End of June 2017

Because of my assignment in Church Public Affairs I get to do some cool things and this was one of them.  Stephen and I attended a Ramadan break the fast with some Muslims from the Dialogue Institute of Dallas.  They come and serve their ethnic food and share with us some of their religious traditions, specifically Ramadan.  Many members of the Richardson Stake attended and there were a good mix of people at each table.  I appreciated being able to ask questions about their faith in a safe environment.  We likewise shared with them our custom of fasting each month, which they didn't know about and were thrilled to "build that bridge".

Sweet Matthew's heart broke at the end of the school year.  Mrs. Bratton has been THE best teacher for him.  She's loved him unconditionally and he hasn't gotten in trouble once with her this year (quite miraculous considering Kindergarten).  Matthew would cry at night about missing her and talked about how he wanted her to be his teacher forever.  He really loves her.  To help calm his little heart we arranged to meet for ice cream over the summer.  He was so happy to see her!

Frisco water park with cousins!  We went with Rachel to this great water park last summer and had a great time, this time wasn't as magical.  We didn't have as long to be there as we'd hoped and they'd like doubled the admission from the previous year.  But we went ahead and made the most of it.

One reason we had to hurry home was to host this book club for Sam's friends.  We reviewed a book called "Last Kids on Earth" about a zombie apocalypse.  Honestly, it was a dumb book.  So the best thing I could come up with for a review was a Nerf gun war in the back yard and then swimming at the community pool.

(yes, they even let Matthew join in the fun)

MCO takes SLC!

This little songbird and I are getting away for a girls trip AND to go sing our hearts out to Salt Lake City on tour with Millennial Choirs and Orchestras (MCO)

We arrived in UT and our FIRST stop was some grub at Cafe Rio and to meet our favorite Aunt Sarah and Uncle Alex for dinner!

Day 1 of tour began bright and early with a rehearsal in the Assembly Hall but first we snapped this pic in front of the SLC Temple!

This is our choir, all 1200 of us on tour--split us into casts for recording and performing--WOW!

Day 2 was more recording at the Libby Gardner Concert Hall on the University of Utah campus.  We braved public transportation taking the train up there.  Later that evening we had our first set of concerts in the Historic Tabernacle.  We had stopped in for a visit to the Public Affairs offices in the Joseph Smith Building and were lucky to get dressed and ready there in their bathrooms.  It helps to know people.  That evening we were thrilled to have Angela Neilsen (mission companion) and Aunt Cheryl and her family attend the concert.  They were amazed!  So fun! 

Kaitlyn and I had to see what all the rage was with this place called "Swig" that specializes in sugar cookies with frosting and fun sodas--pretty yummy if you're looking for a sugar rush. 

Kaitlyn and I ready for our concert.  

Yes, I did sit in those seats, sang in the Tabernacle with those amazing pipes behind me--pinch me!

Day after tour, SO TIRED and "Sung-over".  But not too tired for a day of shopping with Aunt Sarah for school clothes for this cute girl.  She and I made out like bandits!  Then we met Uncle Alex and a friend at In & Out for lunch.

And met up a favorite cousin Laura for ice cream

On Sunday morning our group had reserved seating at the Conference Center for Music and the Spoken Word.

Then we spent some time on Temple Square with one of my roommates, Stephanie Slack and her sweet family.  Took the quick walk up to Ensign Peak to see the whole valley.

I wasn't able to take any photos of Kaitlyn singing in the Tabernacle so we went back on Sunday and I snapped this photo of her standing where she had stood the night before in the aisle during the concert.  How many 13 year old girls can say they've sung in the Tabernacle?

We had the BEST hosts while in UT, we stayed with my cousin Candace and her sweet family, husband Fernando and daughters Olivia and Kate.  Kaitlyn got very attached and cried when she had to leave them.

Also, not pictured but I was able to spend a lot of time with Candace's parents, Aunt Lois and Uncle Brian who I love a whole lot.  Candace even hosted a wonderful BBQ so I could see a couple more cousins, Jessica and Theresa.

All in all a wonderful trip.  A highlight was singing "Come Come ye Saints" in the Tabernacle.  I'll never forget how it felt!  Or how hot it was in there in June while singing.

June 2017

Schools out--hooray hooray!

Last day of school shenanigans means neighborhood shaving cream fight in the park. Ha!

Kids enjoyed their Spring Piano Recital under instructor Cera Keeler.  We've LOVED having her as a teacher, sadly her family is moving out of state for her husband's schooling.  Fingers crossed she comes back to Dallas and we can continue with her someday.

Matthew felt big and helpful when Dad asked him to help back out the car, apparently he felt he needed to be safe so a helmet was required.  LOL

Big Boys head to Scout camp

Sam and Stephen went to scout camp.

Camp Trevor Reese Jones near Athens Texas, the week of June 19th.  Sam had a wonderful and productive week!

He earned 5 merit badges and 2 partials:

Swimming, mammal studies, First aid, finger printing and Environmental Science and Nature and Crime Prevention are partials.  This helped him "clean up" at a later court of honor.  He's now he's a Tenderfoot Rank!

Here are some of the highlights....

Time spent in classes completing his assignments for the merit badges....

Sleeping in a tent with dad (theirs was always neat and tidy)

Participating in relay races

Swimming tests with his friend Tyree White

June 2017--week 2

Lake day!  Kaitlyn was a super trooper being so tired from Girls Camp, we would have stayed home but our next few weekends are busy and lake time wont be possible.  It was a gorgeous day!

"THE WASP NINJA"--When Kaitlyn got home from girls camp, she was a little bummed that she hadn't been able use a tent, so she asked permission to set up a tent in the backyard to sleep in.  A few hours after setting it up, she went out there and discovered a wasp in her tent!  Kaitlyn has been stung a few times by wasps (a bunch of them actually swarmed her once and she got stung a few times) so needless to say she's CRAZY scared of them.  Enter her hero little brother, "THE WASP NINJA" who crazy fast came in and grabbed the perfect tool--SALAD TONGS and went out to avenge his sister and banish the wasp.  I was cracking up. 

Needless to say, the wasp left and the three of these guys enjoyed a night sleeping in the tent.

Other fun happenings this week included going to the Ft. Worth Zoo with friends...

 Lindsey enjoyed her first meeting of her summer book club (Mr. Popper's Penguins).

And we enjoyed a visit from Grandma and Grandpa McKneely and they took a couple kids home with them for a week (Sam is taking Dad to scout camp, Kaitlyn is taking mom to Salt Lake City on tour with MCO)