Happy 8th Birthday Benjamin!!!

8 Reasons Why I Love Ben...

1. He has the cutest dimples.

2. He is smart and has become a great reader.

3. He loves to play- with me, friends, siblings, a team- everyone!

4. He gives me awesome butterfly kisses.

5. His gremlin face is scary and yet funny at the same time.

6. He is a good friend.

7. He loves the pool and the beach.

8. He asks interesting questions when he wants to know more about something.

There are many more reasons to love Ben Miller, but since he is 8 that is all he gets this year! Happy Birthday to my baby boy!

Recital 2011

Jill at the dance studio always looks out for me and put Grace, Marin and I all in the same dance recital show this year. Marin did have one more show the next day which Amber and I came to see. Our great fans, Ryan, Amber, Justin and Ben cheered us on from the audience.

My adult tap classes wanted to do the recital as long as I danced in the show as well. We did a rockin' tap dance to "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets. It was a hard dance because it was so fast. The audience cheered like crazy for us and it was super fun. All the ladies had a great time and worked really hard to learn the dance.

Marin had two dances in the second act so we hung out in the dressing room for Act 2 and helped her change her hair and costumes. This is her hip hop costume for Miss Sophia's class. She did great in this dance and was center for most of the dance so that the other kids could watch her. Grace decided that having her arms like this was how you were supposed to pose for pictures if you were in costume.

This pic was taken at dress rehearsal because Marin and her friend, Paige Mortensen, were both backstage waiting to go on. We love Paige!

Marin's jazz routine from Miss Lori's class. She did great in this one too. It was harder to see her though because this class was big and there were lost of people dancing on stage! She also did a fast tap dance choreographed by Miss Erin who had a baby boy the night of dress rehearsal. Her ballet costume was the prettiest thing ever and I didn't even post a picture of it! It was a pretty dance by Miss Laura to music from Les Syphlides. She is becoming quite a dancer and wants to take even more classes next year!

Gracie was the big story of the night. She was being very clingy and when it was time to walk on stage with our class she wouldn't let go of me. I walked to the side of the stage where the audience can't see me as I do the dance with the class and she followed me. As the curtain rose I put her back on stage and ran off as the lights came up. She again ran off the stage and would not go back on. So we did the dance without her. The other adorable kids did a great job and the audience loved how cute they were. Grace just kept saying she "didn't want to" and that was why she didn't dance. She did want to come on at the end for the teachers' bow though. She walked on with me and the other teachers, did a curtsy and started dancing as the curtain fell. What a character she is turning into!

Last Day of School

June 15, 2011

We made it through another year of school! They seem to be going faster and faster each year. The kids all did well this year and learned a lot. They were excited for summer to begin.

Marin with Mrs. Rahmann and Ben with Ms. Cecchini (below). I truly feel blessed to have a school for my younger children that is so great. It is filled with wonderful teachers and families. Both Marin and Ben improved this year in school and came home with 1 "B" and the rest "A"s. Wah hoo! Marin learned tons about California history, played the viola and improved in her reading and math. Ben loved the dinosaur unit and continues to amaze me with his reading skills. How can he be the same boy who struggled so much in kindergarten and the beginning of 1st grade with reading?

When I asked him what his favorite part of 2nd grade was he said, "My teacher and my classmates." How wonderful is that?

To celebrate the end of school and the beginning of summer, we headed to the pool of course! The Hall family and other school friends joined us for swimming and food.

Gracie loves to float! She just started swim lessons last week.

Amanda, Marin and Maggie had tons of fun!! Ben and Ian played catch whenever Ian wasn't warming himself in the shower. The pool was actually a perfect temperature- he just has no meat on his bones to keep himself warm.

I love summer!

Gold Dust or Bust

Marin did a great job yesterday as "Becky" in their 4th grade play "Gold Dust or Bust". She was so cute dressed up as a pioneer lady. I as so proud of her for auditioning in class and practicing so hard to get the part. She has spent hours going over her lines again and again. She did a wonderful job and looked so natural up on stage.

I ended up doing choreography for each song and most of the 90 kids loved learning their dances. It was fun to help them. I have to say that many of the boys were better at singing and dancing than the girls were. I think many of the girls were self conscious about it. Marin and Kayla were totally animated and super fun to watch.