Kade's 17th Birthday

 Kade's 17th birthday was yesterday, a day full of celebrations. Kade's friend CJ, who lives an hour away, came over Friday night to sleep over and start the day off with celebrations. We got Einstein Brother's Bagels for breakfast on Saturday, per Kade's request. Since everyone slept in, they had time to eat their bagels, watch Kade open up his first and main gift, and then get ready to attend the Stake Youth Activity at the church from 11-1. 

Kade's bass arrived while he was picking up CJ, but we didn't have enough time to wrap it as elaborately as we wanted to. Austin suggested we just make it look big and obnoxious in the corner. 

Kade wasn't surprised, though. 

But still super happy to see it!

Kade stayed home with CJ and had fun here, but Victoria went with Austin and Erik so she could see some of her old Stake friends. She had a babysitting job right afterward, so I picked up the boys so she could go straight there. At the church, I saw two of Kade's good friends from a different ward and they asked about him, so I told them to stop by, which they did! When I arrived home, a few minutes after them, the mom was in our driveway. We chatted a bit and she told me she'd just wait in the driveway for 20 minutes while they visited, since her younger child didn't want to get out. It was so nice of her to sit and wait while some good friends could catch up. They live about 30 minutes south of us. Then as they were leaving, a friend of Kade's from a different stake whom he met at FSY last summer, who lives about 30 minutes north of us, stopped by to give Kade his gifts. He was going to come to the birthday party that evening, but had a change of plans and his mom drove him all the way to our house to deliver the gift. It was so nice!! Kade has the best friends!

Mario Cart!

Surprise visit from friends!

They did their party things on their own while Jason and I made another Puerto Rican dinner, per Kade's request as well. One friend just kept eating cupcakes, so I told her she could have plain noodles with Erik and she seemed super happy about that! The rest seemed to enjoy the Puerto Rican food. We made the rice and gandules vegetarian so that friends could enjoy who weren't going to eat the pork. They played games, talked, jumped on the trampoline, and walked to the park. Kade had told them not to bring gifts, so some didn't bring any. I didn't take my usual gift-giver pics so that those who didn't bring any wouldn't feel bad. Kade also didn't want a big fanfare of singing Happy Birthday with all the candles. I did get one candle for a cupcake and he did let us sing to him, per my request. 

Be Real!

Before CJ left.

From what I observed, everyone had a great time, especially Kade. Happy Birthday, Kade!

TV Girl posters from Erik and a fidget pen from Austin.

Some cool T-shirts from Victoria. 

Since I'm writing this on New Year's Eve, I'll just wish everyone a Happy 2024! We don't have much going on tonight. We were supposed to go to Susie's family's cabin to play in the snow today and tomorrow, but since there is no snow and Jason's a little under the weather, we decided not to go. He's been wearing a mask and avoiding the friends mostly. I've been trying to disinfect everything around so no one catches it. Just games, snacks, and movies tonight. Actually, Jason and I are going to bed soon. Until next year!

Christmas 2023

 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were nice this year. Nothing too big, but enough celebration to satisfy. Jason, Austin, and I were a part of the ward choir for the last song in the sacrament meeting program. The program was full of music and only one amazing speaker, so it was lovely. We have a very small, but mighty Primary who sang two songs, and some beautiful soloists in voice and piano. We got to see some people, including college students, whom we hadn't seen in a while, which was really nice. After lunch at home, we went to an assisted living center with a few other families from our ward and from some other wards in the area and sang Christmas carols as they ate lunch. We used to do this every Christmas Eve with this group, before the pandemic. This is the first year going back again. It was so much fun to see the joy on the resident's faces as we sang. We sang about 10 pages of songs, so by the time we were done, I told my kids that we didn't have to sing any songs at home, since I knew by then they were done with singing! Plus, it's much better with more people. 

We had the sister missionaries over for dinner. It was cool getting to know them, especially since one of them is from Rexburg. She and Victoria had some good conversations. We ate ham, sweet potato casserole, Jason's homemade dressing (stuffing, but it stuffed nothing), homemade rolls, and green beans. Pretty much anything with the ham that we didn't get at Thanksgiving, or didn't get the way we usually have it. We had a variety cheesecake from the orchestra fundraiser that was nice to save until now so I didn't have to make anything. I had even bought sparkling grape juice that we drank in goblets, but of course, I forgot to take any pictures of the set table or food. 

After the missionaries left we went to the Remington's house to do the Nativity with them and another family friend of theirs. They had invited us for dinner, but since we had the missionaries over, we told them we'd join later. It's more fun to do the Nativity with younger kids. Before acting it out, we played the left and right game. I wrapped a gift for each person and read a version of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, modified to have more right and left words. Most of the gifts were small toys, crafts, or candy that I didn't need for my class, were from my gift stash, or were leftovers from Erik's birthday party favors. I had to buy a few things from Dollar Tree, but it was so fun and worth it! Some kids traded at the end and I'm pretty sure all the kids ended up with their parents' gifts as well because they were all something most kids would like. 

Erik made a good King Herod!

Kade and Austin were 2 of the Wisemen.

Jason was the narrator and Victoria and I got to be in the audience!

The Nativity was much more enjoyable with younger kids, which also meant we left earlier and were able to play a few games and relax at home before going to bed, since we had everything completed earlier, including watching the Church's Nativity video.

Even though my kids are getting older, most of them still wanted to wake up fairly early to open gifts, except Victoria who's still on MST. We didn't allow any waking to happen before 7, though Austin couldn't help it, but at least he didn't wake everyone else. Erik's alarm went off way too early, like 4, because his clock was wrong, but he didn't get up to turn it off anyhow- Jason did!

I think we looked at the stockings at 8 and then opened gifts right afterward. We had waffles, egg bites, sausage, and berries for breakfast. I also had saved some of my 12 days of jam for everyone to try, though Jason was the only one who tried any. So I've been getting to finish off the rest these past couple of days, which I have enjoyed!

Lots of socks were received!

Leia spent who knows how much time getting her kitty treats out of her hanging stocking, which was still hanging, even after she had secured the treats? The bag was full of puncture holes in the hopes that she would rip open the bag somehow. 

Erik was pleased with his gifts.

Victoria got a ski jacket, among other things.

Go Lions!

And make sure to watch the Michigan v. Alabama game on New Year's!

Minecraft Legos!

Guitar strap!

Austin's new weight bench and weights.

Our breakfast spread!

We relaxed, played games, talked with family on the phone, and watched The Hunger Games in preparation to see the new one in the theater on Tuesday. Since it was a whopping 55 degrees here, we went for a little hike at Maybury State Park. 

When we returned, we ate our traditional Puerto Rican dinner- roasted pork, rice and gandules, tostones, and colorful cauliflower. Most of our kids have come to love this meal, so it's fun to serve it and easier to make since we've done it so many times now. 

We did some dancing in the sunroom and Kade told me that this was one of his best Christmas Days. He felt happy and relaxed. Hearing that made me so happy myself!

Merry Christmas!

Fa La La La La

 Victoria is home! She and I went to Christmas Spectacular on Saturday to support her friend Susie's sister in her Christmas dance show. Central City is a very big studio in Canton, but requires a lot more money and effort to be a part of. They put on a huge Christmas show every year. One of the teachers works at Red Bell, so I have wanted to see the show lately, plus we wanted to support Sammie.

When I say a huge show, I mean huge! I know how much time and effort goes into Dancin' Feet's recitals every May and they only have 4 shows, just over 2 hours each. This is just the Christmas show, they do a regular recital in June, but they had 7 shows, just over 2 hours each! And it's not just dancing, though that's the main attraction. They also have a storyline behind it about an elf named Ellie and her adventures with Santa. She and Santa sing, and they're amazing! They dance a little too. The Santa is legit. He's an older man with a real white beard and a nice Santa belly. Ellie, the elf, is the writer of the show, and she's also an adult. They had a few other adults as well, one was an opera singer who sang O Holy Night with pipes similar to Mariah Carey's. There was a cellist in one of the numbers, though I couldn't tell if she was a teen or an adult. The sets, costumes, lights, dancing, and music were phenomenal! It was a fantastic performance!

Friends together again and they didn't mean to match!

And here's Sammie.

We all got to attend the orchestra concert on Monday to see Kade and Austin perform. Kade is the first chair in the viola section now! Austin was sitting in a better spot, so we could see him more clearly, though Concert Orchestra has gotten small, also making it easier to see everyone. Kade and Austin gave me a special sneak peek on Sunday. They did warn me that the violins aren't great this year, and they're right. I guess what made it more noticeable was that the violas and cellos have improved a bunch, partly because I'm making my two kids practice more. Violins stand out if they're pitchy since they usually have the melody and have a higher sound. What made the most difference was when they played Sleigh Ride with the Symphony, a new tradition that Concert now gets to do with Symphony, whereas before it was just Symphony's tradition to play it. The Symphony plays fabulously and when Concert played Sleigh Ride with them, I could hear those violinists who weren't quite on the right notes. The rest sounded great. So, I'm happy my kids played well and are in good sections, I feel bad for those violinists who were a little pitchy. It's hard!  

Erik showed Victoria how to play the trombone, so I got a quick pic.

My private concert. 

Ready to go!

Kade's in the green hat and Austin's in the red. 

Here's two of their songs, including Sleigh Ride.

I'm so glad we got to enjoy those evenings of music. 

...to be Jolly

 We saw a a Christmas parade and tree lighting in Brooklyn, MI with Kade's friend CJ and her family. That was cold but fun!

Games beforehand.

Santa's on this boat.

Trying to keep warm before the lighting.

Ta-da!

Erik performed in his first band concert. He plays the trombone and is getting really good. There are 115 6th graders in the band, which is 54% of the 6th graders. Bless Mr. Hartge! I recorded the concert, mostly small, short songs they had learned. The first few were even just the noises they started making at the beginning of the school year. I didn't have a good shot of Erik, though, because of the amount of kids on the stage. They played wonderfully! This is the first time I've had a kid in a music class without having had previous piano experience, so I felt more like a lot of the other parents who are seeing their child play an instrument for the first time. I was very proud to see the progress!

His trombone was at the school, so we took a pic of him pretending to play. We forgot to take one with it at the school, besides this next pic where you can barely see him.

Peeking out behind the snowman!

We decorated a gingerbread house together on Sunday. It was Kade's idea and so enjoyable!

They built a snowman a few weeks ago when it actually snowed!

It was really good packing snow!

My work party was last night and it's one of the highlights of my year. Really. The Hackneys, the owners of Red Bell, host it at their house every year. This year, Ms. Bonnie, who's a very old friend of the Hackneys and Red Bell itself, smoked a pork roast (well, her husband did) for 2 days! Mrs. Hackney made a delicious salad and green beans, Mr. Hackney made delicious chocolate cupcakes from scratch, and Ms. Becky, the actual "principal" of Red Bell, made the cheesy potatoes and homemade hot cocoa with different flavored Reddi Whip options- gingerbread, marshmallow, and peppermint. Becky is also the mastermind behind all the fun party games and gifts. The right and left game, which scored me an egg bite maker, the Christmas song picture game, in which I was a close second, the Saran wrap gift game, where you unwrap a huge wad of wrap from a pile of small gifts until the next person rolls doubles on the dice. Once they do, you pass it on. Whatever comes out during your turn is yours to keep. Then the "Balloons in Nylons" game. As teams, we had to blow up 10 balloons and put 5 in each side of the nylons and then have someone put it on their head. It was hilariously fun! My team won and we got socks!

The Hackneys gave us 12 Days of Christmas jelly spreads with different jellies for each day, Becky gave us fresh potpourri that she dried and jarred, and Bonnie made us little Christmas ornament angels.

I love this wonderful group of teachers!

Best staff!

Victoria is coming home tonight!! Here are some of her dance pictures from BYUI at the dance showcase extravaganza. We're excited to see her in person!

Beautiful lines!

She's improving so much there!