What I Love About Recital

After the Starz Unlimited dance recital on Wednesday my sister asked me what I liked best about the recital. I was stumped because I couldn’t think of any one thing that would answer that question. I said I liked it all. But now I can explain my answer. 

What I love best about the recital is seeing it all come together. When you get to the night of the recital, it isn’t just another performance. It is so much more. When I am at the recital, this is what I see and feel-

I see nine months of preparation by the dancers as they learn technique and choreography through hard work and dedication.

I am inspired by how far each dancer has come during the year.

I see dancers developing self-confidence by going on stage and performing.

I admire and am grateful for the talents of the instructors who teach each student and choreograph each dance.

I witness the friendships that develop throughout the year and see the dancers cheer for one another, help one another and work together.

I feel the excitement of family and friends in the audience who are so proud of their dancers.

I recognize the many people behind the scenes who worked to make everything come together.

Seeing the dancers, music, costumes and choreography all come together make a magical evening that I am always excited to be a part of. While preparing for recital can be a lot of work, the outcome is always worth it.

Crazy, Busy May

I just realized it has been nearly a month since I posted anything on my blog. Let's just say that May has been a crazy, busy month. I still don't really have time for a nice long post, but I'm going to give a run down of my month so someday when I look back on here I will be able to feel some sense of accomplishment.

Weekdays were busy with dance classes and helping my mom get to appointments and errands. On various weekends we had dance pictures, competition at Lagoon, and preparing for the studio yard sale. Oh and an extra dance performance in there somewhere. In between these activities lots of hours went into studio planning and writing  notes and announcements for all of the above mentioned studio activities, and planning for recital. (I will save recital planning details for another post). In between all of that I tried to play catch up on taking care of the house. Oh, and caring for my kids too. And maybe seeing Mike once a week. (The poor guy has been such a good sport and my kids are lucky to eat because of him).

May has also been exceptionally rainy. The weatherman announced with excitement today that we had broken the record for the rainiest spring ever (or at least since 1860) in SLC. Between my schedule and the rain I still haven't planted any of my flowers that I excitedly purchased the first week of May and then plopped in the flower beds where they are still sitting in their containers.

We will race through this week with more preparing for recital, dress rehearsal, and the recital itself on Wed. And then throw in a few more doctor appointments and errands for mom, and shopping for and helping Zach get ready to leave for scout camp next Sunday. Oh yeah. I think I also have a daughter with a birthday in a week. I might need to do something about that too. And I might just get those darn flowers planted at weeks end if the weather cooperates and I am awake enough to do it. 

One more week and then I plan to take my foot off the accelerator and creep down to a nice, slow 5mph for a few days and get wrapped up in my family and reading some good books. I can't wait!

 

 

Emma's 4!

Emma turned 4 on April 28th!

 

 

Easter Day

Today we enjoyed attending church, finding Easter baskets, having a family Easter egg hunt and reviewing the story of Easter with the resurrection eggs (see details below).

Here are a few pictures of the kids in their new Easter outfits. This is the only photo that Emma willing posed for today. She was more interested in getting into her candy. She is wearing a dress Isabelle made her for Easter.

 

Resurrection Eggs

One of the traditions we have done for several years are the Resurrection Eggs. We place the listed item and the printed out scripture in a large plastic egg and number them 1-12. We take turns opening the eggs and sharing the scriptures and discussing the meaning of them. This is always a nice way to remember why we are celebrating Easter.

Egg 1:

One sacrament cup

(Matt. 26:36, 39) Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saieth unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Egg 2:

Three dimes

(Matthew. 26:14-15; Luke 22: 47-48) Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,  And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

Egg 3:

Twine with knots in it

(Matt. 27:1-2) When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Egg 4:

A piece of soap

(Matt. 27:24-26) When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Egg 5:

Square of red fabric

(Matt. 27:28-30) And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

Egg 6:

A small nail, toothpick cross

(Matt. 27:31) And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Egg 7:

Two dice

(Matt. 27:35-36)

35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there.

Egg 8:

A tiny bag of crushed rock

(Matt. 27:50, 51 & 54) Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Egg 9:

Strip of white cloth

(Matt. 27:58-59) When the even was come, there was a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus disciple; He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth.

Egg 10:

A stone

(Matthew 27:60, 62-66) And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparatation, the chief priests and Pahrisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefor that ahte seplulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead.; Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

Egg 11:

Bayleaf spice or cloves

(Mark 16:1-4, Matthew 28: 2, 5) And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

Egg 12:

An empty egg

(Mark 16:5-6) And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.