June, in all it's glory!

I really love June. I've just accomplished recital, summer is new and exciting, and it is always so welcome. 

I, however, do not enjoy the last few weeks of school. My theory is the teachers do everything they can to make you live at that school so you are just so excited to have your kids home when summer actually hits. I'm always so relieved I don't work the last few weeks of school or I'd miss so much. Yes, I was a stellar Statue of Liberty for Quinn's road rally. Green flannel sheets and 95 degree weather do not make for a happy statue. Quinn's Jeep was so cute. Good job, Bill!

 Favorite teacher at my kid's school. She is so real, practical, and awesome. I will force my next two kids into her classroom if it kills me. 

Macy, Quinn, and Emi have been in swim lessons. In five lessons, Macy went from screaming when she had to put her face into the water to swimming unattended for a few (terrifying) seconds. Go Macy! 

I'm sort of on a healthy kick. But not really. 

Have I mentioned we now own a boat? Of course, I have no pic of the boat, but yes, I have a picture of their mud castles. Boat ownership....I'll get into that another day.

Tennis camp.....even in the crazy early heat of June, Emi loved it and I hope she keeps up with it. 

This is my attempt at Family Home Evening when dad is working late. Are they all holding their crotch? Hmm, just realized that. 

Splash pads

Bill and I were lucky enough to fill in for the Bishop to go to Oakcrest. I love that place and can't wait for Emi to go in a few years. Our beehives are always the cutest! I love them. 

 Macy, as always, is a constant crack up.

I took the kids to "Planet Play" or "whatever the heck it's named right now". This place was so cute back when it started a few years back. It's now on it's 3rd owner, and has really gotten a bit slummy. For example, the bumper cars only have 2 cars going. So, you get to bump into one person. FUN! I did  discover that I love laser tag.

Bill's parents have been in town, which was perfect for the Daddy-daughter dance our city puts on. The girls had so much fun, and Grandpa showed off his limbo skills. He was a bit sore the day after. Bill and his dad are spitting images of each other. 

Love this pic of the bubble on Emi's glasses.

Today was hard! Macy started preschool camp and Parker headed to his first weeklong scout camp. I'm dying! I worry about him so very much and miss him already. I'm in anxiety overload wondering how he's surviving. This is big for him, and I just pray it's a great experience. Oh yeah, Macy rocked it at preschool camp and has yet another boyfriend, though she can't remember his name.

So, not exactly relaxing, but it has been fun so far. Except today. I'm fighting a summer cold and went to my back doctor to check on the progress of my ever-painful back and hip. She basically said she wished she could form a support group for people with mid-back injuries like mine because that's about all they can do. She did give me 8 trigger-point injections (shots...yes shots) in my mid back. Feeling really good about now....not. As for the hip, another MRI is needed (cha-ching) to hopefully find bulging discs in my SI joint so that I can get cortisone shots. I guess you didn't need to know all this. I'm just venting. 

Happy June! It goes so fast. I wish it would slow down. 

Dancing Through the Decades

Well, it's been 10 days since recital, so I just might have recovered by now. Maybe not. But at least I'm finally posting some pics.

(Note to self....I cannot let recital season come again without a better camera. I need to get a little more high tech with my photography. iPhones and quick snap cameras don't do the job on a stage. Sorry for fuzzy pics)

My theme was recycled; "Dancing Through the Decades". Super easy to come up with songs, just tricky narrowing it down. I had 3 dances that I spliced 3 songs together because I couldn't decide. I did this theme 6 years ago and re-used a few dances. That was nice to have a teeny bit less work on my shoulders.

So....it was great I must say. My girls are great and they have a super spirit about them. I can honestly say I love everyone of my dancers.

Macy's first recital! I'm so very proud. She did the same dance that Emi did 6 years ago.....awwwww!

(Not all dances are shown....must secure me some better pictures of them. Missing "A Tribute to Silent Film". "Puttin' on the Ritz", "Happy Days are Here Again", and "Rock Around the Clock"

Over the Rainbow (30's)

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (40's)

You are My Sunshine (40's)

Macy in Earth Angel (50's)
She will sing it for you if you want =-)

Dream (50's)

Smile (50's)

Respect (60's)

Surfin' USA (60's)

Emi is my bunny in Superstition (70's). This is my fun dance with the older girls. It seriously was my favorite silly dance ever. We had 10 superstitions people had to find in the dance. They stole Emi's bunny foot as a good luck charm.

I like to involve the whole family in recital, though Quinn would have nothing of it. Parker stepped up to be the "mother" whose back gets broke from a crack in the sidewalk. Thanks buddy!

Something In the Way She Moves (70's)

Jessica's Theme (80's)
My lovely Emi....It's really hard to run a recital when I'm tearing up backstage because she looks so beautiful. 

A blurry look at We've Got the Beat (80's)

Forever 80's ( I mixed "Forever Young", "What I Like About You", and "Livin' on a Prayer" )

We teachers even danced. We pulled our grunge out a little and did "Better Man". Go 90's

Everybody Vogue to the Rhythm (3 songs....90's)

Shake it Emi!

Defining Peace (today)
A lovely, lovely piece by Jenn. She is sadly retiring after 9 years on and off at the studio. She will be sorely missed!

A Thousand Years (today)

I let my 5 oldest classes bow. 

Yea....we finally get a pic together in the parking lot. That's a happy Liz right there.

My insanely amazing teaching staff. So glad I have them.

So....bam! Done! Onto to other stuff. Like sleep....finally!

10 reasons why my mommy is the best.......

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women in my life. I'm constantly watching and observing your lives (and your far superior mothering skills) and just trying to catch a slice of it to put into my own little life.

But, really, I have the best mom. All of you think you do, but mine truly is the best.

It's hard to find a picture of my mom as she hates getting her picture just as much as I do.

Here's why:
1. The fact that she told me to rest up today and don't worry about a gift or any celebration today. Mother's Day always falls the Sunday before my recital, and she is so thoughtful to not add one more thing to my list. I will make it up to her!

2. (Again, with the recital). She took all 4 kids to "This is the Place" park on Friday (as they had a day off school) so that I could prepare for one of my dress rehearsals later that day. It replaced the mommy guilt that I feel for working this time of year. They loved all the baby animals and fun things to do. She is Super-Grandma, to say the very least. I'm the youngest, as was my mom, so my grandparents were quite old when I was little. My relationship with them wasn't at all like the one my parents have with my kids. They are such a part of their lives and I wouldn't want it any other way. Oh yeah...then she drove them out to my house, babysat, annnnnnnnddddddd MADE DINNER! We all know how much I love that because I suck at cooking.

3. It isn't like she just does this "watching kids" thing once a year. She has been a part of my kids' "Thursday-Life" since they were born. She comes out in the afternoon on Thursdays when I teach my big block of classes and helps with homework, piano, and dinner. Priceless.

4. Other than my husband, she's the first person to make sure I'm surviving things. Women just know when other women need things. It's nice to not always have to ask for things. It's probably why she has the most loyal friends and family.

5. She always let me be me. My mom always supported me in dance and didn't think it was weird to make a career out of it. She even spent one whole day at Disney World locked in a hotel room with other mothers fixing our prop top hats that hadn't survived the flight when my drill team went to Nationals. That's love. We were always free to believe how we did about issues and politics which I really appreciate. She didn't even get too upset when I married a Republican.

6. Since my dad's stroke, she has taken on the role of my dad's caretaker and has really done it well. We all know how hard it is on her and try to help, but she just plugs on and does it. I learned to appreciate this when I took over the role during her knee surgery (and subsequent femur break). She's a busy gal and we all love her for it. My mom is also an amazing sister to her brothers. One in particular.

7. My mom loves to splurge a bit. Not recklessly by any means, but will always do the extra things to make everything special.  My daughter's always have the cutest clothes, but I have nothing to do with it.

8. Her example as a working mother has made it easier for me to be a working mother. She was so, so busy, but we were always first. There was never a question about that. I have huge mommy guilt for working, especially this time of year, but her help is why I can work and know that my kids are in better hands than normal.

9. My mom isn't afraid of trying new things like texting, new phones, computers, etc......it does REALLY stress her out when they don't work, but she's super "with-it" (as her generation says).

10. My mom gets things done. End of story. She takes care of it so WATCH OUT ZCMI! (hee hee)

Anyway....HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my sweet mom! I love you!

Put a fork in me....I'm done.

Last week started nice. If my blog was always a happy, easy-going blog, it would end there. But that just isn't real. And I'm pretty real.

Just a few of the hits this week:
 *Work issues (I won't elaborate as my work people can connect to this blog). All I will say is....really?

* I did great working out....on Monday. The rest of the week went to pot, as well as my eating. I'm such a stress eater. And then I feel yucky.

* I was standing in the Wal-Mart checkout line the other day scrolling through Facebook when an alert pops up that says "Bombing at the Boston Marathon finish line". My sister Joyce was in process of running it at the time. I'd received some texts as to her times and did some quick calculating on my phone to realize she (and her husband) were likely at the end. Panic. I tried texting and calling people as fast as I can. The poor Wal-Mart checker thought I was so rude. After 10-15 minutes, found out that she was about 1/2 mile away and 6 minutes off her time. Phew. I felt really bad that she didn't get to finish, but REALLY glad she's safe.

*I managed to tick off Boy Scout leaders.

* I have managed to be SO far behind on my upcoming recital, and the panic set in this week that I'm a month away. Things are so busy with my kids and their needs that all that gets pushed to 10:00 p.m.   That just isn't working right now. Anxiety. I don't wear it well.

*Meals....am I the only one who hates cooking? I really do. Maybe it's because I have super skinny, picky kids who eat like birds, maybe I hate the time suck on something so fleeting, maybe because I have no skill at it. I don't know. I feel uninspired and uncreative in this area, but still feel extreme pressure to do it. Ask Bill about the rant I just gave while lying on the floor of my kitchen with a cookbook on my head.

*My dad had surgery Wednesday. All went fairly well for him. But Friday, he started being a bit confused and hazy about things. In fear of another stroke, my mom and I got him to the hospital. Luckily no stroke, but pneumonia. That is what was making him loopy and he likely picked it up at the hospital. Nice. It's hard to watch your dad make very little sense. It's harder to watch your mom watch your dad make very little sense. He's doing a bit better, but is still struggling with hallucinations and reality.

*Saturday left me weary. It's the only word I can use. I plugged through all that was on my plate, but was just looking forward to "vegging-out" that night and recharging. But lo and behold, Macy decided to pull our her asthma issues for us. Poor little thing. She has a problem when she gets a little cough or cold because it turns into a big breathing issues. Luckily, we own the breathing treatment machines and have the steroids to treat at home, but she HATES it. Here she is wearing the "duckie". Poor little girl.

*Having no time in the last week, I taught a crappy Sunday School lesson to the greatest class ever. I think the world of my sweet class and feel bad they have to deal with my harried, confusing lessons. At least every other week they get "Karen, the Amazing". (Thanks Karen for saving my can today).

Reset....New week. Hopefully, it will be better. Sorry, I hate to complain, but I really just let it needed to let it out. =-)