Popcorn Popping on the I-Don't-Know-What-Kind- of Tree

Every Spring I look out the window and what do I see? Blossoms popping on our backyard trees. They only last a few days and I think they are so pretty! Within about a 10 day stint, our trees go from bare to blossomy to leafy. I had to post a picture as I looked out the window. And now you can see what I see!

Spring Break in Nauvoo

Well, we made a last minute decision to go to Nauvoo for Spring Break. We wanted to for a while, but weren't sure we could pull it off. But we moved forward, reserving a place and even seeing if Heather and Damon could get their schedules to work with it. And everything ended up working out to do it. We pulled out right after church, Sunday, March 15 and drove to Oklahoma City. We drove to Kansas City on Monday and met Heather and Damon at the airport. Then we drove 4 or five more hours to Nauvoo. We got there in the evening and went out looking for somewhere to eat and somewhere to buy food. Most places were closed and there were no grocery stores nearby. It was pretty remote. On the main street we found a diner open, though they were about to close and had just shut off the grill. But they fired it back up for us and we ate gratefully.

Tuesday we took a horse-drawn wagon ride around Old Nauvoo and learned where everything was and got an idea of the places we would like to visit. It was a pleasant ride except for the two guys sitting in front of Sr. D and Heather. One of them was rubbing the back of the other...the whole entire ride (25 min.). Taylor mentioned the other day that he still likes pink ties, but now he doesn't like pink shirts. When asked why he said one of the guys on the wagon ride was wearing a pink shirt. :)

Our first tour after the wagon ride was the Browning Gun shop. This was Spencer's choice. After going hunting with Uncle Kim, he got to know the name Browning really well and realized that this was where the original Browning set up shop, so he was impressed.

(Hopefully a picture of the Red Brick Store will be forthcoming)

Then I wanted to go to the Red Brick Store. It was March 17th, which is St. Patrick's Day and I knew that one family who I am descended from , James and Sarah McDonald, lived in Nauvoo, and were from Ireland! But March 17th is also the day the Relief Society was organized, and it was organized in the upstairs room of the Red Brick Store. So I definitely wanted to go in there on that special day. We got a few souvenirs and Spencer took a picture of me and Heather in the room upstairs. The store is owned and run by the Community of Christ, hence the souvenirs, but they were letting the missionary sisters have a special meeting there that night and they did a reenactment of the meeting, which I heard was really neat.

Wednesday we didn't get going and didn't do a whole lot, but we had a picnic at a park, Sr. D took the kids to the temple to do baptisms. I had brought a 1000 piece puzzle, so we worked on that off and on. We rented and watched October Sky and ate popcorn that night.

(Hopefully another picture will be coming from Carthage)

Thursday morning we drove to Carthage, about a half hour from Nauvoo. There was a movie which celebrated the life of Joseph Smith through the writings and journals of those who knew him. Then we took a tour of the jail. The final room where he was shot in had a very special spirit, very reverent. I could have stayed there longer. In the afternoon we were back in Nauvoo and went to the Land and Records building and got a map of where James and Sarah McDonald lived along with other information about them. We went to the brick maker place, and the Scovil Bakery. We took a ride on an ox-drawn covered wagon and I did an endowment session at the temple while Sr. D took the kids down Parley Street and around Old Nauvoo more. After dinner we went to the building called the Cultural Hall and watched a musical put on by the Senior Missionaries called Rondeveau. It was hilarious! Very cute. The missionaries really made Nauvoo special. On every tour we went on they bore their testimony and I could just feel their love for the gospel and the early saints.

Friday we packed up and left Nauvoo. I didn't see nearly all I wanted to, but we saw and did much more than some wanted to. (The joy of history trips with teens:)) So I am excited to maybe go back someday and see it all. Before we dropped Heather and Damon off at the airport, we visited Adam-ondi-Ahman and overlooked the valley. It was neat to ponder the event that will take place there, the amazingness of the scene. We read some scriptures and then popped in the car and went to Liberty Jail. That was really neat too. The church has done an incredible job to make the facilities beautiful and inspiring, well kept and great presentations. It was sobering to ponder the trials and difficulties of the saints. They went through extremities we don't usually have to . We have our own and no matter what they are, they refine us and teach us and hopefully draw us closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

It was so good to see Heather and Damon and of course not long enough, but I am so grateful they could come. We said goodbye and headed to Oklahoma City. Friday we headed to Dallas. Cousin Chad was going to be ordained to a Priest, so we spent the rest of the weekend there. Fun to see family! Monday we drove the last leg and arrived at home sweet home and were welcomed warmly by our cat who couldn't stop purring.

The Finale

And this is it! Better late than never! I got the footage done yesterday, but didn't get the computer to post it. The second to last song in the Suzuki 1 book is called Allegro. Emily will now play it for us!

And now for the drum roll..........................................................the last song!!! It is called Musette.

Yea Emily! Take a bow and now... on to Book 2! :)

Episode Three of Book 1

Well, it's been delayed, but here is the next series of performances! Emily will now favor us with a piece entitled Chant Arabe.

Her next number will be Allegretto 1.

For her third number Emily will now play Good-bye to Winter.

Allegretto 2 comes next! Goody goody!

And our last number of the day is called Christmas-Day Secrets.

That's it for today's concert. The last two pieces in Book 1 will be posted tomorrow if all goes well!

Emily's Book 1 Party, Episode 2

Well yesterday I got sick so we weren't able to get the next segment done, but today we did! (And I'm feeling much better!)

The first song is "Mary Had a Little Lamb"

The next song is "Go Tell Aunt Rhody"

Our next selection will be a tune entitled "Au Clair de la Lune"

We will now be favored with "Long, Long Ago"

And last, but not least for today is "Little Playmates"

The show goes on...

Come Celebrate Emily's Suzuki Book 1 Party!

I have been "teaching" Emily piano for the past year. She took piano from a Suzuki teacher in 2005 and had almost completed Book 1 when we stopped taking piano. So when I started up again, we started over and have taken a longer time because I am not as consistent as an appointed lesson. But we made it and she knows all 17 songs from memory. When the four older children finished their Suzuki Book 1, the teacher had a "Book 1 Party" and we did it at our home, the children invited any friends they wanted and I provided refreshments. They played all the songs in the book and it was a nice finale to their accomplishment.

So I have decided to have a Book 1 party for Emily on the blog to memorialize the Book 1 for all of posterity, since all of my children have accomplished this feat and I am so proud of all of them! This post will be the first 5 songs, tomorrow we will post 5 more, Friday 5 more and the last 3 we'll finish on Saturday.

The first song is called "Honeybee". Hold your applause till the end:)

The second song in the book is called "Cuckoo"

Next comes "Lightly Row"

Fourth in the book is "French Children's Song"

and finally, the last song of the day: "London Bridge"

That's it for today, check in tomorrow for the next five songs!

Taylor's Triple Terrific Tournament

Taylor loves basketball. That is the fact. As I type, he is out on the driveway shooting and dribbling a ball. Since being in Katy, he has played in the Katy Youth Basketball program for the past 7 years and loved every minute of it. This year he couldn't play because he is too old. BUT! The stake put on a nice basketball season and Taylor was able to have enough basketball to semi-satisfy him.

Our ward did well enough to make it to the finals and on the last day (Sat. 3/7) we played three games. The first game Taylor scored 23 points in a 63-52 game! That was the game against the favored stake champs; they had been undefeated up to that point. The next game Taylor couldn't be stopped. He scored 25 points swooshing about 6 3-pointers. The last minute of the game we were down by one point and then the other team got the ball and drove it down for another basket. With 14 seconds left we took the ball down, and threw it to Taylor and he shot in 3 point range and made it, to tie the game. So in overtime, we lost, but it was pretty amazing. The final game we played the same team for the championships and they won by 2 points and heavily guarded Taylor the whole game so he only made 4 points. But what a great day for Taylor! It was great to see him in his element and on fire.

The first 9-second clip shows an assist by Taylor and a pick by Spencer. Spencer played the first of 3 games, but had a party to go to for the last 2. He played a great defense! The second clip is a basket Taylor makes. He is wearing a red shirt under the black jersey and Spencer is in a turquoise shirt (for anyone who doesn't recognize them).