Elinor's Baby Shower at Plumfield

 

Elinor had a lovely baby shower at the end of June in anticipation of her baby's arrival later in July.  

Andrea was so kind to host our gathering at Plumfield (her gorgeous restored pioneer era home in Salt Lake). Aunt Laura and Allison were magnificent hosts as well.  They have been so good to Elinor.

Elinor with her bestie cousin Gentri.

Choi ladies

Elinor is blessed with so many good women in her life!  Great aunts Carolyn and Michelle, and Barbara.

Aunts Lori and Katie.  I love how women take care of each other.

Just a few Foxy Ladies.

The wonderful Johansens

The "Other Mothers" table.

The Little Ladies Table

Cafe Rio tastiness for dinner,

The little ladies had a fun time together.

Elinor adores her Aunt Lori-- and rightly so.  I adore Lori.  Pretty much everyone adores Lori!  The world needs more Lori.

Grandpa Abe had to make an little appearance wearing the "baby blue" bowtie Elinor and Brandon gave him for Father's Day.  

We had a onesie decorating table and I adore the finished products. 

I am completely lacking talent in the visual arts, but I understood the assignment.

It was a really nice evening celebrating Elinor and this baby to come.  I am astounded by the good women in our lives.  Many of these women have been there for me through all of my adult life and have supported and loved and taught me.  I am so thankful for their influence in my life and there are not words to describe the gratitude I feel for what they are now doing for Elinor.  They showered her with so many lovely gifts, but even more importantly, they showered her with love and kindness and support.  It is so beautiful.  They are so beautiful.  

So many thanks to everyone who helped out and came to her shower.  Elinor will be a wonderful mother and he will be one adored little baby!

Piano Recital Spring 2023

 This is one of the most exciting, full, enjoyable summers I have had in many years.  ALL GOOD THINGS.  So very many good things, that there isn't enough calendar dates or brain bandwidth to process it all.  Consequently, I am behind on recording our family history here.  I could take the time to think through the exact order of all the events, but that feels daunting to me.  And if it's daunting to me, it tends to be a little paralyzing for me as well.  So here goes my attempt at catching up-- maybe in the right order, maybe not.  And my reward for getting caught up is I get to blog about the best thing ever that just happened on Tuesday.    How's that for a teaser?

Back at the beginning of June was our spring piano recital-- everyone played pieces by Melody Bober (my favorite composers for graded piano pieces).  As always, I was SO pleased with my students.  It is a joy to have a relationship with each one.

We did two recital times-- this was the first group.  However, it is very incomplete as several students had to leave right after they played.  

Cute little Peter.  What a good heart this boy has.

This is the dress I brought from Mexico for Greta.  For the record, she accepted the dress, but was quite distressed about the way Faith styled her hair.  She insisted they just didn't go together.  

The twins had a hip hop dress rehearsal right after they played.  Such a cute pic of these three.  

The traditional visit to Arctic Circle to celebrate.

A Few Fun Happenings

 

Many thanks to Andrea for a most entertaining evening at the Eccles Theater to see The Tina Turner Musical.  WOW!!! It was incredible.  

I loved it so much that I wanted to name our new kitty "Tina".  I was out voted, but I still think it would have been a great name for her.

You see it, right?  She's simply the best.  

Actually, I just said that because, you know, it's a Tina Turner song.  The kitty has yet to prove herself as the best of anything.  Mostly we got her because we want a good mouser.  We shall see.

Jon and Misty hosted an incredible, and enviable (in a good way?) block party for their neighborhood in Bluffdale.  We loved crashing their party.  

Thanks to Abe's work and his hard work at said workplace, we got VIP box seats to see Match Box Twenty.  It included special parking passes, a food credit, a waiter to bring your food, and the biggest and best bonus?  NO WAITING IN LINES!!!  Perhaps you have never had the misfortune of waiting in line at the Usana Amphitheater.  No bueno.  This was the way to go!

We had quite a chuckle over the container of my $6.00 water.  Liquid Dead was just plain water masquerading as something other than what it was.  I felt so naughty!  Kidding.  Mostly, I felt that 6.00 for water is a rip off, no matter how fancy the packaging!  

The ten of us. 

We had such a good time.  We loved the music and it sounded great.

I'm so glad we get to go to a couple more concerts this summer.  I do fear this way of concerts my ruin me for regular ticket holding.

Game night at Plumfield

The kids LOVE Plumfield for games as well.  The nature of their games is more hiding and seeking.  It is the perfect house for it.

A night out to dinner with my beloved cousins.  As of writing this, Ben and Cali (middle) have moved to Ohio.  BOO! HISS!  Sadness for me.  Rachelle and Brandon are here in Utah for the summer before they go home to Virginia.  I say it a lot, but seriously, just the best people I know.  I adore them all.

Bluffdale summer outdoor plays are fantastic!  And they're free.  That makes them extra enjoyable.  The Allreds are great theater going friends.

Cannon's 15th Birthday

Cannon turned 15 back in May, and you know what that means---

Another driver in training is in our midst.

He got his learners permit.

We celebrated with a breakfast date to Black Bear Diner.  My time with Cannon is always entertaining.  He amuses me greatly.

All Cannon wanted for his birthday was a big backyard party.  He planned the whole thing and he was quite pleased with how it all turned out. 

He said he wanted his birthday money to go toward the food budget.  Done.

After threatening weather earlier in the day, we were so glad for the nice weather during the party.  

He invited neighborhood friends, cousins, and his dance company friends.  

It would appear that being one of very few boys training in ballet has not, socially speaking, negatively affected him:)

The karaoke portion of the evening.  It's not really a Fox party without some bad karaoke.

The funniest moment was a karaoke to "Tequila" with dancers.

Napoleon Dynamite for the outdoor movie.  It never gets old.

Cannon auditioned for (and was cast) in Singin' in the Rain at the Scera Shell theater in Orem this summer.  The show runs from August 4-23.  It's an adult cast-- except for Cannon.  His long-time contemporary dance teacher is the choreographer and she reached out to Cannon to audition.  Between ballet summer intensive all day and Singin' rehearsals all evening, he is keeping very busy this summer.  It's good for him-- and me:)

Here is video of him preparing for his audition.  Like I said, he greatly amuses me.

My First May Day Celebration

 

My dear friend Michaela invited us to her May Day party.  Never have I ever wrapped a May pole and it was so much fun!  It was so fun -- I loved it!

It was kind of a dance-- over, under, over under.  I totally want to do this again.

We made flower crowns and flower bouquets to give away.  How have I never celebrated a May Day before?

Greta and Aly in their flower crowns

 

Less might be more when it comes to flower crowns.

I love good friends who enjoy life and invite me to enjoy it with them!