The Stills

Mike has been hard at work this evening putting the finishing touches on the editing of photos he shot at Kiera's competition.
Warm up before the skaters perform their programs.

Our skater is prepared and ready to go.

Showing her form.

As I posted these photos I was trying to think of the commentary that I could write to go along with them. But instead we'll just let the photos do the talking. Compared to her first competition last October Kiera has developed so much in her skating and her performance ability. She enjoyed participating in an event with all of her skating friends from the rink and the experience was a good building block for her future competitions.

Ellen's Program

On Sunday Kiera's friend Ellen skated in the musical program competition to "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Glee. Ellen is a lively, smart and entertaining girl who also performs in theater productions and sings. Last Friday Ellen encouraged Kiera while they all put the final touches on their practices with shouts of "Work It Kiera! Own It!" By the way, the "fall" towards the end of the program is planned. Ellen is wearing one of Kiera's skating dresses, the dark grey/almost black, with just the right amount of sparkle and shimmer, dress that she bought online last summer. It turned out not to be what Kiera really had in mind, and was perfect with Ellen's lively program and dark hair. Once again, this footage is from our hand held Flip camera and probably does not do the program justice. In my defense, its harder than you might think sometimes to anticipate what direction they are taking off in!

Skating Competition

It was a fun and tiring day. All I have so far is my Flip camera video of Kiera's compulsory moves. She looked great on the ice, as did Ellen, Sarah, Hannah, and the other Sarah. Great day at the Riverside Ice Town's Orange Twist Open for the skaters from Center Ice Arena,Ontario. More photos to follow once Mike has downloaded his extraordinary shots.

Final Day with Shannon, Jenna and Allsyon

It's Saturday evening and Shannon and the girls are on the road heading home. The house is quiet, sure needs to be put back in order, but we had a great time.
This morning we colored about two dozen Easter eggs. We always add vinegar to the dye for the brightest colors.

Realized that just regular crayons do a much better job than that wimpy waxy white one that comes in some of the coloring sets. Used a variety of colors to draw on the eggs before dying.
Shannon and Allyson patiently using the red dye.
Well into our egg supply.
We woke up this morning to some strong wind, but it died down a bit in the afternoon and we walked over to the playground. It was warm and sunny, Zoey came along, and Jenna rode her bike the whole way. The play equipment was updated last year and is an improved set up.

Kiera and Allyson coming down the slide. It was slick and fast!
Jenna, Shannon and Kiera.
A few skills stuck from that week of gymnastics summer day camp.

Allyson spent the majority of the time swinging. She loves, really loves, the swings.
Jenna and Kiera on the play structure.

The girls drove off about 3:30, should put them back home by 9:30 tonight. It was a fast trip but Shannon and I agreed we felt like we had made the most of our time. Kiera has always been Jenna's favorite Auntie and Allyson is following that path too. I woke up Friday morning to Allyson in the upstairs hall heading towards the computer room where Kiera and Jenna were camped out calling "Kier-WA, Kier-WA!"

Friday with the girls

Friday the four of us headed up to Victoria Gardens for some shopping at the Ulta beauty supply, a visit to Macy's for the Clinique gift with purchase, some general wandering around and lunch at Johnny Rockets.
Victoria Gardens is set up like a old fashioned downtown area and has a trolley that drives the center and you can hop on and off at the stops for free. A great mode of transportation when you are tired and hungry and figure out you are at the opposite end of the center from the restaurant you planned to eat at.
Kiera and Shannon on the trolley. Fun for Shannon to be the big sister after a lifetime of being the little sister!

Me and Allyson.

Jenna in the front seat next to the driver.

Kiera joining Jenna for the ride.

Allyson creating art!

Refrigerator dough Easter Cookies.

Today the Santa Ana wind is blowing and so our plan to color our Easter Eggs on the patio has been altered to an indoor activity. Kiera was up and over to the rink at 7 AM for an hour and a half of freestyle session skating. These sessions are open to experienced skaters only, not to the public. She spent the time running through her program for competition tomorrow. Honestly, we plan to use the little video camera to get a rough film of her program tomorrow. Although I need to enlist someone else for that duty because I want to watch her skate, but not thru the camera. We are excited, a little nervous, but looking forward to the competition and the opportunity to see all of Kiera's friends perform too.

Spring Break

Spring break and Shannon, Jenna and Allyson are here.
We were off to the rink yesterday, Jenna was on skates too.



Then we went home and made our bunny head crafts before dinner.

And that's all I have for now because we are off to Victoria Gardens for hair supplies for Kiera's competition, riding the trolley and lunch. Then back to the rink so Kiera can use the time to put the final touches on her program for Sunday.
Tomorrow is Easter Egg coloring and we just might run a few practice egg hunts.

Science Project

It starts with research, typing, printing and cutting.

Creative inspiration helps with the arrangement.

Poster board ready for science class.
For Kiera's science report on the Nervous System she decided to emphasize how it controls our five senses. For her Powerpoint/Oral presentation she illustrated this by displaying a word optical illusion, asking them to experiment with hearing by tapping on first their desk top and then the metal desk legs. For smell she passed out individual papers, one coated with orange juice, one with vanilla. For touch she gave everyone a small puff ball (leftovers from the DNA model) and for her grand finale smarties candies to experiment with how different areas of the tongue determines different tasting. She finished to a round of applause, the only presentation to receive that!
No grade yet from Mrs. Baca-Smith but we suspect there is an A in the works.

Unauthorized Video

A couple Mondays ago Kiera had a day off for teacher in service and I took the day too. In the afternoon we headed to the rink. However once we got there I was informed that filming was unacceptable behavior and embarrassing! She was tolerant, and I was low key, and as a result we have some shots for everyone to see. I have not done any editing and so these are each a couple minutes of Kiera skating around, warming up, working on some of her individual moves.



She has her program and music ready for her competition on March 28th. Yesterday she did a full run thru with her timing on track. This next week is just more repetition to get it down pat.

My Own Form of March Madness

Pillowcase madness.
The end results of pillowcase sewing. Four to donate to the pillowcase challenge, four as gifts. When I feel like sewing, but not like thinking very hard about it, this is where I go.

My first completed top for the Quilts For Kids Charity. The rubber ducky print is so cute and yes that old Sesame Street song ran thru my head regularly while working on this. It is one of two songs from that era of parenting forever stuck in my subconscious. The other one is The Count's song. ( I love counting, counting, counting going faster.....)

Coordinating backing, that they also give you for free.

Second Quilts for Kids project. I used fabric from Nick's music themed quilt in bolder (more mature?) colors with the idea in mind that there are older kids who could enjoy something besides hospital sheets and blankets too.


I'll use a blue batik backing that has a very water type pattern. Tomi, my quilter, is on vacation and so it is going to be a few weeks before these go up to her for the finishing touch.

Fun Link

http://thxthxthx.com/

I found this link on another blog that I lurk on. Yes, proper blog surfing is "lurking". Check it out

Ok, I found it on http://livinglovinglearningwithmamagast.blogspot.com/
One of Sara's family from Mountain Wave

Happy Birthday Natalie

Last Saturday was Natalie's sixth birthday party. What an amazing journey this has turned out to be! In 2007 when Tracy and Dave told us about their plans to adopt a little girl from an orphanage in central Asia, well, we were sure they had completely lost their minds. We were just about as wrong as we could have been.
Natalie pre adoption in the orphanage sporting medicine on her chicken pox,late 2006

Natalie off to Kindergarten Sept 2009!