Benjamin's modern and tap

Here is Benjamin's modern dance. It's a huge class, but look for the one boy.

Here is Benjamin's tap. He's in the back just about the whole time, wearing a black shirt. Really cute song and choreography.

More of Benjamin's ballet

Benjamin's third ballet:

And finally, his last ballet number.

Benjamin's ballet

Benjamin, being the only boy ballet dancer, was in multiple dances. Mom sewed his "poet shirt." I'm amazed at how long he can make his body!! He has come so far since he started dancing in first grade.

His second number:

Alexander's modern dance

Alexander loved his modern class. It was a very small class, but they sure learned a lot. I was amazed at how long this dance was. It was my favorite of his, too. I helped create his costume by cutting off the bottom of pants (that already were full of holes) and sewing on some of the glittery material from the girls' costumes. Doesn't he look muscular in that muscle shirt???

Dance Time!!!

Last night was the boys' dance recital. They outdid themselves - they were fabulous! This is the first time Jonathan has been in a recital - he had a short part in the Ballet I number. He practiced in his room for days for his 20 seconds of fame. He's the last one to come onstage.

Peeps Time!

Easter afternoon, we had 14 at our house for dinner. We were blessed with perfect weather. After a delicious dinner, we all retired to the back porch for some traditional peep grilling. Benjamin had the camera much of the time, which may explain some of the pictures. Our favorite is to make s'mores with them. If you've never had peeps s'mores, you're truly missing something!!!
This was the first and last s'more I had. I haven't touched a peep since then - even the thought makes me feel a bit sick.

Stake right through the heart!

Church Pictures

We worshipped at Trinity Lutheran on Easter, where Brian is Cantor. It was a wonderful service, with inspiring music and a sermon the boys will never forget. Afterwards, we snapped all of these family pictures in front of the fake lillies. Well, the plants themselves are real, but none of the lillies had bloomed, so they tied on fake flowers. It cracked me up!

Easter morning

After staying up until 2AM the night before (seeing Rent, and then watching the Duke game before it was old news), the boys were nice enough to wait until 8AM to hunt for eggs and baskets. We weren't quite as creative as usual hiding the baskets, but since it was a new house, everything seemed different anyway. Jonathan found his basket in Pop-Pop's closet.

Benjamin's was in the pantry, filled with Duct Tape (don't ask-but he wanted it!)

Eating candy that early in the morning, huh???

Jonathan loved every minute of it.

Alexander's was hiding in the air conditioner closet.

Here they are, showing off their baskets. Alexander has a mouthful of candy, too.We went outside to take pictures, and I snapped this one of our new hex sign. We bought it last summer before our house was built. One of the workers stopped by for a few issues, and was nice enough to hang it for us. We didn't even have a ladder that reached it.

Benjamin obviously had just stepped out of the shower. He got his haircut two days before.

Jonathan is looking awfully pleasant here, right after throwing a fit when I made him take off his sandals and put on his "church shoes." Yes, those shoes that he LOVED when he got them and even snuck them on his feet to school one day.

Jonathan's first "adult" game

During spring break, we sat up in the loft, playing games. Chris looked out the window, and decided it looked like a mountain. It was, of course, a cloud, but it made us feel, just for a moment, that we were somewhere besides Florida. Jonathan played his first game with our group. He's playing Ticket to Ride, sitting by Jeff. He did well, too. I think he came in second.

Obviously, he had a great time playing, which is really what it's all about. Lots of learning going on there, too...