A Dance: Then and Now

Sassy and I went shopping with our mind set on one thing:

finding just the right dress.

She tried on a few and we decided on one together.

The day of the dance arrived and I helped her fix her hair, get ready and attend to some last minute touch ups.

I pulled out the camera and started snapping away.

A Daddy - Daughter dance. 

She even issued an official invitation (check it out here)

She was so excited.

She loved fixing her hair, getting dressed up and applying a little lip gloss.

I loved watching her anticipation - joy - enthusiasm and touch of nervousness.

She had a blast  -  She danced with her Dad and her friends.

It was a great night!

Fast forward a few years

I had ordered a dress Sassy liked online because they did not carry it in the store. She received it in the mail, but wanted to go shopping to make sure she had the perfect dress for the occasion.  Sassy tried on many dresses, we took pictures of her in all of them.  She thought she had decided on a red one instead of the one we ordered, but wasn't quite ready to bite the bullet. 

Later that evening she tried on the ordered dress one more time. Her decision was made, it was definitely "the one", the red one was out!
Once that was decided it was time to shop for shoes and earrings.

Sassy knew she wanted her hair up, and thought I would be just the person to create the up-do she was imagining (I'm so glad she had the confidence in me that I was lacking!).  Thanks to online tutorials, I was able to create what she was hoping for.

She looked liked a fancied up version of her already beautiful self.

 She looked older and mature and I couldn't believe my little girl who just years ago was going through these similar motions for a dance with her Daddy, was going to this dance.

She's gone to other semi-formals with friends but this time was a bit different.
She was going with a young man for the first time.

She asked, and he said, "Yes"

(this was the girls ask guys dance)

Again, she was filled with that mix of feelings:

anticipation - joy - enthusiasm and a touch of nervousness

(I didn't want to post his picture without permission, so just imagine a handsome, polite young man)

She had a great time and created another evening to remember!

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A month of review

I don't know how it is possible, but I seem to not be able to find the time to sit and write.  Perhaps it is that I haven't been making the time to sit and write, which is a bummer, because I like to write.....

It isn't that I haven't had ideas to write about.  I have many drafts started.  I just haven't finished them for a variety of reasons:  I didn't have my pictures watermarked and ran out of time, I couldn't find the words to finish a post the way I wanted, the kids came home from school and I had to step away from the computer, and the list goes on and on.... Hopefully, I will get them finished.....soon.  They feel like unfinished projects.

Let me get you caught up on the happenings from the last month over here at my house:

Volleyball is still in full swing for Sassy.

Someone is excited about playing softball and found a bat that she thought would be perfect.

I was able to sneak a picture of Action reading to Smiley. 

I love that he grabbed some books and asked her if he could read to her.  So sweet!

Action had the opportunity to meet someone he really looks up to:  

The Catholic Guy himself, Lino Rulli and we have a blurry, bad light, cell phone picture to prove it!

A certain little 6 year old was asked, by her dad, to attend a Daddy Daughter dance.  

She planned for weeks regarding what she was going to wear for this special event.  

Sassy found my old hot rollers and styled her hair for her.  

It was fun to watch their sisterly bond even though there is an 8 year difference in age.

Breaking news....SOMEONE LOST THEIR FIRST TOOTH!

She was super excited, and couldn't get over her new look.

Hubby's parents were visiting so we decided to celebrate a couple of birthdays a few weeks early.

I made their favorite, yellow cake (from a box) and chocolate frosting 

(FYI only one of them is 14, but you'll just have to figure that one out for yourself).

After cake, we stepped outside for a quick family picture.

 Finally, our TV took a turn for the worst.  I guess if you like to watch television shows in double and in strange colors, it works, I however, do not. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with this wall.  What ever builder thought it was a good idea to cut a hole in the wall to fit a tv obviously wasn't thinking about the future and the problems that might pose.  So, if you have any ideas for me, my ears are open.  Leave a comment or shoot me an email.  I'll take any ideas you have (note the whole area behind the tv is hollow)!

And just like that fall is over......

Well, technically it is not over.  The last day of fall this year is actually December 20th, but when I look out my window and see the approximately 5 inches of snow that fell just the other day, I would never guess it was still early November.

Obviously I haven't blogged in a little while, so for the next few blog posts, I will walk you through our fall.

Let's start with sports:

I'll start with the oldest ~ Sassy:

She played a short season of fall softball.  While their team didn't always play to the best of their abilities, Sassy had a great time playing.  She loves to play and constantly strives to be better.  Even in her last tournament, she asked me to record her at-bat as she wasn't making contact with the ball like she wanted to and wanted to see for herself what she was doing wrong.  I love her determination.

While softball was going on, she was also playing volleyball for the high school she will attend next year.  The day the teams were picked was a rough one.  After a few days of tryouts, the results were in and before she even opened her letter to see which team she made, the varsity coach pulled her aside to talk.  Unfortunately she didn't make the team she wanted to, the team many of her teammates from last year and from last winter's club volleyball team made.  She was upset and frustrated.  The varsity coach explained to her that she didn't "make" the team because of lack of ability, but because the position he wants her to play was already filled with a couple of girls who were older than her.  Instead of her sitting on the bench watching her team play, he wanted her on a team where she could play every, single point and get lots of touches.  While it was hard to wrap her head around it in the beginning, especially seeing her friends playing together on the other side of the court, this decision was a good one.  Sassy played every game and was probably on the bench 10 minutes the entire season.  She got a lot of touches and opportunities to serve.  She was a great, positive leader on the court and was really fun to watch.

She has tried out for club volleyball once again.  She made a team with most of the girls she played with last year and she is excited for practices to start up in December.

Next up ~ Action:

Football was Action's sport of choice once again this year.  This was his 4th year playing and I enjoy watching him year after year.  His understanding of the game and ability to play has improved so much since that first year when the kids were just a bunch of 2nd graders running around ~ some trying to tackle each other, some trying to avoid all contact for fear of getting hurt.  This year, Action's favorite position was Safety.  I have to say, even thought they didn't win a game this year, the improvement in the boys was amazing.  They went from losing games by 20+ points to losing their final game 19-18 in overtime.  These boys had great sportsmanship, held their heads high and gave their all every single game.

And Finally ~ Smiley:

While Smiley is not playing any "sports" right now, she is in dance.  She has class once a week (which is closed to parents) and will have a recital in May.  I do know they are dancing ballet to "Lets go fly a kite" and tapping to "76 Trombones".  She seems to be enjoying it and can be found dancing around the house quite regularly.  She had a friend over last weekend and I thing they put on at least 10 "shows" for me!

That wraps it up for fall sports.   Come back tomorrow for more of my fall wrap-up.

Dance Party

By no means are these pictures of high quality.
The lighting is bad.  The composition is bad.
Just so you understand, they will not be entered into any photo competitions, but they will be entered into my memory and hopefully into Smiley's memory, forever.  Because, this is us.  This is what we like to do.  We dance, and we play.  And like these pictures.  We aren't professionals, but we do have fun!

A bit of jumping, twirling and grooving.....

And lots of laughing and smiling!

Enjoy your day friends, and don't forget to get in front of the camera and capture some fabulous everyday moments with your loved ones so they can see and enjoy those memories over and over.

ONE week!

ONE week!

Are you ready?

I can't believe one week from today we will be celebrating Christmas!

Here's a little dance party 

from our house to yours 

to get your week off to a smiley start:

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

We are one heck of a class act :)

The kids and I had ourselves a little dance party the other night.

We were all wound up and being goofy.

'Cause we're classy like that!

It was perfect :)

Come on people, get out from behind the camera, get in front of it 

and make some lasting memories with the ones you love!

Embrace the camera ~ a Wedding

My Smiley and I in the hotel bathroom 

getting ready for her big day

(yes, I really should have turned the flash off and yep, I fed her chicken strips via room service while I fixed her hair and painted her toe nails ~ now that's multitasking!)

As Flower Girl :)

you can read about her antics by clicking here!

And Action and I 

~ hangin' out at the reception ~

embrace the camera 

it really is the little moments that can mean the most