Disneyland with center stage singing groups

Really fun time this year with the singing groups. 3 days of Disney with a bonus of knott's and universal. Kids' are having a blast!!

Ally and me at the Ballet West Academy spring show.

It was beautiful! We loved it. They performed parts of Giselle, had a children's ballet at the "park", did several pas de deux and a contemporary piece. Just really well done!

Last day of school 2012

The girls with Gracie, Anniston, and Colin. Slip and slide with strawberry shortcake!

Birthday gathering for grandpa Stan's 94th

Happy birthday for Stan at Stan's!!!

Wipe out!

Will enjoying his first wipe out this summer on the slip and slide. All the kids had a blast at the Hunter's!

Manda on memorial day

Ally on memorial day--2012

Beautiful in red:)

Manda asleep in my lap at church

How long will she do this?

My boys at costa vida

We had a lovely lunch all together!

Stationery card

Butterfly Girl Baptism Invitation

Find unique birthday cards and birthday invitations at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

The First Competition

My girls as most of you know decided that ballet alone was not something they could tolerate.  They have fallen in love with Center Stage and all the chaos that goes with it.  They love the energy and the people there too.  They have also had a lot of catching up to do...lots.  So to that end,  we lead this crazy life of busy"ness"  and it involves school then for Manda 2 or 3 hours at CS and for Ally 3 or 4 hours a day at CS.  It also involves a lot of private coaching from great teachers like Stacy Bills, Janalyn Memmott, Kenzi Norris and Vanessa Millecam.  Ally is even starting private coaching in ballroom with Ashly Del Grosso. 

It is finally starting to pay off--they look great.  Really great.  Ally went from no pirouettes this summer to three.  Manda is working on her doubles too.  Manda got her splits...which for her has been a huge accomplishment and Ally at the barre can develope her leg to the side so high that it almost touches her ear. 

For my end, I was so nervous to teach my own kids.  Let me say it is different.  They don't listen as well to mom sometimes...grrr.  But I am glad we have gone through it.  They have become fun for me to teach (mostly) and I wouldn't want to give that up now.  What's more, it is one more thing we can bond over...some of my greatest friendships have come through dancing. 

Their first competition was last Saturday.  They both did so well, I am so proud of them.  Both of their teams took first...Ally's team took overall for their division.  What a way to start!

Of Inspector Morse...and Wordsworth

I have always loved a good mystery.  Ever since I discovered Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys books I have clung to every clue to figure out who had done it.  When Andy and I were first married he introduced me to Poirot and Masterpiece Mystery.  We have continued to be big fans but I am the one who stays up late curled under the blanket watching old reruns on youtube. 

My favorite currently is Inspector Lewis which is a spin-off of the Inspector Morse series.  How often does American TV use classical music or poetry in any of their series?  With Inspector Morse and now Lewis Oxford is the scene of the crime and all the suspects recite Wordsworth and Shakespeare...inlcuding Lewis' sidekick sargeant James. 

With the baby, the work hours, and the running of my children around it has been a beautiful vice.

http://seminary.lds.org/manuals/book-of-mormon-video-guide/bm-vid-2-11.asp

haha surreal moments in my life...

Will Taylor is 16 months!

Getting Inspired

The competition I entered did not go my way.  There are many things I could say about it, but won't.  Let's just say that it ranked up there with my 13-year-old URB experience I spoke of earlier.  Tho, I really liked most of my work.  It was a difficult piece and we simply ran out of time to get it where it needed to be.  But on the bright side, I am newly inspired to have a great year--full of connecting through workshops and classes, full of opportunity to choreograph more, and to re-emerge as an honest to goodness artist.  A blue day can turn into a bright year--thankfully!!!

Center Stage Concert

So I am beginning a youtube account.  Should've done it previously.  But will post some of the girls dancing at their center stage concert.  Ally had the time of her life.  It is clear she is happy at CS and loves this dancing arena rather than ballet productions.  I am cool with that, she looked beautiful.  Manda had one mishap--she was too tired by the time she got on stage and missed her walk-over.  She came off stage to me saying, "I am so embarrassed!!!"  I hugged her and told her about the time I had a horrible show...(mom, remember the URB do-your-own-choreography when I was 13?)  Anyway, told her about that awful experience and what Jackie said to me.  She said she was glad that I had had a terrible show because she knew it would only help me in the long run by more hard work, focus and desire to succeed.  I had a great year after that.  And so will Amanda.  Her other piece went really well...she is a beautiful girl!!

Oh, on the funny side, I had to learn new hairdos for the show.  After doing Manda's poof thing she looked in the mirror and said, "Poofection, Mommie!!! 

Disney January 2011

The Taylors December 2010

Funny things my children say before I forget to write them down....

Manda continues to be a source of lively entertainment.
1. Upon finding herself in time-out in Mrs. Bethel's class, Manda states that she will be in soooo much trouble when she gets home!
2. My bunny looks just like you, but smaller to a guy dressed as a bunny for halloween.
4. Upon almost hitting a child with her scriptures during a lesson on forgiveness...sent to the hallway for that.
5. When Manda saw her mom talking to a man Manda didn't know, she walked right up to the both of them and stated, "Are you going to be my new daddy?"
6. Why do we have foreheads?


Willisms
1. did a plie
2. dropped candy into his halloween bag
3. said thanks
4. said diaper, dad, mom
5. said kisses
January 2011, said up, off, gulk (milk), dog
January 2011, signed, please, more, dad, mom,
6. loves his sisters!!!
7. pushes manda into his room to play, really puts his arms into it!
8. can really dance well! has several moves which surprise us all!


Allyisms
1. Come hungry, leave happy. To the primary president who shared information about a Relief Society dinner and said so be sure to come hungry, ally replied, "and leave happy!"
2. okay mom can I have a private?
3. ally on beating boys--literally

I heard Blogger deletes blogs when inactive over time...

Just so blogger doesn't get any ideas...

I have almost completed our back-up pictures of those we had lost. Many friends and family have contributed some beautiful memories to our growing collection! It is taking a lot of the spare time I do have so I haven't blogged much. But I will blog again. Much to discuss...