May 15th --Revisited

 

May 15th is Jessica's birthday as I mentioned earlier in a post but it was also the day that both Scott and Chantel and Tosha and Austen got 3D pictures of their new little ones. How fun is that!

Chantel with Miss Scarlett:  I think this is at 30 weeks on May 15th.  Scarlett was weighing about 3 lbs. 5 Oz. at this visit.



Tosha:  She does some fancy editing with her picture up-dates

Tosha and Austen had to go to a private place to get their 3D imagine of Niki as their doctor only does one major ultrasound.  They said he was a bit of pill--hiding up in her ribs.  But they sent us some copies of his sweet face and we loved them.

Hard to take these pictures of our pictures without
having a glare, but here is our cute boy--Niki James

Can't tell if his fingers are in his mouth yet.
Maybe he was trying to hid behind his fingers.

May 15, 2014---they will be here before we know it.  How exciting is that!

Winding down the year of school......

 

This week Jena didn't have theater and golf, which was good because she had a couple of choir practices after school for the final choir performance on Thursday evening.  Here is Jena with Shelly and Brooke, two friends who are in choir and also in functional skills with her.  The performance was centered on Broadway music and was a very fun concert complete with costume changes and dancing.  That means Jena loved it.  Her favorite songs were "Edelweiss" with her teacher's husband playing the guitar and "Rainbow Connection".

Wednesday they went on a "field trip" to "The Lego Movie".  I am not a big fan of these bus trips to attend movies but Jena likes going with her friends so we let her go from time to time.  Thursday was her field trip to Lagoon which she also loved.  High School can be rough!!???

Brooke and Jena at Lagoon
Bracken, one of the peer tutors who went with
Jena posted lots of pictures from
Lagoon so I copied this one.
Jena gets so excited when friends post pictures
of things they have done together.
Whatever we might think of Face book, it does
provided a social interaction for Jena with
typical peers which wasn't possible 20 years ago.

Jena also brought home her art work from her painting class.  We have been hearing about her pictures all semester so it was fun to see them.

A sunset:

 Elsie and the Ice Castle

 

After track on Saturday, Ben and I went to work on our garden and Gary and Jena got the flags ready for the first flag flying holiday.  I love that about Gary--how he takes care of the flags.  I didn't have it on my list of husband qualifying  traits but it is a good one.  There were lots of traits I didn't know I wanted in my future husband that I lucked out with Gary.  He loves Cub scouting and pinewood derby races, he understand my obsession about the beach and helps get me to beach when possible, he likes planning parties with me and he is totally supportive of my "Just for Fun Mortal Goal List"  (most people call it your bucket list , but I hadn't heard that title before I created my list.) and he makes me laugh (I might have had that on that original husband list.)

 All of those thoughts as I watched him and Jena check the flags for the year.  I love you, Gary Hall!

Speaking of flying flags we enjoyed all of the flags posted at our Syracuse cemetery today when we went to visit the graves of our family members.  It was the first Memorial day (well, the Sunday before) since Valerie (Gary's sister) passed away.  She and Allan had designed their tombstone and it had been sitting on their plots for a couple of years.  I teased her all of the time about it.  It just seemed creepy to see you names on a tombstone.  However this year, as Allan looked at the tombstone it made it very happy.  It has a very calm scene of a single man catching a fish in a mountain lake.  He said it made him feel so peaceful and calm just looking at it.  I never heard Valerie talk about dying before Allan.  I don't know if she had a feeling about it or not.  But I was thankful that she had followed through because I think none of us could have design a better tombstone to represent them, their relationship and would leave Allan with a peaceful feeling when he looked at it.  Good job, Valerie.

The sound of the flags in the wind and watching them flutter

is such a sweet reminder of our country and those who serve it

in the military--Shout out to our current military men-- Airman Austen Russell and Nate Williams--Marines(my nephew in law married to Kristen Ipson Williams) and Johnathan Page-Air Force and all who have served in the past from the Hall, Page, Quigley, Giberson, Owen, Ackley and other family lines.

3rd Annual Walnut Grove North Neighborhood Party

We met in the 850 West cul de sac again this year for our annual neighborhood party.  We had around 55 people and beautiful weather.  This year we decided to bring our Pinewood Derby track and have a neighborhood race complete with a traveling trophy for the winner.  Gary and I had fun with the racers and we hear that the adults had fun talking with each other so I guess it was a success.

Jena loading up her car

I am amazed I actually got a picture
of the cars coming down the track.
The sun was making it very difficult
to take pictures with my phone.

The car staging area

The winners--Aiden, Ethan, and Zach

The Holts---whose house is in the background of the staging area picture--brought their two cars from 1970 from when their sons did Pinewood Derby races.  They ended up coming in 16th and 17th out of 17 cars, but it was fun to have them in our races.  Vintage pinewood derby cars--fun times.  The racers all got metals to keep and you can see the kids riding around on their bikes with their metals around their necks.  Aiden beat his brother Ethan by 2/1000 of a second to come in first and take home the trophy.  His parents said that a month ago they came in 4th and 5th in their pack's races but that time Ethan won between them so now they each scored a victory of each other.

Good neighbors, fun times, beautiful weather, and cookies---makes for a perfect night!

Beauty and the Beast Jr.

Jena had a great week with many practices and five performances of Beauty and the Beast Jr. at the Centerpoint Theatre.  She loved it of course.  (And I was glad that I also love that play and its music, because after five performances I am hearing the music in my sleep.) 

In her "Villager" costume
She also was part of the "Dishes"
in the castle

Wednesday her ski instructor Terrie
and her husband attended the performance

On Thursday Scott and Chantel were there

Grandma Hall, Grandpa and Nana Giberson
and Dad all watch the Saturday matinee

Jessica and Elessia came on Saturday evening.

 I watched all of the shows, but I took no picture evidence of that feat....except for the songs running through my head.

The Prince/Beast (Joey) with Jena

Everyone is trying to get a picture
of the entire cast after the last performance
Lucky we were assured that a good picture was taken
that we will be able to print off.

Jena with Mrs. Potts (Emma)

 One mom commented to me that she loves watching Jena on stage because she can tell that Jena loves it so much.  It is true.  The kids in her cast are great with her for the most part and she does love it all--the practicing, the waiting, and the performing.

May 15th

May 15 is always a great day for us since that is Jessica's birthday.  This year she turns 31 years old which is so amazing to me.  We aren't celebrating together until later in the month to arrange our schedules to work but as always happens my day is filled with memories of being pregnant and being in labor.  Jessica was born on a Sunday and it was such a peaceful quiet day to have a baby.  It was a great experience and being her mom is as well.

This May 15 was made even more unique with both Chantel and Tosha expecting AND they both had 3D ultrasounds done on this day as well.  Chantel posted her pictures on Facebook of Scarlett, but Tosha and Austen are mailing us by snail mail pictures of Niki.  All they would say is that it looks like he is going to have Tosha's cute nose.  Without planning, how fun to soon have pictures of these two little ones joining our family this summer.

I will add them to the blog when they arrive.

Side note:  Whenever Jena talks about the future, she now will say, "You know when I am a senior and the babies have come!"

Happy Birthday, Jessica....and glad to see you, Scarlett and Niki (even if it is only in a ultrasound 3D picture.)

And then there was this week......

This was a busy week for me as well with some meeting/luncheon/event  to attend everyday and then Jena's dress rehearsals and performances every day (and twice on Saturday).  However it was much less stressful as they were mainly events I had to attend, not organize or conduct.  It doesn't allow for much housework or cooking to get done, but at least I was not really creating new piles of stuff.

Most of the activities were related to UDSF, but on Monday Jena and I attended the Torch Run for Special Olympics (which is a fund raiser):  Policeman run, we ride in trucks and cars!  The kids got out by some of the schools where the students come out to cheer and give high fives.

First stop at the Wal-Mart in Clinton

Lunch at RC Willeys--hot dogs in the loading dock
I am sure that I have posted the same pictures every year...Jena
is just a year older each time.

We had to run someone to their car and then rejoin
the Torch Run. So as we waited in our Church's parking lot
we got this picture of the police officer with the torch
as he ran down Gordon Avenue in Syracuse

 As we approached the end of the race, we were joined by a group of police staff who ran the last five miles or so with us.  As we stopped to let the kids run the last little bit to the finish line, a woman called out to Jena, "Hi, Jena, I am Nick's aunt.  Come run with me."  Jena is even famous in Nick's family.  We got this picture of them together at the finish line.

Jena with Kaye--Nick's aunt
She is the sister to Nick's mom and the
oldest daughter to Betty, his grandmother
who lives in our ward.

And then on Thursday we did a Pinewood Derby for Jena's functional skills class at Clearfield.  They painted their cars and then Gary put on the wheels and weights.



Gary's Pinewood Derby Shop---sometimes known as his office

Their finished cars waiting to start the races

Jena adding her car to lane 4

 The cars were all of the same cut so they only add to paint them.  Jena won her first heat which made her teacher ask if we had done something special to her car.  No...Curtis ended up being the Grand winner for the day and he was quite thrilled about that.

We set up in the commons area of the school. During
a class break, another student said to Gary as he walked by
"I hope you set up again tomorrow,  I have a car at home
I would love to race."
No luck---one race a year at the school is all we can handle.
Next year it will be the Rain Gutter Regatta.

Some of her classmates and peer tutors

UDSF Teen/Adult Dance

We had our Spring Dance for the Teen/adult group for UDSF in Centerville this year.  We had a small group but we had lots of fun with pizza, indoor/outdoor games, and a dance with a  DJ. It was a bit hectic getting it together as our original place fell through and there were a few other glitches along the way.  Jena loved it as well as all those who attended.

Jena with Brooke who goes to Clearfield with her

Eating dinner with friends, including Kaitlyn and Leyten

The night before the dance, I decided at the last minute to try to get some friends of Jena together to go do something with a new girl who has recently moved into the area from California.  We went to see the movie "Bears"  (A DisneyNature show) which was excellent.  Gary and Ben joined us at the theatre.  They posted together in front of the advertisement for the upcoming "How to Train a Dragon 2".

Jena, Emily, Kaitlyn and Brooke

We hope to get them together during the summer to strengthen their friendships with each other.

I was glad to get that week over as planning the dance and some other assignments made it a stressful week.  In the end, it turned out to be fun.  However last Sunday which was Mother's Day, Gary and I sat on the couch downstairs together for about 5 hours watching the basketball games but mostly just sitting and sleeping off and on.  We were worn out. 

Spring Skies

The first part of May we had several days with rain showers.  During the middle of that time, I went up to east Layton to attend a wedding reception for one of my former clients.  Being that close to the mountains made for a beautiful photo op---

Looking to the east

Another view just down the street

Then as I rounded the turn from Gentile to Bluff Road in Syracuse coming home, there was this beautiful view of the impending sunset over the Great Salt Lake.

Sunset to the west about 10 minutes later

Breath-taking!!!




Golf Team

Jena had the great opportunity to serve as the manager of the Clearfield High School Girls Golf team.  Her functional skills teacher is also the head golf coach for the team which made for a great situation for Jena.  She got to practice with the team which will give her a head start for the Special Olympic season which starts next month.  In addition she got to know these girls better and they got to know her.  They had a great time together. 

Here are some memories from Golf:


Mr. Andreasen and Jena
This picture was also used in a
PTA tribute to families and teachers
of kids with disabilities

Team picture day:

 As manager,  Jena made treat for the golfers who were going to participate in the meet that day.  Here are the snacks for the Regional tournament.  The team qualified for the State tournament.

 Jena attended the regional meet with the team, riding the bus down with them.  It was a cold day but she had fun hanging around the green of hole 6 and encouraging the Falcon golfers to do their best.

Sophie warming up

At the green to cheer the team!

This week on May 15th she had her golf team banquet.  We had to miss the Family Scramble game as she was performing in Beauty and the Beast but we got there in time for dinner (Costa Vita-YUM.) and the presentations.  Coach Andreasen honored each golfer and shared some cute experience about them.  On Jena, he commented how hard she worked at golfing and the friendships which were formed between Jena and the rest of the team.

Jena definitely wants to go back next year and be the manager again.