Intensive Showcase

Earlier this summer, Caitlyn attended a two week studio at her ballet studio. At the end of the time, they held a showcase.

Caitlyn even had a solo. Woo, hoo!

(Tried to upload a video, but it didn't work. Oh, well. If you're Caitlyn's friend on Facebook you've probably seen it already :).)

We're off!

This year, Caitlyn's ballet recital was "The Wizard of Oz."



This school does a neat thing. For the recital each year, the director chooses a story based on how many seniors there are that year, then each graduating senior gets a lead role. This year there were several seniors, so an ensemble in Oz, it was!

 

 

Caitlyn was the munchkin coroner, a tree, one of the witch's flying monkeys, and a dancer in the Emerald City. The coroner was an amusing role for her, as it was a comedic role and she is generally serious. Unfortunately, I took the worst show pictures I have taken in YEARS, and none of the coroner ones were even clear. Sigh. Pout. I did, however, get this one pic of her in her outfit. Not the best picture, but since it is the only one, it must be included :).



 



 

The trees posed during the tin man scene. Not dancing around, but they were very pretty. It's kind of funny, these are the same costumes they wore to be Ozians. They were bought to be green in the Emerald City. When the costumes arrived, they looked amazingly like trees.  So, Miss Amy added a quick change and there were four trees in the tin man scene! Caitlyn also held the tin man's oil can behind her back until Dorothy came and got it :).



The next role was a flying monkey. This was a fun one. In this particular scene, the wicked witch had given the monkeys fierce instructions to go get Dorothy.

 Instead, however, as soon as her back was turned, they decided to have a little fun. It was really funny in the context of the story.



 



Eventually came the big ballet dance, the Ozian dance in the Emerald City. Their teacher said that she was going to both make them look good and give them the combinations she couldn't trust to any other group, haha.



I think she succeeded on both counts :).



I love Caitlyn's lines in this picture. And the simple fact that her leg is so far up in the air. While she balances. On her toes. You know, normal stuff :).



And finally, the finale!



I'm a little proud of my beautiful ballerina.



What fun! 
Caitlyn was thrilled her aunt and uncle came to watch.
And I am thrilled that she attends a school where she is learning and growing as a dancer.
Good tidings all around!


Change of the Seasons

Soccer has ended, dance just ended (it is very odd for us to not have dance something to attend,) school is (mostly) finished, and we are ready for summer!
We have central AC, which thrills me. We had no ac since we moved which probably traumatizes me more than if we had no heat!
Some fun news is that a good friend of Caitlyn's is coming to stay with us for six weeks. She has been accepted into a college's medical training program near our house. We're ready for (semi-)daughter number four!
Caitlyn, of course, is bemoaning the end of dance classes and not sure what she will do with her self for two whole weeks before intensive starts.
Keegan is looking for summer soccer and excited to try a program that was recommended to us.
Kelse is pretty chilled, hoping to volunteer at the humane society some this summer.
VBS is coming right up. Caitlyn and Keegan are signed up to help (how did Keegan get that old?!?!) and Kelsey is registered to be there. She has already been to a helper practice, though, so she has a head start on learning the songs :).
Keegan and Kelsey both had significant haircuts. Keegan's hair is over a foot shorter and Kelsey now has bangs.
A trip to Washington is in the works (Thank you, GEICO!)
We are still missing our moved away friends and Brooklin, but have gotten to have fun visits with each.
We are now at lunch break for the filming of the movie in which the girls are extras. Except we already ate our lunch :).
Dance pictures coming soon!

Another typical sight

Caitlyn and Kelsey were having a snack when much giggling ensued. This was the sight I saw when I peeked in.

Evidently Caitlyn decided she would use Kelsey as a prop to stretch as she ate. Then when she finished, Kelsey held on to her leg and wouldn't let go. It's always interesting :).

Caitlyn Quote

When Caitlyn dances, no surprise, I take pictures. Instead of admiring my lovely dancing daughter, she has a tendency to use my wonderful pictures to critique herself. Looking through some pictures I took of her dress rehearsal, she commented, with feeling, "Oh. I will definitely cross my sous-sus tomorrow."

A Typical Night

Virtually every night this otherwise intelligent teen-ager very dedicated ballerina puts a blanket on the floor and starts stretching and exercising.

 That lasts about ten second before the dog comes, sticking her nose in Caitlyn's face and wanting to be petted. Caitlyn patiently pushes away the dog with a foot or hand, whichever is closer :).

 The cat then brings her a toy, wanting to play fetch. Caitlyn gamely gives the toy a toss.

 The cat returns the toy, eager to play some more. The dog then realizes that the cat is receiving attention and becomes ever more determined to fit onto Caitlyn's lap. And push away the cat at the same time.

 Caitlyn pets that cat and again pushes away the dog. We all reach a certain level of frustration.

 Finally, Mom intervenes and the dog is put on a leash and held where she can not reach Caitlyn (who usually continues to play with the cat) until finally - success! An exercise!

You can see the pitiful head of the dog who is as far as the leash will let her go, still trying to join in the fun.

 Poor girl. With all these distractions, it's a wonder she can do a split at all!

Just a typical night!

A little more Nutcracker

Some final Nutcracker pictures. Including the awesome friends and family that came to support Caitlyn.

Well, the ones that would let me take their pictures, anyway ;)

It just so happened that there was a school performance on a day we were keeping Brooklin, so she was the first guest. Along with Keegan, Kelsey, and me, of course :).

Additionally, this was pajama day for senior company's spirit week.

In case you wondered. 

 Brooklin, Keegan, and Kelsey checking out the trolleys outside before the show started.

 It's snowing!

 Yay! One of Kelsey's and Keegan's very best friends, Tyleah, came with her mom.  We were so glad to get to see them!

(This was ugly sweater day, but I don't think that sweater is bad. :)

 

Yay, again - Uncle Terry and Aunt Coleen

 

 One night I got to take some pictures from the wings.  This made me happy.

 It looked like a lot more snow up close than it did from the audience.

Sigh. Over until next year.

Dance, dance, dance

What good cousins :).
Brooklin was into dancing today.

And costumes.

 And this teddy bear.

And Keegan and Kelsey dancing with her.

They spun.  They waltzed.  They balleted.  They partnered with the bear.
What sweet cousins.  And what fun to watch. 
I love little girls :).

On the eighth and ninth days of Christmas...

Caitlyn, day 8 - Final Nutcracker performances :(. It just so happened that Keegan and Kelsey had basketball games at the same time, not close by.  After much internal drama and trauma (for me -the girls were ok with however things would work-) I went to the ball games.  Then Caitlyn performed her understudy part in addition to her regular part! Yea, but boo! Happy for her, but I have never, never not seen a part she has done.  She reassured me it was not a big deal, or a big part.  But my mommy heart was not convinced. Glad one of us handled it well.
On a side note, Kelsey had a great game :D, and Keegan's game was cancelled :(.

Keegan and Kelsey, day 8 - Ice igloos! We have igloo making kits that come with specially shaped ice trays which make pieces that an be assembled into igloos.  Unfortunately, I forgot to use sugar water in the trays, so the igloos were pretty melty and difficult to handle. Kelsey decided to eat hers, since she likes ice, anyway.  Round two is in the freezer as I type :).

 

 

Day 9, everyone - Our first ever time to The Living Christmas Tree.  Wow! Fantastic!  I was amazed at what a tremendous production this was. It was great!

16 days and counting!

On the seventh day of Christmas....

Christmas shopping for everyone!

 

 

 

Nutcracker dress rehearsal for Caitlyn

 This is a cute little foot thing the company does before performances :).

 

 

 

And Keegan and Kelsey?

Well, something very cool, but for the moment, shh! It's a secret.

 

18 days and counting!

On the second day of Christmas....

Nutcracker performance and company party for Caitlyn

 

 (Mom worked backstage and got to snap some pictures from the wings :))
Love this one of Caitlyn, waiting to step onstage.

 

"It's A Wonderful Life" for Keegan and and Kelsey

 



 

23 days and counting!