Jazz, Rags, Boogies, and Blues

I thoroughly enjoyed prepping for our Jazz, Rags, Boogies, and Blues piano recital.  The music was great fun for my students to play and for me to teach!  In addition, it was exciting (and challenging) to plan an outdoor recital.  We used the big white wedding tent-- which has proved quite useful since the wedding.  

I had a vision of how we would make a stage using wooden pallets, and George and Abe were so helpful in helping me make it happen.

Here is a picture of the students who played in the first recital time

And the second recital time

The weather was perfection and the audience seemed to enjoy the evening. 

We had popcorn ...

and we busted out the old wedding soda bar as well.  

A duet with my niece, Jules

I really appreciate it when my older kids come and support my recitals.

Charlie is ONE!!!!!

Bethany hosted an incredible first birthday party for Charlie! 

Did she go a little overboard on decorations?  Well, of course she did!  And she loved every minute of creating it and making it so adorable.

We've gotten good use out of Faith and Landen's wedding tent this summer!

He got such cute little presents:)

Look how happy he looks to be with his grandparents!

Charlie and his little baby friends and cousins having a pool party

Charlie and his great-grandparents

I saw my three son-in-laws sitting together and I had to snap a pic of them.  I feel like I hit the son-in-law jackpot!

 

The Temple and a Puppy

A few months back the youth of our stake did a "Temple Walk"-- they walked from the Draper Temple to the Jordan River Temple-- about 10 miles.  My friend, Stephanie (in pink) was bummed she wasn't a part of the youth activity, so she invited some ladies from the neighborhood to do our own "Temple Walk"

It was so enjoyable!  I love walking and I love talking with friends-- 4 hours of it?  Yes, please!

We stopped by the Maverick close by the temple for refreshment.  It was likely the best Diet Coke I've ever had.

In other freaking adorable news-- I have a Grandpuppy!!!

 This is Faith and Landen's new black lab puppy-- Hank.  They ADORE him and we love it when he comes over.  

He looks so innocent... and granted, he is a puppy--- but YIKES!  He's got a lot of energy!  He keeps them on their toes.  I don't know about Landen, but I think Faith's experience with Grover in our family, was not a very good gauge of what life with a puppy was like.  

Grover was an exceptionally docile puppy, and even now he such a gentle dog.  He never chewed on anything.  He never over-ate and he was very particular about what he ate.  He never had accidents in the house and he never barked.  Hank is.... a little different.  

But Faith and Landen are devoted to him and they are doing a very good job of training him.

Rodeo Gone Rogue

The rodeo was quite chilly this year-- we were bundled up.

Craziest moment of the rodeo had nothing to do with a bucking bronco or raging bull.  No.  It was when the sky diver carrying the Utah state flag was aiming for the big orange square in the middle of the arena.  Sadly (and let's just blame the weather), he missed.  He barely cleared the railing at the top of the bleachers-- barely cleared the heads of the people in the stands---- and definitely did NOT clear the railing into the arena.  In fact, he clipped Ben's arm,  who was trying to get good footage/pics of the American flag landing, just as he body slammed the railing.  It was really quite shocking.

In a strange way, I think it will make me appreciate future skydivers even more.  They make it look so easy.  In all the years we've been going to the rodeo, the skydivers have been flawless.  I mean, how hard can it be if it's always executed perfectly?  

Let it be known, it must be harder than it looks and it is not always executed perfectly.

The city representatives throw these little blue balls into the stand.  Of course the kids try to catch them, but then the go underneath the bleachers to collect the ones that fell through.  

Both Cannon and Landen got to help bring out the huge American flag.  Landen is somewhere on the other side, but Cannon is bottom right.

This picture was not at all posed.  Some poor cowboys was getting dragged behind his horse (or something along those lines) and the audience was reacting.  Based on his expression, Abe was very alarmed.  Isn't rodeo the strangest sport in 2026?  

He loves his Momma.

This is Peter's "I have been WRONGED" look.  He did get dollar from the cash cow, but he reportedly was robbed by another kid who grabbed the ten dollar bill he had out of his hand.  

Hooray for another successful year at the rodeo!

Momma's Day and Poppa's Day

Momma's Day was perfection.  This was our gang at church...

... But later in the day, we had everyone.  Which is my favorite thing in the whole wide world-- having all my people together, enjoying each other's company.  

It is tradition for Abe to give me a musical card-- the kind that plays a pop song when you open it.

And then we all dance to it.

I felt very loved all day.  Greta made the purple flower on the right side.  When I turned over each petal it has a word that described me.  So sweet!

Abe plants marigolds the Saturday before Mother's Day every year and I love them.

And now for Father's Day

Here is a very cute story about Abe and Father's Day.  As you may know, Abe is very much a fan of tradition, and one of those traditions is taking a family picture on the front steps.  

Whereas,  this year was a year when we had everyone at our place on Mother's Day, this was kind of our "off" year for Father's Days and our "marrieds" were with the in-laws.  They all planned to swing by at some point during the day to give him a hug and wish him a happy day, but it likely wouldn't be at the same time-- so no picture.  Sadness for Abe.  He decided he would piecemeal the picture and just take individuals with them as they came.  

With Faith and Landen...

With Elinor and Hunter

With Clark and Brianna and Cannon

But then--- much to Abe's surprise-- they all (except Elinor and Hunter) stepped away from their in-laws for a very quick pic all together.  They planned it as a gift to Abe.  How cute is that?

Also, please note our American Flag, as a Father's Day gift and in honor of America's Semiquincentennial.