Dance Recital 2018

It was a really fun dance recital this year.  Libby was in 2 numbers in the 1st act.  Sarah was in 1 number in the first act and 2 numbers in the ballet.  I got to be in the opening number and in the Adult Jazz number.  It is a really intense way to end the school year.  But it is always so much fun!  I love performing, and so do the girls.
Mimi (Grandma Debbi, my mom) got to come for the recital.  And its a good thing she did.  Everyone else who usually comes was out of town.  Grandpa Brion bravely came by himself.

Mimi did the girls' makeup both nights since we had only a short time to get ready so I could be a ticket taker. She did an awesome job! 

Grandpa Brion alone since Geneva is out of town for a wedding. 

The traditional pic with me, Susan & Tania

Sarah in her "Uptown Girl" costume.  You can't see it here, but I bought her a bun hairpiece since her hair is too short for a real bun.  It worked out really well! 

Libby in her acro costume.  Her biggest accomplishment in this dance was a "headspring."  She had to practice outside of class to get it down.  She nailed it the second night and did quite well the first night too.  

Ben liked it pretty well...since it starts at 7:30 pm, he was pretty tired by the end of the ballet.  

Our 1st set of costumes.  This is mine for the opening act. 

Libby's "Uptown Girl" costume.  

Sarah in her fairy costume.  The ballet was 12 Dancing Princesses.  It is my favorite so far because there is little solo dancing.  I love group dances.  The costumes, the acting, everything was amazing! 

Tada! 

Together in our costumes.  Love dancing with my girls.  Love Alderwood Dance Spectrum.  It is a great family to be a part of! 

We Made IT!

We made it to the end of the school year.  Whew!  What a crazy ride.  I wasn't sure that our family could thrive with me at work full time.  But we did it.  And it was good!  So the house wasn't as clean (until we started paying someone to help with that) and the meals were less healthy (sometimes), but we had a great year.  I'm exhausted.  I have no "last day of school" pictures because we were busy getting ready for the last day of school assembly with student council.  I have no pics of my kids with their teachers. But the "school color" reveal--complete with 30 balloons in black and gold was awesome.  And I only got a bit teary as I announced awards at the assembly.  I am ready for a break.  And then we will do it again.  Our last year all together at the same school!

Whew! 

Ben Turned 7!

My baby is growing up!  And I don't just mean in age.  He is getting so big.  This has been an amazing year for Ben.  He is reading, writing, thinking, and acting like a big kid.  I am so proud of him.
His birthday festivities lasted several days.
He got to sing in the 1st Grade concert.  (Libby took the photos.  He really hammed it up for her!)

 For his birthday dinner with the Norton family he picked hot dogs and mochi ice cream.  He wanted to eat all 6 flavors of mochi ice cream, but we made him start with just one.  Don't be confused by the candle in his cake.  That is a mom fail.  No 7 candles.  Or regular candles.  So, 8 it was.  Oops.  We will probably forever be confused by these pictures.

 He got some fun gifts, but he loved this singing card from Uncle Clark.  I had to threaten to take it away it was singing so often over the next few days.

 Since we are starting swim team this summer, he got "jammers" and some new goggles.

 He got his swimming report card this week.  The teacher handed it to him and he promptly dropped it in the water.  So, I took a picture and tossed the soggy mess.  He would be in level 3 again.  But since he will be in team he won't take lessons this summer.  We will see where he ends up after a summer of swim team. 

 Libby gave Ben a pedicure for his birthday.  He loved it.  I let him have one nail painted...but I'm not sure if she even did that. 

For his "birthday party" Derek took Ben and his friend Simon to the family fun center.  I think Derek has a pic or two on his phone.  I'll try to get them.  (Code for, sorry, you aren't going to get any pictures of that.)

One more week of school to go.  All I can think about right now is how much I want to deep clean my house.  But I can hold on for one more week.  Right?

Concert Week

We had 2 concerts this week.  Libby's last band concert of the year, and the Seattle Children's Chorus final concert.  Libby has been reluctant to practice her clarinet.  But the nice thing about a band concert, I sat back and listened to all the squeaks coming from the instruments--and I had no idea if they were Libby or not.  Derek spotted that she fake played one song.  I just chose not to watch that closely.  She will play for one more year...then decide if she is going to continue. Whether or not she sounded good, she looked good doing it! 

The brave concert goers. 

She had a huge cheering section! 

Then Saturday was the band concert.  This is more of Libby's thing.  And Sarah really loves it too.  They are awesome when they sing together.  I'm so excited for lots more years of choir! 

Libby was selected for a solo again this concert.  So fun! 

I was chaperoning, and missed the opening.  I hope recording was allowed...

A Whirlwind Wedding Weekend

My cousin Shelley's daughter announced that her wedding would be over Memorial Day weekend.  Last summer, my kids spent a week with her family, and they loved spending time with Brooke and Nate.  So I really wanted to figure out a way for them to be there for the wedding. 
So, we used up those saved Alaska points and made it happen!
We ended up doing a "girls' weekend" so we could do it on points.  Ben and Dad had  fun "boys' weekend" here in Seattle.
Here are some highlights:

 Flying with my girls was pretty fun.  So much better than when they were squirmy lap children!
We flew down on Thursday afternoon so that I could just get a 1/2 day sub.  We didn't plan on long security lines though.  We were almost the last to board the flight.  Cutting it close! 

When we got to Ut, Grandpa surprised the girls with tickets for a sneak preview of Solo.  They loved it.  Drea and I went shopping at the Gateway.  I needed a birthday gift for Derek.  I found just the thing! New cologne.

 On the way to St. George we stopped at Fort Cove.  It was a fun place to see some good history!

 I love their faces in this picture!

  I sent this picture to Derek.  A Derrick.

 The view from the Fort.

 The wedding was in the St. George temple.  I've never been inside.  It is lovely!

 These are cousins I haven't seen in FOREVER!  It was so fun to see them.  I know the last time I saw Cindy was at my wedding.  I'm not sure of the last time I saw Todd.   Love them so much!

 This was the Curtis bunch that came.  My uncle Ron & his wife Jan, their daughter Julie and son Bob, his wife Tammy and some of their kids (some of them I'd never met).

 The Upton family.  Aunt Sissy (Sandra), Uncle Ron.  Then my cousin Cindy, her husband Jon and kids Aiden and Egan.  I'd never met the boys before.  Crazy how time can fly! They are both out of high school.

I got to help make the floral arrangement for the wedding arch.  That was fun!   I'd do it again!
I also helped watch and refill the drinks at the reception.  I bussed some tables and generally enjoyed being able to help out.  It was all so beautiful.    

Somehow I didn't get a picture with me and Shelley.  It was a busy weekend!  But so so fun.
Actually, one of my favorite parts was when we drove home on Sunday.  Since it was Sunday and we were missing church, we sang church songs and shared spiritual thoughts.  I love my parents!  The spirit was so strong as they shared some of the things they have been teaching and learning in their callings.  I am so glad my girls were there for that.
We had a family dinner back in Centerville before catching an early early flight back to Seattle on Monday morning.  (Cheap flights always seem worth it when I buy them, not so much when I have to get up for them!)
But it was good to be back early so I could be ready for the week at school.
Unfortunately the one souvenir I got was a cold.  So it's been a long rough week.  Hopefully I'm on the mend!