Family 5k

Team Aberle!!! We ran the Maple Ridge 2010 5k together as a family ~ if you include Charis, Grandpa Gene and Grandma Lou Lou serving as our cheerleaders ~ it was a family race! Ha!













Bryson and Selah did AWESOME, both winning medals in their age group. Selah came in first in her age (6-9 year old girls) and Bryson coming in 2nd in his (6-9 boys). Selah and Alan started ahead of us in the pack... assuming since it was Bryson's first run, he might need to hang with me at a little slower pace. Ha! Were we wrong! He ran the first lap (ie. half) with me, but then ran ahead of me... passed Alan and Selah... and finished first in front of all of us. He ran the 5k in 30 minutes. Selah and Alan finished in 31, and me in at 32 minutes. It was fun. Hilly. But fun!

Will Rogers Memorial

Our home educating friends took a field trip to the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore. This was a very interesting trip for the kids, as well as for the adults (as usual). Will Rogers was born in Oologah, my home town.



When we arrived a cowboy gave us the run down on Will Rogers. His life, his career, and his fame, and his family. The cowboy told us about how Will wanted to "see the world" so he up and went to Africa as a young man. In the middle his wandering across Africa, someone found out Will could lasso and work tricks with a rope. Will was in need of a way to earn money, so they hired Will to do shows nightly for people to come and watch. Will was quiet during his first few shows, but soon began to say things that would get a good laugh out of his audience, so he decided to adlib along to his tricks. He figured out that he could make people laugh, and decided he liked the "spot light" quite a lot.




Here the kids are sitting in a little movie theater watching a few of the movie flicks Will Rogers starred in.



Will Rogers and his family are buried in this tomb, under the museum. This is the entrance to the tomb.




Have I ever mentioned how much I love educating my kids! This is a pretty cool world full of so many neat people and places, and I love watching my kids take it in!

And For The Rest of His Life...

He's BIG enough.



He's SMART enough.



He's STRONG enough.



And so, for the rest of his life... he now has the responsibility... of taking out the trash.



THE END.

Sweet Sweets... Alabama!

We spent a few days with our Alabama family just before the summer season hit! It was nice to hang out and relax with them, and the kids had tons of fun playing with their "big boy" cousins.
We went to the Huntsville Botanical Gardens and explored the "tree house" exhibits. It was so cool! The other highlight of the trip was making HOMEMADE do-nuts with Theresa's do-nut press! I think it was Theresa's Grandma's do-nut recipe that her Mom and Grandma made with her when she was a little girl. We even used the do-nut dough dispenser from the old-days! And Yumm-O!! The cinnamon and sugar was my fav! Other than that, Theresa and I watched chicka-flickas and worked on Christmas felt-n-sequin crafts! LUV my Alabama Sister!

Dream House Tree House!

Here are a few of pics of the neat tree houses on display, 2010 summer season, at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens, Alabama. It was pretty dreamy, if I do say so myself!

Charis Dancing at her Recital

Isn't she beautiful? She dances so well... she focuses... she loves most of all the make-up, dance outfits, and the up-do! She likes to sparkle and shine!








Ahhhh... end of the day. I think we're a lil' loopy! And yet we'll do it all again next year.

Selah is the Shining Star ~ 2010

Okay... so... first of all... recital day is maybe my FAVORITE day of the year! My little Mommy-heart just can't hardly stand the joy, pride, love, and emotion as I watch my baby girls up on stage. They are both really good dancers, and I love to watch them on stage. But their beauty and grace just radiates straight through me and I cry every time! The recital is totally my "pay-off" for all the time I spend sitting at the studio. I absolutely adore watching them dance on stage.

And this year... as if that alone wasn't enough... we were so proud to find out that Selah was the one student out of the whole dance company that was awarded the "Shining Star" award!
At the end of the dances, all the students receive a certificate and/or a medal for the number of years they have been dancing. And then Ms. Kari awards one dancer the "Shining Star" award. We were not aware ahead of time that she chose Selah, so this was a fun surprise for us as well as for Selah.
Ms. Kari said something pretty close to this ~ "I chose this years Shining Star student not only because she is a great dancer, but also because she is sweet... she always has a great attitude! She never complains, she is always happy and helpful, and she sets a great example to the other girls in her class. And this years Shining Star award goes to... Selah Aberle!!!!" (and the crowds went wild!! Ahh ahhh ahhh!!!) (okay... enough with the proud Mommy moment... I know. No... wait... let me relish in it a little longer... ahhh ahhh ahhh!!!)

Anyway, we are super proud of Selah. She is "that" kind of kid. In every way. And she really is a great dancer. And beautiful. Okay. I think I'll stop. For now.






Tap Dance to Footloose