June 30, 2010

Casual Bloggers Conference

At the beginning of March, as many of you know, I launched my blog "The Family Trifecta."  It was an idea that Scott and I came up with together while driving home from California.  There was talk of him contributing and being a part of this Family Trifecta we were betting on.  Instead, we decided that I would just get it going and if it grew, then we could add the "Daddy's Ticket" later on.

I started posting on it several times a week.  From the research I had done, I did everything by the book.  I even set it up on WordPress instead of blogger.  I know there are a lot of "big bloggers" that still use blogger, but I wanted to have more control over it than blogger offered me.

As I embarked on this journey, I found out about the Casual Bloggers Conference.  Although I have blogged for years, here at Singing and Spinning.  I have done nothing to promote this blog, I have never considered building a readership and am always so surprised when I get comments.  So, I talked to Scott and told him what workshops there would be and what I thought I would get out of the conference.  He thought it sounded like a good thing for me to go to.  Especially because it was local and relatively inexpensive.   I quickly signed up (and was among the first 100 to sign up).

Finally it was time for the conference.  I had been talking about it for so long, I thought the day would never come.

I met Melissa there, because she was helping her friend at the Basa Body Opening Party.  She and I handed out pillows and collected blogger cards from everyone we met.  There were several women that I had admired from a far for as long as I have been blogging.  Some I met have since become some of my favorite reads.

The next day, I met Melissa for the general sessions.  She had to leave for a while and was sweet enough to bring me back lunch.  Regrettably, I hung to myself for the bulk of the conference.  It's not like I had planned on hanging to myself, but I'm shy and hate being rejected.  So, I didn't go to the big party that night.  Instead I went home and played with my little family.

Saturday was the last day of the conference.  It was amazing.  There were some break outs that I wish I would have gone to, but over all, I was happy with the ones I did attend.  (Again, hung by myself and didn't take my camera out very often).

Matt Townsend was AMAZINGLY funny and had some really great information.  In fact, I have pulled from my notes from his session more than anything else.  Only because his session was about relationships and that is something we work on at home, work, family gatherings, church and in friendships.

I loved the panel on "finding your voice" and loved getting to learn about two awesome bloggers.  Jessica Bern at "Bern this" and Kristina at "Pulsipher Predilections".  I now read both of them regularly.  
They had some amazing giveaways, but I didn't feel the giveaway method was the greatest and not because I didn't win anything.  Screamin Coupons was giving away an iPad.  In order to enter the iPad drawing, you had to sign up and then they gave you a ticket.  But that ticket went into one great big bucket of tickets from all the vendors.  So you didn't really have to participate to win their prize.  


The closing keynote was Courtney from CJane.  She hasn't always been a blog that I've enjoyed, but it has been a blog that I've subscribed to for quite a while.  After hearing her voice, her intonations and her singing, I now really like her and have started really reading more of her posts.

I really did learn a lot.  I learned about SEO from Sarah at Tech4Moms and how to make some money in Vanessa's (I Never Grew Up) workshop.  I also learned that the next time I go to one of these type of events, I will be more out going and I will go to the parties.  I will be confident and I will be prepared with things to talk about.

June 28, 2010

Jade's Dance Recital

Jade had a very busy night for her recital.  She had 3 company numbers, 1 technique number and her tumbling number.  
The technique class had a couple groups combined so it was a pretty big group.  I am not sure they had had many opportunities to practice with the whole group.  Jade and another girl collided and it totally distracted Jade for the rest of the number.  I felt badly because she had been doing such a great job and then pretty much just froze.
One of the things we've learned with Jade is that she is very easily distracted.  So, I am grateful that we have her in two things that force her to learn how to concentrate and recover quickly from distractions.
Jade had an absolute ball doing her gymnastics number.  This was the biggest she smiled the whole night.  Plus she got to do her round off back handspring.  That always excites her.




Over the past few months, Jade has really improved her company numbers.  She's not a "natural" dancer but she absolutely loves it.  And because she loves it, I'll continue to support her in it.

June 26, 2010

Ivy's Dance Recital

Ivy loved her recital.  She was so proud of herself.  She got distracted a time or two and just stood there, being adorable of course, but just stood there.  I'm not sure if she forgot what came next or what, but it was pretty darn cute.  I have learned that when the girls do forget their dances, it is best not to say anything about it the night of the performance.  Much better to bring it up the next time before they go on or while they are at home practicing their dances.






They had a monitor going on in the back so the kids could watch everyone else perform.  Ivy loved getting to watch.

June 23, 2010

Field Day 2010

I sneaked out of work for a little while the morning of the field day at Jade's school.  She didn't know I was there for the first 10 minutes or so.  But then she found me.  She is such an active and fearless little girl.  I watched her climb up the outside of the jungle gym and just run without a care.  I love getting to see her smile like she is really having fun.  So often she has the worried look on her face - like in the first picture.  But her smile is my absolute favorite.  With her funny teeth and all.



June 21, 2010

Dress Rehearsal - Spring Recital

The girls love getting to perform.  I think it is their favorite part of dance.  Getting dressed up and being on the stage with the lights.  They absolutely LOVE it.

For the recital this year, the girls did the competition numbers plus they had a couple other classes that they had dance numbers for.  Jade had her Jazz Technique class and they dance to a Miley Cyrus number.  She also had her tumbling routine.  For that number, they all dressed up in 80's clothes.  It was very fun trying to find her clothes that looked like what I wore in my dance classes.

Ivy did a "bug dance" that was adorable.   Half of the girls wore ladybug outfits and the other half wore bumblebees costumes. They were so adorable and we are all set for Halloween.


June 19, 2010

May 24, 2010 - Snow storm

There is something painfully WRONG with this picture.  I couldn't bear to take a picture of my bleeding heart bush because the branches were breaking quickly from the weight of the snow.  Seriously, May 24th is not a day for SNOW.  It is a day for sun and swimsuits!

June 16, 2010

Grandpa Greats Visit

Grandpa Great is an amazing man.  He has more energy than I feel like I do on most days.
Bob and Janet were coming down for Jade's meet and Scott suggested they invite Grandpa Great.  I don't think anyone expected him to do the hour and forty-five minute drive, but he accepted right away.  We were thrilled and Jade was ecstatic that he was coming down to see her at a meet.  (She worries about him quite often since Grandma E died).
We did not expect to see this...

Grandpa Great joined in the Twister games and had a great time.  He even fell to his fanny and bounced right up to continue playing.  I have a feeling that playing Twister with Grandpa Great will be a memory that they will have for a very long time.  (Plus it helps that they'll have pictures of it in their books).



Scott also joined it and did a great job of pinning and tickling Jade.


Ivy decided to show everyone how well she can read.  This poor girl is going to be pretty bored next year in preschool.  But boy does she love that she can read.  (Actually, having Ivy read has helped Jade with her reading.  Jade will tell Ivy that she can read all of the 4 or fewer letter words on the page and Jade will read the longer ones.  Great teamwork - not so easy to follow the story though.

June 14, 2010

May 22, 2010 - Meet #2

We really pack a lot into the last week and a half of school.  How on earth she does it is beyond me.  But, she does it and she loves it.

Jade did really well in this meet.  She still has a lot of work she needs to do on the floor and she was very disappointed in her score.  (I'm not sure how we get her not to focus on her score when she needs a certain score to advance to the next class (which she already accomplished).  Oh well.  It is Jade and she is competitive.  So, we'll let her worry about her scores and see how she does with it.  If she starts stressing out too much, we'll have to have a talk. :)





Her scores were...
 Vault 8.9 (and that would be because she forgot to salute the judge - again).
Bars 9.65 (she was really excited about that score).
Beam 9.5 (another score she was thrilled about).
Floor 8.55 (an improvement but not high enough for her to smile about).

She needed to get a 34 to advance to Level 4 Pre-team.

I have a feeling next year we probably won't be quite as lucky as we were this year on having no dance/gymnastic conflicts.  Fingers crossed it works out as smoothly as this year.

June 11, 2010

Dance Festival - Aztec Dance

Jade's school does a great dance festival.  I have loved it both years she has been there.  They do an around the world theme.  So, each class does a dance from some region in the world.  There was a ninja dance, a Brazilian dance, a Jewish dance and for the first graders, there was an Aztec dance.  (Last year the kindergarten class did the Chicken Dance).



Really, does the tongue have to be out on every picture when she is concentrating?
Jade did an adorable job, really knew the dance and pretty much got into it.

This is Gabby.  She is one of Jade's best friends.  If you ask Jade, she'll say she's her "BFFFFFFF" I think she's missing that the B and F actually stand for something and that "BBBBBBBF" actually makes more sense.

June 7, 2010

My Girls

Sometimes, I just have to post pictures of my pretty little girls.  I love them with all my heart and I'm so grateful that I am their mom.


June 5, 2010

Beautiful Bubbles Blowers and Poppers

One day I worked from home and managed to take a few fun pictures of the girls and Zero playing in the yard with bubbles.  The girls love when the weather starts to get warm and the bubbles come out.  Zero had the best time of the three.  He loved chasing after them and popping them with his mouth.


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June 2, 2010

More Dinosaur Park...

Here are a few more pictures from the field trip.  I'm really glad I got to spend time with Jade and her cute friends.


June 1, 2010

Field Trip to the Ogden Dino Park

I love when I get to take a day off and go with Jade on a field trip.  This last field trip was "AWESOME" (according to Jade) and I have to agree.  Although the rain SUCKED.

If you get a chance to go to the Dinosaur Park in Ogden, you should totally take it.  They have done a great job and the staff is very kind and helpful.





The kids did a scavenger hunt and had to find different dinosaurs.  There was a presentation by a sweet couple that helps clean the bones once they are discovered and brought to the museum.  Plus it was just a fun time to get to play with friends.