Popcorn Popping... 2-13-12

Now, I'm pretty sure this is not an apricot tree, but as we came to this corner to turn to go to school this specific pre spring morning, Naomi said, "Wow mom, look at that tree!" It had blossomed overnight, I swear. It reminded me of the primary song, "Popcorn popping on the apricot tree..." I had just had the kids in our ward sing this song and I tried to explain that "popcorn really doesn't come from a 'popcorn tree.' But there is a beautiful blooming tree with white flowers that look like popcorn growing from it." Ironic that this tree just happened to bloom right after the Sunday I had finally explained to the kids that the song is really not true.

Naomi's 9th Birthday!

  The Celebrating began on Sunday the 10th of March. We had our traditional birthday dessert family date with the Rossiter family at our home. I asked Naomi if she wanted the usual chocolate cake or ice cream cookie sandwiches. As you can see, she chose ice cream sandwiches.

 She asked for a new purse, so I found a "Roxy" purse...

 ...and she wasn't that thrilled about it.

 On Wednesday March 13th, the real birthday began. French toast on the birthday platter plate, the silly hat, and 1 present. She did start out wearing the birthday shirt I had laid out for her, but she decided to change into something more "mature" for school.

The gift, a too expensive one in place of a party and going out to a "nice dinner" like she kept asking to do, was the American Doll Mckenna bunk bed. I had found it on craigslist since Mckenna was the doll of the year for 2012 and accessories for her are no longer sold in the store. Naomi had been telling me frequently that she really wanted the bed for her doll the she got for Christmas. I didn't want to spend more money at Christmas, so I gave her the ultimatum of keeping the bed or selling it and going out to dinner with some friends. It was a tough decision, but she ended up keeping the bed.

Naomi always asks me to go to Subway for dinner, but I never want to stop and take all the girls in with me, especially when we can make sandwiches at home. But since it is her special day, she is not getting a party, or going out for a special "nice dinner," I decided to be nice and meet her at school lunch with a turkey avocado sandwich, chips and an orange soda. I had packed her a lunch for this day, so it was a great surprise when Audrey and I showed up to bring her lunch.

 Her new birthday outfit from Forever 21! Jewelry, hair flower and dress.

                          Happy Birthday my big 9 Year Old!

Bubble Man @ Library Park! 2-27-13

Have you ever read the book "Bubble Bubble" by Mercer Mayer? It is one of our favorites. 

It starts out with a little boy bumping into a bubble...buying magic bubbles...blowing magic bubbles...

 ...that turned into all sorts of shapes...

 ..then the shapes turn on him... and become scary animals...

 ...so he keeps blowing bubbles that produce bigger animals to scare of the next...

...till he gets bored and ends up tossing the bubble bottle. 

                               This book came to life for us on a random Wednesday afternoon.

We had to run the the Monrovia Library after school to find a book on Shirley Temple. Naomi was doing a "book share" on a celebrity, and this is who she chose.

We parked across the street and started to walk towards the front when we spotted a man on the front lawn with buckets, holding sticks with a rope attached, blowing the largest bubbles I've ever seen. 

So we walked over to watch him. He had a little stereo on a small cart playing old rock ballads, and was in his own world randomly blowing bubbles on the grass out front of the library. We watched for a bit to feel out this man before being social with him. He saw us watching him and asked the girls if they'd like to try blowing bubbles themselves. Really? Well of course!

So he dipped the sticks in the bucket of home made bubbles solution, told them to make sure to hold the sticks together as they dipped, then lift them in the air and let the wind do its job! Wallah!!! Not quite "magic bubbles," but this had to be the highlight of Naomi and Heidi's week. Leaving to go inside to find a book was not an easy fete for them, but we didn't have all day. I took as many pictures as I could with out seeming too overbearing on this mans space, but needing to capture the glee on the girls faces. I should have taken videos because the giggles said it all. So enjoy!

His cart below! This man, who I never got around to asking his name, told me how he is at the park randomly doing this, and that he has grandsons who love practice to blowing large bubbles. I didn't ask, but I wondered if he did this for parties, or just for fun. Did he have another job? Was he a little "off" or just had time to fulfill a dream of being a "bubble man?" He seemed nice enough, never came uncomfortably close.

Audrey would not go near the man or the sticks, but she had fun running after the bubbles to pop them.

 Wow Heidi!!!

 Go Naomi!!!

Thank you to this unnamed "Bubble Man" who brought some excitement to our usually busy Wednesday afternoon.

Showstopper Competition February 16th 2013 Disneyland Hotel

The last rehearsal before the first competition of 2013. Poor Naomi was so sick the week before, and was coughing pretty bad before and after each run through,  but was determined to be at this rehearsal where they received their hair "falls' for the first time. She could not get enough of wearing it. Begged to wear it to school. I had to tell her it wouldn't be warn to school till all her competitions were over. 

Stretching and getting ready for Round 1: "A Star is Born," Naomi's first dance.

Practicing forward walk overs, I could tell she was so nervous.

 Watching other dances

 Huddling around and being congratulated by Miss Allison after the awards.

Waiting to hug Miss Allison

Lunch at a yummy sandwich place in Downtown Disney. We ate with the Tripp Girls, Nadia, and Sophia. We had about an hour and half before we had to be ready for the next dance. It was nice to sit and laugh and enjoy some down time with good friends.

                                Round 2: God Bless Texas
The girls all got dressed in their God Bless Texas costumes then met in a little hallway to rehearse and stretch. This is Miss Allison lining them up and giving them a little pep talk.

Miss Misty showing Naomi exactly where she needs to go when she enters the stage, just before they go on stage.

The girls did awesome for their first competition this year. I was so happy to be there and see them.

Before each awards ceremony, the big screen would play "wii just dance" videos and all the kids would get up and dance to them.

 A washed out Naomi and her award around her neck!

 Miss Allison congratulating them.