Nationals, Day 2 - Trip down to Nostalgia

On day 2, some of us Moms decided to take 3 cars full of girls a trip down Historic Route 66 just North of Norman. We started in Arcadia where we visited the Round Barn and ended with a yummy lunch at Pop's Diner, the best place to buy sodas of all colors and flavors. We tried to give the girls a little History lesson about Route 66, but they were not into it...I guess driving by the "Rock of Ages" etc down Route 66 meant more to us moms...

Front, left to right: Emma, Abby, Paige

2nd row, left to right: Katharine, Claire, Ashlyn

3rd row, left to right: Katie, Megan, big Katie and Lauren M.

The inside of the roof of the barn is absolutely amazing! It looks and feels like a giant basket.

On the second floor of the barn. It's beautiful, the perfect gathering or rehearsal space/ art studio, if I had one...

I took the pictures of these old machines for my sister and her husband.

Pops

left to right: Katharine, Katie C, Megan, Lauren M, Abby, Ashlyn, Emma, Katie and Claire

I rarely get excited about diners, but Pops is worth a trip, and the food is good, too. The windows are lined with soda bottles in all colors and flavors from around the country and the world. The inside of the diner is the soda lovers ultimate super store. I am not a big fan of soda, but just the colors, labels, shapes and sizes of bottles makes me happy. You feel like a part of an Andy Warhol painting! I could have spent hours just taking pictures of all the bottles, alas, we had to head back to the hotel...will sure go back there...Anita, definitely with you in fall!

I had to take a picture of the bacon flavored soda. Could there be anything grosser than that?

After the road trip, we all headed for the hotel pool. Erik came up with Lukas, Lennon and Keira Friday night for some family fun and Saltgrass Steakhouse, the pool and the casino, I mean at the competition.

Odyssey Dance Nationals, June 28th - July 1st, Norman OK

Ok, so I wrote three blog posts and tried to upload them from my phone many, many times. It didn't work. Now I have to start all over again, bummer, oh well, but Nationals need a post, or two, or three...

I drove up to Norman, OK on June 28th with big K and littlest K to go to the team party at Andy Alligator's Fun Park. Oh boy, did we have a lot of fun! Katharine's favorite rides were the bumper cars and riding the go carts. Kassidy had a blast watching all the big girls, and I got to hang out with other adults.

Ashlyn, Madison, Olivia, Caleb, Lauren, Katharine and Lily on the Frog Hopper

 Driving the bumper car.

Water fight with Claire, Abby and Emma

Kassidy watching Katharine

Go-cart fun, Katharine is in the white car on the right.

Bottom picture, from left to right: Katharine, Lily, Caleb, Emma, Katie, Cheyenne behind Katie, Mattie front far right, Lauren behind Mattie and Neal

http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org

Floor Art

Katharine used to line up all of her toys just like Keira. 

Of course, she loses sight of that shared bond between sisters every time she realizes that Keira has gone into her room and used her toys.

Kassidy uses stickers right now, but she might be the next Doescher girl to follow in this tradition. Hopefully Keira will be more accommodating than Katharine (but that is very doubtful).

Above is a classic Kassidy pose with the head rolled back, probably learned when she was always trying to look through the big flop of hair that fell down over her face.

Ten bucks says she is still doing this 10 years from now...

Happy Birthday to Me

Duncan Hines cake was eaten (my favorite), 

cool hand drawn cards were presented (Keira gave me around two dozen), 

and a jar of Swedish Fish was given (mmm).

All in all- a very nice birthday!

Except for the age thing...

Random Erik facts:

I am a video game designer, currently working on Aliens: Colonial Marines for Gearbox Software

My hobbies are bike riding, drawing, and photography

I've always wanted to learn how to play the banjo

Favorite healthy food: skinless chicken breast, asparagus, and Perrier
Favorite junk food: Red Hot blue chips, German pretzels, and sweet tea

I always read before going to sleep, no matter what time it is

Currently reading: Thomas Pynchon's "Against the Day", the New Yorker, NYTimes, and digital comics

Twenty years ago I was living on the Upper West Side in NYC doing freelance illustration

Favorite childhood memory: biking across state lines to play at the arcade

Favorite subjects in grade school were Art, History, and Science

I love watching sports, and wish I had the time and ability to play them
The last few music tracks I listened to were by: Sinatra, U2, Pulp, Dylan
Goal for this year: stretch out so that I can touch my toes
Favorite thing about parenting: watching the kids grow up and turn into their own person
Least favorite thing about parenting: putting them to bed (Google "Samuel Jackson" and "sleep")
Hanging out with Kassidy- playing catch and peekaboo
Hanging out with Keira: playing 'My Little Pony' and reading books
Hanging out with the boys: Legos during the week, Lego video games on the weekend
Hanging out with Katharine: art and stories
Hanging out with Iria: corralling the kids by day, reading and TV on the couch by night
Favorite TV shows: Daily Show, Amazing Race
I am really bad at remembering names...

Ok, enough for now. I'll save some for next year.

Swimming with Grandpa

The hotel pool is always one of the biggest attractions whenever my parents visit- and its even better when they get to splash and ride on Grandpa.

One of her favorite things

Playing cars.

After the Recital

Here is Katharine after two days of performances, where she typically danced in 4-5 numbers per show.

She managed a few more smiles for the camera, and then dug into her new book.

Miss Kassidy wasn't tired, but then again, that girl is hardly ever tired...