Showtime

Santi's Big Show was a few weeks back (It's tragic just how backed up Mom is on the blog). We all had a great time and had been looking forward to it all year long. Santi's level only performs once a year at the school's annual recital (which is plenty enough for me), but it's difficult for such little ones to wait so long to see the payoff for all their hard work.

Above is one of Santi's studio recital pics. You can see why we sprang for Garmendias instead of these, so much better. But I wanted to at least document one of Santi's costumes from this year.

Dad giving Santi a good luck hug before she entered the chaos that is "backstage."

Marin really, really (I mean really) wanted go with Santi backstage this year. Her eyes were wide with surprise at all the hustling and bustling of bobby pins flying nearly poking out an eye, clouds of hairspray floating about like theater apparitions and lipstick, lipstick, lipstick. Santi didn't bat a fully mascara-clad eyelash. She was feeling it. I think Santi did appreciate her big sister's attention and you could tell Marin was extremely proud of her little sister. I hope that lasts.

As a side note... do you like Santi's eyebrows? I've never penciled in eyebrows before and Santi needed a little bit of help in that department for stage-worthy makeup. She was so patient while I made a few attempts.

Santi with a couple of her peeps. All these girls are performers, boy. If they sensed the ready light to a camera flash, they could whirl around and bring out those stage smiles in a mere split second. I thought it was hilarious. The stage moms seemed a little annoyed with the distraction, so Marin and I took our cue to exit stage left and take our seats.

Marin and Daddy picked out flowers for Santi girl. And of course we staged some after show pictures. See how much Marin is enjoying being coerced to kiss Santi on camera? See how much I love it?

Santi was a smarty pants and brought a change of clothes, but that meant we didn't get pictures in her costumes. Ah well.

Below are the videos from the rehearsal. I KNOW the quality of these videos is horrendous. I only had my little camera. We're not allowed to tape the actual recital. They're not kidding, I saw a grandma escorted out of the recital. Yikes! They really must want that $40 they charge for the DVD.

OK, I totally get that the extensive video coverage is targeted at the grandparent audience. You have to invest a little in order to track Santi across the stage.

Santi's first number was her tap routine (which was my favorite). She starts in the back row and comes in the second from the right. The routines are choreographed so all the kids move toward the front for a little bit. Good luck following her in the different dances. Sorry.



This is Santi's Ballet number, her least favorite. None of the girls liked the song choice and had a hard time getting into it. 

She starts in the back row and ends up being the last one on the right when they come to the front. She's the fidgety one. I noticed she fidgets a lot on stage when she's super excited or nervous.

The following video is of Santi's Jazz number. This may have been her favorite one.

She comes out last from the left in the front row. Of course they change up and she goes to the back. I hope you can follow her. Look for the one who can really move those hips. We love it.

This number they performed with the younger level ones who come on stage after Santi's group exits the stage. Then Santi comes back on as the first one after the level ones leave the stage. You can see her get pumped up in the wings before she comes out. That's my favorite part and the real reason I posted this video. The video after this is the second run-through of the same number and she actually dances better.

the second run-through for the jazz number (also the moment Abram decided that all of this is now nonsense):

This video is Santi in the studio practicing the tap number. I'm outside the class, so you can hear a bunch of Spanish banter from the other moms behind me. You can still sort of hear the music. I thought Santi would like to see herself.

And now we're all relieved that weekly practices are over for the year and no more last minute trips to Target to replace pink tights with holes and runs. Woohoo!

You belong in the ZOO

Santi's first grade class took a field trip to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. Compared to San Diego, it's very quaint and small, but I was so grateful for a simple trip. It was made even better because both Brian and I were able to volunteer. Santi enjoyed having us there, but she made it quite clear that she would be hanging out with her friends. For a while, we tried to keep up, but then decided to give her some space. She really liked hanging out with Mrs. Thomson, her teacher, whose daughter Madison is also in Santi's class. 

Enter: Little brother. We intended for Abram to be the tag-along-kid (as usual), but with this being his first real trip to the zoo, it made everything so much fun to see through his eyes.

To feed the birds, it was a dollar a popsicle stick instead of "toppins a bag." Inflation. Santi and her pals liked getting up close and personal. I was grateful she was wearing a hat in the aviary.

After trying to eat the birdseed stick, Abram got the hang of holding still for the birds.

It's so nice to have Daddy around when you need a little boost.

Santi actually enjoys having a "big, white dad." Her dad is quite the anomaly and the kids like to gather around him and he loves it. He's so good at being silly with them, to which Santi sometimes replies with a roll of her eyes and a playfully exasperated, "Oh Dad!"

Santi with gal pal Julianna. And that was pretty much the last we saw of Santi until lunch and at the gift shop at the end. Hmmmm....

FLAMINGO

Pronounced by Abram in variations of: "faminingo," and "fanego," and "famingooooo." 

Dad and Abram taking a breather. Thank goodness. I had quite a time keeping up with them.

It certainly is amazing how quickly this...

turns into this...

But there are already plenty of Monkeys here. So Abram was out of luck. He had to come home with us.

This bear looked like I felt. As the day grew hotter, I became less and less interested in any animal, however rare or majestic. Abram never tired of seeing the next exhibit. And everyone within hearing range can attest that he never tired of repeating animal noises ad nauseam. But that's what it's all about.

I love this picture because Abram is saying, "Cheese!" He kills me every single time he does it. This picture is also indisputable evidence of where he does get the cheese in his smile and the chub in his cheeks. Notice that was not a definite admission.

The video below is of the tigers playing and wrestling like kitties. It was such a treat for Abram. We ended spending quite a bit of time watching them.

And that was the end to a nice long day. The best part is that Abram fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Out with the Old...

Is it possible that Brian is truly handing over the keys to the '97 Escort? That very same Escort that has seen him evolve from newly returned missionary to a father of four? That very same Escort that carried us through Utah snowstorms to make it just in time for California Christmases? And that very same Escort that still has remnants of melted BYU Parking stickers on the back windshield? It's the end of an era folks.

How can we forget how good the Escort has been to us all these years? I remember in '03 just the early four of us were driving up Oso Parkway and I said, "It smells like someone is roasting marshmallows," and just then this car pulls up on the side of us and is frantically yelling, "You're car is on FIRE!" Ahh, good times.

Or how about when it was officially totaled by Allstate 2 years ago when Bri was hit on the freeway by most likely the only other insured driver down here in the Valley. Phew!

And Bri can't ever forget, I'm sure, the endless taunting from colleagues who couldn't believe he would drive such a piece to work. "Just buy a new car, man."

We are so grateful that the little thing kept on ticking. What a blessing it's been to us. But the time has come to move on. So Bri relinquished the keys to one of his Young Men he helped to serve a mission. Miguel just got back a few weeks ago and now has the perfect get-around car for work and school.

In with the NEW...

Congrats on the upgrade Bri. Are new cars really this shiny? Happy to see you so happy in your new ride. 

Marin was particularly supportive of Bri's car shopping. She could already imagine herself behind the wheel. She'd done the math. She knew that it's only 6 1/2 years to driving day for her. And if our track record of holding onto cars continues, this could be the very one she drives. Little does she realize that she'll be carpooling Santi to Jr. High, Abram to third grade and Foursie to Kinder instead of those dreamy joyrides to the beach.

See his face? It takes on a far more stressed demeanor when the kids are in tow. We're trying to avoid the pungency of cheetos and milk all too familiar in the Expedition. I have to admit that date night is so much better with power locks and windows.

It's a........

Congratulations to Marin and Santi, you've got another girl in the ranks. As Tio Andrew can attest (I'm sure), there's nothing like having a kid sister.

Tough luck A-boy, but sometimes it's nice to be the only one. And since you've so enjoyed being the baby of the family, we're sure you'll settle into that "one of a kind role" just fine.

Considering each pregnancy has been exponentially more difficult than the last, Mom and Dad are heavily weighing retirement. I don't want to be like Jordan and keep coming back, so we won't hold a press conference or anything. But Big Finn is just going to have to be satisfied with me as a 40% contributor to the grandkid lot (Well 40% for now. My percentage weakens with each new Hulse grandkid. I guess at this point, we'll have to focus on quality instead of quantity).

And to foursie, we sure can't wait to meet you. You've already got quite a personality. We can already tell that you are the perfect addition to our family. With two wonderful big sisters and one vivacious big brother, you will be the most cared for little girl.