Shamelessly All About Cannon

A little while back, Cannon spoke in church about joining the youth of the stake in walking from the Draper Temple to the Jordan River Temple.  He began by complimenting Bishop Rupp on the great job he did in officiating Faith's wedding earlier that week.  Then he related how the Bishop had approached him during the wedding rehearsal and asked him to share his thoughts about the experience in Sacrament Meeting.   

In his talk, Cannon began making an Italian hand signal with the fingers together waving back and forth, and in a perfect Marlon Brando Godfather accent, he told the congregation, "You come to me on the day of my sister's wedding and ask me to do this thing... to speak in church."  

It was so funny and while I'm sure it wasn't the first time The Godfather was quoted in a church talk, it was a first in our ward! Clever little lad.

Next up in this shameless glazing of Cannon-- Senior Prom with Gracie.  She is a friend and fellow Madrigal.

The group

The dapper gentlemen.

In a recent study, 10 out of 10 moms agreed that choir kids are pretty great.

Sorry.  I couldn't help myself.

Here's a funny not-so-funny story about the dinner they enjoyed for prom.  Cannon had my debit card with permission to use it for the expenses of the evening.  We are not fancy restaurant people-- no shade intended on those who are-- but we are rather ignorant when it comes to fine dining and the costs associated therewith.  Somehow it was decided that the group go to dinner at The Melting Pot in downtown Salt Lake.  I did know enough to know it was a fondue place.  

But you can imagine my shock and horror around 8 pm to get an alert on my phone that it had been charged for $170 dollars!  I texted him with a mind exploding emoji and $$$????  I thought, oh, maybe he paid for several couples and they will Venmo him.

NOPE.  They split the bill evenly (how egalitarian of them) and each guy paid $170. I lie not.

He told me, "If it makes you feel any better, it was amazing food!"

Uh, yeah..., I guess that makes me feel better?

Cannon completed a Data Analytics and Digital Marketing course/certificate at MTECH this year.  He said the main thing he takes away from the class is getting good at using  AI.  So there's that.  

Since he wasn't going to be walking in the cap and gown at Riverton High School, this was his big chance.  It feels like overkill to me, but knock yourself out.

Hail the conquering graduate!

The RHS Choir Pops Concert this week was great fun-- all Disney songs.  Mr. Clegg has been a marvelous director and the whole experience of choir at the high school was very positive.  

The evening held more emotions for Cannon that I had expected.  One of the things I liked best about his choir experience was getting to sneak a lot of "Jesus" into the school hours:)  Lots of the songs were religious in nature. 

The boys of Madrigals sang a delightful "We're Your Friends" from Jungle Book

The following pics are from an earlier concert

Cannon has become great friends with Bethany's husband's brother Nathan.  

This event was the Student Government dinner/dance.  Sariah asked Cannon to be her date saying he was basically an unofficial SBO (student body officer).  

According to Cannon it was a really fun night

I will say that girls and school dances are a much more complicated affair than boys and school dances.  

Final bows

Senior night at his last ballet performance in Senior Company at Central Utah Ballet.  The whole ballet thing for Cannon needs it's own post.  Stay tuned.

What I'm Not Feeling

Cannon is a "graduating" senior and this time of year is filled with lots of LASTS.  Last ballet performances, last choir concerts, last school dances, etc. Over the next few posts, I'll be sharing the pics and reveling in the lasts.  I've been wanting to write about my feelings regarding the wrapping up of his time as a child in our home, but I've been grappling with my thoughts-- trying to put them into words.  Cannon is the fifth of our children to prepare to leave the nest, so it's not like Abe and I haven't experienced the phenomenon of a child graduating high school and leaving home before.  

I suppose I am struggling, because, while the actual, factual experience of #5 is not so different from #1, I feel like I have changed a lot.  

Maybe it will be easiest to explain what my feelings are not.  

It's NOT FEAR.  I have every confidence in Cannon's faith, abilities, talents, intelligence and charisma to handle what life serves him.  I know he is not a finished product.  I know he has a lot to learn and failure is an integral part of that learning.  As his mother, I was devoted to his well-being.  I sincerely did my best to love him and guide him.   

However, I understand now what I didn't understand a few years ago-- that my best could never be enough to inoculate him against the future struggles he will face. Now I can only continue to love him and pray for soft landings when he falls.  

It's NOT HAPPINESS.  Yes, there are many exciting adventures that await him-- moving away from home, a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, dancing at BYU, new friends and relationships, educational pursuits and an overall widening of his world and perspective.  

But DANG IT ALL!-- I'M GOING TO MISS HIM!  I like him A LOT.  Cannon has entertained me from the moment he began socially smiling at 5 weeks old.  He is wicked-smart and quick-witted.  He's a child who always saw me and cared how I felt.  I have delighted in watching him grow and develop his many talents.  I've loved actively participating in the journey of managing his outrageously curly hair.  I'm amazed at how the homeschooler enrolled in a choir class at Riverton High School half-way through his sophomore year, knowing almost no one, and leaves as "the Big Man on Campus" so to speak.  

It's not SADNESS.  He has hopes and plans for the future, and it is satisfying to see him making good choices and progressing through life in a healthy way.  I do not want him to get stuck where he is and live in my basement indeterminately.  So can I say I am sad he is moving on?  No, 'sad' is not the right word.  

It's not REGRETFUL. Let me just say, Cannon has not been our most challenging young person to raise.  I'm sure there have been plenty of teenage shenanigans, of which I am blissfully unaware.   At this point, I'd kind of like to keep it that way.  But overall he has been very pleasant, cooperative and respectful.  This has made it much easier for us, as parents, to behave well.   No need to pitch parental fits! I am happy to say, I don't have many regrets about our interactions and relationship.  

It's not PAIN.  When our oldest flew the nest, it was excruciatingly painful for me.  It sounds overly dramatic to say it now, but at the time, it felt like someone had reached into my body and ripped out part of my soul. He left home, and I was left with torn flesh and a gaping wound.  Sorry to be so graphic.  It was shocking to me how much it hurt.  It is an understatement to say, I still had A LOT of work to do to separate my identity from that of my children.   I will miss Cannon when he leaves.  It will be bitter-sweet and my heart will feel tender.  But it won't feel like my soul is being severed.

It's not LOSS.  Well, actually, it does kind of feel like loss.  Because it's the ending of an era, and we're saying goodbye to really enjoyable times and experiences.  But, what I know now, that I didn't know then, is that with God, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!  Right now I can see and feel what is ending, but I can't see and feel what good things are coming.  But I do know they are coming.  

Hiking and the Temple

We have had quite a few unseasonably warm days this spring.  On one such day, Abe took Greta up Yellow Fork Canyon for the first hike of the season.

 

Earlier this month we went to the Lindon Temple open house.  It was so beautiful, as was to be expected.  

The line to get in was quite long and I felt sorry for the young family in front of us who were patiently wrangling twin three year-olds.  At the same time, we were not exactly a picture of good behavior.  

Generally speaking, I'm not too worried about our kiddos fighting or arguing in public.  They are MUCH more likely to get silly

Posing for dramatic pictures.

Pretending they are in the army and marching single file through the line.

We're so proud of Bethany and her growing violin studio

I know recital can be scary for students, but I assure you, no one in that room was more nervous than the teacher! 

No need to worry though-- her students played beautifully!

A Case for the Wedding Reception

Happy Day!!!! They are married!!!!! It was beautiful-- they are beautiful-- We are thrilled for them.  They are in Hawaii on their honeymoon and I don't have a wedding to plan.  Life is good!  

It is a great comfort that each of the three girls have found the person who loves them and they love most in the world.  They are building lives together and are good to one another.   

Okay,  now here is my hot take on weddings-- it seems it's rather controversial these days.    

Over the past several months, I've heard a lot of people say that they have encouraged their engaged children to take the money the parents would have spent, and just skip the reception and wedding hullabaloo.  I can understand this perspective-- especially in light of having just pulled off said "reception and wedding hullabaloo".  Indeed, it was a tremendous amount of work, time, money, energy, thought, and stress.  

However, having just pulled off my third wedding as mother-of-the-bride in just over two years,  I still think it is TOTALLY worth the effort. Here's why I think the wedding traditions matter.

 We all have people in our lives who care about us and support us.  We usually interact with them one, or maybe a few, at a time.  But at a wedding reception, hopefully, you see them come out en masse.  Lots of  'your people in this world' come out with joyous smiles and well wishes.  It is powerful and strengthening to see and feel that support.  With their presence AND presents, guests are acknowledging the couple as a new unit in society.  In essence, the personal handshakes and hugs exchanged throughout the reception are 'The Village' welcoming a new family into the village.  

There is more happening here than what appears to be happening.  Older couples coming to show the young couple what the future holds.  Younger friends and family members are seeing the bride and groom and seeing what they can hope for.  The families of the bride and groom come together to bid farewell to the 'individuals' and hello to the 'couple'.  

Here is another way to think of it.  Why do we have a parade for the 4th of July?

 The police motorcycle brigade drives by and officers hi-five the kiddos.  The mayor and city council ride on a flatbed trailer and throw candy and swag to the crowd.  The big red fire engines blare and the giant search and rescue mobile command center trundles down the street. The local American Legion military veterans carry the flag and we all stand and put our hand over our heart.  The marching band and sports teams represent the high school that the youngsters will attend in a few short years.

All of these entities exist whether they parade down the street or not.   But in a parade, they are physically present, and we are there.  Both sides are experiencing the sights, sounds, smells and emotions of each of them.   Those first responders see and hear the citizens cheering and supporting them.  I am comforted to see I live in a society in which there is law and order.    I like seeing the help would come running, should my family encounter an emergency.  The whole event is a reminder that I am part of something bigger than just me.  Or just my family.  Or just my church congregation.  We all come together as a community and I see a lot of value in that.

 I think a wedding reception is a similar phenomenon.  We are embodied-- we experience the world physically-- not just theoretically or in our minds.  A wedding reception provides a way for us to experience relationships in a tangible way-- seeing, touching, hearing.  

Is it sometimes awkward to talk to people at a reception?  Is is sometimes boring?  Is it a hassle to find a venue, hire a photographer, print invites, gather addresses, plan the clothing, the food, the decorations, etc.?  I think most people would say yes to all of the above.

But a young couple starting their lives together is strengthened and comforted and blessed to know and experience the army of people behind them.  A few extra thousand dollars in the bank would be nice.  But it would get spent-- most likely on the necessities of life-- nevertheless, it wouldn't be long before it was gone, with not much to show for it. 

 I would argue that the feelings of love and support experienced at a wedding reception have a lasting  and meaningful impact on the couple.  Showing them that they  are a part of something bigger than themselves and blessing their marriage for many years to come.

Tulip Festival 2026

Our Tulip Festival group was a little smaller this year, but the flowers were PERFECTION!  So pretty this year.  I don't have a lot to say about it, but I LOVE pictures, so I'll share a bunch.

This was about three weeks before the wedding

Faith and Landen are so cute with Charlie

Don't mind me... I'll just be taking lots of pictures of the three boys together before Cannon leaves for Paris in September

Onto the wedding!!!!!