My Great Disappointment

This was last night.  Actually, it was the last two nights.  Bethany and her Lyceum Philharmonic Orchestra performed beautiful, inspiring concerts at the Salt Lake Tabernacle.  I had been highly anticipating the concert on Saturday night.  We had tickets for most of our family to go.  My daughter, playing in the Tabernacle!  
I can't really leave Greta yet, but as I recalled, there was some sort of glassed in cry room in the back.  Abe called Temple Square to confirm that I could just sit in there the whole time with Greta.  It wouldn't be quite the acoustics, but it would do.
Sadly, tragically, devastatingly, when we got to the doors to give them our tickets, they wouldn't allow Greta in.  Supposedly the room isn't sound proof and they were recording the performance.  Someone had bad information when Abe called.  I guess we should have known, but we did call ahead and confirm.
I WAS SO SAD.  I couldn't stop my tears.  I had been so looking forward to the evening.  I returned to the car to have a good, ugly cry.  Fortunately for me, my friend Andrea who lives at City Creek and was planning to go to the concert with us, had pity on her poor distressed friend and spent a couple of hours hanging out with me.  We got gelato, which, while not as good as seeing and hearing my daughter play in the Tabernacle, was perhaps the next best thing.  Blackberry gelato.  mmmm.

 It's blurry, but it's more than what I got to see last night.  I was told it was so beautiful and since they were recording, hopefully I'll get to watch it someplace else sometime.  Bethany is sitting behind the piano.  I can see which one she is, but I doubt others will be able to.

Abe lovingly offered to stay out with Greta while I went to the concert, but since I hadn't prepared her with nursing before hand and such, that wasn't an option.  He's been working a lot lately, so it was good for the kids to have time with him.

How lovely she is.
She is over the two month mark now, and she is a little piece of heaven in our home.  She is beginning to settle into more of an eating/sleeping schedule and (knock on wood) she's even slept through the night a few times.
Honestly, it just doesn't seem fair that some babies are so easy.  Having experienced the other side a few times, I declare that all babies are not equal.  Some easily fit right into the family rhythm, while others are like a nuclear bomb exploding in the middle of the family room.  I am so, so grateful everyday that we have this little sweetheart to bring calmness and peace into our family.  We (I) needed her.

Once again, not the best picture, but she just looks so cute.

And speaking of cute things... George is playing soccer this fall.  I've mentioned before how soccer isn't really our family's forte.  That hasn't exactly changed this go around, but because George is almost a year older than some of the kids on his team, there is some marked improvement.

He likes to have his hair spiked for his games and then we call him "Spike". 
Mostly, he is just so happy to be playing and be part of a team.  It's a pretty short season and we're done with the first two games already.  I admit it's been pretty fun so far.
One of the nice things is that Elinor and Bethany have swim team and Faith has cross country practice all at the same location at the same times.  That's some pretty "Ninja Mom" scheduling!  Go Me!

 And I do love getting to sit and snuggle with this one.

In other random moments in the Fox household this week...
Clark poses with Justin Beaver.
Justin Beaver is the name of the beaver finger puppet we purchased in St. Louis (I believe in the Arch gift shop).  I couldn't even count the number of stuffed animals that have entered this house, only to be thrown or given away in one of my household purging episodes.  But Justin Beaver holds a special place, for some reason, and I've never been able to part with him.

Are you getting tired of pictures of Greta yet?

Yeah, me neither.

Kid's book club is back for another year!  Our first book was 21 Balloons.  It was quite enjoyable, but the best part for me was watching Bethany lead the kids in games in the backyard.  It's not that I don't want to lead the kids, but Bethany is SO MUCH FUN and she keeps things in good order.  I figure it's all my years of doing book club for her and her friends. It's like the good book says... "Train them up in the way they should go... and when they are grown they will do the work for you!"

At a recent Cannon family gathering for a BYU football game, these little cuties were very busy building Legos all evening.

Another afternoon outing for the middle kids plus Peter with Dad while Bethany was at orchestra rehearsal.  The kids love this time and I really enjoy having a little less activity in the home for a few hours each week.