Conners Jazz Ensemble Concert

This is my baby boy Conner. Okay, he's not so baby any more. He's big ole Freshman who loves music. He started out Jr Hi playing the Clarinet, but moved up to Tenor Sax. He is in Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, and just finished up with Marching Band. Yup, he LOVES music. And girls, but that's a whole nother story. Oh, and he's playing the guitar too, but that's just for fun. If only he liked school work as much.
Conner thinkin' he's all that! Well, I guess he is. Could be that I am a bit biased though.

In the Jazz Ensemble this year, he was picked to do a solo in a few songs. He felt a little overwelmed, so he dropped back to just one solo. I recorded it, but it was with my little camera, because someone, I won't name names.... Conner.... lost the charging cable for the camcorder. Anyway, I will load that later, takes a little while I guess.

The most talented kids....EVER!!!

I know, I say it all the time. I have amazing kids. But I can't help but say it when they just continue to show me how truely talented they are.
This time it's Brianna who amazed me. She decided she wanted to do an entry for Reflections. The theme this year was "Wow", and she wanted to do a dance. She, and her friend Rachel, picked the music, choreographed the dance, came up with costumes, then had me film them performing the dance. It was cute, but you know, an 11 year old choreographed it.
Well, today I got a phone call saying she won, and is moving on to the council level. They also want her to perform it at the awards ceremony. Wow is all I can say!! They are worried the stage might be too small, but they are excited.

The Pulse Dance Convention

Brianna on the first day of the convention. She is in the intermediate group, about 500 or so in this room. My camera battery was dying, so my pics aren't too good. I'll get some better ones soon. The convention has some of the best choreographer/dancers around teaching the classes. This level has 4 classes on each of two days. They learn danced combinations very quickly, and have a great time. It's exhausting for the girls, but they learn so much in a short amount of time. Brianna's feet are killing her by Sunday night, but she's got a smile on her face!

I can't remember which teacher had this in the dance, but it's very interesting. One teacher, Tyce Diorio, asked the class who knows how to do a particular jump they were working on. Brianna raised her hand, and he had her do it. He said she needed to flex her foot more, but great job. Of course, I was in line getting her lunch, so missed a great photo op. Darn lunch line at Pizza Hut!!! But I was so proud she was brave enough to raise her hand.

This is at the Q&A period on the last day. See what I say about a smile. She was so tired and sore, but doing what she loves best!!

Disneyland Trip

After riding this ride a few times, I was done, but the kids wanted to go again. So Brianna took them. We should have known, that without parents on the ride with them, something would go wrong. Here they are, all happy and wet after the big drop.....

Here they are looking at the end of the ride, just around the next bend, still wet and happy.....

And here they are stuck under the bridge, for 25 minutes! At least they weren't sitting in the sun like a few of the rafts. Seems a raft got stuck somewhere, and they had to shut the ride down to fix it, but they wouldn't let anyone off the raft. They said they couldn't help them off the ride while the water was flowing, and the ride would be fixed quickly. Wrong wrong wrong. They said it would be fixed "momentarily" every 3 or 4 minutes, for a half hour. Poor Carson was in tears, but thankfully they were on the raft with a great family, who cheered them up. Needless to say, this was there last raft trip!

Have to take the picture in front of Mickey every time we go. Now it has sparkly lights, which don't show up on film very good, but look very cool in person.

Disneyland Trip

Well, a few months or so ago, my friend Tanya said her sister was taking her kids to Disneyland, and she kinda wanted to take her 3 little ones too, but she didn't really want to drive by herself. And, she wanted someone to go on rides with Brady, who happens to be the same age as Brianna. We got to thinking about it, and realized that I was already driving to Las Vegas for a dance convention on the weekend. What if, we thought, I just go a few days earlier, and go with Tanya and the kids. What a great idea, we thought, and yet another road trip was planned. (We like to do things like this!) So, we left on a Tuesday, stopped in Vegas that night, and got to Disneyland Wednesday. Great day, no lines, not too chilly! We also spent Thursday and Friday at the parks, then headed back to Vegas Friday night. Along with half the population of LA it seemed. We got to the hotel about 12:30, and were quickly checked in and sent to our rooms. The last sentence was said with great sarcasm, because it took over an hour to check in, and when we did get to the rooms, they only had 1 bed. What's the point of making a reservation I asked. To guarantee the room, they replied, not the bed types. So, after yelling and crying at the manager (who did NOTHING!!!), and waiting until 4 AM!!!!! for roll away beds, and not getting them, I fell into bed. Kids slept on couch and floor or tub or something. Can't quite remember!! But, aside from crap hotel, the trip was great!!

Brianna and Brady working hard on Pirate Island (formerly Tom Sawyer Island for you old people). Wish I had one of these at home. Not sure what for, but they had fun turning it.

This is a picture of Aladdin and Jasmine. I saw them, hurried and took the picture, and later realized that no, I don't know who is in the pic with them. Oh well.

Brianna and Brady on the Haunted Mansion ride. I got some great pics of the ride, until over the loudspeaker I hear "Please don't take flash pictures on this ride!" Oops, I thought as I quickly put my camera away. So for you travalers, who like to take pictures, don't take them on rides at Disneyland, they don't like it!!!

But the flash makes things like this great Christmas wreath show up sooo well!

Brianna and Melanie on the Astro Blasters in Tomorrowland. Brianna loved having little kids to help out with, and also liked having Brady along to make him ride the scary rides with her.

New header

I know, the header isn't quite done yet. Waiting on getting pics back, then I'll put the those in the boxes.

Why rainbows are special.

Rainbows are special in our family. Whenever we see one, we have to run and get the camera. We have actually been known to follow rainbows. Brianna always wanted to see the "end of the rainbow". I told the kids years ago that my baby boy Carson made us rainbows up in heaven, to let us know he was thinking of us. That's why we love them so much, makes us think of Carson when we see them.

Fall fun at Hee Haws

Me having a blond moment. I was taking a pic of this really cool rooster, and I commented how still it was being. My dear friend Tanya then told me it was fake. Sure, go and ruin the moment for me. Still thought it was a cool picture.

5th grade fieldtrip to Hee Haws. It was actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Who knew farms were actually interesting. And the day couldn't have been more beautiful. I love fall!!!!

Marching Band

I know, great pic huh. I tried to get a close up of Conner. He's the 4th one from the right. It rained almost every band competition. But they still did great.

Look at those lines!! And the really cool thing, Conner marched the entire season with two broken toes. Now thats dedication!

Catching up with Conner

Conner flying a kite on the beach in Oregon.

Hanging out at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. We take this same pic every year we go, and it's fun to see how much the kids have grown.

That's my lacrosse player. This was his first season, and Conner loved it! So, we bought all the gear, and he's getting ready for spring 2009. He plays defense, so he gets the big stick.

Dancer form

Look at the form. Wow.

Brianna turns 11

We took Brianna and her friend Rach to Cheesecake Factory for her birthday. They had to dress the same. Crazy girls.

Haviing a little fun with pictures. These two are such hams when you get a camera around them.

The girls making themselves comfy in the lobby of the Raddison. The chairs are props for one of the team dances, and I guess they got tired of carrying them!

This is Brianna's dance team, Junior Prodigy. The name of this dance is "Party". Don't they look like they are ready to party hardy? Can you find Brianna? She is on left side, kinda leaning over.

This is the posing in their "Living Room" costumes. Brianna is right in the middle. This was THE most amazing dance, and placed high 1st every competition! I'm not sure if you can tell in the picture, but Brianna is the youngest on this team, and she totally keeps up with the older girls! Yeah Lala!!

Brianna and Rachael getting their Queen awards for the duo they did. Good job girls!

This is Brianna and her BFF Rachael getting ready for their duo. They danced to "I can cook too", a song from an old movie. They did really well at every competition (there where 3). They took queen, Emerald and 1st place.