Ballet is my peaceful time. I could sit in a corner of the studio and watch my girls for hours. I like when they catch themselves in the mirror. Lainey is old enough that she plays it off cool–pretends not to notice that her reflection is moving so beautifully and dancerly when really I see her shy grin, tongue tucked in the corner of her cheek, and that girly satisfaction in her eyes. Nella, not so much. Girlfriend has no problem running straight to the mirror, stretching and twirling and touching palms to mirrored palms. She takes her reflection in slowly–testing movements, watching her double simultaneously copy her dance. And she smiles. Because Sister knows she’s got something.
She looks so small in that big room.
I look forward to this day every week.
Cue transition to craft.
*****
Our woodland critter ornament idea actually arose from a craft we did earlier this weekend. There are oodles of terrarium ideas online. I wanted a winter centerpiece for our kitchen table and knew Lainey would enjoy putting it together without much help. You could probably find a lot of these items outside if you don’t live in a tropical area.
Basically we sprinkled a layer of silver rocks on the bottom of our glass bowl vase and covered it with a mixture of white craft sand and silver/white glitter. We positioned moss scraps where we wanted them, pressed some branches and tree pieces into the sand, dropped some pine cones into our mini landscape and finished by placing our little deer.
We sprayed our pinecones with a little artificial snow first and Lainey accidentally had the nozzle pointed the wrong way.
And there you be, as my grandma would say: a winter terrarium.
Have some more glitter. Enjoy.
*****
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And have a lovely evening.
LOVE Lainey’s ‘snow’ nose, and GREAT craft project, young or old!
Oh my goodness, that picture of Lainey is priceless! What a doll!
Hehe, so cute! (both girls) Love the terrarium idea, too!
-Lindsey
http://www.theaccidentalwallflower.com
Love that picture of Lainey with the snow on her face. You tell her I said
“I hate it when that happens!” 😉 (having the spout pointed the wrong way)
She is growing so much – beautiful! And I can NEVER get enough of that Nella! Love her in her dance attire! Yep, she’s definitely something special, that Nella!
The level of cuteness your girls have never ceases to amaze me. Nella looks like the most PERFECT little ballerina. You are so blessed, woman.
And that little terrarium is such an amazing idea. I’m always trying to think of cute little projects for the little girl I nanny for, and I think this one is a must. So perfect for chriiiistmas.
We are loving ballet here as well
I just might copy the winter wonderland- no real snow here, either 🙁
I love ballet, I miss taking lessons! Love the look on Lainey’s face, lol 🙂
I bust out laughing at Lainey’s face after the fake snow incident!! You are also a mother after my own heart – I stop to take the really funny pictures before cleaning my kid up or getting her un-stuck from hilarious locations around our house. Those kind of pictures are the best!
haha….dancerly…. <3
adore! we will be rustling up a lil Ozark winter terrarium, now, I do believe 🙂
Lainey’s face. So funny. I love what she created.
Nella looks just beautiful in her ballet clothes.
I love your Christmas craft!! What a fun and creative idea. Nella looks precious in her ballet outfit. I can’t wait until my daughter can start ballet.
Great crafts. Nella is divine in that leotard and legwarmer get-up. The pic of Lainey with the spray snow on her face is one of the best pics ever!
Kelle….
I misspelled your name yesterday. In case you noticed!! Oops. ;-}
My brother with Down’s Syndrome is just like Nella in that he, too, always loved his reflection!! Everybody is unique. This I know. However, based on observation, children with Down Syndrome have so many tangible things in common personality/interest-wise!! Which I find neat. ;-D
Your writing–that is so much better than mine!!–actually encourages improvement!! Allow me to explain. After reading your Blog, when I sit down at this computer and write, my abilities seem better somehow!! Thanks to you…. 😉
Lainey’s face in that picture is HILARIOUS.
Please include that picture of Lainey in the slide show at her wedding… (cuz Lord knows you are going to make her the best dang slide show ever… so that one NEEDS to be part of it!)
Those tiny pink leg warmers are killing me and then the tiny bun on the top of her head. Too stinking cute!
I was totally thinking that Lainey looked so grownup, graceful and pretty. And then I scrolled one down, and laughed out loud. Too funny, priceless expression!
I so wish I could bottle up some real snow & send to you guys!
Sweet girls! I just love watching how they’ve grown so much… We are loving & enjoying ballet at the moment too. I am hopeful it will bring many years of that peace feeling because I feel it as well.
Lynn
fernavenueblog.blogspot.com
the pics of nella doing ballet are priceless. I’m signing Lily up dangit !
OMGoosh, Lainey is priceless in the fake snow picture. She is such a beutiful little girl, it is no wonder you take so many pictures, it has to be hard not to.
Bella is so precious in her ballet outfit. I love the pure hoy little ones have. You are one very blessed mama!
Lainey is too cute with her snow nose….love it!! Xoxo
Laughed out loud at Lainey — definitely a wedding video photo for sure. And Nella is so sweet in those ballet pictures!
Thanks for sharing your girls with us! 🙂
Lainey’s face is an absolute classic….
Love Nella’s dancing too, especially the one you posted on IG the other day “what a feeling”
This post just has to be one of my favorites. The dance studio always was one of my favorite spots to be. Whether it was during class or I just went there to focus on homework. 🙂 There is just something so peaceful about a big room with ballet barres. I am so happy that you have Nella in a class too! That was always one of my highlights wants I was in highschool was working with some of the most sweetest young girls with an extra chromosome and watching them dance.
Love the little ballerina pictures & Lainey is getting growing up so fast! Both girls are BEAUTIFUL!!
What a classic nose scrunch hehe. Lovely craft idea it is gorgeous!
My little one calls her shadow and reflection “Gaga.” We have no idea where the name came from (in fact, it took us a few weeks of her referring to Gaga before I caught her talking to her reflection and calling her Gaga that I caught on), but absolutely love it. When she goes to visit her mirror to show Gaga something or just to chat, she starts off with a big hug and kiss… I hope she always feels that way about her reflection!
I have really been thinking of getting Lulu into ballet, and seein Nella doing makes me realize how important this is. I will be getting on that pronto.
Also, that picture of Lainey is hilarious, I love it!!
Too funny! Just today, one of friends posted on FB about how she pointed her cooking spray the wrong way! But she didn’t have an adorable picture to go along with it.
Kelle, the photo of Nella at the mirror made me smile from the inside out.
My son is a professional photojournalist so I do not say this lightly. You are a talented photographer.
k
Fun and festive! I love that the kiddos can do it themselves too. Will have to try this weekend – thank you for the great idea!
Lovely!!!!!!
Aww, Nella is so adorable!!
Love that shot of Lainey covered in snow 🙂
Nella, so precious in her leotard and leg warmers and with her hair in the ballerina bun.
I love the world of the ballet too Kelle. There’s something magical about it.
love your peaceful place. i need to enroll my girls in ballet lol! that winter craft looks so sweet on your table! great job girlie.
Nella in her ballet clothes…just totally makes me smile. She is just so adorable!
I just found your blog and wanted to say how wonderful your words and photos are. The one of your precious little girl in front of the mirrors is so incredibly beautiful. I look forward to reading some of your past posts. Happy weekend to you and your family!! : )
~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
Ha! I love that photo of Lainey! Oh, and for the record, you are one of my favorite writers. 😉 I look forward to your posts every time!
Thank you for the glitter!
Sparkle on baby, sparkle on!
I really miss taking Ivy to ballet! We have to find a studio here. The only one I know of is ACTUALLY on that show Dance Moms. I don’t want to go there!
Steph
I love your blog! Thanks for sharing your heart. You have a BEAUTIFUL family! Merry Christmas, tara
Super cute craft (and kids). We have a small 5 gallon aquariam in our playroom and we decorate it for the seasons. A miniature pumpkin patch for fall, christmas trees for winter. I think we’ll do a tiny forest this year!
Oh man, Lainey’s expression over the snow blast is HILARIOUS!
What a beautiful photograph of your little girl in her ballet class. She looks ready to take a leap…..beautiful.
Oh she is so beautiful!
Lovin the Christmas crafts ..keep em’ coming! (my family thinks I am brilliant!!!). I am having trouble finding small pine ones though….
So glad that you caught a shot of the misplaced spray snow. That’s classic and I’m glad that it didn’t get into her eyes.
That studio. Oh that studio. I’m an ex-dance and that space is GRAND. I want to put my shoes on, and blast the music and let myself be swept up in the notes and phrases. Oh, a girl can dream.
Happy first day of December. xo
Jennifer
I love Nella’s precious ballerina pictures! I loved ballet as a little one.
Lainey’s picture is so precious too!
I want you to know that reading your blog always gives me such a sense of joy and peace. I am so glad that I found it and I hope that you always continue to write about your everyday life, as it is the most important…
xo
Viv~
Love love love that pic of Lainey!!
My husband and I don’t have children yet, but I love the craft idea! Someday 🙂
thehartungs.blogspot.ca
That picture of Lainey with the artificial snow is absolutely priceless! This is a terrific craft idea! Love the pictures 🙂
Kelle,
I copied your North Pole party from last year. Best night EVER for my wee ones and her friends. Thanks for inspiring me:)
Lainey’s face is AMAZING in this photo!