Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Could be a great opportunity!

I love to take pictures, I always have my camera right handy at home to snap that shot of the kids or the pets or the wildlife outside. But I also love to bring it with me on yes Dance trips to local and not so local competitions! I love to capture that moment that not every one sees but I do. The world looks so awesome through the lens of my Nikon! I was the official photographer in NYC on our Nationals Dance Competition and wow did I capture some great shots 1200 of them to be exact.
Well I was approached by a Dancer at the Centre that needed her Senior Pictures done because her photography had to cancel, I could not believe it when she asked me, I was nervous and excited at the same time.
So on Monday September 19th 2011 we met at Fort Williams it was a picture perfect day with not a cloud in the sky just beautiful sunshine. She was so easy to work with and each pose and smile came natural to her (must be all those years of dance and performing) I could not wait to get them loaded on the computer and see what shots I could use. They are going to have a tough time deciding they were all beautiful, some things I would had done a bit different but you know its a learning adventure.
As soon as I get approval from her and her mom I will post them so you can see them. I'm hoping this will be the start of a new adventure in one of my favorite hobbies.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Time to get serious!



Well the camping season is over for us for this year. We had some great trips and made some wonderful memories, Amber as much of a girly girl that she is loves to be outside and still do the camping thing. Lauren even though she was camping while still in the womb and first official camping trip was when she was only 4 months old she seems to be a seasoned pro ha ha. Both her and Amber love to gather sticks for the fire and explore everything. Lauren is quite lucky to have such a helpful sister that will show her the ropes.
Now its time to get down to dance well we really never stop. Well lets just say its not as busy. Well classes have started at the centre and Amber is taking 7 classes this year and we are down to just two days a week in Gorham. She is the dancing queen. LOVES it! Lauren loves to watch but also thinks that she can be a part of all the classes at well. But her turn will start on Thursday where she will take part in the Tumbling for Twos class this will be a blast for Lauren, so excited to see how she likes it. So our family time in the great outdoors now switches to family time at the Centre but we are so lucky to be a part of such an awesome Dance Family. We all have a really good time. Plus Lisa (AKA Christi) is there and its always a great time when we can hang out! So more to come on the class this week for Lauren and Amber has a performance this weekend too.
See so lets Get DANCE SERIOUS!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Everyone Dance mom has an inner "Dance Mom"

When I say the "inner dance mom" I'm referring to the new show on
Lifetime "Dance Moms. I'm not afraid to admit that this is my favorite show on TV, my addiction really. I'm not one to sit and watch TV just because its on but when it comes to Wednesday nights at 10:00 you can bet that the kids are sound asleep in bed and that my butt is not moving off the couch for the next hour. Its a show about the Abbey Lee Dance Studio in Pennsylvania. She calls herself the cream of the crop in the dance world of teaching and competition. Well I will give her that she is the cream of the crop of
DRAMA and well she does have some very talented girls. Well the moms are just crazy: They fight and argue with Abby, they fight and argue with each other, things get heated and a bit no wait quite a bit out of hand. Each one of the moms have a certain personality and well have their own issues that makes the show what it CRAZY. First is Melissa she is Maddie and Mackenzie's mom she is hmmm passive but lets the others know with a slight jab once in awhile that her daughter is the best! Christi is Chloe's mom she is very out spoken and not afraid to approach Abbey when she feels that her daughter Chloe is being treated unfairly. Kelly has two daughters that dance Brooke and Paige. She feels that she is always getting the shaft on everything her daughters are always last to get everything and is not afraid to call Abby out either on anything. Cathy is Vivi's mom lets just say she wants to be the dancer she wants to be in control, she makes the rules. Holly is Nia's mom she is professional on the team that wants her daughter to have fun and not feel pressured, Holly is the level headed one on the Dance Moms team.
OK well now let me get to my point here, can I relate to some of these moms hell yeah I'm not ashamed of it at all. I want the best for my daughter, I want her hard work to pay off (Top of the Pyramid) and hell if you cross me I would be afraid to let the inner Kelly in me come out. If those dance moms really think about it YES they too can relate to one of these moms maybe not over the top like they are but at some point they have indeed had the "Inner Dance Mom" come out. Its funny to watch because if I was to categorize myself with anyone of those moms it would be Kelly!  So be at one with your "inner dance mom" its ok!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

This is only the beginning. . . .

This is how I spent my day yesterday, cleaning Amber's playroom well it has turned into well her dance room, this is where she dances and keeps most of her dance things, shoes, bags ect. Well going in there and seeing costumes rolled up in the corner, dance bags with some clothes and dance bags with just shoes. It was time for some organization. Was much easier to do it without her here. She tends to be a little pack rat hmm wonder where she gets that from.
So now the closet that once was home to games of Candy Land and Connect four is now a dance closet. This is just a small amount of dance costumes of recent competition dances and recitals the others have been packed away. Lets hope that this organizing system works a little better.
Its hard to believe that my 9 year old already needs another closet for her stuff and this is just Dance Stuff, wow this dance mom thing does not only involve spending time well hours on end at the center but it has now over taken a closet and leads into being home. Maybe we will need to add on to the house! Lets hope that will not be for quite sometime. I would still like to add some more shelves and would love someplace in her room or in her playroom to put up her ribbons and trophies, but I also have to remember that she shares the playroom with her always on the move little sister. This year I want it organized so we can just pack it and go and not hunt around for a missing pair of booty shorts or a hairnet at the last minute. We will see how well this closet works out! 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

I'm the same person I was but now I have come to reality that I'm a Dance Mom!

I decided to change up my blog a bit, It first started several years ago as a random blog about anything and everything. Then a little over a year and a half ago, it was changed to my life as a stay at home mom. Now it's still a little bit of both of those with an added twist of me being a Dance Mom!
Now when Amber started dancing in 2005 I never thought it would become her passion, maybe a hobby but not a full time life. From her first recital as a snowflake to her first competition in "Car Wash" she is now passionate about Dance. Amber has been on the competition team for three years now. Last year was her first solo "He's a Tramp" a tap number, and also her first duo "Anytime you Need a Friend" with her "big dance sister Liz.
From the moment that Amber competed in her first competition I knew she would be hooked, so it was just a matter of time before the life of just a class or two at the centre would change and boy it has.
Last year was Amber's first duo and solo competition as I said earlier. I will never forget it we were at the Dance Educators of America Dance Competition in Springfield Mass. Our first travel and overnight competition. This was the first time that Amber would perform her solo and a duo for a competition. I was so nervous I remember tossing and turning the night before as she lay sound asleep next to me.
The next morning it was time to do it, make-up check, hair check, costume check, oh and the dog check. The moment that the number and name was called I had tears rolling down my face (hey no one ever said that Dance Moms don't cry) At that very moment I knew that my life had changed for the better, I was an official dance mom. Having it be our first travel competition it was full of fun, trip to the mall with country bumpkins take on big city Springfield, to the centre game Scatagories, hmm met my match on being competitive (Mariel) and well learned that you can only let the Director cheat so much before you have to put a stop to it, and knowing that you can learn a lot about some people by just spending a weekend with them. Thank god no one was killed (right Christi) So now continues my life as a Dance Mom. The stories will get better and well you will just have to stay tuned. Oh and if I can add this is one Crazy Dance Family we belong to but man you gotta love them!