Everybody Cut Footloose

Back in July I went to the SHE Expo for Women. Three good things came out of that weekend ... well maybe four since I got to spend fun time with a great friend!

• I got to meet Bethenny Frankel (she is hilarious) and also see Martha Stewart
• I won a gift voucher for a window treatment from a store in Chattanooga (need to go pick out something!)
• I won three dance lessons at the Fred Astaire dance studio in Chattanooga

The last was a nice surprise. I just got a call from them two weeks after the expo and last week we finally got to go in for our first lesson. We get a private lesson, a group lesson and a practice session. Kyle was our instructor and he covered three basic dances with us, two of which I knew. We did the foxtrot, waltz and swing. I LOVE swing dancing so I couldn't have been happier when Kyle started on those steps.J says the whole session was very nostalgic/deja vu like and brought back lots of memories of when we used to dance a lot. I miss those days for sure.

J snapped a few of these pics.

 {what I had to wear .... just kidding! back in the day I could have fit into this. now not so much!}

 {swing dancing}

I wish we had gotten some with both us dancing .... maybe next time. We had so much fun and can't wait to go back.
~V

J The Tool Man

We were out running and riding bikes a few nights ago ... Javan got of his bike and started walking toward us. He wasn't sure what happened but he said 'it didn't feel right'

Guess he was riding too hard! They went to the local bike shop to get a new wheel and of cos Javan just had to have the new wheel put on IMMEDIATELY. Gotta love how everything is so immediate and urgent for a 5yr old!

He's a happy rider now:)
~V

This n That: Ria Edition

When its awfully quiet, it can only mean one thing ... RIA is up to no good. She has found a way to climb into her crib.

Enter exhibit A (pls note not the best pics ... she didn't know I was watching her so I was snapping blindly while peering into the room so she wouldn't see me!)

and now her newest thing is to put her baby to sleep.

enter exhibit B: (once again snapping blindly ... until she caught me!)

I left her alone after she told me her baby was sleepy. Next thing I know, she had the radio on in her room (we leave it on static noise when she sleeps), she closed the door and walked out whispering 'baby sleeping .... ssshhhh'

Just some conversations/things I want to remember about her:

me: ria its quite time
ria: but I wake up already
me: no that was this morning
ria: aaaaaah man

~~~~~~~
mummy ana (javan) get out my room peas
(which translates to mummy I want ana to get out of my room please .... er .... you're TWO ria!!!)

~~~~~~
when she is done in the bath, she calls her daddy:
'babes need my towel peas'

~~~~~
the other night she was prancing around in her tutu while javan and jermaine were outside playing in the backyard. she opened the door screaming
' a-maine i need my shoes'
~~~~~
she calls Javan ana (un-ah which is big brother in telegu) but she has finally learned to say his name. it sounds so cute: Jay-vun or Jay-vin
~~~~~
she LOVES LOVES LOVES LOVES shoes ... MY shoes that is. the higher the heel, the more she loves it.

she wants to wear jewelery a lot ... MINE of cos.
she is TERRIFIED of thunder and the sound of the train. the train track is not close to our house at all, but if you live anywhere in the town chances are you can hear the trains. she goes ballistic every time she hears it.
loves chatting on the phone and is a skype hog
wants to help me cook and loves to wear her apron when she does
loves being at church. still hesitant to be dropped of in class but it happy once she is in there.

loves mickey mouse clubhouse (knows all the characters and can identify them by sound as well)
loves anything pink and purple

there's a lot more but these are the ones that stand out as I am typing right now:)

ETA: Ria wore panties for the first time yesterday! She was pretty proud of herself:)

not actively potty training but just getting her used to the idea.

and we got a package from Ma and Thata the other day ... someone is LOVING her new boots

~V

Bye Bye Summer ....

We are really going to miss your warm, sunny, carefree days ... you can linger as long you want to into the fall. We are in NO hurry to bid you farewell...

{my daily bag with our pool goodies}

{what a good day full of fun will make you do}

 {spinach and mozzarella turkey burgers with grilled potatoes}

 {summer braaing ... nuff said!}

 {sunday dancing .. warming up before church!}

 {popsicles!}

 {big kid on the greenway}

 

{baby gets to ride the jogger}

 {picking out princess panties ... a big deal for a little bitty baby girl!}

{when daddy leaves clothes on the bed, you put on his sock and take a nap}

 {hanging out at soccer practice}

{fun photo shoot to say good bye to the summer of 2011}

 

  

 

We didn't make it to the beach or to Disney or some other fun destination like we would have liked to, but we did try to pack in some wonderful memories and enjoy great family moments.

See you next year Summer!

~V

Zoo Fun

Guess you could call this family date day ... just the four of us out and about at the zoo, dinner at Chik-fil-a and lots of time at Barnes and Noble. One word to sum it up ... perfect!

loved this moment ... the snow leopard tapped on the window and was being playful with Javan 

and then he just ran of!

 

 ~V