June 20 - Aurora - 15 years old!

This year, Ro was able to spend her birthday outside of a car and didn't throw up, a switch from her birthday last year. :) Because I am writing this in December, I can't remember really what we did on that day, aside from me being at work. I'm guessing Xela and Ro were at school and the little kids were helping Eric at the properties for most of the day.

Here are a few pictures from the unwrapping of presents.

Grandma Hibbert likes sending
musical cards. Everyone but Daddy
likes them too. :)

Happy (blurry) girl with a (blurry) shirt

And apparently there was some extra-curricular wrestling at the end of presents.

Pretty sure Graigy lost. :)
Lesson learned: don't take on big sister -
you will lose.

For her "party," Ro invited three friends as we went bowling the Saturday following her birthday. The pictures I took, never made it on to my computer, so sadly there is no photographic evidence of said event. They did have a good time and there was lots of laughter.

Years pass by so quickly, it's hard to believe that my six pound six ounce blue eyed baby girl is a sophomore in high school. She is the one that will take on her dad, will show compassion and friendship to anyone and is still as outgoing as she was coming into this world. It will be an adventure to finish the next three years as she finishes high school and works her way to adulthood.

June 14 - Fun with Chalk

Neta got sidewalk chalk as a birthday present, so while Xela and Aurora were at piano lessons, she pulled it out and we had fun on the driveway.

Neta starts with three at one time

Stencils are something new

Little message for Padre

Nate's is hard to read -
I think it was some human something

Creative minds at work

I can't tell what it was we loved
(mental note - use lighter colored chalk)

It's a pretty butterfly!

Sidewalk chalk is one of the simple summer pleasures! I love being outside and playing with members of my family.

June 4 - Piano Recital

My Piano Playing Posterity

Ms Sherry Clowers usually has her annual piano recital the weekend of Mother's Day, but this year, with whatever was going on, it didn't work out. The recital was scheduled for June 4 and we were able to host it at the church building. She usually schedules it at the kids' old elementary school, but there was a cost and intimidating paperwork required, so Eric offered the church gym, which was okay'd by bishop (his girls take piano from Ms Clowers too). We helped set up the gym with Ms Clowers and her family a few hours before the recital, then headed home to physically prepare ourselves (ie shower & eat).

The kids seem pretty calm when they play. I, on the other hand, am all nerves for them, as I sit in the crowd. A little silly, I know, but that's me. They all did quite well. Neta and Ro seem to be the least nervous of the five. Graigry cares, but doesn't care and then Nate and Xela are a little more perfectionistic and therefore a little more nervous. They might say otherwise; this is my perspective. Like I said, the kids did quite well with their pieces. here are some individual pictures of them tickling the ivories.

Neta - "Go the Distance" from
Disney's Hercules

Graigry played a song from
Phantom of the Opera

Ro played a piece from "Narnia" -
"This is Home"

Xela played "This is Berk" from
"How to Train Your Dragon"

I apparently forgot to snap a picture of Nate. I don't know why exactly, except that I remember being so impressed and engaged with his piece - it was really impressive. He played "Bring Him Home" from Les Mis, which is one of my favorite songs, but something about the way he played, brought the piece to life. A friend from church, who showed up to watch, even commented about how wonderful Nate's piece was.

In case you couldn't tell, each of the kids in the recital had one piece that was tied to cinema and then whatever other piece they selected with Ms Clowers. This year, Ms Clowers wanted the kids, the only five kids from one family that were all taking lessons from her, to play a piece together (she usually has duets during her recitals, and she did). She came up with a version of Hungarian Rapsody that all five to take a part it.

I wish I could upload the video, but apparently it is too large for blogspot. ;( I was able to post it on my facebook page, so you can look it up there.