Walking like Grammy

Just found this video of the girls walking like Grammy.  The one day Allie said, "Grammy let me show you how you walk," and then did this.  Another night she said, "Grammy why don't you try walking like a normal person."  Good thing my mom isn't easily offended by her grandkids.

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.

One smart cookie Brailie

This is a video of Brailie saying her name, her address, her phone number, what country she lives in and then the Pledge of Allegiance (which she kinda gotta tired of speaking in the mic by the end).  At the end she said, "go army" which is what all the basketball girls do at the end of the pledge since the former assistant coach has gone to war and he always used to say that too.

Uncle Steven with energy

Polka Dancing

While at home the girls were in the basement exploring with Grammy (and let me tell you there is plenty to explore down there) and they came across our childhood record player.  My mom brought it up and put new batteries in it and the thing played like a dream-I mean it had amazing quality of sound (that goes to tell you that toys of the past were built to last).  So we tested out many different old records.  Allie's favorite was "Maneater" but one night I convinced her to play a polka record for Grandpa Sam because that is his favorite music.  He didn't hardly move the whole time but I did see his foot tap slightly to the beat.  I wished with all my heart he would have just jumped off that couch and did his classic bob and bounce just like he used to every sat night while washing dishes and listening to the old time dance party.  I listened to a talk recently about the healing power of music and I wonder if a even 15 minutes a day of polka music wouldn't do him some good.  Probably wouldn't want it on his own-wish we would have found the record player sooner while home.

A Piano Duet

This is Allie's "favorite" song I taught her how to play it with me on the piano.  Sometimes she plays her part on her little piano she got for Christmas too.

We want to wish you a merry Christmas

For my girls

When my dad was diagnosed with cancer this spring I was pretty heartbroken.  I took my girls and went home for a while to wait until things got better.  I went to see him in the hospital for the first time and when I had a minute alone with him he asked, "how long are you going to stay" and I answered (through my tears), "until you get better."  But he didn't get better-not while I was there (in fact he didn't even get out of the hospital in the time I was there) and he kept getting worse in the weeks and months to follow.  Before I left I sat beside him on his hospital bed to tell him that I loved him just in case I didn't get to say it to his face again. I had plans to say a lot more but it was awkward so I left it at that.   There are lots of times that I wish my dad was better with showing his feelings and being a bit more sentimental about things.  Sometimes a daughter just has things she needs to say to her father that require an extra amount of sensitivity.  The weeks and months following made me think a lot about ways to show my girls that I love them, both right now and in the future.  I think that if I was possibly in my last days (if I had the chance to know an end might be coming) I would want to call them every day, or more than once a day to say hello and tell them that I love them.  I would want them to find evidence of my love in all the things that are around them as well as in memories that they have.  I have a box for each girl in the basement in which I keep special things for them.  I have been trying to add little gems of love more often so that when they get older they will have as many reminders as possible that their mom loves them.  This is one of those gems.  It is a slide show of my favorite pictures of the girls.  There is no particular order.  The music speaks thoughts from my heart.  It is about 20 minutes long so I don't expect many of you to sit through it (except for my mom of course and Auntie Helen and Uncle Doug).  If nothing else though maybe you could watch it through the first song.  I first heard this song months after Brailie was born.  I was struggling with post partum depression and was having a really difficult time.  This song came at just the right time for me.

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Another video for Grammy to appreciate

This was at Melon Days during the parade.  I just love how Allie just has to move to that beat. 

ABC's and a little business

I found Brailie in the bathroom doing business and singing her ABC's.  She loves to take her sweet time in the bathroom and I guess she is making good use of that time.

Allie Riding Her Bike (it's a short one)

Can I just say it is really hard to have two girls on bikes, one of which no longer wants to ride her bike, and trying to capture the magic on camera at the same time.  Hence the short clip.

Brai's ABC's

She can even keep singing while standing on her head.

Videos Videos

I appologize for being so behind on this blog.  I feel like I am behind on everything so it has nothing to do with this in particular and I know how much checking my blog means to my mom so I am doubly sorry.  I have a bunch of videos to share so I will do that for today until i can get pictures up. 

We wanted to find a bigger bike for Allie at DI but they didn't have any but they did have this scooter which of course she had to have and likes to ride (sometimes but not always).  She is pretty good at it though.  Check it out.

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.
This is a video of the girls dancing to their new favorite song, "Baby" by Justin Bieber.  You can't really hear the music but you can see that Brailie is learning to follow in her sisters footsteps in the performing department.

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.
And finally this is a video of the cousins dancing at Auntie Helen and Uncle Doug's house.  Uncle Doug had put on some polka tapes and the kids were dancing and I was in heaven listening to the music and remembering when I was little and my dad would play and we would dance all over the house. 

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.

Chatter Box

Brailie is singing "one, two buckle my shoe, three, four, shut the door, five six, pick up sticks, seven, eight lay them straight, nine ten a big fat hen" (only by nine ten she got hungry and wanted to start over).

Shake your bootie

Mom who does this remind you of?

Popcorn Bopping and Video Overload

I bought this CD recently at Deseret Book for the girls.  It is dance mix versions of popular church kids songs.  I am telling you what some may think it is blasphemy but I LOVE IT!!!!  I probably love it so much because if we had had this when i was a kid my brothers and Tovah and I would have been putting together some major performances and hitting the road to become rich and famous.  I think I could possibly be found driving with this CD playing in my car...without my kids in toe.  Totally reminds me of my childhood.  Oh and did I mention that the girls love it.  Allie is really into dancing right now (just not as much when I try and video) but this is really bringing out some new dance moves in this little girl.  This CD and the Strawberry Shortcake Sing and Dance Along CD.  I am adding a selection of dance related videos (mostly for my mom) but I am sure I know a few others who will get a kick out of them.

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.

Untitled from Heather Parsons on Vimeo.

Around the island

This game just never gets old.

Brailies Dance

Allie is not the only one with rhythm, Brailie is really getting into dancing too. 

Brailie Reading

I realized the other day that I hardly have any video's of Brailie as a toddler and she does so many cute things.  So I am trying to catch her cuteness.  Here she is reading.  On this morning I was coming out of my room after praying and reading scriptures and found her by herself in her room, in the rocking chair reading her favorite books.  Warmed my heart.  Here she is showing all the animals she knows.

L-E-T-S-G-O

I took these videos of the girls before we left for the state tournament.  Allie is a really good cheerleader!!

Allie Dancing

I know you are probably tired of the Allie dancing videos (well not my mom-that I know for sure).  This one just shows how much more rhythm she is getting all the time.  And I don't know where the break dancing moves came from (Greg must of taught her while I wasn't home).