Summer singing

I have been singing with the Paul Burnside Band for a few years now. We mostly do weddings and such, and I feel like I've learned a lot and I really enjoy it. It is a job that I can make a little money doing and also have fun doing it! It is a full band with drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano and two vocalists. Me being one of them. And usually John Huff (of the popular group Voice Male :)) is the other one. We have been doing a few outdoor summer concert series performances. I failed to mention the Murray and Orem shows, which we have already done, but here are the other ones if you are interested! I will post more details as I find them out!

Monday June 28- Draper

Monday July 5- Provo, Freedom Festival (I think it's a late show, right before fireworks)

Friday July 9- Brigham Young Historic Park- Salt Lake (This is the Church's summer concert series, which the band did a few years ago and had like 100 people come. A few weeks later Voice Male was the featured group and they pulled in at least 3,000 people.)

I mean, we're no Voice Male, but it is great, fun music and I'd love to see you there!

Super Smash Bros

Landon and Daniel got a new game for the Wii but are not allowed to play it if they fight. They were really getting into it today and I made them turn it off. Their choices were to rest for 30 minutes or read for 30 minutes. Of course they both wanted to tell me "their side" of the story and why they were innocent. Daniel interrupted Landon's explanation and Landon said,

"Stop it! This is my story!......OK, so elephant brain here" (glaring at Daniel)

Daniel: "I am not an elephant brain!"

Landon: "Elephants have huge brains, which means they're really smart, which means I just called you dumb. It's called sarcasm."

I laughed so hard.

Miserable

Emma had her tonsils out a week ago. To say that she has been miserable would be an understatement. Daniel had his tonsils out when he was 5 and it hardly phased him. We really had to beg him to take it easy and rest. I was kind of expecting that sort of situation with Emma, but she has been the complete opposite. She threw up and fevered and has cried and moaned and howled, waking up multiple times a night. She is irrational and difficult to reason with. She has hardly drank or eaten anything for a week. Crazy. I want to be a loving, comforting Mommy who can take care of my little Emma, but she pushes us away and scowls and whines no matter what we do. I am so ready to have this over with. I need my sweet Emma back, not this little monster. These pictures were taken before the surgery. Before we knew the misery that was before us!

Memorial Day

We had a good Memorial Day spent in Mt. Pleasant. We also visited my Mom's grave on Sunday and watched the DVD of pictures we made of her life. We all had a good cry! Here are pictures of our day in Mt. Pleasant. No pictures of the boys riding horses because they are still nervous after getting bucked off last year. They were great spectators and the girls loved every minute!

Trying to keep Kate busy!

Me and the kids with Grandpa McAllister

Emma riding Ginger, led by Leah. When Emma got off she told me that Leah told her the secret to riding a horse. "What is it?" I asked. (Long pause) Emma replied, "I forgot." But she did a great job riding and didn't even get nervous when Richard was leading and her horse got spooked and stepped on Richards foot. Ow! He has a nice bruise on his ankle.

This little girl rode with me first, but then was hooked! She would not get off for anything and rode all by herself!

Emma and cousin Gracie

Playing with the bummer lambs

Petting the chickens

Kate and cousin Ethan

Our family at the Fairview cemetary

This little light of mine

This week was Landon's choir concert, Emma's preschool graduation and the school dance festival (each grade learns a different dance and performs it). Of course there were other things like piano lessons, baseball games, pack meeting, homework, whew! The last two weeks of school always seems so packed! Anyways, Landon's choir concert was on Tuesday and he had two solos (he had to audition for them) and I couldn't wait to hear him. As soon as the kids started singing the first song "This Little Light of Mine" I started bawling. I cried the whole dang time! Landon belted out his solo and was perfect! I was just so proud of Landon and there are lots of kids in our ward in the choir and they were all singing their little hearts out! The principal is the choir teacher and she does an amazing job. Landon's favorite was "Carrying the Banner" from Newsies (one of his solos) and "Wells Fargo Wagon" (another solo). They were singing tough music and harmony and I was just so impressed. I hope Mrs. Johnson stays there until Kate makes it through elementary so that all my kids can be in her wonderful choir!

Here he is in his choir shirt. The boys had navy blue and girls had hot pink. It was super cute. For his dance fesitval song the 4th grade did "You Ain't Nothin' But A Hound Dog" and he had to dress up like a 50's dude. He also had to do the dance in front of the whole 4th grade when they were learning the moves as an example of how to really shimmy!

Our little graduate. Miss Emma Jae graduates from Tina's Tots Preschool. She was the only kid that had to duck under this big letter "P" because she is a head taller than all the others.

Daniel also did an awesome job at the dance festival. His grade did the Charleston and he was adorable! I forgot my camera, but we sure are proud of him too!

Blessed

I am truly blessed to be the mother of these wonderful children. They are each so special and I love them all for different reasons. They brighten my life and I am so honored to have the blessing of being their mother. Admittedly, some days feel like I am barely able to keep my head above water, and some days I feel like I want to escape for a few hours. But I would never trade the hugs and kisses, the talks and laughs, the learning and the growing. I love these kids and their love for me is worth more than anything I could ever ask for. I am also so very blessed to have had a mother who was the perfect example to me. I wish that I could be more like her. I know that she can see me as I raise my children and I am so thankful for her influence and her love. Although the time I spent with her will never be enough, I am grateful that every moment we did spend was to the fullest. I would not be the mother I am if it were not for her perfect example. Happy belated Mothers Day!

My sweet Emma Jae

Funny, loving Dan Man

Wonderful Landon (who is almost as big as me and I still made him sit on my lap!)

Sunshine baby Kate

Our family.....and Elmo.

A great day for a race

We had a lot of fun at the race today. Richard and I didn't really run like everyone else, but we had fun and think that we might just make this a tradition. I was glad we didn't have the kids with us today, but if we do it again I think it would be really fun to make it a family event. I had no idea what a big event this is! Over 18,000 people ran and I just couldn't believe how many people there were. Sometimes we feel so alone, like we are the only ones who have lost their mother or wife, like we are the only ones who are going through this, like no one could possibly understand what we are feeling. All those people there today have lost someone they love. Cancer really does suck! We had a fabulous breakfast at the Little America buffet afterwards! Thanks again, Michelle, for planning this all- it was wonderful!

Jenny, Dad and Michelle

This is what our t-shirts said. We love this quote- it is so true.

If you can zoom in this picture, just look at that sea of people! Amazing!

Michelle, Jenny, Tiffany, Kelli and Jenny

Michelle and Tiffany got us all sorts of free stuff, including these awesome shoelaces.

Dave, Jenny and Jon