With Liberty and Justice for All

Month 2...done!

We finished up October with a week of cute kids wearing costumes and parent observation week.  The last week of every month for us...Brittany fills out a small progress report on how each dancer is in class...and she invites the parents to come in and watch their children dance...at this time they can snap a couple of pics or shoot a quick video.  Her preteen classes have really filled up this year.  In her that ballet class she has 18 well behaved little ballerinas.  I snuck in to watch the class because you know, as a mom I just had to.  There she was at the front of the class with her assistant leading a floor combination to a classical version of some halloween song.  It was magical to watch...it took me back to a time when she was about 10.  Summer break had just started and her dance season had just ended and being that she was and always has been all things dance she went into our basement, cleared a little area for herself and held a ballet class for who knows how many invisible students.  I remember, listening to her from the kitchen...how serious she was being. Now, she has classes full of real student, yea I'm having one of those proud mom moments...can't help it, it still takes my breath away.

One of the cutest things I have ever seen this week actually many times over, I'll explain.  One of the little girls, she is 8 decided that she was going to dress up and be Miss Brittany.  So she came to dance with her hair in a bum, flowers tucked around it a frilly black top and skirt...which is what Brittany mainly wears over her Leo and tights.  Brittany said she had jewelry on and rings which is funny because she usually only wears earrings to dance...she was wondering how she came up with all the rings.  It hit me, in this little girls eyes, Miss Brittany is glamorous...it was so adorable.  On Friday night, 3 more girls dressed up like Miss Brittany.  I just never imagined that little girls would do that with my daughter...when she was little she had two ballerina Barbie dolls.  She named both of them after her two teachers.  All in all it was a fun week at dance.  I get to spend some time with my hubby today and we are going to try and see the new James Bond movie tonight as a family...tomorrow he ships off to London, Ontario...Brittany and I will have tons of girl time this coming week.

Wishing you Joyful weekend!

A non emergency, emergency room visit

About a week ago Brittany started to get a crack on the bottom of her foot...actually where her fourth toe attaches to the bottom of her foot.  One night after dance she asked me to look at it.  We put peroxide on it and I wrapped it with gauze.  Everyday since, the cut has grown so we began using anti bacterial cream and every time she does anything it would break open and further tear.  In her line of work it is necessary for her to be on her feet constantly.  Tuesday she wore tennis shoes and it felt better.  Last night she was back in dance shoes with younger kids and it was worse.  She didn't even want to walk on it.  Not far from the studio is a walk in emergency room...it was just built and so I thought...maybe we could be seen quickly.  My one thing was I didn't want her to get a staph infection or an infection of any kind.  We walked into this beautiful new building last night around 9 and we were home before 10.  She was the only patient.  We felt a little silly being there for just a little toe.  We kept joking with the staff...she saw 6 different people for this little toe.  I told her we are going to pay the salaries for this visit lol.  Anyway, the doctor took it serious and like me he said she was guaranteed infection so he didn't want to stitch her up...he felt that would cause infection instead she has to let it heal from the inside out and to do this she has to go easy on that foot...no running or dancing until it is healed...we have to keep it clean and she is now sporting a fancy surgical boot which will keep her foot from bending.  I kind of joked that we need to add some sparkle to the boot after all blinging things out is our specialty.  As we left the emergency room she found herself funny as she will now be hobbling around on this boot and it took 6 people and an emergency room visit for a half inch laceration.

It's good to laugh after all laughter is the best medicine!

The weird thing for me...she is now the legal one that signs all the papers.  How hard to still be a mom and realize that you are no longer responsible to take care of your child.  It's odd and silly...but even for her it was weird.  Change can be so hard.  But I am so blessed to have my daughter still around and that we can laugh at the silly things that com our way.

5 little chicken breasts and presto!

Yesterday I had to use up some chicken that I had defrosted in my fridge...so I began searching for recipes with pantry items that I have such as tomatoes...and I wanted it in my crockpot so that I could go about my day and know that tonight when we walk through the door at 9pm I had something good to fill our hungry bellies.  I took 3 of the chicken breasts and cut them into small pieces I added 1 can of corn, 1 can of kidney beans, 2 cans of diced tomatoes (14 oz each) and a 14 oz can of tomato sauce.  I also added an onion and some of our favorite spices turned it on high for about an hour...then moved it to low.  It is smelling wonderful...I guess kind of like a chicken taco soup.  I took the other two chicken breasts, boiled them and shredded them into a chicken salad for lunch.  Pretty economical eating yesterday.  Two full meals about $10 for the pack of chicken and the rest were pantry items.  But both were hearty and filling!

Tutu making!

After much research and buying yards and yards of tulle (who knew there were so many kinds) I sat down last night and completed one in an evening. It looks so good and it just so happened that one if the girls wearing the tutu was there for me to have as a model. Needless to say I am so happy with the results and feel accomplished
in my task. I have to do one more just like this and then some tiny ones about five I think but they will not take time at all.

Hurricane in Ohio?

For the first time ever...our schools here in Ohio are closed due to Hurricane Sandy.  I happened to get the news last night and I passed it along to my daughter's dance class...we have had nearly a year of mild weather which is also a first that I can remember at least.  The girls were jumping around excitedly...they made me excited!  Then I was very politely reminded how lucky I am that I don't have to go to school.  I love being around kids...they say the cutest things don't they?

We faired well last night.  We lost some branches and we heard lots of rumbles around the house but it looks like we made it through just fine.

This week, I am researching how to make tutu's.  I have found several ideas.  The dance studio is doing a local Christmas Parade this year and we have two girls wearing pointe shoes during the parade...should be really cute...so red and white tutu's will be my job this evening.  I have to say I love it.  Brit and I love to get our creative wheels spinning.  We have become best friends with all things that bling.  If it shines and sparkles we know about it.

Our dance year is coming along nicely...costumes and music for the recital are underway.  The performance team is improving every week.  It has been such a joy watching these girls grow and shine.  We truly have a special group of girls.

Well, I should be off...I am trying to work through my laundry pile as other things have taken my time these past couple of weeks.

Have a great day!