EMS Showchoir Showcase

March 12, 2016

EMS Showchoir Showcase

Eisenhower Middle School

The all-boys show choir Mike N Ikes is always fun to watch. This year their show is Mario Bros.  They are all Marios and Luigis and I smile the whole time I'm watching them sing and dance about Princess Peach and do their synchronized swimming.  Very entertaining.

Five Star's show this year also has a video game theme.  In fact each person of this 42-member group has a different costume!  (Yikes!!! Major props to the costume committee!)  There are Ninja Turtle characters, Pokemon characters, Wreck it Ralph characters, Pac Man characters etc.  It's very colorful.  Dallin is a "real boy" who gets sucked into the video game world and when it's "Game Over" at the end, all the characters fall down and Dallin walks off the stage back in the real world again.  Daphne is Mrs. Pac Man and I'm a little obsessed with her costume.  It's adorable.  They are still working really hard to be ready for their big competition in California next month where they compete against the nation's top middle school show choirs.

Mr. and Mrs. Pac Man with the four ghosts behind them (red, orange, pink and blue)

HHH Elementary Variety Show

March 4, 2016

Hubert Humphrey Elementary Variety Show

La Cueva HS PAC

Hayden and Sean both wanted to perform in their school variety show this year.  Hayden sang "Whistle a Happy Tune" and Sean sang a duet with his friend Ashley Lisonbee.  They sang "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better."  They all did a really great job and were among the highlights of the 4 hour long variety show!  Yep--4 hours.  Even with all the kids' numbers being 90 seconds long it goes FOREVER!  Needless to say, I didn't have to ask Dallin twice to babysit Bennett for the event.  He was more than happy to take one for the team by staying home with Bennett.  

But despite the length of the event, I was really proud of both of these boys for having the courage to get up and sing for all those people.  They both have great voices and it makes me happy to hear them sing!  Hayden's performance pictures didn't turn out very well because we were sitting on the very back row.  At intermission we moved to some empty spots on the second row so Sean's pictures were a lot better.

Sean and Ashley

Daphne, Hayden, Sean with Ashley and Nate Lisonbee

February Quotes

Sydney:  I'm giving up on chasing.  (She means chasing the boys at school during recess.  Apparently it's a thing that she and her friends do.)

Me:  Oh yeah? No more chasing, huh?

Sydney:  Yeah, it just makes me too tired and uses up all my egernies.  (energy)

One cold night Daphne and I were talking by the fire.  We were talking about all kinds of things from crushes to mean kids to the Strength of Youth pamphlet.  She currently has a crush on a boy who isn't Mormon.  I told her I'm not really worried about that--crushes change pretty frequently and as long as she has crushes on nice boys, I'm not overly concerned that they be Mormon at this stage of the game.  The conversation went on to other things and then near the end of the conversation she said, "Whoa.  I think I don't really have a crush on 'so-n-so' anymore.  How is that even possible?  I was like completely obsessed with him at lunch time!"

Me:  Bennett, it's time to get dressed.  Would you like these clothes or these clothes?

Bennett:  Um, no thank you.  I can just wear . . . THESE! (holding up a clean pair of pajamas.)

Bennett's reaction to me putting the groceries in the cart:  GREAT JOB, MOM!

Sean and Hayden on the day of their class valentine parties were writing anonymous love notes to their crushes.  Hayden read me his:  "Hazel, I think you are nice and funny and I have a crush on you.  Love, 'Unknown.'"  Sean refused to tell me what was in his love note saying, "Well, mine goes a little bit deeper."  I said,   "What did you say, Sean?  Did you ask her to marry you??"  He did not ask her to marry him, but still wouldn't tell me what his note said.  They both planned to stealthily deliver their anonymous love notes sometime today in the confusion of the class party.  We'll see if they have the guts to actually put their notes in their valentine's boxes.

Follow up:  Hayden delivered his note.  Sean did not.  But Sean said this particular girl already knows he likes her anyway.  So a note would be redundant.

Bennett:  (about some recently acquired monster truck toys)  These trucks are beautiful, right mom?

Sydney's first time skiing the other kids were complimenting her on what a great skier she was.  Her response:  "I know."  The second time they told her that she said, "Thank you. . . . And I know."

Bennett:  Can you open your tummy and get that baby out?

Me:  Bennett!  Today is your birthday!  You turn 3 years old today! (holding up 3 fingers)

Bennett:  No, I can't be free.  I can only be 2.  (holding up 2 fingers.)

Me:  But you aren't two anymore--you are three! This many (showing him my fingers, and helping him hold up three fingers.)

Bennett:  (painstakingly puts one finger back down)  No, I am just two.

Daphne and Hayden laughing hysterically about something.  Sydney:  I wish that was really funny to me, but it's not.

Hayden:  I don't like getting older.

Me: Why not?

Hayden:  Because we don't say funny stuff anymore when we get older.

Hayden:  I'm gonna start working out my biceps more than my abs.

Me:  Oh yeah?

Hayden:  Yeah, cause it's not like I'm gonna go around school lifting up my shirt to show people my stomach muscles.

(But you can bet he'll be showing people his strong bicep muscles!)

I was downstairs and heard Bennett upstairs with the drill.  I wasn't overly concerned because he just likes to press the trigger and watch it spin.  Besides, there wasn't even a drill bit in it.  Just a screw bit.  But then he said, "Mama!  Come look!  Come look what I made!"  So I hurried upstairs and he showed me the beginnings of two holes he made in the wall.  Really, they aren't a very big deal, but he showed me where he was drilling.   "Ta-da!  Look what I made!" he said as he pointed to his work.  He was so proud.  And I now know that he's been watching and learning and I need to get that drill back outside to the garage where he can't reach it.

Fragments of February

Blue and Gold Banquet:

Sean and Hayden both earned awards.  Hayden was over the moon to finally receive his Bobcat award!  Both boys decorated cakes contribute to the canned food auction, and they were pretty impressive cakes!  Way to go, boys! 

Ultrasound

Arthur and I went in together for my 20 week ultrasound appointment.  We got lots of great pictures of our little guy.  Here is one of our favorites.  I love his little hand up on his forehead and that you can see his eyes, nose and lips.  He already looks like a little Gariety.  So excited to meet him!  So "celebrate" we stopped at Costco to stock up and have lunch together.  With all these growing/hungry boys, I think Costco will be getting more and more of our business.

General Electric

This year Dallin had the opportunity to play the electric violin in an all-electric ensemble called General Electric.  It's fun to listen to them play jazz music on their colorful instruments.

Fancy Day

The kids dressed up on Fancy Day.  This was the Wednesday before Valentine's day and they all celebrated with class parties and valentines and fancy clothes.  I love that Sean went for a historic fancy look donning our Duke of Weaseltown costume.

La Cueva Invitational

Show Choir "Season" is in full swing.  We always have performances to get Dallin & Daphne to for their show choirs Five Star and Mike n Ikes.  This was their first performance.  Not all of the costumes were finished, and they only had completed 2 of their 5 songs!  They have come a LONG way since then, but this was still very fun to watch.  That's Dallin in the blue shirt with the mic.  He has the opening solo.  

  

Frozen Clothes

The weather this time of year is all over the place.  One day it was beautiful and the kids were outside jumping on the trampoline with the hose.  That night there was a freeze and the next morning Sean and Hayden found Bennett's frozen clothes outside.  

The Zoo

February was an awesome month for lots of days off!  We  had two days off for President's Day, and another two days off for parent teacher conferences the last week of February.  So on the day we didn't have conferences, we headed to the zoo, and brought along one of Daphne's friends, Kiki.   It was a gorgeous day and we all enjoyed being outside.  Watching the baby orangutan was my favorite thing of the day.  We also went for a ride on the zoo train because Bennett loves trains so much.  He was totally into it the first 10 minutes and then spent the last 10 minutes (which seemed much longer than the first 10 minutes) trying to jump off the train!  

Pagosa Ski Trip

February 11-15, 2016

Pagosa Springs, CO

Over President's Day weekend, we went up to Pagosa Springs for a ski weekend.  We met our friends, the Amsdens for the long weekend and rented a cabin together.  It was so fun to get the kids together again and especially for Sydney to learn how to ski with her dear friend Audrey.  The two of them rocked ski school together and were the cutest little ski bunnies on the hill.

Amy and I stayed at the cabin with Ethan, Bennett and Madison.  The boys played really well together and during nap time, the moms read or slept or a combination of both, and basically it was lovely.

While we were there, we celebrated Bennett's 3rd birthday!  He shows us he's 3 by holding down two of his fingers with his opposite hand.  :)  And for awhile, he was in denial and kept saying he was only 2!  He helped make his birthday cake and was constantly on the counter that day "looking" at his cake and sneaking finger-swipes of frosting.  For his birthday, he got a giant board book about trucks, which he asked me to read over and over.  He also got two new cars--Sally and McQueen, which he loves, and a McQueen and Mater t-shirt.  Can you see a theme in his interests, currently?  Basically anything with wheels!  

On the way home from church, we spotted a bald eagle perched on the ice of this lake.  We pulled over to the side of the road and watched until he flew away.

The cabin we rented had this amazing room downstairs with 4 built-in queen sized bunk beds!  8 of the 13 kids slept here.  

This is what cooking breakfast for 13 kids looks like.

What a super fun weekend!

January Quotes

Sydney's cute antlers project

The writing says:  "If I woke up with antlers I would . . .

Sydney:  craiy and cut them off.

Drinking sparking cider on New Year's Eve, Sydney said,  "This drink makes my tongue frizzle-y."

I loved Hayden's New Year's resolutions

"My new year's resolutions is to finish the book of Mormon.  Next is to be more friendly to my sister Sydney.  I will use nicer words and not tease her.  Also help her with her homework.  Last of all to read a book to her evry night."
By Hayden Gariety

I was in another room, and overheard Bennett having this conversation with himself:

Bennett:  Hey Mom?  Can I play with you phone?

Bennett:   Well, no.

Bennett:  Why not?

Bennett:  Because it's not good.

(Can you tell we've had the exact conversation enough times that he's committed it to memory?  Although, my exact words are "It's not good for you.")

Sydney:  Mom? Why are we having another boy?

Me:  I don't know, honey, I don't get to choose what we have.  Heavenly Father chooses.

Sydney:  (tears filling her eyes) Well, that makes me feel like Heavenly Father loves boys more than girls!

So we had a little conversation about how Heavenly Father loves us the same, and some families get more girls and some families get more boys but it all evens out in the end.  She really wishes she was getting a little sister.

Bennett (in church):  We don't play with you phone in church.  Right, Mama?

Me:  RIGHT!  (I have told him that every single Sunday for the last year, and finally it sunk in!)

Later, not on a Sunday, Bennett:  We don't play with you phone in church.  BUT we can play with it at home! (handing me the phone to turn on the password. Oh boy.)

Hayden:  Mom!  I'm like totally rockin' on my cub scout stuff!

Me:  Bennett, do you need a diaper change?

Bennett:  Uh, no.  No I don't.

(He says it just like Lightning McQueen in his conversation with Sally when she asks him if "big city race cars ever just take a drive."  I'm telling you, this kid is already a natural at throwing movie quotes into daily conversation.  He was destined to come to our family!)

Me:  Bennett, there is a baby growing in my tummy right now!  He's gonna come out in the summer and you will have a new little brother.

Bennett:  There's a baby in you tummy?

Me:  Yes, there's a baby in my tummy.

Bennett:  Well get him out!  I want to see him!

Me:  He's not finished growing yet.  He has to grow for awhile in my tummy.  He will come out later.

Bennett:  But I want to see him!  I want him to play cars with me!

While watching Pride and Predjudice one night, Dallin observed that the title credits said the film was rated PG for some mild theatrical elements.  He said, "They should have just said the real reason it's PG is because it's too boring for kids."

Sydney (picking up this book off my nightstand): Hey, this looks like our piece of junk house, right Mom?

Clearly, I need to be more careful about how I speak about our home.  To be fair, I don't know if I've called our house a piece of junk.  But I've called a lot of stuff in our house a piece of junk.  This little comment just made me realize I need to speak with more gratitude about our home and the things that fill it.