Let's Make Some Music

We never go to yard sales. Seriously - never. But, when a friend at the gym told me of a yard sale where they were selling a piano, I figured it was worth checking out. Apparently, there is this Delta pilot who was moving to Hawaii and it was going to be cheaper to buy new stuff there than send the stuff they already had, so, they were having this huge yard sale. It was on Steve's way to the gym. I told him the address and asked him to stop by and check out the piano. (We've been wanting to get Reagan into some music classes and have been considering getting a piano.)

Steve left for the gym and called me 20 minutes later, saying I HAD to come and check out the piano - oh and by the way, he had already bought some bar stools, a mountain bike, a box of children's books and he was looking at an antique hutch. I packed up the kids and we headed over. I couldn't believe the trucks of stuff pulling out of the cul de sac. Washers and dryers, furniture, clothing, boxes, toys, everything. The piano was sitting in a semi truck trailer (I guess that's how they transported all of this stuff.) It seemed to play fine and looked great. It was only 2 years old and we bought it for less than half of what the people paid for it. We had originally been thinking about a baby grand, but without knowing where to put it in our house and not knowing whether Reagan (or Cole) would take a liking to piano, we thought this would be a perfect "beginner" piano for our family. The pilot was even willing to deliver it. What a deal!

It sat in our entry way for almost a week until we decided what to move and where to put it. Reagan and Cole have played it almost every day. Steve jokes that Reagan has watched American Idol way too many times because she is so dramatic when she sits and tries to play and sing. She moves her head all around (Stevie Wonder style) and closes her eyes emphatically. She cracks me up. What I have been surprised at is how much I have enjoyed it. The first night we brought it home, I tried to play a few hymns. I haven't taken lessons since I was 10 or so and I haven't played much since I was in my teens. I really enjoyed it. That week, we bought a primary songbook and a hymnbook. I have tried to pick out the really easy songs and have loved playing a bit each night. It is relaxing and yet challenging to try to resurrect my music reading skills. Reagan sat by me one night and as I finished playing, she said "That was great Mama. Now teach me how to play that song." I have asked around for piano teachers and Reagan and Cole's Sunbeam teacher has a great one that she recommended. Apparently it is a girl (lady) who just returned from her mission. She comes to your house and is reasonably priced ..... perfect!!! We'll see how much Reagan likes to play when it comes to practicing, but for now - our house has beautiful ... er nice piano music playing every day. It is music to my ears!

First Day of School!!!

How in the world can my little girl be in Kindergarten? I seriously can't believe it. I swear she was born a week ago.... ok - a month ago. It has flown by! I struggled when she first went to Preschool, but this is different - she is there all. day. long. I truly miss her. She has been my little compadre for the past five years. Every day we would run errands, hit the gym, hang out at home, visit friends, do our shopping, read books, play, etc. She has been with me always. Now, she spends more time during the day with someone else, but that is a good thing (or so I'm told).

Reagan has been SO excited to start school. She was excited to meet her teachers, excited to pick out her uniforms, excited to pack her backpack, and excited to say that she is in Kindergarten.

We met her teachers last week and are really excited - they seem wonderful. We did the same thing last year. We went on the Friday before school started to meet her teachers, find her cubby and get acquainted with some of her classmates. Well, on the first day of school last year, I pulled up to the drop off zone and was the only car there. I wondered whether I had shown up on the wrong day. As I looked around, all of the other parents were walking their children in. I was on my way to the gym and had gym clothes on and no makeup. I SO didn't want to walk her in. The teacher in the loading zone came to help Reagan out of the car and I said "Are we supposed to walk them in today? I thought that was what Friday was for." She said "Don't worry - it's old hat to Reagan - she was here all last year." Reagan didn't mind - she jumped right out, yelled her goodbyes and ran to her classroom. Obviously, this year, I was NOT going to make that mistake. Even though we had been through all of our orientation stuff last week, I informed Steve that we were both going to go to the school and walk her in to her classroom.

I got up early, showered and packed her lunch, set out her clothes and went downstairs to wake her up. She was already running down the hall from her room. When she saw me, she yelled "Kindergarten ... Here I Come!!!" We had breakfast, got dressed, packed up and took some pictures. I had to laugh that Reagan wouldn't take off her backpack for the pictures - as if it was part of her uniform. Then, we headed for the school. She saw some of the teachers from Preschool and had to inform them that she was on her way to Kindergarten. We walked in, said hello to the headmaster and rounded the corner to her classroom. Most of the children were already there and they were putting their things away and getting started on an assignment. Reagan gave us several more kisses and hugs, smiled for me to take several more pictures and then found her way to the only table still having seats - a table full of boys (great). We watched through the windows for a few minutes while I fought back the tears. How can my first little baby be in all day Kindergarten. It is rocking my world!

It was also Cole's first day of school, but not quite as much of a milestone (for him or for me). He had Preschool during the summer so, he and I are both in the groove already. Luckily, he has one of Reagan's first Preschool teachers. She was always so nice to Cole and included him in all of the class activities when we visited the school. We already love her. Cole's other teacher is the son of one of his summer school teachers, so, he is excited. After we dropped Reagan off in her classroom, Cole FINALLY led us to his classroom and we found his cubby, took some pictures, said hello to his teachers and got started at the play dough table (Preschool Rocks!!!).

Steve and I walked back to our cars, he left for work and I got in my car and just sat there for a few minutes. I couldn't quite handle all that was going on. My little babies are growing up - way too fast! I'm excited for them and I know that they will love school. I just have to get used to all these "new" steps :)

Brighton High School - Class of 1971

Steve's 40th high school reunion was this weekend. What a hoot! He had been contacted by someone on the committee several months ago and even participated in some of the committee meetings, assignments, etc. He said it was no big deal and that we would probably only stay an hour or so. Ha! I think we were there for five hours! He recognized some, had to ask others and enjoyed talking to almost every person in the room. There was a social hour, a dinner, a program and then some more socializing. Steve was glad that they put the high school picture on the name tag, so as to try to put the face to the name.

I was loving the memories that others had of Steve, of his siblings, of his parents, and especially... of his shenanigans in high school (he'd probably be in juvenile detention now.)

They gave away prizes for the person that traveled the longest distance to get to the reunion (Bolivia), the person married the longest (42 years), the person with the most grandchildren (can't remember), the person spending the longest time in the service (27 years), etc. Steve won for having the youngest child, for looking the most like his high school picture and for having a midas touch?? We were able to sit with our SIL Ann who was in Steve's year at school and we were able to reconnect with some old friends - one neighbor whom we haven't seen in years, one attorney whom I used to oppose when I practiced law, and lots of Steve's classmates whom he has lost touch with through the years.

People kept saying how horrible it must be to be a spouse at the reunion (how boring, right?), but I loved it! I loved seeing Steve reminisce with old friends, visit with one of his teachers who was there, and catch up with schoolmates and their spouses.

The reunion committee created a website for the reunion and it was great seeing the current pictures of the classmates and getting to read a little blurb about most of them. I think Steve's mom loved the website more than we did - she knew so many of the students, or their families, that she was loving getting the update on people just as much as we were.

So, here's to the Brighton Class of '71 and here's to the 50th reunion. Make my reservation now 'cause I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Temple Square

Last Friday, we headed to Temple Square to have lunch with my mom. Reagan and Cole love to do that - mostly because they love to see Grandma (who always seems to have some little trinket for them) but also because they love to be on the temple grounds. They love to walk around and look at the gardens, to see the temple and to talk about how Mama and Daddy were married there. Reagan, especially, loves to see the brides walking around and tells each one how beautiful her dress is. (As we walked by one wedding party, Reagan said "The broom is holding her dress." The people in the wedding party cracked up and so did I.)

After we had lunch with Mom, we walked around the temple and I remembered a talk that President Monson gave when he said that children should physically touch the temple. I'm not sure if we have done that before, so, we deliberately touched several places on the temple: the cornerstone, the doorknob, the side wall, the window, etc. I told Reagan and Cole that they should decide right here and now that they will be married in the temple. Reagan took that challenge, closed her eyes, put her hand on the temple and said "I wish.... I wish.... I wish that I'll be married in the temple." Wishing wasn't exactly what I had in mind - it was more of a determination, but we'll go with it :)

I'm so glad that we have temples all around us. I love that, in the course of our daily routines, we can see 3 or 4 temples and that Reagan and Cole can recognize them, have been in two of them, and can say "I love to see the temple."

The Aquarium

With an aquarium only minutes away from our house, you'd think that we'd be regulars. Nope - we've never even been there. So, when we saw a Groupon for a huge discount on annual passes, we figured we'd better check it out. We enlisted some friends from dance class, who were aquarium regulars, to show us around. It's a small aquarium, but there is a lot packed into that building. We watched the penguins swim and play, drove a boat on the Great Salt Lake (virtual style), touched a shark and a manta ray, saw spiders and snakes, watched an octopus and a turtle and had story time by the caves. Whew!

We moved faster through the exhibit than we would normally would have - since our friends had seen it all before. So, we'll be back soon to take it all in again. Thanks Groupon - we are lovin' our aquarium passes :)

A Testimony

In our church, once a month, rather than having assigned speakers give talks, anyone is free to come to the podium and share what they believe, relate an inspiring experience they have had or express gratitude for blessings they have received. It is called bearing your testimony - you testify of what you believe. Well, a few days before our last Testimony Meeting, Reagan told me "Mama, you're supposed to teach me how to do a testimony." She's right - I am supposed to teach her. I tried to tell her about what a testimony is and how she can express her feelings, her beliefs, her gratitude, etc. We talked a bit about how it should start and end and some of the things she wanted to say. She practiced a couple of times with me and a couple of times with Steve. Cole - never wanting to be left out of anything - jumped right on that bandwagon and wanted to bear his testimony as well. He practiced once or twice, but wasn't nearly as excited as Reagan. Sunday came and from the start of the meeting, Reagan was ready to go. I told her we had to wait until the passing of the Sacrament and until Daddy started the meeting by bearing his testimony. Somehow, after that, she forgot and was reading books and coloring. Then, I asked if she wanted to go and she was ready once again. I asked if she needed help and she said "nope" and started to exit our pew with Cole right on her heels. Then, she looked around behind her, grabbed my hand and asked me to come with them... to help Cole :)

When we reached the stand, she marched right up to the podium and Steve helped her get the little stool set up. He also adjusted the level of the microphone, but apparently it was not to her liking because she moved it right to where she wanted it to be. Cole and I sat in the chairs on the stand and let her go at it by herself. She said pretty much all of what she had wanted to say (which is crazy because I can't even remember what I want to say when I get up there and look out over all of those big people). She said she was so glad she could come to Primary and learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus. She named her teachers and said how much she loved them. She said she loved and was thankful for her family - naming Cole and describing him as her "little baby brother who is just growing SO big." She said she was glad she could go to preschool and named her preschool teachers. That was pretty much what she had rehearsed.... then she went on. She said how glad she was that she could "be with Heavenly Father and Jesus" and how Annie "that's my niece" lost her third tooth but she wrote a letter to the Tooth Fairy and asked if she could keep her tooth and the Tooth Fairy let her! I feared we were off point at this juncture and I leaned forward from my chair and said to her "And I say these things...." She heard me and finished her testimony, coming to hug me right after.

Next, I accompanied Cole to the stand and waited a second for him to say what he had practiced, but it was not to be. He just sat there, staring out into the audience. Then, he looked at me and said "what?" I whispered in his ear the things he had wanted to share and he said them. He was also quite pleased with himself and his little testimony. After Reagan and Cole had finished, there I was - just standing at the podium. So, I bore my testimony. (Our poor ward having to hear from each member of our family in one sitting - uggh!)

I am SO proud of Reagan and Cole and all that they try to do, all that they teach me and all that they remind me to teach them :) They do have little testimonies and I'm so glad that through our family scripture study, through primary, through Family Home Evening and just talking and being - that they can learn more about their Heavenly Father and Jesus and grow those little testimonies. Yeah - Reagan and Cole - way to go!

Farm Country

We LOVE Thanksgiving Point. What a great place! The Dinosaur Museum is probably our favorite at this stage, but it used to be Farm Country. I love the gardens, the festivals they have are wonderful, and the lights at Christmas are beautiful. We decided to visit Farm Country this weekend. I could see how much Reagan and Cole have grown by watching how they interacted with the animals, how they played and the questions they asked. So fun! Pony rides are always a great time for us (even though they only walk around in a circle) and Reagan and Cole liked the carriage ride but were a bit freaked out because the big, black horse pulling the carriage was (they think) the horse that was ridden by the headless horseman at the Scarecrow Festival last year ...... SCARY!!!! We were on a wagon ride with our friends, the Abbotts, and the headless horseman was following our wagon. Reagan and especially Cole were freaked out and really scared (I guess that's the point, but....). I kept telling them it was ok and it was just a costume, but it must have made an impression because when they saw the horse pulling the carriage, they pegged him right away. Oh well - maybe they realize he is a nice horse now. Steve was showing Cole how carrots are grown and he pulled one out of the ground and gave it to Cole and Reagan to feed the bunnies. I'm not sure that's what mgmt expected when they left the bins of growing carrots near the bunny cages, but it was certainly a learning experience. All of the other children in the bunny area were clamoring to their parents "I want a carrot to feed to the bunnies!" Great. Whether we followed the rules or not, we had a great time - here are some pics:

Red Butte Gardens

Rachel and I are off for another adventure with the kids. This time - Red Butte Gardens. I have heard of this place many times and have only been here once - for a wedding. It was fun to explore the rest of the gardens and to let the kids run and play. I was surprised how many people we saw, just sitting and reading. Really? To pay to come to the gardens to sit and read? Ok. Well, we were not sitting and not reading - we were running, jumping, exploring and having fun. The children's gardens were the most fun for us (obviously), but we also had a picnic lunch and enjoyed being with our summer adventure buddies.