Spring Break Trip to Texas

On March 16th we headed to Texas for a long weekend.  It was the start of our Spring Break, and it was also when we were celebrating Caleb's birthday.  Friday night we went to Medieval Times.  The girls and I had never been there before.  It was really fun!

When you arrive you are given a crown that matches the color of one of the knights that will be in the show.  We were on the green team  - if that is what you would call it.  Caroline did not want to put it on.  She was already wearing a tiara.  The guy that was passing them out told her that if he had to wear tights, she had to wear the crown.

My sweet girls - they were so excited to be there

The girls with Nanny

Aunt Jenny with Brenner

 Kayla, Carter, and Caleb

A happy girl - her Papa got her a princess toy

Once the performance started, Caroline got really nervous.  She was not a huge fan of the trumpets.  This was just when they were giving a few instructions and trying to divide the groups up to get into the arena.  I was not sure how she was going to feel about the show when it actually started.  Here she is with Papa while the trumpet players were doing their thing.

Papa and Nanny got all of the kids a green flag.  They were able to wave them to cheer on the green knight.

Caroline was fascinated throughout the entire show.  All of the kids really got into it.  (I don't know how to fix the red eye)

The knight comes out and throws out a few carnations into the crowd.  Kayla ended up with one of them.  I don't think I have ever seen her smile so big.

Carter also caught one.  He was so sweet to immediately give the flower to Caroline.

There was constant entertainment during the meal.  Caroline is still talking about how she had to eat with her fingers.  They loved every minute of it!

Saturday morning was Caleb's birthday party at Main Event.  The kids had a great time playing laser tag and video games. 

The rest of the weekend was full of great cousin playtime for the kids and some fun shopping for the moms.

Neighborhood Excitement

I normally would have been home on Friday afternoon, but Kayla needed me to bring a movie to school for her class.  Instead of coming home I went on to Sapulpa.  I needed to go by my dad's house, and then I stopped at my mom's house to pick up some boxes.  Yes, I still have boxes that I have not unpacked.  I honestly forget that they are at her house.  Anyway...

It was about 2:30 and I was getting close to my house.  I approached an intersection and there were police EVERYWHERE.  There was also a police helicopter circling the field.  I drove about a block before I had a highway patrolman stop my car.  He was carrying a huge gun.  He asked me where I was headed.  When I told him where I lived he suggested that I might find somewhere else to go.  There was an armed fugitive in the area.  He said that he would not tell me not to go home, but if I did I needed to stay inside with the doors locked.  I turned the corner and was stopped by another officer.  He told me they last saw the guy running across the wooded park area of our neighborhood.  He said it would be better if I went to visit someone instead of going home.  I drove on to the school to wait to pick up the girls.

I have never actually seen a police perimeter before.  I could not get over how many officers were there.  Five different police departments plus the highway patrol were working on this manhunt.  There were cops every few feet, and most of them had their weapons in their hands.

After I picked the girls up they announced on the radio that the manhunt was over.  They said it ended at 143rd and Harvard when the suspect shot himself in the head.  That is our neighborhood!  When we came home we did see an ambulance and a news van by our neighborhood pool.  The guy broke into a house by the pool.  The minute the police dogs were sent into the house there was a gunshot.  He shot himself in the head upstairs in this house.  He was life flighted to the hospital where he later died.  It is just so crazy that all of this happened so close to home.  I am glad I was not here!

Kayla said they were on lock down for about 45 minutes.  She was a little nervous because she did not know what was going on, but they kept telling them it was not a drill.  I think it was hard for them to be quiet and still for that long!

Saturday things were getting cleaned up at the house where it happened.  There were a couple of these trucks there and quite a few people going in and out in their haz-mat suits.

It was an eventful time!

Happy Valentine's Day

I did not work on Valentine's Day so that I could go the the parties at school.  Caroline was really excited about the day.  She made a special Valentine for a boy in her class.  She told me that Austin asked her to be his girlfriend.  She said "I don't know why I said yes!"  She spent the night at a friend's house over the weekend.  She and Brigi both made cards for their boyfriends.  I did not get to see the card.  It was all sealed in an envelope.  She is way too young for all of this!

Anyway, Kayla was not interested in the whole idea of Valentine's Day.  She did not want to take anything for her class or participate in any way.  However, that morning she decided she wanted to decorate a box to take.  That was not very much notice so we headed for WalMart.  We found this little basket and she put her name on it with stickers.  It worked good enough!

Both parties were at the same time.  I started with Kayla's class.  They pretty much just ate the entire time.  I think they did a few games after I left.

Someone brought these really cute decorated cookies.

Time for a picture with the girls.

The boys just could not stay out of the picture!

 Kayla with her teacher, Mrs. West

Then it was time to go to Caroline's party.  When I got there she was in the middle of decorating cookies.

They loved getting their picture taken

Caroline's party was pretty chaotic because of the different craft projects going on for 24 children.  That is a lot of kids eating a lot of sugar!  Towards the end of the day Caroline and I headed back to Kayla's party. 

Here are my sweet girls together.

They both had a good time at their parties.  Any excuse to play instead of having to do work!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Talent on Parade - Group Day

Saturday was group day competition.  I did not get any pictures that afternoon while they were getting ready to compete.  Things were just so hectic "backstage".  The girls did a great job dancing.  They did jazz, contemporary, and hip hop.  After it was over we had about three hours until it was time for awards.  That was a perfect chance for 13 of us to run and get some dinner.  It was the perfect break!

This is Jordan, Morgan, Makenzie, Kayla, Saskia, and Taylor

Kayla is the youngest in the group.  All of the other girls are in 6th and 7th grade.  I think there are a couple of 8th graders in their dance group also.  She really enjoys hanging out with these girls.  It is a little hard for me to back off a little and let her be one of the "big" girls.

All of the girls participated in the dance-off this year.  It is a fundraising event that is run kind of like an audition.  You pay $5 to participate.  The girls are taught a short little dance.  Then there are a couple of people who go through the group cutting people.  Kayla got cut right away, but she had a great time.

Then it was time for the awards.  They got Top First for jazz and contemporary, and Elite Top First for hip hop.  Their jazz group placed 5th overall and the hip hop group placed 3rd overall for the intermediate level 9-12 year old large groups.

Kayla got to go accept the award for their jazz routine.

 Saskia and Kayla after awards

The Ovations group

Kayla's friend Libby was also at competition with her studio.

It was a good first competition.  Now, they will start working towards the next competition.

You are not allowed to take pictures or video during the competition.  The have a photographer there and you can purchase pictures and DVDs.  I did go back and get Kayla's DVD of her solo and I bought these two pictures from her dance.

Talent on Parade - Solo Day

Today was the start of the dance competition season for us.  Our first competition was Talent on Parade in Tulsa.  Kayla did her solo tonight, and I am so glad it is over!  I get so nervous.  She is doing a jazz dance to Putting on the Ritz.

Here she is before her performance

She did a great job.  She got 2nd place in the intermediate level for the 9-10 age group.  She also got a Judge's Choice Award for "Most Ritzy Costume."  The girls in the 10 and under age group from her studio did really well tonight.

Kayla with her teacher, Rachel.

Rachel made up the dance, but we really need to thank Grandma Sue for the endless hours she has put in helping Kayla practice.  Way to go Kayla!

We have 3 group dances still to come on Saturday.  I do not get nearly as nervous about those!

Dance For A Cure

Kayla's dance studio participated in the Dance For A Cure event again this year.  It is a fundraiser that was started by a lady who lost her father to cancer.  They raised over $17,000 this year.  It is a fun event for the kids and a good chance for them to get in a practice performance before they go to real competition in February.

Getting ready for their jazz dance

 Just finished with her hip hop routine

 Group photo before the awards ceremony

Our kids did not win anything this year.  They have 3 judges that give out a high point award to each age group.  There are a few dance studios that participate and a ton of pom and dance teams from area schools.  It was still a fun day spent with dance friends.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  I can't believe it is 2012!  We had a great evening out to ring in the New Year.  We usually stay home, but this year we actually went to a party.  Not just any party.  It was actually called "The Party."  KC works on a TV show now, and he got us into this party that he was going to with a lot of the other people from his station.  It was so great to see them.  Our schedules are so busy we don't get together very often. 

KC, Jennifer, and Andy (all dressed up!)

 Kayla was so impressed that we were going to a party with celebrities (for free).  It was a charity event.  Tickets were sold, but KC put us on the list as his guests.  The funny thing is that only Andy's name actually made it onto the list.  They let me in anyway!

I had to get a picture of some of the "celebrities" for Kayla.  This is KC and his co-host, Lacey.

 At midnight there was a champagne toast, a ball that dropped outside, and a great fireworks show.

We stayed downtown at a hotel.  Part of the package included a trolley ride to and from the party.  We attempted a picture of the 4 of us while we were outside waiting on our ride.  It was freezing cold.  After about 30 minutes we caught a cab.  Money well spent!

The real fun began when we got back to the hotel.  KC and Jennifer came to our room to play games.  We stayed up until about 3 in the morning.  I have not laughed so hard in a long time!

This was serious business!  They had to bring their own chair to our room for the games!

It was a great night out with our wonderful friends.  The girls were celebrating at my mom's house.  The managed to stay awake until 11:30.  They had a party of their own!

I can't wait to see what 2012 will bring!