Who are these dancers?

Amelia in This Little Light of Mine

Ilona in The Sunny Side of the Street

Dance - another fabulous recital!

This was a really big recital year for us!   Amelia was in 2 numbers, and Ilona was in 4 - over 2 extra-long performances.    We did get to see a lot of beautiful numbers this year and thankfully fewer preschoolers than usual.     Below are some photos.   You can tell it was a really stressful event because there are so few photos.    

The photos of Ilona are from the JuneBug performance of her jazz number downtown.   No photos of tap which she also performed that night.  

We are proud to announce that Ilona was selected to become an apprentice to the Dance Reflections dance company.   This is quite an honor.  She will be taking 10 hours of dance next year, instead of 4,  and I suppose this means more costumes and more numbers.

Amelia will be adding tap to her schedule, so she will be taking 2 ballets (long story - don't ask!) and then jazz and tap.

Firework - the jazz number

Holiday on Strings - Ballet

Jazz at JuneBug

Suprise visitor!

On Memorial Day weekend, we were outside in the yard, when we had a surprise visitor - Gayle the babysitter!  Of course, she is all grown up, graduated from college and has been teaching math for several years.   Still, she was somehow just the same too!    We had a nice visit with her.   I think she was a little suprised at how old the girls were.   Now she knows how we "grownups" feel!  

Saxophone Trio + 1

One of Ilona's school activities was Saxophone Trio - the "plus 1" is the drummer.  She played the baritone sax and her teacher said she was pretty good.   Here are some photos and a video of their performance.     If you listen closely, you can hear her solo.  The drummer really held it all together.  

The outfit is technically black and white - but is it really "concert dress"?    Ilona always has to put her unique outfit together.   Believe me, it was a battle to get to this.

Waylen in the sink, as usual

Our dear cat Waylen has been diagnosed with chronic kidney failure.   This explains his relentless fascination with water and all that meowing.    He is now on a special kidney-friendly diet and we inject him with fluids twice a week.   He is doing better - but you can always tell when he needs his shot - because he is up at 5am.

St Thomas

Over Easter Break, we went to St Thomas.   It was a beautiful tropical paradise and a good break from the day to day drudgery of work and school.   Apparently I only had my camera out one day, because all the pictures are from the same day.

Ok, one of us has to get a different hat!

Who would believe that Amelia would snorkel?

Ceramics

Every year, Aunt Michele and Uncle Garrett send the girls gift certificates to a paint-your-own ceramics store for their birthdays.   It is the annual tradition that Kathy and Cece come along for the fun, and this year we found a place right in Denville, where Kathy, Pete and Cece live.    

If you noticed Ilona wearing those "nerd' glasses in the posting about Washington, DC, we call all thank Aunt Michele for those.   They were purchased at Claire's with her birthday gift certificate.   It was Ilona's dream come ture to be able to buy whatever she wanted in that store and the "nerd" glasses were it.

Trip to Washington DC

Ok, so it isn't actually new news, but we went to Washington DC over Feburary break.   After the first day being hot and sunny, it was cold and windy.  We saw all the sights.   Here are some photos of the kids.   The infamous dinosaur hat attracted many stares.  And, no, she doesn't need those glasses to see.

Welcome!

As possibly the only non-facebooking family left on the planet, we had no way of sharing photos and news when people asked us.   So, after the huge success of the Hamlin Home Renovation Blog, here we are again with a new blog where we can post photos and record a few notes about what we are doing.  Also, now that I have moved into the modern age with an iPhone, I should be able to figure out how to send in photos and updates from that thing.