Joy in the Journey

My dancing girl 

Ashley was invited to be in the Petite Company this year at her dance studio. That means she dances 6 hours a week, taking classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Tumbling, Technique, and Stretch. She has really fallen in love with dance this year and has learned so much. She loves to put music on at home and choreograph her own little routines. She usually comes up with a pretty sweet lyrical number and has gotten to be quite graceful. When she is not doing that, she is doing cartwheels or practicing her front and back limbers. 

The girls participated in their first big competition a few weeks ago. They did a darling tap routine to "Cotton-Eye-Joe" and received a Platinum award (which is the very highest level) and they did a cute and sassy jazz routine to "My Boyfriend's Back" and received a High Gold award for that number. Ash was pretty thrilled about the whole thing. 

This is the Petite Company ready for their tap number. I think they are pretty dang cute.

The boys had camp-outs going on that day, so Luke was my little side kick all day. Man, am I ever lucky that he is the best and easiest little boy ever. This is a behind the scenes shot in the dressing room where the girls change outfits.

And here they are ready for their Jazz routine.

She was pretty thrilled about these awards they won for their dances.

Then a week or two later the girls were asked to perform a little show at a carnival at the elementary school. Please excuse the blur, but I loved how confident and precise she is the this picture.

Yep, I am pretty crazy over this girl!