We Have A Winner!

Well, folks - it's official!  Last night produced a winner of So You Think You Can Dance Season 8, and I couldn't have been happier about America's selection!

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to Season 8 Winner Melanie Moore - she was deemed the original "beast" of this season, and she showcased insane talent in pretty much every number she danced in.  She not only is a brilliant technician, but she also brings a high level of performance and character awareness to her dancing, and that is a difficult skill to master - especially when you're only nineteen years old.

Source

This post is a tribute to her greatness, so I figured it would only be right to bring some of the numbers of hers that I loved best to all of you.  Dance fans, enjoy!

Melanie & partner Marko - "I Got You" - hiphop routine by Tabitha & Napoleon


Source

Melanie & partner Sasha - "Girl Power" - lyrical jazz routine by Sonya Tayeh


Source

Melanie & partner Neil - "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - contemporary routine by Mandy Moore


Source

And what would my blog be if I didn't give a tip of my hat to choreographer (and SYTYCD Season Two Runner Up) Travis Wall for this absolutely breathtaking concept piece?

Melanie & partner Marko - "Turn To Stone" - contemporary (WEEK ONE!!!) routine by Travis Wall


Source

Congratulations again to Melanie Moore on the big win - but also to all of the other Season 8 contestants - this is not the end of the road for you.  All of you possess something so magical and so special and it's now your time to share your light with the world!

And as a closing note, I must express my deepest thanks to Executive Producer, Nigel Lythgoe, and his team of dance soldiers for continuing this amazing program for eight seasons now. As someone who was enrolled in dance classes for fifteen years of her life, I know exactly what dance can do - the joy it can bring, the focus it cultivates, the athleticism and exercise that come as part of the process - dance NEEDS to be a constant in the world today. Kids and adults alike need to be able to get up and DANCE and make the world a better place, and I am so happy to see dance get the credit and attention it deserves.

From showcasing the world's most talented choreographers, to having judges on the panel who actually know how to properly critique a dancer (and consequently prepare them for the real world - professional dance is nothing if not cutthroat), and also creating a national holiday centered around dance (National Dance Day = July 31st, y'all!),  So You Think You Can Dance is a trailblazer in the industry! The show has proven results - contestants on this program book jobs, and as a dancer - that is always the goal.

Hats off to all of you!

Until next time,

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Okay, so every now and again, a ray of sunshine breaks through what seems like a world of gray skies, thunderstorms, and minor flooding (if you're standing in the parking lot of the complex where I live).

Looming.

Coming.

Here.  (FYI I was not moving while taking these pics!)

Besides the fact that we literally had one of the worst storms ever on Tuesday, and my parking lot did flood pretty badly (photo evidence above), I got the most amazing rays of sunshine today!  It was a morning like any other morning, apart from two things - a special note and a special email.

The special note was left by my gift-delivering ninja, Comanche!  It contained words of encouragement and love and I was taken by a wave of appreciation for him and knowledge that somehow, I am blessed enough to have that man in my life.  God is so good, and He has been especially good to me.

The special email was from a lady that I don't personally know, but we will call her my fairy godmother/deliverer of amazing news!  What was this news?  I ACTUALLY WON A GIVEAWAY!  I have literally entered hundreds, I would have to say, in my lifetime.  This email marked the SECOND time I've won!  Haha!  Moral of the story:  If you want to win the lottery, your best bet does not live in me! :)

Now, the first giveaway I won earlier this year was special to me because of three reasons.  The first is that it was hosted by a woman that I have grown so very fond of, despite the fact that we've never met.  The second is that it was my first time winning a giveaway!  The third was that it came at the perfect time and helped me get my newest business started with my partner!

This giveaway is special to me for multiple reasons, too.  The number one reason was it was hosted by one of the most respectable wedding magazines on the planet, which provides inspiration and guidance to brides with Southern flair. 

Source

I mean honestly...how flipping adorable is their website header?  I die for the cuteness!  The second reason I was so incredibly excited is because this giveaway contained a prize that is "song-of-the-South, sweet-potato-pie-and-I-shut-my-mouth" adorable!!!!!  Don't believe me?  Check this out!

Yes, that is the Southern Weddings Magazine website.
Yes, that is my hand making that thumbs up.
Yes, I somehow by the grace of God won
that adorable clutch & bowtie!

If you'd like to read the official post by Southern Weddings Magazine, you can do so by clicking --> HERE.

I have to say a huge thank you to the ones who made my day today!  You will never understand how happy and grateful I am to have received these blessings, and I want each and every one of you to go check out Southern Weddings Magazine!  The photo shoots are gorgeous, the brides, editors, and writers are Southern belles, and preppy country goodness drips off the pages and melts your heart!

Until next time,

Love Scarves? Enter This Contest!

You can help celebrate the launch of http://www.scarves.net/ by entering to win one of their amazing scarves! 

Want to see how easy this is?

Go here:  http://www.scarves.net/contest/
Enter your information.
Choose your scarf.
You are now entered to win!

Good luck, Peeps!

Until next time,