We Made It!!!!!

I am back!  I made it through my first homeschool graduation!  It wasn't so bad really.  All those years I fretted and worried that I would never make it to that iconic day; the day where, after years of homeschooling, we would reach the end: graduation. 

It was a perfect weekend.  Cinnamon and Paprika had their end-of-the-year recital on Saturday.  It was outstanding.  An Dochas, an Irish band, played for the entire show.  It was beautiful.  They played a lot of songs off their Rise CD.  I just sat back and listened and watched and beamed!  I was so proud.


Cinnamon is second from the left.  Paprika is fourth from the left.

 

 

It was even better because we had so many friends and family visiting for the weekend that they were also able to see them perform!  It was truly a joy to watch.

Sunday was Allspice's turn.  The day was filled with family and friends and about 40 dozen cookies, all gluten-free, and all made by Cinnamon!

There were Orange Chocolate Chip, Mochachinos, Snickerdoodles, Almond Pecan Sugar Cookies, Triple Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Coconut Oatmeal, Mint Chocolate, Cinnamon chip  and Zebra Cookies.  Yum!!!  All gluten free which was awesome.  Imagine a table full of cookies, and you can eat any or all of them if you please!  Delicious!

It was so much fun to see family and friends and share in such a wonderful celebration.  There was volleyball, laughter, hugs, and relaxation. 

The rain even held off until the open house ended.  What a blessing!!!  All I can say is that the day was a gift.  A gift to see so many friends and family.  A gift to celebrate such accomplishment.  A gift to see a little boy I once cradled in my arms reach the end of one journey only to begin a new one into adulthood.  A gift to see my family surrounded by such love.

Blessed By It All

The past week has been flying by, that's for sure.  Around here we are gearing up for the final week before our big dance performance and a graduation party.  Cinnamon and Paprika have been dancing like crazy.  They went to a feis (pronounced "fesh") last weekend.  A feis is an Irish dance competition.  This was a pretty big one with over 500 girls and boys competing.  The dresses were bright and glittery and the hair, well the hair was big.  Yes, we too had big hair.

Those are wigs, by the way.  No way could I have curled their hair like that and left them with any hair at all.  Plus, in a way, you know you have made it to an upper level of dance when you are told you need to break down and buy that wig.  This was the first feis and first wig excursion for the girls.  They were quite excited by it all.

We had a blast.  The feis was in Seattle next to the Space Needle. 



They had a lot of fun and did very well.  They were pretty excited.

Now we are back to reality and less curl.  They are gearing up for a performance next week so there are hours and hours of rehearsal.  Six days of dance this week.  Good thing we car pool!  I can only suspect what next week will bring!  So by next Saturday, I will be ready to just sit back and watch!

Allspice has been keeping the pace with his sisters by throwing in a graduation party and all it entails next Sunday.  Who is in charge of the schedule?  Oh, me, you say.  Well, I was thinking (first mistake) that it would be a good idea to have a graduation party the same weekend as a dance performance so out-of-town grandparents and relatives could do both.  Hmmm.  I will leave you to your thoughts.

Good thing I have help!  Cinnamon, baker extraordinaire, has already made and stocked the freezer with more than 30 dozen cookies with delicious sounding names like Mochachino Chip, Mandarin Orange Chocolate Chip, Triple Chocolate, Snickerdoodle, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Pecan Almond Sugar Cookies.  All gluten free!!!  And as the official taster, I can vouch that they are all delicious as well!



While she has been baking, Allspice and I have been taking pictures and getting things ready.  It has been busy, but I have enjoyed seeing my kids reaching and succeeding in their own ways.  I look at them and think, I am so blessed, so very blessed.

So I leave you to head off to bed.  Tomorrow is another busy day.  Starting with the septic tank guys who need to replace the pump that went out.  Why now in the midst of all this chaos?  Well, I am just thankful it wasn't next week!  Thank you God for the little things! 







A St. Patricks Day Parade!

Today I woke up a bit worried.  There was a skiff of snow on the ground, fog hung in the air, and dark clouds loomed above.  Not perfect weather if you are planning on dancing in the Saint Patrick's Day Parade! 

By the time I reached downtown, the skies threatened to open up with a down pour!  Come on Saint Patrick!  Seriously!

Paprika and Cinnamon began to warm up and so did the wind.  This was not in the plans!  It was already cold and with the nasty clouds forming it didn't look promising.  Is it too much to ask for a little sunshine?  At least could the rain hold off for a bit?

He must have heard me.  I am sure he did, because as they rounded the corner, the sun broke through the clouds.

Celtic music filled the air amidst cheers and applause as the Haran Irish Dancers made their way down the street, dancing their hearts out! 

It was great!  No rain.  No puddles to dance through.  No dresses splattered with mud.  It was perfect really.  Thank you Saint Patrick for pulling out all the stops!

As I wrote this post, the wind picked up the rain has begun, but I am so glad it waited!  So, very glad!  An Irish blessing for sure.  May you all enjoy a wonderful weekend and a blessed Saint Patrick's Day!