SCHOOL'S OUT!

I, along with most parents on the planet, have very mixed feelings about school being out. I love the unstructured freedom that comes with summer, but not all the boredom and trying to keep kids busy that tags along as well. Summer never seems long enough though, so I must love it more than I dread it.

3x3 Tournament

Sqwad FC- C Man's 3x3 tournament team and coach. (C Man in the Qatar jersey).

Princess P plays a purple cello at Arts Night.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA

Princess P is having a great time playing the cello. She always tells me that orchestra is her favorite class and she loves her teacher. Mrs. M had them dress up differently for each song and it was really cute.

Princess P and her friend A with their crowns- ready for the first song.

Princess P and her orchestra friends!

PIANO GIRL

Princess P is my last hope as a pianist in my family. All of my kids have been pretty good at it, but have whined and complained so much that I let them quit by the time they got any good. I am sad about that, but sometimes you have to pick your battles...

Princess P and her amazing teacher- A!

Princess P is different. She will go in and practice without me even asking her, let alone fighting with her about it. She seems to be at a place where it is clicking with her and now that she's playing the cello too, her talent is just flourishing. I am so proud of her and how hard she works to learn her songs and do a good job at Festival every year.

HALLOWEEN CONCERT

Princess P has started playing the cello this year in Middle School. She is actually pretty excited about it and I am thrilled! She's always been so good to practice piano, that's why I let her do two instruments. So far, so good...

Princess P as a witch for the Halloween Concert and her teacher as the good fairy from Wizard of Oz.

Princess P playing in the orchestra.

Two of her good friends are in orchestra with her, so that makes it doubly fun!

GOLD CUP GIRL

 Princess P has been doing amazingly at the piano lately. I hardly ever have to ask her to practice and she is advancing so quickly! I am very impressed. Last week, she played in the Piano Festival again, and because she's gotten so many 'Excellent' ratings now, she earned her first Gold Cup.

The victorious girl and her proud teacher.

Tonight, she got to play in a special Gold Cup Recital and did amazing! She played 'Softly Whisper'.

The other kids that played in the Gold Cup Recital.

THE LAST CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

This is Princess P's last year in elementary school. I have mixed feelings about that. Everything she does will the be last one- last Halloween parade, last Christmas Program, last May Day, etc... The good: It's the last. The bad: It's the last. Oh, the contradictions of being Mom.

Princess P (in the red sweater) sings and plays her recorder with her class.

Our Family Night on how we will #sharethegift #Heisthegift

 We also had our traditional Christensen family Christmas party. It was FUN! There were some awesome White Elephant gifts. Sister S got Edward Cullen's ashes (a bottle of glitter). I got some PooPourri.

Yay for family!!

CHRISTMAS MUSIC IS THE BEST

I have a Christmas music obsession. Confession: I start listening to it even before Thanksgiving. I know, I hear it from my kids all the time, but I just can't get enough and one month is just not enough time for me. I thought I'd share some of my favorites from this year.

Angels from the Realms of Glory (click for link) by The Piano Guys, David Archuleta, Peter Hollens, and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I love this version of this song. It is the biggest live nativity ever to happen. The video is as amazing as the song.

The Cat and Mouse Carol (click for link) by David Archuleta and the Tabernacle Choir.

I was actually at this concert and it made me LOVE David Archuleta. He was amazing! For someone so young to be so polished and talented. I was very impressed! I had never heard this song and immediately fell in love with it. It has a sweet little melody and the message is beautiful.

Winter Dreams (click for link)by Kelly Clarkson.

I am not a fan of all the songs on this album (sometimes it seems like she's screaming at me), but I really love this one- lyrics and music.

Silent Night (click for link) by Mannheim Steamroller.

This one has a story behind it. When I was a Laurel (17 years old), our teacher had us shut our eyes and visualize the nativity while we listened to this song. It is one of the more spiritual Christmas memories I have. I get chills just thinking about it now. Beautiful.

Jingle Bells (click for link) by Michael Buble featuring the Puppini Sisters.

I love the vintage sound of this song! And I love Michael Buble.

O Holy Night (click for link) by Celtic Woman.

This is, and always will be, my very favorite Christmas song. I grew up listening to my mom sing it almost every year in Sacrament meeting. It ALWAYS reminds me of her, so much so that singing it with the choir this year in our ward Christmas program made me tearing. I had to quit thinking about it. I sure miss her! Love you Mom!

WARPED TOUR 2014

Big C and I were blown away, but our sweet, little, newly-returned missionary wanted to go to Warped Tour this year! She hadn't even been home a month! She said it was a huge shock at first, but then she loosened up and had a great time. I have very mixed feelings about the 'loosening up' part...

Friend, Awesome A and Sister S.

They always come home with lots of free swag from these concerts and have a great time talking with the band members. This year they each got these awesome glasses.

A with the lead singer of his new favorite band- Icon for Hire.

Two A's in the mosh pit!

A and another band member from Icon for Hire.

A and the drummer from Icon for Hire.

CHRISTMAS RECITAL

It's the time of year for the infamous Christmas piano recital. My youngest two are the only ones still playing. I am still holding out to get at least one kid that will be able to play hymns in church someday, but it is a struggle. 

Princess P and Little C await their turn at the piano.

Both of the kids did great! I didn't think Little C was ready, but he played perfectly. Some people thrive on the pressure of performance to play their best. I am sad to say that I was never one of those people, but Little C obviously is. (A was too, now that I think about it...) 

Sister P (the best piano teacher ever), Princess P and Little C.

Princess P nailed it too, but I knew she would. She's actually really good to practice, so she was ready. Now we have a little break from lessons and they are glad.

HOLIDAY SEASONAL ACTIVITIES

*CAUTION: many Christmas carol puns were used in the writing of this post.

We have been doing seasonal activities like 'Walking in a Winter Wonderland',

My friend, A, and I went for a hike in the foothills.

'The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!' 

Princess P and Miss B.

The kids had their school Christmas programs this week. We got to hear Princess P sing 'Hot Cup of Cocoa' (really cute song- listen here) and Little C played his various percussion instruments to many Christmas favorites at Candlelight. We were 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree!' It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! 

Little C, my little drummer boy!

CONCERTS & CLOWNS

Last night Little C had his first band concert for this year. He is now in percussion instead of clarinet and it makes it very difficult to take photos.  He's always at the very back and the lighting is always really bad.

There he is, barely above the band's heads.

He did a great job and is really enjoying percussion. He has private lessons on the drum set once a week too. He is following in big brother, D's footsteps. He played the bass drum, symbols and a variety of other instruments- one of the advantages of being in percussion.

Here he is with his drum sticks.

We hurried over to the church right after the concert for Young Men/Young Women- or Mutual. The Young Women did a combined activity. It was a Mommy/Daughter Dinner and we all had a great time eating soup and salad and cookies. 

Some of my good friends in the photo booth.

Princess P had Activity Days, so I didn't get to bring a daughter with me, but after they ate we took goofy photos of them in the Mommy/Daughter photo booth. They turned out pretty awesome!

The crazy Beehive class.

I work with a bunch of clowns!

BEAUTIFUL

This is a video that the Young Men in our ward made for the Young Women in our ward to watch at Girls Camp. The girls LOVED it! It was a hit! Little C is the one in front in the group shots with the hot pink tie and blue pants. A is in the guitar scenes playing and also with the light pink tie behind Little C to the right. What good sports! (They hate this song).

MUSIC AND ART

Little C has been playing the clarinet this year. He has really done well and was going to move up to the saxophone, but changed his mind. Now he is going to try percussion. He is going to continue with piano over the summer too (which he tries to talk me out of every day).

Little C and his buddy M.

We went to the end of the year Arts Night Concert last night to hear the band play. They really are good, especially for a Middle School. I'm pretty sure our orchestra in Junior High didn't sound as good.

Old Home on 400 East- watercolor

Aunt P and I are painting again! Here's my painting from this morning. It's not finished, but pretty close. I am so glad to get back into this habit. Hopefully I can do at least one plein air painting a week again this summer. Maybe even more!

LES MISERABLES CONFESSIONS

I was not one of those people who knew any of the songs and the story line from Les Mis, but I sure am a fan now. What an amazing story! I love the message of forgiveness and hope. I even have some of the music on my iPod too. I took S before she went into the MTC and we LOVED it (even with the man in the audience singing along with 'Bring Him Home' :), but I just went again last night with Big C and LOVED IT even more! Big C even liked it! When he was on his mission, his mission president said they could go see it and he didn't. He's always regretted it and so, wanted to know what it was all about.

I am by no means a movie reviewer, but I sure do have opinions (that's an understatement if you know me- hehe). There are many who can't stand the singing in the movie version and I have to disagree that this is a negative thing, especially for a viewer like me that was not familiar with the story and music. I was able to understand what these actors were singing and let's face it, sometimes with the operatic voices of Broadway, you miss 75% of the words. The second time through, however, I felt a little different about some of the voices. I am a HUGE Hugh Jackman fan, but his voice bugged me last night. (I can't believe I wrote that, sorry Hugh!) I love Ann Hathaway! She's always been amazing to me. (That song, although the saddest part of the movie, is my favorite part). I'm an Amanda Seyfried fan too, but her voice reminds me of Disney's Snow White and I HATE that movie. Russell Crowe's voice was nice, but untrained. My favorite singer in the whole thing is Samantha Barks who played Eponine. Wow! She was amazing (and yes, I know she played it in London). Over all I would give it a 3 Thumbs Up. I cried and cried and cried- That's a good thing, by the way. Now I just need to see it on Broadway...
Here's a fabulous version of 'Bring Him Home.'

ESPAÑOL PROJECT

This is my son's Spanish class project that they made today. ¡Es muy bueno!

Here are the stars of the show! They had a lot of fun doing it. I just had to take a photo! Their mustaches are awesome!

GOLD CUP

It is a common misconception that the Sabbath is a day of rest. My day yesterday is living proof that 'rest' has no part of a normal Sunday in the Gordon household. Between interviews, speaking assignments, church, choir practice, family day at the college ward, dinners, recitals, and of course MEETINGS, it was 12 hours of running from one place to another.

Little C received his gold cup (he is the boy in the suit in the front row) and played in the recital last night. We were proud of him. D spoke in sacrament meeting in our ward and did an excellent job as well. It was fun to go see S's college ward and be a part of her meeting too. Even though it was a busy day, it was a good day.

PIANO FESTIVAL

Festival was tonight night and my kiddos did great! A didn't perform this year because he just started taking lessons again, but Little C and Princess P did and they both did a WONDERFUL job!

Here is Princess P pretending to play so I could take a photo. She's only been playing since September and did a fabulous job. Her songs were 'Bubble Gum' and 'Dancing Drums'. I didn't think she'd get them memorized in time, but she did! She received the highest rating of 'Superior.'

Little C was very impressive (even to the judges). His songs were 'Turbo Charged' and 'Etude in C.' He plays with confidence and is just over-all AMAZING! So of course he got a 'Superior' as well. I am so proud of him!

TALENT SHOWS & CORNEAL ABRASIONS

D and A competed in a talent show at their high school yesterday. I went to watch and take photos but low and behold the battery in my camera was out of juice. I was sad. They ROCKED the house- umm, the school! I was so proud of them! Their band took 2nd place (I think they should have gotten first, but I am their mom...).

Then, later in the day, Princess P was at a birthday party when I got a phone call that some kid was swinging an arrow and she had been hit in the eye with the back of the arrow and I should come look at it. I ended up taking her to the eye doctor and she had huge scratches in her cornea with wood pieces still in there, and a big gouge in the white part of the eye. It was pretty creepy looking. They cleaned it out, put a contact-type 'band-aid' on her eye and we had to put antibiotic drops in once an hour.

Today we went back to the doctor and he said it has already almost closed. Our bodies are so amazing! Eyes are amazing! Kids are amazing! We feel very blessed. It could have been SO much worse!

UPROAR

My kids just went to a concert called 'Uproar' on a school night! Hell must have frozen over. I have no idea how it happened. I usually don't even let my kids go hang out with friends on a school night. I must have gone mad. *NOTE: Their grades were in good standing (A's) or they would NOT have gone.

The main band they went to hear is called Avenged Sevenfold. NOT my favorite group, but then, I'm sure my parents weren't impressed with my choice of music either and they let me go to multiple concerts growing up. I do have to admit I have one Avenged song on my iPod. It is called Fiction (click to listen). A can play it on the piano, so I've actually learned to like it.Here are S, J & C (sister-in-law & husband), A and D. They had SUCH a good time.

Here is their favorite band on stage. The skull with the bat wings is their symbol. Yuck. Maybe their taste in music will improve as they get older? ;)

GOTTA KEEP ROCKIN' & DAY 13

I got to go relive my 80's teenage years last night. My sister and her husband had tickets to see Journey, Foreigner and Night Ranger and her husband couldn't go, SO I GOT TO!

We had so much fun! I am sure I was entertainment for those around me, but I was cheering and clapping and fist pumping with the best of 'em!

Night Ranger was even good. I hadn't realized how many of their songs I knew. BTW, I am counting this photo as my DAY 13- YOURSELF WITH 13 THINGS photo. Definitely 13 things in there.

These last 3 photos were taken by a friend sitting up above us. She took this photo of my sister and I. She got some awesome pictures!!

Foreigner was to die for! I LOVE this band! They have been a favorite since I was 12. They ROCKED!!

But there is no one like Journey. Their lead singer is amazing!! I was blown away again and again! Talk about memories... *sigh* We had SUCH a great time! I want to go to another concert!!