Storytelling Festival

It's almost the end of the month and I've yet to post anything since March! It's like getting behind in your journaling and then you keep putting it off and it's almost impossible to catch up!

So in other words, get ready for some rapid posting. (I wrote the following 6 weeks ago.)

Holy Schmoly the story telling festival was AMAZING! I had no idea this opportunity would be so incredible. I will go to great lengths in the future to give my kids this opportunity again. If you ever hear of a "storytelling festival" in your area, you should change all your plans and take your kids!

We took all the kids and I'm glad. For one session Mike took the two little girls to the "pre-school session". The "Clipper" reporter obviously thinks they are as cute as I do.



http://www.clippertoday.com/view/full_story/11663038/article-Storytellers-entertain-audiences-of-all-ages?instance=lead_story_left_column

Marisa was amazing!

She told her story in a room full of roughly 200 people.

She was clear and concise and adorably entertaining. I loved hearing the audience laugh in all the perfect places. The microphone was in her way and not set at the correct height. As a mom I found that frustrating since it interfered with her "performance" and the ability of all 200 people to hear her. Also as a mom, I knew it didn't matter. We were on the front row and could hear just fine! She was beautiful, perfect and thrived in this environment, which still surprises me because she doesn't have a need or desire to always be the center of attention.

Because I will never get enough of her sweetness, here is her story... again.

(I guess my camera can only record horizontal & i did this vertically... oops!)

In addition to listening to Marisa we heard some absolutely incredible National Storytellers from across the US. All of the tellers were gracious and kind, especially toward Marisa when they saw she was one of the student storytellers.

Over all the tellers we heard there were four favorites.

Willy Claflin was Marisa's favorite. We bought a CD for her as a "souvenir" which she was able to get signed and a photo taken. Right now, he is her favorite super hero and she has not stopped listening to this album.

Mike and I loved both Bil Lepp and Bill Harley. They were hilarious. It was like attending a stand-up-comedy improv night. My stomach hurt the next day from laughing so hard.

I really want to take my family to the Timpenogas Storytelling Festival in September. That one costs a little money, Marisa's was free. Still, I really want to go. I can tell you we absolutely won't miss next years Weber State festival, so far as we can help it.

We also heard a hilarious bubblegum story told by an amazing "local" storyteller, Debi. She was from the Provo area and she had Thomas almost rolling on the floor with laughter.

I was so inspired by these people. All of them parents, most of them teachers, and supremely talented, sharing their talent with us. Storytelling is such an amazing "teaching tool" as well as being highly entertaining. We already love books at our house and I know this event made impressions on my children that they will remember for the rest of their lives. I anticipate many "story tellings" at our house in the near future.

And just for fun, here's a few shots of the kids getting ready for Marisa's turn.

And to think she didn't believe us when we told her she was not the star of the show today. Is she ever not the star?

I'm not exaggerating when I say this was as still as she held the entire time. (Mike ended up in the hall with her for the other sessions... except the preschool one.)

This is a photo of Thomas using his super hero "super slow" action powers.