Showing posts with label KIDS from Wisconsin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KIDS from Wisconsin. Show all posts

Monday, August 15, 2022

What a Big Bang Blast!

The Big Bang Boom tour bus rolled into town, bringing with it my favorite singer-dancer-sweetheart extraordinaire! My "niece" (as I call her) Megan. Oh, and the rest of the KIDS from Wisconsin crew.


This her 6th and final year with the program and I've seen her perform each year – including when she first auditioned during high school! She's had talent since she'd sing in church when she was young. And tonight was no exception.

I'd have to say this was my favorite program yet. I think because I was familiar with almost all the music. The focus was different genres of music that influenced the music of today. So I got my fix of Motown, the British Invasion, some '80s music (oh yeah!) and even musicals – where Megan got to sing Fame. Super awesome!


Didn't bring my camera. Just enjoyed the show and only took a few snaps with my phone.



And of course I got her autograph and a hug and a picture. Keep shining, my Megan girl. Your smile can light up a room. And when you sing, we ALL smile.

Friday, July 30, 2021

Not Quite a Crystal Ball

Took my new lens ball (birthday present!) outside yesterday and it was so humid, it fogged right up. I'll have to try it a different day. But in the meantime, I'll pretend it's a crystal ball. It kind of looks like one, doesn't it?

Of course, these days you don't need a crystal ball to predict the future in some things.

I've decided that watching the Olympics when they’re half a world away is sort of like looking at the last page of a new book before you start it. (Yes, some people do that — not me). Yet, even though you know how it ends, you want to see how the characters got there. So you read through it anyway.

That was me yesterday and Suni Lee’s successful bid for the women’s gymnastics all-around gold medal. I knew she got it, but I had to watch "fake live" coverage last night to see how she did it. So I stayed up and watched that and, in my excitement, forgot to blog and went to bed. 

Tonight I saw some live action of a different kind — and they were all winners.

The entertaining KIDS From Wisconsin entourage had a show in nearby Plover this evening. Since this was considered the Hometown Show for my “honorary niece” Megan, I made sure to go.

This year’s theme was In Living Color — but there were no Fly Girls like the ‘90s TV show of the same name. Instead it as just amazing numbers covering a colorful spectrum of genres. Good stuff. Megan was amazing as always and did a super job with a Patsy Cline solo. 

My fave number of course was a medley from Hamilton. I am not throwing away my shot!

Naturally, I took hundreds of photos because that's how I do things, so I don't need a crystal ball to know what I'm doing the rest of the evening. 

Better get started. Have a great weekend. I think I see a good one!


Monday, July 15, 2019

The Beat Definitely Goes On


When you read the words "The Beat Goes On" you can't help but think of Sonny & Cher. Well, if you're a certain age that is. Now, for the pretty much sold-out show in town tonight, the words mean an excellent performance by the traveling KIDS from Wisconsin group!

And it was fabulous! And I got an autograph from a celebrity. See that button? My girl Megan is now in her third summer touring with them. Since she was a little girl, I've watched her sing and dance. She's a natural. And she brings a lot to the show.


I took my friend Cindy since we both enjoyed the show last summer when they stopped in Rapids. The music covered every genre with a beat – from Sonny & Cher and Queen to Bruno Mars and Imagine Dragons. With pretty much everything in between. Just super cool singing, playing of instruments, and dancing. Very entertaining!

I didn't even bring my camera this time. I just wanted to enjoy it. Besides, my friend Kim (Megan's mom) got a nice camera last year and now she's following the tour and taking hundreds of photos. Here are a few of her recent shots of Megan...

Megan singing Stevie Nicks!

And Megan dancing around like she knows what she's doing. And she does!

They still have dozens of performances yet this summer. Check them out on their Facebook page or at their website (www.kidsfromwisconsin.org).

You'll definitely keep that beat going on!

Monday, July 16, 2018

50-year-old KIDS



Probably fitting this 50-year-old kid went to see the 50th Anniversary KIDS from Wisconsin show tonight. It covered all the decades of my long life!

I took my friend Cindy since we went last year and both enjoyed it. Saw plenty of people I knew, but I was only there to see one person...

My girl Megan, who made it on the group for the second consecutive year. Last year she was mostly a backup and learning the ropes at age 15. Now she is 16 and sassy and claiming front of stage! Plus she was the "hometown girl" of the night.

Lots of fun to watch – despite the lack of air-conditioning in the performing arts center. Felt more sorry for the KIDS since they were dancing like crazy through all the numbers.

I loved that they marked their 50th anniversary by performing songs from each decade – '70s, '80s (yes!), '90s, 2000s – and did showtunes from favorite musicals. Loved, loved, loved the fact they did two songs from The Greatest Showman.

The whole thing was entertaining and impressive. What a great group of KIDS.

And it was nice for us 50-something-year-olds to get out for a night, too.


Thursday, August 10, 2017

Crash and Burn

I didn't have a two-day pass for the state fair but I did take a two-day pass from blogging. That's what happens when you act like a teenager but your 40-something self can't recover like one! Was on a deep-fried high all afternoon Tuesday but that sugar crash later, though. That and lack of sleep was a killer.

Worth it, though. Totally worth it.

My friend Carmen from work and I hit the road at noon-ish Tuesday. We took the route to Milwaukee with the least road construction – according to valid Internet sources. Still, there was enough construction when we were "almost there" to delay our arrival.

We didn't HAVE to be there at a certain time but I wanted to catch my "adopted niece" Megan perform with the KIDS from Wisconsin. That didn't quite work when we saw signs the fair parking lots were full and traffic was directed to park elsewhere and get a shuttle. By the time we figured that out and waited in line to "shuttle," we missed the afternoon performance. Still got to Megan and she said she had an "encore" performance at 6. So all was not lost.

The only thing to do then was, well, eat. Of course.


Not kidding when we saw there was a calorie fest of deep-fried food options as far as the eye could see. We're talking everything from deep-fried bacon-covered tater tots and deep-friend spam curds to deep-fried green beans and deep-friend old fashioneds – because, well, Wisconsin.

My first course was a Unicorn Twinkie. Oh that's just a deep-fried Twinkie with a cotton candy cream center covered with some frosting and sprinkles.

I heard sprinkles mean no calories. So yay, me.

Later, after we walked that off, touring the barns and checking out food options, we opted for what I hoped and prayed would be worth the trip... chocolate-covered cheesecake on a stick.

The answer is yes. Totally worth the drive for that!

We met up with my friend Christine and her niece Allie, who were going to the concert with us and in the same adventurous mode when it came to food. Christine had the very heavy and sweet deep-friend old fashioned. Allie tried the fair favorite creme puffs. Two thumbs up all around.

There's a good chance we were all in a food coma by the time 6 p.m. rolled around and we got to see Megan perform a solo and duet for the KIDS from Wisconsin show.


She did amazing as always. What a treat to see and hear her twice this summer.

After that it was straight to the grandstand and Pentatonix! In a word, it was aca-awesome!

Didn't have great seats but I had my camera with. Still haven't looked at all the pictures yet! The a capella singers are crazy talented and so fun to listen to. Had a really good time.


And the weather was so nice I only needed a $40 t-shirt not a $65 hoodie! Bargain shopper.

Naturally, by the time we exited the concert, caught our shuttle back to the Park & Ride and hit the road, it was after 10:30 p.m.

Yup. You're right. That IS way past my bedtime. It was a long, long drive home. Thankfully, I had someone riding shotgun to keep me awake! By the time I dropped her off and got home it was almost 2 a.m.

I do not know how I ever used to close down saloons and get to work early the next day and function and be productive. I was so tired Wednesday. Hard to recover from lack of sleep and a non-lack of SUGAR. Like a glucose hangover or something. Wow. Needless to say, I was in bed early last night and will be again tonight.

I'm caught up on sleep but hubby and I have had a cold or allergy coughing crap all week so we need to rest it out of our system before the weekend – when we have more food and fun on the agenda.

Maybe balance more fun than food this time.

Monday, July 17, 2017

Wisconsin's Got Talent


With all those "talent" shows on TV these days, I sure with they'd pay attention to Wisconsin. Anyone who got to see the KIDS from Wisconsin perform in Rapids tonight or anywhere on their route this year can attest these KIDS got talent!

I've been excited for this year's show since, oh, February, when I rode down to UW-Platteville with my friend Kim and her daughter Megan for tryouts. I had some brief bonding time with College Boy that day but spent most of the time watching this 15-year-old step up to the challenge of auditioning for this legendary group. I got to be her special "aunt"!

She's always impressed me from her dancing to her singing in church. Crazy good for someone so young. But the competition to be chosen for KIDS is tough.

At first, Megan was selected to be an understudy as a singer/dancer. After completed the intense 16-day training camp when school got out, she was offered and accepted a “female swing position” opening. Basically she can "swing" into various numbers as needed.

She loves it. By summer's end, the KIDS will travel nearly 6,000 miles over three months, performing in over 35 communities. Tonight she was consider the Hometown Girl, representing south Wood County basically. So she got a well-deserved round of applause and cheers at the end.

My friend Cindy and I enjoyed it very, very much. Like Glee come to life! This year’s theme for the show is “Head Out on the Highway” so they performed all kinds of songs from around the U.S. – New York, Motown, Vegas and Hollywood to name a few. Really, really fun to watch.

Had my camera with it and I think I am going to love the pictures. The top one I took when Megan was receiving her applause. I still have 200+ to go through so I better get on that!


She was surrounded by well-wishers after the show but I got to give her flowers and hug. And get a picture of course so I can say I knew her when.

(If the show comes anywhere near you, seriously check it out!! On Wisconsin!)