Dance Recital

 Are you ready for it? OK, let's do this. As always, the grainy, crappy photos were taken by me, the amazing photos were taken by our good bishop.  

LIESEL

Pointe

Maybe it's just because I'm her mother, but Liesel really shines on stage. She's paler than the average girl so she automatically stands out but she's also so beautifully statuesque- I love watching her dance! My mind still cannot comprehend dancing en pointe- it seems so intrinsically painful!

Ballet

Again, it seems like Liesel just glows from within.

BRIGITTA

Ballet

Tap

Gita is probably my only child who really and truly loves tap. Everyone else either didn't really take much or didn't enjoy it as much. Something about tap really fits her personality.

Lyrical

By far my favorite dance style and Gita has a way of throwing herself into the movements that I just love. I know I took a lot of photos of this one but you can tell by the swish of her hair and costume how much she put her heart and soul into this number!

Hip Hop

When Gita needs to get down and dirty, she has no problem pulling a stank face and some sassy moves. Maybe it's all the fighting she does with her siblings? Somehow hip hop is a great outlet and it gives her a space to really pull out her moves.

SYDNEY

Jazz

These two are besties and it's fun when they get to dance together.

Tap

For someone with little to no bootie, Sydney really managed to shake hers in this number!

Lyrical

Hip Hop

BRIGITTA & SYDNEY

Tumbling

I really loved this year's tumbling number! People's eyes were starting to glaze over as the dances kinda started to blend and infused the whole place with so much fun and energy. It's practically impossible to get good photos because the girls are either running or doing tricks so these will have to do. The costumes were super cute and they clearly enjoyed being a part of it. I wish I hadn't been quite so close up because watching the video back I can see how they did really fun formations and tricks that went all the way to the back of the stage. 

BRENT

Dad's Dance

As always, this brought down the house- especially the part with the legs. Brent and the girls always keep this number a closely guarded secret so I can enjoy the surprise and man did I ever! I love how Brent isn't afraid to put himself out there and get involved. He's made a lot of friends with the other dance dads.

I'm so proud of my girls! Of course that includes Ireland who bravely soldiered on as long as she could until having to give her knee a rest.

Recital time is always full of mayhem but it's always so worth it!

Friends and Neighbors

 When we found out our old neighbors would be in Chicago for a volleyball tournament, we jumped at the chance to meet up. Gita and Ireland in particular were close with these girls and we love spending time in Chicago. In all honestly, I've avoided Navy Pier since the very first days we lived in Illinois because I found it to be insanely expensive- a tourist trap if ever there was one! But hey, we hadn't done it in a while so it was time to give it a second chance. 

Did you know the ferris wheel was invented in Chicago? Fitting that one is such a fixture right there on the water! Snapped some singles of the girls since we parked on the top level and the view was pretty cool.

At long last we met up and these girls were beyond thrilled to see each other again!

We did ride some rides including the swings and the ferris wheel which I found absolutely terrifying.

Beautiful views of Lake Michigan and the city though!

I didn't know much about volleyball but loved watching when I was at BYU (they have an incredible team). Watching the game I learned a lot and man it is a much more intricate sport than I ever gave it credit! Mad respect for the liberos. We truly had a good time cheering this one on.

We were able to have lunch and play some card games until we said goodbye. These neighbors were such good people and we definitely miss them but we will see them when we head out to Utah this summer!

So not really a goodbye so much as a see you later. And really, that ferris wheel with the city in the background looks so cool!