4th of july

i don’t use the word ‘perfect’ very often, but that’s pretty much how our day was. the weather was beautiful, we walked the girls in the kiddie parade, they loved watching the real parade, we saw lots of old and new friends, the girls cooled off in the pool at my parents house, i napped in the shade with lyla, brian played pickle ball, we danced at the park to the live music, and finished the night watching the fireworks with our friends. it was the best day. hooray for summer FINALLY being here!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owOH5N459Tk?rel=0&hd=1]

you can also watch the video here if it’s fuzzy or you want to see it bigger.

also, it’s been brought to my attention that i need to do a better job posting our photos in the online album, so i’m starting that back up again.

maybe this is one of those things…

that is only hilarious to us because we’re finley’s parents. or maybe it really is funny,  i don’t know. finley loves to sing and dance and she loves to have an audience. she calls us into the playroom to watch performances like these several times a day. i love it! and please note her signature move around 2:15. she pulls this move out during all the dramatic parts of a song.

so without further ado, i give you our future broadway star..

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7XPAjVfBUw?rel=0&hd=1]

proud parents

this is a video of finley telling the christmas story. it’s a little shaky at first, and i think adalaide is pooping in the background, but stick with it. she’s the cutest!

if you’re in google reader, you may have to come to my page for the video to work.

finley recently started writing her name. i wish i could take credit for teaching her how to do it…she just busted it out all her own. yes it’s backwards, but from what i remember from my teaching days, this is pretty normal for beginners.

also, i just have to share this story. i recently went to a new moms group at brian’s family’s church. i took finley down to the childcare and dropped her off with two adults she’s never met. while i was signing her in, the man told me that the 2, 3, and 4 year olds would be going upstairs to perform in front of the women’s christmas party. i immediately got anxious because i know how shy finley gets in front of strangers, let alone hundreds of people. she’s never been on stage before or in any kind of performance, so i was sort of nervous how she was going to react. later on when the kids came on stage i made my way to the front. she looked nervous, but she gave me a big wave. she didn’t know the first song, but they handed out bells for the 2nd song {she loves instruments} and this time she knew the words. Up on that huge stage, surrounded by little kids she’s never met, she carefully rang her bell in sync with the instructor, and she BUSTED OUT THE WORDS TO JINLGE BELLS. i cried. i tried not to cry too hard, but i was so proud of her. and she was so proud of herself. on our drive home she had me call daddy, and both grandmas to tell them that she ‘went on stage’.

a special video announcement

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQom-LiHolo&hl=en&fs=1&]

This didn’t go exactly how I planned it. And I really wish I would have taken 30 seconds to tidy up the house, or at least move the towel from where finley peed. but, oh well! it was a VERY special and exciting moment for our family that we’d like to share with all of you.

our little ballerina

this week we had the pleasure of watching our friend’s daughters perform in a dance production. Unlike the “dancing” i did as a kid, they are the real deal. Sissy and elena are very talented and watching them was such a treat. is it just me that thinks dancers are just so cool? finley was totally mesmerized by all the dancers and their pretty costumes. she clapped along with the audience and yelled out “sissy!” and “elena!” when they were on stage. after it was over she put on her own show in the lobby…always such an entertainer.

finally an excuse to wear her tutu out of the house

elena and finley. how did we not get one with sydney?!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SI522E4lvU&hl=en&fs=1&]