I admit that I feel a little out of my league with all these boys. I don't think like a boy. I don't entirely understand boys. I like them a lot, but they scare me a little at the same time. In some ways boys seem so much simpler. So then I'm left thinking, "Is that it? That's all I have to do with them? I must be missing something?"
No, I'm pretty sure you get what you see with boys. I suppose it is refreshing. Perhaps I'm overthinking this whole raising boy thing.
Ready, set, roll!
Rolling down a big grassy hill-- a chief joy of childhood.
Faith got going so fast she seemed to catch air!
I like how this picture makes it look like we were the only ones there.
Not true. It was unpleasantly crowded. And windy and hello ALLERGY ATTACK! Okay, now I'm just complaining.
Oh, and one more thing. I'm sorry to say it, but this was the most disappointing year of tulips There was a snowstorm a couple weeks back and I think it did damage to the tulips. Many of them were wilted and struggling.
Sadness.
My dream of a date to the Tulip Festival with Abe and Abe alone will have to wait for another year.
We missed Elinor in our girls picture. She was off hanging out with a water polo friend after her game.
Cute little Greta waving at some older ladies who were waving at her.
When one sees giant wooden shoes, one must sit in them.
Well, they are well-trained to take family pictures. I'll give them that.
Remember a little back when Peter gave his true love, Kate flowers?
Well.
It worked! Kate was impressed. Peter has moved ahead of George in Kate's estimation. I mean, he did after all give her flowers. I hear that is her rationale.
So she made and brought him cookies. Can you tell he is blushing??
Peter's master plan for wooing Kate is going well!
Faith turned twelve about a month ago and this morning was our chance to take our wonderful Faith to the temple for the first time.
I can't quite find the words to say how much we love this girl. But I'll try. She is a most remarkable combination of sensitive and tough as nails-- childlike and thoughtful--detailed and determined--soft- hearted and strong-willed--shy and fearless.
It was a water polo tournament weekend. I like those because it means more games to watch!
My, what a fetching headdress you have, Elinor!
Notice in the background, the ref is doing a fingernail check on the girls before the game. That's so they can't claw the life out of one another during their brutal game. That's part of why it's so fun to watch.
Friday evening we took the Polo Party Wagon to the game. Elinor's team won and SHE SCORED HER FIRST GOAL!!!! It was so exciting! There was ice cream afterwards to celebrate.
Bethany is loved. These girls are loved!
We enjoyed introducing Grandma and Grandpa Cannon to water polo this afternoon. Another win, although this one was a little more tense in sudden death overtime.
Clark's last remaining reptilian friend has moved on to a better place.
Kevin.
Kevin, the yellow-bellied racer. It's a miracle that Kevin defied death for as long as he did. He was only captured because he was weak. Yellow-bellied racers are notoriously quick and tricky to catch-- or so Clark always told us. Kevin was slow and lumpy and shriveled in some parts. We were sure he would die before Clark left. But he didn't and Clark couldn't in good conscience sell him or give him away in his condition. So we kept him and, if I'm being honest, kind of neglected him, and he finally gave up the ghost.
As we do in all animal funerals, we went around sharing memories of the deceased. Mostly we just praised Kevin's will to live. He surpassed all odds. For years.
I don't know why Cannon chose to bury him right in front of the gate where we will walk and run over Kevin's remains for years to come. I might have encouraged a different location, but to be honest, I cared as much about Kevin in death as I did in life. Which wasn't much.
R.I.P Kevin. Clark will be glad to know you had a proper burial-- sort of.
So as we said good-bye to the last of Clark's reptiles, I snapped this picture of Peter last week.
He was engrossed in looking at the reptile book. I didn't even notice the words on the second page until I look at the picture later. In so many ways, Peter is the "next generation" after Clark.
He found a picture of the exact kind a snake that was Clark's favorite pet snake-- an albino milk snake.
And here we go again. Deep breath. I can do this.
It is over! It was fabulous and fun and frenzied. About half of the family was a part of Bluffdale Art's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. They loved the experience!
Abe was one of the twelve brothers-- he was "Dan". George was in the children's chorus and he was in one of the "families" in the opening number.
Bethany was SO HAPPY to be one of the wives. At first she was not cast as a wife, but when one of the other wives dropped out, Bethany got called up to the big leagues! Lots of dancing and a really fun orange skirt!
One of the highlights of the experience was Abe getting to be "brothers" with his great friend, Steve, and George getting to hang with Anders. We adore their family and while I knew Steve could sing, I had no idea how well he could sing! He killed it on "There's One More Angel in Heaven".
I loved the big numbers with the brothers and wives and I was seriously digging the red cowboy boots.
George and Anders.
The brother's pyramid during a dress rehearsal.
Jacob's family photo op.
Looking good, brothers!
I do not wish to speak ill of my friend, Michele Endemano, but she was a fat cow.
Ha ha ha! No really, she was a fat cow and Faith and Emma were skinny cows.
Faith had five different costume changes-- lots of little parts.
Here Faith is dream corn.
Clearly.
One of my favorite parts to watch was the swing dancers in the Pharoah number. They were hopping and bopping about and lifting and dropping and upside down and over the head and I was nervous, but I loved it at the same time. All four of these darlings are in our ward (church congregation).
A picture of the number...
A video of some of it...
Bethany and her adorable friend, Victoria. They had too much fun throughout the show.
...And a little too much fun after too show as well.
Some of my nieces and a nephew (Brig's kids) were in the show as well. So cute!
We had lots of family come out to see the show-- which was sold out three of the four performances.
The is the Cannon family contingency on Saturday night.
The Fox family (plus one stowaway Cannon family member:) on Saturday night as well.
Faith and her "Old Chum" Tristin both squeezing into the skinny cow costume.
Photo bombing credit goes to George.
I'm feeling the cousin love.
Bethany was so happy to have Connor and Candice and Terah come see the play Saturday night. She may or may not have been a little more nervous than usual. And there may have been an extra little wink directed up into the audience😉
As is usually the case, you get into the thick of rehearsals and you think, "WHY? Why did I think this was a good idea?" It takes so much time and it's always a bit chaotic leading into that final show week. But when it comes time for the actual show, it is so rewarding to be a part of something that brings us so much joy.
So we continue to be a part of these shows and we are so grateful for the opportunity.
This is the "Potiphar" number. You can see Faith-- she is second row, first in from the center gap on the left side. She has long, straight dark hair. When I first saw this number on Friday night I knew she was in it, and I was looking for her. I kid you not, I could not find her. I looked and looked through all the girls and couldn't spot her. When I finally figured out which one she was, I was shocked! What??!! That is my little Fai-Fai? She looked so grown up and beautiful!!! I swear she was just 9 years old like two months ago! How did it happen that Faith is finally growing up?
It was a huge cast on a relatively small stage. Not my favorite venue, but it worked and it was exciting! You can see George in this picture-- see the handrail on the bottom right? He has the dark hair just to the left of it.
Abe snapped this pic during the cast pictures-- the swing dancers again.
Show offs.
And what did I do while so many of them were in the show? I enjoyed watching the show.
With Elinor one day...
With Peter another day... (that wasn't as fun as it appears in the picture. Not fun at all. I thought he could handle it. I was wrong.)
I sneaked backstage and told them all how fabulous they were.
I got a two minute reprieve from Peter during intermission. Oh, he is so cute, but so determined and loud.
And now finally, I present you with the tale of Abe's beard. It grew in over the course of about four months. I liked it better than I thought I would. It began to get a little too bushy and scraggly. After the final performance Abe was more anxious that I was to see it go.
In stages, of course. First it was "Brother Brigham". Funny.
Then this. Oh, my eyes just threw up! Beyond creepy.
And finally, back to my clean-shaven husband-- looking ten years younger!
