Concert in the Park #1

Last year we stumbled upon these free concerts in the Brigham Young Historic Park.  Unfortunately, the one we went to last year was the last one of the summer.  We hit this one in June so we started early.  Now it is the end of July and we haven't been back but we do have a few more on our list to get to... namely the parody accordianist.  I can't wait to see what that one is like.  This one was not our favorite musical selection but the ambiance and company was amazing.  It was a four person acapella gospel group.  They were a little corny but talented none the less.  We went with the Derieg's minus Cole and Ethan who were at EFY.  Aspen McRae came along with the Tenley's and the Hicken's walked by us just as it was starting so Maddy had Jenna to hang out with.  We took chicken taco mix, tortillas, chips, salsa and fruit and cookies, and candy.  It was fun just to be outside listening to music and being with friends and good food!

Back to our roots.... Manti

I wanted to take the kids to the Manti pageant this year, mainly because I haven't been since I was 12!  When I found out when it was playing I realized that it was right when Norm was going to be gone to New York and Washington D.C.  I wasn't too thrilled about making the trek by myself so I invited my parents to go along.  My Dad had never been... which I don't even know how that is possible since his mother's family lived on the temple grounds!  We took dinner down and after we got our parking spot, just layed our blanket out next to the suburban and ate our subway sandwiches, watermelon, and pasta salad.  Mmmmm... We quickly realized that we were being eaten alive by mosquitos so we slathered ourselves in bug spray and that seemed to do the trick.  We walked over to the grounds and found our seats.  We had over an hour before it was to start.  We just visited, walked around some, took some pictures and patiently waited for the nine o'clock starting time.  I loved the pageant.  It covered Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and the Pioneers.  They have upped their special effects since I was there many moons ago.  I have no recollection of pyrotechnics and the sheer number of actors they had.  The costumes, the lighting, and sound were amazing.  It was long... over two hours and yes we were tired getting home after 2 AM but it was all worth it to be see this spectacular event... with the added bonus of knowing that we were sitting right where our ancestors walked and lived.  Amazing!

Field Day and the Last Day

Tenley at Field Day... They finished early and the kids were taunted by their lunches sitting by them that they were not allowed to eat until "lunch" time.  Most of the 3rd graders (5 classes) were playing a game of kick ball.  Tenley opted to sit out and wait by me.

Tenley and her friend Kylie.

Tenley and I waiting for it to be lunch time.  After waiting for quite sometime... Tenley leaned over and said "Can you just check me out and can we go home?"  I asked her if she was sure she didn't want to stay and eat with her friends.  She assured me she just wanted to go home with me... how can you turn that down!

Tenley and Mrs. Smith... her favorite 3rd grade teacher!

Maddy, Paige, Holly and Jenna... last day of elementary... all grown  up Junior High Girls now!

Back to the 1960s

Cole's end of year orchestra concert was filled with music from the 1960s.  The Beatles, the Beach Boys, music from Hair Spray.  It was fun to hear popular music you know.  I enjoy classical pieces too but this was just pure fun.  They had the choir sing along with the orchestra on some of the pieces too.  Grandma, Grandpa and Adrienne came to partake of the musical feast.  Maddy was at Young Women's so she didn't make it.  Such is the life of the older kids... splitting our time between lots of great activities!

I really enjoy listening to Cole play his violin.  He and I are playing a duet in sacrament meeting in August and I am just slightly nervous about this.  Its been years since I have played in sacrament.  So, it will be a great experience to do it with Cole.

Memorial Day

My Mom and Dad, ever since I can remember take flowers to the cemeteries where their ancestors are buried.  I used to go along when we were kids and then through some of my teenage years I think I didn't love going so much.  Once I matured :)  I began going again.  Norm went with us once and decided that he'd rather spend his day doing something else.  I totally understand, it's not his family, he doesn't have much extended family so he doesn't have the connection that I have. It has been something my kids love doing and they always come along.  The past few years we have been working on making a book about who we are visiting.  We try to talk to the kids about who these people were and how they are related and something we remember about them.  We have been gathering pictures and making note of where they are buried so that we would be able to find them without my parents.  We will finish putting it together this year and it will be neat to take it with us every year and look at pictures and reminisce about the memories we have of all these great people.  I find a kinship because I am here because of these people.  Without them, I wouldn't be here in the family that I have.  I love family history and love reading people's stories and hearing how they lived their lives.  Someday in my life I want to become more involved in family history.  I have it on my "empty nest" plan.. some day... in about 10 years.  Maybe I won't wait that long.

Tenley's field trip.. I'm not a "top five" Mom

A week or so before Tenley's field trip the end of May I signed the permission slip and checked the box that I wanted to be a parent volunteer to help at the field trip. I put it on my calendar and planned on attending.  The night before the field trip Tenley tells me that her teacher was going to choose the top 5 parents to go since she had so many sign up but she never did it.  So, I didn't know if I was able to go or not.  I didn't know what to think until 9 PM when my phone rang.  It was Tenley's teacher explaining that there had been too many parents sign up and I wasn't in the "top five". So, I was welcome to drive myself and pay for myself to get in.  Tenley was pretty disappointed so I said I would meet her there.  Well,  let me tell you, I have discovered a new way to do the field trip scene.  I drove myself, met them there, was not in charge of any kids, I just got to wander with Tenley and watch and enjoy her.  No stress of turning around and counting kids every five minutes, no bus ride with noisy kids and wind blown hair... hmmm I might like this new approach.  They were able to go to the Children's Museum at Discovery Gateway and the Planetarium and lunch at Liberty Park. It was quite a day.  We had never been to the museum... it's too dang expensive.  It would cost almost $50 to take my family... for something that you would spend a few hours in, that is just way too much, in my opinion.  I didn't even have to pay for myself, since once I met them there I just became part of the field trip!  It really is a neat museum... they divided the kids into two group and they got to wear pinnies.... remember those from school p.e. days?  Awesome!  They had a news room studio, giant magnetic things, grocery store, cranes to lift foam blocks, a water station and tons of other exhibits.  We then walked over to the planetarium where they got to watch a movie in the laser dome theater. I admit that I napped.  I couldn't stay awake. Then we drove to Liberty park for lunch.  It was cloudy, breezy and chilly.  Not the usual weather for the end of the year school field trip.  The kids had a blast playing on the huge playground.  Tenley decided that she would rather ride home with me than ride the bus with her friends... so I guess I am actually the "top Mom" in her eyes!

15 years ago... in May

15 years ago I had been sent home from the hospital twice.  15 years ago I was in labor for days.  15 years ago I spent 13 hours on Pitocin.  15 year ago after vacuum, forceps and two nurses pushing on my stomach and way too many doses of my epidural we were blessed with Cole.  I cannot believe that 15 years have gone by.  I think of the stages and milestones we have gone through with Cole and it is amazing.  Crawling at 6 months, first word at 9 months, walking at 10 months and now he is on the countdown to driving and dating!  How did that happen?  I don't feel 15 years older, but when I see pictures, I know I have aged.  I am excited for him and what his future holds.  Starting high school, driving, dating, college, and a mission are such huge life changing experiences.  In the next few years he will make some of the most important decisions in his life.  I hope we have helped him learn the skills he needs to be able to weigh his options and do what is right for him.  He is such an amazing part of our family.  It is so nice to have an older boy, that can lift heavy coolers, and 50 pound bags of sugar and help do yard work.  It is even nicer to see an older boy working on his Duty to God, marking scripture chains, preparing a family night lesson, playing his violin and piano, getting straight A's and having great friends.  I love that he loved EFY and Youth Conference and that he talks about "when I am on my mission".  I loved that he gave a talk in sacrament meeting on the "10 minute miracle"  ... spending 10 minutes a day in the scriptures and that I learned something from him. He planned and prepared his whole talk without any help and he did an amazing job.  He has great talents and it is fun watching him recognize and develop them.  His confidence is growing by leaps and bounds.  I love seeing a confident youth.  It makes me hopeful that they can withstand the pressures of the world.  He has a great spirit about him and we miss him when he is away. 

This year for his birthday he asked for violin accessories... a new case, a new chin rest, a tuner, rosin, etc...  So, it seemed not exciting to me but he was ecstatic. We had spaghetti, alfredo, caesar salad, and bread sticks at home.

 Cole also got his braces off in May!

Carl Bloch

Back in April we visited the BYU Museum of Art.  They had the Carl Bloch art exhibit and we had heard from multiple people how amazing it was.  We had to make reservations for free tickets because it was so popular.  Norm ended up being stuck at work and wasn't able to come with us. So, the three kids and I made the trek down to Provo.  There was a cool movie they showed for a few minutes before which explained a lot about Carl Bloch's life, family, and artistic experience.  It was this cool presentation that was shown on three walls in this room.  The images moved around the walls in a panoramic style.  Then we entered the actual exhibit. There were many huge altar paintings, mostly of Christ.  It was very interesting to read the detailed explanation of the paintings.  They would tell you to notice someones eyes, the darkness around a character and the light around Christ.  It made it much more meaningful than just looking at the artwork as a whole.  There were other paintings of his wife, his parents, an elderly couple, a woman feeding birds and some scenery paintings.  I loved seeing and feeling this art.  I'd love to visit the castle he was commissioned to paint the life of the Savior in.  He spent 14 years I think painting this art work to depict Jesus Christ. I can't imagine having those huge pieces of art in your home.  The kids had never been to an art exhibit before and it was an eye opening experience.  I don't know how much they appreciated it but I hope they remember it.  As we try to make it to more art exhibits I hope they can gain an appreciation for the talent and the art itself.

Easter in Idaho Falls

So, I am doing some backwards-blogging... I haven't blogged in way too long so I am doing some catch up.  So we are flashing back to Easter 2011.


We spent Easter weekend in Idaho Falls with Norm's parents.  We decorated eggs, never did an Easter egg hunt... which I had guilt about but quickly got over when none of the kids said anything.  We had a nice turkey dinner on Sunday.  We played a few games... Mah Jongg to name one.  We have been teaching Cole this game.  Its fun to have him growing up and playing big people games with us.