Gage Can Sing and Dance?

When Gage decided to attend his middle school instead of taking a place in a gifted and talented program at another middle school it was with the agreement that he try out for the musical.  He was surprisingly excited to do so and even more surprisingly at ease to try out.  I was a total basket case but Gage acted like it didn't matter at all.  Try outs were held the first couple weeks of school in September and neither of us were prepared for the commitment it would take to see it through!  These kids practiced for 5 months from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. and the last month the practices ran even later. Tim and I put in our fair share of time constructing sets, sewing costumes, selling ad space, selling concessions, and ushering.  Even though it was highly involved I can't express what a good experience it was!  Gage learned the value of hard work, responsibility, stage presence, and how to sing and dance and boy can he dance!  It was so fun to watch him discover something new.  He really was at ease on stage!

I guess I should say the musical was Joseph and the Technicolor Dream coat

 The cast was huge!  About 150 kids.  Gage was part of the ensemble.  He is in red near the back.  Gold star if you can find him in this photo!  Hee Hee.

One great thing about the musical is that all of these talented kids (including Joseph) are in our ward. It made watching the show so fun!  I was Primary President when most of these kids were in the primary.  I seriously feel like their mom when I see them now!  So proud of all of them.

The kids were split up into tribes of Israel.  Gage was in the tribe of Naphtali.  They put on 5 shows and one night I was helping with ticketing so I was out in the hall at the beginning of the show.  All these kids were in a huddle and one of the boys was giving them a pep talk and it was the cutest thing. Tried to get a picture but didn't get my phone out fast enough.

The director, Mr. Stephensen, puts his heart and soul into these shows.  He is really an extraordinary person who impacts these kid good.  Truly feel blessed to have him at our school.

Gage had several parts and wore three different costumes.  Here he is as an Egyptian.  The make-up is a little weird for me...not gonna lie!

Goofy kids.  Lots of fun!

Luke is Nine and it's Just Fine

Last week my Luke had a birthday and turned nine years old.  It was a struggle to make his birthday feel special this year because Gage has been in a musical at school and it opened on Luke's birthday. I thought he would be upset but he loves Gage so much that he was actually excited that he got to support his brother.  For lunch I checked Luke out of school and took him for lunch at Chick-Fil-A.  I'm pretty sure if Luke could he would every meal at Chick-Fil-A!  He loves it so much.  I loved sitting there in the middle day with my little lunch date and listening to his misadventures with a mean substitute.  She did sound pretty horrible and no one can become more incensed than Luke.  

This look sort of says it all

In the evening Tim's parents came for dinner and my Daddy came for dessert.  Gage was already at school for his performance and Luke wanted to wait for his brother before he opened gifts.  The suspense got to him for one special gift that I told him his Dad was hiding.  So, one gift was opened and then we headed to Gage's school.

Luke has been dying to go mountain biking with his dad.  I think Tim is excited to have company.  

Luke's one true love....legos.  He just wanted two Star Wars mini-figures.  Kills me what I have to shell out for these things al a carte.  

The next day was Friday and the elementary schools got out early and I took Luke and a couple of friends to a Trampoline Park for a little birthday party.  I was crazy busy that day and so I hadn't made very many preparations and so I took the boys to 7-11 to pick out something they wanted to eat and drink.  I thought it made me a loser mom but then I saw their eyes light up when I said they could choose anything and then I felt like a genius.  We jumped for a few hours and Luke was kind enough to let his little sis tag along.  I've decided that third grade boys are at one of the cute stages and that is just fine with me!

Jack and Christian are Luke's two best friends.  

I always like to get a picture with my kids on their birthday.  After all, this is where it all began....

Claire Writes Her Primary Talk

Claire never ceases to amaze me.  You'd think by now I'd realize how competent she is but then there are moments where she will do something that leaves my jaw hanging open.  Last Sunday was one of those times.  I had had a stressful morning and I was running late like always.  The LDS church has emphasized recently the need to make taking of the sacrament more meaningful and our Stake President has asked us to show up early and listen to the music and prepare ourselves for partaking of the sacrament.  So now church really starts 15 minutes earlier than it used to.  I also can't take regular sacrament bread anymore since it isn't gluten free so I also have to defrost my GF bread and bring my own.  I was in the midst of breaking off a frozen crust when I breathlessly said to Tim, "Crap, Claire has to give a talk in Primary today."  Claire piped up that this was indeed true and she remembered the topic.  I told Tim I would have to write it at church.

After the sacrament was passed I asked Tim for a piece of paper and pen so I could write a little talk about the Scriptures.  I was just beginning to write something when I looked down the pew and saw that Claire had brought her own paper and pencil and was writing her own dang talk!  She wrote her thoughts about the scriptures and it hit me that she is such an extraordinary girl. I don't know how I got so lucky to be her mom.  She is a doer.  She is capable and really quite the coolest girl I know.

She told me that she didn't need me to come to the front and help with the talk either so I got to watch my special girl from the back of the Primary.  She walked to the podium with a straight back and head held high and clearly gave her talk.  The world's view of women can be so destructive.  I took of picture of my self assured girl and hoped that she never changes.

 
I love that she knows Jesus is true.  I love her handwriting.  I love 1st grade spelling.  I love that she brought her Star Wars notebook and I love that she wrote "NO" by Darth Vadar.  Mostly, I love Claire.