"Little Women" Family: Our Big Girl Starts Dance!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Our Big Girl Starts Dance!

We have been telling Aurora that when she became potty trained, she would be able to start dance. She was really excited by this prospect but with the craziness of our lives over the past year (my tonsils problems, our big trip, etc.) potty training was put on the back burner. Finally, the last two weeks of August, we really focused on it and more importantly, she finally decided she was ready to become a big girl. Every single time she went potty, she would excitedly exclaim, "I went potty like a big girl, now I can be in dance!!" (This went on for at least a month or two after she had already started dance. It was so cute!)

Aurora is such a good big sister and is so ready for Calyssa to be all grown up, so she can play with her. She tries to play with her any chance she gets.

She has such a fun personality! We love to tease each other and then she says, "You're silly, Mama!"

Aurora is naturally quite graceful. Believe it or not, she made these poses all on her own. Adorable!

(FYI- Some of these aren't the best quality, as I took them with my phone or through the viewing window.) Aurora loves dance! She is in a combo class- ballet and tap. (She especially enjoys tapping/clogging like all her older sisters.) They do all kinds of cute age appropriate things like a Princess Dance and things. They are learning two different routines, "Jingle Bell Rock" for Christmas and "Do You Love Me?" She enjoys having her friend, Lily, in her class. She also loves getting the stamp/sticker at the end of class. Her first performance with her class is next week. We are excited to see how much she has learned in 3 months.

Aurora has the tiniest little feet (just like Riana.) Aurora wears a size 7/8. When we ordered her tap shoes, the studio owner, Michelle, thought her little shoes were so adorable, and she said they were probably the smallest at the studio.

My Favorite Part of The Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 17:21-24

"21 And when (Jesus) had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

22 And when he had done this he wept again;

23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.

24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them."

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/17

To learn more about The Book of Mormon or to get a free copy: http://www.mormon.org/book-of-mormon/

Our homeschool program!!

My style of homeschooling is "public school at home." We began homeschooling on our own, the 1st year. Then we were enrolled in the Washington Virtual Academy (WAVA) for 3 years. Now we are enrolled in ORLA. Our girls are taking several classes at an Elementary School that is no longer used for a typical Elementary School. Instead 450 homeschooling students (K-12) take classes there with certified teachers (you choose which ones and how many) but you do have to be at the school with them until they are 12 (in another room with toys for the younger kids) or sign them out to a friend. Then you fill in the rest at home. For example, my girls take Music, Art, P.E., and Science at the school 2 days a week and then I teach them Math, Language, and History at home, on the other 3 days. The school also pays for an additional $300 a year of curriculum (like the Math, Lang, Hist.) We do have to keep up with a certain number of hours per week. We also have a "home room teacher" that helps us with everything, like deciding what extra things to do at home and making sure we don't miss anything. We are really enjoying this program-- it truly is the best of both worlds! If you have any questions, email me. :)