I'm going for quantity, not quality.

I am always coming up with clever, witty posts to write. Ones that will have you laughing or at least thinking. But when it comes down to it, I feel lucky just to post about what has happened. So, here is a rundown of our most recent activities. Some even have pictures!

On Memorial Day we relaxed- which was a good thing because the rest of the week was CRAZZZYYY! And then in the afternoon Tristan went to Ben and Linda's to play, which made him really happy, and Danny and I (well, mostly Danny) loaded Alex and Alaina into the bike cart and went on long bike ride. It was soo fun and relaxing, probably because Danny was the one pulling the kids! We went to the river and fed the ducks and down around the new Snake River Landing. In all we were biking for over two hours. Alex and Alaina loved it, but by the end Alaina kept saying, "All done!"

Lainey in her huge helmet! "Look at that heed! It has its own planetary system!"

Then we went to Ben and Linda's for a barbeque-my favorite! They got a grill from some friends for free, so we were their test subjects, I guess. It was realllly good!


I got my "winder" boxes planted and most of my pots. I'm glad to have them planted, although it is like my part-time summer job to water them and the lawn. (If it were a real job, I think I might have been fired before now.) I guess Alaina likes the flowers, too, because I keep coming out to find all of them pulled up out of the soil and lying nicely in their pots. Thank you, Alaina.

On Thursday I went to the zoo with Alex's Kindergarten class. I can't believe that I didn't bring my camera, except that if it involves Alex, that is usually about all I can handle. I was in charge of Alex and two other boys who were so cute. Any time that Alex got too far away from us, Anthony would say, "I'll go get Alex!" and would run after Alex and practically tackle him until I got there. I was telling Alex's teacher about them and how good they were with Alex and she told me about some of the other kids in the class. She has told me before about how good the kids are with him and how they make accomodations for him. She said that there are two boys who every day get Alex his pencils and things and then say, "Look Alex! We got your stuff all ready for you!" One day they were in line in the hall and Mrs. Merkley (the teacher) said Alex was making some noise, but she didn't hear it. One of the other teachers came down the hall and told Alex he needed to be quiet. One of the boys that helps him with his things named Jared told her, "He can't always be quiet. His brain works different than ours." The teacher was so impressed she told Mrs. Merkley about it. When she told me, I just about started crying. The kids in his school have just been so good with him. Sniff, sniff....

On Friday Dallin had a big two-nighter hiking trip, so Haley came to my house! Yeah! What a blessing that was! She came with me on Friday to the run-through of our Spring Concert for dance and gave me tips on hair (put it higher) and make-up (put on more). And she cleaned at home a bunch too, at a time when I was too busy to care! And it was great to hear her encouragement, too!

Then on Saturday morning Danny took all three kids to a free movie (Monsters vs. Aliens) while Haley and I ran to the store and got ready for a baby shower that Linda and I were doing for someone we visiting teach. The shower was at 12 and went great, thanks in large part to Haley's help, again!

Then we went home, cleaned some more, ate lunch and tried to rest a little before Haley helped me with my hair and make-up and then by 3 pm I was off to the dance studio for warm-ups before our dress rehearsal. It sounds so glamorous, and honestly, it felt a little that way, too! I love walking in there with my dance bag and all these girls in their pointe shoes warming up and stretching and knowing that I'm a part of that, too. It's a great feeling!

We had a dress rehearsal that went well and then about an hour before our performance started to try and stay warm and stretched out. It was funny to see the little girls watching us and knowing that we seemed really cool to them. If only they knew... :)

At 7 pm was the peformance and I think it went really well! Here are a few of my favorite memories from the performance-

1. Standing at the bottom of the spiral staircase while the little girls danced. I looked up and could just see Janice there watching them, with such a happy look on her face. She looked so pleased and I felt like I was getting this little peek into something special.

2. Waiting offstage right before the music starts with our pointe shoes on and everyone stretching out and warming up, jumping, twirling, in our big poofy red tulle costumes. It looked just like a Degas poster.

3. Seeing the girls across the stage behind the curtains reminding each other to smile and counting music together to make sure they came onstage at the right time.

4. Saying a prayer with all the girls in our class before the performance. We hooked pinkies and pointed our shoes in a circle. It was sweet.

5. When, during rehearsals the day before performance, one of the 15 year-old girls asked, "Can I do some of your make-up?!" I said, "Sure!" and got insane blue eye shadow put on by someone else, for the first time since I think I was the 15 year-old. It was great!

6. Seeing the little girls run by after their part was over and hearing one of them say, "We did such a good job!"

7. Everyone hugging after the last number was over and we felt like we had done a good job and it had gone well. As soon as that curtain closed, there were hugs.

8. And one of my favorite memories was Janice coming up to us onstage after the last number was over and she looked so pleased and happy and her telling us what a good job we did and how beautiful we all looked and hugging us. And I think she really, truly meant it. She looked really happy. Or maybe she was just relieved it was over.

One of the funnest parts of being in any production is seeing the backstage stuff. I wish I had taken more pictures. There were some shots I really wanted to get, but I couldn't find my camera on Friday and Saturday was really busy. I wanted a picture from the bottom of the spiral staircase of all the girls going up in their pink costumes that were so pretty. And I would have liked a picture taken of us dancing on stage during rehearsals, because you can't take flash photograpy during the performance. But again, I didn't have the camera that day. But here are a few pictures that I actually managed to get taken!

Two of the girls in my class, putting on their stage make-up before dress rehearsal in the lovely green dressing rooms downstairs in the Civic Auditorium.

A picture with all the girls in my class! It will be so sad for the seniors to be gone! Boo-hoo! I'm not particularly crazy about this picture, although I do love the touch of having the sink in the background. Gotta love it! But right now it's about the only proof I have that I was in the performance! And, at least you can see what one of our costumes looked like. Just try to imagine that on a stage, without a sink or mirror in the background. And while you're at it, imagine me lot skinnier, too. :)

In another dressing room where the other class was doing make-up, etc. I loved their costumes!

So, it was a great performance and So. Much. Fun! And best of all was that so many of my family got to be there to see it! That is always wonderful and makes it so much funner to perform! Thank you!!!!!

After you are done, you wish that you could be even better and be the star of the show! But when I came home and the kids came running up to me with big smiles and hugs, so very happy to see me, I realized that in their world, I am the star. Every day. And that made me feel better.

Mamsers, today I gave Lainey her present and she loves her dolly and bracelet. She keeps taking turns putting the bracelet on herself and then on her doll's foot. I tried to get a picture of her kissing it and looking all happy, but my camera is so weird! So, here is a picture, even though it's not the best.

This was a long post again, but I wanted to share some of my memories and experiences with you. And the performance was such a high, that I want to record some of my thoughts before I forget them. And lucky you, you get to read them all!

A BIGGGG hug and thank you to Haley for all her help! I love you! And a big thank you to everyone who came, especially the men in my family who I know have a struggle sitting through things, especially if at any point there is a man in tight clothes. But I'm glad you came! And a hug to my Mammy, who always thinks I'm wonderful and gives me the confidence to try new things and the courage to keep trying, even when it's not going well. I love you, too! Okay, I will let you go now. But don't worry, I'll probably call you soon to talk some more. :) And that's why I love you!!!