Corinne's dance recital

Corinne had her 3rd ever dance recital today! Let me just tell you, she did awesome! We are so proud of her and her confidence! Her ballet routine was to "Que Sera, Sera"...in translation means: whatever will be, will be. It is a song about a little girl asking her Mommy, what will she be. It brings tears to my eyes every single time I hear it, and most definitely when I saw my daughter on stage dancing to it and singing the lyrics as she goes! Her tap routine was to "Lollipop." You know, "Lollipop, lollipop, ooo la la lollipop." Precious! They actually wore the same costume for both, just changed their tights and their shoes.
In the parking lot! Ready to go!!
A few backstage shots.

Ready for ballet routine!
Here is tap!

You have to understand these blurry pictures! (Shutter speed issues.) This is Corinne at the end of the tap routine...she had a solo! She ran back out after the girls "tapped" off for one final "Lollipop!"

Bali and her beautiful Mommy, Keili. Bali got to hang back stage and watch the girls from the wings.
Me and my girls!
Bali and Corinne with their bouquets.

April has been busy!

April has flown by for us! Super busy bees! Claire Bear turned 3 last week! I can't believe my baby isn't a baby anymore! She doesn't hesitate to tell you that she is a "big girl now!" Here is a link to some pictures of her and her birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, her most favorite place on earth! Also, are some pictures from the bluebonnets.
http://picasaweb.google.com/kristinursemom/April2010#

The girls have also started swim lessons again. Corinne is flying through the stations. We were hung up on Station 7 for months, which is the back stroke. So we stopped last October. She did gymnastics in between and her upper body strength is incredible! She is on Station 9 now and swimming the length of the pool. She swims 5 strokes frontwards and 5 backstrokes. She just keeps flipping over and over until she reaches the end. Her confidence is amazing! Claire is still on Station 2. But doing awesome! She will fall into the water like a starfish and float, holding her breath for 5 seconds!

The girls both have their dance recitals coming up. Corinne's in the beginning of May and Claire's is the beginning of June. Claire's costume came in already and it is adorable! She is dancing to "It's a Jolly Holiday with Mary," from Mary Poppins....which happens to be one of the girls' most favorite movies, next to Annie, of course. Corinne's tap routine is to "Lollipop, Lollipop." It is very cute! I can't remember the song for her ballet.

We went to Galveston this last weekend for a conference for Lee. We had a great time and not a single drop of rain....evidently, it rained here at home all weekend. Galveston is still as gross as I remember it, but they have done a great job restoring buildings and houses. Here are some pictures from Schilterbahn. They have about 1/3 of the park covered for the winter months. It has a lazy river and two sections for kiddos. The air is heated and the water is heated. The girls had a blast!



Here are some shots from the playground at our hotel. And some of Lee trying to go down the slide.




Some from the pool. And, the hula hoop contest. Corinne can hula!!




That is Corinne's arm, doing her strokes. Our little fish!
We met up with my girlfriend of 20+ years, Jenni, for dinner. Her husband and kiddos. Reese is 5 and Knox is 4 1/2 months. The girls played and laughed and danced at the Flying Dutchman in Kemah.

Camping at Inks Lake

Last weekend, we went camping with the Miller's at Inks Lake in Burnet. We had a great time relaxing, until the wind started. Saturday, it was soooo windy, we couldn't even make a fire to cook our yummy steaks. So, we headed to Llano and ate at Cooper's. Famous BBQ, in case you didn't know. It was fun, the girls had a blast. Corinne loved showing Marshal that she can ride her bike without training wheels, just like him. Claire and Megan took turns pushing each other in the big Tonka Truck. Ate some yummy S'mores every night! Claire didn't like the whole S'more thing, so Saturday night, she asked, "Can we have a marshmallow party?" "Absolutely, Claire Bear!" We took Bentley too. Of course, he loved it too! His leash that was attached to a tree, was just long enough that he could reach the water. He was pretty sure that all those ducks were there just for him!


First night, Corinne and Marshal, not sure if they were praying or make wishes to the stars.
Getting ready to take out the canoe.
With all that wind, we flew some kites! Corinne picked Ariel and Claire picked Spiderman. Not sure what her obsession with Spiderman is, but here we go.


We hiked along the trails around the lake and climbed the big granite rocks.
Tina and Megan.

Claire and Megan.

Claire ready for her Marshmallow Party!
Corinne and her Daddy, roasting their marshmallows.
Tired and beat up from the wind! It was exhausting fighting that darn wind!
Kids hanging out in the trailer, had enough of that wind! Corinne and Claire chose to watch Sleeping Beauty, poor Marshal got outvoted by the girls!

Misc.

Where have I been? Hmmm, let me think....ballet x2, no gymnastics x2, no playdates, no busy sewing, no running Corinne to Kumon twice a week, no working in the ICU, no busy being Mommy and wife! Things are always changing around here and we move at the speed of light, it seems. My girlfriend Sarah says that when she calls, that we should really charge tickets to the "Circus at the Smith house!" That makes me laugh every time I think about it!
Well, to catch everyone up...back at the end of February we had several inches of snow! It was fun, the flakes were as big as ping pong balls! The girls played in it for a bit, and like their Mom, we were done after a few minutes! Here are some pictures.




After the snow melted, it was back to gorgeous 60's and 70's...we went to the opening weekend at Sea World. It was just after that trainer in Orlando had died. Let me tell you, it was so emotional being there! None of the trainers got in the water that day. The whales did lots of jumping, so that was fun. All the trainers wore their hair in buns. Anyway, the weather was perfect and we had an awesome time!!



Enjoying some cotton candy!

Corinne learned to ride her bike without training wheels! We are so proud! However, she will only ride her "little" bike without the training wheels...she is afraid that she will fall off of her new big bike or not be able to stop herself. She is fast! Let me tell you, she can turn around in the driveway and get after it!!

Claire desperately wants to be "3." She asks me everyday, "Am I 3 yet? How many more days until I am 3?" I wish I could tell her "never!" That she will always be my baby!
We have a camping trip coming up, so check back soon and I promise to update asap!! (In my spare time, right?)

New bikes!

Well, the girls' bikes haven't fared too well with the move....I have managed to run over both of them. Claire's poor tricycle had to be pried out from under my bumper. Anyway, the weather has been gorgeous and we are expecting a beautiful week, so we surprised the girls with new bikes. Here are a few pictures.


So, Lee got a new riding lawnmower and cranked it up. He was racing Corinne with Claire on his lap, down the driveway!


Saturday, Corinne went to a dance clinic at Leander High School. We dropped her off at the school and then went back in the afternoon to watch their performance. It was a benefit for the Cheerleading Captain at LHS that has thyroid cancer. She is a beautiful, young lady, going through a horrible ordeal. She just recently had her thyroid and all of her lymph nodes in her chest and neck removed at MD Anderson in Houston, all the nodes are involved. Anyway, I know that is more than you ever cared to know, but she was there and they let her speak and then presented her with a check for almost $4000. I cried through the whole thing. On a happy note, our babysitter Michelle, is a Leander Blue Belle, and she made sure that Corinne was invited. Corinne was scared at first, not knowing anyone and Michelle saw us and ran in to scoop her up. Her day was made! She had a blast! Here are a few shots from that. These girls are phenomenal! I hope that Corinne will be good enough to make their squad, they are GOOD!


That is Michelle on the left, holding the check. And that is Meagan, in the middle. Click on the picture and you can see them better.