"I like the dress, but not the hat..."

That is what I heard when I had Kate try on the costume that she'd be wearing for her dance recital this year. She LOVES to dance. She can't get enough of it. She dances everywhere she goes. She was even dancing today in the mirror to keep herself occupied as she listened to the station playing while I was getting my braces tightened. Anyway, I couldn't agree more. I didn't like the hat either. But I promised she'd only have to wear it once and then she could do whatever she wanted with it.

So, way back in the middle of June (is it really almost August?!!!!), Kate had her dance recital. All of the girls were backstage waiting to perform, crowded around a little DVD player trying to get a view of the movie playing for them.While up in the nosebleeds, sat my dad, Chris, mom, Joe and Jake. Don't mind that mohawk behind us!!! Yes, that is the back wall behind the mohawk kid. There were only 2 more rows behind us in the balcony of this place...Who knew that these type of things sell out on the first day of ticket purchasing???

Thanks to my dad's AMAZING photography skills and his even more amazing telephoto lense, he was able to capture the following sequence while I tried to video. You don't even need to hear the music when you see that smile on her face, those knobby knees and her stellar moves: Yes, she caught air as she was waving goodbye to all of her fans.

Celebrating afterwards with her good friend Elise!

Jake happily held Kate's ribbon for her while she showed off her flowers...as soon as that shot was taken, the hat came off and then next thing we knew, Jake had taken the fabric off and placed the now white hat on his head. He looked like one of those wind up monkeys that needed symbols in his hands to clap together. Priceless. Glad one of us liked it.

So proud of you, Kate! I LOVED every ounce of sass and smile in your

"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" performance.