Short video created by Paul

Disclaimer: We apologize it's a little pixilated. We had to compress it for the web.

Hip Hop Dance Class

During the month of June, my friend & coworker, Laura, and I took a hip hop dance class at a local high school dance studio. Laura mentioned to me that the instructor was a teacher at her gym and that they were offering the 4 week class through the Community Adult Continuing Education curriculum. I was so excited because I have been wanting to do this for a long time. Every Thursday night for an hour and a half I busted a move! The instructor was a 20 something young girl named Wendy, and she was around 4 months pregnant! But, let me tell you, it was quite a workout and I was sweating at the end of each session. Each week we learned more steps to a dance to the song "Gimme More" by Britney Spears. There was about 25 people in the class with a wide age range ( I was among the older "students"! Yikes!) Anywho, we had a blast and it was a great time for Laura and I to spend together as friends and to also relieve stress and do something that I truly love! My pipe dream one day was to be a backup dancer for Janet Jackson, and this class really made me feel like I was accomplishing a little piece of my dream! :o) I was really sad when it ended the first week of July. And even now over a month later, when Thursday rolls around, I still think about going to class.

More Ashley-isms

And now for another installment of Ashley-isms!

I have been writing these down for awhile now and I am finally jotting them in my blog for safe keeping. Hope you enjoy!

- Sometimes if she gets upset because of dropping something on the floor or can't get something open, she says "C'mon man!" or "C'mon dude!" (Yes, she probably picks it up from me.)

- Paul and I run through a list before we leave the house in the morning, like checking to make sure the lights are off and the iron is unplugged, etc. Well, Paul had to leave before me one morning and I am rushing to get Ashley and I out of the door. She comes up to me in the midst of my haste and says "Is everything unplugged?" As I nodded yes, I was so taken back by what she just said, that I almost missed he next sentence, she says, "ok, Let's get outta here!" I couldn't believe it.

- One night, Paul tells Ashley to go brush her teeth, and she says "What-ever!" Huh? Is she really two?

- Ashley is VERY into princesses now and LOVES to brush and comb my hair, "just like a princess" she says. So as she commenting on how beautiful I look, "oh Mommy, you look so pretty" then she stops and says looking into my eyes, "Stunning." Stunning? Where did she pick that up and use it in the right context!?

- Ash is a HUGE fan of the show The Little Einstein's (LE), as I have mentioned before. I believe that this show is FANTASTIC for little kids. Ashley has learned so much. Here are some examples... Paul, Ashley and I were driving one day and Ashley points to a sign up ahead and said, "Look Mom! I see hieroglyphics!" (she learned that from an Egypt themed LE show) I guess the letters looked like hieroglyphics to her. Another time we were at a craft/art store and we were looking at prints. Ashley came across the painting of the famous Mona Lisa and said "Look Dad!, I see Mona Lisa!" and then later she said "Look, it's Starry Night!" and sure enough, there was the Van Gogh painting! Amazing! I recommend LE for all parents with toddlers and preschoolers! Super cute and obviously educational!

- For awhile there, Ashley LOVED calling me by my first name. I think she just liked knowing that I had another name besides, Mommy. She'll say, "Sarah, do you want to dance with me?" "Hey, Sarah!" It's tapered off a bit, but sometimes she still pop it in there everyone once and awhile.

- One day I cut my finger on a knife and Ashley saw the whole thing. It wasn't that bad of a cut, but it still really hurt. After tending to my wound, Ashley says in a sympathetic voice, "Ya okay, Mommy? Did you cut yourself? Poor little buddy." She was talking to me like she was my mother and making sure I was okay. It was so cute. That whole evening she continued to check on me and make sure I was okay. So sweet!

- When we were at Disneyland she loved the train and still to this day is super into trains. She loves the movie Dumbo and sings the Casey Jr. song all the time. She likes to say when she's playing "All d-board!" and she picked up from one of her movies, "Now sit back and enjoy the show!" She's a nut! I love her so much!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this recent Ashley-isms update. 'till next time....

More from our NJ Trip - The Boardwalk!

So sorry it's been so long since my last entry. It is pure laziness and procrastination that has kept me from updating. Anywho, to continue on from our wonderful trip back home in July.... The evening of our Beach Day we reserved to go to the Ocean City Boardwalk for some rides with the kiddos and to indulge in all the wonderful pizza and snacks the boardwalk offers! Yipee! We met with Dana and the kids at a pizzeria for dinner and then headed to the rides afterward. We took Ashley and Johnny on the carousel and the choo choo train around the park. Both Johnny and Ashley wanted to go on the helicopter ride, so my Dad and I stood in line with them. I was going to take Johnny and Dad took Ashley. Well, as soon as we boarded Ashley threw a fit and didn't want to go on, so I had to get off and tend to her while Dad went on with Johnny. What a bummer! I don't know why she gets like that sometimes. John Michael, Paul and Danny rode lots of the "scary" rides together while we all hung out with the kids. Ashley was being so cute with her Pop-Pop (my Dad). She kept giving him "rasberries" on his cheek and giving him big hugs. It was so precious to watch. Dad, John Michael and I went on the bumper cars together! That was a blast! Then we all left the park to try and find an open Johnson's popcorn, but unfortunately, it was already closed for the night...BUMMER! I got soft serve ice cream with jimmies instead. I loved being on the boardwalk again, smelling the sea, watching all the lights from the stores and shops on the boardwalk and strolling with my family. It brought back lots of memories. (P.S. I did get my Johnson's popcorn after all....my Dad and I went to the boardwalk to pick some up the following day)


The family on the carousel


Mom and Ashley dancing


Pop-Pop and Ashley

Ashley was doing a silly walk on the boardwalk