Last Day of School - FINALLY!

Today was FINALLY the last day of school. I know most of the settled world has been out for a month already, but not the school children in the great state of New York. Poor things! Both Julee and Alexis are ready for a much needed break. They worked hard this year and have done an excellent job in their studies as well as their extra-curricular activities. I thought it would be fun to post a first day of school picture and a last day of school picture to see how much they have or haven't changed. What do you think?

September 2008

June 2009

I think it is hilarious that Alexis is wearing the same shirt at the end of the year that Julee was wearing at the beginning of the year. I couldn't have planned that if I tried!

Farmers Market or Car Show?

Last Saturday while I was at my scrapbooking group, Rick and Alexis took an impromptu trip to one of the local farmers markets. Farmers Markets are so AWESOME and they are EVERYWHERE around here. Some are very small and laid back, while others are very large with tons of stands. They are fun to visit and we get some really great deals on locally grown fruits and vegetables. There is also great entertainment in looking at all the stands that are run by local craftsman and eateries. As Rick and Alexis were telling me about this particular market, it seemed a bit different than the norm. When I saw the pictures, all I could do was laugh and think of the old Sesame Street song, "One of these things is not like the others; one of these things just doesn't belong". Can you pick out which one doesn't belong?

Yep, those rows of flower were the extent of anything organic seen that day. Not your typical farmers market but they had a great time even if they didn't get to bring home any of these locally grown treasures.

She's a Rock Star!

Last night we went to Julee's last band concert of elementary school. What a great percussionist Julee has become in the past 3 years! I love that the band director has them switch instruments for each song. In this concert Julee played the xylophone, snare drum, timpani, bass drum, and the drum set.

Here you can see her ready to play the timpani (kettle drums).

Julee was asked to perform as part of a smaller group at the concert. Here she is playing snare drum.

We're off to see the wizard! Julee plays the xylophone for this number (she is standing to the left in the back row). It amazed me to see that she never actually looks at her music when she is playing.

We are excited that Julee has chosen to continue with her music and will be playing in the junior high band next year!

Hmmm?

Could this be why we have to buy a new couch?

In their defense, the couch has been broken since we moved here. It really didn't fit up the stairs, but the missionaries who were helping Rick move "made" it fit. Now it's beyond broken and the furniture store will be happy to see us coming.

Happy Birthday to ME!

I always post for birthdays and special occasions but wasn't quite sure how I would pull this one off. Lucky for me, my sister Ali took care of it for me! I stole this post from her blog this morning. Thanks Ali for remembering me and for your mushy post that will keep me in tears all day!

Birthday Post/100th Post

There are 2 big occasions with this post. For one, it is my 100th post since I started the blog. Two, it is my big sister's birthday today. How awesome that her birthday and my 100th post happen to fall at the same time. I think it's cool anyway. I was up at 745 this morning and thought for once that maybe I could get a birthday post done before 1130pm the night of the birthday. I guess that is awesomeness #3 to add, a birthday blog goes out before 9am. Anyway, I just want to wish Stephanie a very happy birthday. (Sorry there are no pictures but you really are not one to have many pictures of you around.) She is my oldest sister, and just may be the wisest. I have had many fabulous times with my big sis over the years. I think the the best times have definitely been later in life. I love that as all of us siblings grow older we get along better and find more joy in being around each other. I have 2 all time favorite times when I was with Steph. One was when I was so lucky to get to spend a couple months with her in Germany. I had so much fun hanging out with her and travelling around the area, experiencing new things. My other all time favorite time with her was the year I lived with her after I graduated high school. I moved in with her the summer after I graduated and I totally loved it. I was so lucky to watch her girlies for her while she worked and it was so much fun. I just enjoyed the time I lived there with her. I don't recall us ever butting heads or having any issues. We just enjoyed our time together and it was great. I am so thankful too that I could be there for her that year. Many not so good things happened in that time and I am just so grateful that I could be there for her in those moments that were so difficult. I love my big sister.

Steph, I hope you have a great day. You are such an amazing woman and though I am so far away I love to see who you have become since you married Rick and have been in NY. I can see how strong your testimony is and how much more amazing you have become in the gospel. Not that you haven't always been, but I have seen a change in you. I admire the mother you are. I know you teach your daughters well and are raising them the way Heavenly Father wants all of us too. You embrace your calling and your activity in your ward there and I think it is so great. I am so glad that you are happy. I am glad you found such an amazing man to marry. You deserve the love he has for you and the way he treats you. I know you have dealt with a lot of difficulty in your life and I just am so thrilled with where I see you now. You truly are amazing and I really am inspired seeing the way you have overcome things and they way you rise above the challenges. I know it must not have been easy and there are probably still many not easy times. You do it with grace though. You have a good heart. Sorry this is all mushy but when I write these things I just say what comes to me. I just wanted you to know what I think of you. We don't talk as much as we should now that you are so far away, but I hope you know that I love you the same as always, maybe even more. You truly are a great example to me in all walks of life. You are amazing. I am so blessed to have you as a sister. I love you!

Happy Birthday Steppie!

Aloha 'Oe

A couple of weeks ago we went to a Hawaiian Luau at the church. They served yummmy tropical appetizers and desserts. There were a lot of different stations you could visit including a fruit smoothie bar, 'beach' volleyball (in the gym), themed family pictures with a decorate your own picture frame, face painting, a pie eating contest and learning to hula dance. We all had a great time hanging out with our friends and just having fun!

Alexis going all in on the pie eating contest

Alexis and Julee play some 'beach' volleyball

Alexis takes a stab at hula dancing

Julee's turn

(she settled for the picture on the blog - I have a great video of this!)

We also got a fun family picture while we were there

(see the new blog photo up in the left corner).

She's got talent and lives to tell about it!

In Achievement Days, Alexis has been learning about cake decorating. Tonight for their activity they were decorating their own cake. Last night she made the cake (with a little help from mom) and today I frosted it following her very precise instructions. She took the plain pink frosted cake to church and came home with a masterpiece. What a great job she did - she definitely has some natural artistic talent going on here!

Alexis insisted on putting this flag (that she got off a Memorial Day cake) on her own cake
.

A bird's eye view

Cutting the cake

Yum - it tastes as good as it looks

What we don't have pictures of (and you will appreciate that we don't) is the bloody nose and coordinating bump on her forehead and cheek that Alexis got just before leaving the church. As she was running across the gym, the poor thing tripped and hit her head on a table as she went down and smashed her nose and mouth into the floor. Thankfully, she is okay and a hot shower and piece of cake seemed to be the ultimate fix.