Excuse the lack of progress...

I'm in the process of re-vamping my blog. I like the stretch blogs that cover the whole screen much better because it will allow for larger pictures. I'm still working on the background and a new header but unfortunately, I just don't have enough time in a day to sit down and do it all at once. Hopefully I will have time to do the whole thing soon :) Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!

Unseen Wedding Pics

This is actually kind of funny. I am friends with a girl at work that is looking for a photographer for her wedding. She likes my photographer a lot, but since Amelia has recently made her permanent move to Los Angeles, that option is out for her. I told her that Amelia brought other photographers with her to do my wedding, one of which is actually out on her own with her own business now. Her name is Melissa Pardi. I had never been to her website, but another friend of mine is using Melissa for her wedding, so I suggested her to my work girlfriend. We looked up her website, which I hate to admit I hadn't done since finding out she was running her own photography business, but as we were looking through her wedding galleries, I noticed pictures she had taken from me and Justin's wedding that I didn't even know existed!! My friend and I got a kick out of it and I thoroughly enjoying seeing them. Melissa is such an awesome photographer and she was so much fun that day. I would definitely suggest her if you're looking for a photographer! She actually went to Hoover High, where I went to high school, but I don't think I was at Hoover anymore when she was there. Anyway, here's the link to the pics on her website:

Melissa Pardi Photography

St. Mark Children's Christmas Play

Last night at church we had the annual Children's Christmas Play. There were about 30 kids total that were involved and it was so much fun to work with them. My sister-in-law and I were the dance teachers and my mother-in-law was one of the sign language teachers.

This is practice right before the performance. You can see Debbie going over the sign language with the kids.

This is right when the curtain opened. Basically, the idea of the play was revolved around gifts. Each child in the play represented a toy in a toy store. When the shop keepers leave for the night, the toys come to life. Sound like a familiar movie (i.e. Toy Story)?


These are the sign language kids. They signed the song "Silent Night".

These cutie-pies are the youngest kids in the choir. That little girl in pink in the middle is so stinkin' adorable! She kept waving to the audience.


One of the main characters was one of our dancers, Karla Turner. She was a bunny that was left in the store because she had a rip and ended up getting put on the discount table. She got a "make-over" and became a Christmas Bunny and sold.


The beautiful little girl (who I must admit is one of my favorite girls) is Madison Todd. She played a kitten and was also one of our dancers.


Another one of our dancers (who is also such a cutie and pleasure to be around), Olivia Martin, portraying a ladybug.


At the end of the play they express that the greatest gift of all is the gift we all got from God, Jesus. This is Elizabeth Baker portraying the virgin Mary. There are actually two angels that are next to Mary that were also dancers, Ashlyn is shown in the picture to Mary's right, but Olivia is not.

I posted the video of the dance section of the play below. These girls worked so hard and they only had 2 weeks to learn this dance, even though its a relatively short routine. And by two weeks, I mean one day in each of those weeks for only 45 minutes per day, so I guess a more accurate way of saying it is an hour and a half. They did such a good job and Jenn and I were both so proud of them. You will probably recognize the song. It's actually the music to "When the Saints Go Marching In", but just with different words.