Dance Festival Video

Don't feel obligated.

The Mexican Hat Dance

The Haka

The Annual Westmore Dance Festival

Yes! It's my favorite day of the school year! I love seeing all the kids perform their class dances which typically don't vary from year to year (except for the sixth grade).

The third grade did the Mexican Hat Dance.

This year, I helped with the fifth grade dance, getting it back to the Haka that they used to do instead of the electric slide they adopted a few years ago. The kids didn't like it and this group is so loud and rambunctious that I thought they could use something where they could yell!

After the festival ended, it was time for the author's fair, where the students share with their families some of the stories they have written throughout the year.

And finally, Griffin's class performed, "The Emperor's New Clothes." Griffin was a tree, and the young boy who pointed out that he wasn't wearing anything, "but his pajamas."The rest of the week consists of Field Day and the awards assembly, with the last day being from 8 a.m. until 9:15 a.m. Really, is it even necessary for them to go at all? Yes if they want their report card and to find out who their teacher is for the next year! Bribery works every time!

Memorial Day Concert

I can't remember the last time I went to a full-on professional concert. I think the last one I went to was Phil Collins when John and I were still living at the U. Yesterday I took Ian and Maggie (and one of Ian's friends, Mallory) to see

Paramore and

at the E Center. There was another opening act (The Sounds) that just had the foulest language. I could have done without them. Twenty minutes after they finished their set, Paramore was on stage. I love playing their songs on Rock Band (how sad is that) and I enjoyed their 45-minute set. Their lead singer is a teeny powerhouse. I realize my pictures are pitiful, but I left my other camera in the car since I didn't want to risk it getting taken away, so these are just from my phone.No Doubt took the stage at about 9:15 and their encore ended at 11:00. I got my hearing back at about midnight. I'm glad I was able to go with the kids. Ian got to see what graphic design artists do as far as the screen behind the band, as well as all the light design that goes into the shows.

What was great to me was that you typically become a bigger fan of a group when you see them perform live--if they do it well! Where we used to go to the record store the next day to buy their albums, the kids just jumped on iTunes and were downloading. The only downside is that I'm not as young as I used to be. I definitely was feeling it when I had to be at the school with the kids this morning for the annual dance festival.

Maggie's Year-End Woods Project

As the school year started, Maggie needed to make a change in her schedule to accomodate, well, let's just say a "personality conflict." Since the school year had already started and schedules were established, the number of elective classes available were slim. She chose "Woods." After a semester of frustration with the teacher and some of the other students, she brought home her finished product. I think when I had woods, I made a simple box or something so unimpressive that I don't even remember!

Ian's Graduation Announcement

We understand that the majority of family are unable to attend, but here's the invite just the same (which Ian designed). I have them to mail as well, but end of school year is worse than Christmas and since you haven't gotten your Christmas cards from us yet, well....

We will be going to eat at Sakura Japanese Steakhouse at 4 that afternoon. Please feel free to join us if you can.

Ellie Receives the Way to Go Award!

Each month, a teacher selects a student from their class to receive the "Way to Go!" award. Along with the certificate and ribbon comes a letter telling the student why they received the award and then lunch with the principal and all the other winners at a local restaurant (Mimi's).

Just Your Average Saturday--Not!

A couple of weeks ago, the Bishop mentioned that he would like the youth to hike the Y for a morningside. Now I have never done this hike in all the years I've lived here and thought it was something I would like to do. Having hiked the Timpanogos Cave trail probably four or five years ago, I asked someone how it compared. They said that it was an okay hike with a few steep spots. I felt a bit relieved as I didn't think I would survive that hike. Ian, however, told me that the Y hike was much harder because it's not paved whereas the other one is.

About 30 steps into the one mile hike, I could hardly breathe. Now, this is my first major exercise/activity since my surgery a year ago. Ian said, "Out of breath already?" I knew I was in trouble. Maggie has been struggling with her asthma for a couple of weeks and didn't bring her inhaler. She and I (with Ian's support) brought up the not-quite-the-rear going slowly but surely up the switchbacks. (Total elevation change: 980 feet. It is rated as "an easy, albeit steep" hike.) We got a couple of pictures at the start and top, but I couldn't even hold the camera still enough to get a decent picture along the way.

I texted John my dying thoughts along the way, stopped at each switchback to rest for a minute, then continued on. It took about 45 minutes (13 songs on my iPod), and we stayed up there for about a half hour.

It took about 20 minutes to come down and we were back home by 9:45. It is something I can cross off my list, but I don't know that I'd do it again!

Scholarship Night

Ian has successfully outdone his parents. Tonight he was recognized for the two scholarships he received from Southern Utah University and Utah State University. (Neither of us were ever awarded a scholarship.) This was the evening where all the scholarship recipients from the high school were honored and recognized. Just from SUU, over $70,000 in scholarships were awarded just to MVHS, so there was a lot of money and promises were exchanged tonight.

Kudos to you, Ian!

Kash of the Day (courtesy of Griffin)

The curtain pull from his room--stuck to the back door.

Time to Change the Channel

I thought I'd take advantage of the early morning to catch up (again) on Tivo shows. Last week was the premiere of the new Bravo version of Project Runway, The Fashion Show. Figuring that Griffin was still a bit groggy when he came in and got in bed with me, I continued watching. I was sure the material was boring enough that he would go back to sleep.

As part of the judging on the show, the designers have to produce a runway show, highlighting their pieces. Then they are critiqued. Typical industry words are thrown around, none of which seemed interesting to me; but then, I hear a little voice say, "What does 'slutty' mean?" followed by "What does 'innocently sexy' mean?" Maggie started laughing and trying to come up with elementary-school friendly definitions. Ian was just standing there as I was trying to shoo them off and said, "I'm not leaving now. I didn't have this talk when I was his age so I want to hear what you're going to say." Maggie's solution was the best: I guess it's time to turn it off when Griffin's here. As he felt inclined to share there was no Santa Claus with his class, I can just imagine him going up to his friend, Christina, and saying casually, "You look innocently sexy today." Can you even see the principal making that phone call home?

And for the record, we defined "slutty" as "looking not nice, and something you should never say" and "innocently sexy" as "someone who looks nice, but you should never say that either." He accepted those and said, "So 'slutty' is like a bad word and instead of 'innocently sexy' you should say 'you look nice.'" He also somehow incorporated the cartoon Fairly Odd Parents where in an episode there's apparently a character who walks around singing, "I'm too sexy for my sexy." (Maggie was the one who followed and described the reference to me as I was blown away that the cartoon somehow involved the word "sexy.") I guess if we can turn a conversation from The Fashion Show into Fairly Odd Parents, we can say, "mission accomplished."

Chris Griesemer's "Give me sexy, Griffin" pose (The Colliseum, June 2008)

Ian's sexy pose, Mother's Day 2009

Duty to God

This morning in Sacrament Meeting, Ian--along with Mark, Seth, Bridger, Chris, and Luke--received his Duty to God. The bishop pointed out that all (except for his son who promised he would finish it in the next eight days) were also Eagle Scouts. These are all the graduating senior young men, shy one, and it was great to see them all up there on the stand. Within the next few weeks, these young men will receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, graduate from seminary, graduate from high school, and enter the work force or mission field. I was the den mother of these same young men ten years ago and now they are reaching the age when they could serve in that same capacity. I never realized how fast the years were going until this morning. It's so nice to see them all excel at their respective talents and gifts and yet, they are all so kind to each other and those around them. This graduating group makes up half of the young men's program in our ward and will make an excellent set of missionaries for the Lord to work with.

Lance Williams, Bridger Talbot, Seth Gilbert, Mark Wolfert, Ian, Luke Allen, Kimball Elliott (a junior), Chris Williams

Happy Mother's Day!

After John and I went to the movie yesterday, we decided to have dinner at Magelby's. It was delicious and relatively quiet and I decided to count it as my special Mother's day meal.

I know that Mother's Day with early morning church is no different than any other Sunday. Griffin mentioned to me right before we left for church that I should still be in bed. I asked why and he replied, "So we can give you breakfast in bed!" I told him that it was time to go and so I might have to have dinner in bed instead. (As I'm typing this, I'll add that I ate lunch/dinner at the kitchen table with everyone else. I also made ebelskivers for the first time--filled with Nutella or strawberries.) I did, however, receive some lovely homemade cards from Ellie and Griffin. Here is Griffin's cover (where I apparently lead him through the maze of "madnus" [madness] to "love"):

and letter (he recently learned the word "literally" [lidrly] and uses it quite regularly these days):

On my way home from church, it occurred to me that what I wanted more than anything else was photographs with my kids. We did a few in our Sunday clothes and then changed and took some more entertaining and casual pix. I've included my favorites at the end.

As I sat in Young Women's today and the advisor asked how best we can honor our parents, I thought to myself, "By remembering your name and who you represent." I hope that I have represented my parents well. They continue to teach me with each new experience. Isn't it amazing that although you think you only have 18 years to learn everything you need, you continue to learn from their wisdom and example for the rest of your life. It's interesting to me that this is another principle that is eternal: don't I take His name upon me and remember Him in all that I do? Do I represent Him well? I sure hope so!