First Dance Class

We are so glad we could be home for Marie's first dance class. She was looking forward to it all week and thoroughly enjoyed it. They first did some pre-ballet on individual mats and then they danced around the room for a while in a few different ways. There were about 12 girls there, all in pink or lavender. One had to leave halfway through class to go to the bathroom, another cried for half the class and had to had her mother sit in the room too. Marie was comfortable leaving us and going into the classroom but kept checking to see that we were still there. I was the only parent brave enough to take pictures (or suffocating enough). In any case, I am glad I did as both Marie and I have enjoyed looking at the pictures already!

A natural!

This next one is a little long...I kept waiting for her to re-appear. She doesn't.

Remember This???

Yeah, I barely do. And now we are going to do it all over again! What advice would you care to share?

What are we up to?

Just making banana bread...playing indoors a lot...waiting for the phone to ring...

Important Toddler Alert: We have decided that we can only wear dresses and skirts or, as we like to call them, gurts.

So, what are you up to??? Fill us in!

Conversations from the Backseat

"So Marie, what did you do in school today?"
"Nothing."
"Did you go outside?"
"No"
"Did you go to the gym?"
"No."
"Water plants? "
"No"
"Sing?"
"No"
"Paint?"
"No"
"So you just sat in a chair all day?"
"No, on a bench."
"I know you ate lunch. Who did you eat lunch with?"
"Peter. I opened up my peaches so fast that the peaches fell on Peter's pants."
"Oh, did he have his napkin in his lap?"
"No - on his PLATE! But he picked them up and put them back on my plate."
"So, did you go outside?"
"I already told you that!"
"Well then what did you do in school?"
"GABAH!" (gabah is Marie's made up word she uses when she is tired and doesn't want to come up with a response to a question)

Silence while I contemplate this
Then I hear
"I pinched Peter with the scissors."

And then we began the conversation of how scissors are not to be used for cutting our friends.
"Only paper," Marie solemnly replies.

I do wonder what happened at preschool today!
Your turn! What odd comments have you heard from the backseat or anyplace else recently? Post in comments!

Daddy time

Architecture 101

"Skiing" in the Driveway

We are doing well, waiting in the winter wonderland up here. Here are some photos of last weekend when Jim and Marie played a lot together both in and out. Yesterday we walked down to the lake and watched the ice fishermen. Marie wanted to walk across the lake to the island but Momma decided it was too cold for that. It has been bitterly cold. Friday night I was scheduled to ski patrol. I went, put on my boots and then the patrollers found lots of reasons to stay indoors. I went out at the end of the night to close my part of the hill. The hill leader decided that was a good night to train me on the snowmobile so we didn't have to ride the chairlift in the cold. Anyways, yesterday it was neat to walk out on the lake though. Jim saw how easy it would be to ice fish and I believe his Christmas money will be spent today getting the necessary equipment. Tuesday I will spend the day working with the guest teacher who will take over the classes for the remainder of the year for me...whenever that is. All we know is Ty's file is sitting in the US Embassy in Seoul, waiting for someone to process his visa to enter the US. Don't know if his file is sitting on the top of the pile or buried under 40 other files. It will find its way to the top of the pile eventually!

Ready!!! And Friends!!!

We are R-E-A-D-Y...or Not.

Not!

But we have food in the freezer, diapers in the bin and a fleece to wrap him in.

So we are ready to go whenever we get the call.

Friends!

Marie so enjoys the time with her cousin. She asks about her cousins every few days, wondering when she gets to see them next.

Over the past few days, I have had some great conversations with Marie.

"Why does Christmas have to go away?" she asks.
I attempt to explain this with, "Christmas has to end so we can have Easter. Easter has to end so we have summer. Then after summer is Halloween. "

This strikes a chord. She puts both fists up over her head, jumps to her feet and screams, "HALLOWEEN IS COMING!!! AND I GET C-A-N-D-Y!!!"

Today was the "Why" session.

"Why does Santa have to go away?"

"Because he needs a holiday after Christmas."

"Why?"

"Because he worked so hard on Christmas Eve, delivering presents to girls and boys."

"Why?"

"To deliver gifts to celebrate Christmas."

"Why?"

"Because he wants to celebrate Jesus's birthday."

"Why?"

"Because Jesus came to save us."

"Why?"

"Because God loves us."
"Why?"

"Ahhhh...that is the question, now isn't it."

And the last one, "Why is your mouth THERE?" pointing to my mouth.

I explain with, "Because if food drops out of your mouth, it won't hit your nose or eyes. If your mouth was higher, food would fall into your nose."

It is fun to see what comes out of her mouth next.

Welcome 2009!

Practicing Some Serious Dance Moves

Posing for the Camera

Momma and Marie say, "Happy New Year!"

Marie actually welcomed in the New Year at midnight, EST. She still hadn't fallen asleep so we figured she might as well raise her sippy cup and toast the new year with us. We had a few friends over and none of the children were asleep at midnight, although ALL of the parents were crashing. Today Jim is watching football with some awesome eats, Marie is currently napping and I get to go skiing in a little bit.

The Whall family would like to wish you a blessed 2009!