Getting You All Caught Up {Super Deluxe Edition}

I've become such a bad blogger lately.  I'm really going to try to do a better job.  So, here's what we've been up too.  Miss Natalie came to town for a visit or two.  My little ladies love her.  You can feel it in this picture!

Early morning practices sometimes look like this.....hair in rollers, a mini van stuffed with five kids, a trombone, a baritone, a flute, and mostly smiles.

 Evan reunited with his baritone.  I really enjoy listening to him play.  He got a scholarship for private lessons,  Yay!  Payton will start private lessons at the mid point in the school year after she gets the basics down. She can't wait.

Karsyn is taking on Kindergarten by storm.  She's doing great!  I still miss her like crazy during the day, knowing she's doing so well makes me feel better.

We've went on a Chinese food date or two.

 A few Saturdays ago, the littlest ladies went to a work event with Papa and Nana.  They had a blast!

Earlier that day, Uncle Billy took Evan, Payton, Emily, and Stephen to a comic event at the library.  They got to meet Velma from Scooby Do.  Billy and I used to always call her Janet when we were kids after my aunt. lol.

The girls made lots of crafts.  Evan and Stephen both won a trivia contest. =)

They met Captain America....

 and Spiderman too.

And we can't leave out Wonder Woman.

Payton and Sarah had their first volleyball of the season and won!!!  It was so much fun to watch them play.

Addi and Karsyn went to some friends' birthday party at a cosmic bounce place.  It was so much fun.  Addi wore just the right outfit.

She had a blast!

Karsyn was so excited to see her friends from preschool.  She had to wear her Eiffel Tower shirt.  She really wants to go to Paris.

We've taken a few selfies along the way.  Love my 4!

1, me, and 3.

We went for a walk by the river and stopped for a few fun pictures at a pretty fountain.  Here's our baby bear with a baby bear.

The beautiful big sister of the family.

Adorable Addi.

 And our handsome big guy.

 It was nice to get out and enjoy the fresh air.

Dance started for the girls again.  I didn't get to get a picture of Payton's first day.  It was a busy night for her. She's taking Hip Hop and Jazz. The little ladies have classes on another day of the week.  Miss Addi is starting her 4th year of tap and ballet.

It's Karsyn's 4th year at the studio and 3rd year to be in dance. She is also taking tap and ballet.  

Lastly, we spent some time in the great outdoors with Papa and Nana this weekend.  We grilled out hot dogs and then went hiking.  Five out of six of us love it!

And that gets you all caught up with our little family.

I Hope You Dance {2016}

I love that my girls get to take dance!  They enjoy it so much. It amazes me how much dance boosts their confidence.  Earlier this month, a season's worth of hard work was put on display.  On Friday the 13th, the girls had dress rehearsal.  They all looked so beautiful!!!

Doing hair and makeup for 3 gals makes me a little nervous, but they all looked gorgeous!!!

Nana was a lifesaver and really helped me out for the big dress rehearsal night.  I also need to give a shout out to Aunt Kary for providing Evan a place to hang and pizza for dinner, while the girls did their thing.  We can't take pictures during the actual recital.  The pictures of the girls on stage are all from dress rehearsal.  The theme of this year's recital was Happily Ever After.  The little ladies were in the first show and most of their dances were themed after Disney movies.  Karsyn's tap and ballet dances were both songs from Snow White.  The littlest of ladies in our family loved dancing with a mirror. =)  

Karsyn looked so pretty!  I loved her outfit for her tap and ballet numbers!

Addi's did a ballet dance to a song from Cinderella.  Her tap number was from the movie Finding Dory.  She loved wearing a crown!!!  She looked just like a princess!

Karsyn also took a class called Pre-K Jam this year. It's a jazz/hip-hop combo class.  They danced to the theme song of the new show called Lion Guard.

Payton and Sarah were in Show 2.  Addi, Karsyn, and I really had fun hanging out with Aunt Jenn in the audience.  The "Happily Ever After" theme for the second recital involved more real life events.  Payton and I both cannot remember the name of the song they danced to for Hip Hop.  I'll update this post if we do. =)  The girls did an amazing job!!!!

For their Jazz number, the girls danced to "We Are One" by Pitbull celebrating the happily ever after of the US Soccer Team winning game in the World Cup series.  I LOVED this dance!  The girls did soooo good!!!

Dress rehearsal lasted for almost 5 hours!!!!!  We were ready to get home and rest for the big day.  Before we knew it, it was recital time.  Miss Natalie was more than helpful. She ran back stage with me between numbers to get the girls ready.  I sure love these sweet cousin bonds.

A little lip stain from her big girl cousin, and Karsyn was ready to perform.

Addi and Karsyn danced in the big finale and then took another picture with their Nattie. This was Karsyn's costume for her Jazz/Hip Hop number.

Sweet girls.

We had exactly one hour to book it home and get Payton ready for her time to shine.  It was close, but we made it.  Here's Payton, Sarah, and another bestie ready to do there thing.

The girls' second dance was after intermission.  That gave us plenty of time to run back stage to do a slight costume change.

If you're the mother to a dancer or dancers, you know just how crazy recitals can be.  You kind of breathe a sigh or relief when it's all over, but then you can't wait until the next one.  It's fun and stressful all at the same time. Words can never describe the way one feels as they watch their little girl take the stage.  When you see them light up and do their very best, it's nothing short of beautiful.  These girls of mine just amaze me.