Shark Tank!!

Again...I stole most of Megans post, really not trying to be lazy just added a few lines but want to catch you up on.

SHARK TANK!!!!
Finally after 6 long months of holding this secret in we can finally scream it from the mountain tops...or from the beaches :)
We had been fans of the show the first season and casually Adam sent in an email telling them about Tippi Toes during the spring of 2010. Well, we were contacted back in late August about starting the selection process to appear on Shark Tank which is a business reality show that airs on ABC. We started a grueling paperwork process and video submission process. We kept being so excited as we would make it to the next round of qualification. There were 55,000 applicants so we felt like our chances were slim, but we thought...why not try?!!!
The month of October was so intense!!! We knew we were close to making the show, but still didn't know for sure. They finally told us for sure the before we were supposed to board a plane headed for LAX!! The suspense at the time felt lethal, but looking back it made it so much fun!!
We were put up in a fancy hotel near UCLA and were in LA from Thursday until Tuesday. We worked so much preparing, but we also managed to squeeze in a Laker's game, a drive to Santa Monica, shopping and house gawking in beverly hills!!! So fun!!!
On the day of shooting we had some time with hair and make up and we were on the Sony lot which Adam Sandler was also on at the same time (I never saw him though).
We met some fascinating entrepreneurs and made some great new friends who were also in the Shark Tank running!
Being in the Shark Tank was thrilling, overwhelming, terrifying, surreal!! The Sharks are not what I would call warm and they are not there to be kind - only to make money. You will have to watch to see what happened when we were in the tank!
After leaving LA we were told that they filmed 100 of us and that only a fraction would actually be aired on the show. Well we just found out that we have been selected and that on April 15th at 8pm CST our time in the Shark Tank will be aired!!!
We are having watch parties all over the country so hopefully all of our family and friends will watch together across the country!!!
Megan and I have had so much support along the way from family and friends and we are grateful for that!! Regardless of the outcome we are still loving Tippi Toes and the fact that this is our job is always astounding to me!! I believe in what Tippi Toes offers and I believe it is the best childrens activity available. I am challenged by our job and the balancing act of being a mom and wife first. God has blessed me tremendously and I am forever thankful.

My Gram is AWESOME!

Janet "Gram" Stephenson, 92, beats the boys in NFL football pool

Janet "Gram" Stephenson knows how to pick ’em. Don’t bet against the 92-year-old on a football game, because odds are, she’ll beat you.

Janet, a Kansas City, Mo., resident, has been participating in sports pools for about 25 years. She has won pots in Montana, at a local high school in Missouri, two different hotel pots and in an annual bowl pool.

Her son, Tom Stephenson, an M Streets resident, enters her in Dallas contests, too. This season, Janet beat out 32 men in the annual contest at Back Country Bar-B-Q on Greenville Avenue. The only female who entered, Janet picked every NFL regular-season game against the line.

Even though she stamps all of her pool sheets with a shamrock, Janet said it’s not luck that’s helping her win.

“I hardly ever turn off ESPN; I read the lines, see who’s hurt,” she said.

By choosing 150 games correctly, Janet also posted a higher percentage than local sports journalists who regularly pick against the line.

“She quantifies everything,” Tom said. She’s an expert. I’d put her up against Dale Hansen or any of them and she’ll crush ’em.”

Tom, who moved to Dallas from Kansas City in the early 1970s, said the whole family has always been sports oriented.

“One of the things that helped keep everybody together was the love of sports,” Tom said, who still has siblings in Missouri.

Janet said she caught the football bug early on from her father, who was an avid sports fan.

“When football is over, I practically collapse,” she said. “I hate it. I just get bored.”

A few teams she can never bet against are the Kansas City Chiefs, Notre Dame and the University of Missouri, where Tom played football.

“She will hardly answer the phone during any televised game,” Tom said of his mom. “She looks like a bookie sometimes because she has so many pots going. It’s not unusual for her to have five or six various interests going out there [at once]. She’ll sit there and scream at the TVs and referees.”

Janet is currently in second place at a pool at another local establishment, too — Stan’s Blue Note on Greenville Avenue.

On Jan. 31, Back Country Bar-B-Q honored Janet’s accomplishment by having her name engraved on a plaque, which will hang on the wall of the restaurant with names of previous winners. The coolest thing for Tom is that his mom “called it” last year when she was in town visiting.

“We went to the barbecue joint and I showed her the plaque,” he said. “[She said], ‘Next year, my name is gonna be on top of that.”

Janet didn’t know she would be getting the $600 pot money, too.

“I was so surprised,” she said.

It’s been a good year for Janet, who said she is lucky to have great kids and great health. And her mind, she said, still seems to be just fine.

“It’s a great age,” Janet said, who will turn 93 in April. “I have a great life … and I have from the beginning. I thank my dad for it … [but] in my second life, I’m coming back as a linebacker.”

Janet wanted to mention one more thing: Tom, who also entered in this season’s Back Country pool, came in dead last.

GRAM’S SUPER BOWL PICK

Janet's Super Bowl pick for this year: “That’s easy. Green Bay. I used to hate them and now I love them,” she said. Gram thinks the Packers will win by about three points. “I think it will be close.”

Connor turns 2!

Some of our best friends Brooke & Milam hosted their son Connors 2nd birthday party this past weekend. It was so much fun. Brooke has such a vision for parties and is totally the ultimate party planner. If you remember she helped put Lucy's party together for me this part summer. Adam was out of town on business so I was manning both girls at the party by myself - that is my excuse for the horrible pictures I took. I never had a minute to really take pictures. I walked in their house and BAM - there was a party. It was perfection. Connor is so sweet and was having a blast! Brooke and Milam didn't miss any details. It was the perfect event! Check out Brooke's blog in a few days to get a good view of the party! www.milamspace.blogspot.com

Best Buddies! It is so fun watching the 2 of them interact!

Look at this beautiful table...ok it is a horrible picture on my part.

Look at Connors face - priceless! Lucy enjoyed the dance party so much!

Lucy, Connor and many other friends joined the dance party on the homemade stage!

Lola found where the cupcakes were hiding and she was so EXCITED!!!

Lucy found the perfect treat - chocolate covered marshmallow with sprinkles!

Lola playing hard at Connors Party

Check this out! Brooke made this. It is one of Yo Gabba Gabba's characters - did I mention SHE MADE THIS!

Brooke getting a big squeeze! Brooke is the ultimate party planner!!

Michael Milam - doing anything for Con Dog!

Sister Kisses!

Lola dancing - she has some of the best moves!

Trying to get a picture of the girls together...umm not successful.

Dinner with Grandmommy & Poppy

Friday night Adam, the girls and I met Adam's parents in a small town between our two houses. I am not sure the exact town but it was a fun little dive. We had the perfect room where we could hang out, talk and spend time together.

This is a little puppet doll that Buzz had a blast playing with, with the girls.

Daisy reading a book to the girls before dinner.

During dinner, Lucy said "Excuse me, my brother is calling" and she went over by the window and got in a deep discussion with "Aca" her brother. Her imagination is so precious, I wish I could just bottle it up.

Daisy, Lucy and Adam

Buzz (behind the doll), Lola and the puppet doll that entertained us the entire night.

A visit from Fave

It is ALWAYS such a treat when Megan comes to visit us. The girls LOVE her so much! She helps out with meals, playtime, naps and bed. She brings so much laughter to our house and the girls totally favor her when she is here. We had so much fun, we even had a tricycle date (Adam, Megan and I went to PF Changs) this baby was craving spicy lo mien. Megan and I took the girls to the pottery shop so they could work on their valentines gifts....oh and just when you think I am on top of things with that....they also did their Christmas ornaments for grandparents from last year. I am so not on top of things.

As always when she comes it can't always be for play. This time was no exception. We worked out tails off. We have our second CD - Tippi Toes Let's Boogie being released early this summer and we were working on the finishing touches. We videoed 60 dances for our franchisee, worked on our summer princess camp project as well as recital and a BIG SECRET we are dying to share...but not just yet!

Lucy picked out this dinosaur to paint. There were a million choices but this was the one she picked out, she even named her "Afa"

Lola was having a blast painting everything in site

I was so impressed with Lucy she knew exactly what color she wanted and exactly where she wanted to put it.

Fave helping the girls out

The cutest little painters

After a fun day...we were all worn out

These girls are the best of friends. Lola is following Lucy everywhere, watching very closely every move she makes and trying to do the same.

Lola and Daddy - they are snuggle bugs

Lucy is in love with this interactive Grover book, she has watched it a million times!

Thanks FAVE!! We love you, come back soon!

Lola's First Haircut

At 13 months Lola's hair was growing so much. As you can see, even combing it with water it was all over the place. Adam, Lucy and I took Lola for her first haircut. She loved every second...it could have been the sucker we let her eat the entire time!

Getting ready for her first cut

She was very relaxed and had a blast sitting in the chair. She thought the spray water was so funny

Looking beautiful Lola!

Ta-Da! It is perfect!

The back...managed!

Livestock Show

June and I took the girls to the local livestock show down the street. I had never been to one before it was great. The local schools were all out for the entire week for this big event!