Closing the Curtain...

Alyssa's last ballet class is today, she will be hanging up her ballet shoes until classes resume again in the Fall. She is going to take a break from the dance life, at least paying to dance, and she will be trying something new.
Starting July 1st she is going to swimming lessons. She will be taking them with a girlfriend to make it a little less scary to go into the big pool with a bunch of strangers. She LOVES being in water and she is excited to start classes. It will be fun to watch her try something new and learn something new. Pictures of our little fish in future posts.

Dear Rob,

For all of you reading this blog who are not my husband, please bare with me today because this blog is for him. But, hopefully you can enjoy it too.
Today my best friend, my eternal partner, the father of my beautiful girls, and the keeper of my heart, is turning 28 years old. June 12th is a day that I am personally grateful for because you were brought into this world. You and I have only known each other 7 years, and when I think of my life before you, I realize now how incomplete it really was. I can't imagine my life with you in it.
I know I'm not the easiest person to live with at times. I am stubborn and head strong about almost everything, which can lead to some "disagreements."(quotes added to retain the dignity of our relationship) But to quote a movie that I love, "I'd rather fight with you, than live a lifetime without you."
We have a very passionate relationship-when we are mad we are really mad, but when we love we really love too. This aspect of our relationship has helped us weather some hard times in the past, because I know that no matter what we are both in it for the long haul.
Thank you for being the one man who can love me every day.I know it is a tall order, but some how you are able to do it and it makes me love you even more.
Happy Birthday Babe. Have a great birthday weekend!

Take a Bow...

Alyssa had her ballet recital last weekend. No surprise here that she felt right at home on the big stage under the lights. When we went for her dress rehearsal and she was up there for the first time, she put her hand up to shade the lights so she could look for me. Once she found me in the seats below, she started waving furiously with excitement. She was very proud of herself.
The big night came and she was all dolled up with her costume, make up and hair all curled. (well, it only stayed curled for a couple of hours since her hair is straight as her mommy's) She was ninth on the program and with every dance number that came up on the big stage, she got more and more excited. She was bopping her head around and dancing on my lap to the music and every time a number ended she would ask,"Is it my turn now?"
When she finally got up there, of course these are three and four year olds, so they don't remember all the moves that well, but I could really tell what she was trying to do. They danced to "How much is that doggy in the window." You will see in the pictures that they all have little doggies to hold up at certain parts of the dance. Most of them were more interested in playing with the doggies than dancing, but hey, they were cute no matter what they did up there.
Bella sat in her carrier next to me in the aisle and just watched the stage with amazement. She was happy the whole time we were there, until Alyssa got up there and daddy and I were recording and taking pictures, all the sudden she got really upset. Great timing huh?
Here grandpa and grandma Wallace came and watched and brought the ballerina three pink long stem roses for her. It is a tradition for the dancer to receive flowers after a performance. She thought that was really neat. She wanted to put them in water and keep them on her dresser in her bedroom just for her.
It was a fun night and Robert and I had a proud happy feeling in us watching her up there doing something she loves. I caught a glimpse of future dance recitals, possible sporting events, music performances, etc... and I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my heavenly father lending me one of his children. She is so fun to watch as she learns and grows and enjoys life.

Splash Parks= Heaven

I don't think she saw that one coming...

Oh man that is cold...
Waiting for the water to dump on her...

Bella and I got a little wet too...
As you all know, I am not a big fan of the Oklahoma summer weather. But, I am not going to dwell on that sore spot. I want to focus on some thing much more positive...SPLASH PARKS!
They are all over the Tulsa area, and now I can see why. I hadn't ever taken Alyssa to one before since in her first two years of life I worked during the days. But, this last week, me and my two girls, along with a number of other delightful ladies from my church and their children, met at a local splash park. We sat on our blankets and watched our kiddos run around and scream with delight while the water on the play area sprayed them in the face or the body. We had good visit time as fellow young mothers, got a little bit of sun, and our children had a blast. It is nice for Alyssa's age group especially, because you don't have to worry about them drowning in the water.
The best part of the experience was that it was all FREE!!!
Back in Wyoming, I was taught from a very young age that when you can do something fun like this, and you don't have to pay anything for it...then that is the best kind of fun.
After the splash park, some of the gals and I went over to Mcalister's Deli for some lunch and it was equally delightful, although not free.
By the time my girls and I got home and got cleaned up, we were all ready for a good nap...and that is just what we all did.