Amazing First Year!!!

Well we just finished up our first year at The Dance Company!!! And what an amazing year it was. I am so proud and so blessed to be part of the TDC Family - this is one loving family. We may be small in size, but we are big in heart!!!

The parents are all supportive of each other and of all of the kids, theirs and everyone elses. We all look out for each other's children and know we can count on someone watching out for our kids. They are genuinely happy for the success of all the groups, trios, duos and the kids who have solos, whether their child is in the dance or not.

The kids are the same way...supportive and there for each other.

The studio director, Miss Charyl, is doing exactly what God intended for her to do. She loves her students and treats them all equally and fairly. Her parents, Gram & Paw-Paw, now have an additional 60+ grand kids - and they love it!!!

If you are looking for a dance studio that is run with love & care and where all dancers are treated equally and will be loved THE DANCE COMPANY is for you!!!

Here are some pictures from The Dance Nationals we just attended in Myrtle Beach.

Group photo at the Nationals Pep Rally

Big Spirit

Final words of encouragement from Miss Charyl

Danielle, Sunny, Alexa and Naijha

Danielle & Miss Charyl

Very proud mom of Danielle and very proud Aunt of Amber

Danielle and Gram

Supportive dad in his "home made" air brush tee

Jordynn & Sunny

Naijha and Danielle

Supportive Moms and Nana

The awesome Moms of the TDC

Danielle, Mackenzie and Amber

Miss Danielle Rockin her Solo

Dare Devil

If you follow my sister's blog, you know that her son Alex is a bit of a dare devil...I mean at 4 years old he can already drive a go-cart...and he drives it well. He is not afraid of anything and if the grown-ups around him will let him try something...he is in. And if they tell him "no" he will fully present his case. (I think I see a future lawyer in him)


He came with Bella last Saturday and again - Joe and I are very cautious, especially with other people's children so we had him in his life jacket and in the shallow end of the pool. Once I was in the pool for a while playing with the kids I decided to let him swim without the jacket - you thought he won the lottery!!! Then I really became fun Re-Re and let him jump in with the big kids and try to surf the raft while jumping...we had a GREAT time!!! He is such a fun little boy to be around. I even took video with my phone...some day I will learn how to get it on more than my phone.


Jumping from the side and knee boarding

Yes he is going to fall backwards onto the float - "because Joseph did it..."

His personal "Cars" surf board float

Independence Day

While I have always appreciated the men and women who serve in the Military...over the past few years I have what I would call first hand knowledge of what these amazing people and their families really sacrifice for the rest of us.

Our friends, Tom & Lisa, live in Havelock, NC. This is located between New Bern and Moorehead City right near Cherry Point Military Base. Tom and Lisa do not serve in the Military but Lisa works for the Marine Federal Credit Union and because of that and based on the area they live in most of their friends and neighbors are either active or retired military.

Our family has been blessed to meet many of these families on our trips to the East Coast. Here is what a lot of us forget:

Military families are in one place for only about 3 years before they get "re-stationed" - Can you imagine starting over every three years - especially if you have school age children.

Military parents miss things that most parents take for granted. We know parents that have missed:

The birth of their child
Their child's first steps
Graduations
Birthday's
Christmas
Weddings
Funerals
And the list goes on...

On the flip side of that is the spouse who is here in the States taking care of the family, house, etc... all while worrying about the safety of their husband/wife. So you see it is not just an individuals sacrifice...it is the entire family making the sacrifice for our freedom.

This is without talking about how they put themselves in harms way when they are called up to active duty and the things they see while overseas.

I hope our kids are processing this as we continue to meet these amazing people. Joe and I have made it a habit to thank them when we see them at Tom and Lisa's - because without them and the sacrifices they and their family are willing to make we may not enjoy all the freedoms we take for granted.

Thank you too all the families serving or supporting our military...may God keep you safe.

Her own little pool

Last weekend we were watching Colleen's kids and also Joe's Brother's dogs and house - that has a beautiful yard with a built in pool. Obviously after 18 days of almost 100 degrees it was really our pleasure to help with the dogs and house!!!

When Bella came we realized that we did not have a "swim diaper" or the plastic cover we could have put over her regular diaper. So since Joe and I are always on the more cautious side we decided to give Bella her own little pool so that if there was an accident we would not have to tell Aunt Regina that the pool had to be drained!!!

Here is her personal pool:


The lovely Danielle and Alexa are serving as her personal assistants and life guards.

Isn't her swim suit beautiful!!!

She had a great time and is really a very easy baby to take care of - we loved having her.

My Handy Man

So I mentioned in my prior post that both the kids asked for "new rooms" for their birthday's instead of a party. Now the furniture is not new but the theme is. They told us what they would like theme wise and I look for comforters and Joe uses his creative mind to decide how to paint etc...

Here are the results:

A quote that Joe and I both hope Danielle will remember - especially with her dancing

Looking in her room from the door

The stripe is paint - Joe put it around the entire room and then accented the closet doors with the brown

View from her corner where the night table is

The official "big girl" room

Joseph's room was a little easier to have a free reign in - he is 8 and a boy - Danielle had plenty to say about her decor - Joseph was open to all suggestions and his creative mind pairs nicely with Joe's. He went with a "skateboard" theme.

Tony Hawk Bedding

Huck Jam Series
This is a sticker that came in 3 parts that Joe put above his dresser - after he painted the entire room the red color you see
Dry erase skateboard

Really focus on this...if you are not into skateboarding this is the ELEMENT symbol (huge skate brand) - This IS NOT a sticker. Joe took a big piece of poster board and free hand drew the symbol and then cut it out so he could spray paint the wall. Not sure how they got the whole spray paint thing past me but....IT CAME OUT GREAT!!!

Then he decided that graffiti would be appropriate - just like in a skate park. So here we have Tony Hawk, Mike Vallely and Bam Margera - how cool to be a kid with free hand graffiti in your room.

The best part - the kids LOVE their rooms and loved showing them to everyone that came over. Danielle's was done back in October and she paraded everyone up there when they came to the house. Joseph's just got done and he is still bringing anyone that comes over up there!!!

Our nephew Isaiah just gave this to Joseph - Joe spray painted over the frame to make it look like the graffiti and we will hang it this week.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of their rooms.

The kind of father....

Joe lost his dad when he was just 5 years old...his mom focused on raising her children and didn't date until Joe was 16 (he was the baby) and when Joe was 18 his mom met Nat, who would become his step-dad.

Growing up without a dad in the house has a different effect on different people. Joe was a very good kid who never really gave his mom a hard time. He had positive male role models in his life - but I think we would all agree that young boys without a dad in their life could really go down the wrong path. His life experience also molded him into the dad that he is today.

Joe is the kind of father:

That took over mopping all the floors in our house when I first became pregnant with Danielle

That got up at night for feedings and changed diapers - even while there were others around to do it

That asks me for updated pictures of the kids for his desk at work

That was so proud each time one of the kids hit a big milestone

That worked for years to secure a job in the Verizon Offices so he could get out of the stores and work hours more suitable for our family

That never uses the expression "baby-sitting" if he is taking care of the kids (Major pet peeve of mine when men or even their wives say that and Joe actually feels the same way)

That has coached both our daughter and sons sports teams

That took an adult Tae Kwon Do class while Joseph was taking class so they would have a common interest

That before he took the Tae Kwon Do class sat 2-3 times a week watching Joseph take class as he worked for 2 years to become a black belt

That helped paint Danielle's dance studio before it opened this year - and continues to help at the studio in any way he can

That works unbelievably hard on his kids rooms when they decide on a theme/decor (they both hit him up for that this year instead of a birthday party)

That is very giving of his time - if they are waiting by the door when he gets home from work to play in the yard...he is usually ready to play right away

That is truly making the most of every moment he has with his kids because it is the opportunity he wishes he had with his dad

To sum it up...Joe is the kind of father that any kid would be blessed to have.

They have danced their way into my heart

This year Danielle's Dance Teacher opened her own studio...The Dance Company. Her entire group she has been dancing with for years came to the new studio as well as many other very special girls. This group of dancers amaze with with their great hearts, concern for each other and their dedication. They love being together and not one of them thinks they are better than any of the other dancers. And on top of that they are all great students and involved in things outside of dance. I challenge you to find a group of better ballanced, loving girls. And their families are outstanding as well. Here are a few of the girls I am now blessed to know:

Kelsea


Naijha - Marina Gasolina

Single Ladies - Jordynn, Kenya, Kennedy, Sunny

Loren - I have never seen her without a smile on her beautiful face

All of the students hugging Gram...Miss Charyl's mom

The moms of these lovely young ladies with me and Colleen