disney photos, finally

Does anyone recall this post, from way back in September 0f 2014? And how I (sort of) promised there would be "more photos to come...?" Unless you're my mother, than no, no you don't. But a (sort of) promise is a promise, so here you go, Mom. A link to all of our photos from Disney World, when Zoey was just about 3 and Ellie was at the ripe old age of 5. And yes, you may bow to me, the all powerful queen of procrastination!

Mom, go ahead and click on this link: https://goo.gl/photos/bF93GuEdkaW5y1ta8

2016 dance recitals!

Despite some notably messed up things happening in the news this weekend, the girls brought joy to our lives once again by pea blast, and Zoey even proudly boasted, "I wasn't evenscared or shy!" I hope you enjoy these videos as much as we enjoyed watching the girls shake their stuff up there!

And some photos to commemorate the big day!

dance recital(s)!

This past weekend, the Smiddleton Middlewartz's saw themselves at not one, but two days of dance recitals! The girls did a great job, and Mommy, Daddy, Gramma, Pop-pop, Grampa, and Aunt Betty Jean couldn't have been prouder. Ryan was assigned to be that guy...the one taking videos the whole time (sorry, babe!)

I have to say, the highlight of the whole affair was during the finale at Elliott's recital. All the classes who performed that day were supposed to walk across the stage waving, parade-style. Well, Elliott decided this was a perfect time to take over the stage and put on her own little show. They basically had to (very gently) give her the hook! Fortunately, Ryan, video-god that he is, got most of it on film (see below!)

On our way to Zoey's recital (Day 1)

Well done, little princess!

And on our way to Ellie's recital (Day 2)

 

 

Bravo, Minnie!

robin in the rain

For those of you who missed the post on Facebook, here is my favorite video of late. That little sweet voice! The dancer in the background! The "setting" and costumes! Seriously? Sometimes, the cuteness is just too much...

christmas concerts, baby books, and...lady edith?

Maybe I'm a bit of a procrastinator, but you know what they say...better late than never!

In mid-December, Zoey had her big holiday concert for nursery school. She was such a cute little trooper, standing up there on stage in the bleachers and boppin' along to the music! At the end of the show, Santa came for a visit to pass out gifts to all the children. Enjoy these photos and even a video of the big event!

 

Also way back in December, I finally finished making Zoey's baby photo album. Shutterfly let's you link to your projects online, so I wanted to share Zoey's first year journey here on the blog (sorry, apparently this will only work on a computer, and not on a mobile device):

And on another note...does anyone else think that Zoey bears an uncanny resemblance to Downton Abbey's Lady Edith? I think that's why I'm always routing extra hard for Edith, the unfortunate underdog of the Crawley family:)

ellie gets down!

I realized that I forgot to post a video of Ellie at her dance class during parent observation a few months ago. Well, turns out I have an even better demonstration of her dancing abilities to share with you, recorded just tonight. All that formal dance training has really paid off, no?

boo!

Boo! Don't you just love Halloween? I do! The last few Halloweens have been a bust for Ellie for various reasons, but this time around, my favorite holiday was a success! And, thanks to Elliott's obsession with being a butterfly for the second year in a row, and Zoey's apparent lack of interest in what she wore, as long as it was out of her dress-up bin, costumes were a cinch! Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the kids trick-or-treating, but let's just say it was a fun time spent with both big and little friends. Ryan and I had a good excuse to really get into the spirit of things this year, too, because we got to attend a friend's Halloween party. Even though I've spent the day paying dearly for the mere one-and-a-half drinks I indulged in, going out was totally worth a Sunday of feeling like the actual undead! Anyway, we hope you, too, had a happy Halloween!

 

The day prior to the Big H, we enjoyed free entertainment at Zoey's school concert.

Poor thing couldn't find us in the crowd and spent the whole time looking around for us instead of singing!

On Halloween, we headed over to Ellie's school for the big student parade! Here I am with my little good witch.

 

Ellie's big entrance. She was so excited, but also very serious about her participation in a parade!

 

 Just look at these little guys! Do they come any cuter?

This lucky mamma got to help host a class party after the parade. Here's my big contribution...a handcrafted game of Pin the Eye on the Monster. It was a hit!

The day after the Big H, we got to celebrate with friends as an undead librarian (Bea Quiet) and her unfortunate victim, now a severed head on a book!

homework | zoey "dances"

Kindergarten homework has been pretty light so far, and the few assignments Ellie's actually had have proven to be quite fun! (I guess that's the way homework for a five-year-old should be, huh?) Here are some photos of her "Scout" project. Every kid in class gets to host the class bear, Scout, for a play-date/sleepover, and each student adds to a class journal about the good times they shared. Ellie (and Zoey) just loved having Scout come to visit! He even got to join them for frozen yogurt with our friend Mallory!

And this weekend, Ellie had to complete her first book report...with a fun autumn twist! After reading her book (she chose Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly) she created a likeness of Fancy Nancy out of a pumpkin! She had a little help from Mommy and Daddy, but basically, this project was all Ellie! (After I complimented that rather awesome nose, Ellie had this to say: "Thank you. I designed it myself.")

Zoey has been working hard these days, too! In addition to beginning her first year of nursery school, she is also involved in very intensive dance lessons. Check out these pics/videos from class this morning, when we parents were finally able to observe. I know, I know. She is working too hard, and this class is much too rigorous for a three-year-old. But we are molding a prima ballerina here, and that is serious business!

happy 3rd birthday, zoey!

Zoey, we love you so darn much! Your birthday was earlier this week, but Mommy was waiting to write a blog post until your little family party happened...that was today! We're so lucky that Aunt Kristen and Rick got to join us from California to celebrate with you!

Even though you won't admit it, you are THREE now. And even though your sister says you don't look any older, talk any older, or act any older, you ARE older, and you have grown from a loud, wacky, adorable little baby, into a loud, wacky, adorable little toddler, and now into a loud, wacky, adorable LITTLE GIRL!

You are so cute, I could eat you up like pink icing on a cake. We love you, Zoey!

When you're older, you may want to hear one of the crazy stories you would make up. They certainly make me laugh, and they will probably crack you up someday, too! So I got one on video for you:

 

Thanks for sharing so many laughs with us, little one! Here's to another wonderful year. Let's try to make it as tantrum free as possible (ha!)

parcel of snowman | a superhero for the cowboys!

I just wanted to share these two videos because, well, they just make me laugh. A lot. The first one is of Zoey "singing" the song Edelweiss a few weeks ago after dinner. If you know the song (which is one the girls and I often sing together before bed) you may know the line "blossom of snow may you bloom and grow." Well, I never realized it, but Zoey apparently is under the impression that the words are "parcel of snowman, you bloom and grow." Hahahaha!

In this next video, Elliott had just received a Dallas Cowboys superhero cape from Ryan. She was pretty excited and had a lot to say about it. At one point she claims that she can be "the superhero who saves Dallas Cowboys." Ryan and I agree, that's exactly what the poor Cowboys need!

my cheeky zoey

I do believe our little Zoey is borderline insane (but in a good way.) She also loves to make us laugh and to get a rise out of us in whatever way she can manage. Here are some videos from last week to prove my point:

And here are a few quotes to demonstrate her comedic flair (as well as her, uh, cheeky attitude):

Me: "Let's go to your room for some quiet time."
Zoey: "No quiet time. LOUD time!"

Zoey (smiling to herself while in a time out): "I'm a sassy one."

Ryan: "Put it in the bucket"
Zoey: "Say one, two, three, go, Daddy!" (as in, I won't clean up until you count to three.)

Me: "Come on Zoey, if you poopy in the potty, you get a sticker and a treat."
Zoey (staring me dead in the eye): "I want my treat first (fuuuuuuwst), then I'll go potty."

Me: "Do you want me to put you in a time out?"
Zoey: "Yeah, I want a time out."
Me (dumbfounded): "Well...then no time out." (was I just duped by a two-year-old?)

On a side note, our wee-est one is now the exact same age (2 years and 4 months) that Elliott was when we brought Zoey home from the hospital. The thought of adding a newborn to our family with Zoey at her current age is actually nightmarish to me! Maybe because I still feel like she's a baby, which is probably the usual fate of the youngest child (especially such a tiny one). Or maybe because she and Elliott have such different personalities (meaning Ellie's serious nature made her seem more mature at the same age). Who knows, and who cares, really, since it's an entirely rhetorical scenario... ;)

a very smiddleton middlewartz christmas

We hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! Ours was nice and low key, but it did start out a bit rocky. On the morning of Christmas Eve, Ellie got hit by a rather quick moving stomach bug and, after announcing that her legs couldn't carry her, vomited quite a few times (once in Zoey's eye.) Fortunately, she rebounded by the afternoon and was playing and eating again by the time we had my parents, uncle, and aunt over to celebrate. Later that night, after the children were nestled all snug in their beds, and Ryan and I finally had passed out after assembling a large dollhouse and doing some last minute wrapping, I was startled awake by the sounds of Zoey screaming. Even in my half-asleep state I knew what I was going to find when I opened their bedroom door; my nose confirmed that I was right. She and I were up in the wee hours while Zoey barfed and cried and even made a few jokes (my favorite being, "I have a throw up beard.") She finally fell back to sleep and was able to hold down all her food henceforth. Phew.

I'm happy to report that the two of them were essentially healthy for the big day. Strangely enough they forgot that it was the big day, when they would finally get to open presents; it was business as usual on Christmas morning, complete with a few holiday jingles from the little ladies (who have been singing Christmas carols all month, probably thanks to me!)

Aside from singing non-stop, Ellie also enjoys making art by nibbling her food into different shapes.

Notice the "barf bucket" in her crib! Poor Zoey had an eventful Christmas Eve.

Finally we got around to opening presents, which they of course enjoyed very much (even the ones that were clothes, surprise, surprise!) This year, Ellie even bought me and Ryan gifts from her school's "Lil' Shopper's Shoppe"--a pair of mucho fuzzy animal print ear muffs for me, so my ears wouldn't get cold, and a Super Dad flashlight for Ryan, so he could light things up. Best gifts we ever got!

The piece de resistance was most certainly the dollhouse that Ryan and I Santa gave to the girls this year. While Elliott and Zoey were opening up a mysterious package of doll-sized furniture left under the tree by "Santa," one of his elves must have been busy rearranging furniture in their bedroom and sneaking a four foot tall monstrosity through our halls. We took a video of what happened next, after I had suddenly gone to look for a pair of socks for Zoey:

Strangely enough, Zoey asked me a few times after getting out of bed that morning where her new dollhouse was. There was NEVER ANY talk of the dollhouse around the kids and we brought it inside only after the kids went to bed on Christmas Eve. Weird! At least Ellie was genuinely surprised!

Much playing commenced, and finally it was dress-up time:

Thanks to my awesome friend Jessica for supplying the girls' beautiful dresses this year!

Then off to Gramma and Pop-pop's house we went, where we were joined by my Uncle Rich, Aunt Betty Jean, and cousins Fred and Lacey, with their five kids. We had a blast eating too much, catching up with family, and watching the movie Elf, one of our faves.

As of this writing, Ryan and I haven't caught that nasty stomach bug...we're keeping our fingers crossed. Here's hoping you too have a healthy and happy holiday season!

variety show

Life is like one big variety show around here lately (well, for the last 4 years, really!) Case in point:

The best part? All this stellar entertainment doesn't cost us a penny!

TWO! (plus a week)

Sorry for the late Happy Birthday shout-out, Miss Z! We had such a fun time celebrating with you and the family (we were especially happy to have Aunt Kristen in town.) We're glad you had fun, too, and that you enjoyed the pizza, homemade ice cream, and pink cupcakes! WE LOVE YOU TO PIECES, LITTLE ONE!

umbrella dance

Elliott was pretty excited to score a new raincoat and her first ever umbrella, all in preparation for walking to school in September:

She said she wanted to do an "umbrella dance" for her schoolmates (for some reason, I love that she used the word schoolmates) and then put on this little song and dance number:

Since she will undoubtedly be tagging along, Zoey of course needed a coat, too. Although she didn't perform a musical act in her's, she did pose for some adorable pictures:

I would like to give a shout-out to my mom and dad for purchasing these beautiful coats for the girls, as well as for buying the rain boots that are currently on their way from Amazon!

happy father's day!

We love the daddies in our lives!

now for some videos!

In this third and final blog installment featuring our recent Texas adventures, I offer you these. Enjoy!

outside 'inwencers'

What is an inwencer, you ask? That would be Ellie's cute pronunciation for adventure. We've been having lots of outside inwencers of late.

Thanks to our Granny down in TX, the girls now have an awesome sand and water table to play with out back. That, in addition to the play set Ryan is building, plus this gorgeous Spring weather, has made our own backyard the ultimate destination for play-time fun! Hope you enjoy the following videos of the girls (and me) enjoying some quality time outdoors!

dressin' up & gettin' down

I had a little ballerina and a little witch on my hands last week. I think I'll keep 'em!

zoey (finally) walks! | let's get digging! | our playground

First, the big news you've all been waiting for. Somewhere in the last few days, after just turning a whopping 19 months, Zoey started the transition from a few tentative steps here and there to actual toddling all over the place. We took this video earlier today as proof. We're so proud!

This next video is from a few weekends ago, when we gave Elliott the set of tools that Granny bought her (for Christmas, actually!) As you will see, she got to work right away helping Daddy with the play set he's been building in our backyard. Thanks again, Granny!

And I might as well add some pictures of the AWESOME play set (seen above in a more primitive phase) that is quickly on its way to completion. Ryan did an amazing job designing and creating our very own backyard play wonderland! Eventually it will have steps up to the platform, a wall and a canopy on the platform, and a rope climbing wall on the left side A-frame. The whole structure will eventually be treated with a red stain, since that's Ellie's favorite color. I'll post more pics as we progress!