Little Dancer

Maddy and I went home but soon we were leaving again to go to her first day of dance class.

She has been asking to go to dance forever.

So I searched reviews and found a nice little studio that had good ones. It is more than I would like to pay but much less than a few of the other ones I looked at that were comparable to it. 

The winning points for me were that it was close to us, they tell you the price of the costumes for the winter and spring recital upfront, they said they pick modest costumes and appropriate music for recitals, the fact that they have recitals, and the instructors are all adults. 

I have been burned too many times over the past few years by taking the girls to do things at rec centers or other places where classes are taught by teenagers. 

She was so excited to go to dance!

We got there and bought her leotard, her ballet slippers, and her tap shoes. 

Once she was dressed for class she got really nervous....

Most of the moms were hanging out at the front by a big window where you can watch the girls. I was a little afraid (after having watched a few episodes of Dance Moms) and my introverted self was glad to find that on the other side there was a much more comfortable place to sit with small windows where I could still see what they were doing and read. 

It was so much fun to watch her!

Afterward she was so happy and wanted to know when we got to come back for class the next day. I had to tell her it is only once a week.

Happy little dancer!

First day of 3rd grade!

Wednesday was Abi's first day of 3rd grade. And her first day of the Salta program at her new school. 

She was pretty nervous and not that happy that summer was over.. 

but she did well and was cheerful when we left. 

The outfit she picked out for her first day of school...

Technically we bought this backpack toward the end of school last year because her last one was getting holes in it. But we still consider it new!

I took some more pictures once we got to school.

Lined up in her class line.

I got a smoking deal on these Converse Chucks at Kohls. I want some in my size!

These two may have fought a lot this summer... 

but they still love each other. Thank goodness.

Getting ready to head toward the front of the school.

Abi's teacher is right there by her in the pink shirt.

Looking less than enthused waiting for their turn to go in. 

They had set up a "red carpet" at the main entrance. So all the classes went in that way today so they could walk it.

Below is a picture of the door the kids had just gone through and the red carpet. 

The men cleaning up the red carpet asked Maddy to help (I was in the office doing registration stuff). 

She loved helping.

New School Year's Eve

It sure seemed like the summer flew by this year! 

Before we knew it, it was the night before school started. 

On Tuesday night we celebrated New School Year's Eve by having tacos (taco tuesday!) and planning a little spa night for us three girls and the American Girl dolls. 

I gathered all the supplies. 

That pink brush is a new brush we just bought from Kid to Kid. 

Abi gets really bad tangles in her hair and it promises to get them out without pain. 

And - it works. It is amazing!

Dinner picnic

I don't have as many pictures as I thought I did. 

But first the girls got baths, we braided their hair, and then we painted nails.

After that I used fabric softener and water in a bottle to try to tame the American Girl doll's hair. This did not work so well. I did Maddy's doll first and so much of her hair came out. It was freaking me out. I finally did get her hair tamed but I was covered in the spray and had a pile of hair. However she still looks good so it wasn't too much hair. 

I decided to try a different method on Abi's doll. 

I filled the bathroom sink with fabric softener/ water that was in the bottle and put her on the counter so all of her hair was soaking in the liquid. 

I left her there all night. 

The next morning I was able to brush her hair out. 

She still had some hair loss but it was much easier. 

Now both dolls have like new hairstyles.

Sorry no pictures. I'll take some soon.

Back to school Getaway

Last Wednesday (August 13) Abigail and I started a new family tradition. 

Like I said a few posts ago, I was feeling a little guilty about our lack of summer activities. Then I saw a pin that showed a family that had a tradition of taking the kids to a hotel on back to school shopping day. Making a big event of it. 

Abi had a free pass to Seven Peaks that we needed to use so I decided to do all of it on the same day. 

Doug stayed home from work to be with Maddy. 

Abi and I left early and went shopping for clothes first. 

We hit Crazy 8's, Gymboree (although we didn't get anything there), Kid to Kid, Carter's, Kohl's, and Target and were able to get everything we wanted. 

In Target Abi always has to stop and play with the 3DS.

We shared a personal pan pizza and breadsticks at Target and then got her an Icee to go.

After lunch we drove to Provo and braved the dark ominous sky at Seven Peaks. It was SO cold. We stayed about 3 hours and had a great time. I also proved to Abi that you can get sunburnt on a cloudy day because I apparently did not get enough sunscreen on myself.

After swimming we went to our hotel in Orem and checked in. 

While Abi showered, I set out some new pajamas for her, a couple of little toys I picked up, some slippers and nail polish.

She packed a TON of her toys and set them up all over the room to decorate it.

After a few hours we went to McDonalds and brought our dinner back to our room to watch tv while we ate.

We stayed up really late and had so much fun together! 

The next morning Abi was hesitant to get moving. She wanted to stay at the hotel forever! 

Of course we had to get home to relieve Doug so he could go into work.

We got the free breakfast at our hotel and brought it up to our room to have "breakfast in bed". Abi loved this.

And here is the loot: 

All her shirts.... (and one dress)

a bunch of pants..

a skirt..

pajamas- normally pajamas aren't really on my list for back to school. But I got her the unicorn jammies for the hotel stay and then we ended up picking up the other two pairs at Kid to Kid for $5.

new shoes..

and this cool little purse we scored at Target for $3.

Meanwhile, Doug sent me this picture while we were gone. 

I left a new pair of Ninja Turtle pajamas for Maddy and a Ninja Turtle puzzle. 

Thursday after we were home and Doug left for work, Maddy was feeling a little left out and really wanted a new special outfit for the first day of preschool.
Since I do preschool here at home I hadn't really thought of doing that... but I thought it was a fun idea. So we went back to the mall and to Gymboree.
This is the outfit we ended up getting for Maddy.

Disney Movie Night: Mulan

I didn't really feel like making anything so we got Chinese takeout. 

It was so good!

Then the girls made paper lanterns and fans. 

They loved making them so much that by the end of the night I think we had at least 15.