Morning, Noon and Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into our day today.

Morning, 10:30am.

Noon, 2:00pm.

Night, 5:00pm.

If you would like to play along leave your link in the comments section so I may stop by for a visit. xo

Wordless Wednesday::Pre-Blizzard Dance Class

Morning, Noon And Night

Today we began our week with a lovely new tradition- a Waldorf inspired Rose Ceremony. I had read about this ceremony on various blogs that I frequent and couldn't shake the feeling that this was a tradition that we needed to add to our world too. With this notion on my mind and heart it worked its way into my soul even more when I saw this video of one school's Rose Ceremony. Maybe it was the song, or the sweet grade one students walking over to their grade eight buddy to receive their rose, whatever it was it just about did me in (and if I was that emotional over it I can only imagine what the mamas and papas of the kids were like).  So, roses were located, a sweet message to each girl was written and we welcomed a new year (and a new tradition) together today. 

After our sweet start to the day, the afternoon found us at Hopkinton State Park with other area homeschoolers for the Not Back to School gathering. It was a stellar afternoon spent with some kindred spirits and their sweet children. Kerry over at City Kids Homeschooling is one of my most favorite mama bloggers. To have the chance to finally meet in person was such a blessing! We have long known that we were kindred spirits and to spend and afternoon visiting only offered further confirmation of that fact. Through Kerry (and this gathering in general) today I am honored to have had the chance to meet Tracy from OFFKLTR. How she and I had not met in person before is beyond me but I am so very glad to have met her and her sweet girls today. Another kindred spirit indeed! Here's to the beginnings of a new circle of friends! Let our gatherings be frequent and plentiful! 

This evening brought the first day of the new dance year and with it Emma's first lost tooth! We had been waiting for this tooth to fall out for some time now, but especially for the last week where it was beyond loose. Leave it to Em to lose her first tooth at dance while practicing kicks! So tonight, the tooth fairy will be visiting her for the very first time. No doubt she will wake covered in glitter tomorrow morning and feeling just a smidgen older than she felt when she went to sleep tonight. What an amazing start to the week. I don't think this day could have been any more wonderful if it wanted to be! xo 

Back In The Groove

And just like that the holidays have come to an end and our regularly scheduled activities have begun again! The girls were thrilled that it was warm enough to wear their new sweatshirts to the dance studio today (for Grace's dance class)!  They look so grown up in these sweatshirts, so "a part of the team" and it's just fabulous! We hope that you are enjoying getting back into the groove after the holidays. May this be a week of fun and excitement and wonderful adventures!

Scenes From Dance Class

This week is parents week at the girls dance school. While we normally are able to watch the entire class from the waiting room (each studio has a viewing window) it was lovely to get to be in there and experience everything that goes on. 

First up: Grace's class.

The talent of the teaching staff is truly out of this world! The skills that the girls are learning and the choreography that they've learned already is just fabulous! I'm not so sure that I could master all that they have!

Next up: Emma's class. 

And once again I say: these teachers are crazy talented!

And what these little ones are able to do is just amazing!

We are so thrilled to be part of such a great community! This dance school is such a good fit for the girls (and for us as a family). It has been such a joy to watch them learn each new routine and each new skill. I cannot wait to see their performances in the holiday show this January! We're surely in for a wonderful treat!

In Which The Gnomes Go To Dance Class

This week the girls got to wear their Halloween costumes to dance class! For the last few weeks their classes have been learning a dance to "The Monster Mash" and to make this first performance even more fun they all came in costume. Grace and Emma were so over the moon to go to their classes as gnomes!

First up: Grace. 

Warming up. 

The class did such a fantastic job! 

Well done, girls!

Next up: Emma.

Another stellar job by Emma's class! 

Getting to see all the kids in their costumes was so much fun! Even more fabulous was getting to see all their hard work come together during their performances. They clearly had a blast and are so lucky to have such talented, dedicated, fun loving teachers! It truly is a blessing to be part of this wonderful dance school!

Our Tiniest Dancer

And just like that it was Tuesday morning and we were once again counting the hours until dance class! Emma woke up ready to go and was quite bummed to hear that she had to wait many hours until her class would begin. Thankfully, we filled the day with all sorts of things to pass the time, and before she knew it it was time to get into her dance clothes and head out the door. She was so excited and said she was not nervous at all. She headed into class as if she had been going there for years. The next half hour was filled with much tapping, followed by a quick change into ballet shoes and then back into the studio to spend the next half hour in the more peaceful world of ballet. It was divine to get to watch, and I have to admit that it was amazing to see that these tiny dancers were not at all phased by the audience on the other side of the window. When class ended she came out with a huge grin on her face and even more confidence than she walked in with! It's surely going to be an amazing year for these two tiny dancers of ours at this amazing dance school! I can't wait to see all that's in store!

Happiness Is...

the first day of dance class!

Today was the first day of dance class for Grace! It was strange to have only one tiny dancer to get ready for class this afternoon (Emma's class is tomorrow) but it was very exciting too! Grace spent all day smiling. From the moment she got up this morning to the moment she went to sleep tonight there has been a huge smile on her face! She just loves dancing and she just loves that she gets to do three different kinds of dancing during her time at the dance studio! As she was getting ready for bed tonight I asked her what her favorite dance was today. Without hesitating she replied: "Jazz! I loved jazz! And then tap and then ballet! Well, really, Mama, I loved them all!"