isabel at dance

a photo progression of isabel at dance from march through may.

proper hand positioning?

i'm a tough dancer!

en pointe

plie

dance photo day

flowers for the dancer after recital performance.

outside the raue center in crystal lake - isabel and marquee.

ahhhhhh lakehouse

it was nice and hot over memorial day weekend at the lakehouse!

isabel and jason sailing.

"re-laaaax-ing on the beach!"

clay creations.

amalea and jason sailing.

isabel is fabulous four

the festivities got started by cracking open the gifts.

later that day, we went downtown chicago to attend peter pan at the 360 theatre. naughty tinker bell was isabel's favorite. the bitty twins got new dress-up outfits from the american girl store. and then we had dinner and birthday cheescake at the cheescake factory.

isabel's follow-up ice-cream purse cake the next morning.

amalea's mouth

the aftermath of amalea's tooth shedding stint beginning april 4th and ending april 13th (3 total teeth less).

the bun-bun

so, it all begins wrought with emotion and tears (with girls). the valentine guy was supposed to come and he didn't on the day that amalea thought he should have ("no, valentine's day is not today, amalea, tomorrow"). then isabel was crying because the marching man (the leprechaun) was not around ("after amalea's birthday, isabel"). then TONS of visits, well 3 to be exact, from the tooth fairy in the span of 7 days. and last but not least the easter bunny.

egg hunt at church - amalea gets purple eggs.

isabel gets pink.

amalea and isabel combined egg decorating efforts.

easter bunny and frog sisters.

we are pleased to announce that the creeping, crawling, hopping, flying sort of socially acceptable break into your house creatures are done visiting for a season.

star warr, episode 7, birthday

the princess amalea declared that her birthday would be one of star wars proportions. and so it was.

here is the card created for her classmates:

but, prior to that was a more familial celebration with stellar gifts.

star wars EVERYTHING. the princess is pleased.

the family cake (consumed in its entirety before even the pajamas were shed).

poof!

the grand day of celebration arrives. padawan lightsaber training.

pin the lightsaber on the jedi.

hoth world cake looking blazing hot with those 7 flaming candles.

another poof!

"amalea, i am your father."

of course, isabel, you get your turn too

isabel has her own opinion to express about disneyworld, so here it is...

"i want the picture of me on that thing." (yes, it's dumbo, mom and isabel's traditional first ride at the park.)

"i want the one with the flowers."

how pretty. (isabel was weeping just a moment before this photo was taken.)

"pluto! the one with me holding his ear."

"i'm going 'mrmmmph'."

"stitch hugging me when i am holding my stitch doll."

"me touching meeko's fur."

"me dancing."

"me holding dumbo like a baby."

"the one where daisy is hugging me." (this is the first time we had ever met daisy during our visits and here's the shot we are sharing courtesy of isabel.)

"my legs were tired." (isabel spent a lot of time throwing herself onto the ground at random moments of utter exhaustion.)

speeder biker sisters.

"sheepie :)" (isabel hearts sheepie.)

isabel takes flight with dumbo.

"the one hugging june."

for isabel, this was a trip wrought with emotion. and a lot of focus on what was important to "me".