Tiny Dancers

Sweetie had her very first dance recital last week.
She and JJ have taken ballet and tap lessons together every Saturday for the whole year.

This was their moment to shine.






And shine they did.
Yeah, it wasn't easy holding the camera wiping back the tears.

Girls...you were OUTSTANDING!
xoxoxo

A is for Audrey

Sweetie has a drawer of play clothes that she can choose from when she wants to dress herself.
When she spilled chocolate ice cream all over the shirt she was wearing I asked her to please go to her "play clothes" drawer and change her shirt.

She dutifully obliged and on her way out of her room she said, "Mama, close your eyes because I have a surprise for you." I closed my eyes....(peeking ever so slightly)



Then with sheer delight she said,

"Open your eyes...SURPRISE....I'm wearing YOU on my shirt!"


Oh, my daughter...bless your great big heart.....how you made my day!

Stealer of Hearts

Black & White Wednesday: Intersection of Long Road to China & Darling Street

This is one of my favorite intersections on the Long Road to China.

The Fab Five and we Darlings have met up on several occasions over the years.
It started innocently a few years back...just Lisa and me having an impromptu lunch. Lisa's job takes her near and far...luckily, one of the "far" spots is an hour and a half across the border into the Garden State.


We've spent time together at photography workshops, get togethers with friends/fellow bloggers, etc. Our rendezvous' vary...sometimes they include some of the kids, all of the kids, both the kids and husbands, you name it. We're even apt to throw in a Texan or Two, we're crazy like that!

This time we decided to make a weekend out of it and, despite the rain that poured down on our BBQ causing us to move indoors THREE times, we weren't dissuaded from having the stellar time we always do.



Lisa, ever the overachiever, wrote all about our weekend last week HERE and, in true Dita fashion, I am late to the party...but I come bearing gifts...lots and lots of photos!

The girls cornered the market on bubble blowing and perched high atop the swing set for the better part of two days.


They did occasionally take time out to make some tea for themselves and their littlest tea party guest.

The boys played video games, ate, watched movies, ate, horsed around, ate, riled the girls, ate, smooched Reagan, ate, slept and ate.

After her bath, Reagan discovered the joy of light sticks and I'm not sure who had more fun with them; Reagan or my mom watching Reagan's fascination with them!

The slightly over 20 contingent gabbed incessantly, drank yummy sweet peach tea cocktails, ate, enjoyed one another, ate, smiled watching our kids play so sweetly together, snuggled Reagan, ate, moved the food in and out and in and out again...ate, slept, ate and generally had a great time just hangin' in on a rainy weekend (eating!) so effortlessly together.

Sweetie got "sweet" on Handsome Nick!
C'mon, with a face like that and the personality to match, can you really blame her?

And I believe I could hear Sarah's heart pounding with excitement from 10 paces when the Boy Wonder would sneak up on her in plain sight and "scare" her. Yes, I can hear the screams of glee still in the backyard!

Saying goodbye is always the hardest part.
No one was happy to say goodbye to our friends...but it did hit Sweetie like a ton of bricks...
she sobbed "Nick, NIck....NICK!" the second their car pulled out of the driveway.

She definitely deserves the Oscar....or the NICK, as the case may be!


There was no consoling her and, as you can see from these photos...it was so heartbreaking even JR got misty...AND Wonderboy, well, he got awfully quiet and just kept telling me he missed them and what a good time they had.


Of course, we've begun making plans for the next visit already, but for now, the memories of our wonderful weekend together remain tucked in each of our hearts.

To see some great images from some fantastic photographers, click on over to The Long Road to China