Oh dear!

Has it really been since July? What can I say? We keep very busy!

We have just finished the school show, Annie Oakley. Jeanne was a narrator. Right now we are involved in the Village Players production of Cinderella. I Think it's going to be good. Jeanne is in the ensemble and I am directing.

Jeanne has her first level 7 gymnastics meet on Sunday. She is excited and nervous at the same time.

More soon.

Summer Fun

We've been out and about in New Hamsphire this week! On Sunday we hiked Mount Willard. On Tuesday we kayaked on Lake Winnisquam and today we hiked Mount Major. We are having a great week.

We will have our annual summer party on Saturday. There should be many many people here.

Hello, it's J. I just wanted to say hi! Ijust got back from UNH gymnastics camp. It was a lot of fun! I got a new skill while I was there.

Swing Dancing

On our way home from Durham we picked up Doug and headed to Foster's to hear the Lakes Region Big Band. We spent the evening swing dancing with Doug and Amanda. What a fun time!!

J spent the last week at UNH gymnastics camp. She loves to go there each summer. I know she loves doing gymnastics ALL day but I think she loves the freedom even more. The girls stay in a dorm and walk to the gym multiple times each day. Below is a picture of a typical wardrobe for the week and a picture of J getting her dorm room set up.



It's good to have her home but there sure is a lot of laundry to do. I can't understand that. Wasn't she in a leotard all week?

Gym Show 2010

The Lakes Region Gymnastics Academy gym show was last night. All the kids did a great job. I video taped J's team doing their routine but Blogger won't let me upload the video. Not sure what I am doing wrong. You can see the video on Facebook.

Gym show video

The girls and the booster club raised $673 for the Bella Tucker Fund. This is money for the family of a little girl in Londonderry, NH who was a gymnast but developed a rare form of strep on Easter and had to have both arms and legs amputated. The kids were very moved by her story, as you can imagine.

End of the School Year

Wow! Where does the time go? I know it's a cliche' but how can J be heading into seventh grade already? Today she and the other sixth grade students spent the day up at Inter-Lakes Jr./Sr. High School getting oriented to a new building. What a strange moment to drop her of at the south end of that building and watch her stroll in. She has been in the building many times for drama rehearsals but this was different...this meant she is growing up. I can't take it!

More Old but Fun Stuff...Rescue on a Roller Coaster

There is supposed to be a video of a very scary roller coaster here but Blogger wouldn't upload the video. Dont know why. Anyway, the story is below.

This is Krakken at Sea World. J is on this roller coaster too. She rode this one over and over and when I was finally too queasy to ride any more she decided to go by herself. While I was waiting for her they closed the ride because of technical difficulties. I walked up the ramp as the people waiting in line were coming down...no J! Walked back down to the entrance figuring I just missed her...no J! A few minutes later she comes walking out. When I asked where she had been she said, "I was on the roller coaster when it stopped!" Then some lady came up behind her and said to her waiting husband, "That's the girl who saved me!" Apparently, the woman started flipping out when the coaster stopped and J helped her to get down. When I asked J how she knew what to do she said, "I don't know. When she started to hyper ventilate I just thought someone should help her." That's my girl!

Some old but fun stuff!

J is somewhere on this roller coaster...lying face down!!!! I could only ride it a couple times but she rode it over and over again! That's my girl! This is the Manta at SeaWorld! We were there in February.

Spring

I haven't been able to work in the garden this spring because of my shoulder but somehow the flowers decided to bloom anyway. Mother Nature is pretty good about that kind of thing. The shoulder appears to be on the mend. Yahoo! Maybe I'll get out there soon!

Lacrosse

This is a picture of Jeanne and her friend on the ground. You might think there is no wrestling in lacrosse and you would be correct. These two defenders went after the girl on the other team hard, screaming and yelling, "That's my ball! Give me that ball! I want that ball!" They ended up in a heap on the ground. The ref came over saying, "Ladies! Ladies!" To which the dad and I responded, "Is she talking to our duaghters?" In the end, J got the ball because the girl on offense had hip checked her and that's why they ended up on the ground. Hardly seems fair.

Spring Concert 2010

The spring concert was a hit. J sang with the chorus and played the drum with the advanced band. The I-LES band and chorus are remarkable!

Dancing Through Life!

The dance recital is next weekend. All those years of toe, toe, toe, heel, heel, heel, step touch, step touch, step touch leads to this. J is in six dances and really shines on stage! I almost cried at the dress rehearsal when they danced to True Colors. I guess I should take tissues to the actual recital.

State Gymnastics Championship

J qualified for the state gymnastics championship held on March 28. She did well and came in 4th all around. She is planning to move up to level seven next year. This means that she moves into optionals. This is very exciting because she will now have her own music and routine for the floor and her own routines for the bars and balance beam. She is very happy to be moving up.

On April 1 and 2 J was a featured dancer in the school play. She did a great job and had a lot of fun.

She has started playing lacrosse. Near as I can tell the sport is all about speed so this is a great sport for her.

More Florida

Top picture: Fulton's Crab House is a Disney tradition for us!

Second picture: We LOVE the Rockin' Roller Coaster!

Third picture: On Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom!

Fourth picture: Self explnatory!

Fifth picture: Epcot!

Florida 2010

We traveled to Disney World with Jeanne's dance team. They performed on the stage at Downtown Disney. We had 4 days at Disney ad then went to a hotel in Orlando. We spent 2 days at Seaworld and 1 day at Discovery Cove.

Top Picture: Walk the Dinosaur

Picture 2: True Colors

Picture 3: Phoebe just happened to be in Florida at the same time so she came to the performance.

Picture 4: J with her friend on the way to the performance.

Picture 5: The show poster.

Gymnastics!!!

Team wins second place!

First Place All-around!

14 layer torte cake 3

Truly delicious!

14 layer torte cake 2

It may not be pretty but it sure is delicious!!!!!

Madison: 14 layer torte cake

I taught the girls how to make Grandma Jeanne's 14 layer torte cake. It is a Hill tradition that I have taught to the girls of the family. I know that's sexist but that's how it has happened.

Katie once baked one and shipped it to Uncle John in Idaho...that's just how much our family loves this cake. It takes about 3 hours to make the cake. The girls really hung in there and did most of the work!

Heading to Madison

On the plane to Madison. Note the brand new vest...a Christmas gift! There are Uggs on her feet too. You just can't see them.

Christmas

We flew to Chicago and headed up to Madison, Wisconsin on Christmas day. We had a WONDERFUL five days with my brother Dan. J used the trip as the topic of her latest writing piece in school. When it is finished I will post it so you will know everything we did. Pictures coming soon!