My Little Ballerina

Dance photo time! We only had one this week, we have 6 more next week - it's going to be a busy week of hair and make-up!

Kansas City

We spent the weekend at a dance competition and convention in:


We headed up on Friday, and Saturday was early morning rise, make-up & costumes then competition.

This was the girl's first competition and they did a great job! Here is Mackenzie's group doing a dance to "Closer" (merit award):
Peyton's group doing "Twist" (2nd Place), love this shot of the dresses twirling:

Peyton loves the facials!

Mackenzie's Hip Hop dance (2nd place):

Lunch break - we headed a few blocks over to find a somewhere to eat. Stopped at a fantastic market but I was feeling a little overwhelmed by their unbelievable selection so we headed over to a place with just a few things on the menu, burgers, burgers, and burgers (Mackenzie and Emily went with Rob next door eat Mexican).

After lunch we headed back to the music hall to watch more performances and for the awards ceremony. To place you have to be within a certain point range, so we were very proud of the girls.

After awards we went back to the hotel to scrape the make-up and glitter off then that evening we took the girls down to the Plaza - shopping, dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, carriage ride, and pictures with statues - ha! Peyton LOVES those penguins (notice the shirt, too).

Our horse, Mack, did a great job of taking us all around the Plaza.

Sunday the girls spent all day dancing at the convention. They had a GREAT time!

While the girls were dancing all day on Sunday, Jason and I went to an auto show that was going on in KC. I checked out a few vehicles that I'd been thinking I wanted next (not anytime soon) and I was so disappointed because I don't think they are going to work for me. Ford has this robot named Hank, he was very entertaining! I wish I had a video camera. I also checked out a smart car and the complete opposite - a Jon-and-Kate-Plus-Eight-Type-Mobile.

We had a great time and came home to catch a little of the Academy Awards. The girls will have another competition next weekend here in town.

Winter Wonderland

The girls participated in Bentonville's Winter Wonderland parade with their dance team. It was a cold morning but they had a great time.
Afterwards, KDA had their Christmas Party and they got to perform. Next week we'll be traveling to Arkansas Children's Hospital to perform - Mackenzie is so excited for this, I think because that hospital is so good to her!

Saturday, September 26

Last Saturday was pretty busy - as is everyday lately (reason for my lack of blogging!). Mackenzie and I started the morning with a movie. The girl's dance studio had a fundraiser and we all went to see Fame. Peyton had a soccer game and didn't get to join us.

I found it to be hard taking a picture in a dark theatre. Tatum, Emily, Maddie, Mackenzie & Rachel: Peyton got to have some fun too - she went to Molly's party at Justice and she turned into a little rocker. Oh my.

To finish the day, the Urhahn's had a group over before cotillion for pizza and games.

Back to Everything Week

Last night Peyton had Open House at her new school. She met her teacher Mrs. Phelps and we walked around CPE. We loved Mrs. Phelps and we all have a great feeling and think this is going to be a fantastic year!
After Open House, the girls had their first night of dance. Peyton had ballet:

Mackenzie had Jazz and Hip Hop (here she is with Samantha):

Tomorrow is the first day of school. Today we are going to go walk every aisle of Walmart to figure out something for lunches. I hope the day goes by very slowly - I'm sad to see the girls go back. I'm going to miss them. They on the other hand, seem to be very excited to start and I guess it will be nice to get back into a routine.

Let's Dance!

Our Saturday was almost entirely devoted to the art of dance! The girls had dress rehearsal all day followed by the recital. Peyton had to be on stage to practice at 8:35, Mackenzie at 10:40 and both at 2:30. The performance started at 4. If we weren't in the car driving back and it was time for changing, make-up and hair. At one point we stopped at Walmart (for "beauty shop" supplies of course) and ran into a friend that was a little thrown off by the made up faces!
Peyton and Ashley:

Rehearsing (video is below, that's Mackenzie during the "What has he done for you lately?" part).

Kendall and Peyton got their certificate for their Cecchetti exams.

I was so sad for Emily! She dislocated her knee during a softball tournament a couple of weekends ago and couldn't dance.

Peyton and Mackenzie with their ballet teacher, Mrs. Beth.

And with Mrs. Laine:

Videos from dress rehearsal:

Recital Preview

Yesterday the girls had their recital photos taken. A little bit hectic with their costume changes but I'm glad we got them all done in one afternoon! I took a few snapshots while the girls waited for their turns to say cheese.

Peyton's Hip Hop Class, "One World":
Little Red Riding Hood, Mackenzie's Ballet Class:

Sleeping Beauty, Peyton's Ballet Class (I had a sibling picture of Peyton in this with Mackenzie in her Little Red Riding Hood costume. Both are a part of a dance including several classes).
I'm excited about this one! Mackenzie's Hip Hop class is doing their dance to a remix of Janet Jackson songs.

I wish I had gotten a few snapshots of all the girls in each class. They all looked great. I guess I'll have to wait until the professional pictures are in!

The Nutcracker

UPDATE: Lindsay pointed out that I didn't really talk about the actual performance so I updated below.

Saturday was the day the girls have been preparing for - performing in the Moscow's Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at the Fort Smith Convention Center. My little snowflakes were beautiful (we weren't able to take pictures of them in their costumes). Here they are when we first arrived in Fort Smith:
With Kendall:

Listening to instructions. Jason and I dropped them off at 10am and didn't get to see them again before the performance at 3:30. They had pictures and a run through with the traveling dancers.

The show was beautiful! The girls did a great job and at the end when they came out to take their bow Mackenzie got to hold the Prince's hand and Peyton held Clara's hand (this may have been a highlight for them). It was amazing to think that the local dancers and the traveling dancers had only practiced together that day. They do a great job of teaching the choreography. My only frustration is that while they were onstage, the woman right in front of me was getting in trouble for videotaping the show and that was distracting. I'm told we'll be able to buy a DVD of the show.

After the show:

Road Trip to OKC

Peyton went to OKC with Kendall and Traci last weekend to go to a Dance Masters Convention with some of their fellow dancers and Mrs. Beth. They had such a great time and learned a lot! It was the first time that Peyton went that far away for a weekend without me and I sure did miss her but I am so thankful that she was with Traci who always takes such good care of her.

Parent Observation

Jason and I got to go watch the girls during dance on Monday. Here are a couple of pictures from each of their ballet classes.