Erik's 5th Birthday

This year Erik started baseball so we decided to have a baseball cake for his birthday.

There he is all dressed up for his game.

The party would not be complete with out a pinata!  But the real celebration took place at Chucky Cheese's.  We also took him out to Sushi Express for his birthday dinner (Sushi is Erik's favorite) and of course he also woke  up to a balloon avalanche!  

Happy birthday, Erik!

Ella's 2nd Birthday

It's a new tradition in our family to wake up to a balloon avalanche.  The kids love it and it's a fun way to start the day.

This is the first time Ella has ever let me do her hair.  I was a little unprepared without any rubber bands, but I didn't care.  If she was going to let me put something in her hair, I was going to do it, no matter how it turned out!

Notice also the purple high tops.  These are not just any high tops, these are DORA high tops.  She picked them out herself.

The kids always love a pinata.  Suckers are Ella's favorite candy, so we made sure to include plenty of those.

Her hair is quickly falling out due to the lack of rubber bands.

Cake and a sucker.  Life could not be any sweeter for this two-year-old.

Ella absolutely loves babies.  She insists on sleeping with  her baby every night.

Besides Dora and babies, there is one more thing Ella totally loves--Mini Mouse.  She has diapers with Mickey and Mini and some with just Mickey.  She throws a fit if I try to put on the diapers without Mini.  That's just unacceptable in her book.  Of course, she does have to wear them, but it takes a lot of convincing.

She has so much fun with this tent.  In fact, it now resides in her crib so that she can sleep in it every night.

There she is in her tent with her loyal guards to protect her!

Happy birthday, Ella!

Valentine's

I decided to surprise Landon for Valentine's Day this year by taking him on a helicopter ride. Our friends, the Cases, came with us.  Jeff, who is in the army, is the only one of us who had been on a helicopter before.

Sarah and Jeff

We flew around Canyon Lake.  The view was beautiful!

We also flew over the gorge which was created from the heavy rains in the flood of 2002.

Afterwards we went out for dinner at Sushi Express and then headed off to the adult session of Stake Conference.  For dessert, we went out to So Sweet Frozen Yogurt.  What a day!

Solo and Ensemble

Jonathan played at his first Solo and Ensemble on January 26, 2013.

Below is the medal he earned.

He played Lightly Row my memory and received a I which is the best score you can earn. (You have to play it by memory to qualify for a I.)

I honestly have to say that his performance was the best I had heard him play!  He sounded great!

Below are some of my students who participated: Danae and Shelby (and her sister Emma--who plays viola and is not my student).  They all got Is as well. I have another student who is in middle school (this was at one of the middle schools in the district).  She played "The Two Grenadiers" and I accompanied her.  Not only did she receive a I, but she was one of 6 students from her judge who was chosen to receive an outstanding which came with an additional reward.  I was so proud of her and all of her hard work and dedication to practicing.

The whole experience was very positive for everyone!

Jonathan's 7th Birthday

Arrrrrgh matey!  One of ye Mortensen's turned 7 this year!

This fine fellow had a balloon avalanche to greet him in the morning, lunch with his Daddy and siblings, and dinner with his parents.  What a lucky lad!

He also hapground in San Antonio.d  a fine pirate parrrrrty with his family at the KOA Kampground.

He and his mates went searrchin' for treasure and treasure the did surely find.

Happy birthday, Jonathan!

Christmas 2013

This Chirstmas season, I had the opportunity to play Handel's Messiah with the West Stake.  There was a lot of difficult music to learn, but it was a positive experience.  I have new appreciation for Handel's Messiah and will now play a recording of it every year at Christmas time.

We did other fun things like make gingerbread men and

gingerbread houses.

We have a tradition of  opening a new game to play on Christmas Eve.  This year we got Hungry Hippos.   The kids loved it and even Ella was able to participate.

Of course we got new pajamas and made cookies for Santa.

It's always fun on Christmas morning to watch the kids open their gifts.

Oh was Ella ever pleased to get this toy violin.  It even came with a case. But alas she soon figured out that it didn't make any sound and was back to insisting on playing Erik's violin.

Landon surprised me with a really great gift this year: a carbon fiber bow! I also got Peter Infeld strings.  Oh what a difference in sound it makes!

We also had a GREAT Christmas Program at church. I stressed a lot about it, but it finally all came together.  We used the "Promise of Bethlehem" script and the music turned out beautifully too!  The ward choir is really flourishing. We probably have 35 people in it and they are so dedicated and talented.  I love having the opportunity of directing them! I feel so blessed to be in this ward.

We also had a Stake Musical Fireside.  It was fun to hear all of the different instruments used and the talented members of our stake perform. I had the opportunity of accompanying Jeff Case on the Euphonium as he played O, Holy Night.  That's one instrument you don't get  to hear in sacrament meeting!

It was a wonderful Christmas season!