Tricked out

 

Prob Tia's favorite present!

New fav sweatshirt!

Love Christmas

 

It's Jiji.  (I didn't really announce Zio and Jiji.  The arrived in September.  Life was crazy at work and now crazy with too many cats.  More soon.)

Stocking fun

Another waltz of the flowers

Kira is second from the left in front.

Synchronized gift opening

 

Christmas Eve at the Nutcracker

The gang on Christmas Eve.

Nutcracker

Kira's kneeling in front.  

VIP view from the stage.

Christmas Eve

 
They are in front of our tree.  (Long story... coming soon.)

Fireplace moments

 

Christmas 2019.  Nono and Audrey.  

Parents and sons

Brothers and mother

Grandpa, Grandma, Kristina and Peter!

 

Love!  

Band concert

 

My senior and freshman trumpet girls before the holiday concert.

Grandma and Grandpa K

 

Look at them!  Coming up on 60 years!  

Gemini

The ringbearer. She did such a good job!

New tap shoes

 

I ordered these beautiful custom tap shoes last summer when we were in NY.  They finally arrived.  I LOVE them.

Tap fun

 
Publicity shots for our show in March.

After school pick up

 

Our friend Buddy did a ride-along for Friday after school pick up.   

We have a driver (Natalie) to school, but Kira and Tia get out an hour earlier than Natalie so we have to pick up some days.  (On Wednesday they get out at the same time.)

Our school has different start times each day of the week (Oy) and different end times too.  

It's a little crazy.  This time, the craziness isn't my fault. 

A snowflake gif

Sewing and pancaking pointe shoes

 

Here's part of the production for the Nutcracker.  She has to sew the elastics and ribbons on her shoes and then put skin tone make up on them.  

Ballet is kind of a traditional, elite endeavor and the goal of all this work is to create flesh-toned shoes that help show diversity and reflect identity.  It looks good on stage, but it's a LOT of work.  Hopefully shoe makers will get with the program and make more options of colors in shoes so that each dancer doesn't have to do all this work.

University visit

Last Saturday, we went to see a friend and get a tour at one of the schools Nat applied to for next year.  The girls we visited turned 19 on the day we visited.  Super day of birthday fun, sushi (vegan for us), and shopping. 

It rained a lot during our tour.  Despite the rain, a fun day!

Beautiful flowers

 
I'm kind of starting backwards with this week.
This was last night.  Our beautiful Iris.
She's dancing a lot in the nutcracker this year.
I got to see the dress rehearsal on Thursday and it was incredible.
I have plans to see the Nutcracker 3 more times this year.
The girl 3 from the left is the girl we went to NY with for the summer.

The girl on the left end is our carpool friend and we LOVE our carpool!
They dance 5-6 days a week now so our carpool makes it possible. 

Meowy Catmouse

With my Tap teacher, another crazy cat lady!

TBT: At a high tea

I never got to have high tea at this little tea shop, but I LOVE these pictures.


 
Brett, Audrey, and Jason


 
Dad, Mom, Sophie, and Audrey

A lobster

 
Nothing says December like a picture from last summer with a lobster.  (Catching up still.)

Band room shenanigans

Trumpets!

 Trumpet Section 2019

Natalie is a co-section leader