Monday, April 7, 2014

April 2014


April's always a relief because it finally starts to sort of warm up with some sunshine!  Looking through all of my April pics, it became clear that we were ready to kiss the cabin fever goodbye even if it meant still wearing coats!
 Riverun Playground.
 Tecumseh Playground
 Yankee Stadium with Grandpa Kent!

 Walt Whitman's home on Long Island
 Ella was inspired by Walt...

 Ella as Abigail Adams at her schools "Wax Museum"
 And me-- At Columbia University with Ricki Lake, Abby Epstein and the Women's Organization on Campus, talking about The Business of Being Born and Breastmilk. :)
 Reading is a weekend hobby when school is spent doing Test Prep!

 First concert at Canergie Hall!!!


 Tribeca Film Festival Street Fair


Sunday, March 23, 2014

Paisley-isms

Ella was giving Paisley a quiz from an American Girl activity book and came across this question,

"Glass half empty or half full?"

"Empty.  I love drinks."

And then right now....we were looking up who Zachary Levi is.  (He's the voice of the prince in Tangled, the Movie.) Paisley sees the picture of him on IMDb and says,

"He's cute...I wish I was older..."


The best part is that in both situations, like she does often, she says the first words in a regular voice and then the second half almost under her breath hoping people don't hear her.

Still making us laugh every single day...until we're in for it when she becomes an adolescent...

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Ella's Golden 10th Birthday.


Ella turned 10 on the 10th this year!  We started the celebration with a simple family party.


 And then a few days later, she had a Karaoke Party with friends!  We ordered Mariella Pizza and listened to 9-10 year olds sing their little hearts out all evening.  Fun times.  I'll never forget that I threw this party in the midst of having H1N1. I pulled it together for the 2 hours and didn't touch anyone or anything, but was sick in bed for about 10 days.  The worst!    



The party crew living it up just a few blocks north of Times Square, on our way home. :)



Friday, February 21, 2014

Less testing, more singing and dancing.

 (Paisley and friends, performing their end of trimester Irish Step dance.)

 I don't know about you, but there are more days that I want to take my daughters out of their public school than not, now a days.  It has become apparent that what they learn, is mostly based on how to take the state tests and it gets me allllll upset, but that's another discussion, for another time.  On the occasion that the girls get to do what they love at school, we're all over it.  
 Ella has become quite comfortable at performing on stage and she does quite well!  This performance was for a musical theatre class she takes after school.  They performed a song A New World that was written by a parent at the school.   
 She's also been working hard in a Chorus Workshop with 4th and 5th graders and her music teacher.  This is her singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. :)  She got a short solo, which was exciting.
 Vital Theater came in a worked on a Native American unit with the 4th graders.  Ella was in a short skit that she and a small group of classmates wrote and all of the fourth graders sang, "Colors of the Wind."  It doesn't matter how off tune or how far ahead they were singing to the track.  Can't listen to that song with out shedding a tear! :)
 This is Ella and her Longhouse that she and Scott put together.

This is Ella being a good sport and wearing the humongous piece of pie that her mother made her wear for a song.  Hey, the teacher said to make a costume for the song, so that's what we did.  Complete with twisted up purple animal balloons as the filling. :)  I'm quite sure she was humiliated, but she knew how much effort and time we put into it, so she wore it....after I cut it down so that she could at least do the dance in it.

 And we've got a super cute little tap dancer!  Oh man, gotta attach some video of Paiser and her Winter Wonderland tap dance!


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Just the beginning of the Frozen Apple that was the Winter of 2014.

 NYC Snow Day. 2014.




 My very favorite Christmas Gift...to myself.
 Paisley cashes in her AG giftcard from Christmas, after waiting for Isabel, the ballerina to arrive on the shelves. 
 Rockefeller Center
December 30th, 2013

The Melt Shop.  


IKEA Helpers.


Reading again.

Moving the car PJ style.




Paisley, on a train, cup in hand, arm around pole, playing Minecraft.  New Yorker.

A trip to Jersey.  Because we're tired of NYS taxes.

She always has to have the first sips of my green juice.  I obviously, do not mind.
 Me showing her a pic of her green tongue.

A trip to PHILLY to see my sister!!!!



 And a nice visit with Amy too!


Strolling in our hood.

I love this child.  Extremely.  Have you noticed how we all have a similar smile, where one eye closes a bit more than the other?!  I'm liking it.

 Working on her fitness at a free trial gymnastics class.  Leotard and all.

Lunch with a very good friend that watches my baby when I need her most!


I like warm hugs.


Running to ballet.  Again.