4, about her mother, after seeing these questions on a couple of great blogs. It's so fun to get her perspective on things, even when the "thing" in question is me.

What is something I always say to you? "You are a good girl."

What makes me happy? Me helping you. Me cleaning up Bruiser's toys.

What makes me sad? Me not listening.

How do I make you laugh? You tickle me!

What was I like as a child? You liked to play with your rattle. It was pink and green on the bottom.

How old am I? 5, I mean, 3. (So not true but sweet!)
.
How tall am I? So tall!

What is my favorite thing to do? Pick me up. You love to come back and do laundry. (Too funny!)

What do I do when you're not around? You eat cupcakes. (NO I DON'T!!!)

If I become famous, what will it be for? You'd be a queen!

What am I really good at? Sitting correctly in the chair.

What do you do on the computer? I send Papa messages.

What am I not very good at? Painting. Sorry, you're not very good at painting and drawing.

What is my favorite food? Pasta.

What makes you proud of me? When you make me a card.

If I were a cartoon character, who would I be? Alice from Martha Speaks

What do you and I do together? Tell words.

How are you and I the same? We have brown hair.

How are you and I different? Our hair is cut differently.

How do you know I love you? Because you really do.

What I Learned This Week

I learned...

1. A Mommy with a stiff neck and lots of pain is not a patient and effective Mommy!

2. We have great friends and we love to spend time with time and there is always room for new friends in our life! We spent an amazing Memorial Day with a great mix of friends from all different aspects of our life. We also met a great new group of friends through our church on Saturday who we hope to continue meeting with over the summer - we had a blast!

3. I really miss preschool afternoons!

4. Every time I think of the impending recital (this weekend!!!), I am filled with dread! I hope my little dancer is ready for this!

5. No matter how cold the water is...if there is a pool, children will go in!

6. It is impossible to type on the computer with such a pain in the neck (and I mean a real pain - not just a husband, child or dog!).

March, 1, 2, 3, 4...

Our little town has a great little parade every Memorial Day. It is basically city officials, vets, a couple bands, some old cars, and, of course, the firetrucks! We live close enough to the parade route that we can load everyone in the strollers and walk to find a spot. This year it took two strollers and we had to cross the main road but it was worth it! Previous years we sat by ourselves and just enjoyed watching the parade. This year? We met up with two of Tater's friends from preschool and their families as well as two church families that we enjoy spending time with! We had quite the crowd on our corner!

G-Baby fell asleep before the parade even started and didn't wake up until it was over!

Her big sister did the same thing at her first parade!
This was before her nap - snack time!

Drink break!

Bruiser couldn't even stop to "cheese" the camera...and we did feed them breakfast!

Here's part of our entourage!

It was so great to share the morning with all our Rhode Island "family"!

Tater with her bestest friend, E.

"The Girls"

E, Tater, and M

(Tater's friends from preschool)

After the parade, we walked back to our house and loaded into the car to head to a picnic at our good friend, B's, mother's house. The best news to our kids...and no matter how cold it was...THE POOL WAS OPEN! After a quick costume change, Tater donned her water wings and headed in! Even though the water was frigid, she did manage to get very wet and we were able to see how tall she got over the winter! (Last summer the water was up to her chin on tip-toes...this summer she could stand flat and her arms were out of water.)

Bruiser opted to spend the afternoon splashing the kiddie pools and throwing balls into the big pool for his friend, Brother, to fetch! Notice the floatation devise he is wearing in the pictures - I couldn't find his wings, so he got stuck with a very un-manly suit. Bruiser didn't mind but Daddy sure did! The only reason it stayed on was because he would run right to the edge of the pool to throw those darn balls in and we didn't want to have jump in after him!

Bruiser doing some kind of a splash dance - he acts a bit special sometimes!

Tater braving the frigidness!

Push away those ice cubes and swim!

We ended our busy day with a nice little dinner at home with our good friends, Dana and Nicholas. Daddy made ribs on the grill for the first time and they were yummy! We enjoyed other picnic-y foods (and even a chocolate pudding pie!) before the mosquitos chased us inside. The little ones headed to bed (amid screams of "but I'm not tired!") while the men retreated to the "man room" and the ladies vegged in front of a bit of TLC. All in all it was a picture-perfect kind of day! (except for Nicholas' trouble with my "hidden" furniture...who knew furniture could be hidden in plain sight!)

Fire Truck, Fire Truck, Fire Truck!

We had a bit of excitement in the neighborhood tonight!

We were eating a late dinner and anticipating an early bed for the kiddos (they had already been bathed!) when our phone rang. It was our neighbor telling us that there was a fire truck outside and that Bruiser needed to see it. So we opened the door. As we watched another truck arrived, then the fire chief in his vehicle, then another truck (yes, that's three so far!), and finally the Hazmat truck! By this time we were out the door and Bruiser was running up and down our yard and the neighbors drooling over the fire trucks!

We came to find out that it was a small mercury spill in a neighbor's home from a broken thermometer - which probably didn't warrant a call to 911 - but they got the call and had to follow state regulations! So bring on the show! Even the news came and we might be on the 11:00 news. If we are so famous, I'll link you to the website!

Bruiser had a blast! He checked out all the trucks with Daddy and even got sit up in one with a real fireman! Who could ask for a better Friday night for a two-year-old! When it was time for them to leave, there lots of waving and horn-beeping. So much for an early bed!

So Pretty!

Picnic in the Park!

Preschool is over! Tater had her last day and we joined her for a picnic to celebrate with all her friends. I think the Mommies were more upset than the children - we enjoyed those afternoon breaks and those rare moments of adult conversation at drop-off and pick-up! Plans are underway for summer play dates so we can all stay sane - Mommies and children alike!

Tater snacking away!

Anyone hungry?

Tater and the girls (plus one!)

Bruiser couldn't stand to be left out!

G-Baby Style!

G-Baby has decided she has to sleep on her side and will find anyway to get there - no matter where she is sleeping!

Pure exhaustion!
This is what happens when you decide to play instead of nap!

See the puff stuck on her nose?
I guess she was saving it for later!

Girl Talk!

Duck, Duck, Goose - Sprout House Style!

This was too priceless not to catch on video!

Enjoy!

What I Learned This Week

1. I learned I have a big girl who has finished her first year of preschool. When did she get so big? I can still picture her coming home from the hospital, sleeping in her infant seat, and snuggling into my neck. Now she's already had the first school experience - and runs into school to see her friends! Is it possible to stop time - has anyone figured that one out yet?

2. I learned that having your husband install a floor in your powder room may not be worth the cost of paying someone to do it (and I just realized this in the past five minutes as I am listening to my husband work!).

3. I learned that a good book group is an awesome thing to be a part of! It encourages you to read (obviously the main purpose!) and grows great friendships!

4. I learned where I am on my spiritual journey and where I want to be...and I'm working on building that path.

5. I learned that even a veteran mother of three can misdiagnose an ear infection. It makes me so mad when I make all the arrangements to get one of the kids to the doctor only to discover said child has a COLD and not an infection that calls for any kind of medication! Shouldn't I know better?

6. I learned to not leave a gallon of paint at my children's level without the lid being Super Glued on. I learned that 4-year-olds and 2-year-olds find paint fascinating. I learned that when your 4-year-old says "Mommy, Bruiser made something and you're not going to be happy!" you come running - fast! I learned that if you move very fast, you can clean up wet paint! I learned grandparents NEVER see the bad in what grandchildren do (and no, Papa, giving Tater one scoop of ice cream instead of two is not the appropriate punishment!). I also learned that some people (mainly those not directly involved in the crisis) can't understand why you didn't stop and take pictures before you cleaned up the mess.

A Touch of Spring from Papa and Mimi!

Even though it is freezing here today (on May 18th!!), Papa and Mimi found these signs of spring around their yard! So neat to see!

Where's God?

A few weeks ago, I was waiting in the car with the three kids while Daddy ran in the store. We have discovered that life is much easier that way...who really wants to unbuckle three children, chase them around a store, and then buckle them back in? We eliminate those steps and just make Daddy do the shopping!

Well, on this particular day our Bill Harley CD was not entertaining Tater in the least. After her screaming and Bruiser's crying began to subside, Tater asked if she could pray. And my response? "Umm, yeah, sure...what do you want to pray about?"

Tater: "Thank you God for everything. Thank you God for our food. Amen."
Tater: "Let's do it again!"
Tater: "Thank you God for everything. Thank you God for our food. Amen."
Tater: "God? God? Where are you, God?"
Bruiser: "God? God? I you?" (aka "Where are you?")

Too cute!

The Wiggle Wiggle!

This is G-Baby's patented move!

Daddy finally caught it on video last night. It's her favorite way to tell us that she's really happy!

One More Thing...

I know I have blogged a lot today. I had a lot of catching up to do!

But...this couldn't wait until tomorrow...

Tater came running to get me screaming "Mommy, come quick! Bruiser made something and you're not going to be happy! Follow me!" (We later learned that she had done the most of the mess and Bruiser went along for the ride!)

Of course I followed! And you could never even begin to guess what I saw.

PAINT! EVERYWHERE! PAINT!!!!!

My dining room table, my dining room floor, my dining room RUG, my living room floor, my end table, my FIREPLACE, G-Baby's exersauser, MY SON!

Oh, yes, they got into the paint I had been using earlier to paint the bricks around the fireplace. I had lightly closed the paint can and was waiting to do a second coat. I guess they decided I needed some help...WRONG!

They have never been in so much trouble. Tater lost the chance to talk to Papa tonight and had to tell him why. Bruiser climbed in his own bed when I sent him night-night. It was bad at the House of Sprout tonight.

And you would think an impression had been made until Tater said "I don't care if I'm naughty!" What to do next?

Oh, and we did manage to get all the paint off except for the navy blue surround of the fireplace that needs to be re-painted as soon as I'm done here - white paint on navy is not a good mix. And, no, there are no pictures. We were in shock and cleaned as fast as we could - sorry to disappoint those of you who wanted to share in our horror!

Blog of Note

Visit Papa's blog to see pictures from Tater's dance recital pictures. And watch this entry for an update with the tales of that day!

Touch-a-Truck!

Our local Chamber of Commerce runs an annual Touch-a-Touch day where local businesses bring in trucks and vehicles, big and small, and let the children explore! They get to climb in them and try the horns and many give out little treats. Today we came home with balloons, t-shirts, water bottles, bubbles, stickers, tatoos, shampoo and even some candy. The best part is the lemonade truck that gives out free lemon and watermelon ice - a local fav! Our worst part was trying figure who's watermelon ice Tater ate out of thinking it was her own!

We had a great time with our friends, The Eide's. This is the second year we have done this together...and the first time it didn't rain and require us to bundle up! We also ran into our friends, The Gallogy's, which excited Tater even more!

Bruiser in the firetruck.

Tater and our friend, S, posing.

Tater with P and R in the rescue boat.

Bruiser in the rescue truck.

Bruiser, J, and J's daddy in the backhoe.

Tater in the bob cat.

Bruiser in the bob cat.

Gotta love that face!

Tater and Daddy in the cement truck.

Our favorite truck...the moving truck!

The kids ran up the ramp and walked all over big sheets of bubble wrap...they were in heaven! Bruiser went back at least 4 times!

"Driving" the police car.

In the milk truck - it even looks like a cow!

Baptism Pictures...Finally!

It may have taken a bit of time...but Papa came through!

Here are the memories of G-Baby's Blessing Day!

The Entire Family

Notice the tears on Tater's Face...not one of her shining moments!

The House of Sprout

(minus Shadow...now that would have made for an interesting baptism!)

The Crew!
G-Baby looks a timy bit nervous...I wonder why!


Bruiser blowing bubbles with C.

And this one I just saw...who's going to fess up to letting my baby feed herself?

So, here is a re-cap of the baptism. The morning started out great. Both sets of grandparents and Tater had stayed a hotel the previous night so there was plenty of time for Daddy, Mommy, Bruiser and G-Baby to get ready. We actually made it to church early! I should have known things were taking a turn for the worse when Bruiser tumbled on his way into church and began to gush blood. But oblivious to what was yet to come, we settled the children in the nursery and took our spots at the front of the church...not our normal spot and now I know why! Within five minutes of the service starting, we hear the pitter-patter of little feet and find Tater scooting into the pew beside us. Daddy then turned to me and asked how much longer until Bruiser made an appearance...it was followed by a screech...and yes, there was Bruiser sitting right behind us! I later found out that the adult for nursery was a no-show and the two teenagers let the children wonder out at will!

So the service progressed with a bit more noise than I (and many others!) preferred. The sermon seemed particularly long ... and the minister later commented that she felt that way too! At one point, our friend Dana went running to catch Bruiser. And I think I have mentally blocked out whatever else happened so that I won't be too embarrassed when I show my face at church tomorrow!

The Baptism followed the sermon. We all went up front ... and by all I mean Mommy, Daddy, G-Baby, Bruiser, Tater, Pop-Pop, and Papa (the two sponsors). Then the minister invited the children to come forward and sit in the aisle so they could see better. That's when it happened - the children shuffle! The minister's husband, who was helping to video the service, later recalled this and laughed. His paraphrased comment was something to effect that watching our children made all the other parents feel better about when their kids do the same thing! Tater and Bruiser began the Baptism standing at our feet. Then Daddy was holding Tater. Then Bruiser wanted me to hold him so Daddy put Tater down and took G-Baby from me so I could hold Bruiser. Then Tater began to cry until I convinced her to go to Papa. Keep in mind that through this whole charade we are supposed to be watching the baptism process and participating in the liturgy. It was a bit trying!

All in all, it went well and we came home a organized a lovely lunch for family and friends. And when it was all over (around 2:30pm) we loaded everybody in the car and went to walk Secret Beach ... because it was Mother's Day after all!