Mele Kalikimaka: Eden's First Ballet Recital

Eden had her very first dance recital on May 3rd, 2013 at Robinson Center Music Hall.  It was one of the most precious things I have ever witnessed.  I can't recall ever going to a dance recital before.  Neither Lindsay or I did dance so I don't think I have ever been to one.  If you have never been I highly recommend it.  It is one of the cutest things ever to watch little girls dance (which is always funny because something silly always happens) and then for the little girls to get to watch the big girls dance and sit in "Ahhhh" of them is really sweet.  Eden LOVED being on stage and she said she was never nervous at all.

The owner, Mrs. Andrea, of the studio that Eden takes at and who happens to be her teacher decided since they don't do a Christmas recital that she would do Christmas in May.  It was a really cute idea and I think everyone enjoyed doing it.  Eden's class got to dance to the Hawaiian Christmas song- Mele Kalikimaka.  They had the cutest little routine and then came out for the finale.  Eden was front and center for both.  Michael and I both could not be any prouder of her.  She knew what she was doing, she had fun, and tried her very best and that's all we could ask.

The program. 

Eden's group was the fifth act in the first half of the program.

Eden LOVED wearing stage make-up.  I had to emphasize that you never where this much make-up when you are a teenager or ever really;)

Eden and her really good friend Lyla!

Hannah Keim came with our family to watch Eden and her neighbor, Virginia, dance.  The rest of the Keim family kept Harper for us so we could enjoy the show!  Thank you so much!!!!

Eden's ballet class.

Eden had lots of people come to cheer her on at her recital:

Aunt Sarah and Lydia came to watch.

Jackson with Eden.  Julie and Jackson were so sweet to come.  Jackson even had to roses for Eden from himself and Jack Vick, who was out of town.  Precious!!!

Sweet cousins!

Granna and Gigi came too all the way from Searcy.

J. Pops and Zizi came.

PawPaw and Nana with Eden.  

Eden collecting all of her flowers after the show.  She couldn't wait to know if she was going to get flowers or not after the show.  She was a little excited about them!

Mimi was there too, of course!

Family picture!

I really think Eden has great natural talent when it comes to dance and gymnastics.  This might have been her first and last dance recital.  She is and has been begging to go back to gymnastics so that's were she is going next.  She misses the tumbling and flipping on the bars and what not=)  We will see what she ends up deciding when dance starts back up in the fall.  She loved doing the recital part but I think she didn't quite love the structure of ballet classes, ha;)

Mom's 60th Birthday

HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY, MOM and MIMI!!!!!  WE LOVE YOU!!!

 My mom had her 60th birthday on April 25th.  We couldn't celebrate that night so we got together on the evening of the 28th.  Lindsay and my dad planned the menu and it was AWESOME!  We grilled  steaks, had roasted asparagus and brussel sprouts, baked potatoes, grilled shrimp, and for dessert one of Mom's favorite, a coconut pie (which I don't like coconut at all, ha).  Everyone LOVED dinner and the weather was so nice that evening we ate outside on their deck.  Michael was actually gone that weekend for a boys fishing trip but it worked out that they were going to come through Conway at a reasonable time so the girls and I swung through Conway on our way to Searcy to pick him up.  I'm glad he was able to make it.  Here are a few pictures from the night:

Michael and Eden waiting on dinner.

 Eden and ZiZi together at the table.

 Dad grilling the steaks to perfection!!!!

 My parents.  Aren't they the cutest!!!

 Mom, Harper, and I.  Like Harper's bib?  I forgot one so my mom improvised and made her one.  Ha!

 Mom with her girls=)

 Mimi with her granddaughters.

 ZiZi and Harper cuddling.

Mom about to blow out her candle on her pie.

We gave mom a date night with dad.  We are sending them to a fancy dinner and then to see Les Miserables while they are in St. Louis this summer.  She was very excited!  

Bubble Bath Beauties

Eden and Harper are bath snobs=)  Harper screams for bubbles every time she takes a bath.  She LOVES bubbles!  They do have the best time playing with bubbles and putting them on each other.  The more bubbles the better!!!!  I think they could spend all night in the tub if I would let them.  

Mini Photo Shoot

 I won a half off mini studio photo shoot from my neighbor who is a photographer and we walked over to her house to get the girls pictures taken.  Harper was not having it but Eden was=)  Here are some of the best ones.  Check out Erica York Photography if you need a photographer.  She took ours last summer too.

I asked for a few pictures with Harper's paci and lovie for my memory since I knew we were getting rid of the paci soon.

 LOVE this one of Harper!

 And this one of Eden!  

This one is just priceless.  There were a lot of these unfortunately that morning;)

Preschool Day at the Wonder Place

 For the letter "W", Eden's preschool went to the Wonder Place to play for the whole day.  It was so much fun and Eden had a blast.  She got to spend an entire day playing with all of her friends.  What's not to love about that?

Ava, Eden, and Lyla

 Ava, Eden, Lyla, and Catie.  These are Eden's best friends and the same girls that were in her class last year.  They are all super close and have the greatest time playing together.  Eden and Lyla are also in the same ballet class.

 Watching the balls fly from the air shooting out of the tubes.

 Catie, Virginia, and Eden playing in the sand box.

 The veterinary clinic was the favorite spot for most of the time.  All the girls loved pretending to care for the sick animals or those with broken bones;)  They were so funny and trying really hard to act like real veterinarians.  

 Crafting and painting.

 Eden and Macy playing from the tree house.

After the Wonder Place, Eden had to go to a dermatology appointment I made for her for a mole on her toe that has gotten bigger and a lot darker.  We ended up having to wait a really long time in the waiting room so when we got back to the room Eden got a little silly so I had to take her pictures.  I was cracking up.

 Eden had to pose with the giraffe she saw when we walked in.

 She would lean back against the seat between every pose and pop up with something different, it was hilarious.  We were both laughing so hard.  She is a mess=)

PACI IS GONE!!!!

The time had come for Harper to get rid of her paci.  After her hospital stay in December she became more attached to it than I like.  She used to have it just at nap and bed and every once in a while if she was super tired when we were away from the house.  Well, after the hospital she wanted it ALL of the TIME!  So I finally had enough and on Sunday, April 21st, I made her throw them away and she did!  I told her that she was a big girl now and that she didn't need them anymore and she put them in the trash and walked away.  I had know idea how she would do when it came nap time since she was so much more attached that Eden ever got.  HARPER DID AMAZING!  She cried no more that five minutes and went to sleep.  That night it was the same thing, a few minutes of crying and then she would be fast asleep.  She did that for a few days where she would kind of fuss like she wanted it but then she would be fine.  I'm so glad we don't have it anymore but it did make going to the store a little easier and quieter for everyone;)

Harper throwing away her paci!

 Walking away like such a big girl!  LOVE HER!!!!