Kiersten's Dance Recital

Kiersten enjoys her modern dance class. Here she is in her costume for the recital; they were dancing as dolls, moving like puppets.

Flood!

So this is what I saw out in my backyard today. The drain we have there was overflowing and flooded my garden and all over along the back of the yard. Our neighbor who owns that property behind us blocked off the water and discovered that it was full of debris and plugged up and even brought over a pitchfork and cleaned it out!!! What a guy. I took cookies over the next day.

The peas I had planted were all lying there uncovered, so I had to do some creative digging and redistribute my dirt, but they all survived and it looks fine now.

Spring Break in CA

We went to Southern California for spring break. So fun for us! We got to see our great friends, the Penrods, eat some great food from restaurants we miss, swim and go to the beach.

Our friends, the Moffats, were staying at a beach house in San Juan Capistrano, so we got to go hang out with them at the beach for a day. We had a great time. Tanner was really happy not to have to actually go in the sand.

Easter Eggs

We decorated Easter eggs late the Friday night before Easter. Brittany did hers early because she had somewhere to go. I was making jam while the kids were doing the eggs, and that was probably not the best idea I ever had!! They turned out just fine, though. We celebrated Easter early (made a deal with the Easter Bunny) because I had to do choir practice on Sunday morning before 9 am church and Mark was leaving after church for NYC. Crazy!

Day Three: Beautiful Quilts as Art

I went to "Needles Night" last night with friends from the ward. Paula made this lovely quilt (and a million others). She teaches quilting classes (and 4-H and knitting, etc.) and I love her handwork. I'm starting to notice that the things I'm choosing to photograph also have meaning besides the fact that they are beautiful. This one represents treasured friendships.

Kiersten lost another tooth!

It's been hanging out of her mouth for awhile now. No, not that top one that gives her a snaggle-tooth look, the little bottom one!! This morning she came to me crying because it was really bugging her and she wanted me to pull it out. But she didn't want me to pull it out. So after ten minutes of talking her into it, I put some dental floss around it and pulled. It was so loose there wasn't even any resistance! She is very happy to have it out and she had to go to school, even though she is a little sick, because it is April Fool's Day AND she would get to sign the "I Lost a Tooth" board AND get a sticker to wear saying she lost her tooth. Some things are very important when you are a first-grader.

Day Two: Beautiful Music Things as Art

Day Two I took photos of pianos. When my parents were on their mission in Croatia, they sent me this beautiful crystal piano. It is only about an inch and a half tall and it sits on the little flat spot at the end of the keyboard on my piano. And the other photo is my piano itself. These pianos were both gifts to me. My parents gave me a piano growing up, lessons, an audience to play for, and encouragement. And my sweet husband gave me my big Yamaha grand piano, which I really love to play.