Dance Recital 2012

May 19 was Hannah's very first dance recital!  She had two performances- one ballet and one tap routine.  It was no surprise to us that the crowd of people who filled the audiotorium didn't seem to bother her- she danced her little heart out!  The first video was her ballet performance to "Can you feel the love tonight" by Elton John.  By the way, I am not the best video recorder so the recording is not too good.  You can spot her third to the left

Her second dance was to Madonna's classic song- "Lucky Star."  This was Hannah's favorite routine- you can definitely tell too....

The finale is so cute- all the dancers are on stage.  This was also a favorite one of Hannah's because she loved doing the "disco"

Here are some fun photos:

So sweet of Hannah's grandparents to send this for her as they couldn't make it to her recital.  She felt really special to have her own box of chocolates and flowers to water!!!!

More scrapbook projects:

I have been working on these two projects at the same time and finished about 3 days apart!  I have a tendency to work on 5 different things at the same time.  I had so much fun doing the School Days project.  Have got to admit it was one of my favorites to work on.  I had a few school pictures of my nieces and nephews just laying around the house and wondered what I can do with them.  Then after Hannah's spring/graduation portraits came in a few weeks ago we bought a ton & added more to the collection!  After some brainstorming I came up with an idea that worked and I have the pleasure of looking at them in my scrapbook room =)

CLOSEUPS OF EACH BOARD:

 

 

I already had a couple of friends ask what I used.  So here I go.....Those are cork screw boards (4 in a pack) that I bought from Walmart.  Originally I was looking for a big pin board but couldn't find the size I needed.  Cork screw worked out perfect because I didn't glue any of the photos (except one and that was by accident) I just pinned most of them because I know I'll be changing them every year.

I used only Cricut cartridges:  Best of 2006 & 2007 & Create a Critter. I got my letters from Cricut Alphabet

I love this country layout!  I only used Country Fair cartridge.  I used 12x12 canvas, which worked out perfect because the paper is 12x12 & that the photo is an 8x10.  In case you can't read the wording on the bottom it says:  Lil' Lady

Celebrating Mothers

As I reflect back when I was younger, living with my mom and sister, I can't help think about the same phrases my mom told my sister and I over and over.  The one phrase that she said, probably before we even talked and walked was- you are going to college- not a choice, you're going to get a degree so you never have to depend on anyone!  When we were a junior in high school my mom was already asking us what we wanted to study and reminded us how important it was to have that degree.  Now, as a mom, I say the exact same thing. Hannah doesn't even know what high school is let alone college!  However, here I am talking about it and telling her she needs to graduate college before she even thinks about getting married and having kids.  Lucky for us she's not getting married...she thinks she's going to marry her dad when she grows up! 

The second phrase is: You will never understand until you're a mom.  What a true statement, huh?  The sacrifices we make and the choices we make for our children is only understood when you're a mom.  Of course I thought my mom was mean and strict growing up.  I also thought that she worked too much and left us with my grandma too much.  Not until I became a mom is when I understood why she worked so much and why she never allowed me to sleep over at anyone's house when I was a teenager.  I remember when my parents asked me if I wanted to take over their income tax business in the near future and I said, "No, you're never home and when I have a family I want to be around for my kids."  That comment must of pierced my mom's heart like no other.  Just like my daughter, I took everything for granted as a kid and teenager.  I had everything I ever wanted, but I never realized the sacrifices my mom made and the stress she was under to give us everything.  I now know why my mom worked insane hours, not by choice, but she didn't want to alter our life because things didn't work out between my dad and her.  She sacrificed so much to keep us in private school, piano lessons, swim lessons & to live in a big beautiful house along the hillside of Silicon Valley- she didn't want our lives to change.  I remember a few years back asking my mom- "How did you do it all being a single mom?  Why didn't we move to an apartment and you should have put us in a public school to make it easy on you?!"  She replied, "love & sacrifice."   

I'll never forget this day- Michelle randomly decided to go to a studio and take pictures!  Just like that- let's go take pictures!  My mom didn't even change- she just put on lipstick and drove us to the Perfect Studios to take a bunch of pictures, lol.  Can't remember the year- Michelle was like a Sophmore or Junior in High School.

Another favorite photo.  Michelle's first baby shower for her first son almost 10 years ago. 

I was 10 years old- just my mom & I!

 

I am honored to have a wonderful mother who continues to mold me and shape me as a great mom.  I don't doubt that I am a wonderful mom myself.  The love I have for my girls is not only unconditional but so grand that my hugs and kisses aren't enough to show how much I love them! I feel that education and good morals is my responsibility to teach them, but more importantly I feel that they need to grow up knowing that Jesus loves them.  I can only hope that they will learn from me about having faith in God and grow up to be godly women. 

Motherhood is a true blessing.  From pregnancy to birth to raising kids- it's the best thing in the world.  I feel extremely blessed that I am living my dream- staying home with my kids.  I love the smiles, cuddle times, movie times, craft times, play times and the WOW moments I get with them.  I go to bed thanking God for my babies every night.  I am thankful God choose me to be a mother of two beautiful girls. 

LOVE MY LITTLE GIRLS!!!!!

Birthday Weekend

We celebrated my mom's birthday this past Saturday!  My aunt, my mom's sister drove from Dallas to be with her.  We love when my aunt visits- she is so much fun!  I took my mom & aunt out for a fun night out in San Antonio for some drinks =)  We were so excited to make it to the river walk in 40 minutes; However, we were stuck in grid lock traffic for another 30 minutes.  We were just a block away from the river walk parking garage, but the cop directing traffic said it would take us hours to drive one more block.  There was a parade coming through and suggested to park anywhere.  Well, lucky for us I spotted valet parking at a steakhouse!  The valet staff knew we weren't going to eat there, but still took our car for a hefty price tag- $20 to park!!!  Oh well, we just wanted to get out of the car and enjoy our evening & some drinks....

The following day my aunt had a little surprise for Hannah.  She bought her baby chick and told her to name the chick after her- Tia Claudia, lol!  Gabe fixed up the chicken coop and the chicks loved their new home.  The chicken coop was already on the property, but the grass and random tree sprouts took over plus Gabe had to find a way to connect electricity for the heat lamp.  Gabe put in a lot of effort to clean it and make it comfortable for our lady chicks.  We are so excited for them to lay eggs in a few months.  We will truly be eating organic, cage free eggs!  I miss seeing them roam the front porch and even though we have to walk a ways to visit them I'm happy they have their own place and safe from the dogs and rodents. 

fenced in outside portion.  They have a lovely blackberry tree for shade.  That white chick is our new addition- Tia Claudia

The coop already had slots for them to lay eggs

Nice size coop!

Can you spot all 4 of them?!