Dance Fest 2010

"Shopping" costume

Our second dance competition of the year was the first one ever that I did NOT fully enjoy as a dance Mom...  It had all the potential of being a super fun weekend since it was far enough away we made a weekend trip out of it for the whole family.  But, the venue was too small for the large crowds, parking was an impossible nightmare, the gym was literally 100 degrees and so crowded you couldn't even snatch a seat for the entire day, and because they had two separate competitions going on that our girls were in, we were seriously running from one end of the place to the other the whole day.  By the end of the day, we were all completely exhausted.  Well, except for Clint who spent a leisurely day on the USU campus with Erica while Erin and I ran around crazed at the high school.

There were 300 dances in the ONE day of competition... which began at 9am for us with awards ending at 10pm that night.  The funnest time was the hour and a half we had in between the last dance our studio danced and the start of the awards when everyone escaped the heat of the gym and the smells of the dressing room and stood outside in the warm evening air while the girls all ran around and worked on their tumbling.  The little girls on Erin's team getting pointers from the older girls who they idolize was fun to watch.  And, of course, this proud Mom did not fail to notice that Erin's skills as a tumbler are just as good as most of the girls on the team older than her.  Tumbling class every Saturday morning at the ungodly hour of 9am does pay off and she has a mean backbend and back walkover. 

When awards were finally said and done Erin's team scored High Gold for their jazz routine "Shopping" and Gold for their hip hop routine "Jump".  The ETR (Entire Team Routine) scored High Gold, Judges Choice for Best Technical Merit, Overall winner for the Show division and Grand Champions for the teen division.  For our first year at the competition, we stole the show and rightly so because they looked A-MA-ZING when they performed on that stage. Way to go, Erin and way to go Salt City STARS!!

Erin and Brynlee's teams in their ETR costumes

Nanny Bliss

There is nothing more fabulous in all the world than having a nanny. 

I remember with pain and horror the first time we ever left Erin with a day-care provider 8 1/2 long years ago.  12 hours later, she was still in her pajamas (even though I left a change of clothes and instructions that when she woke up she needed to get dressed), she'd only had two diapers used out of the diaper bag and it looked like she'd been crying all day.  She was eight weeks old and never went back to that lady again.  After a desperate call to my Mom with me in tears, Erin spent many months with my Mom and my Gram while we finally found a suitable provider.  When me moved a few years later, we totally lucked out and found "Dayna Darling" where she was until kindergarten. 

Now, eight years later and three years since we've had to do the daycare dance, it is Erica's turn.  I went back to work in March - seven weeks after I had her and a week later than scheduled due to my pesky gall bladder.  Since then she's been spending the days with her Grandma and Pa and I've only worked three days a week until our nanny was done with finals and could start working.  Today marks two milestones: my first week back to my full-time schedule - which I've been looking forward to so I can actually be productive again!, and the first day Erica spent with her nanny. 

This morning it was like the heavens opened up and all the gods of history smiled down on me with bliss...  I didn't have to rush around and leave enough time to transport Erica anywhere, no diaper bag packing the night before and double-checking this morning, just left the house with time to drive to work.  How amazing is that?  Erin is off track so she didn't even have to be dropped off at school!  I am one happy Mommy because I know my girls are home with their own stuff, sleeping in their own beds and being cared for by someone who already adores them!  I owe SO MUCH to my fabulous cousin and her hook up that allowed us to find our fabulous nanny.  (I'd say I owe her my first born but I wouldn't really be telling the truth so I won't!) 

For all of you out there who are green with envy, I'm sorry.  But I'm still not going to stop gloating and enjoying this phenomenal new phase of our lives!