Southwest Choreography Showcase

Tonight we had the opportunity to watch Jenna dance at an end of year student-run showcase for the level 5 and 6 classes. Since there were still three weeks left after the final dance concert, the instructors decided to have the senior girls choreograph numbers for the level 5 and level 6 classes. They split the girls up into three groups and each group had two senior choreographers. They did a great job and it was fun having the opportunity to watch Jenna dance again!

   

Jenna's Southwest Dance Concert

We went to Jenna's dance concert the past couple of nights. It was held at the Hafen Theater at Tuacahn. The concert was beautiful! I really liked the story too. Jaiden and I went on Thursday night. Friday night I went with Rick and Jase and Ellen while Jaiden babysat the boys at our house. Others who came to support Jenna were: Ethan, Anna and Evie Ence, and Grace and her mom, Julie. 

Jenna looked so pretty and graceful -- I love watching her dance!! I have lots of pictures of her in her pink dress, but not her red outfit, darn it! I will include the videos though!! (The background goes kind of wonky in the videos. We will get a professional video of the whole concert later.) 

     

 

Jenna: Hip Hop!!

Jenna performed with the Westside Hip Hop 3 class in their Defile Concert tonight!! She did great! 

I was really disappointed when I went to print off my tickets though. I am "that person" that orders dance tickets right when they open so that I can get seats in the middle and close to the front! I always put the date that the tickets open for sale in my calendar and make sure I buy the tickets right away. Well, the tickets opened for sale while I was at work and so I ordered them on my phone. I chose tickets right in the middle, just a few rows back from the front. Pleased with my purchase I didn't give it another thought until I went to print off the tickets tonight, thirty minutes before the concert.

I noticed that the tickets said "row U." I thought that was strange, so I went in to the website as if to order tickets and noticed that I had misread the map of the seats. The word "Stage" was at the bottom of the picture, instead of the top. I had ordered seats a few rows from the back instead of a few rows from the front! I was so upset with myself!! If I had ordered the tickets on a computer I am sure that I would have noticed this, but since it was on my phone, I didn't see the word "stage" and assumed that I had ordered tickets near the front! Well, lesson learned! If we do this again next year I will be more careful! It ended up working out okay since I have a telephoto lens and was still able to get a decent video of her dance number. 

In the Southwest concert Jenna was in several numbers, but this one she was only in one. So that makes it not as fun to watch the overall concert since I am pretty much just interested in watching Jenna, ha ha, but I still enjoyed it. (For ease in picking out Jenna, she is the fourth one over from the right. She is wearing white Nike high-tops with a black stripe.)

 Jenna sure has enjoyed dance this year -- both in Southwest and in Westside! 

Father's Day!!

We arrived at Scott and Amy's a little before the party started. My sister, Jen, mentioned in our extended family Westra Way blog that this was the 14th annual group gathering for Father's Day. It has been held annual since 2006. Ironically (per the pandemic) this was probably the largest group there has been! There were even two dogs in attendance! (Since Jen had already done the Father's Day post I took some of the information directly from there!)

We enjoyed a delicious BBQ! Blackhams brought Grayson's super cool water balloon filler (that he made himself) where eight balloons can be filled at a time with on/off spouts to keep the H20 in some control. Chris brought a bunch of baby balloons (and Jen brought some big ones). So there was tossing, chasing, throwing and launching, as Chris brought his "launcher" to fling them high in the sky. Cornhole is a favorite and the girls liked the hula hoops and practicing tricks such as handstands!

Then our family sang "Oh My Father" for my dad! We had put this together for a Father's Day gift for him! I think he enjoyed it and sang along! As soon as I introduced the song my mom started crying -- and I did too. I could hardly sing! Whenever we watch the video my kids make fun of me because I look so funny playing the bells. I guess I need more practice so that I don't totally lean forward when playing them!

Derek videotaped our song on his phone and posted it on Facebook and it actually got 2700 views and 24 shares! We got loads of wonderful comments! Derek thought we should do more songs and start a family youtube channel like some others have done. The boys were NOT excited about that prospect! I think they are happy to have their Sundays back (we usually practiced the song every Sunday and then went around the neighborhood sang to several neighbors on Sunday nights).

Click HERE to see the song on Youtube!

We also took our annual photo!! Our family needs to do a little better about making "windows" for this picture now that we have so many people! There are a few people I can barely see!

 ... and let's not forget Scott's poetic invitation to the party! 

 On Father’s Day, the place to be 

 Is at our home, Covid free 

 We’ll gather and greet 

 And of course we will eat 

 And games we will play 

 To round out the day. 

 We’ll begin at 6 so it’s not too hot 

 And see how decrepit Scott has got 

 We will see how the Westra clan had grown 

 And allow for friendships to be sown 

 We hope to see you safe and sound 

 It will be fun to gather ‘round 

 And honor those who’ve done so much

 And pledge to better keep in touch 

 And since you all are dying to ask 

 No we won’t require a mask.

Jen has more videos and pictures from this party on The Westra Way blog!! 

After the party Rick and Jared went to stay with his mom (Grandma Jensen hadn't seen Jared since his mission) and the other kids and I went to stay with Shane and Alicia. We had originally planned on Rick and me and the kids staying at my mom and dad's but I had a little sore throat and with this whole Covid-19 thing going on I was worried about staying at my parents just in case it turned into something more! A day or so later I felt perfectly fine, so pretty sure it was "just a cold!" Rick and Jared went to Ogden since Jared needed to buy a car and they saw some on sale in Centerville. 

Rick and I had also discussed going to Lagoon the Monday after Father's Day with the cousins, but then the park was requiring everyone to wear masks while in line for the rides and there was so much on the news about spikes in Covid cases that we decided to err on the side of caution and cancel our plans. So we just stayed over at Shane and Alicia's and the kids played together and then we headed back to St. George! 

Masquerade Ball!!!

Since Senior Ball was cancelled for our high school kids we decided to have our own dinner/dance at home! We decided on a Masquerade/MASK-erade theme. It was so fun! Rick cooked a delicious Peruvian dinner of stuffed avocados, Solterito Salad, Rotisserie Chicken with sauce, and Martinellis'. Then we took pictures outside.  

We had a model runway for guests to introduce their masks. Janelle, Jaiden, Josh, and Jenna all made their own masks and Jenna made the masks for me, Rick, Ellen, and, Jase. Ellen made all of the cute corsages and boutonnieres. Josh actually won "Prom King" with his Thneed Mask made from a paper towel for his hilarious presentation of it's many uses. I am so glad that my family can have fun in pretty much any situation!

After pictures we had a fun "runway" to model our masks!! You can watch those HERE!!!  After the runway we had a fun dance!! Josh won Prom King and Jaiden and Ellen tied for Prom Queen!