You will not see the ladies on Dance Moms painting and sanding in their dresses and heals. Look what we do early on Saturday morning in the Ville. Anyone need a giant Mad Hatter prop in August-I am sure it will bring a big price.

Our favorite dance teacher got a new prop trailer last year. I think she has reached her ambitious goal of filling it up. We have tons of props this year. For several months I have lugged this monster back and forth between my garage and the studio. Thank goodness it has taken up temporary residence at the studio. When it is in my SUV, I only have room for three people-the driver and two passengers. Not to mention this lovely weighs a lot. Who knew nine months ago I would be the proud owner of a giant blue suede shoe. What will we do with this treasure once we begin a new year of dance? I am considering asking to put it on display at the art gallery. Maybe it would be a great bench, but most of all a conversation piece.

Dance season is in full swing. Unlike Dance Moms, we are not allowed to watch or step foot in the practice room. After watching Dance Moms, I completely understand why parents are not allowed. Too much work and practice have gone into parents getting out of sorts at such a crucial time in the season. We are just a little more than twenty days until show time. My time is best spent working on sewing and stoning costumes.

It is officially dance season. We have spent more hours at dance in the past few weeks than we have been at home. My hubby and son are in a play in March plus my son begins baseball season next month. We have lost our minds. I will be blogging from the studio, baseball field or theater for the next few months.

What better way to celebrate than a Fondue Party.  For the last two years, my daughter has asked to have chocolate fondue at her birthday party.  She is not really a fan of birthday cake so we celebrate with fondue instead and the girlies seem to love it.

Following the fondue this group danced, danced and danced with a little karaoke.  They were really sweet, but oh what trouble we are in when they get a little older.

This year my daughter participated in a musical in mid November so she did not perform in the Nutcracker.  This did not stop us from going heading to the closest performance on Sunday.  It was so much easier to sit in the audience and watch as a spectator than it was to watch as the the parent of a dancer.  Performance week is always exhausting due to countless practices, lack of sleep and eating fast food. This year our dance teacher's daughter played the part of Clara and her niece was a baby sheep and a mouse.  Two other local teens had major roles.   We ran into lots of local people at the theater.  It was an absolutely beautiful production.  The Nutcracker has been a Christmas tradition in our family for the last ten years.   My dear little dancer cannot wait for tryouts for next year.  I guess we will be making the long drive to weekend practices- all worth it to be part of such a beautiful production.

We watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and Rose Bowl Parades each year and ooooh and ahhhh at the giant balloons and magnificent floats.  We have our own version of these fabulous affairs- the local Christmas Parade.  Churches, civic clubs, school groups, businesses and local politicians enter decorated floats and automobiles.  Every fire truck in the county is displayed and sounds every bell and whistle.  Children dart into the streets to fetch candy, beads and a few toys thrown by the folks on the floats, cars or marching groups.  Vendors sell carnival toys and local groups sell fried fish plates.  Even the local truck driving schools bring the big truck to town to show it off.

My daughter's dance studio walked in the parade- she loves her BLING!