That's right- we're on to performance weeks here for the next two weeks. Tuesday is my big Middle School "Triple Threat" production: Pirates A Musical. It's a pretty funny show about a group of singing pirates who have to deal with one of them getting laryngitis. The kids do such a great job. Then I have some major dress rehearsals happening all leading to our huge Spring Shenanigan on Tuesday May 11th. This will be the Middle School choir as well as all High School choirs. It's an INTENSE show with songs ranging from classics like Greased Lightning and Little Shop of Horrors to todays hits like Keep Holding On and Party In The USA. One things for sure- the audience will be entertained!
It's been an intense couple of weeks here with rehearsals. I don't know if you can tell but my favorite word as of late is "intense!" I'm sure my students are so sick of hearing it. Last Monday I had my biggest private voice/piano recital yet! Ari had 3 students play in it, and I had about 20. Some of them sang duets, played the piano, and performed major musical theater pieces. It was so much fun- it's mind boggling how much these students have improved. I think that's my favorite part of teaching- seeing the progression in the students. It's like watching a flower plant grow that you planted. I can't think of any other job being as fulfilling.
This is my Mixed Quartet at the high school. They're a fun lot!
Easter was fun! The boys loved finding their baskets and eating all kinds of candy. Grandma Leinbach made Jaxon this cool Train apron so he can help mommy in the kitchen.
Jaxon is loving preschool. Every time we drive by he wants to stop and go to "pwee schoolluh". The other day he came home with a huge scratch down his face and the teacher told Ari that he and another boy had played "a little too rough." His words seem to come to him most in the morning- but he shuts down in the afternoons and evenings and just starts pointing. It's like he's hit his quota for the day or something. It's kind of frustrating to us, but we know his vocabulary is improving and his communication is getting a lot better, it's just a little delayed. We tried having a dog for a week, but it proved to be too much for Ariana to handle. It doesn't really matter, because the dog still hangs out on our front porch and the boys get to see her pretty much everyday.
We had a ton of rain this spring and you can see what happened to the weeds in our backyard! It's a process we're trying to work on!
Here's me and the boys giving Trixie a bath. We had her for a week, but Ari decided two boys and a husband were enough for her to handle right now.
Kodee is a ham. He has the raspiest, whispiest darth vader baby voice you've ever heard. When he wakes up in the morning his first words are usually "Trixie, doggy, or side (for outside)". He's running around every where and almost constantly has a huge purple goose-egg on his noggin'. It's how he rolls. :)
I guess it's part of his toddler stage. He's full of sweet faces, huge cheesey smiles, and high pitched giggles.
It's pretty amazing what a cheerful demeanor he has. When I get home from work he always yells daddy and gives me the best hugs and laughs.
Ariana had the opportunity to go with me on a high school trip two weeks ago. At the last minute my parents offered to watch the boys for a few days so Ari could go with me to Flagstaff for high school All-State.
We had fun trying the new Double Down from KFC- I was so excited to try this new sandwich. We needed to document it.
Ari and Darienne stuck to their pizza- no KFC double down for them.
It was so fun having her with me- and a much needed break for her to get away. She even got to paint her toenails in the hotel one morning and sleep in!:) We went to a really fancy restaurant on our last night there called The Cottage Place. If you ever need to go to a romantic, FINE DINING place in Flag. . .this is where you should go. It was amazing! I felt like I was on Top Chef. Since it was a once in a lifetime thing for us I decided to get the 6 course meal- to experience the chef's finest. My meal was:
Ari had a creamed spinach strudel with potatoes- it was AMAZING!! Unfortunately I liked it way more than she did.
For starters I had
1. Seared ahi tuna with mango salsa and a wasabi aioloi
2. Then Coconut curried shrimp- sauteed shrimp coconut in a curry cream sauce with cilantro and roasted pepper
3. This was my favorite: Crab and lemongrass salad. A fresh blue crab on a bed of green tossed with lemongrass vinagerett with tomatoes and wonton strips and cashews- this was heaven on a plate. Pure deliciousness!
4. After this was an "intermezzo" pickled Ginger and pineapple sorbet- very pallet cleansing I might add. Interestingly strange.
5. The main entree was a Five spice tenderloin filet stir fry with Petite tenderloin fillet grilled with bok choy, an Asian demi glaze, with cashews and yakisoba noodles. The tenderloin was incredible. . .and very tender.
6. Dessert was fun. Bananas foster flamb'e. The waitress flambe'd them table side and the flame was huge! I could definitely get used to this kind of dining.
Ari was in heaven with her strawberry cheesecake dessert. We love the hearts in the sauce on the side.
She does such a wonderful job of being a mom and wife to me. Her meals are "to die for-out of this world-delicious!" I swear she knows how to put those flavors together! I love when she comes up with a new dish and surprises me. She does a great job of varying it up- unfortunately we get bored easy in this house if we eat the same things over and over. Except for Mac and Cheese. That's always a staple.
Ari was having an out of control hair day the other day, so we had to document it. She thought it looked like on the commercials before the model uses the product that will make their hair look amazing.
This past Wednesday our little family had the opportunity to go to the Gila Valley Temple Open House. It was beautiful! Jaxon was still sick, so he behaved better than usual. Kodee got a little squirmy and loud towards the end. Both boys wanted to jump into the baptismal font and Kodee said "bath!" Yes, it was bath time. The colors are gorgeous- lots of creams, browns, blues, earth tones. The mural in the ordinance room is breathtaking. We love the border on the ceiling in the Terrestrial Room, and the blue jewels on the light fixtures. The Celestial room is incredible. Kodee especially loved hearing his voice reverberating off of the walls in that room. I can't wait to spend hours upon hours of meditation in this temple. To bring my children here for ordinances, and experience them making their deepest and most important covenants! I think this may be one of Jaxon's earliest memories, at least I hope so. He's so been looking forward to going in this temple, and he finally was able to go! He definitely understood it was a special opportunity. I'm happy there will be an early session on Wednesdays- I'm hoping I'll be able to attend that session regularly. I think it will help my demeanor at school, and help me to remember to be more Christ-like to my students.
The boys were so ready to run around when they got through the open house. . .we could barely contain them.
Today was an All EAC Choir Reunion! It was a lot of fun to go and see some of my old choir buddies and see the Spring Sing. Bruce Bishop recycled a bunch of old EAC Choir classics like "In This Very Room" and "Shenandoah" and the audience loved it. I have to say I love Eric Whitacre's Animal Crackers. They're so clever! I wish more of my old friends could have made it, but we're so spread out now, it's understandable.
That's about it for us at the moment! Now- we just have to get through these next concerts, temple cultural celebration, and the temple dedication! Exciting! Ari and I are both in choirs for the dedication. I'm in the Celestial Room Choir, and Ari's in the Corner Stone Choir. Hopefully you'll be able to see us televised in your stake centers!:)
3 comments:
Now that I have read this post, I am exhausted! This kind of life is for the young! I can't believe I ever kept up that kind of schedule . . and it was only last year, right?
You're making some great decisions helping you little guy with the speech therapy and preschool. It has sure paid off for Gabriel!
it was so great to see you guys, even if it was for so short! hopefully next time we'll have more time to catch up. i wish i could be there to see all the choir stuff you're doing with all your kids. i bet you're awesome!
I'll be watching for you 2!
Post a Comment