An Early Christmas in Florida - Day 3

After the Christmas Parade, we had a brief break and then Addie and Whitney were scheduled to perform at a retirement home.

Whitney chose to sit in the audience with Boompa and me.

Ready to make their entrance! Kyle on the left, Addie in front, Corrine's face barely visible.

A better photo of Corinne - she's second from the left.

The girls were so graceful and did a beautiful job dancing.

A proud dad. (He's not asleep; that's a blink.)

The second dance was lovely, too.

That's Corinne smack dab in front of the Christmas tree.

Corinne and Addie.

The entire company came out for a bow after the performance. Addie is in the black warmups with Corinne in white next to her.

Braden and Kyle wore their matching Illini shirts!

We went home after the ballet performance and sent Kyle and Ashley off on a date.

We had to feed the kids and so we made them pizza.

Addie helped Boompa prepare and serve it. (She helped with a lot of things during our visit!)

Boompa's still got it! He helped a fussy Melissa get to sleep.

One more day to visit and then we had to return home.

My Florida Pony Pal

I love having Pony Pal grandchildren who share my passion for horses. It is actually a very bonding experience, and so much fun to pick out presents for them at birthdays and Christmas that reflect our mutual love of anything equine.

Recently Craig and I have been in Florida visiting Kyle, and his family. While there, Pony Pal Adelaide was excited to show me her Christmas tree and her very favorite Christmas ornament.

A Trail of the Painted Ponies Winter Ballet ornament! 

 I love that shade of blue paired with white.

I got it for Addie last year, and it suits her perfectly because not only does she love horses, she is also a very serious ballet student.

Addie is just to the right of the pole. She is dancing at an outdoor festival in St. Augustine.

I give my grandchildren a Christmas ornament every year, a tradition my mother started for my children and has been so successful that when I asked fifteen year old Trinity this year if she was tired of the tradition and that perhaps I should stop, she deadpanned, "Only stop when you're dead, Grammy." And then she continued on in a more serious note, " I like getting ornaments from you every year!"

Well, then! There it is - the tradition will continue (at least for her!)

I may buy Breyer's carousel ornament, "Winter Whimsy," for Addie next year. It, too, is that pretty shade of blue and white, and I think my Florida Pony Pal would really like it.

October Vacation Day 7 - A Boat, Ballet, and Boo!

Saturday was a very busy day as we had a lot to do and places to go.

But there was time for a quick game of Cover Your Assets with Braden and Addie after breakfast.

Addie, Kyle, and Whitney.

Braden was quite skilled at the game! (And so like his father when it comes to mannerisms.)

Then Boompa and I got out the remote control boat we'd brought for the family. Kyle and Braden figured out the controls despite the fact that the instructions were written in very poorly translated English. (We got the giggles over the syntax more than once!)

Braden tries the boat out in the pool while Whitney observes.

Kyle and Ashley's pool is sooooo nice, and covered so that there are no bugs or leaves that get into the water.

Whitney takes a turn driving the boat with help from her daddy.

After a quick lunch, we headed into St. Augustine for a children's festival.

Braden got to come onstage and play drums.

And then it was time for the girls to take the stage. Addie is on the right.

Addie (in the middle) dances beautifully and is serious about her art.

She is so lovely and graceful.

Then Corinne came onstage to perform.

She (on the right) and her partner performed the Chinese Dance from The Nutcracker.

They were so cute!!

Doggone pole in the way!!

After we got home, Addie showed us her other talent - playing the violin. She plays beautifully, too!

Dinner was trunk or treat at their ward building.

Luigi (Kyle) had to judge the chili cook-off since he is in the bishopric. Lucky guy!

Corinne made a terrific Rey

while Braden was a storm trooper.

Whitney was a sweet Cinderella

and Addie was Elsa.

The back of her gown was beautiful!

Addie wanted me to take a picture of her with the other two Elsas that were at the party.

I had to laugh - the Elders were books of scripture!

Luigi found his mustache after the taste testing. Wise move to leave it off during judging.

Boompa and I manned the trunk and handed out candy while Kyle and Ashley shepherded the younger girls around the parking lot getting candy.

What a busy day! But super fun, too, and the adults all hopped into the hot tub when we got home and chatted. Such a relaxing way to end a wonderful day.

The Nutcracker Ballet

I invited my class and their families to join me on Saturday for a performance of The Nutcracker Ballet by The Lafayette Ballet Company. Fifty-five people came! Since it was a family learning trip, I invited my sisters, Lisa, and Vanessa. (Sadly, Cindie has been very ill for several months; hopefully next year she will be able to join us.)

Me, Lisa, Vanessa, Leslie, and Jenny

My sisters and I all got teary at times throughout the ballet - our mother used to come see it with us every year. (Maybe she was there with us anyway. That thought made me smile.)

 After the performance, we headed to Arni's for a bite to eat.

 It was good just to hang out together and chat.

We got some giggles over the allocation of the garlic toast.

The five of us agreed that we wanted to see the ballet together again next year and keep the tradition going. I won't be taking students then, but I'm in!

The Nutcracker Ballet

Seeing The Nutcracker Ballet has become a tradition for me - and every other year I bring my students along to see it. (Like this year.) A real plus is that I have former students who dance!

Meredith Roberts and me.

"Merry, Merry, Merry, Meredith" (her nickname) is one of my three year students as she was in the 2/3 class and then the 4/5. She's now a sophomore in high school, and dances en pointe. She danced several roles today - the housekeeper, a snowflake, a flower, and as the soloist in Trepak.

As I watched her dance, I thought back to when she was a second grader and I was meeting her for the first time. Her sister, Madeline, was also in the 2/3 class. I don't remember all of the conversion, but I was getting to know the girls and Madeline was talking about Merry. "She's grumpy!" she declared. I turned to look at Merry and she looked up at me very solemnly and nodded in agreement with her sister. I had a tough time not bursting into laugher.

Eight years later (and with no sign of grumpiness), Merry still makes me smile, whether she is pirouetting across the stage or giving me a hug after her curtain call.