What's been going on?

As usual my life has been consumed with early morning practices, late evening rehearsals, cooking dinners (sometimes at 5:30AM) so my family can eat, spending any spare time with Lyla and Andy, and somewhere in there trying to get some sleep. Needless to say, life has been busy. But it has been good.

Last weekend my school opened West Side Story. It was a huge undertaking for the fine arts department. We started back in November with auditions and immediately jumped into rehearsals. I was the choreographer. Can you say, "Ahhhhhh!" Yes, I was terrified. I have NO musical theater back ground. You Tube became my best friend. I watched clips from Broadway to other high school productions of WSS to gain ideas for every dance. My dance team captain, who played Anita, was a huge help. She actually had a vision for "America" and I let her run with it. She and a few of my other girls who were in the musical helped out so much. It was long days, but oh so much fun. I enjoyed doing something different and working with kids who I wouldn't get to otherwise. Everyone in the department definitely felt stretched, but the end result was awesome. The kids blew us away. From the acting to the singing to the dancing to the kids in the pit...it was perfect. Each night got better. We got rave reviews. People are still talking about it.

On Friday my mom turned 50. Wow!! It just blows me away. Not that my mom turned 50, but that she is still rockin' it like she's 30. I think she has more style than she did 10 years ago, actually. It just amazes me what all she has done in her 50 years. On January 28, 1961 Tammy Marie Nivens was born. On February 2nd, 1980, a 19 year old girl married a 21 year old man an became Tammy Marie Downey. (No one expected it to last. They just celebrated 21 years yesterday). On July 6, 1983 she took on a new name...mommy. And again on May 10, 1986. Then on April 16,2009 she took on yet another name...Grandma. (Which we tried Grammy, but Lyla has picked Mimi). My mom has worked in home, out of the home, raised two kids, loved a traveling man, married off her oldest daughter and is now a wonderful Grandmother. My mom is a God-fearing woman and I only hope to be the mother that she was and still is. I am so thankful to have such a great relationship with her. It's not rare for us to talk on the phone every day and see each other 2-3 time a week. She is my best friend. Here's to 50 more years!

Other than that, I'm still in full swing with contest season. We compete in about 2 weeks. I'm sure that is where this pain in my neck is coming from. Ha! As much as I try not to stress, I always do. Oh well. It's my job and I still love it.

So that's what's been going on in my world. Now if we can just stay warm through this "Artic Blast!"