It is recital weekend...

Please help me be a better dance mom.

And remember all the hair ties.
And to make a good bun.

 And to turn the costume upside down on the hanger.
And to not forget extra tights.
Or the ballet slippers.
Or the flowers.

 

And to smile and enjoy and not stress or worry. And to make Gabi feel like she is the bestest and that she owns this. 

 

pray for me. the frantic mom who was never a dancer and has no idea what she is doing. the only mom who sneaks her child on stage without all that make up and who can still see her just fine from the audience. the one who better learn how to make a bun WITHOUT wispies because she is not three anymore and the other mothers stare... seriously pray.

 

"I don't know mom, something about ballet just relaxes me.  I just love it."  

 - Gabrielle 2012

"Some of the kids at school were making fun of dance, but I would like to see them do my class for an hour.  It is hard, just as hard as other sports! And I don't care, I love to dance." 

- Gabrielle beginning of school year 2011

Epic Year.

In reflection of 2012 I realize what an epic year it has really been...
We moved to our Village officially on January 1st, the best decision we could have made. I fell in love with this view...

Brought the kids snowboarding for the very first time!
















Met this special family who have made this village feel more like home than we could have ever imagined.

Bonded with winter root vegetables...

Ran into a farm and had a lovely early spring park dinner...

Watched SPRING come!!

Got super crafty and planned the most fantastic Easter celebration ever. 

I witnessed this...

I got a job and therefore started celebrating these...

I welcomed summer and its abundance of corn!!!

Got a SURPRISE VISIT!!

And survived yet another dance recital, PHEW!

Then my mom moved to The City, my very favorite city...

and we discovered this place... right down the street.

Then we had the most fantastic summer EVA!!

to be cont'd...

Surprise!!!!

It's Grams and Papa!!

On Church Street?  Are you kidding me??

They thought we were just going out for ice cream...

Which worked out nicely because there is nothing better than a scoop shop dinner after a 15 hour travel day to surprise your grand kids!

This was, hands down, the best dinner ever!  Poor grams and papa waited in a Detroit airport ALL day waiting to get here to Vermont.  The delay was excruciating, but the sweet arrival was worth the wait.  

This was only the beginning.  There were baseball playoffs and recitals to watch, dinners to enjoy and board games to play, and tons of hugs to give and receive!

Mark and Jan were such sports... 

coming from the heat of the desert to what felt like a winter's day; they smiled the whole time.  Poor Noah and his cub mates swung their bats in the drizzly rain and chilly temps. Despite the rain out in the 3rd inning I was glad that the Witt seniors got the chance to cheer for their cub and cub friends!   

Way to go Noah!

Noah's team did amazingly this year.  His coaches were the nicest group of guys and the boys were so supportive of each other through every play!  I am so proud of Noah for putting himself out there and having a great time!  Can't wait for next year.

Now this weekend was the big DANCE RECITAL and I was so glad to have Jan with us!!  I am just not the best recital mom.  Organization is who I am, but when it comes to these things I get terribly flustered.  All the dates and times, rehreasal's and costumes send me into a spin!  Jan has some pretty amazing history with these events seeing that she was a dancer herself and her daughter Melayn, my sista, is a very talented dancer as well! Phew!

Pre-show hair and robe wearing. 

Oh Gabrielle, my little dancer.  This was your fourth recital!  I am so very proud of you for getting on that stage and smiling so big.  You are a beautiful dancer and we all love to watch your performance!

Well, some of us muscle through it...

Mr. Witt confided in me that he found his place in the audience, during all those sister dance recital years, quite painful.  I look at Noah and see just that.

Grams and Papa made it fun though!!

 Upon arriving backstage to pick up my wee dancer and deliver her to her awaiting fans she looked slightly sullen... Mom, all the girls have flowers...

Little did she know!

Jr. Witt brought quite the bouquet for his sister.  What a darling he is...

That is me.  Mom dancer.  Relieved that all went smoothly for darling daughter on her big day!  And dad, terribly proud, doting dad!

On a side note, I must share... I was feeling a tiny bit overwhelmed in the moments before the curtain opened.  Mr. Witt had brought the flowers in to the theater in their water container.  I threw a fit and made him take the water away so they would not drip on dear Gabi post dance.  He did as I asked and got caught in the rain.  The lights went down and the show began.  I whispered an apology for being ridiculous.  

And his reply:

I would do anything for you.

It struck me like a bolt of lightening.  

I cried.

We did it Goosey.  

 

You danced and I watched and it was a  

great year!

PHEW!!

So thank you grams and papa for being the special people that you are.  For coming to our village town that is so very far from your desert one.  The four of us could not love you anymore.  You were loads of fun and great sports.  And thank you for all the little in between things...

Like watching the art show

And playing creationary

And getting a photo cube!

 And making us breakfast!!

I am already counting down the days until your July visit!!