beauty and the beast.

5 years ago I had a sweet little pre-schooler who was so crazy shy. Frustratingly shy. 

It was a huge struggle for us at the time. 

Things got better when we changed to a different daycare (love you, Jessi!) and my sweet girl started to come out of her shell a bit. 

She started at a different pre-school that fall and I remember filling out a little information sheet for the teachers. (love you, too, Renee', Karri and Mari!) I had written that if this little girl would actually get on stage at their end of the year festival and sing... I would cry happy tears. 

She did. And I did.

She's come out of her shell at lot since then. But there has always still been a bit of shyness.
She has the sweetest little singing voice. She LOVES to sing. She makes up songs and sings in her room all the time. But she never wanted to sing in front of people.

Until this year.
Right before we moved, she and her best friend, Abi, put on a little talent show for my mom and dad and I. Abi danced and Sophie sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." And it was so sweet. My mom and dad were shocked at her pretty little voice. She's sang a few songs for Corey and I since then, but still... I knew there was that lingering shyness in her a bit.

Our high school was putting on a production of "Beauty and the Beast" this year. They wanted some elementary school kiddos to be some of the enchanted kitchen objects in the "Be Our Guest" scene. I encouraged Sophie to audition, but I wasn't really sure what all was involved. Auditions were Friday evening and Saturday morning. Friday evening, we went a watched for awhile. (Mommy might have screwed up the times and gotten us there 30 minutes late.) Then Saturday we went to audition. (Which ended up being perfect. There were way less kids Saturday morning!) They learned part of the song, learned a little dance to go with it and practiced several times.

Then... all the kids and parents were kicked out in the hall and the kids were called in one at a time to stand on the big high school stage... all by themselves... to sing and dance in front of the two directors.
Guess who wasn't one bit nervous??

43 kiddos auditioned and they chose 20 to be enchanted kitchen objects. I could not have been more excited for my little fork. =)

Lots of pictures... the cute fork is about halfway down...

Gaston and La Fou were two of my favorites...

Lumiere' was a favorite, too...

All the high schoolers really did a GREAT job, though! It was so fun to watch!

At the start of "Be Our Guest..."

"Be our guest, be our guest, get your worries off your chest. Let us say, for your entree' we've an array, may we suggest..."

Mrs. Potts and Chip...

Check out his face... he was so fun to watch. (Especially when Babette was around.)

Not a bit of shyness in this girl up there. So, so fun to watch! (All these pictures are from their dress rehearsal.) I might have gotten teary watching her during the actual performances. Just maybe. =)

{One little side note... just so I remember. I love working at a school where I can send out an email asking if anyone is good at braiding... and could they help with Sophie's hair before she leaves at 11:00 for a dress rehearsal/performance for all the elementary schools. Within 5 minutes, I had 2 different people in my room, armed with hairspray and ready to go get her from PE to do her hair. Thank you Jessica and Miss Savannah for doing her hair on Thursday and Nicki for doing her hair on Friday! You are the best!}

The best part about Opening Night for Sophie?? She had some really special guests in the audience...

{Loved that these girls and their mommas made the hour long drive just to be here. It meant so much to both of us!}

The girls were all pretty excited to meet the cast afterwards... 

Such a fun experience for my girl! I am so glad she got to be a part of this and I can't wait to see what all she chooses to participate in as she gets older! I see more musicals and performances in our future!