SYTYCD

In case you don't watch So You Think You Can Dance... you're seriously missing out. And you don't even have to love dance. A piece last night (see video #1) danced by Melissa and Ade, and choreographed by Tyce Diorio was the most amazing thing ever. It is about a friend of Tyce's who is currently battling Breast Cancer and it was impossible to keep from crying while watching it. Especially when thinking about my mom.

This is a show that not only teaches about dance and inspires so many to dance for the first time, keep dancing, or come back to dance. It also speaks to issues in our world today. This season, Addiction was also touched on (video #2). Choreographed by my favorite choreographer ever, Mia Michaels, and danced by Kayla and Kupono. Video #3 is one of my favorite of the season, also by Mia Michaels (go figure), danced by Randi and Evan, and is about nothing else by Randi's butt! Its just a fun, incredibly original piece. After that is a piece from this week by Laurieann Gibson, danced by Jeanine and Brandon about love and being soldiers in war. Jeanine and Brandon are amazing and I couldn't help putting it in. Lastly... is my favorite dance of all time on this show. Season 3, danced by Lacey and Neil, and - sorry - choreographed by Mia again. This one is about Mia losing her dad to cancer and meeting him in heaven. It is simply amazing.

In any case... watch one video, watch all 5, but I just had to express my love for dance, and the amazingness of this show. If there was one thing from my past that I desperately wish I still did, it is dance, easily. Anyway, enjoy!

Having fun....

I've been re-vamping the ol' blog the past couple days. See if you can spot all the changes!

Also... summer is glorious and I could spend every day I babysit in the pool with kids. WOOT!

“For weddings and a funeral.” Pt. 2

Trait '08 Wedding - Steve was in it, I was Kait's lackey for the day :)

Our wedding!! Come on, just try and tell me we're not cute!!

In contrast to my last post, I am also an expert wedding goer. My large family and friend base has provided me multiple opportunities a year to perfect my wedding etiquette.

This year is a slow year for me. Besides our wedding in January, we currently only have 2 weddings to attend. Over the last three years, I have added an extra couple weddings each year on account of photographing them. In stark contrast to attending funerals, I quite enjoy attending weddings. I love seeing THE DRESS, the color palette, the table details, the ceremony structure, the bridal party outfits, the jewelry, the food, the dancing… etc. I love it. I think if I weren’t in Art Education I would have potential to be a wedding planner. Maybe I’ll attempt it at some point in my life! Of course I was more than excited to plan our own wedding; I loved every minute of the planning and the day itself. (Okay, maybe I wasn’t a huge fan of stuffing and sending invitations, or doing the seating chart…) Either way, if you want to invite someone to your wedding who will provide pure excitement, I’m your girl!

I have been to my variety of weddings as well… catholic mass, non-denominational, inside in a church, hotel, and building, outside at a conservatory and camp, afternoon start, and evening start…etc. I’ve even watched a live streaming video of a cousin’s wedding in Las Vegas. I’m ready for just about any wedding situation you can throw at me.

I know which outfits are my wedding outfits… which mainly consist of dresses, but occasionally I’ll throw a skirt or two in. I have tricks to make sure my dresses stay comfortable all day as well. I have the heels I can stay in all day and night which work equally well for sitting in a pew and dancing the night away. I have certain gifts I usually go for on the registry, and have some gift ideas stowed away in case I need to create something on my own.

Steve and I have even started a game in which we try to predict different things throughout the night – Wedding Betting! For instance… guessing if 1 Corinthians 13, Genesis, or Ephesians will be read during the ceremony. Other categories include but are not limited to… food served at the reception, first dance song, and getaway car. It’s a fun game, I suggest you play with us or play it on your own when you attend weddings!

Whatever the case may be… We do a good job of having fun at weddings. I’ll never be the sloppy drunk friend at your wedding, but I’ll toast a few to you. I may not dance to every song, but I dance til my heart is content. I won’t object during the ceremony, but I may shed a tear or two. And I may not always be sitting in the front few pews, but wherever I sit I’ll sit with my wedding knowledge in hand next to my support for your marriage. Let me know if you need anything.

“For weddings and a funeral.” Pt. 1

This week, I have realized how bittersweet it is that I have so many people in my family and that we are so close. The great part, is that we have a bunch of weddings to go to, and babies being born. The bitter is that we also end up attending a lot of funerals.

Steve and I went to a funeral today for my Great Uncle Dick. He was a cool man, very, very sweet and kind hearted, and just a cute old guy. It was incredibly sudden. He was in great health, had survived colon cancer, didn’t have heart problems, and spent time regularly at the yacht club and with his grandkids. Last Saturday, he tripped on a dock and fell into the water. When he got out of the water, he said his stomach felt weird. After heading to the ER, they found out he had a stomach aneurysm, and immediately he underwent emergency surgery, which he came through with flying colors. Tuesday, he had a massive heart attack and never regained consciousness. Thursday morning at 4am he passed away. My Aunt Zoe – his wife – is the cutest little lady, she’s super tiny and super hilarious, and now, super shocked. Their daughter Sharon altered my wedding dress and added the red sash to it. And Sharon’s kids were the two who participated in Beau’s magic show at our wedding to give some of you a little context. The silver lining to the funeral? Steve and I got to see a lot of my family members who will be at the Lester Family reunion we can’t make it to at the end of the month.

In a way, I sometimes feel as if I am a professional at weddings and funerals. In 2005, I went to a funeral every month, March, April, and May. The first was my Uncle Bob who was my dad’s best friend of 35 years, and it was impossible to get through and still gets me teary eyed when thinking about it – including now. April was my Great Uncle Harvey – my dad’s uncle – who was the closest I ever came to knowing my Grandpa DeGroff. Grandpa passed away before Nate was born and my dad always told us that if we wanted to know our Grandpa a little, we should really pay attention to our Uncle Harv. May was my Uncle Jim’s mom. My parents knew her, and Nate and I didn’t really, but mom and I went to support them as they do for us every funeral.

There are some that are impossible to get through – my Grandpa, Uncle Bob, Cousin Jerry – and some that while I loved the relative, I almost feel jaded by all of the funerals I’ve been to and may or may not cry at the actual funeral. And then there are those that we go to in support of the friends and family that have supported us at tough funerals along the way.

I know what is appropriate to wear and what isn’t. I know that I could never walk into a funeral home wearing jeans and flip-flops (though some of my extended, extended family doesn’t…) no matter whom it’s for. I know to always grab a tissue before I sit down in a seat in case my waterworks begin without notice. I know to sign the book, grab the funeral card, and look over all the pictures. I know to stand in line and greet people when it’s a relative very close to me, I know when to go grab water for my friends and relatives who have been greeting people all day and just need a break, and I know when to move along in the greeting line so as not to hold a friend or relative up too long from greeting others.

I know all of the etiquette and protocol for funerals, but I sure wish I could let all my knowledge retire for at least one full calendar year. Nevertheless… I am grateful to have a large family who we are close to.