How Big is Your Shoe?

Allison comes along to the Just Run running clinic Emma does each week. They are always at parks around town, so there are lots of play structures for the kids to play on. This time Allison decided she didn't want to play, she just wanted to be with me. I wanted to take some pictures of Emma running, so Lora entertained Allison by comparing their shoe sizes!

It takes two of Allison's shoes to make 1 of Lora's shoes. Now that is silly!

Allison loves to play and chat with Lora. They can talk about anything from shoe sizes to strawberries and everything in between. Talking about food is actually how their relationship began! Lora would ask, "You like cookie?" Allison would reply, "I like cookie. You like strawberries?" They will chit chat back and forth while I would take Emma and Sydney to ballet last year. Lora and I would trade off taking the girls to dance while one of us stayed back to entertain Allison and Camden. It worked out great for all!

March 29, 2010

Just Run!

A few weeks ago Emma started a program called Just Run! It is geared to introduce kids to the sport of running. She meets with her running coach each week. Each week Coach Amy teaches them fun ways to incorporate running into their everyday lives. Emma loves to come and run with Coach Amy!

Another great thing about the program is that it logs the miles the kids run each week. They can log onto a website and see how far their miles have taken them across the country! If she runs with Jeff or me she gets double miles on her chart. So far she hasn't wanted to do that, but now that she knows about the chart, she is eager to run more!

She almost always has to get some sort of cheer in during her runs too!

Returning from a run around the field, she takes a moment to look back to see how far she traveled.

Since is is almost Easter, all of the running drills and relays made for some eggs-elent adventures. Here Emma must carry the egg on a spoon down to the cone, turn around and return to her team.

Allison has fun at Just Run too. After the clinic she a Anna played on a "slide" in the grass. Kids can be so inventive with their play! Who would've thought a grate would make such a great slide!?

March 29, 2010

Dancing With Miss Barbara

Emma started her dancing with Miss Barbara back in 2005. She hasn't quit since! She will be in her 5th recital come this June. Now Miss Barbara is Allison's dance teacher and Allison will be in her first recital in June. We just love Miss Barbara! She is so wonderful with the girls. She's very kind, loving and so sweet; in addition, she sets boundaries and high expectations that the girls rise to and meet each class. Because Emma was on spring break this week she said that she could come to Allison's class and being her dancing assistant. Emma was beaming with pride! She was so excited to help Miss Barbara!

Miss Barbara and Emma lead the girls in plies.

Now it's time to bend and stretch to the right. Allison takes it a little further then all the rest! I just call her Grace :)

Peek-a-boo! Oh, is it time to dance?! Allison just had to say hello to me while she waited her turn in line. My crazy girl!

Burret walks...

Emma demonstrates an arabesque as she hops forward.

My two beautiful ballerinas chaise across the floor together. I can't wait to see their recital in June!

March 29, 2010

Cha-Ching!

Emma and Sydney are such good girls at school! On Friday, March 26th they each earned 25 cents for being good listeners and sitting quietly during the day. They were so proud to show off their earnings and then drop them in their change drawers. Soon they'll get to spend their money at the Student Store in their classroom. I think one of the sweetest things the girls do is not only buy items for themselves, but they also buy items with their hard earned money for their family. Most recently Emma spent her money on a Valentine's bear for Allison and a sticker book for her cousin, Darrian.

Horsetail Hunting

Mom and Dad have a beautiful park-like back yard. Around the pool Dad planted some of these really cool looking plants called Horsetails. Apparently, they are very quick growing and send out a root system in all directions...even under the fence. Lately, Dad has had to go on a walk behind the house to pull up the Horsetails invading the landscape on the other side. Emma and Allison enjoy helping with this task while we're there for Sunday dinners. Today, after swinging with Grandpa on the swing, I hear a little voice at the back door.
"Mommy, can Granpa and me go Horsetail hunting?" asked my sweet little Allison.
"Of course!" I replied.
As they gathered their Horsetail hunting supplies I grabbed my camera and quietly followed them out to capture the moment on film.

Off they go with bucket and Horsetail tool in hand. Those Horsetails don't stand a chance!

Got one! In goes the Horsetail!

Where'd did Allison go?! She is actually hiding behind the bush trying to hunt those Horsetails!

Oops...Shoe fell off. That Horsetail hunting is dangerous work.
Allison says, "Granpa can you put my sue back on. I can't do it."
Grandpa says, "What does your Mother buy you shoes with no laces for? That doesn't make sense! Tell your mother you need new shoes!"

The sue is back on so it is back to hunting those Horsetails again! I am sure next week another Horsetail adventure will begin...

March 25, 2010

Swinging with Grandpa

Gas to drive to Grandma and Grandpa's house each Sunday: $5.00. Delicious home cooked meal by Grandma: $20.00. Allison spending quality time with Grandpa: Priceless.

March 25, 2010

Lions and Tigers and Bears...Oh My!

Today was the perfect day to visit the zoo! The sun was shining, temperatures were warm and Emma's on spring break! We were already in the Sacramento area because we had our Relay For Life team meeting at Aunt Bonnie's house. The meeting was in the morning and we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to visit the zoo with Keith, Danielle, Brynn and Kiley in the afternoon.

Did you know there was an animal called a Bongo?! I took lots of pictures of different animals I hadn't really seen before because it is my goal to make Allison an ABC book all about zoo animals.

How about a red panda? Never saw one of these before either. Looks more like a raccoon than a panda though!

We had to stop and see the flamingos again. Emma just visited this zoo a couple weeks ago for her class field trip. It was the culminating activity for a writing unit they did on animals and their habitats. Emma loved writing her expository report on the pink critters. Her diorama looks just like a real flamingo habitat too. What fun!

Grandma and Allison enjoyed the flamingos as well.

After walking through the entire zoo we decided to stop at the beautiful tulips to get a cousins photo. All four cousins...all together and looking at the camera...at the same time. No way! It really did happen though...and on the first shot too. Amazing! :)

Next it was my turn to pose in front of the beautiful tulips at the zoo.

These are one of my favorite flowers so I just had to get a close-up photo! A great lasting memory of a fun day at the zoo with the girls.

March 24, 2010

Eggs-tra Special Fun!

Friday was Emma's last day of school before Spring Break. Her teachers allowed for some eggs-tra special fun in the afternoon. Lora put together an egg hunt for all 56 of her class mates. They each waited patiently to hunt down 3 of their very own Spring eggs filled with special treats.

Let the egg hunting begin! Emma's in the back left of this pack and her friends, Sydney and Jenna, race off to the right.

Found one! Two more left to find and put in the beautifully decorated bag!

After the egg hunt we went back into the classroom for some Eggs-tra special science experiments. Lora, AKA: the Spring Fairy, made me her assistant by turning over a special Spring lab coat! I look so official while my little one looks off to the side!

The Spring Fairy and her assistant all ready for the fun to begin!

Emma enjoyed all of the fun eggs-periments. "Just how did the Spring Fairy get that hard boiled egg inside of a Gatorade bottle?!" Emma ponders.

Wow! Check out all of that foggy mist...can the Spring Fairy really make eggs from that mist?!

Yep, she sure can! The kids roared with laughter and applause.

The Spring Fairy left one last eggs-periment for the end...she created an enormous dinosaur egg using some tears from a dragon (leftover from the Halloween magic show!), some warm water, special pink solution and a piece of Harry Potter's pajamas! Wow, that Spring Fairy is amazing! The kids loved it and it ushered in a much needed 2-week break for the kiddos! Thank you Spring Fairy. You're the best!

March 23, 2010

Lola's Back!

It's very exciting to have Emma's class pet, Lola the Bearded Dragon, back in our house! Allison adores her and Emma is excited to have her class critter staying with us for the week. Because spring break is 2 weeks for Emma, we will keep Lola for the first week and Sydney will get to keep her for the 2nd week.

In this photo she is enjoying a morning snack of lettuce. Last night Allison insisted on feeding her some oranges too. This week we'll head to Petco to get some more meal worms and crickets...Lola's favorites!

March 23, 2010

Spring is in the Air! Let's Dance!

My beautiful ballerinas decided to play dress-up on the first day of Spring. I brought the dress-up box down and Emma picked out her recital outfit from 2 years ago and Allison picked out Emma's very first recital outfit. It seems like only yesterday (although it was June 2006!) that my little buttercup danced on stage for the very first time to "Build Me Up Buttercup."

My little buttercup back in 2006 dancing at Tracy High in EB Theater.

She was so proud after her performance and loved getting gifts from Grandma Sue and Grandma Judy!

Now, back to 2010...After some dance time outside they decided to go inside and show me what they've been working on in class the past month or so. The recital is coming up again in June and they are both so excited to learn their new dances. Emma will be in 2 dances at her 5th recital (jazz and ballet) and Allison will be in one dance (ballet) as part of her 1st recital. Emma just learned her ballet class is combining with some of the older girls' class that follows hers on Wednesday. She and her 2 friends in the class were just staring in awe at the ballerinas dancing around them and that they get to dance with this year!

I did film some of their moves today and am working on how to post video from my camera. They are so fun to watch in action!

Allison then said, "Mommy you take a pit-ure of my passe?"

Then it was, "Mommy take a pit-ure of me with my baby." She's even looking at me in this photo. She only seems to look at me when she asks for the photo to be taken. If I ask her to smile I get a goofy look and her eyes are no where near looking at the camera!

Emma was next to get her solo shot leaping through the living room in her recital outfit from 2009.

Such a fun day to spend with my girls!

March 20, 2010

Let's Play Ball

This morning we went to Monte Vista to watch my nephews, Darrian and Darren, play in their first baseball game of the season. Darrian was so excited for the game to finally get here. He asked me several times earlier in the week if I was coming to the game, "Hey Auntie Tina, you gonna come to my game?!" he asked about 5 times on Wednesday and then again on Thursday.

Well, the game began at 8:00 am Saturday, so we were a bit late as the girls woke up at 7:37. When we got there, we watched him in the outfield. Playing in the dirt is so much fun! It was then his turn to bat. It was exciting to watch our little guy hit the ball.

He ran all the way to 1st base! Way to go Darrian!

Then it was Darren's turn to bat.

At the end of the game Emma was so proud of her cousin :)


After the game it was time to run the rest of our errands for the day (Target, Staples, Michael's, Petco...what a day!) Grandma Judy and Grandpa Carl lead the kiddos out of the park. Love those back views of Emma, Darrian, Allison, Grandma Judy, Danielle and Grandpa Carl...or as Allison would say, Papa Carlol.