Let It Rain, Let It Rain, Let It Rain!

We've be blessed to have it rain almost every day for a little over a week now.  Today, Erik, Ella and I went out for a walk in it.  Then we had hot chocolate with "frosting" (whipped cream) while we listened to some classical music.  What fun!

Don't ask...

Another Year Older and Wiser Too...

Happy Birthday, to YOU!

Making a wish...

I bet I know what he was wishing for...Landon's birthday was about a week and a half before his exam.  Do you think wishes he can pass?  Yes!

When he took the exam, he had 45 minutes left and was able to review everything.  This was a very good sign.  He felt really good about it.  Here's to hoping!

 I made Landon's favorite cake--Black Forest.  It's my own rendition.  No alcohol in this cake!

We feel really blessed.  It has been a great year!  I am grateful that Landon works really hard, but also takes time for his family.  I'm always amazed at how well he does considering the time we demand of him.  :)

We love you, Landon!

Soccer!

This year, both Jonathan and Erik played soccer.  Jonathan's team is doing well.  With only one game left they have only lost one and tied one or two...yes, there is a debate about that.  Erik's team unfortunately only had two real participants: Erik and Luke.  The others were usually off getting a drink or snack, playing on the jungle gym or wandering the field.  So it goes when you're team is made up of four and five-year-old players!

Isn't Erik "The Machine" Mortensen a cute little soccer player?

Violin Recital

Today, we had our violin recital.  It was Jonathan's first one.  I was so proud of him.  He was nervous at first.  When he got up there he said, "I don't know any of these people." And headed straight up the aisle towards me.   Looking back, I now realize that when we told him it would be at the church in the primary room and that family and friends could be invited, he was imagining standing in HIS primary room with his friends from the ward.  I should have known when he said, "This isn't our church, " as we drove up to the chapel.

We convinced him to do it by telling him that Ella and I would go up with him.  There was one part that he stalled on (the other pauses are intentional--he's learning how to set up his fingers while crossing strings).  He was on the right note, but I think he just got a little nervous.  He regrouped and finished the piece.

He played, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" with the rhythm, "Mrs. Twinkle Stop, Stop."

I am also taking lessons.  I learned in a group and will always be grateful for the exposure, but I always tell people who are considering putting their child into an orchestra class to get a private teacher instead!  And a good one too.  I still have bad habits that I am trying to change.  I have improved a lot, but I have a LONG ways to go.

This recital was good for me because I was able to play without fear.  I attribute it to a good teacher, good preparation and prayer.  So, yes, there were some notes that weren't perfectly in tune and a couple of short memory blocks, but it didn't phase me.  I was surprised at how confident I felt.  The more I played, the more relaxed I became.  Obviously, I'm no  Itzhak Perlman or Jenny Oaks Baker, but I'm happy with how I felt during the recital.  (Not quite as happy when I listened to the recording though.  :P)

Please, listen to Jonathan's piece, but don't listen to mine.  I'll feel self-conscious and embarrassed.  I expect more of myself.  I only added my pieces to this blog for my own sake.

I played Gavotte by Gossec and Dance Suite by Telemann as a violin/viola duet with my teacher.

Here we are with Maren Wunderli, our teacher.  She's so awesome and talented!  We are very blessed to have her teach us.

The Big 04

We had a lot of fun for Erik's 4th birthday party.  So much fun, in fact, that Erik can't stop talking about his next birthday!

The theme was Star Wars.  Each child went through special Jedi training in hopes of becoming a Jedi.  They faced an obstacle course, they had to use the force to keep balloons in the air with their lightsabers and at the end they had to battle Darth Vader (Landon).  You should have seen how intensely some of them got into it!  At the end, after they had all become Jedi, they battled a the Death Star (a star-shaped pinata).  Then they came in for some Pizza the Hut and Jedi Juice.

We didn't get a lot of pictures since we were so busy playing games!

Come on birthday boy!  Look at the camera!

Can we not just get ONE picture with everyone looking at they camera?

Erik's gifts were really fun.  One of the gifts included Incredible Hulk fists.  He LOVES those!

Erik is...

40" tall
32 lbs
learning to play the piano.

He...
played soccer this year (nicknamed "the machine")
loves super heroes, and Transformers
knows what he wants
often says, "Yes, ma'am," and "I love you Mommy and I always want to help you." (Unless it doesn't fit with his agenda, of course!)
loves to show off his muscles and have us feel them.

He also...
loves his brother and wants to do everything he does including playing the violin and defends him even when that threat is only perceived
loves to play Star Wars Lego Wii
can interpret what Ella is "saying."

He loves...
the color red
salad
his bear blanky.

We love you Mr. Erik!
 

Aloha Hawaii

At long last, the final installment of our trip to Hawaii is here.  You wouldn't believe what it took to get these pictures on here!  First I had to take them to Walgreens to get printed (on CD).  It's been years since I've had to get film developed. 

I put the pictures on the PC (since there is something wrong with the Mac CD driver), but the PC crashed and had to be wiped clean. Not a big deal since I had the CD and the negatives, right?  Well the negatives had sticky fingerprints on them from little hands and I couldn't find the CD.

Months go by and one day I magically find the CD in the toy room. I was delighted that it turned up!  I download the pictures again, but  I could NOT get them to be right side up (permanently anyway).   I decided to try a couple of programs like Smilebox and finally end up using Picasa.  It was pretty easy to use expect for ONE little button that is supposed to be pushed at the end.  I couldn't figure out for the life of me why I couldn't save the collage. Landon finally helped me figure it out and voila! A collage! 

I really like doing a collage for pictures like this.

This first group of pictures is of us snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.  I wanted to try snorkeling for a long time.  I was excited to finally get the chance.  It was a little harder than I expected.  There was a natural tendency to want to stand up or be vertical, but if that happens you end up stepping on the corral reef!  Once I got the hang of it, it was fun!

Next, we had our 007 trip out the a more remote part of the ocean and went on these submersible scooters. The scooters don't require any special breathing lessons or equipment.  You are able to breathe in the "helmet" because of the bell theory.  It's like putting a cup upside down in a sink full of water.  A seal is formed and no water enters and you stay dry and can breathe normally.

 I only wish I wasn't so stubborn and had taken some Dramamine. As soon as the boat stopped, I felt really sea sick.  Going under water wasn't as fun as I had hoped it would be.  I'm sure a lot of it had to do with feeling terrible.  However, it was such a beautiful view and it was really amazing being down there.  It's not something you get to see or experience unless you are a scuba diver.  That part I really liked.

Aloha Oahu.  Next time...MAUI!