What's up

Just a few quick notes about what we're all up to...

Jazz is working like a mad dog trying to get ready for his recital, which will be Saturday, June 5th at 1 p.m. in the music building on campus (all are invited, of course). His time is exhausted by rehearsing his big band numbers, his smaller group numbers, practicing the piano so he can perform a bit on the big day, too, attending the recitals of those who are performing in his recital, and then doing a bit of missionary work and family time (which is sometimes just dinner, before he leaves again) when he's not "working".

I'm doing the usual, trying to keep up with everyone else's schedules, and messes. I was hoping to be in Utah this weekend to see my brother's family sealed in the temple (mom, dad, and newly adopted baby), but the scandalous flight prices had to keep me away from that exciting event :(. On a good note, I've been able to sing a little lately even though my choir is on a hiatus right now...that is, last Sunday I got to sing three different musical numbers! One was in another ward, one in my own ward (and I gave a talk with that song, for our "Favorite Hymn Festival" Sunday), and one at a baptism after church. Jazz accompanied me on the last number, which is always fun.

Shark is between sports seasons right now, so he fills his time with books, books, more books, and audio books, and a little homework, chores, scouts, and piano practicing. He's doing great in school, and he's glad that this week was the very last Spanish class of the year (which his mom co-taught), which leaves more time for reading--in English :).

Didi is getting better and better at the piano, though practicing isn't always her favorite thing to do (the worst is when it's your turn to "go first" among the 3 practicers in the house). She practices 30 minutes a day. She loves to organize things, such as her desk next to her bed. And she enjoys reading too, but balances that activity with other creative hobbies such as writing stories, sewing, working with clay, etc.

Goldie still dances and twirls just about everywhere she goes. She's getting good on the piano, too. We have enjoyed the kids' new piano teacher that lives right in our apartment complex. Goldie loves to read, too. She is one of the best readers in her kindergarten class, and enjoyed having her mom come in to her class once a week to volunteer as a reading helper--Goldie always got to have the first turn reading out loud :).

Tootie is ever running, ever destroying, ever throwing. Yesterday alone he broke a vase, and a big chunk out of my aerobic step, when he threw random items across the room. A favorite booby trap: he loves to take the guard bar out of the bottom of our fridge door so that when we open the fridge, all the condiment bottles spill onto the floor. His favorite movies are Toy Story and Toy Story 2, and he can quote much of those movies..."my eyeballs could have been sucked out of their socks/sockets!" He's a challenging handful, but his adorable face and beautiful hair and endearing smile and hugs help us love him to death anyway.

We're a happy, crazy, loud, loving family, and we enjoy weekends together when we can let our hair down (after chores are done) and watch movies together, play outside, and play games together. That's the latest from our family :)!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day began with some wonderful traditional surprises--I loved the fancy breakfast, the chocolates, the cards, and flowers. My family knows what I like!








After church, we continued with the traditions of the day and I got to have a nice little photo shoot of us outside near our home. It was a really nice day!

"Something in [the] Store"

A couple of weeks ago, Dad took all of the kids with him on an outing to Barnes and Noble bookstore (he was giving me a break, so I could have a few minutes of quiet at home, how nice!). Goldie discovered something at the store that she REALLY wanted. It cost $12, and she had about $6 left of her own spending money (left over from Christmas, I believe). When she got home, she told me all about it, and for days she still never forgot about it. It was a copy of the New Testament enveloped in a wrap that made it look disguised as an adorable little girl's purse--pink and with flowers, handle, and all.

Then one day she came home from school SO excited--she couldn't wait to show me the fortune she had received in a fortune cookie. She read it to me, saying, "A pleasant surprise is in THE STORE for you!!!" She couldn't believe it! She KNEW it was talking about that purse book. I giggled, and tried to point out that when she had unknowingly added the word "the" (it of course actually read "in store for you"), she had changed the meaning, and I tried to explain what it really meant. But I let her continue to be excited, and since Jazz and I had already talked about it, I told her we could decide on some extra chores for her to do so she could earn it. We let her work for about 3 days doing extra chores, and now the "pleasant surprise" that was once "in [the] store", is now in her happy possession : ). Who knew...those fortunes really can come true!