bliefs – Page 20

A good weekend, still

This weekend started with TheWeeOne’s first ever stage performance, acting that is.
She portrayed Rebecca, The Princess Mermaid, co-ruler of Animal Island.
TWO acting

From there we went to a neighborhood birthday party campout.
We burned more than a few marshmallows.
burned is best eh?

The last blue moon for a couple of years graced the party.
You know just what I was there for

Then yesterday we assembled; Monya, TheAmboyObserver, and myself spent a day taking photos and enjoying the racetrack and a movie.
sunlight on my shoulders

just a squirrel tryin' to get a nut

I lost all three of my bets for the day by a combined 6 inches; two photo finishes and one inquiry>reversal.
sport of kings...and dollars

And the weekend isn’t even over.
woo hoo

There are a THOUSAND bats!?

I won some more Mariners tickets from the office and as you may recall from 2008, this is the second time I’ve had the honor of treating a Mermaid to a baseball game.

Unlike last time, TWO had some sort of a preconceived notion of what was to come.
She likely heard a bit about it from her sister but TWO didn’t want any cotton candy (shocker?)

It’s too sticky.

She wanted ice cream instead – and a foam finger.

All the fun without the sticky mess

All night she reveled in her cuteness. Every grandfatherly and grandmotherly seat host(ess) made sure that her cuteness-ego was pumped to it’s maximum PSI.

You are soooo cute…Want a card?
You remind me of my grand-daughter…Want a card?
—
I love your outfit.
Thanks.
It’s really cute.
Yep – and I get cards for it.
Ohhhh – would you like some more? Here have two.

She was pretty much a smile machine for everybody that passed.
Baseball in a tutu

Oh, and did I mention that a pitchers duel was occurring to our left?…all night long.
The score in the bottom of the 9th was 2-1 Rays – and the Mariners had done pretty much bubkus all night – great seats right on the 3rd base line.

A sharp single to lead off, a throwing error on an infield bunt moved em around and a sac-fly to right scored the runner at 3rd. Tie game.
Strikeout makes it two outs with a man on 3rd.
With a low pitch count the batter stabs at a low-and-away pitch and pokes a can-a-corn over the second baseman’s head, Mariners win.

TheWeeOne remarked

I cheered…just like a cheerleader!

Just like a cheerleader

We went home happy.

Tubin’ the Cedar

This weekend was pretty much dominated by a combined 7 hours of inner-tubing along the Cedar River.
I managed to capture a stretch on video from the second run, on Sunday.

This is LaGrande and BopOp running a particularly fun, and safe, section of rapids.
WeeOne and I had just finished our second run of the same stretch.

Angels and Mermaids

Took TheMermaids to Boeing Field to watch the Blue Angels launch and land.
We were surprised by this special flyby.
Not too shabby (video and audio) for an iPhone3GS!

Dash Point 2012

Somehow we have managed a yearly outing to Dash Point for a number of years.
Some choice moments from this year, in no particular order:
Playing Survivor in a small island of sand built to withstand the advancing tide (lasting only marginally longer than the surrounding sand),
more like Gilligan Survivor

A perennial favorite, playing in the hammock is also referred to as “scaring TheMommy and TheDaddy repeatedly with teetering on the edge of flipsmanship in a way that appears to mere mortals as if a broken neck is imminent”.
In fact, LaGrande flipped only once this time and she held on with her feet bound up in the hammock, her hands holding on behind her (talking Gumby doll now) and her face only inches from the ground. Somehow TWO managed to ride that one out, perfectly upright, at the other end of the bronco.

more like terrify TheMommy

more like Scared By theDaddy

Another emerging game is, of all things, checkers. TWO holds her own but the game itself doesn’t hold up to the likes of digging in the dirt and visiting the frog pond.
more like Deep Blue meets Kasparov

And yes, we had some sun on Sunday (pun not intended) that kept us at the beach long enough to A) waltz around in our bikinis (mermaids only)
more like Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Polka Dot

…and to devolve into burying mermaids in fully in sand.
Rinsing off later, in the snow-melt, proved to be the parenting lowlight of the weekend,
More like boat anchors

Since my header image came from last years Dash Point trip…methinks it’s time to update it with a new one. Coming soon.

Oh, and a parting shot, much like Random (a.k.a. TWO) likes to do:
Talking to a ranger volunteer late on Saturday we asked several questions about sand dollars and racoons etc, TWO finally asked me to carry her and as I picked her and began to walk away she got the final word with the ranger;

Sometimes, I like to pretend ketchup is BLOOD.

I bet I could start an entire category on this blog dedicated purely to the seemingly random and oddly-timed quotes from that one.

In the checkout line

TWO and I were ramming around the local Trader Joe’s, and she was informing me of all sorts of things she has recently learned and desires:

Don’t you know that…
and
I want 50 hundred million candies.
and
A fart is coming down!! (as she plugged her nose)

But all of that was in the safe anonymity of the grocery store aisles – we’re more or less alone.
She waited for the checkout line for her nightly-random;

I like talking cat – meow.
You do?
Yep – rawwwwr.
What do cat’s talk about?
Cat food and fish – Meeewuuwww.
ohhhhhhh 🙂

This is where the checker acknowledges that she is coming up with some funny stuff and chuckles.

And Daddy?
Yes?
Don’t you know that girl cats get pregnant before you know it?

That is where the checker, and I, completely lose our collective composure.

Convention

Not much to say on my part, I’ve spent a fair amount of quality time with my new computer in the past couple days.

TWO is off galavanting around Utah with Gramma Nana and Maggie Mae while LaGrande has been attending convention, auditioning, and generally misbehaving like any self respecting nine year old should.

I did manage to snag a picture here and there.

In the middle of the week, I found some seriously tired mermaids.
So much so that one slept peacefully UNDER the other…at least until LaGrande managed to smash TWO’s nose with a well placed elbow.
Squeeshed

On stage for awards, and still the energy of a caffeinated shrew, these mini’s even danced to the filler music.
...and metabolisms to match

Even though it’s blurry, I like this shot. It has the uneven buzz of the stage. I even like the ‘single lady’ in the top left looking right at me from 100 feet away.

When classes let out, I felt compelled to try and illustrate the impenetrable depth of legs in the room…and the six-packs!! My word you’ve never seen so many teensy weensy girls walking around with abs of steel! Serious athletes.
ZZ Top would have done good to shoot their music video at a dance convention.

Even the lunch break couldn’t stop the handstand contest.
See what I mean! Abs of STEEL!

And tonight, Friday night, the ladies stepped out for a well deserved gala and celebration. Tomorrow we drive to St. George and I get to play with The Mermaids some more! Gala Gals

I’m a lucky man.

The Four Bridge Tour

Note: Yesterday TWO and I had some free time in the early morning and so we took what turned out to be a four-overpass tour around the corner of Spring Mountain Rd and Las Vegas Blvd. No easy feat probably a couple miles round trip.
We began and ended the tour at The Mirage hotel and I told TWO that we would take pictures of whatever we wanted and she could dictate this blog post to me afterwards while reviewing the pictures – telling you, the reader, what she has seen.
So, without further ado.

I was gonna draw all of these.
Yeah, I know, but there’s a lot of them so…you just want to tell me about them?
Ok.

I’m sitting in the letter.
2012jul05-27

I’m standing by the flowers.
2012jul05-26

I’m standing by the flowers again.
2012jul05-25

The monarch butterfly.
2012jul05-24

The purple flowers and the yellow flowers.
2012jul05-23

The big leaves.
2012jul05-22

The red flowers.
2012jul05-21

I’m standing by the mermaid – the back.
2012jul05-20

I’m not in the picture Daddy, what do you want me to say?
Whatever you want – and I’ll just write down what you say.
Ok – The front of the mermaid.
2012jul05-19

The yellow rose has yellow petals. And it’s really out in bloom.
2012jul05-18

I’m standing by the purple flowers and the white ones and I’m really happy.
2012jul05-17

Here comes the lizard dragon thingie!
This dragon is wearing armor and it has a shield.
2012jul05-16

I’m standing by the big tree and it’s really REALLY big.
How big?
2012jul05-15

IT’s really super duper duper duper duper duper duper DOOOPER tall.
2012jul05-14

Those flowers are so pretty that they are white, orange, and red…and….and…and nothing.
2012jul05-13

And I’m standing with my dad next to the big dolphin statues.
2012jul05-12

The dolphin statue is really blue and it has waves and I can see the tail.
2012jul05-11

The baby duck is really super duper cute and she’s brown.
2012jul05-10

The momma duck is just like the baby duck.
And she has one black feather and she has two white ones…I mean three.
2012jul05-9

And the gold lion and the gold people are standing next to the big rock with all the jewels in it.
2012jul05-8

And the big mermaid has tentacles coming out of her hair and she’s really pretty and she’s on the front of a boat.

2012jul05-7

And this is me standing next to the big frog giving him a high four.
2012jul05-6

These are blue people and I’m standing next to them. They are really really big and they have black suits and black boots.
The camera is meant to be a flashlight but it’s actually a camera that we can see ourselves in.
2012jul05-4

This flag is standing next to some pretty chandeliers that are pink, white, blue, and red and this is the flag of the pledge of allegience.
And it has…how much states are there?
50
Daddy! I wasn’t saying…I mean writing…all thaaaat!! (pointing to my writing out her questions)
50 states. (just trying to keep her moving)
There are 50 states stars.
2012jul05-2

I’m standing in a circle and I don’t know where I am. See!!!
Why because you look confused?
Yeah! 🙂
2012jul05-1

The End.

Nationals Wrap-Up

Later today I’ll have my first guest post, provided for your reading and (mostly) viewing pleasure by my esteemed youngest daughter, affectionately known here as TWO aka TheWeeOne.
But I would be remiss if I didn’t update some of you on the last performances that LaGrande was in and how they did overall.

First off – Placements are only published to the top x% based on the quantity of numbers in the category. With 25 numbers for example they give something like the top 8 teams placement recognition.

In the Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, and Duo numbers LaGrande’s teams didn’t place. Jazz and Lyrical are the most popular/competitive categories (especially so in this age-group I am told) with as many as 18-25 numbers each, perhaps more. Considering six numbers was a lot in any one category during the regional competitions you might understand just how concentrated and demanding this competition is. Amazing.

Secondly – In her musical theater number (which has a name that I know a particular ~~reader~~ cousin of mine will absolutely LOVE) called The King of New York, there were only two numbers this time but…let it be known that the team rocked it and earned 1st place. Two teams or ten teams – they don’t keep track of how many teams were there – first is first. 😉

I have seen a decent photo of La-Grande doing her signature leg-hold solo on center stage for this one and when we get the pictures from the photography studio (grumble grumble grumble) I will post it.

Lastly, La-G was a member of Allegro’s 90ish member Extended Time Production Number (aka Finale) and this time out of the two numbers competing Allegro was relegated to 2nd by an outstanding, big budget, number performed by a group out of Bozeman. They had props, a light-up-electronic-dancing-keyboard, a slide painted like a saxophone, and a 12 foot tall Cello with moving strings that they could extend across the stage, and impeccable organization and choreography. If I can find it on YouTube at any time I may post it here.
We found out later over a couple of frozen yogurts that the parents brought the props down from Montana in a horse trailer…a VERY BIG horse trailer. Wow.

So, now, La-G is in “convention” where she learns new dances, auditions for next-year scholarships, and basically gets a lot of concentrated practice time with estimable instructors and other dancers.
[tangent]
If you’ve ever seen the mass start of a triathlon, with all the flailing legs and arms churning the water into a froth…take away the water, add a dash of high-leg-kicks, a spin or two…that’s what their doing right now for an hour at a time – oh, and set it to music.

So far, La-G has only been kicked twice. sheesh.
[end tangent]

Congratulations to the Allegro Performance Group teams who have done very well amidst extreme competition here in Las Vegas!

[another tangent]
This turned into a bigger wrap-up than I thought but it’s nothing when compared to the visual extravaganza coming your way courtesy of TWO in any number of minutes.
Hold on to your hats.
[end another tangent]

Nationals Dancer

Well, it’ official – LaGrande is at Nationals.
I’ve spent too many hours now goofing around with photographs** to spend much time on the backstory but the quick and the short of it is – these two dances that I DID get shots of took 2nd place with 4 or 5 stars in pre-qualifying (amongst a small group of pre-qualifying numbers) and the other one, King of New York, received 4 stars (I think, and they were the only one in their category too I believe).

She is sleeping pretty contentedly right now as I type, storing up energy to do it again tomorrow – this time against 30 or so other teams.

Enjoy.

HiHi KicKick