My Jazzy Girl

Sugar Bear has continued her dancing this year, but at a different Dance School. This new school is so much easier for me to juggle with work. Sugar's school bus will take her directly there. She dances while I finish up at work. It is a great plan for us. Sugar has fallen in love with her dance teacher this year, as well. Miss Dani has taught her soooooooooooooooo much, but also provided so much fun. There is nothing but smiles in her classes. Sugar was in two classes this Spring. The first was TAP. She likes it, but tells me it is often too loud. My poor girl just has little tolerance for noise. I'm hoping she continues with TAP next fall, but we'll see. I'm just grateful to have had the opportunity to see her tappin' her little heart out. She was such a sweet little Minnie Mouse at the recital.

 

 

The second class she was in was JAZZ. This was her first time trying that style as well. She LOVED IT! I really feel like it brought something out in her. It pulled her out of her shell a bit, and I'm grateful for that. She was over the TOP excited to perform her Jazz routine at the recital. I took a bunch of photos of this dance. She is so pleased....and proud. I'm so happy for her. They danced to a mix of fun 50's music.

 

 

 

This is a fun shot of interaction between Sugar and her friend.

 

 

 

The "wise old owls". :)

 

 

Look at my girl move those hips.

 

 

 

This one kills me....tee hee

 

 

TA-DA! ending pose.

 

 

Thank you Miss Dani!

 

 

Sugar really loved the flowers from her "fans", too.

 

 

 

Dance on, Sugar Bear! Dance on!

Where on earth have I been?

Hey there folks........is anyone still checking in on me?  I know....I know....I disappeared without much warning.  I certainly did not mean to do it.  I just needed a small break....that turned into months and months.  Time flew.  WOW! 

I do keep busy over at Blipfoto.com though.  Check me out:  http://www.blipfoto.com/Livingandloving

I post over there every day.  It keeps me busy. 

I did want to share over here that Sugar Bear has just wrapped up her 2nd grade year.  WOW!  This school year was so fast.  She had a great year, and loved her teacher.  I'm so happy about that.

Here is a reminder of her on here first day of class:

Here is the photo I took just yesterday: Look at how grown up she is! sigh........I'm not ready to say that my daughter is a 3rd grader....I'm just not ready.

52 Weeks of Me 2012~ Week 52

YES!  I made it.  I finished another year of this project.  Whew....It wasn't easy.  I lost all interest a little over a month ago.  My blog has been neglected.....and I just haven't felt like being here.  I'm enjoying Blipfoto very much though.  Here is a link to my journal there:  http://www.blipfoto.com/Livingandloving

The last theme of the year was: Celebrate

For probably the first time EVER, we were home on Christmas Eve with no company and no place to be.  It was a wonderfully relaxing day.  My Sugar Bear and I head out to a local State Park to see the holiday lights to celebrate Christmas Eve together.  It was such a treat.  Sugar Bear took the last photo of me for the year. 

After two years of this project, I'd say that it was a success. I have an amazing amount of photos of myself for my Sugar Bear to cherish when she is older. She will be able to look back and remember her mama being there. :) This isn't the end of photos of me, though. It has become a bit of a habit to get shots of me now. I'm grateful for this. I let go of looking perfect in photos...and just allow them to look like me....as I am.

 

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and I look forward to the New Year.

52 weeks of me 2012~ Week 51

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo not ashamed to say that I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooo ready for this challenge to be over with.  I really cherish the photos that this project of the past two years has brought about, and I know that my child will be ever so grateful for them in the future, but my creativity, motivation, and enthusiasm for this project is over. 

This week's theme was:  MERRY

I set up my tripod and used my remote shutter to grab a few shots of my girl and I by our tree the other night.  I did some posed.....and them just let it snap a few while be goofed off.  I adore this one.  It is so US.  Sugar is being goofy, and I'm over the moon in love with her. 

 

The last theme for the year is: CELEBRATE

52 weeks of me 2012~ Week 50

The theme was JOY.

My Christmas tree always brings me great joy.  I love looking at the sparkling lights, and all the amazing ornaments I've gathered through out my life.  Here is a shot of me looking at my tree.  You can see the lights in my eyes.

 

 

 

The theme for next week is: MERRY

52 weeks of me 2012~ weeks 48 and 49

I'm limping to the finish this time folks.  It's not like to me to give up on a challenge.  I'm struggling to find the motivation, but come heck or high water, I'm gonna finish.  :) 

Week 48 was: LOOK

So look at me......so happy after my first concert in like 20 some years.  I went to see the Lumineers.....and it was AMA........to the ZING!  woo hoo. You can read what I wrote about the event on my blipfoto journal entry HERE.

 

 

 

Week 49 was: Together

 

I grabbed this quick shot of my hand holding a little heart my Sugar Bear got in her advent. It is a fun tradition we enjoy together. She is my heart in every sense of the word. LUV HER!

 

 

This week is: JOY and I still need to get my shot.

 

  Hoping to find my way through the sadness of today's events in Connecticut to get a JOY shot. My heart is so broken for all the families of those lost. There just isn't enough words.....

52 Weeks of me 2012~ Week 47

The theme/prompt for the week was:  Thankful

It isn't hard to know exactly what I am thankful for.....My Girl!  I am one VERY blessed mama.

Here we are on Thanksgiving, wearing our matching scarves I made this week. 

 

 

The theme for this week is: LOOK

52 weeks of me 2012~ weeks 45 and 46

Hello there Internets.....this blog needs to be dusted off.  I've been a busy little person, and finding myself spread a bit thin.  I even went to work this Saturday...that NEVER happens.

I'm finding myself being so very forgetful.  This self portrait project hasn't been high priority, and the week often flies by without my remembering to get the shot.  I had to get two shots this week to make up for missing out last week.  oops.

The theme was: FALL

Here is a shot of me driving in the rain. 

 

 

The theme for this past week was: Black and White

 

Here is a shot of me outside my home today. I think I was feeling a bit blue when I took it. I really did have a good day, but I don't look all that happy in this shot.

 

 

 

The theme for this coming week is: Thankful

My little Butterfly

This Halloween had some pretty un-fantastic weather, BUT....I couldn't complain because we are safely nestled here on the west coast, and my mind is on those who weathered Hurricane Sandy this week.  A lot of rain here.....really isn't anything compared to that, so I set my thoughts on enjoying our Hallween evening no matter what.

Funny story....LAST year my Sugar Bear wanted to be a butterfly, but noooooooooooooooooooooo.....I mentioned the possibility of being Rapunzel from the movie Tangeled, and BLAM.....I had two months of crazy planning and sewing to do.  I don't regret it one bit......but I wasn't ready to be THAT committed this Halloween, so I was more than thrilled when Sugar mentioned being a Butterfly again.  Whew......

She even requested that we keep it simple.  So we totally did, and she loved her costume just the same. 

 

 

I purchased the wings.  We loved that they weren't the stiff....hanging off your back sort of wings.  She didn't want to be bumping into everyone all the time.  I did embellish them a bit with some gems and sequins.  So pretty.

 

 

 

I made her antennae with wire and beads.  We both thought it was really pretty and cute. 

 

 

 

She was happy with how quick and easy it was to put on her costume.  :)

 

 

Trick or Treating was great.  She flew all around, and enjoyed her butterfly freedom. 

 

 

52 weeks of me 2012~ week 44

Theme/prompt for the week was: SCARY

okay...okay...okay....so I really really really wanted to take the time to play with this theme, but ACK....so busy.  I didn't have a chance.  That's okay though.  I took some quick up close snaps of my face and got quite a scare.  Gee.....I'm getting old. 

 

 

The theme/prompt for this coming week is: FALL

Costumes of Halloweens Past

Okay....so I couldn't help doing this as well.  Look at my little munchkin grow.  It took me a bit to find the pics from the first two years though.

 

2005

 

My little lady bug.  I got this costume off of Ebay for like $10 as a set with the costume she wore the next year.  I loved her chubby little cheeks.  Gosh I miss that plump little baby. 

 

2006

 

This pumpkin costume came with the ladybug one.  Loved it.  She adored it too.  She was so excited about Halloween that year.  I love this picture.

2007

 

I purchased this adorable pink kitty costume the previous year on clearance.  My girl really dug this costume.  She was the Cat's Meow, and won her first costume contest at a local harvest party. 

 

2008

Yeeeeeeeeeee Haw!  My little Cowgirl.  This was the first year I stepped into making Sugar's costume.  I embellished a simple denim jumper dress for her cowgirl look.  The boots were borrowed, the hat was purchased, and the horse was from a costume clearance the year before.  The freckles.....topped it all off.  Adorable.

2009

Sugar wanted to be a cheetah, and I figured....why not? So I whipped up this costume from my imagination.  She loved it.  It made her feel fierce and sassy.

2010

This was the year my girl was alllllllllll about "The Wizard of Oz."  It was super fun to whip up this dress, snap up the ruby red slippers, and borrow a basket for Toto.  This costume was so easy and fun.

2011

This was the year I LOST.MY.MIND and spend an amazing amount of time making the perfect Rapunzel costume from the movie, Tangled. I made the dress and the wig. It took me two months, but it turned out better than either of us could have imagined. My girl felt really special.

 

2012

 

To be continued....

Oh How Time flies

I'm feeling pretty nostalgic these days. I decided that I wanted to take a moment to look back at Octobers past.

 

 

 

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

2006

 

 

 

 

2007

 

 

 

 

2008

 

 

 

 

 

2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

oh and you can't miss this Video of her doing the 5 Little pumpkins: Tooo cute

 

 

2010

 

 

 

 

2011

 

 

 

 

2012

 

 

 

Love that she is wearing the same shirt for the last 3 years. :) She is growing fast...but not tooooooooooooo fast. 

Pumpkin Patch Time

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile." ~William Cullen Bryant

I really do love Fall.  The cold crisp mornings, and the beautiful sunny afternoons.  What a delight.
 

We had the honor of getting up to the pumpkin patch TWICE this year.  Once for a fun fall birthday party, and once with her class from school.  Both days were fabulously perfect. 

 

Both times were filled with friends and fun.






Gotta love the silly faces.






Picking the perfect pumpkin can be such a challenge for a seven year old.







But both times she was successful. The first day she found "Pum", and the second day she found "Kin". They are a perfect match.

 

 

 

One of the sweetest parts to see this year was the day that the second grade class was there, the morning was rather chilly. While standing in line, I noticed several of the girls had paired up for some snuggles. It was lovely to see that they are so very fond of each other.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure this guy provided any warmth, though.

 

 

 

 

 

We are so very blessed. Life is good!