Callie's 1st Dance Recital

Starting last August Callie attended a dance class run by the Diana Evans School of Dance. She had a wonderful teacher, Miss Lauren, and every Tuesday morning Callie got excited as we made sure she had her dance bag to take to school. At dinner most nights she wanted to show off her latest "dance moves" and took to spinning and jumping whenever the opportunity presented itself.

But looming on the horizon was the end of the year recital. Sarah knew what to expect because she had attended the big end of the year recital the year before. This is no little deal. Diana Evans takes her recitals seriously and they are held at the Lexington Opera House. Several weeks prior to the big event, Callie kept changing her mind about whether or not she wanted to perform. We just continued to go through the motions and must admit, engaged in just a little bit of bribery. All in all, the three rehearsals leading up to the recital included a combination of tears, running off stage, and glimmers of excitement and dance that led to ice cream rewards.

So when the big night finally arrived, we tried to maintain a calm demeanor and kept our expectations low. When all was said and done, we wanted Callie to have fun. But we were also feeling a little guilty because Grammy Gayle would be in attendance and the Chrismans had also chosen to join us. We hoped they might be rewarded with an appearance by Callie on stage. It was high drama.

For those of you who have never had a son or daughter participate in a dance recital, you might want to sit down before looking at this picture. Yes, they are wearing makeup. We had to borrow some from other moms since Sarah's supply is limited at best. Here Callie poses with her friends and classmates, Vivie Ann and Maya. Thank goodness for them and for their moms. This was the outfit for the first of the two dances the girls performed that night.

The second dance had a UK theme and the moms got to join their daughters on stage for the show. Of course, the dance incorporated eight lifts to celebrate the eight NCAA basketball championships won by the Wildcats over the years. Even at dance recitals at an opera house you cannot escape the C-A-T-S in Kentucky.

The evening was certainly a success. We were on the edge of our seats for the first dance, and became extremely excited when we saw Callie walk out on stage. She stared at her teacher off stage the whole time and refused to look at the audience. But she did every move and stayed on stage the whole time. We were so proud of her and more importantly, she was so proud of herself. It was a great moment. We were also happy to see that the neon green costume looked much better on stage than it did in our closet at home.

The UK-themed dance wasn't quite as successful. Callie didn't want to join the dancing until the parents went onstage, which pretty much meant she came on stage so that Sarah could lift her in the air eight times. Trying to make the most of the dance, Sarah felt it was necessary to ensure Callie was lifted higher than any other child onstage. As one of the members of the audience, I, John, can say that I clearly saw Callie flying up in the air.

And any successful dance recital is traditionally rewarded with flowers, and Grammy was ready to give Callie her first post-recital bouquet. We also promised Callie ice cream, but had to convince her that it would be more enjoyable to do that the next night since we didn't get out of the performance until about 10pm. As we said earlier, Diana Evans does not kid around.

3rd Annual Trip with Grammy

For the third time in four years we arranged to visit a regional city with Grammy Gayle. Three years ago we hit Chicago and last year we tackled Nashville. This year we made it even closer by visiting Cincinnati.

Of course one of the big draws for Cincinnati is the fact that they have a baseball team. We weren't fortunate enough to have it be a weekend when the Giants were in town, but that is probably all for the best. Gayle would have made us all wear Giants gear to the game and it could have been tough. But we very much enjoyed a sunny afternoon at the Great American Ballpark as the Reds took on the Tigers. Unfortunately the Reds lost, but none of us are Reds or Tigers fans, so it didn't hurt our willingness to savor some good food and fine company.

Of course, the most important element of our weekend trips with Grammy is the hotel pool. Callie asked about it the moment she knew that we ware staying at a hotel. And she made sure we went to the pool on Saturday evening and as soon as it opened on Sunday morning. And it opened at 7am, for those of you wondering. This is the second one we have experienced that has been a downtown rooftop pool. We highly recommend it, though not necessarily just after sunrise.

Once we checked out of the hotel and ate a solid breakfast, it was time to head to the Cincinnati Zoo. This was our second visit, but Reese's first zoo experience.

We started outside with a quick photo opportunity with the rhinoceros statue. If you have the time, you can go back to a blog post from July 2009 where you can see pictures from our last visit. There are a few photos here that will capture how much Callie has grown in three years.

A new exhibit at the zoo included at least half a dozen baby Galapagos Island turtles. What was particularly awesome about this exhibit was how they allowed you to walk into the enclosure and pet the turtles. Reese especially enjoyed. We did have to be careful because supposedly they have a tendency to bite. But luckily we didn't have any such problems. But we did have to visit the turtles twice because they were so cool.

There are some pictures that simply defy any description or explanation. However, if we could add any additional commentary to this picture, it would be that Callie and Reese have only begun to be embarrassed by their Mom and it will not be the last time they question her antics. It truly is a phenomenal picture. However, if Sarah had it her way it would have been one of her daughter's head in that alligator mouth. Oh well, they'll learn.

This is another great picture to compare to that post back in July 2009. We have a picture of Callie sitting with this very elephant, and she was just a little older than Reese at that point. Now look at the two of them.

They are quite a pair, and it is difficult to get them both to sit still. Callie was having too much fun showing Reese all the different animals. And Reese was enjoying making all the animal sounds she could. Of course, she doesn't have the full range of animal noises, so from her perspective we saw a lot of horses. But the spirit was there.

The Cincinnati Zoo really does a great job providing numerous hands on opportunities for their guests. Here we see Callie taking the opportunity to brush a goat. What makes this moment particularly impressive is that you can't see just how many goats were there. Callie was great - she wanted to brush a goat and wasn't overwhelmed by the situation and focused on the task at hand. Of course, who knows how she would have reacted to the goat who had to be pushed away after it started eating Sarah's shirt.

All in all, it was another great trip with Grammy. Who knows what city we will hit next, but St. Louis and Atlanta are both in the running.

Summer Fun with Nana Banana and Sport

As is the case with most places in the good old US of A, Memorial Day weekend represents the kickoff of summer. What better way to start it off than with a visit from Nana Banana and sport?

We were fortunate to have some really hot weather while they were in town, but that's what inflatable swimming pools and central air conditioning are for. After a brief foray to the Farmer's Market downtown and a little gardening, it was time to break out the swimsuits and the pool.

Callie and Reese were excited to have their Connecticut grandparents in town. The girls were quick to show off their aquatic skills, which consisted of a lot of running and jumping for Callie and a lot of drinking water for Reese.

And once they had gotten good and wet they got to choose whose lap they would sit on. In the above picture, Callie chose Sport as the lucky recipient of her soggy hug.

But Callie doesn't play favorites. She was more than willing to spread the love around, and Nana Banana got her fair share of pool water as well. And of course during the visit Nana Banana was a popular choice to read bedtime stories or make up silly songs. Callie and her grandmother are definitely on the same silly wavelength at this point in time. Callie has developed an appreciation for humor, and the sillier the better. And if you know Nana Banana, you know that silliness is her sweet spot.

Another benefit of having Sport in town is that he gets up early and is happy to take the girls with him on his morning walk. Callie and Reese loved getting to have their breakfast on the go while still in their jammies. Sport enjoyed having the company. And we reveled in the few extra minutes of peace and quiet even though we weren't really sure what to do with it. I guess we need more practice with quiet and relaxing mornings. We might get good at it in another fifteen years or so.

As always the visit wasn't long enough. However, it was a little bit longer for Nana Banana than expected, since her flight out of Lexington was delayed and then cancelled. So while Sport was down at a conference in Nashville we got an extra night with Nana Banana.

Even better, we knew that we would be seeing both of them in just a few weeks when we made our way up north for our family vacation on Cape Cod. But there were still a few things to get done before we got to hit the beach....

Remembering Karen

Only a couple of weeks after we returned from California to celebrate Great-Grandma Lucas's birthday, we received sad news that Sarah's cousin Karen had passed away suddenly. This news was completely shocking. Anyone who knew Karen would understand what a loss this was to our family, her community, and everyone she touched. Karen had such an infectiously positive spirit that lit up a room any time she entered. Her laughter, thoughtfulness, and sincerity will be missed by all. Although we were unable to attend her funeral, we feel extremely fortunate to have been able to see her and spend some time with her while we were in California. Losing Karen has certainly reminded us how important family is to us and how lucky we are to have the families we have on both coasts and in between. Karen will always be in our hearts.

Karen Ann Rocha
November 15, 1952 - April 28, 2012

G.G.'s 90th!

In early April, Sarah, Callie, and Reese flew out to California to help get ready for Great-Grandma Lucas's 90th birthday celebration. John followed them out there in time to make it to the party. We weren't going to miss the opportunity to both wish Hazel a happy birthday in person and to see all the Lucas family members who would be there as well.

Before the party officially started, the immediate family gathered to take a group picture. With eighteen people overall and five children four and below, you can imagine that this picture took some doing. Reese decided to make it extra challenging, however. What you cannot see in this picture is that Reese and Sarah smelled of fresh puke. That's right, we had just parked the car in front of the house when Reese decided to throw up on herself, her mother, and the car seat. Nothing says it's time to party like a child smelling of vomit.

Thankfully, we got a change of clothes for Reese. Please note, however, that the change of clothes came after the picture. She was dressed for a family portrait, and throw-up or no throw-up, that dress was going to be worn for the picture! Sarah also got a new outfit courtesy of Haley. The picture came out well, and Reese was fine from that point forward. Party on!

If you know Great Grandma Lucas, you know that the joys of her life are her two sons. And they are a photogenic threesome. Of course, this was one of hundreds of pictures Hazel smiled for during the party. Everyone wanted to have their picture taken with the guest of honor. And if you know Great Grandma Lucas, you know she was more than happy to oblige.

Callie had a great time at the party as well. GA doesn't miss any details in planning these events. There was a kids table equipped with dozens of activities as well as a blow up bouncy house set up in the driveway. All the little cousins had a blast. It was surreal to see the next generation of the Lucas family running around together while their parents sat around wondering when they stopped being the youngest generation.

Thankfully we were out in California for a week so we got the opportunity to hang out with GG several times. In fact the day after the party she came over to Gayle's house with Dan for breakfast. Callie was quick to invite GG to sit on the couch and play with her. They make a pretty cute couple.

We could share numerous pictures of GG playing with Callie and Cinderella, but the above photo says it all.

Reese also had her time with GG, but she enjoyed getting to know Grandpa Dan. And Grandpa Dan was very happy to entertain all of her requests and get her smiling. He certainly got a kick out of her extra spunk and determined attitude. It's tough not to appreciate how she holds her own.

Grandpa Dan certainly didn't want to show up empty handed, and he brought a couple of containers of bubbles for the girls to play with. As you can imagine these entertained Callie and Reese for a good chunk of time. And what's great about bubbles is you just sit there and blow them while the kids do all the work by running around after them. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Another treat that we got during our stay was the chance to meet Zac's girlfriend Zane. She joined us for breakfast as well and we give her a lot of credit for her willingness to be a part of the family circus. It was wonderful to see how happy they both were and we hope to get to spend more time with the two of them in the future.

Clearly the previous day's encounter with the paparazzi did not deter GG from sitting for more family portraits. Here she is with her son Dan and her grandchildren, Sarah and Zac.

It is not very often that the four of them are in one place together for too long these days, so you have to take advantage of those moments. Thirty years ago a picture of these four fine folks would have been taken in front of a Winnebago in Wyoming. Times have certainly changed.

Although the primary focus for this trip was to celebrate GG's birthday, Grammy took advantage of having her youngest grandchildren around for a week. They got to spend a lot of time together and had a lot of fun. And it was great knowing that it wouldn't be too long before the girls got to spend more time with Grammy when she headed to Lexington.

Happy Easter!

Last year the Easter Bunny put together an elaborate scavenger hunt for Callie and Reese. Primarily for Callie, since Reese was barely able to roll around much less follow clues. This year the Easter Bunny decided to be a bit more direct but just as practical. The girls loved their baskets, or plastic storage bins, depending on your perspective. The bubbles and the books were especially big hits. All in all it was a fun Easter morning.

Although we don't have pictures from the big Easter egg hunt at church, there is at least one wonderful story to tell. Miss Carol, who taught Sunday school with Sarah for the 3-4 year-olds, had to do some quick thinking when one of the 4 year-olds announced quite loudly that the Easter bunny was dead. The parents were aghast, while the kids were so busy anticipating the egg hunt that they didn't really tune in to the implications of the whole conversation. Apparently that is the type of knowledge you can bring to these occasions when you have an older sister. Look for Reese to enlighten her classmates in similar ways in the not too distant future.

Every holiday we always have to rotate which family we visit. However, this marked the fifth year that we enjoyed Easter brunch with the Chrismans. They have even stated that if we were ever to leave the Lexington area that they expect us to travel to spend Easter with them every year.

And that explains why this family Easter portrait was taken in the Chrisman's back yard, and not in ours. Besides, their lilac bush has a much better shape to it.

You may notice that Callie and Reese have a variety of matching outfits, and their Easter dresses are a good example. Callie certainly enjoys matching her sister. We are sure this will change in the future, but we have embraced it and will continue to do so for as long as the two are willing. It is probably Reese who will want to shake things up first, but you never know. In any case, they had a lot of fun chasing each other around the Chrisman's yard in their cute dresses.

Easter also marks the fifth year that we have taken the traditional bunny ear shot with Callie. It is amazing how fast she has grown. We hope to continue this tradition every year, but we may have to get a new pair of bunny ears. These ones have certainly seen better days.

And with Easter at its end we looked forward to spring and all the fun it would bring. At the very least it was going to bring some opportunities to travel.

End of a warm winter

It is sad but true...we are about six months behind when it comes to posting updates on our family activities. When the updates involve people in their 30s, six months doesn't matter all that much. But when it comes to a one-year-old and a four-year-old, six months is kind of a big deal. Thankfully the problem isn't that we stopped taking pictures. We have a bunch to share. It is just a matter of sitting down and making it happen. So here is what should be the first of many posts over the next couple of weeks that will bring us up to date.

To start this post, we need to go back to January. To be honest, however, the attitude and joy captured in this picture could have been taken earlier tonight. Reese is bigger now, but she still loves the bath and water in general. Pour it over her head and she loves it. Let her lie down in the bathtub and she's happy. Tell her to stop drinking the bathwater, and she gives a mischievous grin and goes back for more. At least it isn't a fight to get her into the bath.

January marked a very important transition in our household, and it wasn't simply a matter of a new year. Pictured below are not just sisters, but roommates.

That's right, Reese was evicted from her parents room, and not a day too soon. The transition has gone extremely smoothly. However, the only kink in the bedtime routine is Callie falling asleep in her parents room. Our room should be kid free some day soon.

Morning time has become defined by routine, something that John has employed happily and effectively. Of course, if he doesn't get to shower before the girls get up, then the bathroom gets a bit crowded. The girls love their morning time with Daddy, and most days there is a good combination of playtime, mealtime, and getting ready time. Of course, one of these days Reese will need to have her hair brushed too. That is going to change the routine a bit.

We certainly did not have a great deal of snow this winter. Fortunately we were able to take advantage of the one substantial snowfall to build Callie's first snowman. She had a lot of fun getting outside and putting it all together. The eyes and mouth were made of blueberries and the nose was your classic baby carrot. The snowman did not last too long, but was fun to have around for a couple of days.

Callie certainly was excited about the mild winter, especially when she received a hand-me-down bicycle from the Abrahams. We were able to break it out in early March and spent quite a bit of time riding around the block. Callie absolutely loved riding it. Although she was cautious at first, she got pretty confident maneuvering around corners and down hills. Hopefully she'll keep progressing as time goes by.

The warm weather brought everybody out, including our fine neighbors. Sharon spent a lot of time planting her new garden in the back and was always willing to allow Callie to help out. But she was always interested in taking breaks to get some giggle time in with Reese. Reese is learning quickly from her big sister that getting in good with the Chrismans has its benefits. As of March Reese had yet to get ice cream from them, but that is sure to change.

Warm weather plus the Chrismans equals opening the patio. It is always a great occasion when we can all hang out in the Chrisman's backyard to catch up on life, eat together, and watch the girls play.

And the smiles you see above are a clear indication that everyone is happy the warm winter led to an early spring. An early spring also has allowed us to maximize our new membership at the children's garden at the Lexington Arboretum. We made our first visit shortly after it opened for the season and took advantage of a beautiful day.

The great thing about the Arboretum is that kids can do all sorts of things. This trip the top activities were digging in the endless pit of dirt, playing on old tree trunks, and of course planting flowers.

Callie not only got to plant flowers at the Arboretum but also received two different pansies to bring home to plant in our garden. We would like to note that six months later at least one of them is alive. Remember, it's July and it is hot down here.