Chloe's Tulips

I can't remember if I have ever written about these special flowers before.  I'm sure I have but they make me happy so here's another post in honor of my pretty purple annuals.  And yup,  I have to tell the story again.  I'm already like an old crazy woman retelling the same stories over and over.  But this is my blog and I'll repeat myself if I want to!  :)
When Brian and I moved into this house I was 'great with child' and desperate to make the place ours.   Loving the art of gardening, each year I try to learn a little more try something new and expand my interest.    I had seen these almost black tulips in a Martha Stewart magazine that summer and fell in love with the deep dark beauties.   I hunted everywhere for them and found them on a weekend trip away with mom and Sue.   I didn't get around to planting them until mid October and Abigail and I had so much fun doing it together.  We giggled and laughed at how difficult it was for me to squat down and be able to even see much less to reach the earth in front of me due to my enormous baby belly.  It is a funny special memory of me and the Bit making our new house a home before little Chloe arrived.   Now every year when they come up I cheer in excitement and the girls and I love to see spring color back in our landscape.     It brings the memory back to us all over again and I force Chloe to pose with them.  It's the little things you know?  Happy spring!

Getting our competition on!

 had to show her her first tee shirt tie,  otherwise the company tee shirt hung lower then her shorts, it was important to me she appear to be wearing pants!  :)

 one of our favorite dancers Claudia,  she scooped Chloe away from me as soon as we walked up.  Such a sweetheart!!!

 kids will be kids after all

 just found this shot someone took for me,  this one made me cry.  She loves this so much!!  Obviously!

 This face is typical "stop with the camera mom" but also the open mouth is because I was dropping Nerds into her mouth to get her sugar up.  She wasn't allowed to eat in costume so she walked over open mouth and I fed her like a little bird.  Cute thing was other "birds" came over opened mouthed too once we were caught :)

 my dear buddy Melinda and her daughter Sophia

 she was the designated trophy girl this time, they take turns so the whole teams don't pop up. Abigail was so thrilled she got to get one! We will return it to studio this week.

 pizza night!

 this is what a worn out Bit looks like :)

We got home day before yesterday from another wild weekend of dance competitions.   I believe the other mothers lovingly refer to the way I feel as a "competition hangover".   We headed out of town to a much nicer slower town for this go round.   I braved this trip w/ both girls and I was so glad it worked out.  Chloe did great with minimal meltdowns.  She really enjoyed being involved and only melted when she couldn't be more involved.   Her worst when she slipped out from under my view and followed her sister on stage for awards.  Luckily the other mom's were watching and they grabbed her in time much to Chloe's dismay.   She loved watching her sister's "show" and the 3 of us had a blast together darting too and fro to keep up literally shedding bobby pins in our wake.
     I was so proud of our dance school.  I saw for the first time the intensity of some of these other  big schools and the skill and money they have at their fingertips.  Huge logo covered rigs and teams of men to move props around.   Some tiny kids doing olympic looking gymnastics with their dancing.  Wow.  It blew me away and Abigail too.  Our little school w/ 4 teachers held their own though!!  We took plenty of awards and especially our seniors did wonderful compared to the talent we were up against.   Abigail's groups did really well too.   We were so proud of them.  Abigail was elated to get 2 medals to keep.   I was pleased to be getting better at the whole process, and it is a process let me tell you.   Abigail is getting more used to it too.  We've learned to be comfortable being a part of a lot of crazy faces, lipstick and screams from parents next to us shouting "WERK GIRLS" !!
  I must say, it is a rush to watch her in this world.  She really is  humble thing (I've worked hard to stress that) but she gets in this world and she pops those lips out like the rest of them. She loves to perform, not be watched but to perform.  Proof in years past where she danced on empty stages with no music playing, never once looking up to see who was watching her.  It's just in her.  These kids look sassy but Abigail really has some good kids to look up to.   The faces and attitude are there for the cameras but I am learning these kid's parents and we all seem to keep most of these kids grounded and realistic. Sure, there are some that are perpetual eye rollers and back talk their mom's horribly.  I just tell Abigail behind the scenes "don't ever try talking like that to me",  she knows that won't fly in our house. My own mama taught me that!  :)  Even the teens,  they are so sweet to the little ones and know they are role models for them.  I sat next to their parents and just watched and listened in the audience.  I do that a lot to know what we've gotten into.  I'm so protective of my kids so we don't enter into this lightly.   I purposefully sit and wait on Abigail's classes sometimes just to eaves drop in the waiting room.  I do this to listen and learn what's behind the scenes.  I have to say most of the time I'm really pleased with most of these kids and families.
 The school pushes respect and good character from everyone.  I love when I see it in practice at these competitions.   We are all equally sensitive to criticism that we are now "dance mom's" and what reality TV has done to that reputation.   Well,  screw that. These mom's are amazing.  They love their kids and support them just like soccer sidelines.   Our athletes just happen to wear funny outfits and stage make up!  They work every bit as hard as any other sport, even harder and we love watching them shine in their element!!   I'm proud to be a part of this world despite the criticism.   Abigail has bounced on her bottom to music since she wore a diaper.  I have video of her at 6 months old popping off the floor in excitement when she heard a good beat!   She is where she belongs and she glows with joy in it.  If anyone had ever seen her with a soccer or basket ball they would agree, dancing is where she belongs! [and insert proud  mom, she's doing really well in it]     :)
     Me and these girls had a blast of a trip together.  We missed our Brian but next time he's supposed to be able to come with us. He he he!  I giggle with delight to think how he'll handle all the sequined glitter and divas he'll be immersed in!   My sweet soldier,  he doesn't know what's coming!   This go round was just a girl trip and we rocked it.   I will treasure hotel nights with pizza delivery and Mary Poppins together.   I just eat up these memories and love sharing this with them.
  I have designated a verse for each weekend, teaching it to Abigail to draw strength under pressure.   I love quoting our power verses together to keep Christ in our competitive endeavors.  Don't let legalism fool you,  Jesus loves music!  Abigail is learning so much about winning and losing, fear and pressures,  humility and healthy pride and esteem.  It's a work out as a mom to teach it all in balance but I welcome the challenge.  Our nation as a whole is taking the turn that shuns victory and welcomes equality in a way that eliminates important lessons.  There should be conflict, competition, winners and losers.  Kids need to learn what winning and failure feel like!!  Life brings both.   I wrote my old cheer leading coach when we got home from our last trip.  I thanked her for teaching me how to mix Christianity and athletics.   I'm using those lessons now to keep Abigail grounded.   Funny how we take things for granted as kids then realize who to thank as we age :) 
  We will do this all again in another month.  Abigail is so excited to hit the road again.   I love watching her set goals and be excited for more pressure.  She has to feel good to get through it.  I know I do!  

dance pictures for amanda

 I know you love the polka dot outfit manda, but I dont' have any good ones of her actually dancing in it

 This was her the morning of her first dance class.  A mommy and me ballet class we took when she was 2.

My buddy the insanely talented artist requested some older dance shots for painting inspiration.  So I'll post them here so she can steal what she wants.  That's why I'm posting old pictures for a few days. :)

Our first dance competition!!

 Can't believe we left town in the snow.  Only because they said it WASN'T going to so it was unexpected.

 Ready to hit the road on our first dance adventure weekend!

 Ready with my nerdy dance mom tee shirt.  I wore it proudly!  Love my girl!

These are some shots of some favorite girls from our school.

 This is Garie's daughter Austin, Abigail's Bull buddy they paired her with for support...she's only 11 yrs old!

 These 2 shots are a sweet girl named Christina, she's one of the seniors and she won a scholarship from DMI

This is a very special teen named Claudia.  She is 16 and she is sooo sweet to my girls!

 The shot above in purple is Lexie.  She told Abigail silly stories before she went on stage to help calm Abigail's nerves.  She is also a senior dancer and such a sweet heart!  That's her below too in the purple and the middle girl is Christina again.

 These are shots from the final award ceremony.  Our kids won 3 of the awards on stage here.  Abigail is in the blue pants on the far right.  They won judges choice for their age group. :)  so unexpected and wonderful! 

 This is a shot of the seniors from several schools chosen to perform at the finale.  There were several of our kids from our school chosen

 Abigail hyper and awaiting to go back into her dance workshop

 This is Sophia her buddy

below was Abigail showing off her insane unending energy,  I told her to be still so I could get a picture...so of course she obeyed! :)

 We had a nice sunny wide hallway we did a lot of waiting in.  Abigail provided entertainment. shocking.

 This is my buddy Garie, I made her back up and walk to me again she looked so cute with her daughter's trophies slung over her shoulder!


Below is a group shot after they took a first place trophy for their performance of 'The Clapping Song'

 Abigail working on her scorpian,  yes these crazy moves and contortions have names.....I'm learning!

 Me and Garie hanging out waiting on the girls. 

 warm up time

 seriously love this expression.  It's so Abigail, it screams "enough pictures MOM!!!"


this is another shot of Austin her bull buddy.  She really helped the Bit out a lot this weekend.

 I know my face is ridiculous but it shows how pumped on adrenalin I was,  that is mad mom nerves right there! 

 My peeps.  This is Loretta in red, then Melinda, Garie and me before the girls go on . We were so nervous and excited for them.  (and Abigail took this, that's why its a weird angle)

 My dear buddy Melinda and her daughter Sophia, it's their first year too

This was right before they went on,  Abigail was teary because her rhinestone choker was pulling her hair out. Poor kid.  That's Sarah in the hounds tooth jacket in back their teacher, and Kerri their teen assistant

 the ending pose

 Abigail is far left on stage

They take professional pictures of them in costume, this was the silly face shot.



This was a wild an amazing weekend in Richmond.   We competed the same day we arrived so it was wild but good to get the hard part over with.   We were wired and ready and the girls did awesome.   It was a busy schedule all weekend.  But so much fun to be in a world of something totally new to me.  So many new experiences to learn about and new challenges to push me along as a mom.   We made the trip alone this time w/o Brian and Chloe but it worked out good.   It was such a wild schedule I'm glad I only had to worry about the 2 of us.    Abigail was an unending source of energy that amazed even me.   She went hard until about 20 minutes from home on the drive back into town.  The funniest thing was how much food she consumed on the way home. I promise she ate solid for 2 hours straight on the way back.   I guess she's my little Michael Phelps metabolism.  But we got back safe and sound with good experiences under our belt.  Both good and bad, having learned what are wrong and right things to do at these events.   It was a wonderful time with my girl.  She loved having my undivided attention all weekend and she can't wait to go to our next one coming up in another month.  Whew!   We can do this!!!