Dance & Zoo

May 7th was the girls last dance competition of the season. We headed down to stay with Aunt Denette Friday night then had to be at Taylorsville High School by 8:30 a.m. This was a huge competition with hundreds of dancers.
I haven't taken many pics of the girls in costume so I'll have to get some at recital time. It was a long day. We had time to sneak away for lunch in between numbers because there were so many groups there. It turns out Brilee's group got 1st place for both of their categories and Teagan's group got a 2nd and a 3rd place. I thought they did awesome up against the big studios in the big city. We matched them dance step for dance step.
It was a gorgeous day and they were done performing by 4:30 so we headed over to the zoo. The girls couldn't wait to peel off those dance tights and get into some comfy shorts. We just wanted to be outside. We got lucky as we arrived at five minutes to five and they closed the doors at five. But they let those inside wander around until 6:30. It was plenty of time for us.
Trying to squeeze us all into a pic in front of some scruffy looking camels who were shedding their winter coats.
Brilee trying to get a look at the giraffes...
Brilee said, "Look Teagan, he's all wrinkled. He must be old."
The sun was a little bright in front of the elephants.
On our way out of town we drove around Temple Square and I couldn't believe the beautiful display of tulips. They were amazing! Everything was in full bloom. I would have stopped but couldn't find a close, convenient place to park and I didn't want to take too long cuz we had a long drive home and the girls were pretty tired. Teagan took the pic below while we were at a stop light and the funny thing is it doesn't even have a single tulip in it. It was tulip heaven. And so peaceful too with not very many people around. This is seriously the time to visit Temple Square. I'll have to remember that for the future.

Knee Surgery

Mom had a total knee replacement in April so last weekend I headed down to visit her in the Payson hospital. She may shoot me for posting these pics, heehee. Denette and I had a nice visit with her on Saturday then she had several visitors on Sunday.
Karra painted her toe nails and did a lot of this...
It just happened to be my nephew Jordan's 15th birthday. He has grown a ton lately.
Sisters...Denette, me, Karra
Morgan, Denette, Krista, Karli, me, Karra
Mom is doing awesome in her recovery. Get better quick, Mom, so you can come up for T.O.F.W. girls weekend in June!

What I Love

I love children who practice without being asked!

July Fun

The pool parts came in and we've been having pool parties ever since. On this particular day all the girls were enjoying the pool when Trent and friends suddenly joined them...
They played a little rough, got wild, and did a lot of splashing.So the girls headed for some warm sun on the deck. (BTW these are the girls of the closet clubhouse).
Popcycles too, of course!Another day we turned the master bathroom into "Spa Ooo La La" and I gave Teagan and Brilee a manicure and pedicure. They couldn't wait to play that with their friends. Later I went out for a pedi of my own. I love to relax like that in the summer.
Bruce and Teagan went to a Daddy & Daughter Hoedown. She loved riding the horses the best. It was her second time ever being on a horse.
We've really enjoyed the firepit Bruce and Trent built during spring break. We've been experimenting with different kinds of s'mores.
My favorite way to do it is adding bananas and using the strawberry flavored marshmallows. Yum!
Oops! Trent tried roasting his mellows with the chocolate sitting on the top of them so it would melt a little too. But it dropped to the ground. Better luck next time bro...

This & That

We had a pretty fun 4th of July at Grandpa & Grandma Savage's house in Cache Valley. We watched the parade, had a barbecue, played with cousins and stayed for fireworks. Grandpa grilled melt in your mouth steaks. They were so yum! I forgot to take my camera though. But I found this silly picture of Teagan. I accidentally left a pair of Bruce's pants in her room while I was putting clean clothes away and when she found them she used one of her belts to create this look. Notice the weed hanging out of her mouth...
I was surprised to see her having such a good time with it. Go figure.
I also want to share a couple of quotes that I love from my friend Melinda's blog. They made me tear up when I read them. Kinda helps to have a reminder of where your priorities should be. Thanks Melinda!

I Was Really Here

I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates
in a shiny new sports car,
wearing beautifully tailored clothes,
my hair expertly coifed, and with
long, perfectly maincured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon
that has mud on the wheels from taking the kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut
butter on my shirt from making
sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.

I want to be there with a little dirt
under my fingernails from helping to
weed someone's garden. I want to be
there with children's sticky kisses on
my cheeks and the tears of a friend on
my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know that I
was really here and that I really lived.

-Marjorie Pay Hinckley


You're Gonna Miss This

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

-Trace Adkins song

Dad's Scones

Bruce makes the best scones. Of course, he has the best helpers. The kids love when he makes dough. It usually gets turned into either rolls, bread, scones, or cinnamon rolls.
These things are the best with a little of Grandma Wimmer's rhubarb strawberry jam. Perfect mixture of tangy and sweet - so yummy! Thanks for the jam Mom!

TaVaci

Just a few quick catch up posts. Teagan and Brilee participated in an awesome spring TaVaci concert that was full of wonderful music. They sang their little hearts out.

This number below was really cool. There was no "music" or vocals, they made their own rhythms with all kinds of things. You can even see the plastic bag sticking out of Teagan's pocket (she's dead center with the white hat).
This one was my very favorite. Teagan came home with the assignment to find some "ugly clothes". We were visiting Bruce's parents and I was planning to hit the D.I. when Grandma pulled out an old jumper that used to belong to Aunt Janet. We won't say how old she is now. Grandma must have been hanging onto it just for Teagan, ha ha. The girl on the far right is holding a J.C. Penney catalog. They were swearing on a J.C. Penney catalog that they would NEVER let their mother's go shopping alone. They sang and danced to a cute song about mom's coming home with some, uh, interesting, okay "ugly" clothes and accessories when they go shopping for their daughter's alone.
It was really funny. Teagan is on the far right in their beginning pose.
I took all these pics with my old camera. At the end I was busy clapping and cheering loudly when my camera rolled off my lap and slammed onto the cement floor. I thought, 'No worries, I've dropped this old camera dozens of times.' However, this time it was crunched. So I mourned it's loss and got a new one for my birthday. Hopefully I'll be figuring it out soon. But speaking of birthdays, 40 is the new 30. That's all I have to say about that!