A Blast From the Past and a Look into the Future!

Yesterday I had one of those seeing myself in my daughter moments! Gracie participated in her very first ballet class!

We first went out to get her some ballet slippers. There is this little dance shop in downtown Woodstock that had everything a dancer would need. I walked in and was instantly carried back to memories of my many years of dancing.
My mother started me in ballet classes at the age of 3, and I continued dancing until the age of 15 when I decided I needed to dedicate my time to cheerleading and gymnastics! :)


I LOVED it though! It's so disciplined and yet soothing all at the same time. My favorite of course was pointe. The shoe is boxed at the toe, so it's not as if there is no support there. However, it is very challenging and HIGHLY competitive. Trying out for Jr. and Sr. companies and to get into camps can be extremely nerve racking, like any sort of competition.

These are pictures of me at my first ballet recital! I was the one squatting in this one. I was 3 at the time! Who knows if one of us was doing the wrong thing! :)

I'm the one right in the middle up front looking prissy!

The one thing about ballet is that unfortunately, it really isn't something that can necessarily just be learned. It does require a certain type of body. Height won't necessarily make or break you, BUT it helps to be taller. The movements are all about length and lines and the shorter you are, the less length you have! :) The one thing it DOES require... you have to be thin. I mean obviously not at Gracie's level or even up through some of high school. But if you want to move forward with it, you better be tiny. And honestly, maybe I'm biased, but I think ballerinas have some of the most beautiful bodies. They're strong and muscular, but yet so feminine. It's actually a shame that it can produce a lot of eating disordered women competing over lead roles.

And you know what's funny... I would actually be spending MORE time dancing as a professional dancer than I would as a professional triathlete. Those girls dance 8-10 hours a day everyday. Broken toes and all!! Maybe one of the reasons I decided NOT to pursue it as a career! :) That and you have no life and you're broke as can be!

So anyways, Gracie LOVED her class as well! She walked right in and was comfortable the entire time! It helped that she thought she looked BEAUTIFUL, which she did :), and I watched her almost the entire time and she danced and sang and had a blast!

That is of course my intent with this as well. I'm not one of those parents that will push her to become a prima-ballerina because I missed my shot! :)

She loves to dance and prance around the house, and so I figured she was ready to take her skills to the stage! :)

As far as the future...

Gracie is definitely my girlie-girl! I'm not 100%. I mean can you be a triathlete and be all girlie too?? But... as my sister would describe me... I'm Bubbly! SO... I guess Gracie and I are a good fit!

Also about the future... the Diet Coke cut back is going ok. Might be better if I went cold turkey, but still working on the moderation thing. I've noticed that it's my rest days that I want/have time to drink more than one, so we'll work on that for next Monday!

And as far as my treats go... well it's been 8 1/2 days, with 1 1/2 to go!! No cookies, no candy (I mean not as much as one M & M), no cake, no muffins, donuts, NADA!! Just so happens that my 10 days is over just in time for Valentine's Day. I plan on celebrating with my favorite candy ever... a big Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Heart with Double the Peanut Butter! 300 cal. I'll savor every moment and then hopefully will get my fill for at least a week or so!

Until next time... Keep cherishing your moments!
K :)