Concert Day

Heather and I had a long, long day on Saturday! We reported for sound check at 10:45 AM and left the concert hall somewhere around 11:00 PM We both had a very good time performing, and then had fun getting shakes at In-N-Out. Our soloists, orchestra, children and adults were all spectacular. Kelly took some pictures of our special peeps in attendance...

Uncle Chuck, Grandpa and Aunt Kathy

Sheryl and Grace

Sheryl and Sarah

Back Stage with George Dyer, our tenor soloist

Beach Time

Jenna got some good, quality time with Daddy on Friday and Saturday when Mommy and Heather were rehearsing for their concerts. Aunt Kathy and Uncle Chuck were back at our house after visiting friends at the beginning of the week, and Grandpa arrived on Friday. I'm glad Kelly was up to taking Jenna to enjoy some beach time. Her friend, Sarah, and Aunt Kathy went along on one of the days while Uncle Chuck and Grandpa hung out at our house.

Aunt Kathy & Uncle Chuck in CA

Aunt Kathy needed to make a trip to CA for an appointment, and we were so happy to hear she was coming out with Uncle Chuck! They arrived on Monday night, 4/25, and stayed through May 1. Our house was their "home base" for the week, and they were able to visit close friends in Yorba Linda at the beginning of the week, attend the temple, and spend some time with us at the end of the week including attending our OCMCO performance.

On Thursday right after the girls' early release time, we headed to Huntington Beach for lunch at Ruby's Diner. Aunt Kathy loves the beach, and what a beautiful day it was. We had a lovely lunch, and afterward when we left to get Jenna to gymnastics lesson, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Chuck hung out on the pier for a bit to watch the surfers and taking in the beautiful sights. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day at the beach!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Dad doesn't call his birthdays "birthdays". He calls them anniversaries. He told the girls about Jack Benny this morning and Jack's declaration that he was going to stay at 39 and not have more birthdays. We sang "happy anniversary to you" and shared presents after breakfast as Dad was on his way back to his place for a few days. So here's to the 34th anniversary of your 39th year Dad! Love you!

Easter

Kelly brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers just before Easter that have looked so lovely on our table. The girls had a great time finding their baskets and colored eggs in the morning before church, eating the eggs for breakfast, and then having an outdoor hunt in the afternoon. The second egg hunt yielded quarters that added up to a nice sum (we'd rather give it to the girls than to their dentist!). We enjoyed ham, baked potatoes, veggies and deviled eggs for dinner along with "Aunt Carmen's Famous Punch". It was a beautiful day, and an awesome opportunity to reflect on the reason for the Easter holiday.

Easter Activities

Last week, one of my daughters asked if we were going to visit the Easter Bunny at the mall. Guess which daughter that was?

It was Heather. She is months away from turning 12, but this has been a fun yearly tradition for us that makes her happy. There are certain things she knows about the Bunny (and may never forgive us for a certain oops from a couple of years ago...more on that later), but she wanted to go, and I wasn't about to turn her down! Of course the 9-year-old tagged along, but we couldn't get her excited about the bunny carousel.

Cookies from the Boudin Bakery while we waited in the (long) line.

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After spending a couple of hours at the mall, we dashed home to get our eggs prepared. We were able to squeeze in some friend time, a trip to Home Depot, another to Lowes, and another to the grocery store for last minute goodies. Busy day, but very fun.
As for that oops story, Heather reminded me tonight (as she shed several fatigue-induced tears) that I ruined all the holidays. She remembered the Easter that she and Jenna received scooters from the Easter Bunny, and she found the boxes later in the garage (this was my husband's fault, thank you very much). She knew something was wrong and quizzed me severely. I hated that conversation. Although we talked truthfully and I told her she can believe in anything she wants to, she knew something was amiss. I'm hoping after a good night's sleep, she'll forgive me (again).

Ode To Spring Break Part 1

Oh, Spring Break, how do we love thee? Let's just list a few of the highlights shall we?

Sleeping in. No schedule. None. Unless we say so. (no pictures of us sleeping)

Friends. All day, everyday.

Time to decorate with a week to spare.

Time to shop for much needed home merchandise...new faux wood blinds...laaaaaaah.

And it's only WEDNESDAY! I guess that makes this part 1 of the Ode...

Spring Break Family Night

It's Spring Break! Loved staying home today and actually completing the laundry. Even got some Easter decorations out (thanks to the hub for getting them down last night). With no homework or early bed time to worry about, we had an impromptu Family Night after Heather's volleyball practice. The girls were feeling adventurous, so we went to Mario's Restaurant over in Five Points. They loved the food and the atmosphere. It reminded Jenna of the Blue Bayou at Disnelyand. After dinner, we all went to Home Depot to pick out a new side garage door and some faux wood blinds. Okay, so not the most exciting Family Night ever, but we were together and enjoying each other's company. It was actually quite fun.

Mario's lights

Everyone pitching in to load the truck

We see florescent lights; the girls see light sabers

Last Day With Amy & Crew

We were able to spend one more day with the Henstras on Saturday. They rented a beach house in Newport to spend an extra couple of days with the nice, warm weather that decided to show up. We spent a few hours on the beach and had dinner together at Islands. It was such a treat to have some extra time with them. We already planning our next get-together in Utah.

Disneyland With Jeff

Jeff, Clarissa and Ella came to CA for a special Disneyland trip this past weekend. We went to meet them Thursday afternoon. The girls had fun exploring Tom Sawyer's Island and Toon Town. We weren't able to spend more than a couple of hours, but it was so good to see them.