Recitals

If my calculations are correct, I've made it through my 15th December Recital Season! Wow! I'm getting older way faster than I used to! And I believe this is my 8th Season having students of my own play in a recital. Overall, I thought each recital went well. I was proud of all the personal victories that took place--for my students, myself, Ashton, and especially my mom. She played Grieg's Concerto and did AWESOME, even after all her hours of volunteer work at home and in the community. Way to go Mom! I keep forgetting that blogger uploads my pictures in the exact opposite order I want them in, so this is actually the last of the recitals - our students' Senior recital. Sorry so dark...

And the Junior Recital - they're all so cute!

My big smile and shiny face (resulting from the major heat flash I experienced through the entirety of my piece - gotta love pregnancy hormones) after my recital was over with one of my biggest (and probably most biased) supporters, Grandma JoAnn. I played the final movement of Tchiakovsky's Concerto in Bb minor. I've now performed, in different recitals, all eighty-something pages of that piece. Maybe someday (in the far distant future) I'll do the three movements all at once!

Me and my Sweetie! He's soooooooo darn cute! And always so supportive - thank you, Craig!

All of us in the "Marrieds" recital with our amazing teacher (and psychiatrist) Madalyn at the far left. It's kind of a funny picture of everyone else, but it was my best, and, what can I say? I'm vain... :)

Thanksgiving!!!

Oh, this is terrible! I'm so far behind in my posts, but here I go to try to get this back up to date... Thanksgiving (you know the holiday that happened like two MONTHS ago), was awesome! We went down to Craig's mom's the night before the big meal and spent the night there. Most of Craig's siblings (even Heather and Spencer who were down from WA) were there and we loved spending time with everyone - the games were classic! Alan's Michael Jackson impersonation will forever be imbedded in my memory...too bad I'm not the kind of on the ball person who has their camera on hand for moments like those! And as far as the meal went, it was the best I've ever had! I probably say that every year, but it's always true. Thank you Valarie for hosting all of us, and feeding us so well! My meager contribution, but I was quite proud of it! Yummy banana parfait (thanks to mom for the dish and Grandma JoAnn for the recipe) that always seems to taste that much better because it looks so pretty!
The Cool Whip container is not mine--I used real whipped cream :)

Since there were so many cousins staying there already, Gavin didn't have an official "bed," but he slept really well on one we made him on the floor and even went down for a nap on just a regular bed. I'm still feeling a little proud about that one! What a good boy!

Gavin and cousin Kian in the tub. They were so cute!

Christmas Tag!

Well, I've been tagged, by Aunt Doni, so here it is:
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags for Christmas presents? mostly wrapping paper
2. Real tree or artificial? artificial, predecorated from Festival of Trees! Thank you Grandma JoAnn! We love it!
3. When do you put up the tree? We put it up a couple days before Thanksgiving this year since we were going out of town.
4. When do you take the tree down? Last year it was March...hopefully we'll be sooner this year now that we have a set place to store it!
5. Do you like egg nog? Yes, but it has to be diluted and only a little bit.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Dad made me a play kitchen one year with a sink, cupboards, even a phone. I still love it. Mom, please don't throw it away!
7. Do you have a nativity scene? We have three. I'm most excited about the plastic one that Gavin can play with. He really likes it too.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My sweetie :) I know he likes the electronics, but I know nothing about them and I don't want to get him something that's less than what he's already decided he likes.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Gavin...it's a little too easy, I have to control myself!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? We're lucky if our cards get made before Christmas.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Even if I could think of one, I probably wouldn't list it.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas, I think
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? yes
14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Dad's gingersnaps and Lindt truffles...mmmm!
15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? definitely like the clear
16. Favorite Christmas song? Sleigh Ride by the Osmonds, it's better with Garrett home to dance around fifties style with me.
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home for the morning, then go to either Craig's mom's or mine.
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolf
19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? one on Christmas eve, the rest on Christmas morning
20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? traffic
21. Favorite ornament theme or color? Anything Aunt Blenda puts together!
22. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? We just eat junk all day
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? for Gavin to sleep in so we can, oooh, and Santa knows how I want Scrapbook Factory :)
24. Who is most likely to respond to this? Maybe Natalie
25. Who is least likely to respond to this? Mom, unless she actually starts a blog!

And they are the ones I tag...Mom and Natalie

Merry Christmas, it's the best holiday ever!!!!

I'll Always Be My Daddy's Girl, Even Though I've Already Made Him a Grandpa!

Today is my dad's 49th birthday! I still don't believe he's turning 49, but that's what both Mom and Dad told me so I guess it must be true. It is hard to keep track, though, seeing how he's looked the same way for the past 5 years. I swear he hasn't aged. On the other hand, a lot has happened to help mature me in the last few years, and I'm finally beginning to truly realize just how blessed I am to have the parents I do. I blame it on the hormones, but yesterday this song on the radio had me in tears pulling into Smith's parking lot. I'm choked up now just thinking about it. Today I dedicate it to my dad who never HAD to be as great as he always was and still is, but who did it anyway. I pray that I can carry his legacy on as I try to be a Christlike parent with my children. Thank you, Dad, from the very bottom of my heart! I love you tons!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVFmHHxXCVg

Family Calendar

Yea!!! This year we weren't the dilinquents who kept calendar printing on hold because our page wasn't yet started, let alone finished. Whew! What a relief that this is done, and, in my totally non-biased opinion, pretty cute. Craig's family puts together a calendar each year with pictures of the last year's events. Our year was full of fun and DISCOVERY :) I loved all these pics of Gavin learning the mysteries of the world - like how dirt tastes, how far a plastic wrapped mega candy cane can fit in a little mouth, how long a roll of toilet paper really is, and how driving a four-wheeler isn't as easy as Daddy makes it look (he could've just asked me on that one!). It's been a great year - the best I've ever had. I'm so grateful for all the memories, for Craig, our growing family, and whoever invented cute scrapbook templates for the creatively challenged!