March Madness...

March was a blur! I just found this unfinished post and feel badly I have neglected my little blog. Since this a journal type record for my family and me, I'll try to back track and share some of the highlights of the last few months.

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The culmination of hours of practice time bore their fruits at recitals, Piano and Violin Federation, care centers, NATS, a special musical fireside, a school play, wrestling season, a tennis tournament, being asked and responding to dances and the girls yearly CDT concert. A major time commitment also included Saturday trips to Provo which resulted in my three boys dancing on the big stage at BYU in the Lamanite Generation/ Living Legends alumni reunion. It was nostalgic to see my beautiful Sarah dressed in Native American attire singing "Go My Son" just like I did 22 years ago! We also celebrated Miss Kate's 14th birthday all in the sweet little month of March. It's no wonder I haven't blogged for awhile.

I think we'll spend Spring break next month in our jammies, watching our tulips take center stage as they take their turn basking in the sun. (Not! It's rained every single day! It's Friday now and we just caught our first glimpse of sunshine. )

Katherine, Matthew and Analisa all received superiors at Federation. Every year the pieces get harder and more intense. We were so proud of them!

He is our guitarist, Joseph, jammin out to Steady Hands at the care center. Sarah, Katherine and Analisa had 2 separate opportunities to perform for the Utah Daughters of Pioneers. They were hits.

Katherine lit up the stage in her school play Once Upon A Mattress. It was delightful.

I was thrilled to catch some shots of the girls on stage at the Capital Theater. I will post a little video soon!

Kate turned 14!!! I'm doing my best to keep the boys at bay. She thinks I'm being a wee bit overprotective but she's my youngest girl, what does she expect? Instead of the coveted cell phone she wanted she graciously conceded to a bike instead. I need her to stay my baby Kate just a little bit longer!

Samuel stole the show in the LG/LL Alumni show. He danced like he had ants in his pants. It was awesome! A video coming soon:)

Sarah graced the stage with her beautiful voice which charmed the current LL director so much that she's asked for Sarah to be the upcoming groups lead singer in the Fall at BYU. It is surreal watching her follow the same path I did all those years ago at the same age. She will thrive in ways she never imagined and I couldn't be more excited for the adventure that awaits her.

Back by popular demand...

well not really, but the filming and sound quality is so much better than my original hand held camera job, I thought I'd share it again.

Click HERE, then scroll down to A Stud and a Babe to see Kooper and Sarah in action.

And a random picture of me and my Stud just because:)

growing pains

Last month my poor little Lisey had her wisdom teeth removed. She laid around with ice packs and mumbled gibberish for the first day or so while we tended to her every need and fed her smoothies with a spoon.

We all laid around her room to keep her company while she insisted we stop making her laugh 'cause it hurt to much.

Just as she'd recovered from puffy cheek syndrome, her close friend, who's a boy, decided (over a text) to go separate ways and explore greener pastures. She sprained her toe in dance shortly after and limped around on crutches reflecting her sad state both inside and out.

Good friends and trusted time healed her various wounds and had her back in the saddle in no time.

She even landed a job to model for an upcoming book trailer in the Edward/Bella genre. So mysterious...

She looks so serious in this photo shoot but truth is she is a happy, positive little light for good in the world and I am so grateful to watch her work her magic as we journey these winding roads together.

a LOVEly day

Since Señor Nielson and I had a hot date planned for Valentine's day we decided to have a party to celebrate the holiday Sunday after church. We pulled the boxes of card stock from my old stamping days and decided to focus on making cards for each other that we'd surprise each other with throughout the coming days. Analisa helped cut out heart shaped bread for the french toast while Brett and Katherine, Sarah and Blake danced to a little Natalie Cole in the dining room. (Wish I would have taken a picture!)

Who knew my sweet husband could design a card like the best of 'em. He even wrote me a poem in Spanish and printed off a picture of us which he glued on the inside. Presh, as my teenage girls would say.

Analisa made a special Valentine dedicated to all the boys who she's cautiously given her heart to only to have it ripped in half. Ouch. Poor girl thinks no boy will ever come around again. Yet she has 4 dates lined up in the next 10 days. ??

Even Samuel got in on the action. This was after he'd returned from a screaming fit in time out for not wanting to share the alphabet stamp set. What's a party without a few tears, right?

Overall, love was definitely in the air on Sunnydale.

After a few hours of food, card making and music we took our party outside and enjoyed our first day of true Spring weather! I kept asking why everyday couldn't be like this. The answer always the same, so we can fully appreciate the good ones when they do come! Snow expected tomorrow. (heavy sigh)

Mr. and Miss's Chicken are the nick names they've affectionately called each other over the last year or so. They look out for each other.

I love Valentine's day! Any holiday really, for the chance it gives us to celebrate this beautiful family we've created together.

Sarah

My first born officially became an adult last month. She turned the ripe young age of 18. We have been busy testing, rehearsing, auditioning and visiting college campuses wondering which of the many paths that lie ahead is the best choice for her.

As her mother, I've always sought to direct her in all aspects of life. Friends, books, music, classes to take, people to date or NOT to date. For the most part she's heeded my council. However, being the free spirited soul she is, sometimes not. She has taught me so much about trust, faith, patience and most importantly about finding the good in ALL types of people. At times she has stood out as a little ray of sunshine in a sea of darkness. I instinctively have wanted to protect her from possible threats to her spirit but have learned to let go, just a little.

It has been fascinating to watch her blossom into someone who can easily hold her ground for that which is good and right. When I've accompanied her to various school or church functions I sit back in awe as she lights up the room and has everyone smiling within minutes. Her testimony is solid, her future bright. The closer she gets to leaving home the more she realizes what a special place it truly is and for that I am most grateful.

When asked what fun adventuresome thing we could do to celebrate her birthday, her reply was, "I just want a single cupcake, your famous enchiladas and to be surrounded by my family. That is my ideal day." Wish granted.

Grammy and Grampy. Two of her biggest fans.


sunshine


With her Tia Moni, who always says she loved her first and most!

Sarah and the real live Blake. (Her boyfriend of the last 4 months.) They spend most of their time together laughing and giggling. I think they're adorable. Brett...not so much...not yet anyway.

flu

You know they're sick when they cry out, "I feel badder than the word, BAD!" Poor little babies.

NYC 2011

Because sometimes you just need a little "sister time"...in NEW YORK CITY!

I got a call from my sister Moni, asking if I wanted to join her in celebrating her birthday in "The Big Apple." I'd never been before. It sounded like too good of a thing to pass up! Our long time family friend, Paige, and his sweet wife Dulce were planning on going as well. We called in frequent flyer miles, arranged a warm spot for sleeping on the floor of our dear friend Alicia's condo, and off we went. Moni and I and Marisa and Crystal and her son Jacob all took off for the famed city! We walked, ate, and laughed ourselves to exhaustion from 8 am till 2 am the next morning all four days! The city, the shows, the sites and sounds were more than I ever imagined. But I must say, spending time with these people I love, made it all the more sweet.

This was the view from Page and Dulce's hotel room. I had to keep pinching myself asking, "Wait. Is this real?" How can a city street look like day time at midnight? And where on earth did all these Taxi's come from? More importantly, how are we not dead driving in them! Ah, city life is a crazy life.

Us. Posing it up in the subway. Not as scary as I thought it would be but you definitely need to know where you're going to navigate your way in a timely fashion.

My beautiful sisters, Crystal and Moni, looking all stylish in their rain boots. This was taken just in front of our most gracious hosts, Alicia and Joshs' apartment.

Our hosts live a few blocks away from Central Park. We didn't get to explore it this time around but hope to in the near, warmer future!

Crystal and I trying our luck for lotto Wicked tickets. We didn't win, but had fun trying.

We saw Mary Poppins at New Amsterdam Theatre. The singing and tapping and flying were fabulous. Practically perfect in every way!

Paige, Dulce and I scored tickets to Next to Normal which was incredibly intense. I was just as fascinated by the row of Asians sitting next to me bawling their eyes out as I was the show. Pulitzer Prize winner for a reason.

Saw Addams Family which starred Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. The whole plot revolved around Wednesday bringing her boyfriends family to meet the Addams for the first time. Their love story was so sweet. It was fun, naughty, clever and hilarious! We left snapping our thumbs all the way to the subway.

And finally, I saw In the Heights, third row and still can't stop thinking about it. So close, I could see spit flying. The music, the flavor, the acting, dancing, rapping. Absolutely loved it!!! My kids say I'm obsessed. I say just Breathe.

Anyone that knows me well, knows that I'm a girl who takes her lunch most seriously. Good food makes me happy! I savor every bite. New York did not disappoint. Katzs Deli, Ferrara, Serendipity, Lombardi and Magnolia Bakery to name a few! Ummmm.

We shopped on Canal Street where little Asian men shouted in Spanish with perfect accents, "Bueno, bonito, barrato". Which translates to good, pretty, cheap. They even took us back to some secret rooms filled with purses. Talk about scary.

Me trying to play Twinkle on the Big Piano at FAO Schwartz. Scarier than the secret purse room.

We visited Julliard, Lincoln Center, The Manhattan Temple, The World Trade Center Museum and of course, The Statue of Liberty. Places that left significant impressions on me that I won't soon forget.




Love NYC. LOVE my New York posse! Can't wait to go again soon!

The End.