Dylan's First Goal!!!

 Dylan has refined and improved both his ice skating and hockey technique over the past two years.  We knew it was only a matter of time before he shoots his first goal!  

Last year with the Regals, Dylan has had several assists, which for Mommy, it is just as important as scoring a goal.  

This spring, with Howies, it has been a slow start.  The team doesn't practice.  They put them straight into games.  Team morale and comaraderie is lower than with the Regals. 

Dylan scored his first goal in a shoot-out last Saturday.  We are so proud of all your progress Dyl!  Keep up the hard work!

https://youtu.be/tfhpbzOa0GI

Noteworthy Achievements

 Dyleva both ended the year well.  Dylan was just glad to be done.  Everyday he would come home and give me a very detailed accout of the 4 square game "in his brain."  

Eva, on the other hand, actually had some academic achievements.  First of all, she had entered a writing contest earlier in the year.  She submitted a work of poetry and also a short story.  They wouldn't announce the winners until the end of the year.  She took fourth place for the poetry, and third place for her short story!  She won some cash.....strange.

Eva also achieved honors, won a literary award, and was voted "Most Inquisative!"

Way to go, Eva!!!

 

Buffalo Quickies

      As Covid restrictions began to decline, Jeff started talking theatre tickets, I started looking around.  I found Alleyway theatre...but a little unordinary.  The Buffalo Quickies performed behind the storefronts downtown.  You wear headsets to hear the performance and sit out on the city street.  It was incredibly unique.  

    We brought Dyleva.  It was a beautiful summer night.  Some of the content went over their heads; but there were seven performances.  Most were very well performed.  The last performance, "Pay your Ferryman,"  was about paying to cross over to the other side.  At the end, everyone was asked to contribute their 2 blocks, provided at the beginning of the show.  Dylan looked at the guy, shook his head, and had us all damned to hell!

https://www.alleyway.com/

12 Years!

 Before Covid happened last year, I felt like I still had little kids.  Now, I don't even know what happened but it feels like they are all grown up.  

In just the span of 15 months, Dyleva has both grown and changed.  I am thankful for the quality time that the pandemic has given me with my children, while they were still children.  

On that note, my baby has turned 12 years old!  We celebrated a couple different ways.  Eva really wanted to show Tia Jill and her cousins the Fuji Grill.  They loved it!

Of course, here is Eva actually turning 12.

The night of her birthday, we had gourmet cupcakes.  Tia Linda, Tio Pete and her grandparents came over to sing to Eva.  

However, the best was Eva's actual party.  This year we booked it at the Botanical Gardens.  Eva invited her friends, cousins, and neighbors.  We spent weeks preparing; getting the menu ready, the prize bags, and organizing the games.  

The guests were able to tour the gardens, and participate in a scavenger hunt.  The kids LOVED being able to go around the gardens on their own.  

We had a very nice brunch spread, and played several new games, like Eva trivia and headbanz.

The day was a success!

In Grandma's Footsteps

"Eva, are you sure that is what you really want?" I asked awaiting her response.

Dyleva is old enough now, if they want something, they put in a request.

Eva was asking for a sewing machine.   Cringe!

Not because I am against sewing; I'm all for it.  It is because I do not have the patience to help her.  

Many moons ago, Jeff bought me a sewing machine.  I sewed everything by hand; he thought obviously, let's see what she can do with a machine!

Well, I have your answer.  Jump up and down and scream like a raving lunatic because you can't thread a bobbin.  That's what I ended up doing with a sewing machine.

https://youtu.be/N9wsjroVlu8

Anyway, after much thought, I donated that beautiful machine to my buddy at 33 that is a HomeEc teacher.  He was very grateful.

***

I digress.

Eva does not get this from me.  When I was little, my mom made all my clothes.  (Unfortunately, to match my sisters....)  Candy always had a knack; a special talent for sewing.  It apparently has skipped a gereration.

Fast forward 10 years.  Here I am, buying a sewing machine.

This one, I purchased the idiot-proof threader.  (It was $40 additional  but well worth it.)  

We will see how this works out....

For the Love of Musicals

 I don't know if it has been since the arrival of Hamilton, or Eva's increased exposure to musicals through ATA, but she has been super into musicals lately!

Awhile back, I eventually, grudgingly, let her watch Grease.  We had a girl's day and veged out and watched Mamma Mia! and Evita- back to back.

And of course, we need to watch the musicals that she is featuring in her productions now at ATA.  Sometimes this is a blessing, other times it is torture!  

Most recently, Eva performed Shrek! and excerpts from Godspell, and upcoming Bye, Bye, Birdie and Oklahoma.  

Eva has recently made the decision to audition for a more challenging company next year as well, APG Intensive.

Any complaints, she will have to present them in musical form.

Greek Godesses

 As we navigated through hybrid learning, Eva has discovered an interest in Greek mythology.  She started memorizing the stories of the Greek gods and goddesses.  Eva drew them.  She read graphic novels about them.  And we started to listen to audio stories and reading short stories before bed.  

Eva is always continuously amazing me with her ambition and interests!