* HoPe oF AMeRiCa 2011*

Yes, these first few pictures AREN'T in the year 2011, but with the opportunity that BOTH my cute girls have had now with performing at Hope of America, and BOTH being "Southern Belles"! Alpine Elementary has participated every year, for many, MANY years in this program as a kick off to Provo's Celebration of the "Freedom Festival." 4th grade students from Alpine Elementary participates in the singing & dancing of the song, "50 States Song". 5th grade students from Alpine Elementary are part of the Human FLAG, they are in YELLOW in the top left hand corner. Elementary schools from all over Utah County sing or dance in this program. But when Madi came home last week with the lil' Purple Southern Belle, both Bailey & I remember her wearing Pink! So here I have posted her pictures of being a Pink Southern Belle. (Both being in 4th grade when they participated in this-)

And when Tanner was in 4th grade he was a "Baseball Player" in the same song as the girls. I couldn't find a picture of him, but it was in May of 2005.

Bailey in 4th grade- May 2008

Madi in 4th grade - May 2011

Madi just outside the Marriott Center doors.

Madi just outside the Marriott Center doors.

Hope of America

With having to be there at the Marriott Center an hour and a half BEFORE the program was to begin, they were SMART & had a pre-show this year! The BEST of the BEST was this group from Utah Valley University called "the GREENMAN Group." They were great! You can "youtube" the group IF you want to watch a show of theirs. They are similar to the famous "BlueMan Group."

This is the Human Flag made up of 5th graders from elementaries from around Utah County.

Madi's group was just left of the flag. She is on the 3rd row up from the bottom, second Southern Belle in from the left.

Madi out on the floor, doing her part of the song- She was the state of "Tennessee." And when "Tennessee" was sung, she had to toss her umbrella forward, while spinning it and then had to bump out her tush-y. (Behind Madi is a classmate which is dressed up as a Baseball player, & that is what Tanner looked like...)

And as SOON as she was off the dance floor & running through the halls back to her seat, her Hula-hoop skirt came OFF faster than any other "Belle".

If you haven't heard of this next group I would be SHOCKED!!! The name of this group is called, "Jean's Golden Girls." These Grandmas, Great-Grandma's DANCE, and DANCE they do! SO Great & FUN to watch!!! It really gets the crowd going. In this shot is a GOOD friend from our ward, who I worked with in RS on the Enrichment Board for a number of years. Her name is Janet Peterson & is ONE active Grandma! She is the 3rd from the bottom, pretty much in the center. She is a DOLL & love her to death.

They danced a couple of dances but at the end they have one of the eldest of the bunch go out and so a SOLO & then into the S-P-L-I-T-S!!! Now that might just trigger a memory of who this group is.

Toward the end of the night they have a song called, "America ROCKS!" where they sing with sunglasses on & then they start the wave & it goes around & around the Stadium. Here is a picture of the FLAG "waving."

Overall, it was a FUN & memorable night! Grandma Paskett has never had the chance to go, and this year she came! It was fun to spend the night laughing & talking with her. Thanks for coming Grandma!

One of the last and BEST songs of the night was called, "We Can Be a Light!" The kids begin to sing the song, then the lights go dark & OUT come the flashlights that are ON and during the chorus of the song they all shine in the same direction at the same time. Beautiful, TOUCHING night! I was SO sad by the end of the night, they didn't sing one of my FAVORITE songs about the crew of the "Challenger Shuttle". Its called "Some People Reach for Rainbows." If I MUST tell you, I did CRY a number of times, SO PROUD...

I am SO Proud to be an American, Proud of our Service Men & Woman and PROUD to live in the great state of UTAH!

If you are interested in watching this program, I hear they recorded it for KBYU channel 21 or it might even be on Comcast On Demand or maybe even Youtube!