After finally recovering from my dance-induced state of exhaustion, I am ready to chronicle our events of the weekend. We started out for Montgomery about 1:00 Friday afternoon. Right around Birmingham, my friend, Shannon, called crying hysterically. She told me through tears about the shooting at Discovery Middle School where her daughter, Delaney, is in 7th grade. While we were on the phone, Delaney called from the school to let her mom know that she was fine and the entire school was on lockdown. Later through the news media, I found out that 14 -year-old Todd Brown was shot and killed by one of his classmates. It put a damper on the start of our fun and exciting weekend, but every time we thought of it all we said a prayer for all those involved. I also hugged and kissed my sweet baby girl even more!
So then we arrived at our hotel in Montgomery. We walked over to the Performing Arts Hall to watch the opening of the DMA Convention.
Caitlin and her dance friends got a little antsy while waiting for the performance to start and were fooling around acting like typical little girls! Here is Kailee, Anna, Caitlin, and Kayla being silly for the camera. After watching about 2 hours of dance, we were a little hungry. So we headed out in search of a place to eat within walking distance.
But first we had to take our picture in front of the fountain at the Renaissance Hotel.
A proud Daddy with his dancing daughter
After dinner, we went back to the hotel to put Caitlin to bed early. She had to be up, dressed, and ready to dance at 7:15 Saturday morning!! Luckily our hotel had a wonderful hot breakfast bar which we took full advantage of! While waiting for Caitlin's group to take the stage, we had a photo shoot.
Caitlin and Kayla dressed and ready to perform.
Caitlin was getting into "The Zone" before going on stage.
Me and my beautiful dancer
Caitlin and Anna cheesing it up!
Soon after we left the girls with one of their dance teachers, Miss Mary Katherine. Randy found all of us parents great seats in the theatre, and we sat down to wait for the "Big Bad Wolf" performance. There were lots of wonderful dancers who performed, but none as great as Caitlin's group! I was sooooo nervous before they came on stage that I started crying while their props were being put on stage! I just can't handle the pressure!!! But I was nervous for nothing. They did their absolute best!!!!
In fact, here is part of the group after receiving their Platinum ribbons (that means their score was between 96 and 100!). They also won the High Points award for the tap groups, and they came in 2nd place overall in the Petite Division!!!! Way to go girls!
Here is Caitlin at our hotel proudly showing off her 2nd place medal!
After working up an appetite, we took Kayla and her parents to one of our favorite restaurants in Montgomery--Chris' Hot Dogs.
It did not disappoint! Kayla and Caitlin even got to sit at their own table.
We then went back to the Performing Arts Hall to cheer on other groups from North Alabama Dance Center. It was really fun to watch all those talented dancers.
Then we met my Aunt Bobbie for dinner in Montgomery. We haven't seen her since Thanksgiving, so this was a treat!
Caitlin was still proudly wearing that 2nd place medal!!
We then drove back to our hotel and let the girls do what they had been asking for all day....
SWIM!!!!!
On Sunday Caitlin and the girls were in classes ALL day with the judges of the dance competition. Randy and I drove to Prattville and got to enjoy each other's company and have a quiet lunch together!
It was such a fun, but busy weekend! Caitlin is ready to go next year she said, but first she had to sleep the whole way home!
The view from my classroom window
Walking right outside my classroom
Looking at the front lawn of the school. Look how it is piled up on the fence post! And I took these soon after it started snowing. I also put a bucket on the pavement to catch the snow. When I brought it inside after the snow stopped falling, we measured and it was over an inch! Too bad it was gone so quickly! 
Caitlin and her dance friends got a little antsy while waiting for the performance to start and were fooling around acting like typical little girls! Here is Kailee, Anna, Caitlin, and Kayla being silly for the camera. After watching about 2 hours of dance, we were a little hungry. So we headed out in search of a place to eat within walking distance.
But first we had to take our picture in front of the fountain at the Renaissance Hotel.
A proud Daddy with his dancing daughter
Caitlin and Kayla dressed and ready to perform.
Caitlin was getting into "The Zone" before going on stage.
Me and my beautiful dancer
Caitlin and Anna cheesing it up! 
In fact, here is part of the group after receiving their Platinum ribbons (that means their score was between 96 and 100!). They also won the High Points award for the tap groups, and they came in 2nd place overall in the Petite Division!!!! Way to go girls!
Here is Caitlin at our hotel proudly showing off her 2nd place medal!
It did not disappoint! Kayla and Caitlin even got to sit at their own table.
Caitlin was still proudly wearing that 2nd place medal!!
SWIM!!!!!
Caitlin's class was the 80's while Randy's class was dressed up like the 70's. When I was dressing Caitlin before the show, she asked,"Did you always dress like this when you were growing up?" I had to laugh because no, I did not!
Here is Caitlin's class performing "Thriller." Guess who stole the show?!?
She even moonwalked!!! I didn't know she could do that!
And at the end of the show all the classes sang "We're All in This Together" from High School Musical. Caitlin said, "Wow! I wish we could do this every night!"
Here is a pic of Mr. Hollingsworth's 70's class (with 2 stragglers--can you find them?) I just wanted to break into the "Welcome Back, Kotter" theme song when I saw them together!
I couldn't resist taking a picture just to show them that they really do love each other!
Snow was coming down really, really hard! It was beautiful to look at, but I was scared to death to drive us home in it! I had to wait about 15 minutes to let my windshield de-ice before leaving, and once I did leave it was sloooooooow going. Thankfully we are home safe and sound now waiting for that same beautiful snow to hit our house.
He picked out his Sponge Bob Smartie Pants pajamas to wear. Unfortunately they are summer pajamas so he had to wear a long sleeve shirt underneath. That didn't phase him at all! He was just so excited to be wearing pajamas to school. In fact, waking him up this morning was super easy because he was so excited!
Here is his class posing with their teddy bears this morning.
Back Row: Beth, Nakita, Mary
