the random miscellany monday

Yippee!  It's Miscellany  Monday once again -- and as you all know -- I am totally random and love this day.  I think I must be too random because I have way too much to write about.  It's hard to narrow it down!

So here goes.  Enjoy!

1) Classical Ballet is a huge part of our family's life.  Hannah, Chloe, and Grace all take classes.  Hannah will be dancing 10 hours per week this fall, Chloe seven, and Gracie three.  I always joke that the truck know exactly how to get to North Ballet Academy -- I don't even need to drive.  Wonder how many hours a year I'm driving to ballet?

2) Hannah has gone through 3 pairs of pointe shoes in the last ten months.  Her feet have also shrunk by one whole size -- unbelievable to me.  You can tell she's an artist in her dance.  Emotion in every step.

3) Chloe just got her first pair of pointe shoes yesterday.  As you can tell -- she was thrilled.  This is a huge point (get  it point? pointe? hee hee hee) in her dancing career.  I don't know what she was more thrilled about -- the pointe shoes or the Caribou Hazelnut Chocolate Frapuccino.  You judge.

shoes
vs.
frapuccino

4) Gracie, oh my Gracie girl, my sweet girl.  She is such a beauty while dancing.  She was built to be a ballerina, and the beauty of the Lord can be seen in her exquisite smile.

wondering about the black lines?  they help make their eyes POP on stage

5) Enough of that amazing beauty -- how about this beauty?  See that view?  That's the view that I see when we drive to and from the lake.  I try to think that our load is beautiful -- but alas, we are those vacationers whose vehicles are loaded down.  A canoe on top, the suburban packed, and a trailer bursting with stuff.  That's us. Just smile and wave if you pass us by. :)

my view on the ride home

6) This year, as we were driving a swimming noodle began to escape from the back trailer.  Thankfully, the protocol is to always have another family member following our vehicle.  My dear brother, who is an amazing brother, jumped out of his car at a stop light and grabbed the $1.99 blue noodle before it flew into the wild Minnesota prairie.  I'm still laughing as I remember him loping up to the trailer and grabbing the noodle. The look on the other drivers was priceless.

7) As I write this, I'm watching Extreme Home Makeover.  That show always makes me cry.  And it makes me realize just how short and precious life is.  And those thoughts make me appreciate moments like my brother grabbing the noodle, or my daughters dancing -- those are the real moments of life.

8) Life is short.  It's so easy to lose focus.  Perspective.  I hope to be a fighter, to live life to the fullest.  Blogging reminds me of that will to fight.

9) Last night we had an intense storm come through.  The straight line winds uprooted trees, my neighbor's mailbox and produced tornadoes.  Afterwards, there was an amazing double rainbow.  Ever think when you see a rainbow about the truth behind it?  It's a promise.  God's promise.  Visible in our sky.  Amazing.

taken from my front porch

10) Back to ballet.  The older two girls are doing an Intensive Camp this week -- gone all day.  I'll take some prayers -- my lovely helpers will be gone.  I'm so glad and thankful for this opportunity for them.  And, truthfully, when they are away it reminds me once again just how much I value both of them.

Have a blessed Monday.

And remember to link up to the Miscellany Monday on my dear friend Carissa's blog. I've also linked up with the meme -- mingle monday.  All these Monday Memes with Mmmmms -- makes it memorable!