National FIRST PLACE Routine!!!

This routine was originally choreographed by our beloved Coach Nat. I do not know how different it is from the original, BUT the Girlzies ROCKED IT AT NATIONALS!!! Competing at Nationals is quite different than any competition we attend in Utah. In California we compete against all sizes of schools, they differentiate by the number of girls on the floor.

Karlee - Back row, 2nd from left

Karlee - 4th from left

Karlee - Standing, back row, 2nd from left

Cannot see Karlee in this pic

Karlee - Right group, standing on left

Karlee - splits, middle of blue circle

The CHAMPS!

My Juniors!

Cheri! Our amazing coach!

THESE LADIES DESERVE THIS!!! Because Coach Natalie moved to SLC :'(, the drill team got a new coach last fall - Josie Foster. On November 29th, 2011 Josie was arrested and charged with two counts of residential burglary for theft of prescription drugs. The High School put her on administrative leave with strict instructions for her to not contact the girls or step foot onto school property. We were ALL in shock - the Girlzies, the Mommies, and the HS Administration! The amazing Cheri stepped up and coached our girls. AND with competition season about to begin, Cheri had her work cut out for her. The girls were NOT ready to compete any of the routines. The girls were struggling not only with the dances, but with the repercussions from the drill team coach scandal, as well as being accused themselves of being addicted to prescription pain meds. With a lot of hard work, and parental and administrative support, we went to the competitions with our heads held high. But the damage was already done. Even though the girls danced well, we did not place very high at Region or at State competitions. (Historically the judges do not like Morgan High School - but that's another story for another day.) We went to the National Competition in Anaheim pretty much to have fun. Those little twerps PLACED FIRST IN MILITARY!!!! The judges loved us! Every single judge gave us 1st place!!!!!!!

I am so grateful to Cheri. Without her our drill program would most likely have been abolished this year and even possibly for many years. She coached drill years ago, but had passed the baton, happy to be a Grandma with a part-time office job at the HS. This year she not only maintained her Grandma-hood and her office job, but she came in early to coach our girls AND returned after school and Saturdays for performances and competitions! I know she truly loves these girls and will always remember them and this challenging, but rewarding year. And I know the Girlzies will ALWAYS remember her! Thank you, Cheri! I love you and am forever in your debt!

Garet's Eagle Project Completion

Wow. What a process. Garet started his eagle project last June, 2011. Garet asked Valerie Hancock, the Librarian, what he could do for the library for an eagle project. She suggested a few things, but really said she'd love to have an outdoor sign. He then went to Natural Rock Designs and found a great rock and Garet even picked out the design for the rock. With Valerie's approval of the original design, Garet then went in front of the County Council for permission for a memorial-type outdoor sign for the Library. They approved it! It seemed like Garet's project would never be completed, BUT... it was delivered today!!!!! YAY!!!

Garet with Valerie, the Librarian. Wow. It feels SO GREAT to have the project completed!

My Obsession!

So, everyone who knows me knows I love to take photos. I've been doing so since forever. 2 Christmases ago Jeff got me an awesome camera that I LOVE!!! (I suppose I'll keep the man around a bit longer...) Since then I've maxed out our memory on our computer because I cannot stop myself from taking pix!!! (I can take almost 200 pix of each drill team performance!!!) Anyways, NOW I'm loving something else Jeff gave me - Photoshop!!! I love editing and tweaking and learning how to do new things with my photos! Here's just a few examples.

Before: This is the raw photo I took of Karlee out on the porch of Mike & Lara's cabin (where I took the Prom pix). I think it is gorgeous just like it is, but ...

For fun I cropped it closer and gave it a vintage/old photo look.

In late December Cherie, the Girlzies coach, asked me to come take some snap shots for the Region program. The drill team had a horrific year and couldn't afford professional team photos... I am FAR from professional AND I clearly reminded her of that!! This is one of the photos I took.

I brightened it so you could see the Girlzies faces, then cropped it. And of course added "Troyettes" to it. Everyone LOVES this pic!!! It really turned out cute! Oh...and the Girlzies are the ones that wanted to pose like this too...

Below is another original pic I took of the Ladies. We decided we liked this one better for the program because you could see the Girlzies faces better.

I brightened, straightened, & cropped it. This is the actual photo we submitted for the program. (Of which I'm embarrassed now because...well you'll see why in the next photos)

Look how much cuter this would have been in the program... :/ (I've learned a lot since December.)

I tweaked it again for Marsha (Amanda's Mama). She was decorating for Banquet this week and wanted a bunch of pix in black and white AND she happened to have a real cool old frame for a 16x20 pix.

Ahhh. I love taking pix & I am so glad I have had these 16 beautiful Girlzies to photograph this year! Thanks, Ladies for always smiling for me. I love you ALL and cannot wait to take more pix of you next year!!!

Garet's Eagle Project Update!

It was a great week - weather wise - so we decided to prep the ground for the library sign (Garet's Eagle Project). We enlisted Connor's help & Brady, one of Garet's scout leaders, came to help us too. Now we are ready for them to come deliver & install the sign!!! YAY!!!

So glad that Brady could come help!

Connor - a GREAT worker. Awesome to have him come help!

My almost-eagle-scout!

Grateful for Pa's truck-bed trailer!

Final prep-work!!!

Prom Pix Cute-ified

JUNIOR PROM!!!

These kids had so much fun at Junior Prom tonight. I am SO grateful I had the opportunity to take their photos!

This exquisite young lady happened to be voted prom royalty & awarded 1st Attendant! And did she EVER look stunning tonight!

Marsha Walker (Mikey's mom) very fittingly calls Karlee "Princess" now. She also bows down to her and teases her incessantly. He He. We love Marsha! Karlee is a beautiful girl. I've heard from a few different boys that Karlee was the prettiest girl at Prom. Ahhh... melts a Mama's heart!

How lucky Karlee is to be such good friends with Duane. He is a great kid and he treated Karlee like a princess all night long! Thanks Duane, for making Karlee's Prom experience so wonderful! We really do love you!

Karlee's beautiful flowers.

Duane's boutonniere.

Karlee & Duane: The handsomest couple at Prom!

These kids were such good sports - making faces for me & posing any way I asked. I had tons of fun taking their pix!

Light Sabres? Yes. Light sabres!

Why light sabres? Because at promenade the couples walk across the stage as their names and parents' names are announced. They walk through the archway then pause for a photo op. Then each couple does some cute little something. These two characters did a light sabre fight. It was really cute! So that's why I wanted pix of them posing with their light sabres!

We had a few minutes before everyone else showed up for photos, so we snapped a few of Corby with Duane & Karlee.

Rachel & Michael

Aline & Michael

Mikaela & Corbin

The Cutie Patooties: Rachel, Aline, Mikaela, & Karlee

The Guys: Michael, Michael (aka: the Michaels), Duane, Corbin

The Group: Michael & Rachel, Michael & Aline, Karlee & Duane, Mikaela & Corbin

Dang - The. Limo. Was. Awesome!

When Duane brought Karlee home at the end of the night, being the gentleman that he is, he asked her permission to give her a kiss.