Catching Up

Ok It seems that I always promice myself that Im going stay at this, but things get crazy and this gets put on hold. Well Its now almost December one of my favorite times of year. Is it the holidays, another year older for me (not really) the end of a year, I think it maybe a mix of everything.
I have always loved this time of year, my birthday is amongst the hustle and bussle of the holiday and yes it tends to still get tucked aside but oh well its not nearly as fun to celebrate a birthday when you get older or is it, I always love a chance to celebrate. Maybe its the magic of the holidays that I love so much, the lights, the music the decorations the cheer, the MAGIC of the season in my children's eyes the gleam of sheer delight as they take in every last detail of decortating the tree, decorating the house and the wonder of it all.
Im so lucky that the spirt is still alive and well here in our home and it makes it so much more magical, last year we welcomed Tinsel our Elf on the Shelf into our family and this year she brought her twin sister with her Sparkle and WOW have they caused some mischief but its awesome to hear the first things from my daughters in the morning be "lets find Tinsel and Sparkle and see what they did last night. 
For this is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year right.

Here is Tinsel and Sparkle's return to our home this year.

I think of myself as a support system and a friend to many, never really in my years growing up did I have a lot of friends but the friends that I did have were always loyal as I was loyal and close to them. In my adult years I have met people that have come and gone and yet have always learned something valuable from them even if they were in my life for a short period of time. But its funny how I still have ties with my friends I grew up with, we may not speak on a daily basis but when we do we always pick up right where we left off.
Having a family makes a huge difference on the people you want in your life or the people that end up in your life, and ours is our dance family, each family is unique to us in their own ways. We really did not really get to be part of this dance family until about two years ago and Lauren has grown up at the centre and she certainly thinks of them all as her big sisters and brothers, its really awesome.
Well just within the last two years I have really become close with Lisa a Dance Mom at the centre, Amber and Liz have done a duo together, Amber and Lauren call her Auntie. For the last two years and we have shared some well a lot of memories together, from trips to NYC, hotel adventures and competition adventures and everything in between.
It was a month ago when Lisa confided in me about a lump in her breast and as a friend I told her that everything was going to be just fine and that I'm sure it was nothing to worry about, Well it was in fact something to worry about she has Breast Cancer. Do I feel like an ass oh yes I do.But I guess I cant beat myself down because friends do things like that they make you feel better and they always give you the positive than the negative, Does it hurt knowing that she will go through a double mastectomy hell yes it does, do I think its the right decision for her yes I do and do I think that she will be a survivor you bet she will be.
Tomorrow is her surgery and I know that she is in good hands she has the best Dr's and the best support system not with just her family but with her friends as well. They say that laughter is the best medicine well I can tell you that over these past weeks I can for sure say that I have made her laugh so hard she cried, she likes to tease me that she will have new boobs before me referring to my breast reduction ha ha. She is a very good friend to me and to my family she is the sister that I never had and I'm proud to cal her my bestie. When this is over I will be proud to call her a survivor. I love you Girl.

The journey to a new me. . . . .

I have embarked into a new lifestyle, I'm still the same old fun and loving me just trying to be a skinner and healthier one. I have started Mend a Body a program that allows me to eat certain foods, low glycemicand no sugar and low carb. I have given up my full time soda habit and my love for the baked goods, my will power has definitely been tested but I have not given up. My first week was really a long hard week only eating protein no fruits and veggies but my willpower paid off the first week with a 7.6lb loss and a 1 and 3/4 inches lost off my waist I will take it. My 2nd week I lost 4lbs. So down a total of 11.6 lbs.
I get the question a lot of well what can you have or where do you want to eat or can you eat there, I can eat anywhere I just need to make the right choices and so far I have. I know that I have a huge support system. Its kinda funny to hear Amber ask me can you have this mom or that mom and the other night she wanted to go out to get ice cream and Matt said to her Amber is that really fair to mom, sorry she said to me I guess it was not fair. But that is one thing that I don't want to happen is for my family to suffer well not saying that not having ice cream is suffering but you know what I mean, when I get at least 20lbs behind me then I can cheat once in awhile and it will not effect my weight.
So here;s to willpower and fruits and Veggies.

Competition Recap

Well Dance Competition has been month after month since January, so a little re-cap from Headliners in New Hampshire, having the centre not competed here in a very long time we were unsure what we were all up against, well it was a very hard competition, but Amber and the team still made us all proud, Amber was choosen by the judges as a nomination for the USA dance team with an opportunity to perform in Germany, a very high recgonition. I think after leaving that competition the team knew that they all needed to step it up a bit and in March they did just that.
Turn it Up Dance was our March competition and this has always been a favorite of mine (having been to Nationals last year) I saw how well respected they all were as a staff and as a competition. Amber was running for Miss, Junior Turn it Up, so she had to introduce herself and answer a question which maybe she had a hard question or maybe I'm being a very biased mom. Anyway she answered it very well. What was the question it was "Besides dance what do you like to do. Hmmm Amber's world is dance is always at class, she is always dancing home, stores, school ect so her answer "I like to read and do math and well you know stuff like that. For a 9 year old I would say that she answered that question pretty well. Amber's title number was "Broadway Baby" well I saw her confidence the moment she walked out on that stage and she nailed her number. I was so proud of her. It was an indeed a pleasure to watch the Centre girls and guys this weekend that made all of us Dance Moms and Dance Dads very proud. Amber received the "Future Barbara Streisand" award, "Broadway Bound" award along with a scholarship from Broadway Connection to attend the New England Summer Dance Camp.  Amber won Platinum's on both her solos and took 1st place with Broadway Baby. She was runner up with Miss Junior Title and it was amazing and totally took me off guard as they announced the Overall High Score winner of the weekend was #60 "Broadway Baby" that was my girl my own "Broadway Baby" it was so awesome. I think it took some time for it to sink in really did not until that night at home when we explained it to her. I'm so very proud of her accomplishments at just 9 years old she is an amazing little lady and I'm a very proud mom.
So our competitons this year have been very sucessfull this year

New Year New Competition Season

Well the start of the new year brought us our First Dance Competition of the season. It was held in New York City. So here we go back to the Big Apple. It was a tight schedule finding out that we would need to be there for the first number on Friday at 3:00 with the bus not getting in until 12:50 and that was without any delays. Oh did I mention that Amber is the FIRST number to open up the show oh yes #1
Well off we left on the 6:00am bus and hit some traffic so we did hair on the bus and then we still had an hour to spare after we took a taxi to the hotel and venue.
Well Amber was first up with her Tap number "I ain't in Checotah Any More" being first is very hard to do you are the one making the first impression she did very well but her nerves showed.
Then only 10 numbers later Amber was up for her jazz solo "Broadway Baby" and every worst dancer, teacher and parents nightmare happened. Amber's music skipped not once not twice but close to five times and did not even finish playing the end of the song. But do you know what my "Broadway Baby did she kept going and going and going and she never once missed a beat if that music was off she made up for it, as I felt my stomach tighten up and tears form in my eyes hoping that she can pull this off.
Well she did it pulled it off and won a platinum and 1st place in her age category it was awesome. That moment will forever be one thing that we will always look back on for a very long time. Watching the support from her big dance sister Liz hug and squeeze her as she came out from behind the stage and her other "Big" dance sisters and "2nd Dance Moms" We truly do belong to a wonderful second family that can show their support to this little dancer. She won a Silver on her tap number and so she needs to work on facials and not being so nervous going first, but live and learn.
Our NYC trip was full of some great laughs and tons and tons of memories. So here's to a wonderful Competition season

Ok Time to Catch Up.

Ok I see that I have put off my blog shame on me, Well it is now the start of 2012 and lets see if I can catch up. Hmm September's blog was me starting something new and that would be my Capture the Moment Photography. It all started with Amelia asking me too take her senior pictures. So I decided to try my hand at a business so since September I have done many photo sessions, (but that is on a different blog)
Dance Dance Dance is once again in full swing with Amber as well as Lauren.
Lauren took a time for two's class on Thursdays in Gorham with Ms. Vicky and two other children. I think I have an up and budding little dancer with Lauren as well. She loved everything about class.
Amber now takes Tap, Gymnastics, Competition Class, Ballet,Lyric, Jazz, Hip Hop. So Saturdays are now our dance day it makes it much easier on all of us. 
We are at our second home in Gorham, on Thursdays and Saturdays and Wednesdays as she does her solo practices.
Our Holidays were great and memorable. Watching Christmas through the eyes of my girls is perfect I love it, Lauren was all over it opening each present and ripping paper very slowly piece by piece then turned into shred by shred. Amber she is just getting so big but still enjoys the little things we welcomed our Elf on the Shelf Tinsel into the house this year on Thanksgiving keeping the Magic of Christmas alive for many, many years to come. The girls loved finding our elf every morning and it was fun having our new friend join our family.
So here's to a Happy, Healthy New Year. Full of laughs, magical moments and memories.