Deep Breath...

After a long and hectic last few weeks, I can breathe easier now. We had a wonderful weekend full of dance competition and the Earth Day Celebration. The kids did fantastic at competition, grabbing a "Superior" in the ballet production and an "Excellent" in their Jazz and Tap team dances. A good experience for all the girls.

After the Saturday dance competition, we headed downtown for the Earth Day Fair. Fun booths for all, every year it gets better. The live band started around 7pm and jammed into the night. I was impressed with Buckskin Bible Revue. They did an awesome job covering some of my favorite Dead songs. My feet couldn't stop dancing...I woke Sunday morning to the sun shining and The Grateful Dead on my mind. Inspired me to dig out my favorite old tie-dye (which I have not worn in 5-8 years!) crank up some Fire on the Mountain, and play in the dirt that is soon to be my garden. Yah! Talk about a lovely Sunday.

As the sun is just as beautiful today as was yesterday, I am not going to spend much time here and head outside for more yard play. Hope your day is as sunny as mine!

Photos of my girls before the Ballet production and Kaziah's dance team "waiting in the wings".
The last few photos of Earth Day are a skit put on by the Forest Service. All who volunteered were either an invasive plant or an animal who cannot eat it and has to move on to better feeding grounds. Lance was the "Weed Warrior", very fitting part for him if I do say so myself.

Photos of the Canyon Rim Dance Classic, and The Earth Day Celebration.

Rogue Bear...

I have been "sew" busy this week with costumes and other life happenings, I forgot to share Rogue's first birthday. April 16th our big guy turned one. He is a big, slobbery fur ball that must always be at my feet, which is a problem at times due to his heft...Pay no attention to what Lance says, I wouldn't trade him for another. He is a member of our family.

Sharing a few of my favorite photos here.

BARACKY...

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

This is our children's future we're talking about. I say, "Change...Yes, we can!"

Dilemma and Decision....

First, I have mentioned that our family was putting together a "Bennett Family Recycling" booth for the Earth Day Celebration this year. We have high hopes for meeting other people with same likes/dislikes and awareness to our responsibility as stewards of this beautiful Earth. So many ideas floating through the family. From a Lorax skit with the kids to exploring more ways we can reduce, #1 in the three R's. We are so excited about Earth Day, the challenge of bringing our ideas to the table and also communicating to others our family's goals and how they can do the same. It really is quite simple. Getting a flow of conversation going, that's where it starts.

Second on the agenda, the Dancers Fight Cancer, Canyon Rim Dance Classic. This dance competition is one that kids work hard for, at least -my girls do. It is a chance to earn money for the American Cancer Society and also a great learning tool in improving team and individual dance performance. Sometimes a long weekend, but fun for us as a family of dancers.

Normally these two events happen with no scheduling interference...but not this year. And I will tell you, I was in tears when I realised I could not be at both places completely. Completely meaning, how could I reach out to people on Earth Day, share my concerns and how we as a family are doing our part and "You can too"? This event was our avenue to sharing our awareness and also, showing our children what it really means to be involved. Talking to people, asking questions and hopefully influencing others to think twice when they are consuming, turning on the faucet or even something as simple as saying "I don't need a bag, I brought my own". Small things really do make a difference. How could I throw myself completely into this event when I am also huge on being a "dance helper" at the Dance Competition. I am not one to blow off responsibility, and when you are working with a team, what does it teach your kids if you back down when the pressure thickens. To be quitters? Not in my family. The kids have been working for this dance competition for months.

So, a decision had to made. And, although I love to watch the kids dance and see what other dancers are doing, I am sad to report that we have canceled our booth at the Earth Day Celebration. A heart breaker for sure. Again, we are trying to teach our kids to be responsible. Leaving our dance teams high and dry wasn't an option.

I can only hope next year's events will schedule more kindly to our family and we can do both, we have so many fun ideas for Earth Day! And, rest assured, I will be in and out of the Earth Day Celebration. Being there when I can and most definitely dancing it up to the live music (The Clumsy Lovers and Buckskin Bible Revue always a good time!) in the evening.

Now, I am off to sew the rest of the dance costumes for Kaziah's dance class. Finished three yesterday, four to go.

More photos of '06/'07 Dance Classic.

America's Stooge...

Good for a Sunday morning laugh...kinda.