More Recital Pics

Elena got an award for being in dance for two years.   Here she is holding up the trophy...which she did for the entire time!

 And here, taking a deep bow.  I missed getting photos of the curtseys. :)  How I wish we'd had the video camera, but we may not have managed anyway since we were rolling on the floor!

I think she was more proud of the award than most of the others. :)
What a girl!

And here is our sweet girl afterward.  We were all so proud of her!

It was fun sitting in front of Ian...between each performance, he piped up in his high voice, "I can't WAIT for the next dance!"   (Check out the super cool dragon "tattoo".)

He appears to be a bit tuckered out!  It was a long sit and he did a great job!

And finally, Ian giving big sis a congratulatory hug (sort of!).

Elena's Dance Recital 2011

Celebrating Ian's 6th Birthday (though it isn't until Wednesday :)

Opening presents and evidently saying something mom thought was very hilarious.

Got the Pac-Man cake he so wanted...his dad really hit the jackpot!

I think some Pac-Man sound accompanied this gesture...but of course, being the grandmother, I can't quite remember for sure.  It was very funny at the time....

Yum!  Who knew all that gray icing could be so yummy?? (It was actually gray fondant on top of white buttery icing...double YUM.)

But it did have a somewhat discoloring effect! :)












And on a slightly different note: Mouse had a lovely time in the saw bag.

Blankest kitty expression ever.

Getting just a tad ticked that Jack is showing an interest in HIS bag.

Giving Jack the evil eye after his retreat.

This 'n' That

Window awning that Terry is building...ALMOST finished!!

Awning view from indoors

First crop of 2011!!

Dash Bear--sighted at one of our many, many trips to Home Depot! (the driver was a man pushing 70! :)

And, TA-DA!!, my favorite sighting of the week:

Growing Garden, Eliot, and a Surprise

The garden is out-growing its frame!

Haybale garden is doing fairly well, too.

And we may actually have tomatoes this year!! Can't wait!

Terry loves new tools...kitties love the packaging!

And last, but not least, the lovely little surprise I found 

when I pulled this bucket out of the hall closet!

 Such a lovely rain today...sitting here enjoying the remnants of the thunder...

...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

May Sleepover...Day 2

This morning Elena and I went on a hike and ended up exploring the creek bed that is closest to our house.

She was very taken with this huge amount of moss.

We both thought this chair made by a tree root was very cool!
 

 Here's Elena telling me a long and detailed story about her imaginary little sister Falene; they're having a picnic snack.

Enjoyed seeing all the prickly pears blooming or just about to...the bees were really enjoying this one as well!
 

 After stuffing ourselves at DoubleDave's buffet in Denton, we went to the park.

Elena and Ian both really enjoyed themselves, and, of course, Elena made a couple of new friends. :)







  

I forgot to mention that the first thing Ian did with the new package of markers yesterday was to pull out ROYGBV and arrange them in order.  He also impressed me today by reading to me about all the planets in our Solar System.

May Sleepover...Day 1

Burn ban finally lifted, it's time to introduce the grans to one of Ami's passions: pyromania!  It's bonfire time!!

  Ready for the show!

Let the fun begin!

 

 

 

 

 

Master Pyromaniac, Ami (I've been wanting to burn this pile for months!)

Elena, pyro in training :)  She really got into the action, carrying limbs as I lopped them off! I've never had it so good!

 Then, Ian got into the action, too.  I think they both got the pyro gene! :)