Lake Powell - Day 1

Ahhhh, Lake Powell! After a full schedule of piano lessons on Tuesday, we left for Powell at about 2:00pm. We made good time and ended up being able to see our friends, the Laws, as we pulled into Page. After dinner, etc. we made plans for the next day.

First stop, the sand hill! We all climbed to the top and then spent some time swimming and playing in the sand....

Climbed some rocks and relaxed with our friends....

There's our girl!

After a little lunch, we headed down the channel to explore. Not long after, Reed's boat stalled. The guys figured it was the alternator! Well, there has to be some type of boat problem every trip. We had Amanda jump in the water and hook a rope to their boat and towed them back to the marina.

Mike & Reed spent the rest of the day getting the boat fixed and Kierstin and I took the kids swimming and then to dinner at a Chinese place. It was full of tourists, but was fast food and the kids were happy. Little Mia was so tired, so Kierstin had to take her back before they had any dinner. We headed back and got ready for a new day!!

Performance Night again!

For the last performance, Mike made it back in town just in time! Jim & Renae came to this one and we had Brandon along. It was another beautiful night! I feel lucky that we have such an amazing ballet studio in our little Kaysville!

Susie and Amanda after the show!

Susie, Amanda and Maddy

Sydney, Abby and Gracie

Papa and Grandma Arveseth

Our kiddos!

Love these kids!

Our little family!

After the show, we went to Fridays for dinner. Good times again!

We are grateful to both sets of Grandparents for being so supportive! We love you!

Performance Night!

This picture I added later and I can't get it to move. My new computer has presented a few learning curves for me...but we'll work through them!

This is Brandon giving his sisters the flowers after their performance! So sweet!

On the girls first performance night, Mike had to be in Denver last minute. We ended up buying one extra ticket for Brandon that night and going with my parents. My Dad was so nice to sit in the extra seat that we had to buy!

Don't they look beautiful!? We were applying finishing touches before they ran to the 'holding' room. Perfect time for a picture with Grandma!

And we needed a picture with Grandpa! Brandon wanted to be in this one, too.

After the performance pictures....

And one with me in it!

Brandon likes getting his picture taken, so here he is! It was a beautiful show! Afterward, we went for treats. It was after 10pm, so we could only find Applebee's open. It was a fun time and we laughed about Sydney's description of the magician the ballet school hires to entertain the girls when they aren't on stage. Good times!

Ballet Rehearsal-Sydney

Sydney's rehearsal....her teacher this year was Circe. Sydney is in the line closest to the camera right in front.

Sydney's rehearsal was on Tuesday. We were like 3 minutes late and so Sydney didn't get a crown for the rehearsal. But, it's easier to pick her out this way. She was mad at me because this girl does not like to be later. I was trying to teach as many piano lessons as I could before running her up there, so we just do the best we can.

Sydney's dance was Princess and the Frog inspired. The little green tutus are the frogs and you can see that Sydney's group are princesses.

After they 'kiss' a frog and it turns into a prince, the original song talks about how a handsome young prince will come and steal away your little princess's heart....yes, I cried. They did follow this little boy around the stage and made sighing sounds. It was cute!

Sydney in a fantastic love-struck pose!

Sydney and her friend, Gracie, were near each other the whole dance!

Sydney kneeling right in the middle. Gracie is kneeling...another bff is Abby who is facing the camera with her arms up.

I love to see how graceful our girls have become through ballet!

The girls had another rehearsal later that night. Parents are not allowed at this one, so we organized carpools to and from. I took a carload up. As the clock ticked about 10:30pm and our little princesses weren't home, I was getting a little nervous. Just then, the mom who was driving home called and said the practice ran really late and they were on their way!

The extra long practice was worth it, though, as the performances were beautiful!

Ballet Week-Amanda rehearsal

Clytie Adams School of Ballet: It's recital week! It's pretty much everything ballet that week! Amanda's rehearsal/staging was on Monday. This is when parents can watch, take pictures and film video. None of that is allowed during the actual performance. Our first recital experience with the 'rules' seemed pretty strict, but now we understand that it makes a much nicer experience as we watch our beautiful ballet girls. Amanda's jazz performance was a 'yell for your dancer, whoop and holler, and take pictures' and it was harder to enjoy.....

Anyway, this year's recital theme was Fairytales and Folklore. There were original songs written for the dances and we also had our live orchestra again!

Amanda's dance was the very last during the performance. She was a Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. (She is right side of 2 dancers up front)...

Here is Amanda's group getting instruction from their teacher, Sarah (in white t-shirt). Sarah is Clytie's daughter and is taking over the studio. She is AWESOME! Both girls have had the opportunity to be in her class and they love Sarah!

Although out of focus, I like these pictures :) Kind of fairyish

Beautiful dance! It was so fun to watch what a beautiful dancer Amanda has become!

Jazzy

Amanda in a spin during her 'Roxy' dance

I can't believe I have actually found a moment that is quiet. Sydney is at cheer. Brandon is at a friend's house and Amanda is chilling on the couch. It seems like it's been a month since it's been this quiet.....so I blog for the few minutes I have-leaving the vacuuming to be done at another time :)

Amanda and her friends took a Jazz dance class at Luv2Dance this past school year. Their recital was the week right after school got out. I have video of their dance, but I still can't get video to post. I also tried to get some still pictures, but my camera battery ran out!

Their dance was cute and it was nice to have them get some difference experience than ballet. Plus, it's always fun to dance with friends!

Amanda and Keslee. Kes is also on Amanda's soccer team!

Amanda and Bridgette! Bridge was on the soccer team, but is giving it up next year.

Amanda and Maddy....cute girls!

Test Drive!

We hit the end of the school year and went right into dance recital season, art classes andavacation to Lake Powell. I'm just hoping to catch up a little!

Amanda's team had a make-up game the first Saturday in June. It was a little awkward because some of the team member's have chosen to move to other clubs or quit soccer all together. However, like it has been true from the first, these girls are sweet girls who love each other no matter if they are on the same team or not. That was one of the things that made us want to join the Shock! We wanted it to be a great and fun experience for Amanda and not one filled with mean girls, jealousy or manic competition. The only sad thing during the game was when Daisha got the ball kicked hard and at close range into her wrist and broke it! She is one of the girls giving up soccer and so in her final game and at the start of the summer, she has a broken arm!

Anyway, her coaches had an end of the year party for the 'old' team the next week and Amanda said it was so great! She will go to school with a couple of the girls who left, but the others promised to stay in touch and if they ever end up playing against each other, I know it will be a good experience and not a nightmare.

Back to my first point....since this make-up game was near Willard Bay, we decided to take the boat out on a test run! We took the boat to the game, stopped at Subway for lunch after the game and then spent a couple of hours on the lake! The kids got to take turns driving, especially because it wasn't very crowded.

One of Amanda's soccer friends, 'T' (her name is Katie, but they called her T because there was more than one Katie) and her family had the same idea as we saw them there!

It was a beautiful day! At that point in the spring, we hadn't seen many days without rain, so it was fun to look at the gorgeous blue sky!

Our bishop wanted the YW to earn their own money for camp this year. The Mia Maids put together an auction for ward members to buy certain services from the girls and that money would go straight to the girl's camp fun. They only had to earn $25. Amanda was not at YW the night they set up the auction, so at the last minute, sweet Sister Joni Page, let Amanda was her car and make her some cookies to earn the money.

Joni thought Amanda was only going to wash the outside, but you know how Mike is about cars. They did an awesome job! That was one shiny car, inside and out!

Sydney can spell!

Sydney decided to participate in the 3rd grade spelling bee. It was held the 3rd to last day. I had gone to the temple with my Mom that morning and had to miss it. Sydney said it was fine and that I would probably make her nervous if I was watching. We studied a list that ended up being the wrong list! Even with that, she came in 4th place! We are so proud of you!!!

Kindergarten Graduation

Oh, playing catch-up! It's been a busy couple of weeks and there is no end in sight to the busyness! First, let's talk about Brandon's Kindergarten graduation! I started crying as soon as they played, 'Pomp and Circumstance'! I'm sure Mike was thinking, oh no...it's going to be a cry fest! I did pull it together. I just can't believe that we are to this point with our baby and I'm dreading having him gone all day in the fall. I know some stay-at-home-moms can't wait for this day, but not me. I really do miss my kids. Sure, I hope to get a bunch of stuff done when they are all at school or maybe even find part-time work during the day, but I will miss being home with my buddies.

There were so many cute songs with actions and Brandon even had a speaking part! He did a great job! His part was 'And every season, too' I took a lot of video with my camera and I'll have to figure out how to load it someday.

A few pictures of Brandon and his friends: Brandon, Nick Sharp and Spencer Harwood

Brandon's teacher, Jeanne Hoddenbach. She has been so good to Brandon. She didn't let him pout when he didn't get his way (totally our fault...he learns it from being the only boy and the baby), but would cheer him on when he was doing what he should. She was fantastic! She also has 2 girls and a boy. Her son just left on his mission and she told me that watching me with Brandon reminds her of how she is with her son. :)

B and Ruby Jane Hollingsworth. They were born a month apart (RJ was first) and her Mom was one of my first friends after moving here. Since we moved in when I was 5 months preggo with B, I was glad to have made a fast friend!

B and Ben Petersen

Our big boy!

I watched Brandon and Mike leaving the building and I just loved this picture! My boys!

We decided to celebrate and go to lunch. Brandon picked sushi....surprise!!!

We are proud of you and we love you, Brandon!