These days ... I wouldn't trade for a string of Christmases. The grass-covered feet are better than decked out evergreens. The pruney fingertips are better than chocked full stockings. The shrieks of cold water hitting warm skin are better than Christmas morning smiles. These days will last in my mind forever.
Simple.
Fun.
Ornery.
Free.
Innocent.
Having dedicated nearly every Thursday night of the past nine months to maxifords and shuffle/hop/steps Alena and Alivia made their tap dancing debut Saturday afternoon (with a repeat performance Sunday).
After the plastering of their hair into slick, tight buns and the tramping up of their faces with eyeshadow, cream blush and bright red lipstick they slap/stepped and ball/changed their way to applause. 
Unfazed by the lights and packed auditorium, but totally relishing the hairspray and lipstick, they now wish to sign up for additional dance lessons, skipping straight to the costumes and stage. God help us all.
Alivia danced with a preschool tap class to "Yankee Doodle Dandy," and her red, white and blue costume was pixie perfect. While Alena was sure Alivia would cry on stage, there wasn't any way tears were getting past her huge, red smile. Kudos to a little tap dancer whose rhythm we're still looking for.
Alena danced with an elementary tap class to "Shining Star" from the Lizzie McGuire movie soundtrack, and her sequined costume met her hot momma standards. Having worried over the past couple of months about getting on stage (and at one point wondering if she even wanted to do it), she lined up and marched backstage without hesitation. After coming off stage she was all smiles and wanted to know when she could do it again.
While I suspect neither will end up dancing on Broadway, the experience of working toward a dance performance and then having the confidence to dance your little heart out on stage takes top billing.
Okay, we've gotten to my little shadow. The sayer of "Mommy?" 53,456 times a day. My little dude who's always willing to help me out (add to any mess I've got going on) and my own personal alarm clock (not by snuggling, but instead by his stuffed dog biting my face).
He's a hot head who blows up at me numerous times a day, but can melt my heart with one of his good night hugs. I call him "Tonto" ... and "Stormy" ... and "Traceman" ... and "Buddy." I've got money on him breaking an arm before the summer is over. He's my everything in one little, temperamental package.
1. What is your favorite TV show? :: "Chuggington"
2. What is your favorite movie? :: "Toy Story"
3. What is your favorite food? :: "Chicken and cereal"
4. Who is your best friend? :: "Papa"
5. Who is your favorite singer? :: "Chicken Fried" (read: Zac Brown Band)
6. What is your favorite song? :: "Hillbilly Bone" (by Blake Shelton)
7. What is your favorite book? :: "Smash! Crash!"
8. What do you want to be when you grow up? :: "Papa"
9. Would you rather play outside or inside? :: "Outside"
10. Would you rather swing or slide? :: "Slide"
11. What's better - swimming in the pool or bike riding? :: "Swimming in the pool"
12. Chocolate or vanilla? :: "Chocolate"
13. Would you rather have a cookie or candy? :: "Candy"
14. How do you like your marshmallows roasted? :: "Brown"
15. Where is your favorite place to go? :: "Bye bye"
16. Which do you like better - bubblegum or chocolate chips? :: "Bubblegum"
17. What are you scared of? :: "I don't know."
18. What makes you happy? :: "Goofy"
19. What makes you smile? :: "My car"
20. What makes you sad? :: "When my Treaty's gone." (his stuffed dog lovey)
If you looked up the word "whipper-snapper" in the dictionary, the word's definition would read "n. Alysse Scott." At three, Alysse loves life and is counting down the days until she can start preschool. She's a constant learner, a compassionate soul and has a heart that breaks easily. She's got a million dollar smile and is happy 99 percent of the time.
1. What is your favorite TV show? :: "Imagination Movers"
2. What is your favorite movie? :: "A Bug's Life"
3. What is your favorite food? :: "Pancakes"
4. Who is your best friend? :: "Le-le" (Alena)
5. Who is your favorite singer? :: "Taylor Swift"
6. What is your favorite song? :: "Love Story" (by Taylor Swift)
7. What is your favorite book? :: "Silly Tilly"
8. What do you want to be when you grow up? :: "A cowgirl"
9. Would you rather play outside or inside? :: "Outside"
10. Would you rather swing or slide? :: "Swing"
11. What's better - swimming in the pool or bike riding? :: "Swimming in the pool"
12. Chocolate or vanilla? :: "Chocolate"
13. Would you rather have a cookie or candy? :: "Candy"
14. How do you like your marshmallows roasted? :: "Roasted"
15. Where is your favorite place to go? :: "Kings Island"
16. Which do you like better - bubblegum or chocolate chips? :: "Bubblegum"
17. What are you scared of? :: "Scary things in movies."
18. What makes you happy? :: "Bun Bun" (her stuffed rabbit lovey)
19. What makes you smile? :: "Aunt Mandy"
20. What makes you sad? :: "People who don't play with me."
Had to keep the fun going ... even as their mom, I'm curious how they'll answer the questions.
This is the world according to Alivia - lover of all things furry; current nurturer of four painted lady chrysalises; and preschooler who needs luring away from the art center. Her answers provide a glimpse of her love of nature (except spiders) and her humor.
1. What is your favorite TV show? :: "Hannah Montana"
2. What is your favorite movie? :: "The Princess & the Frog"
3. What is your favorite food? :: "Those chocolate things for breakfast" (nutritionally-void chocolate-filled breakfast crepes that she'd eat every day if I'd let her)
4. Who is your best friend? :: "Miss Rachael" (her preschool teacher)
5. Who is your favorite singer? :: "Lady Antebellum"
6. What is your favorite song? :: "You Belong with Me" (by Taylor Swift)
7. What is your favorite book? :: "Encyclopedia of Animals"
8. What do you want to be when you grow up? :: "A cowgirl"
9. Would you rather play outside or inside? :: "Outside"
10. Would you rather swing or slide? :: "Swing"
11. What's better - swimming in the pool or bike riding? :: "Swimming in the pool"
12. Chocolate or vanilla? :: "Chocolate"
13. Would you rather have a cookie or candy? :: "Candy"
14. How do you like your marshmallows roasted? :: "A lot" (read: really toasty and crisp)
15. Where is your favorite place to go? :: "To the mall"
16. Which do you like better - bubblegum or chocolate chips? :: "Bubblegum"
17. What are you scared of? :: "Spiders"
18. What makes you happy? :: "Ladybugs"
19. What makes you smile? :: "Froggy" (her stuffed frog lovey)
20. What makes you sad? :: "When daddy doesn't give me what I want." (not that she's a daddy's girl or anything)
