Tiny Dancer --- Addy's First Year of Dance!

I mentioned in a post in the fall that Addy was taking her first year of dance class.  She had a weekend of recitals in May --- she did SOOO good!  I honestly wasn't sure how she would do because the first time parents got to sit in and watch (for them to practice dancing in front of people) she got really nervous and started crying about half-way through her performance!

However, that night was off for the class (major tantrum by another little girl) and so it was just a weird night.....and she got better every week!  They did this for about 6 classes before the recital.

I also think it helped that my nieces Brynne, Brooklynn, and Ella are all in dance too.  She looooves to be able to do what her big cousins are doing when we are together...and she sometimes isnt' able to keep up.  But, she was backstage with them, and they were keeping an eye on her so I think that helped her.

Picture Day!

 

The recital was titled "Dancing with Flavor" and every song or artist of the song referenced food/beverages.  So they had these as props for the picture day --- our formal picture isn't with this scene, but Aaron snapped this shot on his phone!

The weekend consisted of a rehearsal on Friday night, and a performance on Saturday and Sunday.  I was nervous the entire weekend....I'm goign to be a wreck as my kids continue to get older and participate in events/sports.  ....seriously.....a wreck!

Rehearsal Night!  Heading to stage :)

I don't have the best camera, but you can see her having fun!

 I was sitting next to my dad during the performance, and he was laughing at how nervous I was.  I kept saying, "seriously dad, when I was in dance at this age, being so little...you didnt' get nervous??!" --- he didn't really answer!  But, my mom assured me she was a nervous wreck through my high school years :)


It's Show Time!  Waiting for the music to start...they danced to Animal Crackers in my Soup by Shirley Temple

My friend Jodi has a wonderful camera, and she is a teacher in Pine Island so she always attends the recital to see all of her kiddos that she teaches/has taught.  She snapped some good ones of Addy during her actual performance!

 

 

 Backstage, Addy did AWESOME!  Shannon (my sis) went during intermission to check on Brynne because she had a costume change - and she ran into Addy.  She said Addy was having a blast and was all excited that she had danced on stage like the other girls. 

On day 2, I had volunteered backstage to help out --- and Addy kept telling me to "go watch the dancers with daddy".  I kept telling her that I was also helping watch other kids, and not just her.  But...I was happy to see her so independent.  It is hit or miss with her and independence (fast forward to this month, when she refused to participate in track and field night here in P.I.  You just never know!)

Backstage after the recital - with her flowers and balloon! 

Proud grandma Bonnie and grandpa Tim giving the performer some hugs!

Proud daddy!

The performers with their grandparents!

Grandma Jean and Grandpa Paul came to the performance on Sunday.  Unfortunately Paul had to head out after her dance, but I goto to capture this one with Jean outside of the school!

 I think it is safe to say we've created a dancer!  I have a burnt CD in my car where she realized that one of the songs is the "song that she bowed to at her recital" -- (Tonights Going to be a Good Night by Black Eyed Peas), and she asks to listen to it almost every time we are in the car.  And, the other day she told me my heals sounded like tap shoes.  I asked her if she wanted to take tap next year and she was all excited!  Too Fun!  I did dance until sports started in 7th grade, so it is fun to see her start as early as I did :)

Daddy's Helper

Blake wanted to help Aaron hang some blinds by using his toy drill...just some cute pics I wanted to share (and of course the matching hats adds to the cuteness!)

 

Reeeaaallly Concentrating :)

An Easter Recap

Unfortunately, this year Easter was quick.  It came up on us quick, and with moving, it got mixed in with the rest of the days.  Sad. 

I think I mentioned that we went to Aaron's mom's on Easter day --- and then we celebrated with my family a few weeks later.  Here are some pics (not very good quality...but oh well!):

First night in the new house...just waking up (see the mess in the background!)

Ready to go to Grandma Jean's!

At G & G Tarara's...who's ready for the hunt?



Lucky 13 --- x 4!

Before I write this post...there are about 5 other ones I completed today so check them all out! 

*****

2013 has been a busy year for us so far - and we aren't even half way through.  I'll take you through it to bring you up to date!

January - Aaron started spending almost all of his weekends at the house starting late January - he finished our bonus room up to drywall along side the contractors.  Once that was done, it was time to start tiling, which brought us into February.

February - Aaron starts tiling and working even longer hours at the house!  I swear we didn't see him on the weekends!  He was there until sometimes 2 in the morning - up against deadlines so he wouldn't slow down the contractors.  This continued through most of March until we moved in...

In the meantime, both of our lives got busier at work.  After being unemployed beginning in September, 2011 & having a job as a lab tech last summer, the company kept him on full-time and he is now a Project Manager/Estimator for Rochester Sand & Gravel.  Utilizing his construction management degree with a new focus - roads vs. structures!  This is Blessing #1 of 2013!

I also started a new job in February - I was promoted to a Physician/Scientist Recruiter.  Learning a new role at such a large company like the Mayo Clinic sometimes feels like you are starting all over at a new company, but I am slowly getting the hang of things.  Blessing #2!

March - We closed on our home on 3/29 making Easter weekend a busy one --- getting all the stuff out of storage and starting to find it's place in the home...but we managed to make it to Easter with Aaron's mom on Sunday.  My parents have not had our family's celebration yet...so much going on that we will spend time as a family together next weekend!  Blessing #3 - our new home!

That brings us to now.  I'm excited to share that the largest and most important blessing of the year is yet to come - as we are EXPECTING!  Scheduled to arrive on 10 - THIRTEENTH - 20-THIRTEEN, (October 13th, 2013) we will welcome our 3rd child to our family.  Blessing #4, but most definitely not the least!

So, some people may think 13 is not a good number - but the Lord is telling me, it's not half bad!

As I sit in my new home, finally having the time to blog - I can't even put into words what I feel for all that has happened to us in the last few months.  To look back over a year and a half, not sure where life would lead us, it is truly settling in my heart to be here -- with my kids in the kitchen (fighting over something silly), the weather is lousy but it makes a great day to be inside and blog (while my hubby watches the Masters on TV --- boring!)....

Words can't describe the feeling, but we'll just say this...LIFE IS GOOD!

Hugs and Love to all that are still checking in on us from time to time!  Hope you are all well also and enjoying life in 2013 :)

I can't promise I'll blog more frequently, but I'm still here and not giving up!

Home Sweet Home!

After being at my mom and dad's house for about 10 months, we have moved into our new home.  I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders...just being settled and having a place again for all of our belongings!

We are so blessed and thankful to have family that is able to help us out - my parents taking us in for so long, and Aaron's mom/step-dad spent a lot of their weekends in January, February and March down here helping Aaron get the tile put into the house, paint the walls, do some low-voltage electrical work and HVAC work on our bonus room.

I have a ton of pics throughout the process - but here are some of the final product...settled in and living in our new house. 

So wonderful!

Our kitchen...from standing in the dining room.  To the right of the kitchen is a door that goes to a mud room/walk-in closet and small laundry room.



The dining room...the first pic was taking from the left corner of this picture.  The floor is actually a porcelain tile that looks like hardwood - Aaron did all of the tilework in the house --- that's all bathrooms and showers, backsplash in the kitchen, and the floors in the mudroom, etc, kitchen, dining and entryway.  He was BUSY!

The living room...taken from standing at the island in the kitchen.  The entry to the left is a little hallway to the master bedroom.

Master Bedroom

 

Master bath from the entry...to the right is our shower, behind the wall is the toilet, and our closet is beyond that.

Master shower...one of Aaron's masterpieces that he worked on!

Standing from the door you would all enter if you came to visit!  To the right is the stairs, front is the living room, a small 1/2 bath is to the left

Small loft area on top of the stairs...perfect little corner for my kids TOYS!  Out of sight downstairs so the mess doesn't overwhelm me!

Full bath upstairs ("kids bath")

Standing in Blake's door...his room is not finished because Aaron is going to build him a bed, but we decided to transition him to the new house in his toddler bed!

 

I did the artwork in the kids rooms, I'm standing at his window for this pic.  Love that they have toy storage in their rooms too :)

Addy's artwork and storage!

Addy's loft-bed that Aaron made for her.  The luckiest girl I know...I'm jealous of her bed!  It turned out super cute :)  This is what Aaron will make for Blake, but a little lower.  They will both have the tables underneath their beds for them to do stuff at.  They have large closets that fit all their clothes and then some...so I didn't have to fit a dresser in their rooms - it has really helped with the organization of all that crazy stuff kids have!

 We also have a bonus room that you enter from right by Blake's room - but it is not completely finished.  It is done up to drywall, so all we need to do is woodwork, paint, and add some carpet in the next few months :)

Oh Blake....my B-O-Y!

I tell you...there is quite a difference between boys and girls at the age of 2!  I can't take my eyes of Blake for very long...or he'll get into something he is not supposed to.

Rewind to this fall.  Addy runs out of her room at my mom and dad's and says "Blake is writing on the wall!" -- I run in there to find Blake has not just written on A wall, but scribbled with a golf pencil he found on WALLS of my mom and dad's house. 

The worst part - I felt like I was in trouble too and confessing to somethign I did wrong, since it was my mom and dad's house, LOL! 

After getting a timeout, him and I had to take a trip downstairs to tell my parents what he had done.  I must have had the same look I used to have for my parents, because as soon as we walked in the kitchen, my dad said "What's wrong...what happened?".  So, I told them the story and we went up to check out the damage ---- the entire time Blake just stared sadly at my mom and dad.  I kept telling him to say sorry but he WOULD. NOT!!!!  Finally, he would let my mom hold him, and after just hanging out for about 10 minutes, a quiet little voice said "Sorry Grandma" ... it was sort've cute...considering!

....we paid my parents for some paint to fix up the room! :)

___

Just a few weeks ago, I was getting packed up at my parents house because we were getting ready to move, and I walked of the room and Addy had a weird look on her face...I asked her what was up and she pointed over at Blake...

...he was spraying a potpourri bottle all over himself!  GROSS!!!



"I'm discovered...if I step away from the evidence, maybe she'll think it wasn't me" ...

Soaked in Potpourri....head to toe!

First Haircut for Addalyn

After 3 and a half years...Addy was FINALLY  ready for a haircut.  It took forever for her hair to start growing, so I wasn't ready to cut it earlier.  In the last year, her hair finally took off, and was ready for a nice trim.

Aaron's step-sis Renee is an AWESOME stylist, so I wanted her to be the first for Addy...she recently moved to New York City to do hair there, but was home for the Bertucci Family Christmas. 

Starting off...she was a little nervous :)

This isn't so bad!

Sweet girl!

 I didn't get a good picture of the finished product - but there wasn't a bit change, just more even in the back and healthy! 

Mr. Blake got a trim too (side note, he was good here...but he HATES getting his haircut these days!)