Ice Show 2012 {Musicals And More}

We finished another long weekend of the annual Ice Show and it sure wipes us out!
But it is so fun...we love love watching Emily perform...and we enjoy seeing all the skaters each year...always worth the four days it seems like we are living at the ice rink!

I loved the music and theme this year from musicals like Annie, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, and a tribute to Glee...just to name a few...

I'll have to say that even though I was pretty partial to my favorite...

...the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz were a very close second!  They were extremely adorable and they got me all choked up because these sweet little girls reminded me of Emily at her very first Ice Show!  I'm pretty sure they stole the show!

And of course...the highlight...

{Emily leading the Annies for the finale}

{this was from the rehearsal...sorry about the crying baby...Ellie is a good sport and can hang in there for as long as possible!}

Great job Emily!  We are so proud of you!  I'm not sure where you get your love of performing...I'm as timid as a mouse...and you have no fear!  You seem to love an audience...and you certainly shine on stage!

Great job to all the skaters for making each show exceptional...it is obviously the result of so much work and practice...but also so much fun too!

 

Thank you to family and friends for supporting and cheering on Emily!

Ellie would always clap along with the audience...but I think she really came just for the popcorn! {ha!}

Until next year...

It's the Hard Knock Life {On Ice}

Emily's favorite time of year {and mine} is the Ice Show!  She looks forward to it all year long...especially the costume...And I look forward to the one time of year she allows me to fix her hair! 

That time of year is this weekend and she is skating to music from Annie...It's the Hard Knock Life and Tomorrow!  I love that movie and reminds me of being a little girl and watching it over and over!

The dresses are simply adorable and you won't see anything sweeter than a whole group of pretty cute Annies all at once!

I'm hoping Ellie will be out there on the ice one day too!  It's been so fun to watch Emily over the last four years improving and having so much fun...she's really come such a long way!

But for now...little Ellie's pretty content {for the most part!} to sit back and watch all the action from the sidelines!

Good Luck Emily!  We are so proud of you and love watching you perform! 

Tomorrow

Just a small preview of Emily practicing for this year's Ice Show...
{her all-time favorite event of the year!}

  I love all the songs from Annie, reminds me of watching the movie so many times as a kid...

{can't wait to see their costumes...that is always exciting!}

A Gr{8} Day!

This weekend we celebrated Emily's 8th birthday!  I swear {and I don't swear!} we just celebrated her 7th...like yesterday...but somehow it's been a whole year!

I wasn't that excited about her turning another year older...

...but I think she was!

We surprised her a day early with streamers, balloons and flowers and an early present Saturday morning and jumping out yelling "Happy Birthday!"  I loved the look on her face...she was truly surprised!

She celebrated with a few friends and a sleepover!  Four girls together = lots of loud giggles and excitement!  She was in heaven!  {mom and dad may have needed some headache reliever...but it was all worth it!}

I wish I had more pictures of all of them...but they were seriously an energetic blur all night!
We went out for pizza and ran off some of their energy at the Commons playground!  Ellie had a great time too going down the slide and playing with all the girls!

Then it was time for ice cream at Zaharako's...where we sat right next to the old pipe organ! 

Then it was back home for presents, pajamas and making lip balm, bath bombs and body scrub = a big 'ol mess!

I was so worried about how I would pass the time with all the girls...but they kept busy with a movie and playing house and restaurant with the old kitchen set Alex got for his third or fourth birthday!  I had them go to bed around 10:30...but the giggles continued until 11:00!  It was a fun night! 

They woke up the next morning around 7:45 and Dan bought donuts {Yum!} for breakfast! Alex was fortunate to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's to escape all the girly giggles...and Emily waited all morning for them to arrive so she could open her presents!

{anxiously waiting for them to get home!}

{It's time!}

{singing Happy Birthday and blowing out the birthday candle makes it official...}

She was ecstatic to get the Lego house!  It was her night to go to the IU basketball game with daddy...the last one of the season...and she passed it up so she could stay home and build her Lego house!  She worked on it for almost three hours...until it was finished!

She also decided that she was going to use her birthday money for an iPod touch...so I surprised her after school with it when I picked her up from her friend's house!

It's amazing how grown up she's become in one year!  It makes me sad...and so proud all at the same time!  She is smart, sweet, sassy, spunky, stylish, generous, forgiving, and a friend to everyone!  She is always reading a book...or two...and right now is reading Harry Potter and the Dork Diaries.  I am rarely with a book in my hand, so I am so proud to see her love of reading!

It has been a fast-moving year...I get sad at how quickly the days pass...but I am always intrigued at what the future brings and look forward to watching all the kids grow and learn!

Happy 8th Birthday Emily!  We love you more than we can ever tell you!  You are an amazing sister and friend and daughter!  Have an awesome year being eight!