nutcracker week

Thank you- thank you

To all you readers out there!!

I was so surprised at the response I had to going private- wow!

It's just so nice to know there are people out there who love us....

SOOO

anyway...

thanks again

and I should be blogging more regularly - even daily now

-BACK TO THE BLOG-

THIS WEEK IS NUTCRACKER WEEK!!!

This cutie has been having the time of her life dancing all week up at Weber State.

Her ballet school puts on the Nutcracker there every year there.

It's such a wonderful production!

The New American Philharmonic Orchestra plays live music for them & there are 4 professional dancers from Ballet West in the show. Also- a lot of the costumes have been handed down from Ballet West so they are really great too.

Ya- I kind a like it...

It's a big commitment being in the nutcracker!
She tried out back in September- has been practicing since.
Besides selling a required amount of tickets (not too hard), chaperoning twice, being on a committee.... etc. Brett is helping take down the set tonight after the last performance.
It's absolutely worth it- every minute- when you see the look in Chloe's eyes. Well, that & see her commitment, drive & excitement about the whole thing.

Tuesday night- I chaperoned the Arabians.

Last year I finally learned that chaperoning on Tuesday night (the first dress rehearsal) is the best! Why- because you don't have to stay downstairs in the dressing room the whole time. During the act they are not in- you get to sit in the audience & watch with your dancers. It was so fun to sit next to Chloe & hear/see her reaction to the show. She absolutely loves it.

the Arabian scene is in the second act-

We went down & got costumes on.

While we were waiting I snapped some photos- these girls have been really fun & nice.. some of them frankly... have been a little jealous of the soloist (Chloe.)

Let's face it- it's hard being a teenage girl.

EVERY YEAR I forget and EVERY YEAR I am reminded of how nice my daughters are. I know they are not perfect- I know they have their bad days. But, sitting quietly as a chaperone in a room full of candy canes & Arabians I see some mean things, just a few- thankfully- but still. I of course... don't take to that very well & typically find myself embarrassing the mean girl by calling her on it ... but I won't go into that. (who's the real mean girl... ?)

I'm so grateful for Chloe's kind friends.

Blair on the left here is one of them... love you Blair.
She is a red soldier this year & I NEED a picture...?

Chloe- Thursday night, just before going on.

isn't she beautiful!

All the YW in our church congregation came to support her. It was so fun for her knowing her friends & leaders were in the audience.

Of course when the started chanting CHLOE! CHLOE! CHLOE!

that wasn't really, ya know... proper? oops.

Afterward- on the way home (11:30 PM)

we dropped Hailey off on our way home at Wende's house.

Months ago Wende was so sweet & bought Hailey a ticket to the midnight show of Harry Potter. Of course that's before the whole nudity issue came up. We let her go anyway... she's seventeen for heaven's sake & I didn't think it would be all that bad... Hailey said - even though that scene didn't need to be in the movie- it was not as bad as the media made it out to be- you couldn't see "anything" & it was just plain media frenzy? I'm curious what other people think now?

on to last night-

This is a LOOOong post.. I have so much to catch up on!

Wednesday morning my parents flew up from St. George where they live (my sister works for an airlines.) It's been a very special nutcracker year! They've never seen her dance before so we were of course, thrilled to have them. The whole family was here. Marcus, brittany & brit came up. We had dinner than traveled up to the ballet.

getting in those last few messages...

Trent loves brit & of course... wanted to sit next to her!

She is a 1st grade teacher & she is wonderful with kids- but especially wonderful with Trent.

DAd & Me

photo by Trent

siblings- after the show-

this photo is for you Megan & Jack.

I'm not so sure if Trent is happy to be in it.. ha ha? - he says he was trying to go cross eyed- Well, of course? That would have looked good! NOT

boys...?

Grandma & Grandpa with Chloe.

cousins

Grandma & Grandpa with the grand kids.

Chloe did such a GREat job!

Being the Arabian Soloist has been an absolute dream come true for her. It's so fun to have a part where everyone can see you & tell it's YOU. Every night several different little dancers come up & want to talk to her & point & stare. She remembers doing the same thing at their age. It's just been such a thrilling experience for her.

I love you Chloe!

I'm so lucky to be your mom

The last performance is tonight - I can't wait to be there- in ROW K!!

-awesome tickets-

BREaK A LeG-

well, not really
Love mom