No More Pencils, No More Books

Nope, she's not the new Bachelorette. But she was given this rose.  By a boy.  One the last day.  Daddy's not pleased.

So, it finally happened.  The school year came to a close.  The end of school is sometimes bittersweet, but this year it was pretty much a full-on celebration.  We already know Sydney will have the same teacher next year, so instead of "goodbye", we were really saying "see you later."  Kylee will finally head into her final year of middle school, and I welcome the end of this three-year stretch that seems like an eternity.  The only thing not worth celebrating is the weather.  There has been a tropical depression, turned storm, in the gulf putting a damper on all of our summer plans.  I think the term "depression" is more accurate, because we've been housebound all week.  Talk about cabin fever!

The "Before & After" shots blow my mind.  Sydney was a baby on the first day!

I have no idea who that girl on the left was.  Can't be my Kylee.  Can you say growing pains?  She may have been mad  about the photo on the last day, but I'm so glad I have the comparison!

We had an after-school milkshake date with your cousins.

What's cuter than kids eating milkshakes with silly hats?

Maybe this.

The upside to all of this indoorsy time is that we've started potty training, for real!  We bought some big girl undies and just ditched the diapers and crossed our fingers.  Day one was better than great.  You were amazing.  Not a single accident.  Day two was slightly more normal...two accidents, one brought on by a time-out crying fit (you and time-out are becoming an item).  Today, day three, has been your rebellious day.  You just don't seem to have the patience.  I'm currently doing laundry out of necessity.  Thanks, kid.  To be fair, I don't think you're feeling well.  You have a cough that appears while you sleep and I think it's keeping you tired and grumpy.  Right now you're on the third hour of your nap, and that's all the proof I need that things aren't as they should be.

Rockin' the big girl undies!

Playing in the rain.

One of the things I look forward to every summer is Sydney's dance recital.  This year, because she took jazz and ballet, we had two recitals to attend.  There is so much build-up to this end-of-year ritual that you'd think it would end up being a let down.  But it never is.  It never disappoints.  Sydney was late to join her ballet class this year, but you'd never know it.    She caught up and learned the routine like a pro.  They danced to an instrumental number, dressed as (the cutest!) court jesters, and she looked amazing up there.  I was so proud of the progress she made in this "serious" ballet class, and in so little time.  Her favorite routine was the jazz one, though.  The dance was set to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, and her costume was a black, gold and silver sequined beauty that turned her into a silent film star from the Roaring 20's.  I don't love little girls in makeup, but I am totally smitten with my little girl dressed up for a recital, makeup and all.

On-Stage Dress Rehearsal, Take 1

The rain was coming down, but you both needed to blow off a little steam.

So much rain that week.

You deserved a little play time.

On-Stage Dress Rehearsal, Take 2

Sister adoration.

Our usual posing spot.

Finally, something resembling sun!

The adoration is mutual.

 

Happy for now.

Not a single happy picture of Sydney from before her evening performance.  It was a long day.

 

So proud.

Such a patient girl.  So much sitting and waiting this week.

Before the Sunday show.  Sydney's smile reappeared.

It's a wrap.

Ready for a nap.

Other than the much-anticipated recital season, the beginning of summer vacation started off with less of a bang and more of a fizzle.  The rain put a damper on things.  The mosquitoes added to our misery.  And being tied to a dancer's schedule complicated things.  Now that we are free from most of those things (mosquitoes are a constant), we can finally do some of the things we love.  I wanted everyone to pitch in on a "Summer Bucket List" this year so we could be sure to fit in all of the things that we'd like to do together.  It seems like every year we think there will be more time, then there's a mad scramble at the end to do some of the summery things that we put off for months.  Not this year (famous last words).  So far your sisters have given great suggestions: pottery painting, water balloon fights, ice cream, boat rentals, bowling, water parks and vegan restaurants.  And that's just a tiny fraction of what's already on the list.  We have a busy summer ahead!  And I'm looking forward to all of it.