Exclusive talent LTA

 above Hump Day photo by me

Today TJ and I headed downtown to Lily's Talent Agency to sign his exclusive contract and drop off a disk of his new pictures.

Life will be easier with just one agency...Tj's main focus needs to be school, but it's nice that NIU is only 40 min away so he can drive in to work

Our dear friend Steven Palm was in town and took Tj on a photo shoot downtown.

TJ drove himself down and just him and Steven hit the streets. Amazing that in a blink of an eye the kid is all grown up.

I really really love the photos....Tj really looks like a model

Our 9 days on the Jersey Shore

 We just spent 9 days on the Jersey Shore with 80 plus dancers and parents.

Karrick and I stayed in a quaint little motel across the street from the beach.

The week was spent hanging out with friends at the pool, beach, water park, amusement park and  arcades

Karrick danced a total of 4 times in 3 days, so we had a lot of vacation time.

They did great taking 1st place in 2 hip hop routines in their division and a 3rd place over-all.

"How We Do" was chosen to compete in the special Saturday battle rounds. They didn't place but it was a huge honor for these kids

ADC seems to have the largest group of boy dancers that I've seen so far. They work well together due to the family mentality and non-stop group outings throughout the year. They have become a tight group of kids and it's reflected on stage

My first year as a competitive dance mom have been great. We have a great group of moms that really care about all the kids

Karrick was chosen to receive the award for Showtime. They pick a dancer after the routine that they feel 'brought it" up on stage to accept the award. Well Karrick was thrilled to be chosen. It also meant he would be in charge of that trophy until it is safely turned over to the studio for display back in lombard. Needless to say the cute little blond boy dancer received a lot of attention going through the airport

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed my Dance mom role and cant wait to continue. 

Karrick just love dancing and has really come a long way this year 

Our retro motel played Casey Kasem countdown from the 70's. Brought me right back to summer's at  our local pool  40 years ago

  

Can you tell where I missed with the sunscreen?

 A private catered lunch on the pier

National Dance Competition

Karrick and I just got home from 9 glorious days in Wildwood NJ. We went with his dance team 84 kids and their parents. 

Below is a video that a fellow dance mom made

National Dance Competition

Such a Fun fun week!

TJ has a new hair style. Just when you thought he couldn't be any more good looking. Love the short cut. Im really over the longer hair. TJ had 2 auditions, one independent movie and 1 independent TV series. Both called for 18 and over. He was offered a smaller featured extra part in the movie (they called him to audition for the lead, a nerd but said he looked too cool) which we declined because it was a SAG project and 1 more SAG and he will be required to join the union at 3K. If he has to join SAG it has to be a worth it role financially. The TV series he is still waiting to hear. It's a gritty underworld crime series and Im not sure he is old enough. Still have hope...it's also a non-union role, so anything they would offer would be great!

I received a call today from TJ's agent, after 5 years they want him to be exclusive, so we will honor that. My guess is he is turning 18 and an entire new world of opportunity will open up for him. The magical age where you are an adult on the set, in addition to getting a lot of attention in the acting world and lets be honest he is freaking beautiful. They are his Mother Agency and signed him on 1st 5 years ago. He is with 2 other agencies but we will opt out

This past week was just a ton of fun. It totally felt like summer to me. Having a 5 day weekend helped. 

Karrick's best friend Ryan moved to Arizona 2 years ago and comes back to visit every year. Karrick could barely control his excitement. Ryan stays with us for 2 days and they pick up right where they left off. 

Karrick had a dress rehearsal for his Dance recital and Ryan came to watch and was able to see Karrick hip hop!

Karrick also had pictures for tech classes-recital. (non competition routines)

I took a bunch after out in the parking lot. Karrick is so happy when he is dancing. 

This summer for intensive he starts new classes: break dancing, funk tap and contemporary in addition to hip hop , turns and tumbling  

 Saturday was recital...I didn't take any pictures.

Sunday Karrick and I went with a dance mom and dance friends to the Lyric Opera to see

Flying Bach

It was fantastic! It is great for Karrick to see men (break) dancers. It's great to see the result of hard work and what you can achieve if you take the turns, contemporary and tumbling classes etc. I keep telling karrick "look at the big picture". He isn't a fan of tumbling because he totally lacks upper body strength.

In time I tell him

Fun fun week!

We leave for the Nationals Sat, just Karrick and I. We are heading to the Jersey Shore with his team for 9 days

My little man is looking pretty cute!

Two blissful years

Callahan and Katie are celebrating their 2 year anniversary today.

Hard to believe they have been together since the age of 13

To celebrate they are having dinner at Wildfire in Oak Brook, then seeing a movie. They even have their own chauffeur . No, TJ isnt joining them for dinner or the movie

My teens

Last week TJ finally got his license!

It's so nice to have another driver in the house. 

Callahan started drivers ed yesterday so next free day we will get his permit!!

Callahan has actually been driving stick since age 12.

He and his friends come home with all sorts of garbage. A broken weed whacker, and now we are up to 3 broken battery operated kid cars.

The jeep above, Cal fixed the wires and attached an old BMW battery and now it works. He is fixing the weed whacker motor and will attached it to a big buster battery operated Escalade.

He has already fixed a gas street bike and then bought it off his friend.

I more often then not have a driveway full of Cals best buddies all tinkering around with engines etc

I was told by an educator from IMSA that most of the worlds greatest innovators started out as tinkerers. At Cals rate....

so far this isn't anything the boy can not fix. That skill will carry him through life in any field he chooses

winding down

 TJ had his last day of high school April 28th. He officially graduates June 7th

It is the strangest feeling that your son is done with school...done done. This last week he and his buddies have been bike riding, playing basketball, going out to eat and late nights hanging out wherever.

Two and a half months of freedom...to just chill and revel in the summer that is after high school before college. I can't even believe College is here. It's so exciting to hear where everyone is going. I ask all  his friends when they come over.

St Ambrose, U of I, Columbia, Western and Univ of CO, Boulder are where his close buds are going

TJ is set for NIU, aced his Math and Chemistry placements tests.  Can go straight to second semester sophomore levels for both. Still waiting on English results.

Im so excited for TJ to just enjoy the summer and work of course.

 Sunday TJ filmed the final scenes for "Family Values" We used a private to home to shoot in. The homeowner the sweetest lady ever at 94 yo, sat me down in her living room and told me all about her son that lives in LA. She spoke as though we had been friends forever. It was lovely, just lovely. She shared so much of her knowledge of the business with me.
It's surreal that all this is happening If it goes no further I w'll still feel honored to have been a part of it all. What a ride....fun and exciting. Have met some amazing people along the way. I am beyond thrilled for TJ. He is so not affected and nonchalant about it all. Might as well be going to McDonalds to flip burgers. He did say "Mom, she told me I was just beautiful" all shy like he's never heard it before. It was cute

Oh, her son? I'm sorry
Armyan Bernstein 

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