Catch Up #3: The Longest Post in the World

This post should do it: get me all caught up to the current date and bore most of you to tears. Here it is anyway.

 

Casey Anne's 10th birthday. She enjoyed a quiet family party at home, got tickets to go see BYU's Music Dance Theater Senior Showcase, and made a wish.

Aw. This brings back such fond memories of Spring Break 2009. We celebrated by going swimming (in the indoor Lehi City pool).

Casey plays soccer. Note the mismatched socks. Her choice.

Micah plays soccer. Mr. Coleman coaches and the rest of us get to deal with the aftermath of a 1-15 season. (Yes, that's only one win. Quite a difference from last year, where we only had one loss.)

The night of Father and Sons Outing in which I unashamedly wore my  garden clogs and Forks sweatshirt, Emma cried her eyes out about not being able to go, and Casey took a book along on our trip to eat out.

Emma's preschool graduation and her public speaking debut (after several failed Primary-Talk-Attempts). We topped off the evening by eating at her restaurant of her choice: Cafe Rio. Yum.

  

The Barratt Elementary Dance Festival.

Casey Anne performs with her theater class, Up With Kids, in the thrilling show Enchanted. She was Maid Marian from Robin Hood. Tiny stage, 400 people in the audience, 2-year-old boy, and the best part: losing 5 pounds from sweating for 2 hours.

Well, that pretty much wraps up our 2009 spring. Looking back I still feel the same. I'm glad it's over!

Keeping the Channel Open

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.    ~Martha Graham

I love this quote. I'm setting aside some time in the hereafter to have a chat with this Martha. I just think we could be friends. Must be the dancer in us both.

Say hello to all my budding creative geniuses in this silly photo. Here are most of my piano students at our Master Class the week before the recital.

Catching Our Breaths

What have you done this last week? My family was here visiting this week. Besides the things mentioned on our list above, one or more of the members of our household have done the following:

toured the LDS Church History Museum, top to bottom

toured Temple Square (including the South and North Visitors Centers)

toured the Conference Center

visited Bridal Veil Falls (twice)

played at the Lehi City public pool (twice)

drove to Layton to visit family

watched Up in 3-D at the movie theater

attended a week-long writer's conference

won a drawing

2 baseball games

blew bubbles at Art Dye Park

got sick spinning at Discovery Park

attended a book signing in which I may or may not have been referred to as a BFF by a favorite author

It has been one of the busiest and most fun weeks in memory. This post probably should have a voice-over here saying:

This week has been made possible by the kind and forever fun-loving Helen Melzer.

Thanks, Mom for being you. Even if you did leave an unopened bottle of Organic, Raw, Apple Cider Vinegar in my fridge. I was sad to see you go, headed back for sunnier skies. It rained here again today (and yesterday). I am definitely rethinking my dream of living in the Pacific Northwest. I think Micah said it best, right after you drove away. 

"Mom, Grandma is like the jackpot."

sensitive soul

INCIDENT NUMBER ONE:

Earlier this week Micah and I went on a date to Mimi's Cafe. He was using up the last of his Valentine coupons and also a Free Kids Meal that he had earned from school for being Student of the Month. [We are so proud]. He ordered a hamburger and fries. During the course of our meal I heard him say things like, 

"This hamburger is so gross," and "this food is making my stomach hurt," while clutching his middle and leaning over.

So I was surprised when our waiter came and asked if we needed any boxes and Micah said, "Yes, I do."

After our waiter walked away, I asked Micah why he wanted a box if he disliked his food so much.

"Well," he responded, "I didn't want him to feel bad. I didn't want him to know his food is disgusting."

INCIDENT NUMBER TWO:

This morning we are preparing our house for company to arrive. Which means I am using the timer to motivate my kids with threats of extra jobs and endless summer days of groundation if they do not finish cleaning before the timer beeps. Emma is feeling a bit pesty today and has been teasing the other kids relentlessly.

She grabs a stuffed monkey from Micah's room, races into her room and tosses it on her bed while yelling, "This monkey feels good in my room!"

Micah comes into rescue it and says, "Emma, this Monkey doesn't like it in your room. My room has a jungle theme and yours has a cotton candy theme."

***

Is this typical for an 8 year old boy? I am so glad he is developing a sense of empathy, even for waiters. Emma has pink walls in her room. I guess that's where the cotton candy thought came from. And as far as using words like "theme", perhaps I have spent too much time watching Divine Design. 

Catch Up: Part Two; It's Great to Be Eight

What fun to look at all the pictures I took this day and remember how sweet Micah was. Such a tender and sensitive soul. I find myself uttering many prayers that he can survive me. Being his mother has given me an urgent feeling of the need to already be changed, not just work on becoming the person I want to be. It's terrifying sometimes.

Such a full day with so many memories. I'm not sure why I ended up with more pictures of food than people. Maybe I was really hungry. At any rate, Micah Ryan I love you and am honored to be your mother.

Catch Up: Part One

Since this blog is the only journal I have to speak of, I simply can't leave out some of the important events of 2009. So, welcome to part one of Catch Up. 

Here we are sledding with my family who traveled up from Arizona for Micah's baptism. We like to pack in the fun wherever we can, so we went the morning of the baptism. And why not? It was a beautiful day. Sapphire blue skies, sparkly snow, and crisp mountain air. Plus, we wore out all the little friends so they would not have the energy to misbehave during the baptism. Genius.

Series Completion

Huzzah! It's done and I am really pleased. I'm working on something with these for my Mother's Day present to my own mom. [Think coasters.]

And welcome back world. I hope to be here more often. I'm just now feeling like there is time for blogging again. It's great to be back.