Call Him Lightning (as in Lightning McQueen)

For Josh's 30th birthday (last summer) I had planned on getting him a NASCAR Driving Experience package that I knew he would love.  We aren't racing people at all, but I knew he would love to drive fast.  I was not able to purchase it without him knowing about it so my parents got it for his Christmas present.  Saturday was finally the day for him to go.  We woke up very early and drove to the Charlotte/Concord Speedway.

He got all checked and and got his driving suit.

After he was suited up we headed for his class and informational meeting.

After the class (I read a book.  I have no clue what the guy was talking about!), we had some time before it was his turn so we went and saw were they have press conferences.

And we checked out the winner's circle.

Soon it was his turn to go get his helmet and line up.

He was excited when his name was called to go get in his car.

They pushed him up to the starting line and he waited for his turn.

Off he went to race around the track for 5mins.

He got up to right at 150mph.

I missed him actually pulling into the pits.

I thought he had a little more time... but he was very happy with his race.

Here's a short video of him racing.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Miss Alyse had her dance recital this weekend.

I can't believe that this was the 3rd time that we got her all dressed up in a fancy costume, did her hair and makeup, and sent her out on stage.

She loves dance and I love watching her recital every year.

She had a tap dance this year called "The Sunday School Swing".

Way cute!

And loved her costume.

She had a small class this year with 4 other sweet little girls.

I will be sad that she moves up and won't be in this class next year.

 

Time to dance.

(She is the second on the left.)

She is a "serious" dancer.  I always tell her to smile.

After their dance backstage.

Love my little dancer. 

Exchanging flowers with our good friend Emma Grace.

Such a pretty little dancer!

"The Sunday School Swing"
(She is in the middle.)

Graduation Day

This weekend we had a graduation to attend.

Miss Alyse graduated from preschool.

She looked super cute in her little graduation gown.

Here she is with Miss Nancy - her teacher.

I had to get in on a picture with the little graduate.

It is hard for me to believe that she is this big already.

But she is still Daddy's baby.

I teared up looking at my little lady on the stage.

She had 2 parts during the ceremony.

She said a verse and spelled her name.

(See bottom of post for videos.)

Getting her diploma.

(Bad picture - sad!)

These are pictures of their class pictures.

(Alyse is on the bottom row. 2nd from the end on the right side.)

She was very sad when she realized that she was not going to see her friend Ella all the time, but I promised her that we would get them together to play.

We actually had to RUSH right out of the ceremony.  Her dance recital rehearsal was at the exact same time as graduation.  We had to rush across town, get her dressed, and with her class in time for her to practice so she would be able to dance in recital the next day.

(I have been stressed about this for weeks!)

We got there with 2 songs/dances to go before hers.  Praise God!

Afterwards we took her out for a very late dinner at "The Big Pepper Place" (aka Chilis).

Sitting and talking to her was so funny.

She made us sit together and took pictures of us.

She also wanted to hear all about how Josh and I "met and fell in love!" (We have to tell her stories about our wedding and when she was born all the time.)

She asked us, "When did the sparkles come in your eyes?"

I think she watches a lot of fairy tales....

Alyse's Preschool Graduation

Friday, May 18, 2012

Processional

(She is the 5th to walk down.  When sitting, she is on the left.)

Saying her verse - Jonah 1:17

"Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

Spelling her name

(This part made me giggle.)

Getting her diploma

Parade & Party

On Halloween, at Alyse's school they had a "Noah's Ark Parade".  All the kids picked an animal to dress up as.
Alyse was a bunny.

All of us went to go hang out in the cold to watch her bounce by and then sing a few songs.  It was freezing by the way!

Here are a few short clips of the parade and song.
Notes:
- She cracks me up hopping instead of walking.
- You will see that she has to stop (and holds up the whole line!) because her nose pops off and she can't see it stuck to her sweater.  Mommy had to stop recording and run over to help a girl out.
- This is the first time that I used my camera to both take pictures and video so I missed the first part of the songs. Oh well.
- The second song is called "Gray Squirrel." For weeks now I thought she was saying "Grade School".  I wondered why she was shaking her "tail" when talking about school.

After the parade it was time for their fall party.

I am a room mom so I was in charge of a few things like picking up the pizza, baking some cookies to decorate, making some decorations/treat bags, and planning a game.

Here are my "treat bags" (These were mostly for decorations.  The other parents sent in a bunch of toys and candy for big treat bags.)  The "pumpkin seeds" were M&Ms

I made pumpkin sugar cookies and then gave the kids chocolate chips and let them made faces.

For the game, I went and bought enough plastic pumpkins for each of the students in the class.  Then I wrote their names on the bottom.  I also made each student a bag with equal amounts of candy in it.  When I got to the school I set them up into 2 pyramids.  I split the kids up into 2 lines and gave them each a bag of the candy.  They threw their candy into the pumpkins.  Once everyone was done I handed out the pumpkins according to the names that were on the bottom.  They "won" whatever candy was inside so everyone "won".

bonus - no clean up. :)

When we went home after the party Alyse told me that she liked having me come and play with her.

It made me so happy and totally worth all the time of making tissue paper pumpkins and icing cookies!

Genesis 1:1

This is Alyse's Bible verse from school for the month of September.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

Dance, Dance, Dance

Here are a few videos of Alyse's dances from this year.

*These were all taken during the rehersal. 

1st up - "How Great Is Our God"

Her other dance was the finale with all the other dancers from the studio.

But I do think that one of the cutest dancers was Breeley May.

She must have been so dizzy.

The end is my favorite.

Love The Lord....

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37

You may have to turn up your volume.
She does not always talk this softly!