Tiny Dancer & Building Blocks

I've been wanting to get Zoie involved in something to help her large motor skills - dancing, tumbling, gymnastics, etc - so we were able to attend a pre-ballet class at the YWCA in downtown to give it a whirl. First I have to comment on the building - it is an old building with a lot of atmosphere. The room/studio we were in was a pale pink with wood & cream trim, a fireplace, and, of course, the barre and a mirror over one entire wall...the little girl in me wished that I was dancing around that studio too! But, I digress...

There were 3 other little girls in the class...all in pink leotards & tutus...and here come Miss Zoie Simone in her red leotard and black jazz pants! Does she know how to stand out from a crowd or what?! With her posture being surprisingly great for a toddler, she did look like a dancer though! The teacher led them through some free movement exercises and a few actual ballet moves, such as first position. First position is where you stand with your heels together and toes facing out to the sides but Zoie decided to put her toes together instead! The teacher got her straightened out and then they did little plies. They did a little tiptoe walking with the teacher's assistance as well.



Overall, it was an adorable experience but I think we're going to hold off on the ballet classes for maybe another year and just start with some tumbling and balance classes for now...I do think she has dance in her future for sure though!


When we came home, Zoie was having fun playing with some wooden blocks that are just like I had when I was little and I played with them ALL the time! Grandma even got in the action...she actually got down on the FLOOR with Zoie, which she thought was too awesome.

It's Plum Good!

One day after mom had picked Zoie up from preschool/daycare, they went to a local produce stand to get some fresh fruit/produce. The woman who ran the little market was giving out samples of pluots (hybrid combo of apricots and plums)...well, Zoie LOVED it! Suddenly, Mom and the lady turned around and Zoie had grabbed one off the stand and bitten into it - and, of course, had pluot juice all over her as she dove in bite after bite! I had a similar happening with her at home yesterday evening...we'd just gotten home and she wanted a snack. Apparently, mommy wasn't moving fast enough because when I turned around, she had already snatched a pluot off the counter and had a couple of juicy bites taken out of it! I quickly got her stripped down to her diaper, got her in her chair and let her have at it...you can see in the photos why there was a need for clothing removal!

Fall Day at the Pumpkin Patch

Ok, so it's the same exact place we went to just a week before but it is amazing what a week can do...it was a cooler day - still sunny - but cool and it just felt more like Fall on this day...maybe because it was October now, who knows?! For this outing, we met Wendy, PC & Marty for breakfast then headed out to the orchard.







We focused more on play and pumpkins this go around: running through the gourd cave, in and out of the cornhusk teepee and we even loaded the kids in a wagon and ventured into the corn maze! I, of course, thought I could take an alternate route in the field and come up on a different side of the rest of the group to surprise them, but I got the surprise and was lost! After re-tracing my steps, I joined up with them and we all had a laugh.






Next up was the hayrack ride out to the pumpkin patch! We had clippers in hand and went out to find the great pumpkin! Zoie & Marty both found their own little pumpkins that they could carry and we loaded them up after some photo ops and headed back to the main building.


No visit to this orchard would be complete without a stopping by the raspberry bushes!! Zoie fell right into her pattern of picking and eating with vim & vigor! Marty wasn't sure at first until he saw us eat one and once he tasted the bursting sweetness of that first raspberry, it was on! All parents ended up giving the orchard a couple of dollars to cover the amount of raspberries our little ones devoured!


Finally, we paid for our pumpkins and got caramel apples and cider slushies and had a tail-gate picnic, at which time it was obvious the kids were out of fun tickets so we loaded up and headed home for lunch and nice long naps!

Sunny Day at the Apple Orchard

On Saturday, Zoie & I went out to our friend, T's house and then followed T and her boys to a local orchard. The day was absolutely gorgeous...perfect for letting the kids run around! We tried to capture pics of the kids near the entrance with all the pumpkins and other fall signage...as you can see, some were just NOT into this!




T had her bucket in hand to pick fresh raspberries...she also had 3 little helpers, or so we thought! One of her boys was more into running free and Zoie did a great job picking but she ate everyone she picked! So, it was up to T and her other little guy as I was snapping photos!






We then played in the Butterfly Garden area where they have flowers & butterflies, of course, the cornstalk teepee, gourd cave, and haystack mountain. We also took a fun hayrack ride around the orchard which allowed us to see and hear all the damage this orchard sustained from a tornado earlier this summer. Nature was rebounding though...amazing!

Spaghetti, Elvis (kind of) and Marilyn

Some of you may, or may not, have watched the reality show "America's Got Talent," but there was a guy on there from Lincoln impersonating Elvis.

See the following link for a performance of his (copy & paste):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANvmeh3JQ24&feature=related

Anywho, months ago, Mom heard that this guy and a Marilyn Monroe impersonator were going to be at the Eagles in Lincoln so we decided to get tickets and go to the show. They had an Italian buffet ahead of time and Zoie really enjoyed shoveling in her spaghetti!!



Between spaghetti and the show starting, Zoie did a little pre-show for us...she got up on the stage steps and sang & danced...it was adorable! Then her and Grandma channeled Elvis with some rockin' shades and a lei I bought...





The Marilyn impersonator came on first...she was very pretty and did a good job with the music...and Zoie was mesmerized by her! She loved watching her and would dance with her...I could see the dreams forming in her little mind and the stars shining in her eyes!


Next, came what was supposed to be really GREAT Elvis impersonator...what we got was a total dud! Mom & I had actually seen this guy about 15 years ago and he did a decent job then...but we were supposed to be seeing the young guy this time...and he was no where to be found. They didn't say one thing about why he wasn't there or anything. This guy's whole show was dedicated to kissing up to his wife because he was leaving on a 12-day "tour", so she must not have been happy with him if he felt he had to broadcast his love and devotion in such a public forum! He did do something sweet at the beginning though...he gave Zoie a light-up tiara and announced to the small crowd that she was a princess and he tried to dedicate a song to her but she was not having it! Other than that, it was a real let down...the buffet was more satisfying by far - he didn't even sing "Hound Dog"!



Thank ya...Thank ya very much...uh huh!