It's Spring, and the boys want to play!

My boys got a chance to enjoy some fun this evening as the sun was out, warming everything up. It was good for them to get out and have a little male-bonding time.

Hunter's favorite thing to do is ride the 4-wheeler, which usually only happens on the weekends. Today he got to cruise around the backyard and was even showing off by standing up while driving! Shame on you, Hunter!!
Then they went out front to shoot a few hoops. This mostly consisted of Brian shooting, and Hunter retrieving, which seems to work out okay for them. :-)

Dancing Queen

Last June Shianne attended a week long camp to audition for the Starz Performing Company, and we found out in July that she MADE IT! Ever since then it's been busy months full of Tap, Hip Hop, Ballet, and Jazz. Not to mention the gathering of 6 different costumes for competitions, benefit shows, and recitals. She has loved every minute of it, and honestly, so have we. There is nothing more rewarding that watching your child do something that she loves, and is successful at it.



Shianne is part of a group of 10 girls called "Shooters 1" - they're basically all 7-9 years old, and make up quite the talented little crew. With this group, they perform a Tap dance, a Hip Hop dance, and are also part of the Company's Production dance, in which all age groups dance together in one big "production".



March began the season of Competitions, the first of which was the Spotlight Dance Cup. Being the first competition of the season, some of the girls were a little nervous. But I think that most of it was anxious, excited energy - finally being able to get out on the stage and do what they've been practicing for the past 6 months. In fact, I think the parents (myself included) were more nervous than the girls!! So after checking that their shoe laces were double-knotted, make-up was perfect, and costumes in check, we gave them a quick little hug and sent them on their way to the big stage with a "Have fun!". Their first dance of the year was their Hip Hop dance, title "Soul Army" and they did great! They had SO much fun, and could not wait to change costumes and get ready for their Tap dance, "Let 'er Rip". And they totally rocked it! They also took part in the Production dance, "Crazy in the Classroom". For their first competition of the year, they did awesome and won the following awards:

"Soul Army" - 2nd Place High Score Overall, Entertainment Award
"Let 'er Rip" - 1st Place High Score Overall, Category Winner
"Crazy in the Classroom" - 1st Place High Score Overall



The second competition of the season was Dance America. This was a one day competition, though it was a long day, as all of their dances were spread out throughout the day. Once again, our little Shooters danced their hearts out! Here are their awards:

"Soul Army" - 2nd Place Primary Division
"Let 'er Rip" - 1st Place Primary Division, Best Precision Award, High Score Primary/Junior Large Group
"Crazy in the Classroom" - High Score Production

They then spent all day Sunday at a Dance Olympus workshop. The danced HARD all day, pushed to their limits. Shianne said it was very challenging, but she learned a lot. They were all exhuasted!



Our 3rd weekend of dance in March was the Starz Performing Company's Annual Benefit Show. This year the show was to benefit one of their own, Hannah Baumann. In October, just days before her 12th birthday, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She has gone through 4 rounds of chemo therapy and 14 sessions of radiation.
The show was AMAZING. The Bing Crosby Theater was packed with people, and lots of LOVE. With special guests Mario & Jake (well known among the dance community throughout the US), and a finale of "Team Hannah" dancers, there was not a dry eye in the house. Overall the show raised $25,455 for the Baumann family. The following week the Baumann's received the news they've been longing to hear: Hannah has gone into full remission!!!
For the Starz dancers, parents, and staff, this show was one that will NEVER be forgotten. We love you Hannah!!



Our final weekend in March was the International Dance Challenge. This was an optional competition, and our group decided to do their 2 dances. It actually turned out to be one of the more fun competitions, even though it was all day. This company has an "Entertainment Challenge", in which the judges chose 6 dances to perform again at the end of the day for their entertainment value. Typically when dancers are on stage, you are not allowed to whoop and holler. However, the crowd can "help out" the dancers during the entertainment challenge.
So our Shooters got chosen to do their "Let 'er Rip" dance during the challenge. They were so very excited! While they were onstage, ALL of the Starz parents, staff and fellow dancers whooped and hollered as loud as we could. And the girls had so much fun doing it, seeing how they were getting the crowd involved. Overall it was another great competition.

"Soul Army" - Gold
"Let 'er Rip" - High Gold, Entertainment Challenge Contender, Best Precision award, 2nd Runner Up High Score Large Group, 2nd Runner Up High Score Overall



We are now enjoying some down time in April. The only big function we have this month is the show at Northtown Mall on April 26th for National Dance Week. More about this to come later.

Until then, let your inner child DANCE!

My Passion

Hello, My name is Shawna, and I am a Bookaholic.

That's right, anyone that truly knows me knows that I LOVE books. Not just reading them, but the feel of them in my hands as I flip thru the pages....

It all started when I was a kid. We'd visit my Grandma Pauly in Renton once or twice a year. She was a librarian there, and would always have a big stack of books waiting at her house when we arrived. Over the years, there were always books all around her favorite chair. I remember watching her read with her little glasses on, chuckling to herself on occasion.

I must have picked up on this somewhere along the line - I'm not sure I know the exact moment. Thinking back, I've always loved to read. I could sit in my room for hours with a good book and a bag of sunflower seeds. It must be breed into me.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a complete hermit. I do love to get outside and play with my kids, and do fun activities with friends. When most people are asked how they relax, many respond with "a day at the spa", "a glass of wine", "a bubble bath", "watch tv"..... Just give me a book. It's the greatest escape!

So to keep you all updated on what I am reading, I'm thinking of starting a seperate blog. We'll see how it goes. I might just be too busy reading....... =)

New Camera!

Having always loved to take pictures of my family and friends, and realizing that sometimes my little camera doesn't always have the best quality, I finally invested in a nice camera, not just a point and click. It's a Canon Rebel XTi, and I'm so excited to use it. It just arrived via UPS yesterday, although I recieved the lens I ordered last week. Of course, as soon as the kids got home I was clicking away, just so see how it does. So far I'm loving it, even though I don't know 1/2 of what it can do yet. Granted, I'm not setting out to be a professional photographer!! I just want to have great pictures, especially of the kids in sports and dance.

Spring Fever!!

Speech comes to an End

Well, after 3 1/2 years of Speech Therapy, Hunter has come to a point end which he no longer qualifies for it thru the school district. It's a bitter-sweet moment.
We've done a lot of looking back to when he was 2 years old, and barely producing an understandable words or sounds, and the feelings of hopelessness as parents that came along with that, and the fear of what the future may hold for him. As any parent, you worry about all the little things, and only want what is best for our children. We found a wonderful ST, Jamie, who worked so well with Hunter. He absolutely adored her - and she even lived right down the street from us! She was wonderful with him, and was ultimately the one to diagnosis him with Apraxia of Speech, and began the therapy that would benefit him the most.
Once he turned 3, Hunter moved on to the school system to recieve his speech therapy. So in the fall of 2006, he began his first year of preschool thru Mead School District. He THRIVED in this environment, and LOVED it. He loved being a "big boy" and riding the bus to school. He loved recess and making new friends. He speech disorder has never held him back or caused him any unforeseen embarrassment.
Another bittersweet moment - the last day of preschool, saying goodbye to all his teachers that he has spent the past 2 years with, learning and growing each day with them. But we all knew - he was ready for kindergarten. 5 years old and he had the world in the palm of his hands. All boy, just ready to run in head first and tackle whatever challenges he may face. And he's done just that.
Six months into the school year, and the IEP team felt that he has reached all of his goals, and is now at a level with his peers. Oh, what a day!!! We've been looking forward to this since the day of his diagnosis, and yet never dreamed it would be so soon! We are so proud of him, for all of his hard work. And many, many thanks to everyone that has worked with him over the past 3 1/2 years (Jamie - thank you for catching him before he fell thru the system! and Shianne, as she has been a huge help)!!

The start of something new...

So I'm jumping on the bandwagon and doing the blog thing. Some may ask, "Why??", and I'm asking myself the same question as I write this, as it seems I have more than enough to keep me busy. I think that this may be a better way to share with my friends and family about our daily happenings, and share picture and memories. So begins the journey, a lifetime of Soles memories.....