Music Theater Workshop--Year 2!

Do you see these beautiful girls? Olivia (with her new hair cut), Tatum and Maya just finished their 2nd year of Music Workshop and can I just say that the difference between this year and last year was ridiculously huge!

Every one of them sang, acted and danced like they were old pros. It was quite impressive.

Livy was spot on with her choreography. Loud on her solos. And convincing in her facial expressions.

This mama couldn't have been more proud. (Dang her hair is cute! Thx Lana!)

This brother, however, was less than thrilled.

Unfortunately he fell asleep on the way over so he was sort of a grump. Not to mention that's sort of his M.O. at the moment. Especially when you want to take a picture. He makes that face and then as soon as you take the picture he smiles really big and asks to see it. He thinks he's pretty funny. Me thinks he's not.

Livy is already practicing for her future photo shoots. She informed me that she was "Born to entertain." Uh oh.

Grandma and Grandpa never miss a show. They are quite faithful in their viewing and we appreciate it a lot. Makes the girls feel like even bigger stars--if that's possible.

This little girl was sassy as ever and when I told her I wanted to take a picture, she struck this pose.

I think she'll be ready for the stage herself in a few short years. She is quite the ham.

Anyway, workshop was awesome and the highlight of Olivia's summer. She loves it more than anything else she's ever been involved in and it's fun, again, to see such growth.

Hannah Montana better watch her back. :)

Swim Team

Olivia and Owen are both on swim team this year.

Olivia is really good.

Owen....is learning. :)

Olivia is great at freestyle, a natural at backstroke and she just clicked with butterfly. It's so exciting to watch her growth.

Owen, on the other hand, needs a lot of stroke work and an attitude adjustment and then we might get somewhere faster. He enjoys the friends and he likes the meets where he gets ribbons, he just hates the hard work part. (and the cold water)

They don't have little speedo's like they used to :(. I was sort of disappointed by this. My brother Porter used to live in his speedo all summer and I sort of had visions of Owen running around like that too, but I suppose times have changed and so have swim suits.

Here is his racing suit.

I kept trying to get him to pose normal but he told me, "But mom, I want to look awesome." So that's him looking awesome, in case you were wondering.

I love swim team.

I can see them getting stronger before my very eyes. It's so good for them. Physically and mentally.

I don't think enough parents push their kids to do hard things anymore and that bugs me. I let my kids be "kids" plenty, but they do have to learn how to work hard, not quit, and do things they don't always feel like doing. I figure if they learn how to do that now it will be a lot better than trying to teach them at 25 while they try to live in my house and escape reality.

Swim team is a good place to start for that.

My Boyfriend's Back!

Okay, so it's nearly a month late, but nonetheless, Shane made it home and we are beyond glad to have him here.

Want to strengthen your relationship?

Have your husband go to Iraq for 2 months.

The kids were asleep by the time he got home so we made "Welcome Home" nightshirts so when they saw him first thing in the morning he felt fully "Welcomed".

And he did. :)

I'm Old.

Today Livy was playing with this little toy:

I picked up a party pack of 4 little ones to keep in my purse for when the kids are bored and we are waiting some place. I LOVED this toy when I was little.

While she was playing with it she saw that it said "The Original Wooly Willy" so she asked me:

"Did they have this toy when you were a kid?"

"They sure did," I said proudly.

"Whoa." she exclaimed. "So it's like millions of years old."

RUDE.