Beautiful Dancer

 Isn't this picture beautiful? I just love it. It was taken last weekend at Alyssa's first dance troupe competition of the season. Alyssa is the girl in the left corner of the front row (bent over backwards).  This lyrical number was AMAZING.  The number was professionally choreographed by a well known dancer in LA.  She came  to town last summer to start teaching the number to the girls, and the first day Alyssa practiced with her, she said..."our lyrical number is so cool!"  Alyssa must have known that this number would be good.  It took first place at last weekend's competition.  

We had an awesome time at the competition last weekend.  The whole family went (usually it is just Alyssa and I that travel).  In addition to watching dance, the kids were able to do some swimming at the hotel (the water park was an added bonus) and sight seeing.

Here are a few more of Alyssa's dance friends in some of their various costumes...I missed a couple photo opportunities with her other costumes.  She also performed a great duet with her friend El.  Alyssa has grown into such an awesome dancer.  Most importantly, she is still as beautiful and graceful on the inside as she is on the out side!  We are so proud of her!

 "Just Dance" - a production number with Lady Gaga songs

 "Fly Me To The Moon"

 "Radio"

 Sisters...you can order a shirt like Graces here to help support my friend Kim's adoption!

 "Burlesque"

After the first day of dancing, we took a few dancers and their families to eat at an Ethiopian restaurant.  We do not have any Ethiopian restaurants where we live, so whenever we visit a bigger city we try to find one.

 The girls were pretty daring and willing to try some new food.  

 The boys have gotten pretty good at eating Ethiopian fare.

 And Grace, well, she was in heaven.  She still loves her injera and is an expert at scooping up her favorites!

 The meal was complete with a little coffee ceremony of our own!
It was fun to take these dance parents with us to the restaurant.  They were good sports and tried a lot of new foods.  It's funny how we think we are experts at eating Ethiopian food...two years ago we went to this same restaurant (while we were waiting to travel to Ethiopia) and had no idea what we were doing or what to order.

The next day we were able to take in a few sights between dances.  Here is the capital building in Madison.

 And not far from the capital is my favorite popcorn shop, Vic's.  Whenever we are in Madison, we try to make a stop there for rainbow popcorn.

 So, there you have it.  A great time was had by all.  The dance competition was great, the girls scored very well, the kids had fun throughout the weekend, and we got home safe and sound (and very late on Sunday night!).  After resting up on Monday, Grace was off to her own dance class...

Doesn't she look cute with her matching dance bag?  I actually didn't even notice until we got to the studio and the teacher pointed out how she looked just like her bag!