My friend Mickey is the daughter of my good friend, Rachel. She is a student at Huntington Beach, Academy of Performing Arts (APA). I warned her early on that I would be her stalker and would never miss a show. It's the stage mother in me wanting to come out combined with the love for any live theatre.
Gypsie and Annie are on the line up next. Loving it all! 
Meet Paige. She is my second cousin and is a phenomenal dancer. She dances competitively both with a studio and with her High School's dance team at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. 
Today I got to see her and her team in action at a competition at the high school next door to my home. I really love to live vicariously through good dancers, as well as their moms. My mom has always said that I'm destined to be a stage mom. Not the pushy nightmare pageant types... but more of the watch every practice, get a second job to pay for lessons, photograph every show type.
This is a dancer from another school, but she was in at least a dozen dances (translation: mucho bucks!) and is pretty talented. When I was younger I used to try and try to do the hold the leg in the air thing... but... let's just say that I have other gifts. (Which don't involve being uber flexible or able to do any acrobatics whatsoever. Not even a cartwheel.)
I managed to snap a few pics of Paige in action with my crappy point and shoot camera. The rest I stole from the team photographer. Next week, when I'm on vacation in Cabo, I'm going to get to learn from Bob Adams, a professional who I hear is a great (and patient, thank the Lord) teacher! WOOHOO!
Paige is the beautiful tall gal on the far left.
Beautiful! Um, and this move? Can't do this one either. But I wish that I could. I've got flexible girl envy. (Oh! and skinny high school girl envy too... )
Paige and her friend Katherine.
Trophies! A step above the rest!
I'm hoping to get to be a fly on the wall at Paige's national dance competition in Orlando, Florida this March. I'll be there for the Disney Princess Half Marathon. YAY!
Mike and I went to Rachel and Mickey's Hula show to kick off the Christmas season! They are part of the Halau Ka Makani Komohana in Huntington Beach and had performed their Christmas Ho'ike island style. 
Shake, shake, shake...
A little Tahitian hula!
Mother and daughter hula
Mickey and Rachel
Mike, Rachel, Me and Mickey
I have a confession to make. Deep down inside I know that I have the potential to be one of those crazed "my child is the best and I will make sure that she is a star" moms. My little sister is four years younger than me. One year she had a ballet party themed birthday party and some older girls came to teach the party guests a routine. My mom had to remove me and tell me to, "stop trying to orchestrate everything." (I know, a shocker!) I'll have to fight it if I... no when I... am a mama. I love to watch dance, and little ballerinas steal my heart!
Miss sassy diva Bailey is the third one from the left...
Buds!
From sassy to classy...
On the end... 
Brittany
Workin' it!
Ballerina Britt
My cousins, Lauren and Carly came to watch Bai and Britt. We now refer to Carly and Brandon as, "the twins..." they really are pretty inseparable.
Cute kid!
Back in my Christine's Dance Studio Days, our annual dance recital was at Chapman. I thought I was pretty hot stuff doing my I Feel Pretty and Love Shack numbers on a real stage in front of a real (even if just family) audience.
I recruited my friend Z. to meet me there. I talked it up by saying, "I know it's going to be phenomenal. You know you want to go. I'll go alone if I have to... but..."
Neither of us were disappointed. Such talent! The program was all choreographed by (I hear) Seniors in the Dance program and danced by Dance majors. It was very impressive. I signed up to hear about future shows. I want to take advantage of seeing their music shows too. Ten bucks? Way better (and hard to believe cheaper) than catching a movie.
Chapman's campus is beautiful. These fountains have a column which reads, "Intellectual. On the highway of life make the flame of wisdom your guiding lamp. The comfort of confidence, your constant companion." Deep stuff...
