Thursday, December 30, 2021

Getting Into the Spirit of Christmas


Bethany got us some new mistletoe, (right) because our old one (left) was in pretty bad shape.

Peter and Greta visited Santa at Cabelas. Not surprisingly, they were both very talkative!
Greta went to a pancakes and pajamas Christmas breakfast at her cousin Jules' house.
We've had some snow!!  
We have a little tradition with the Chase family-- we call it Christmas Night of Music.  Basically, we get together and sing and play Christmas music and we all LOVE it and look forward to it!  This year, before we ate dinner, the Chase family sang us "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and then... THEY ACTUALLY GAVE US A FIGGY PUDDING!!!  HA!! YES!!!! 
One of the greatest Christmas moments of my life.  It was a homemade figgy pudding.  Apparently, it took 8 hours to make.  We felt so loved.
The boom whackers are a real crowd-pleaser.
We play chimes and bells and sing our hearts out and just feel all the Christmas feels.  It really is one of the most enjoyable nights of the Christmas season!
We didn't host our usual neighborhood Cocoa and Doughnuts this year, because the ward wanted to do hot chocolate and doughnuts after a live Nativity the youth put on.  We volunteered to organize it in the parking lot, since we have a little experience:)
There was a great turnout. Neighbors, cocoa, doughnuts, and fire pits make people feel cozy-like and Christmasy.
Cute little neighborhood girls:)
The youth live Nativity was so well done.  We walked through the building on lighted pathways and silent scenes were set up in several rooms.  In this room, Faith was Mary and Cannon was the Angel Gabriel.

The Schramms and Foxes combined forces again and went and played a program of Christmas music for a local rest home here in Riverton.  It was so sweet and very well done.

Show Me Your Stuff

Greta had her tumbling performance in December.  The main difference between Greta at Jolley's and when Faith was at Jolley's is where they are in the line-up.  They line the girls up by height-- tallest in the middle and going to shortest on the sides. Faith was always so short, so she was always on one of the ends.  Greta is smack in the middle because she is so tall.

Greta is the sixth full body from the left.

Click HERE to see the performance.
We've been coming to Jolley's for roughly eleven years between Faith and Greta.  They are great at what they do.
Greta is working on getting her back handspring.  It helps that Faith often helps Greta with her home practice.
Greta also had her parent observation for ballet at Central Utah Ballet.  I cannot say enough good things about this studio and Jennie Creer-King as the studio owner/director and Greta's teacher.  
She works absolute magic with Greta and her class.  
Greta likes her tumbling class-- but she LOVES her dance class.  This class is quite structured, which is quite good for our little free spirit:)
Click HERE to see a little clip.  It's pretty darn cute.
Peter had his parent observation as well.  Kind of a funny story-- I was confused about which day his parent observation was because I saw two different days for Ballet 1 on the schedule.  Well, come to find out, there are two separate sessions of Ballet 1.  We've been taking him to two classes each week and he was only supposed to be going to one.  Big OOPS!  But both the director and his teacher say they like having him in both sessions and he is welcome to keep coming.  So we probably will keep taking him to both.  He'll never know:)  Until he reads this someday.  
One of the family nicknames for Peter is "Peter Froggy Legs", because we like his skinny long legs:)
I've never done ballet in my life.  I'd sort of like to try a ballet class at a first-grade level-- mostly because it is so relaxing to observe classes-- the music, the movement to the beat, the stretching.  I don't know.  I'm certain I'd be beyond bad at it.  Most adult ballet classes are for people who already have a ballet background.  I don't want to go to that class.  I want a BEGINNER BEGINNER ballet class.
I'm dying at his pointy toe and concentrating lip.
His teacher Miss Kassidy is amazing and she has gotten Peter to enjoy going to ballet twice a week! (Shhh!)
Bethany and three of her Nauvoo Performing missionary friends came and performed a musical number in our ward in December.  They did Gentri's version of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel".  It was AMAZING!!!!! Before church, they gathered at our house to practice and I was awestruck.  To have such beautiful music in the house was beyond heavenly.
Here is a picture of them practicing at the church.
Click HERE to listen.  So, so beautiful!
When you put a bunch of YPM's together, you get a lot of music and reminiscing.  They had the necessary intstruments and vocals for the "The Fox".
Click HERE for some good fun.

Monday, December 27, 2021

Christmas Piano Recital 2021

 

The Christmas Recital is definitely one of the highlights of the Christmas season for our family.  So many of my piano students' families are family, dear friends, and neighbors.  The kids work hard on their pieces and it's just fun to listen to kids play Christmas music.

Greta and I played a duet of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". Listen HERE
Peter and I played a duet of "Up on the Housetop". Listen HERE
George played "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". Listen HERE
Cannon played "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year".  Listen HERE.  I like Peter's commentary after Cannon announces his piece.
Faith played "Sleigh Ride". Listen HERE

Bethany and Jakob Schramm played "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel".  They played this musical number in Bethany's ward up in Logan a few weeks back.  I love it so much.  Listen HERE
I count myself very fortunate to have work to do that I enjoy so much.
A few months ago I started teaching my nieces and nephew and it's been so enjoyable to get to know them better. I think this is the cutest family picture.
Bethany and her YPM friend, Dallin, played for us while we cleaned up the room when the recital was all done.  It was so good-- we should have put them on the program!
And of course, the evening ended with the traditional celebratory trip to Arctic Circle for ice cream.  A successful night all the way around!

Oquirrh Mountain Ballet Nutcracker 2021

 

Cannon, George, Peter, and Greta were all in Oquirrh Mountain Ballet's Nutcracker.  

George was such a handsome Nutcracker Prince!  
Greta was over-the-moon excited to get to be in a real Nutcracker!
She was a Bon-Bon (third from the left) and she loved every minute of it.
I love the facial expressions in this picture.
Peter was such an adorable party boy.  Cannon joined the cast as the final party boy about three weeks before the show and, of course, he was great.


George is front left and Cannon is back right.
Peter:)





Opening night date night with my sweetheart.  Dates to go see the kids dance are among my very favorites!
Grandma and Grandpa and Katie and Edra joined us for the matinee.
Click here to see George's solo.





Click here to see Greta's Bon-Bon dance.

Click here to see the Prince and Clara's dance.

Greta was the last naughty little Bon-Bon to be shooed off the stage.
Bethany wasn't home from school yet, but we were so happy to have cousin Gentri join us for the show Saturday night.  Nutcracker keeps us so busy, and we love it!