Nutcracker 2022

The two-act Nutcracker Ballet is a holiday tradition, set to Tchaikovsky's famous score and dating back to the late 1800's, it's been danced by countless ballet companies around the world.  We are so pleased our four dancers can participate in this tradition this year with our local ballet company.  This is the second year these girls have been able to dance the Nutcracker in Ohio - this year they had 4 performances.  We are so proud of our girls!

*Maegli and Hiwot had the opportunity to dance as polichinelles in The Nutcracker with the Bristol Ballet in 2017  

*I've taken my girls to see a Nutcracker Ballet performance every year since 2011! (with the exception of 2020 Covid year)

It's such a joy to watch our girls perform on stage!

(Dabney is the lovely girl with the blue/purple skirt and shawl with the gold ribbon around her purple-trimmed hat.  Emory is the baby mouse on the far left.)

Nutcracker 2022 - dress rehearsals

 
Our four ballerinas have been working hard preparing for the Nutcracker performances.  Dress rehearsal week is always exciting - the girls have been looking forward to being back on stage at the Palace Theater.  

This year, Emory is a baby mouse - eating cheese (battle scene). Dabney is a package girl - decorating a tree and helping to hand the nutcracker present to Drosselmeyer (overture/pre-party scene). Addy is a cherub, and Maclaren is an angel - welcoming Clara and the Nutcracker prince to the Land of Sweets along with the Sugar Plum Fairy (opening the second act). 

Ballerinas

September has arrived, and with it school, cross country, and ballet!  

Our four ballerinas are looking forward to another year of studying with their ballet school (and another Nutcracker performance!). 
 

Play Ball!

 

We have enjoyed being near major league baseball - Go Guardians!  All of us have been to at least one game this season, and several of our kids got to go to their very first major league game this year . . . which has made this summer season of t-ball even more exciting!

Emory and Dukes have had so much fun playing ball this summer in the 5-6-year-olds T-ball league - their first time playing.  Dukes has an incredible throwing arm and Emory has a very precise hit (and makes lovely infield sand castles).  Go Storm!

(*And of course an evening ball game is made even sweeter when followed up with a trip to the local ice cream shop where big brother Davis can serve us - yum!)

Spring Snow

One step forward, two steps back . . . spring keeps teasing us!  

We'll call this late March snow a gift ;)

(We had already put away winter gear, oops!)

Nutcracker 2021

Four of our beautiful girls danced in our local ballet production of The Nutcracker:  a little reindeer (Emory), two street urchins (Maclaren and Dabney), and a baby mouse (Addy).  

We're so proud!

Ballerinas

Four beautiful girls starting back to ballet classes for the 2021/2022 season . . .

. . .  and super excited to participate in the Nutcracker this December!!!

 

Parachute Play

 

Our family is ever changing - it happens too fast!  Not too long ago, the now-big-kids were outdoors all the time with endless yard baseball games, frog catching, tree forts, and bike races.  Now, our big kids are busy with "big-kid" activities, and our yard is busy with this next group of kiddos.  

This great crew keeps our yard active with "nature walks," hide-and-seek, circus parades, duck-duck-goose, dodge ball, bike and scooter races, flower collecting, and parachute play.  

I love seeing them outside together!  I love hearing the (mostly) happy sounds of kids playing outside!

(And sometimes they even get a "big kids" to join in the fun!)