Dancing the Day Away

 Here we are at Chloe's for a fun play date.  This was the day that Holly got to try on her Tap Shoes and fell in love.  The girls also decided to camp out underneath the dining room table which meant they brought all of the toys into the other room.  There was barely room under there for them, you can even see Holly buried underneath.  It was a fun day.

Daily Video: Tap Dance

Chloe is now in a Ballet/Tap Dance class.  Holly I think really wants to take Tap, mainly I think because she likes how the shoes click and clack.  I have been looking for one closer to home.  On this day she was so excited to try on Chloe's tapping Shoes and give them a whirl.

Tap Dance Show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHEUYx5_43A

New tap Dance Moves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOCp7wLHN1s

Tap Dancing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J-8E6vhDKc

Playtime @ Bayfair

 Here we are with Citlali and Santiago at Bayfair Mall.  Our afternoon play date started in the fun play area and moved to the rides area where the kids popped on the carousel.  That was the only official ride they got but they sure liked climbing around all of the other riding toys.  After a little more time in the play area we headed to an early dinner at Chili's it was a kids eat free night.  Sadly we don;t get to play with Citlali nearly enough now that we aren't in swim and gym together, so we savor the times we do get to play.

Daily Video: Crashing Tower

So just before this video was taken for several minutes Mommy meticulously built this really neat tower.  It is like the Tower of Pisa, it is totally leaning over, but it's not as easy as it looks.  It was a ton of fun to make them especially the part where it bows out and makes a curve.  Holly was so patient while I was building, but that patience isn't infinite, this video is the result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zrQxA-VUgc

Lunch at Ikea

 When you want to see your friends, when you need to feed your kids, when you are too tired to clean your house (both before or after a play date) when your kids have lots of excess energy they need to get out, Come to Ikea, it might be called "The Hell Mouth" by Daddy but for the kids it is a super fun place to run around and play after eating lunch and getting to socialize with there friends.  Each Demo room is a new adventure of make believe, playing tooth fairy while "sleeping" or Doctor, or hiding in a tent, or most recently packing for and going on a vacation the options are endless.  The staff is friendly and actually encourages the kids to play and never complains about any mess made, though we usually get them to clean up, Ikea is a fun easy play date in a pinch when you are just too tired to do anything enriching and want to see some friends.  Did I mention on Tuesday's Kids eat free?

Daily Video: Clay Class

Here we are in Clay Class.  We went for a free preview which meant we could play with the clay but we couldn't fire or keep any of our items.  If we wanted too we could pay the 30$ class fee.  I wasn't sure Holly would like it at all and want to spend more then 30 seconds playing with the clay so I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she really enjoyed it and the teachers were really good able to help her make real shapes.  We went at the beginning of the summer and there classes were ending for Camp, but now that it is fall they have classes again.  it is pricey, but I might try a few drop in classes.

Making a Cylinder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA5a0EDX0K0

Throwing at the Wheel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gEa_FhmRrU

Backyard BBQ

 We had a Backyard BBQ on the 4th of July.  We invited 5 families and 3 were able to make it.  It was just the perfect amount of people to have over for some controlled chaos, though in the past we have had as many as 8 it gets very crazy when its that Many.  recently Holly said she wanted to have her birthday party at home and I said we could only have 8 people, when her list got beyond 8 and all the way to 17 she said mommy we could have two parties.  Ahh.. My smart girl.  This BBQ was fun especially the time playing outside and the water.  It was nice to have an outside space for the kids to run around.  Joel made some yummy Chicken Apple Sausages, and Burgers.  At the Party was Mira, Sara, and Chloe.  Holly loves having her friends over and it was super fun to have the Daddies here too.

Daily Video: Ballet Silk Dance

So here we are in Ballet Class doing a neat little silk dance.  First it was more of a free dance and then the teacher gave the kids different moves to do with there silks.  But oh sometimes it is just so hard to follow directions, but we try and we practice and we get better.  Holly is a little bell weather, causing trouble being silly and getting other kids to follow right along after her.  Silly girl!  Enjoy the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z28Ri5m9BZQ