The Nutcracker

Our Nutcracker Program is this Wednesday and I hope many of you can come and watch. It is such a neat program - it's not just a Dance Recital, it's children acting out a Christmas Play, set to music. There is also more Christmas songs and dancing with props in the second half. They do such a good job - you will not be disappointed. And it will definately help you get in the Christmas Spirit!

I'm even in the show as the 'Aunt' - there are several parents involved on stage. These are some photos from the last time the Clay Center group did The Nutcracker, in 2006.

Lauren gets to be a soldier...again this year! Each of the classes works on a part in the show, like Soldiers, Flowers, Mice, Snowflakes, Angels...and then we put them all together the night of the show.

Jalyn was a snowflake last time, this time she's a Soldier, a Flower and a Candy Cane.

Airika was our 'Clara' in 2006. Wasn't she cute!

I always loved this picture of the angels watching and waiting to go on stage. There are so many neat things about the show - you will enjoy it even if you're not there to watch someone specific. It is just so neat to see the kids on the stage trying so hard.

The Show is on Wednesday December 3rd @ 7:00pm at the Martyn Snodgrass Auditorium. Tickets are only $5 for adults and $2 for children - I hope you can make it!

Please Pass the Rooster

Friday night was the Football Association End of Year Banquet. It was fun to see all the boys together, and to recognize them for a fun year of football!

Here's Phil giving the 5th grade speech...it wasn't as boring as Bob is making it look.

On another 'football note', at a recent Tiger Football game, Jace and I were sitting in the stands together. He was more 'into' the games this year, understood what was going on on the field and knew some of the players. He turns to me and says, "Can you please pass the rooster?" Huh? I replied. "The Rooster, can I look at it?" After a few minutes of this I realized he was asking for the Roster....

Which reminds me of last Halloween when we were at my Moms with all the cousins and the kids were making candy trades - you know, I'll trade you my Snickers for your Hershey bar, important bartering skills. They kept wanting to trade their 'Whoopers' aka Whoppers.

Jalyn got a new PJ outfit a few years ago for Christmas that came with a matching Robe. She was frustrated one evening when I wouldn't bring her the rib, the one that matched her PJ's.

And finally, this one really cracked me up...today I was being silly at home and Jace says 'Mom, I'm really glad you're not a normal Mom'. What does that mean exactly? According to Jace, normal Moms are always helping with PEP and are always having parties at their houses and make their kids dress nice for school....hmmmm...I guess we don't have parties much - when I'm vacuuming the kids always ask whos coming over.

What did I ever do with my time before I had two goofy kids!!!

Strike a Pose

Nevermind those boring 'stand up straight for the camera, kids' pictures - when I tell my kids to strike a Halloween pose, this is what I get:

Jalyn was a Genie and Jace an army-guy. He got all new garb and Thanks to my Mom - had all Phil's Air Force Patches sewn on by Halloween Night! He's soooo into military stuff, in fact he was an army guy last year too!

I was also the room Mom at Jalyn's classroom...wait a minute, where's our little Genie? Ahh yes, shown here is Jalyn's Halloween Costume #1, the Old Lady. Jalyn lives in a Dress-Up World...if she didn't have to wear real clothes she wouldn't. She would be something different every day of the week. So a few weeks before Halloween, she has a Master Costume List, models each and every one, then asks for a scale of 1-10 rating. She then evaluates the list to determine her top 3 choices. Then she changes her mind 3, no 4 times, to come up with America's Top Costume. She packs it neatly in her bag for school, ok she stuffs it in her bag, wears it for the school party, comes home and 15 minutes before Trick or Treat time she decides to change costumes. Last year she went from a Black Cat to a 50's Girl. This year, Old Lady to Genie.

Dance Clinic in Wichita

A few weeks ago we went to a 'Dance Directive' in Wichita. It was a day-long dance camp with lots of interesting teachers and styles of dance! The highlight was getting to meet Kourtni Lind (a So You Think You Can Dance contestant from last season)! She was one of my favorites on the show and recently joined the Talent on Parade Dance Directive Staff! She was our teacher for Lyrical and Contemporary dance. The picture above is our girls (except Haley - she was in the Advanced Room) with Kourtni!
This picture shows the large group warm-up. I think there were about 100 kids there!

We split up into 2 groups, Advanced and Intermediate. Here is Allisa, Zoe, Miranda and Jalyn in the Intermediate room. Tap Dance was the first thing we learned.

I was proud of Jalyn - several times during the day she volunteered or was chosen to dance up on the front stage! She was raising her hand and answering questions - which was a little frightening in a group that size, considering she was one of the youngest ones there! She was definately 'in her element' at this day-camp! In this picture she's the one in the middle on stage!

Here is Kourtni Lind's class - and I was cracking up at how Jalyn had made her way ALL the way up to the front row! She's in the middle with the knee socks on!

We took lots of time-outs to watch each other in groups. Here's the girls being cheezy for the camera! It was dark in the room, and my camera didn't do very well with the lighting and red-eye!

I was also very proud of Allissa when she was selected as a Scholarship Winner at the end of the day! They only picked 8 kids, and she won a certificate to come for free next year! (she has on red pants in the back row!) Overall, it was a good time and I can't wait for next year!