Sucker Day Pageant

 
On Saturday, Addy competed for the title of Tiny Miss Sucker Day as one of our hometown festivities for the festival weekend.  She didn't come away with the crown, but I think overall it was a great experience for her.  She rocked the stage in the opening dance number (in my opinion this is where she shines) and was super brave and did a good job introducing herself in the microphone on stage.  Because Jaidyn was there to crown the next Tiny Miss, I had to help her with several tasks of the pageant including escorting the girls to the interview room.  The room had glass windows so of course I couldn't help but sneaking a few glances in Addy's direction during her interviews.  And I'll admit, I definitely didn't prepare her for this as there was a huge difference in the maturity level of Addy a Kindergartner and most of the other girls in 2nd grade.  Addy climbed right up and sat in her chair on her knees (and in a dress), elbows on the table and instead of answering all the questions with words, I could see her smiling and just nodding.  She also wasn't making engaging eye contact with the judge interviewing her.  And while I am sure she still did fine on this portion, especially considering her age and prior experience (none) I was able to see things that could have been a lot better.  But Wes and I are extremely proud of her and how hard she worked at home on the dance number and the walk pattern and vocal introduction for the stage.  Addy is our top Tiny Miss any day!!

 
Addy in her dress for the morning interview session.

 
Our plan was to have curly hair (Addy's request) for the pageant, but even with mega hold 10 hairspray, I just couldn't get the hair to stay and as soon as I would pick the curls apart it would fall straight flat.  This did cause some tears to fall as she couldn't understand why her Aunt Jill was able to get it to stay for a wedding and I was not.  Boy that comment with her tears falling really made me feel like Mom of the Year.  :(


Addy's fan club!!

 


Doesn't she look beautiful in purple!  I love purple with her blond hair.  


Addy with her cousin Haven


Addy and Jaidyn


And really all a little princess needs is a.....

CROWN!  Lala got her a crown (bigger than Jaidyn's) because she will always be our little princess.



And this is how she came to the breakfast table this morning.  :)


Jaidyn needs to step away from Reid and keep the crown shaped barrettes and Hello Kitty sunglasses to herself!


Levi's last day of preschool wore him out!!

Levi also had his first tball game the evening of his last day of preschool.  And while most of the kids are busy kicking up dust, throwing rocks, turning summersaults in the outfield grass, Levi actually stays very focused and engaged in the game.  There was one time while sitting in the dugout (he was the only on actually sitting on the bench waiting his turn to bat) and he was watching the other kids kick dirt at each other and even fill their gloves with dirt and dump over their heads that I saw him get up to retrieve his glove and then slowly look back at me to see if I was watching...all I had to do was shake my head and give him that "don't even think about it" look and he sat right back down and waited his turn to bat.

Levi with a preschool buddy.

The "don't even think about it look" apparently doesn't work for Reid.  He was a dusty mess and went straight to the tub when we got home.

Jaidyn was recognized at school for making the President's Fitness Team.  She received a medal and a certificate for doing this.  To qualify she had to score in the top 85% in all 5 fitness events.

Is it Summer Vacation Yet??

WARNING:  It's a long post with lots of pictures.  I'm just trying to capture all the end-of-the school year memories!

Whoooo!  I might look like a duck on the water all calm, but in reality I am paddling like hell to stay afloat.  This week is just CRAZY!  Sucker Day Pageant rehearsal, Softball Game, Talent Show at school, Preschool, Gymnastics, Tball Practice are just a few of the things happening so far this week and that isn't the normal every day tasks.

 
All the running and craziness with the kids is well worth it, especially receiving such wonderful Mother's Day cards, hugs and kisses from the kids this past weekend.  Normally Wes and I don't do gifts for each other but he surprised me with a Mother's Day/Early birthday gift...A Cardinal Baseball David Freese jersey.  Apparently he isn't jealous of my celebrity crush as he doesn't seem to mind me wearing his last name on my shirt (and I think #23 is in a little bit of a hitting slump and needs to snap out of it real fast).
 
 
 

And Jaidyn played in to it perfectly giving me a Mother's Day card from #23 himself (not her)...

"Dear Jenny Collins,
Your love, me, David Freese wishes you a Happy Mother's Day.  Jaidyn, your daughter, called me to wish you a Happy Mother's Day.  I will see you at the game.  Your Love, David Freese XOXOXO"

And I wish you all could have seen the proud moment on her face as I read her card.  She is too funny!

Addy's card was simply sweet!

And gosh darn it, she gave me brown hair again!!  I guess that is my hint that it's about time to visit the salon. 

Levi made me a sweet Mother's Day flower at preschool that had a lollipop in the center.  Somehow that lollipop disappeared before I had a chance to show the rest of the family and it wasn't me...hmmm??

For some reason, we actually celebrated Mother's Day on Saturday which was a good thing as Reid started  not feeling well about mid day and by Sunday morning Wes was taking him to urgent care finding out that he had the beginning stages of pneumonia.  Much of Sunday was spent worrying about him and trying to keep him comfortable as he was miserable.  Thankfully after a shot and some meds he is recovering quickly and has about returned fully to his normal self. 

Just a quick preview of our family photo session.  We haven't gotten our proofs back yet, but our photographer did post this one to her Facebook page a few days ago.   I can't wait to get them and also get a long overdue updated blog header.



This is what the side of my refrigerator looks like.  Since late last week the kids have slowly been bringing home their writing journals, art work and projects from school.  Addy brought her Kindergarten portfolio that her teacher does for each student in her class.  I can't even begin to imagine the time she has put in to each book as hers is fantastic and it captures so many memories that as a parent I wasn't able to be a part of while she was at school.  She is so proud of her book and we have looked at it many times together. 






 Speaking of celebrity crushes, Jaidyn is big time in to Derek Hough from Dancing with the Stars.  She was super sad last night when he and his partner were booted from the show not making it in to the finals.  For school they had to fill a small snack size baggie with things that were going to be placed in to a time capsule and not brought back out until they graduate.  She slipped a small wallet size photo of him in her baggie.  Won't it be fun to look back at this moment 11 years from now??



Yesterday the girls and Jaidyn's best friend in her 1st grade class performed in the talent show at school.  I don't think they were the least bit nervous until they found out it was in front of the entire school, K-4th grade.  And I wasn't too nervous for them until I saw the program schedule and found out they were the last act to perform.   Dressed in their school spirit shirt, Pom Poms in hand, they did a dance with a few gymnastic moves at the end to, Denise Williams, Let's Hear it for the Boy.  





This Saturday is the Sucker Day Festival in our town and both Jaidyn and Addy will be participating in the Sucker Day Pageant as Jaidyn will be crowning a new Tiny Miss and Addy will be competing to get that title.  It is a natural pageant so no make-up or very light make-up is allowed and dresses are not judged.  They are judged on their stage presence, their character evaluation forms submitted by their teacher and their interview portion.  While there are several more entrants than last year and most of them are a couple of year's older as I think Addy may be the only or one of the only Kindergartners, I truly think she has a shot.  She loves the stage and especially enjoys performing the opening dance number.  She was also thrilled to learn that she got to speak in to the microphone.  (Is she really my child, as I will do anything to get out of speaking publicly?)  She just saw Jaidyn come out of it last year with the best outcome possible and regardless of the outcome this year, I hope that she has a positive experience and I have tried prepping her to also handle not winning in a gracious way...So after I get through my whole spiel to her that it isn't about winning, it is about having fun and that if she doesn't win she should still congratulate the winner, blah, blah, blah she comes back with, "Yeh and if I don't win, it's no big deal because we can just go to the mall and buy a crown."  Ugh that was a teaching moment that completely went wayside...And did I really say "Winning isn't everything"?  Did that just come out of the mouth of Miss Competitive herself? 

Here is a picture of Jaidyn and the two other Queens that will be on the front of the program for Saturday. 
Should be a fun day as she has really enjoyed her time as Tiny Miss Sucker Day.


Two more days of school and a pageant on Saturday.  Focusing in on it all, living and enjoying the moments as they seem to go so quickly. 

Super Hero Birthday Bash!!

Addy and Levi had a super-fun Super Hero Birthday Bash yesterday to celebrate their 6th and 4th birthday.  We have wonderful family, friends and classmates who attended yesterday and helped them celebrate their special day. 

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