Synchronized Swimming & a Song

Azure, Hannah, Maycee, Kaitlyn, Bella

Aah, the Ward Talent Show. I kind of love it. This year, it was combined with our ward campout. Due to the fact that it had been quite rainy and a snitch chilly, the McOmber fam opted out of the sleeping in a tent portion of the evening, but we certainly made up for it in the not hiding our light under a bushel segment of the night.

I made up a little syncronized swimming routine for Bella, Azure and a few of their sweet friends. They had lots of fun practicing, but way more fun performing...especially because they got to spit water out at the audience at the very end. They thought they were hilarious! So stinkin' cute. Great job ladies!

{Scroll down to see the video}


Of course, I couldn't let the girls have all the fun. I told a story and sang a little ditty too. This is (mostly) what I said:

I grew up in a car-trip loving family. All nine of us would pile into the family station wagon and drive all over the west. Back in my day, we didn’t have DVD players in the car. We didn’t have iPods or iPads or DS’s. But, we did have in dash cassette player, and we sang. And sang. And sang. My dad taught us old school folk & country songs, like “Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road”, “Ole Slew Foot” and “Home Grown Tomatoes”. I learned a lot of great life lessons through those songs, like the fact that: “there’s only two things that money can’t buy – that’s true love & home grown tomatoes”. But, he also taught us gospel songs, some obscure, like “Dropkick me Jesus Through the Goalposts of Life” and other, more well known songs.
On one of our trips through rural Oregon, in the middle of nowhere several of us kids needed to make a pitstop. And there, like a desert oasis was a small shack, boasting a neon lighted “Open” sign. When we walked through the door, we realized this building served as the post office by day, and the local Tavern by night. We were there at night. This place was full of haggard, mangy bearded men, who wore bandanas atop their heads, and beat up leather vests. The ladies looked just as weathered – but without the beards. They graciously let us use the facilities. And because we wouldn’t be purchasing anything from behind the bar…in a Partridge Family style moment, we thought the best payment to give them would be a song. So, my sisters, dad and I lined up in front of the bar, looked out at this tough crowd, and sang them this song: I then proceeded to sing the same song we performed for that bar many, many years ago... Swing Lo, Sweet Chariot. It's one of my favorites, and I will never forget singing it in a beat up little tavern when I was a girl - especially because, as we finished, the 'rough' crowd rose to their feet clapping, wiped tears from their eyes, and hugged us as we left to get on with our trip. Was it super cheesy? Yes. Was it something I would ever ask my kids to do? No way. But was it worth it? Absolutely.