Rebirth - A VERY PROUD DAY!!!!

It is with great pride and joy that I pen this post tonight....

as this is the night I led my baby girl Taylor in the sinner's prayer as she accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior.

Tears of pride and joy well up again now just as they did earlier before we could even finish the prayer.

She almost went down the isle Sunday during the invitation, and told me afterwards that she wanted to be saved.  We talked about it so that I could be sure that she understood what it meant and the commitment that comes with it.

We went to our church earlier in the evening and our Pastor talked to Taylor about it as well.  He answered her questions and validated to her all of the things Carey and I have taught her about our Lord for the last 9 and a half years.

She will make her decision public this Sunday, and I ask all who read this to please keep her in your prayers.


Taylor, 


Mommy and Daddy could not be any prouder of you on this day.  We are so happy you have chosen to accept and follow Him. 


Always know that He will always watch over and protect you in your daily walk with Him.  Always trust in Him and never be afraid to share with others you faith in Him.  Keep Him first in your life always, and never let anything come between you and your personal relationship with Him.  


We Love You So VERY much! 


Mommy and Daddy


Salvation is the gift we receive through faith in Jesus Christ with admission and confession of our sin.  If you have not accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and been born again, get involved in a local church to learn how you too can receive salvation through grace in Jesus Christ our Lord and receive the eternal gift of everlasting life.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life." 


John 3:16 

Love and Prayers,

 

Things You Loved as a Kid

I have very fond memories of the things I did as a kid. Camping out on church trips, playing in the snow, making mud pies, and running a snack and lemonade stand just to name a few. I also remember leaving school and instead of walking to the daycare, I would go to my dads office where he would always let me stay with him until it was time to go home.

Collecting bottles, skipping rocks on a lake, kicking a can, riding my bike, shooting my bb gun, playing team sports, fishing at my uncles, walking on the railroad tracks, and flying a kite.

These are the same things that we should make sure we have our kids do especially if they are young.

If you are reading this post make sure to take time to do what every kid loves..... spend quality time with them. What you do doesnt even matter, just ask them if you dont believe me. I spent some time on the trampoline with my daughter tonight and just watching the smile on her face was more than enough for me.

So share with all of us (in the comment section)what some of your fondest memories were from your childhood. It might just give us a bunch of ideas to do with our own kids.

Most importantly, find some time every day to spend with your kids. It will mean more to them than you will ever know.

Love and Prayers,

Dance Showcase Regionals 2012

Today was the last day of an all weekend dance competition that Taylor danced in. She did a wonderful job! This was a Regional competition to qualify for Nationals in Dallas. All 5 of Taylors dances qualified with flying colors.

All five of her dances won 1st Place in their categories, while 3 of the 5 took 1st place in the overalls. One of these dances that didnt win first got second and was beat out by another one of her other dances that took first in that overall. So we arent complaining. :)





Taylors 5 dances that all qualified are Rock Star Baby (hip hop), Codfish Ball (tap), Broadway Ballet (ballet of course), King of New York (character), and Lost in the 50's (Production number).

Here is the video from the competition before Regionals that was today. It scored 1st place overall at that competition as well, getting a Platinum ranking from the judges (highest ranking given out). Taylor enters from left side of the stage and is second in line. Shes the tallest one with blonde hair. She is also the one on the box at the end of the dance.



So leave her some comment love and let her know if you liked the dance!


Love and Prayers,

Taylor's Dance Commercial

On Friday Taylor danced for the filming of a commercial for Bonis studio. This video is also a commercial for So You Think You Can Dance's Dizzy Feet Foundations National Dance Day.

It was leaned by these kids in just 30 minutes or so. Once the actual commercial comes out we will try to get a copy of it for your viewing pleasure. It isn't really any big deal, but we wanted to post it for future reference.



Hope you enjoyed it!

Love and Prayers,

Dance Videos from Regionals!

Our apologies for just now getting this to you. We had to wait quite some time to get the videos we ordered in the mail. They don't let you take pics or video at these competitions so you have to buy their stuff. Quite a racket I tell ya. LOL

Anyway, this is the Regional Qualifier for Nationals. All of Taylor's dances qualified for Nationals, and we couldn't be prouder.

So we are going to get this things started right with Peanut Butter and Jelly Time. This is a large group Hip Hop number choreographed by our Miss Toni! Its always the dance that gets the crowd into the competition. I'm not just saying that because I'm partial either. You will understand once you have watched it. So get your popcorn ready and hang on because its gonna be a fun ride! Take it away Taylor!

By the way she starts in the back. She is in the group on the right, and she is the one on the left of that group with the long blond hair. She start right underneath the O in StageOne on the backdrop.



The next dance is Taylor's small group ballet. It also took 1st Place in Category as well as 1st Place in the overall and qualified for Nationals in Branson Missouri. It is choreographed by our sweet Miss Jen. Taylor is the tall one, hard to miss in this.



Last but certainly not least is Taylor's small group tap number. If you cant tell they are The Muppets and Taylor is Miss Piggy, so you shouldn't have any difficulty figuring out where she is in this one either. Choreography on this one is by Taylors favorite tap teacher and Director of her team Miss Amy!



So leave Taylor some comment love and tell her what you thought.

Love and Prayers,

Good Bye 2nd Bring on the 3rd!

Today our Taylor graduated 2nd grade with flying colors. NOT ONE B all year! Thats right for the third year in a row now Taylor has gotten straight A's all while taking a full load of dance classes. We couldnt be more proud.

For those that dont know the E's are considered A's in Conduct.

SHe just finished her dance recital last weekend, so when I get some time I will post some pics and maybe video of that soon as well.




Love and Prayers,

I Love Dance Competition Results

This past weekend Taylors dance team competed at a competition called I Love Dance. For the two dances she does (The Muppets and 4 Swans) that are in the same age group, both won 1st Place in their category. Because the two dances were in the same age group they had to compete against each other in the overall. Overall is where they put all categories in that age group into one big group and give 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for the overall. There were about 30 dances and 4 Swans got 1st Place in the overall while The Muppets took 2nd. Cant complain about that.



Then her third dance which is Peanut Butter and Jelly Time (you can see the video of all three dances below) which is a Hip Hop number also got 1st place in its category. It also got 1st Place overall amongst 36 dances, and also won Best in Show at the end of the day which is the most prestigous award they give out for the competitions best dance.

We are extremely proud of all they have accomplished and look forward to our Nationals competition.

Way to go Taylor, we are SOOOOO proud of you!


Love and Prayers,

Masquerade 2011 Video and Stage One Results

Today Taylor finished her second dance competition (Stage One)which was a regional qualifier for the national competition in Branson. They did a great job and qualified with all three dances.

The Muppets dance recieved a High Gold ranking.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Time received a High Gold ranking and 3rd place overall among over 35 competitors.

4 Swans received a Platinum ranking and won 1st place overall among over 30 competitors.

While we wont have the video from it for a few weeks we did get the video from the last competition in the mail when we got home. So we will share the last competition with you on video now which was Masquerade.

They did the same dances today, however they did much better on them today than what you will see in the video here from the competition a few weeks back.

We hope you enjoy!



Love and Prayers,

Masquerade Dance Competition 2011

Taylor just finished her first dance competition. She was in 3 dances, a few of which you may have already seen here and some you may not have.

The dances are judged first individually which is the judges critique. The scores are silver, high silver, gold, high gold, and platinum with silver being awarded usually never as it is the lowest you can receive. Platinum is the highest and it is about as rare as silver. Gold and High Gold are given out the most with Platinum very rare as it is the top score you can receive.

After the individual scores there are rankings (1st, 2nd, 3rd) that are given out for each category.

Taylors dances earned Gold, High Gold, and PLATINUM!! Extremely high scores especially since it was many of our kids first competition ever.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Time earned the Platinum score and also won 1st place in category as well as a special judges award. It was the hit of the night.

The Muppets dance earned a Gold ranking, and the 4 Swans dance got a High Gold. The 4 Swans also won 1st place in category as well.

We only have a few pics to share now of The Muppets and The 4 Swans. The video should be here in about two weeks and we will post all of the dances from competition then. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

We are so proud of you Taylor and all you have accomplished thru dance.

















Love and Prayers,

Sleepover Update

Taylor has some dance friends over for a slumber party. They decided to do one of their dances just for you so that you could see what a fun time they are having.

So now I turn this post over to the girls.

Mackenzie:

Hey everybody, this is Peanut Butter and Jelly Time. I hope you like it bye!

Taylor:

I hope you love our dance. Bye!

Jules:

If you like our dance, put a heart by it!

Maddi:

What up hot sauce? I hope you like our dance!

Love,

The Peanut Butter and Jelly Girls

Will's Christmas Songs!!

Will is soon to be in his first Christmas program. These are a few of the songs he will sing for the program, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Stay tuned to see some video of our Christmas Lights that are choreographed to music!



Love and Prayers,

Nutcracker 2010

Taylor is soon to dance in her first Nutcracker. She got the part she wanted the first time she was able (at her age) to audition. We are very proud of this and all of her accomplishments in dance.

It will be a wonderful moment during what is a very special time of year. Just another way for her to celebrate Him during the month of His birth while using the very gifts that He has blessed her with.

Her is a video of one of the dress rehearsals. She is a mouse and about the only way you can pick her out is to look for the one with the red bow with the white poka dots. It looks like the bow on Minnie Mouse.

She starts on your left then goes to the right side of the stage and back. She is in the back on your left as you view the video in the part where they are all on stage at once. She is also one of the two that carry off the dead mouse. She picks up the other little girls arms.

The video isnt great, but hopefully you will be able to see some of it.



Taylor,

We are so proud of all you have accomplished through dance. God truly gave you some amazing gifts through song and dance. It is more than a smile and often a tear that is the result of what we feel in our hearts while watching you.

Your mother, brother and I are so proud of you and cant wait to see you dance both now and into the future. We know that this is only the beggining, and we cant wait to see more!

We Love You,

Mommy, Daddy, Will, and Bogey



Love and Prayers,

You wanna put holes where?

This weekend Taylor and BFF Mackenzie (also known as Mack, Taylor is known as Tay-Tay) decided that they would get their ears pierced. We had told her she could do it after a certain age once she was ready but that it would be totally up to her.

Saturday she made that decision....with a little encouragement from her BFF.



We arrived at Sweet and Sassy and Mack and her family were already there.

Once it came time to do the deed, Mack didnt seem as interested as she was at first. Taylor decided to go first in hopes that it would make her friend feel better.



She sat there like a trooper and never even flinched. This pic was taken just moments before the needles went in...



This one was taken right after I heard the click of the guns. Notice that there isnt much change in her expression. If you look close enough you can just see a sliver of concern, but no pain reaction or anything.



Here is the video.



After she was done Mack felt some additional pressure and got a little upset at first but nothing was gonna keep this cuty from achieving this level of ear beauty.



She got in the chair just like Taylor and with a little encouragement from Taylor as well as a hand to hold she was on her way. At least the baby looked happy about it.



Then came the love and support only a mom can give. This pic really captures a tender moment. Feel free to click on any of the images to get a better view.



Here is her video...



So with Taylors hand in one hand and moms in the other she was ready to get it over with. Mack sat there so bravely and made us oh so proud. She beamed with joy when it was over and especially once she saw the results.



Just look at the smile on that face! Again you can click the image to see a better view.



We were so proud of both of them. It seems like it was a bit of a right of passage from little girls to young ladies. Even so, these two who will remember this day forever will always be our little girls.






Love and Prayers,

Happy Birthday Miss Boni!

We were so blessed a little over a year ago. We decided to put Taylor in dance because she had always enjoyed it so much and we thought she was pretty good. What parent doesn't?

Enter Miss Boni! We were so fortunate to find a really great place for Taylor to take dance. We started Taylor right away in the summer of last year just after we attended their recital. It was more than impressive to say the least.

It was a place called Boni's Dance and Performing Arts Studio. We didn't meet Miss Boni right away, but knew that it was a very special place just based on what we had seen with the teachers both in the studio as well as the character they showed outside of it.

First there was Miss Marsha who was Taylor's first teacher. I don't think we could have dreamed of finding someone as good with little one's as she is. She makes them all feel so comfortable even the shy one's. She is very special.

Then came Miss Terry. She is the pulse of the studio. The one that makes things happen, and in our case the one who set things in motion. She was Taylor's teacher last Fall, and after only two classes, saw Taylor's potential and chose to move her into more advanced classes so that she could be challenged. This was a HUGE turning point for Taylor and we owe Miss Terry a ton. She loves the kids and always has a smile on her face.

Since starting dance just over a year ago, and getting moved up by Miss Terry, Taylor has auditioned and made The Woodlands Dance Company and Bonis En Toure Competitive Dance Team. Her future in dance is bright and we owe much of that to Miss Terry.



So out of Miss Terry's class and into ballet with Miss Christina and tap with Miss Amy. I have no words to express how lucky Taylor was to get them.

Miss Christina is the ballet director at Boni's, and Taylor has taken many a private lesson from her as well. She is an unbelievable talent when it comes to dance and equally as good as a teacher. We almost lost her this year when she thought of moving back to Phoenix, and we are so glad she didn't. It would have been an immeasurable loss for Taylor. This is how highly we think of her.

Miss Amy is the BET Too director. For those who don't know BET is Boni's En Toure and it is the competition troupe at Boni's. The best of the best who go and compete at various competitions each year. Nationals is in Branson and we cant wait! I digress.

Anyway, Taylor has grown attached to Miss Amy's hip as she is her BET teacher. There is always the part where I tell you that Taylor likes tap the most that enters into the equation as well. Truth be told though, Miss Amy is an exceptional tap instructor and we were so blessed to have Taylor take from her last. Taylor is turning into a really great tapper and it is solely Miss Amy's doing.



Taylor also took Hip Hop this summer from Miss Toni. If you are reading this and know of Bonis then you know I don't need say much about her. She is totally business with these kids and we LOVE that! She always gets the most out of them every time they step into the studio with her. Miss Toni also does the Hip Hop number for BET that you have seen videos of. Go Peanut Butter and Jelly Time!

So you can see that this studio is a very very special place. I'm hear to tell you that it is thanks to this lady........

Boni.

That's right. Miss Boni.



She is the heart of the studio. Like an angel she glides up and down the hall never missing a single handshake, smile, or hug from a student. She is all that is Boni's and the reason little girls squeal when they see her.

She started the studio out of her garage in 1983. Very soon after she had moved into her first studio which began an amazing journey. She opened the 15,000 plus sq ft studio she is in now back in 2001, and has since opened a second campus in Magnolia.

Since 1983 she has danced her way into the hearts of many. She has won many awards and recognitions throughout the years which are too numerous to list here. However it is not the awards that define her success, but her success that defines the awards.

Today it is her birthday. So on this very special occasion we wanted to take the opportunity to share with you how we feel about this very special lady.

Boni,

It is with great pleasure that we send you well wishes on your special day. Thank you for everything you have been to Taylor. She started at your studio as a little girl, and thanks to you she has been molded into a beautiful young lady.

We love that in addition to a wonderful dance curriculum, she also learns etiquette, responsibility, trust and teamwork. The character development she is getting is priceless. We will never be able to express in words how appreciative we are to have met you. We do however take solice in knowing that we have at least 10 more years to figure it out.

So on this day we wish you the best. Thank you for all you and your wonderful teachers have meant to our beautiful princess. She has grown leaps and bounds since starting dance at your studio, and we cant wait to see what happens next.

We are honored to call you teacher, mentor, motivator and friend. God bless you on this day and the many many more that are to come! We hope to be there every step of the way.

The Thompson's

Love and Prayers,

New Hip Hop Video

Taylor is wearing a purple top.



Love and Prayers,

Crazy Hair Day!

Today at Will's school they had Crazy Hair Day. He is doing so good in school and just loves all of the activities they do like this one.

He will start T-Ball practice this week also, and as soon as we have some pics from it they will be posted. He is very excited about T-Ball especially since his best friend (he calls him his brother, or as he says it bruda) is also on the same team.

Enjoy the crazy hair pics!



















Love and Prayers,