BFFs...

Love these girls. 

Love their friendship. 

Love their sillness. 

Love how they encourage one another. 

Love their desire to be followers of Christ.

Love the young ladies they are becoming. 

Love watching them make memories.

Time with PaPa & MeMe...

It was a quick 58 hours that my parents were in town for Sarah's play weekend, but we so enjoyed the short period of time they were here.

Brayden made sure to make most of the time with them.

Brayden showed off his reading skills to MeMe.

Wrestle time with PaPa.

Game time with MeMe.

A sweet picture with PaPa.

Wendy, Cast and Selfies...

From Sarah:
The play was an amazing experience and I would definitely do it again. I learned so much about acting and singing and it made me grow as a person. I got to meet so many people in 5th through 8th grade who I would have never talked to at school and now I am very close friends with a lot of them.

I surprised myself by actually trying out for the play and I would have never thought that I would get the role of "Wendy Moira Angela Darling"! It was a long 3 months and at some points I was very stressed with school, learning my lines, and other activities that I did regularly, but thankfully I got threw it.

Before the shows, to say I was nervous was an understatement, I felt like I was about to throw up! When the curtains were closed all of us were jumping around and doing really weird things to pump ourselves up. Once we heard the music start to play, that is when the butterflies rolled in. As soon as we got into the show though we were acting like professionals (flip of my hair).  : )

To say I miss the play is only half true. It was hard work and I am glad to have a break, but I also miss hanging out with all my friends at practice and having lots of laughs. Basically what I am trying to say is I had a blast doing Peter Pan and if they are doing a play next year, sign me up!

The Darling Family

Wendy and Mr. Smee

Tinker Bell and Wendy

Captain Hook and Wendy, out of costume

Peter Pan (better known as Kate with a K) and Wendy

Sarah was excited to get this picture together with Ms. Nolan who was the director of the production. Ms. Nolan is new to Haskell school this year and is a teachers assistant. She helps Brayden's class first thing in the morning and later in the afternoon. She is also an assistant for Sarah's Social Studies and Science class.  Sarah and Brayden are both fans of Ms. Nolan. She did a great job directing the students and is actually an actress herself, so she had lots of great input and ideas for them.

Peter Pan and Wendy...

Without further ado, we proudly present...

and Wendy Moira Angela Darling.

Besides the Christmas musicals at our church this is the first acting that Sarah has done and I have to say we thought she did a pretty amazing job, as did the rest of the students. She showed such a confidence on stage of who she was as Wendy, that we were blown away AND her singing was phenomenal. I just wish some of the songs had been longer, I could listen to her sing all afternoon. All the cast practiced long and hard for a full 3 months and in the end their hard work paid off with a great play for students in 5th to 8th grade.

"Don't close the window, he might come back!"

Think of the happiest things, it's the same as having wings.

My favorite scene, she sings "Your Mother and Mine."

Taking their bows.

A few short videos to share from iPhones to let you hear Sarah singing. You can click fullscreen at the bottom right to enlarge.

We went to both shows, as did both of Sarah's grandparents. We all wanted to make sure we didn't miss anything. Brayden actually got to see the show 3 times, as they performed it for the students at school during the school week.

Sarah had the most advanced ticket sales with 32 tickets. She has some adoring fans who came to see her as Wendy.

Anne and Addie Vitale, Grandma, MeMe, Brayden and PaPa

Moorman crew, MJ, Deb, Uncle John and FaFa

Addie. Her mom told me the next day Addie now thinks Sarah is a "famous" actress!

Team Moorman coming to support Sarah - Emma, Aura and Luke

Aunt Susie and Sammy

Girlfriends - Cayla, Trinity and Ella

The audience was full both days. Brayden and Sammy took their seats in the middle of the aisle.

Brayden loved the play and couldn't wait to get Captain Hook and Mr. Smee's autographs afterwards. He also took the opportunity to get up on the stage and do some sword fighting himself.

At the end of the show on Saturday they had a reception, which included this cake for the cast members.

At the end of the weekend PaPa & MeMe gave Sarah special gifts to remember the weekend and her role as Wendy, flowers and this framed Peter Pan and Wendy book page print.

What a great play! What a great Wendy! What a great weekend!

A Day with Brayden...

Last Saturday Jason had a meeting in South Jersey all day, so he left at 7:00 a.m. and got home around 4:30 p.m. Sarah was also away overnight at our Girls Youth Getaway where Aunt Susie was one of the speakers.

All that to say, I got to hang out with this character for the day.

 

We spent the morning at home hanging out and cleaning a few things up. I have been giving Brayden the job lately of putting away the silverware. He loves it! Not really.

 

We also started working on his Shining Star poster that he will take to school in a couple weeks

After lunch it was on to the library, grocery store, Marshall's and haircuts for he and I.

At the library we were on a mission looking for Disney's Pete's Dragon. Jason and I have talked to him about getting it in the past, but the cover didn't seem to interest him. He thought it looked too old, which it was 1977, and not quite as action packed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Jason and I both remember watching this movie when we were younger. I used to know all the songs by heart. "I'll be your candle in the water..." : ) I told Sarah and Brayden that it was my "Frozen" back in the day. My kids just look at me like I'm weird.

A quick stop at the grocery store for veggie burgers, an illustration for Daddy's sermon the next day. Brayden was my bag boy.

We enjoy going to Marshall's, it is actually a very nice one. I enjoy going for the deals on clothes. Brayden enjoys going to look at the toys. Today we picked up a punching bag for him, but unfortunately when we got it home it had a hole.

 

Our last stop was at Grandma's for haircuts. Brayden got a fresh buzz cut.

I have missed having Brayden with me throughout the day now that he is in Kindergarten, so it was nice to share a day together just he and I.