Relocation

After 521 posts to this blog (my bday is 5/21), I am moving my blog.  Please go to www.erlika.com   Don't forget the "L"!  You can subscribe by email or put my new address in your Google Reader so you don't miss out on my most exciting life. :)

I blog for my family and friends, but mostly I blog for my own personal records.  I like to put my blog into books and the kids love to look through them.

Drop in, leave a comment and let me know that I didn't lose you!

We're Going to DISNEYLAND!

We hopped on the airplane headed for California and our much anticipated FIRST TRIP to Disneyland!  In all our excitement we FORGOT Captain Adorable's sippy cup with milk!  He was sure to let us know just how angry he was and I had to be THAT MOM with the screaming baby on the plane.  Handsome Husband was a tremendous help, as always.

Our decision to go to Disneyland came when some friends invited us to go on a couple's cruise this summer.  We were seriously considering it, until we ran the numbers and decided that if we were going to spend that much money we might as well be making it a family affair.  So when Handsome Husband suggested Disneyland, I took it and ran with it.  It is also our celebration for paying off our debts.  It's funny because leading up to our trip, Katie was concerned that we wouldn't have enough money for Disneyland.  She'd tell me to be careful to not spend all our money and she'd ask me how much money I had.  I had to reassure her that we had SAVED and had money set aside for Disneyland and that we wouldn't run out of money!

Sweetie was happy to play with toys and her Leapster. For part of the flight when Captain Adorable was decent, Katie tutored me on correct Spanish pronunciation as we read the safety guidelines together.  That was pretty fun.  Katie is getting to be a good little reader.

Family Birthdays

Handsome Husband's little brother M is moving soon from the northwest so we met up at their parents' house for a visit.  My birthday and M's birthday are very close together so there was a family gathering to celebrate.

These daddies and their sons are so cute.  Little cousin I is 5 days younger than Captain Adorable.   Captain Adorable LOVES to hold the dice whenever Handsome Husand is playing a game.

My little niece J also has a birthday close, so we celebrated for her as well.  She is turning three.

Cousin I is super sweet.  He was all about giving him hugs.  I was on the receiving end of those hugs as well.

Aunt H loves hugging as well.  

A cousin found Handsome Husband and thought he made a comfortable chair. :)

I had the chance to take Cousin I's pictures.  Grandma L wanted an updated photo.  I think we got a few to choose from.  Click on the picture for more.  I really love taking pictures for others.  It was a great thing to do on my birthday.  And Cousin I loves to talk and he just blew me over when he popped out "Cam-ra!"  I let him push some buttons on it.  He was very interested in it.    

My Birthday Celebration

I can't remember the last time I had a full on birthday party from friends.  Jeana decided to organize one really quick.  It was supposed to be gorgeous weather so she asked for a list of names and she made a bunch of phone calls for me the day before and we all met at the park for a picnic, cake and ice cream!

I was totally humbled by all the people who came to celebrate! I know part of it was the awesome weather, but it made me feel so special that so many people came.  Big parties for kids is much more normal than big parties for adults in my world.

When they asked how old I was turning and I said 29 they asked, "And how many years have you been 29?"  I proudly proclaimed that this was the first time and that I can still say that I'm in my 20's for another year.  Handsome Husband likes to tease me and talk about things in decades and it makes me feel so old.  He joked about how I would be 3 decades next year and I told him if he told me that on my birthday next year that I would cry!  I know that 30 isn't old, but it's about leaving my 20's behind.

We stayed at the park for about 3 hours and the kids ran around like crazy.  I hardly saw Sweetie, she was off playing with a preschool friend.  And Handsome Husband had actually come home early from work because he was sick and he offered to keep Captain Adorable home with him.  I was so happy that I didn't have to chase him all over the park and I could enjoy my friends!  Katie (formerly Ballerina) was still at school for the first half of the party and then Jeana went to pick she and Ben up from school and brought them back to the park to play.

As a married couple this is the longest Handsome Husband and I have lived in one place.  We have become friends with so many wonderful people and it is so nice that we haven't had to leave them behind!  

I love my friends, I felt so special at my birthday party.  I'm glad Jeana decided to throw this together it was perfect!

Weekends

The girls love the weekends.  I woke up on a Saturday morning to find the girls all decked out in dress up clothes, waiting for their cereal.  Katie (formerly Ballerina) and Sweetie have been getting along so well.  They really enjoy playing together.  THIS is what I have been waiting for.  I remember playing like this with my older sister.  I kept telling myself to wait until they were 4 and 6 and I was right!

Some mornings I will go in to wake up Katie for school, only to find her playing quietly with Sweetie on her bed.  When I tell her it is a school day she will unhappily protest because she was having so much fun playing.  I think she will enjoy the summer, as long as they don't get TOO sick of each other.

Captain Adorable joined the girls for cereal and he seemed like he was very proud of himself, being a big boy with a spoon, sitting up to the table.  I love these kids!

The Last Recital

The last month of dance class has been a little challenging for Ballerina.  Since starting swimming lessons, her interest in dance has plummeted.  She has complained and dragged her feet whenever I told her it was time to get ready for dance.  I told her the she needed to do the recital and then she would have no more dance.  She has been counting down her classes and was SO excited that this was her last time having to dance.

Ballerina was very solemn during most of her recital.

They did this fun chinese dragon as part of leading up to the Mulan number.

I about died when Ballerina let out this big yawn right DURING the performance.  Seriously, she was not going to ever TRY to perform.

Another yawn...  Jeana had come for the performance and we were just stifling giggles at how BORED Ballerina looked.

But when she came out in her princess dress and Ben caught her eye, Ballerina definitely perked up.

Handsome Husband had to be out of town for Ballerina's actual recital, so Ballerina had planned in advance to ask Ben to dance with her.

It was so cute to see them dancing together.

I love the grins on their faces.

So at least Ballerina got into the last number.  She looks so elegant and princess-y.

But once again, she gets solemn as her teacher talks about her.

She did like the rose, though.

Ballerina refused to smile for the group pictures.

The little girl next to Ballerina wanted to trade flowers. Sweetie got a turn holding the flower.  I'm not sure what Sweetie was crying about.

So, since Ballerina has chosen to stop being a ballerina, I am thinking about changing her blog name.  I hope it won't be too confusing to switch it.  I'm going to change her blog name to Katie.  Ballerina(Katie) loves that name, she idolizes someone named that and she likes to pretend that it is her name.  She even sometimes asks kids that she meets at the park to call her Katie. (Reminds me of how much I loved the named Jacque when I was little because I'd had a best friend by that name) So Katie is her new blog name and we close the curtains on dance recitals for her.

The Dress Rehearsal

Ballerina's dance recital's theme is Disneyland.  Pretty appropriate since we are heading to Disneyland next week!

This is probably my favorite shot from the rehearsal.  I love her pose and how it looks like she is doing a solo dance (there is one other girl on stage with her).

They sang a pirate song that was really cute.

As they left the stage they were supposed to glare at us over their shoulders.  Ballerina just grinned.

This was their Aladdin number.

I caught Ballerina mid-leap.  I thought their little outfits were so cute.

Sweetie was being very clingy and wanted to drape her body all over me.  

During the intermission, Handsome Husband took Sweetie onto the dance floor.

Then Papa J wanted a turn.  Both Papa J and Grandma L came to see Ballerina's recital.

This was Ballerina's Mulan number.

The fan was a fun prop.

During the last part, each dancer is individually introduced as a princess.

I'm pretty sure this was her favorite part with that hoop skirt.

Then she had a surprise for Handsome Husband.  Each dancer was to go and get their daddy to dance with.

Handsome Husband said he teared up while dancing with her and he said that he would definitely be crying when he dances with his daughters at their weddings.

Such a pretty princess.

Ballerina and her grandparents:

Ballerina was excited to climb the wall outside the dance room after the rehearsal.