~TKKBTN~: In which we showcase our many talents

This week our church put on a talent show, and I have to admit my expectations were not high, but it turned out to be AWESOME! Seriously, it was so much fun. The girls participated in a glow-stick dance which was fantastic. I took a picture of the kids gathered in the wings backstage waiting to go on, and it was pretty funny to see all those colorful glowing stick children in the dark! (Kate is front and center)

I sang a song with a couple friends of mine rewritten to describe visiting teaching (or more specifically, how your house is always messy when your visiting teachers come). Also, I figured I would rarely have a chance ever again to use the strange talent I learned when I was a teenager of playing the piano upside-down. Because that's the kind of thing that has "ward talent show" written all over it! But probably the highlight of the night was the 80s cover band some of the guys put together and sang Journey's "Don't Stop Believing." It was AMAZING! I think Troy loved it the most - he was dancing and jumping and spinning like it was the best night of his life! Of course I have videos of all of this...

Glow-stick dancers

Kate & Brooklyn are the ones in the front in the beginning - Brooklyn is the very smallest one up there and Kate is the one next to her trying to help her remember what to do next. (On the stage they are in the middle towards the right)

Janet rewrote this song and played the guitar, and Rebecca and I choreographed the dance-cleaning ourselves. Yes we are professionals at this stuff.

Our very own Simon Cowell proclaimed my talent "awkwardly interesting."

A fair analysis, I think!

This had to be my favorite act!

(apart from my own cute kiddos dancing while covered in glow sticks, of course)

The band was named "Porter Rocks Well"

Such a fun night - I haven't had that much fun in a long time! I think we should do this weekly.

Of course, we have other talents as well that should not go unnoticed.

One of Kate's many talents is her note-writing to the tooth fairy.

(And also she has a talent for losing teeth, one after another - 8 total so far!)

"Dear Tooth Fairy, These two butterfly clips are for you. You may take 1, 2 or bothe back to where you live. Sincrerly, Kate."

[Under the drawing] Color in.

"P.S. Wher do you live?"

The girls have also started honing their soccer talents again now that the spring soccer season has started.

Yesterday's practice was so incredibly, painfully, FREEEEEEZING cold!

This is how Troy watches soccer practice on a day like that.

I had no idea it was going to be so cold. Kate came to me and told me she didn't want to play soccer anymore, since she had already done it in the fall. She wants to dance instead. I told her most days won't be as cold as this and we'll finish out the season, but after that it looks like we'll be making a switch to dance!

Last Wednesday, my brother Ryan turned 21. Instead of spending his birthday showcasing his talent for now-legal drinking, like most 21-year-olds do, he spent his birthday developing his talent of sharing his beliefs with others, specifically the people of Santiago, Chile. Because he is gone as a missionary, I couldn't celebrate his 21st birthday with him or bake him a cake. So I baked one anyway and invited our own local sister missionaries over for dinner and birthday cake. And yes, I made them blow out the candles. (It was well timed, too, because the sister on the right actually just had a birthday a week ago!) I am so proud of my little brother and all his hard work and the sacrifices he has made!

I also failed to acknowledge Kate's artistic talents last week, when we attended her school's annual art show, the Galleria del Arte. The students' artwork is displayed throughout the halls, and the patrons enjoy live music and chips and salsa. Kate painted this beautiful cardinal, which was neat because we've spent the last few weeks watching these magnificent birds snacking from our bird feeders!

The top two pictures here are also both hers. I totally forgot to ask her about them while we were there - I just snapped pictures and moved along. I'm a very astute art observer like that.