What are the odds?

The time was 5:30 p.m. and dinner was just coming out of the oven. The phone rings and it's Grandma Judith, "Are you guys coming?" 

After sharing with her the story of Sarah and I scoring tickets, Grandma was on a mission to help Katherine I increase our odds at winning again. Brett was with Matthew at baseball. The big girls were at the church at a quartet rehearsal which left Katherine, Joseph, Samuel and myself as possible lottery hopefuls. We scarfed down our dinner in the car (don't tell Brett) and zoomed downtown to meet Grammy. Samuel and Joseph decided that they didn't want to see the mean green witch so we made a deal. If either of their names were drawn they could trade in their ticket for a trip to the toy store.  As we weaved our way through the crowd we discussed folding options for our beloved ballots. Crinkle, fold, bend, curl... the possibilities were endless. Kate and I decided on a fan fold and the boys decided on snowballs, magic snowballs according to Samuel. We threw our ballots into the very full black caldron and found a spot to wait. The people just kept coming. Of all the nights I'd been there, I had never seen so many people. Must have been inspiration from seeing my picture in yesterday's paper;) Come to find out there were over 500 hopefuls. As we squeezed in tighter Samuel reached down where he was standing and found a penny. "Look mama, my lucky penny. I just know I'll win my Big Wheel Bike now," he said as he rubbed the penny on my face. Katherine held on tight to Grandma as I tried to keep the boys from knocking people over. Name # 1 was called, then name 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 it seemed like forever. I looked over at Kate and she smiled still hopeful. The nineth name was drawn and low and behold the name called out was "Samuel Nielson". We stood there in shock! Little Katherine's tears could not be contained. "I just knew it, mom. I just knew it", she said as we hugged.

I kept repeating to myself in the car, "I can't believe it. I can't believe it." Samuel joined in, "I can't believe I won a Big Wheel." Katherine and I just laughed the whole way home.

And so you see my friends, when you have a lucky penny, a magic snowball and a 12 year old sweetheart full of faith the odds are only in your favor.

Something Wicked This Way Comes!

I promise you I am not making any of this up. As I think about everything that's happened over the last few months regarding our Wicked desire, it's kind of surreal the way it all turned out.

When we heard the broadway hit was finally making it's way to Salt Lake City we marked the day on our calender and waited. The cold December day that we could finally buy tickets arrived. After I dropped Sarah off at school I headed downtown at about 7:30 a.m. to wait my turn in line in hopes of getting tickets for the girls as Christmas gifts. Since it didn't open until 10:00 AM I thought I was doing good on time. Little did I know the line had started forming the night before and wound it's way for miles on end through the snowy streets of Salt Lake City. I decided to go to Abravenal Hall and see if I could get some at their box office. When it finally opened at 10 a.m. the hundred or so people in front of me heard that they had sold out. Ten minutes later it had.  We were so sad but I just knew a way would be presented for us to see the show.

A week before opening night we pulled out our favorite section of Sunday's Deseret News  and found out there would be a daily drawing of 10 sets of two tickets for the duration of the show. Alas, the glimmer of hope we had been looking for. And so our nightly trek to the Capitol began. I found the picture below on ABC 4's website.  

The following clip was seen on Fox 13 News. If you look at the counter on the bottom right hand corner we are shown in the blink of an eye at 33 sec. and 39 seconds. Sarah was also shown on a different news channel kissing her entry ticket.

After more than a dozen trips downtown, rubbing elbows with a half dozen homeless people, my friend Paige, and hundreds of other hopefuls our glimmer of hope turned into a dream come true.  You've heard the saying,  a picture's worth a thousand words- well here it is:

Deseret News

There were well over 300 people present and 14 of the 20 tickets had already been given out. When Sarah heard her name we were in shock! Oh my goodness, you'd have thought we won American Idol. It was so cool!  Apparently, the one and only time Deseret News chose to do a story about the ticket lottery was that day. And there we were right in the middle of it. While I was paying for our tickets the photographer asked my girl Sarah what our names were. I guess he just assumed our relation since it appeared in the paper that we were sisters! Ha! That's what he gets for assuming.

My goal in going day after day was just to get enough tickets for my girls to see the show on the very stage they'd danced on the month before. The oldest two got to go and my hope is that I can land one more ticket for my sweet Kate. If needs be, I will resort to e-bay or Craig's list to get her a seat of her own. 

The luckiest girls of the night! 

The girls said Elphaba and Glinda were AMAZING! Although they've been singing the songs for years, they never knew who it all fit together until that night. They laughed and cried and said they had their jaws dropped almost the entire night.

This is what they looked liked when I picked them up. A day we will not soon forget!

I wonder what Miss Swift would think about this?

Found this on our sweet friend Meagan's blog and knew a few people out there that might enjoy it. Jon Schmidt is amazing and the cellist is one of our favorites. Who knew these two songs could sound so good together.

A Sunday Treat

A few weeks ago Sarah and Uncle Jody got together to sing this song for Isabella and Melia's baptism. Jody didn't mind me sharing this as long as everyone knew this was right before he baptized his daughter Melia, hence the white jumpsuit. We'll have to film it again in a different setting. I just wanted to share the powerful message and spirit of the song. Have a beautiful Sunday!

Easter Blessings

After weeks of fickle weather we are finally enjoying some true spring sunshine just in time for Easter.

We enjoyed having Moni and Crystal's families over. All 13 of the kids that were here had fun dying, hiding, finding and eating their candy filled eggs. It was a beautiful day in so many ways. Here are a few pictures of  some pretty sweet faces. My Easter blessings, yes indeed.

Song and Dance

Miss Sarah had a rehearsal today with her accompanist in preparation for a voice competition. She was not happy that I was filming so we get to see her cute tush for the first number. She is singing  Some Things Are Meant To Be from Little Women. In the second clip she had some moral support from her crazy dancing daddy. She's feeling pretty from West Side Story.

She will be performing the first song and an Italian Aria in May at Daynes Music. I will get a better recording then. So for now here is a preview and a nice shot of her back side ;)

Angels and Underwear

As I ran in the house after picking Matthew up from choir, Sarah quickly grabbed my keys and head out with her two sisters in tow.

"Hey, where are you girls heading?" I asked.

"We're heading to Young Women to make underwear!" Analisa replied.

 Eyebrows raise, mouth drops, "Huh?"

"For Pioneer Trek, mom. They do that kinda of thing here," they shouted as they they drove off.

I ran upstairs and watched the car turn the corner and fade from my bathroom window. My heart quietly threw up a prayer that angels would watch over my angels and get them safely to their destination.

The only sound sweeter that the pitter patter of bare, chubby toddler feet walking on hardwood floor is the sound of three giggly teenagers walking through the front door and shouting, "Mom, we're home!"

I 've been experiencing growing pains as this whole driving/dating thing  has come to fruition. I feel like my thoughts are a constant prayer. Who knew these babies would grow up and keep you up at night for reasons other than nursing? I sure didn't.

Brett wants to know:  "Is there anything I can do about obsessed boys that doesn't involve a firearm?"

Peter Pan

Living in Utah means being surrounded by some pretty amazing, talented people.  Just stop into any junior high or high school school in the valley during play week and you will be know exactly what I'm talking about. Such was the case with this years production of Peter Pan. It came full with flying and fairy dust. The kids rehearsed for months and pulled off a magical show. By the end of the night they even had me clapping and repeating the words, "I DO believe in fairies!" Although Analisa was regretting having to put tennis on the back burner due to rehearsals, she was glad for the sacrifice in the end. There is something special that bonds the kids together during the process and memories that will be remembered for years to come. Just ask Brett. He recently rekindled a friendship with his former leading lady from Little Abner, whom he found on you know where. It's all good though. It's all good.

Here is Lisey helping one of the lost boys with his stage make-up. 

Not bad, don't you think?

Here she is with her good friend Leisl in their pirate attire. She could have easily done without the silly wig given that she has long dark locks herself. Oh well. She's just glad it didn't fall off which almost happened in the following clip. 

One of the really great and not so great things about Wasatch is that every single person who tries out for the play gets a part. Which means the cast consisted of nearly 200 junior high kids. Our gorgeous indian princess is wearing the blue dress with the orange headband. I tried to zoom in on her so as to see her lovely high kicks. Fun stuff.

Music Man

Matthew has discovered a new passion -the ORGAN. While cleaning up the church after my nieces baptism/family fiesta we could here someone practicing the organ in the chapel. We thought it was someone preparing for sacrament the next day. As we rounded up the last bunch of kids we discovered it was Matthew playing the whole time. 

"Mom, guess what? I discovered how to complete chords using my feet. It sounds sooo cool!"

Only you Matthew, only you.

Grandma Martha took him to hear Music and the Spoken the next day. All he could talk about was how amazing the organ was. As luck would have it, my friend Jan who is an editor for The Friend, and knew nothing about his new found interest, called and asked if Matthew would like to come to the conference center to be photographed with the organist on a feature story about the history of the organ. 

Sometimes, when your passionate enough about something, that something finds you.

Here he is at his last piano recital playing Whimsical Wizard and Bach.