Twins? Nope!

Okay, this is kind of a crazy, random post...however! I thought it'd be cool to share these 2 recent photos of Ethan and Abby.

Pretty crazy look-alikes, huh? ;-) 

Everywhere we go, people are constantly asking if they're twins. I mean CONSTANTLY! ;-) It's pretty cool, actually...even if they don't see the humor in it all the time. (Well, I should change that...ETHAN doesn't see the humor in it because he doesn't like being mistaken for a girl. Hee hee! But like I told him, that's to be expected if he's going to keep his hair long.)

Okay so, not only do they look alike, they're also nearly the same height and only 16 months apart, which REALLY ups the "Oh! Are they twins?" factor because they look like they're the same age.

So, what do you think? Would YOU mistake them for twins??





Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Abby's Ballet Recital ~ The Dress Rehearsal

Hey, better late than never, right? ;-) The video was recorded during their dress rehearsal on June 18th. Aren't they cute? :)

Happy Birthday, Abby!

Today is a big day here in the Opper house. My youngest is officially 10 years old! Happy Birthday, Abby!!

As you can see from her pictures, Abby's always been a funny little girl. When she was born she, "Shot out like a greased grape!" according to her Daddy, and arrived with a big splash. Literally. As in, splashed everyone--including her Daddy who was positioned near my shoulder--with her amniotic fluid. "Ta-dahhhhh!" she seemed to say, as she swooshed out into the world. Ready or not (and believe me, after less than an hour of labor, I was definitely NOT ready!), here she comes!

Our little Pookie wants nothing more than to be a ballerina. (Talk about a girl after my own heart.--Wink) It's all she talks about (that and dogs), and practices her steps constantly. At the rate she's going, I have no doubts whatsoever that her dream will come true.

I'm so proud and honored to be this little girl's mommy. Of all my children, she's the most like me in personality. Her mannerisms (sucking in her lips when she's concentrating, crying when she's angry), expressions (including her dirty looks), likes (Reese's, chai), dislikes (veggies, fruit)---all me. (With a dash of her daddy's weirdness thrown in for spice.)

She melts my heart to watch her dance, and she's so darn silly sometimes you can't help but laugh. :) We often refer to her naive musings as "Abby Moments". Those of you who've read my blog for awhile or who happen to know us in real life, know exactly what that means! She might be a bit goofy, but she's all ours.

So happy birthday, Abigail...my Pookie...my beautiful ballerina girl! May your light shine brighter and brighter with each passing year! I love you...

Saving Money Always Makes Me Feel Better, Etc.

Well, I'm starting to feel "healthy" again but poor Abby has succumbed to The Bug as of yesterday. Ethan's still clinging to The Bug as well (or should I say, the bug's clinging to him). Which means we stayed home from church and we're going through an awful lot of Children's Tylenol! :o/ Good thing I bought a bunch when I did. (Yikes)

I just hope she's able to beat this thing sooner than Ethan. He's working on his second week, which is a bummer in itself. But Abby's in the middle of learning her ballet recital, and every missed class quickly adds up. (Not good!) *Speaking of ballet, the pic to the right is Abby during last week's Parent Watch Day. Isn't she cute? :) *

On a lighter note, I've been feeling rather proud of my recent coupon transactions. Yesterday, I scored 3 half-gallons of almond milk and 3 boxes of cereal for $2.80. Then today I scored 4 boxes of fruit snacks for $2.50 then received a $2.50 catalina (receipt coupon) off my next transaction. This basically made those fruit snacks totally free! :) Hooray!

These little deals make me even more excited to get the Sunday paper and all those yummy coupons! :) I took advantage of a special deal on the local paper to where I'll get 5 Sunday papers each week for dirt cheap. Woohoo! If you're in my neck of the woods (Lynnwood/Edmonds/Everett WA) check out the deal for yourself here. (Thanks, CouponConnectionsNW! :) ) What's more, is that I've got my Mom all coupon-happy now, too. Hee hee! She also signed up for the newspaper deal, so you can tell what the two of us will be doing tomorrow! "Did you see the coupon for XYZ in the RedPlum flyer?"..."Oh goodness, yes!" {Snip, snip!}

And on another happy note, I've received a few books to review in the mail which always makes me happy. (I mean, hello? Free books!) These aren't "school" books either, but actual fiction/brain candy books. :) The good stuff!

Now, I have to get back to "work" and hammer out a few reviews that are due this week. I meant to get them done last week but I was sick sooooo.....yeah. Time to play catch-up!

DayBook Entry

FOR TODAY February 16, 2010...



Outside my window... well it was all nice 'n sunny. Let Fernando out to do his business when suddenly a torrential downpour enveloped my house. :/  If you don't like the weather in Washington, wait a minute. It'll change! LOL




I am thinking... Oh, gee where to begin!? Well, I'm thinking about:

• The stack of review items that need my attention today. (Ahem)
• I probably should've done more during today's workout; 65 mins on the bike feels as though I wimped out.
• Dean's grandma who's dying of cancer
• How much I hate cancer
• How my youngest laughs like I do. Poor kid.
• I forgot to pick up a bottle of Drain-O and my tub is yelling at me for it.
• I'd like to watch a movie tonight but there's nothing I want to see.
• I would really love to move to downtown Seattle or at least spend more time there.
• How different my life is from how I originally envisioned it. Not in a bad way, just stating a fact.
• How today's Fat Tuesday and I'm feeling right at home with that moniker! Ha ha!

I am thankful for... my clean, cozy home and the three healthy children in it. :)

From the learning rooms... Uhh, that would be nothing. We're waiting for a friend to come over and play so we've shelved the school work for the day. (Ahem) We shall resume tomorrow though. :) Much to my children's dismay...

From the kitchen... Tonight we'll have lasagne, garlic bread and salad (if I don't forget to p/u more salad dressing).

I am wearing... Jeans, cute floral top with a sweater, and slippers.

I am creating... Hmm. Would it be bad if I said nothing?

I am going... to stay home today. No wait. Thing 1 and Thing 2 have taekwondo tonight. Oops. Forgot!

I am reading... nothing at the moment. I just finished a book by Jane Porter and the new Sophie Kinsella. :) I wish my favorite authors wrote as fast as I read...(sigh)

I am hoping... that I can somehow manage to lose 5 lbs by my birthday. Maybe even 10! :D On a more serious note, I'm hoping that when Dean's grandma passes it will be both peaceful and pain free.

I am hearing... my children laughing in the next room, the hum of the dryer (love doing laundry--seriously!), and the sound of the street cleaner/sweeper truck outside. Oh, and of course my last two brain cells bouncing around inside my head trying desperately to form a thought...

Around the house... too much junk! I'm having a "Everything looks awful!" kind of day. I also have to find a way to organize all this homeschool stuff. (Fellow TOS Crew members, please feel free to sound off!)

One of my favorite things... Listening to music and dancing. I may not look as polished as I used to, but I still have fun. :)

A few plans for the rest of the week... Same ol' things: ballet, taekwondo, youth group, Sierra's overnighter at a friend's house, church, and repeat! (Less the overnighter...)

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

This is me with my youngest daughter, Abby. This is the same pic I posted up on Facebook last night, but I figured since all you readers aren't on FB, I'd share it here as well. :) Aren't I thoughtful?


To participate in The Simple Woman's Daybook, please click here.

Preparing for a Busy Weekend

We have some serious shopping and errand running to do tonight. I hate "big" shopping as the length of the receipt and the "grand total" always makes me feel a bit sick. But it has to be done because...

This Friday (just two short days from now), Dean will be flying to CA to visit his grandmother, Lyndy. She's been undergoing treatment for cancer and is now under hospice care. :(  He will leave around 5pm to make his 8pm flight. He won't return until Monday afternoon, which means I'll be all alone wallowing in self pity holding down the fort until then.

Also around that same 5 o'clock hour, my mother will be here to pick up my children and take them back to her place. Why? Because I'm going to review PNB's The Sleeping Beauty at 7:30pm in downtown Seattle.

I'm really looking forward to this performance. The Rose Adagio is one of my all-time favorites! And there's just something about hearing those first few notes of the Waltz that immediately puts me in my "happy place". :)  It's a lengthy ballet, too. I won't be home 'til after 11pm.

Then Saturday's church, provided my children are healthy enough by then. I can't have them coughing, sneezing and sputtering their germs all over the place.Yuck!

On Sunday I'm hosting a little jewelry party for our friends, Ken and Trish. (He's simply known as "Necklace Man" on Facebook! :) ) If you're in the area that day or need an excuse to get away from the Super Bowl, come on over! The party starts at 1pm. 

Now. Do you see why tonight's shopping trip is so imperative?

I'm just hoping and praying all goes well for Dean in CA. That and nothing major happens here while he's gone. I mean, aside from my usual "Woe is me, I'm all alone!!!" dramatics.

I may have to squeeze in some extra workouts to keep my mind occupied, as well as have a bunch of friends over to visit. Hey, if you're reading this, consider yourself invited! :)

Culture Shock (Or The Kids Visit a High School)

On Friday night, we took Sierra to a local high school basketball game. This excursion was facilitated through her Youth Group, which was partnering with another ministry team.

She and her fellow "groupies" decorated T-shirts to wear while they cheered the home team on to victory, and were highly encouraged to wear as much blue/white (the school colors) as possible. Sierra, who's never one to miss an opportunity to get extra funky, streaked part of her hair with Atomic Turquoise Blue dye for the occasion. ;)

We arrived at the high school just after 7pm. The parking lot was already pretty full, and we really had no clue where we were. All we knew for sure was that we were meeting in the gym, and this school was/is HUGE--over 1,500 students on a sprawling campus.

Found the gym--yeah! (Note to self: follow the noise!) As we headed in, I turned to Ethan and Abby and said, "You know, I think this might be the high school you guys would go to if you went to public school."

Abby stopped cold, mid-stride and asked in a panicky voice, "Do I have to?!"

Man, that was great. :)  I laughingly replied, "No, silly! Sheesh!" At that moment, we were enveloped by a throng of students and parents. We could hear wild cheering and yelling already coming from the gym. The band was tuning up. It was your typical high school game! :) It really brought back all sorts of memories for me...some good, some less than stellar. But all of it made me think to myself, "Man I'm glad that time in my life is over!" :)

As we dropped Sierra off and made our way out of the building, Abby mumbled "Get me outta here!"

Oh, and Ethan and Sierra's reaction? Well, Ethan kinda liked the whole crowd vibe. (He's like his father.) Sierra on the other hand said, "Umm...it was really big. And really loud. And yeah. Really loud!"

Okay, so 2 out of 3 ain't bad. ;)

Dancer Health Screenings

I realize not too many of my readers are interested in dancer health. But for the few of you that are (like myself), I found this interesting article in this month's issue of Pointe Magazine. Perhaps if screenings such as this were available back when I was dancing, it might've made a difference for me. Then again, I was pretty stubborn, so I doubt I would've even taken it. But now that I have a daughter anxiously eyeing the prize of a ballet career, I couldn't help but think this was a fabulous idea that was long overdue. Check it out.

Backstage at Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker

On Saturday evening, Dean and I took Abby and Julianah to see Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker. As you may recall from my previous post, there was some concern that the evening's festivities may have been dampened by illness. Thankfully Dean was fully recovered, and the four of us were more than ready to go!

The girls each received a special dress to wear, courtesy of their grandparents, in honor of the festive occasion. Abby was a delight in her shimmering purple gown with swooshy hem, while Julianah dazzled in her black velvet and sparkly cream skirted confection! They each had their hair in ringlets (Julianah's 'do was much more "ring like" than Abby's, which ended up looking more like tousled waves than holiday curls), and a smattering of lipgloss. They were all set!

Not only were they excited to see their first "real" (ie. professional) ballet performance, but they were also in for a very special treat. Lindsi Dec, one of PNB's soloists, had offered to take the girls backstage and tour the Nutcracker sets!

Ok, so back to the story! We arrived at the Seattle Center's McCaw Hall with plenty of time to spare. The girls posed for several pictures, first in front of the large Nutcracker poster...

....then inside on the makeshift Nutcracker stage!

...and with every piece of Nutcracker decor you could find!

The air was filled with the sounds of laughter and gasps of delight. Abby and Julianah were glowing with anticipation. We picked up our tickets and breezed into the gift shop, eager to see what sort of treasures we could find. Abby immediately honed in on a charming Nutcracker doll. She'd been eyeing these all over town (the cheap, crappy kind found in grocery stores) and was very misty-eyed over the one she found. It was perfect!

Then Dean helped Julianah dig through the basket of pointe shoes in search of a pair signed by Carrie Imler, also known as "Clara"! (Hooray!) You'd be hard pressed to find two happier little girls at that moment!

In addition to all the buzz and laughter, several PNB students were walking about with baskets of little Nutcracker "flair" buttons, which by the end of the night, the girls had accumulated about 4 a piece. There was also a choir of lovely Christmas carolers and a funny magician who could've been mistaken for Jack Black's brother.

Soon it was time to head out and meet Lindsi at the Stage Door. We only had to wait two minutes before the beautiful ballerina walked into the room. Oh, but wait! Who's this I see walking in with Ms. Dec? Why, it's lovely Ms. Carrie Imler herself! (Can you tell the girls were thrilled?)

Abby and Julianah were very blessed to have TWO beautiful ballerinas escort them backstage. For them, life couldn't get any cooler than this!

Carrie and Lindsi were so sweet and gracious: they hugged the girls, accepted their little Thank You notes, and told them how pretty their dresses and hair were. The girls were all smiles. Once all the greetings and introductions had been made, it was time to get our tour started!

We saw several exciting things backstage including cannons, masks, the giant Mouse King's "tail", the enormous Christmas tree being lowered down onto the stage, the Chinese Tiger's costume, Clara's bed, the golden boat (*), the cavalry's horses, and several plastic cans filled with Nutcracker snow! Both Carrie and Lindsi provided great explanations of everything the girls saw, which made the show that much more interesting later on.

The girls were especially thrilled to actually *walk across the same stage* their favorite ballerinas dance on! I had told them I wasn't sure if that would be possible, so to actually get the chance to do so was HUGE.

As you've no doubt noticed in the photo above, the girls are standing inside Clara and the Prince's golden boat. This was made possible by the kind suggestion of a very sweet Stage Hand (whom I failed to get his name--but Sir, you know who you are, and I cannot thank you enough!). As we were taking a photo of the boat, the Stage Hand came up and asked, "Would they like to climb up inside there and take a picture?"

Would they ever!! :)

Obviously, they were more than willing to check out this lovely boat for themselves. (I think their happy grins say it all!) As the girls climbed back down, we thanked this wonderful Stage Hand again for his kind offer. He had the sweetest smile on his face as he said, "You're welcome" and walked away.

After the stage, the ballerinas then escorted us across the hall. They pointed out one of their Physical Therapists who, according to Carrie, "saved her life" by fixing her back. Next it was on to the Green Room just a few feet away. Inside were the evening's three "Dervishes" (James Moore, Josh Spell, Barry Kerollis) relaxing and eating a quick bite before their performance. The girls were once again in awe over everything...In fact, I don't think they said much the entire time to be honest with you. Unless you count several rounds of "Oooh! and "Wow!" :)

Our tour came to a close after about 15 minutes when Lindsi grinned, "Well, that's it--in a nutshell!" (Ha ha! Her pun received a round of good-natured groans.) We then made our way back out to the waiting area where the girls said their goodbyes and thanked their lovely tour guides.

You know, I don't think their feet even touched the ground after that. They were just in a state of rapturous joy, floating high above the clouds! But their special night wasn't over yet. It was time to find our seats and get ready to watch the show!

My formal review of the performance will be posted soon to the Class Act Tutu blog, followed by the Vala Dancewear blog, but in the meantime I will say this---it was spectacular!

Pacific Northwest Ballet once again served up a magnificent holiday treat that should not be missed! Everything from the sumptuous sets to the fabulous costumes, to the sparkling choreography to the breathtaking dancers, to finally the lush accompaniment from the PNB orchestra--all these elements came together to create the most inspirational "dream world" for every child in the audience. (Not to mention, two very grateful "baby ballerinas"!)

Thank you once again to Lindsi, Carrie, the Stage Hand (gosh, I really must find out his name!), and all of Pacific Northwest Ballet! We cannot wait to see you again very soon!

*You can purchase tickets to The Nutcracker by visiting pnb.org. Great seats are still available and the fabulous production runs through December 30th.*

Nutcracker Revisited--At Last; I Hope!

Ahh, The Nutcracker...!

The singular ballet Abby has been pining to see since the wee age of three. Back then if you asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she'd always reply very sincerely, "A pink ballerina!" (Emphasis on the pink!)

Now, thanks to the generosity of my charming boss Rebecca, her lovely daughter Rachel, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dean and I will be taking Abby and Julianah to see The Nutcracker next weekend. Hooray! This will be the girls' first ballet performance. (Abby technically has been to a dress rehearsal for Swan Lake, which was super-cool, but doesn't "count" in her book as a performance. Ahem.)

This is also a real treat for me, as I haven't seen PNB's Nutcracker since way back 1993, when Patricia Barker was still a Principal with the company. (Do the math.) The girls are already trying to decide what they're going to wear (as am I--ahem!) and saving their pennies to buy something extra special from the PNB gift shop. (They both have their hearts set on a pair of autographed pointe shoes from either Carla Korbes or Kaori Nakamura!) It will certainly prove to be a glorious night to remember, provided no one gets sick.

Now, why would that thought be a consideration you may ask? Well, I'll gladly tell you! It's because Dean came down with some sort of bug today, ushered in on the wings of a fever and a pale face and lips. Charming!

After his shower, I got him all tucked back into bed, soothing him with encouraging words like "get some rest" and "I hope you feel better quickly." I then leaned over and whispered in my most loving wifey voice, "By the way, if you make me or Abby sick to where we have to miss Nutcracker, I will fry you in beer batter and serve you with chips!" *Kiss on the forehead* "Love you!" :)

So, as I was saying...the girlies and I've been given a most wonderful gift that, come disease or storm of night, we shall enjoy to the fullest next Saturday evening.

Darn You, Snuggie!

You just had to come out with a pink version AFTER my youngest daughter purchased the red one a few months back. The only reason she bought the red one was because there was NO pink!

Well... what should her little eyes spy last night whilst wandering about Walgreen's?

Oh yeah. A pink-Snuggie-in-a-Box!!!

Hello!?

Do you not get how disasterous it is to our family when Pookie's upset? Do you feel even slightly apologetic for the wild tempest you unleashed?

Well, let me tell you. You should! Because it was UGLY! Ugly I tell you!

Tears--real crocodile tears!--welled in her big brown eyes over the shock and indignation of it all.

By the way? Pookie + tears = bad day!

Therefore, I'm officially mad at you Mr. Snuggie and Company. Or Mrs. Snuggie...whatever.

Next time, kindly place a warning label on your site that clearly states that OTHER COLORS will be coming forthwith and therfore, one should not opt to purchase their most preferred over their least favorite colors offered.

Thank you.

Mommy's a Runt! :)

Ladies and gentlemen...
I present Exhibits 1-8. The proof of my shrimpy existence! Enjoy... :) (And if you happen to have an old step stool you aren't using, I'd be glad to take it off your hands. Thanks!)

Feel free to double-click on the album for a larger view.

Fashion Show Divas!

Abby's New "Class Act" Tutu

As you can see, Abby LOVES her new tutu! She earned this stunning creation by "working" alongside me over at the Vala Dancewear office. Owner/operator, Rebecca offered to make Abby her very own, custom "Class Act" tutu as payment for a job well done. (Wasn't that sweet of her?!)

Abby chose the colors herself, as well as the style and length. The final product is a beautiful treasure....Thank you again, Rebecca. ((Hugs))

Future Vala Models

What a special treat! Rebecca was so sweet to give each of the girls an *exclusive* Vala leotard, just for being fit models for a day. How wonderful is that?!

As you can clearly see, the girls were thrilled beyond description. And yes, the leos are big on them...but they'll grow into them faster than I care to accept. ;o)

Thanks again, Rebecca. You really made the girls' day!

PS: Abby said to me later, "Now I match LINDSI and LAURA!!!!" (Oh my...)

Preview of Upcoming Recital

Parent Watch Day at Ballet Class

  

Releve` at the barre

Flying skips

Grand battement

Tendu

Giggling ballerinas

Chasse`

Abby and Julianah; always together!

Grand jete` over a book