Seussical is On Again!

The curtain rises . . . the music starts . . . and I get all choked up to the point that I cannot speak . . . because I am so completely proud of my kids and this amazing cast!

 Today Spencer and Kelsey had to be at the theater by 8 a.m. and they did two matinee performances for over 1,750 elementary school students!  Incredible, isn't it?  The kids cheered SO loudly for them you would have thought Justin Bieber entered the building!  It was crazy!!!  Anyway, it was such a great experience for them. I came and spent the entire day helping to usher in those 1,750 students!  Wowzers . . .

 I wish every night they had a crowd like this size!

 After each show, the entire cast came up and they did a question and answer session.  One kid asked "Where did all the costumes come from?"  Then, our sweet costume mistress, who NEVER gets recognition, just happened to be on the wings of the stage and they pulled her out front to receive a grand applause for her efforts!  It gave me chills------SO COOL!!

 There is Spencer, with Kelsey right behind him.  What a ham!  Seriously, he is hilarious to watch on stage and Kelsey is such a great dancer!  I think I've seen the show well over 10 times, and I'm still not bored of it.  

 Just look at the workmanship of those adorable "who" people's dresses and hair!

 They greeted the kids as they left the theater and all felt like SUPERSTARS!   

It was a "Terrific-al Seussical" day. 

Spring Flowers!

 I LOVE planting spring flowers!  There is just something about digging in the dirt and being outside on a beautiful spring day that makes me so happy. :)  

 One of my favorite things is to see how our bougainvillea come back after going dormant in the winter.  The bright fuschia color just stands out against our home and I feel like I'm in Hawaii when I look at the blossoms!  (on the down side, it's the messiest plant in the world!  But, when it's in bloom, you can't beat it's majesty!)

 Petunias and marigolds are true winners.  They are pretty hard to kill and usually do really well for me.  The larger pink/red flowers have actually shriveled up already.  (I planted these 2 weeks ago)  They were gorgeous when I planted them, but something must have gone wrong so I'll need to replace them.  That kinda bugs me . . .

But, for the most part, I am happy with how it turned out.  It's just so fun to drive by our home and see splashes of color out front!

THIS FLOWER, however, is my most FAVORITE OF ALL!

A Childhood Favorite . . . Re-born!

A while ago, some good friends of mine posted a blog about serving breakfast to a bunch of teenagers that really caught my eye.  (You can read about it here.)  They made aebleskivers - a fun Danish pancake that is round, like a ball.  I remember my mother making these when I was a little girl.  I am SO glad my mom made the effort to make us this fun treat. We usually would have them for a Sunday night snack and drench them in syrup.  I remembered my mother using a cast iron pan, so after reading Rachel's blog, I went out and bought an aebleskiver cast iron pan.  

I came home and tried a recipe out from Williams-Sonoma with Kelsey on Sunday morning and it was not good.  The pancakes kept sticking and were extremely difficult to turn and brown evenly.  We ate the aebleskivers that survived----but I thought there has just got to be a better cooking pan that has been modernized since then.  So, I checked the Williams-Sonoma website, and sure enough---there was!

Nordicware has come out with a non-stick, cool handled aebleskiver pan.  It was a hundred times lighter in weight than the cast iron one and SOOOOOOO much easier to use.  Plus, it only cost $5 more than the cast iron pan.  (well worth the extra $5~~~)

 I also read that the traditional way to turn the aebleskivers was to use knitting needles, or long wooden sticks that Williams-Sonoma had for sale.  But the saleslady told me that these mini-spatulas work even better (and she was right!)  Yeah for technology and modern devices that make our life easier!!

 I tried two recipes - one that was like a tarte-tatin (apple inside) with a carmel sauce and the other was plain, with a raspberry compote and powdered sugar.  Both were YUMMY!!!  (But my favorite was the apple and carmel)

I had forgotten that my grandmother's maiden name was Halverson. Generations before, their name was spelled "Halvorson" which is the Scandinavian way of spelling it.  Through the ages, the spelling changed---but it was a great reminder to me that this treat came through my family for a reason.  I looked up the legend of aebleskivers and the story my kids liked the best was that the vikings, a long time ago, would go to battle.  At night, they were very hungry and would want to eat pancakes.  So, they used their shields, which had divets and dents from battle, as a cooking pan.  They would pour the batter in the little indentations, and make aebleskivers.  The meaning of the word, aebleskiver, actually means "apple slices."  That's why I had to try the carmel apple recipe.  It's amazing!!!  You can get the recipe here.  Beware - it's lethal!!

Obedience=Safety=Peace

Well, the hair issue from yesterday was resolved---no, the hair didn't grow back miraculously, but Hailey figured out a way to spray it down with hairspray.  She was happy and I am happy (but I know it will still take one year to grow those pieces out to match the others! Ahhhhh!!!)

 This was Hailey this morning before school.  She looked so cute that I had to snap a few photos.  When I looked down, I realized that she had her new Sunday shoes on.  She LOVES them!  Hailey has wanted "high heels" for a long time---not because they are high but because of the sound they make!  ha ha  She calls them her "clippy-clop" shoes!

She even made sure I took a close up picture of her fancy shoes so everyone could see them!  But, sadly I reminded her that they were Sunday shoes and she couldn't wear them to school.  She said, "But mom, I won't get them dirty!  I only play and dig in the sand during recess"    . . . . . my point exactly!  So, off came the clippy-clop shoes and on went the school flip flops.  :)


Then, Kelsey came out wearing a dress that she bought with some friends.  At first glance it looked kinda short to me and then she showed me how she was wearing some shorts underneath.  I said to the kids eating breakfast, "Thank you, Kelsey for being so modest."  Then Spencer said, "Kelsey is ALWAYS modest."  I said,  "Spencer, how does that make you feel?"  He answered simply . . . "Safe."  

 Safe . . . isn't that a comforting word?  I thought that was such a profound thing for a 9 year old brother to say about his sister.  Then, I was reminded me how my mother was talking to Hailey and she asked her how she felt about Kelsey.  Hailey said, "Kelsey makes me feel safe because she is my big sister."   I am so proud of Kelsey that her small actions of obedience are having such large impacts on her siblings.  I love and honor her obedient nature. 

Her hair was so pretty, I just had to show it off!

Last Sunday, Kohler received his patriarchal blessing.  What a special experience that was.  Kelsey came with Tom and I and we all felt the spirit as Kohler was given some incredible blessings and admonitions.  We were all fasting and as soon as we got home, Tom and Kohler went directly to go home teaching.  When they got back, I came out of my room and this is what I saw . . .

I know I shouldn't have taken a picture of something so sacred as praying, but this image I wanted to forever burn in my mind.  I was so taken by seeing my two priesthood holders, in their white shirts, kneeling side by side, that it literally stopped me in my steps.  How grateful I am for obedience. When we as a people obey, we are blessed with safety.  That reassurance inevitably brings comfort and peace and once again, we are in debt to a loving Father in Heaven who is so willing to bless us when we are obedient.

Everybody has HAIR issues!

OK - so this weekend, we had some major HAIR issues!  First up - let's work backwards . . . This is what I found in my garbage can this morning before school . . .

Yes - those long pieces of hair belong to my little daughter.  I couldn't believe it!  When I asked her why she would cut her hair like that she said, "Well, the hair was getting in the way of my flower and nobody could see it!"  Then I told her that she should have asked me for help and Hailey said, "Well, I'm the littlest in the family soooo . . . . ."  I think she was wanting me to fill in the blank with "oh that's ok honey, you are little and you don't know any better."  But not this girl---she is smart and knows exactly what going on . . . well, most of the time.  Apparantly this time she took matters into her own hands and took care of it the fastest and easiest way she knew how.  Oh me oh my!!!

Notice the spikes of hair sticking up.  She cut it practically to the scalp!!!

 This is the face of one unhappy little girl.  :(  I had a little talk with her and told her that no matter what she did to her hair, I still loved her very, very much.  Then, I had to chuckle inside as I thought that many of us, at one point or another, have wanted to just chop off that piece of hair that is driving us nuts.  Today it was Hailey's turn!


Well, on to the other hair story.  Last week was dress rehearsal for "Seussical, the musical."  All the "who's" are suppossed to have blue wigs, even the boys.  So, I looked and looked backstage only to find that they never assigned a wig to Spencer.  So, when I asked the director where his wig was, she grabbed something out of a box and said, "Here, have him try this on."  OK - she pulled out a women's wig that was cut with bangs and curled under like a bob.  Spencer put it on and I wanted to die with laughter---but had to bite my tongue so he wouldn't freak out and get embarrassed.  As I was adjusting it on his head and talking myself into "how can I possibly make him like this wig??"---other cast members walked by and said, "nice wig, Spencer"  "you look like an oompa-loompa" "you look like a girl!"  That was it . . . the wig came off.  Spencer actually took it in stride (no stomping off and throwing fit which I was grateful for).  But, there is no way that I was going to let a wig be the one reason why my son will never do theater again! :)  So, he went "wig-less" for the next two rehearsals.  Still---the director never got him one like the other boys.  By now, I am fuming . . . So, I took matters into my own hands and went out to a costume shop and bought him a wig myself!  Nobody else had to pay for a wig---but here I am paying $25 for one. The only one they had that was the right color of blue was a women's punk rocker wig so I bought it and thought I could make it work, somehow.  I came home and cut off the length (you can still see the blue fuzz in the garbage can in the picture above)  But it still looked too much like a GIRL!  
So, my mom suggested I take it over to my good friend, Jody Peterson, who is a hairstylist.  She laughed when she saw it and said she had never cut a wig before.  But, we dove in and she worked a miracle!!!!

 It's suppossed to be really funky and crazy---like Dr. Seuss's images.  Jody really did a great job and this definitely doesn't look like a girl! Ahh . . . we are saved!!!

 Spencer rolled in to the theater from the Grand Canyon field trip with 45 minutes to spare before the opening night show.  When he saw the wig, he just SMILED so big!!  That was all the payback I needed.  I didn't care about the $25 anymore---my kid was happy and that was enough for me.  

Tonight is Opening Night for Seussical!

Kelsey and Spencer have been rehearsing ever since the week after "The King and I."  They are in a fun musical called, "Seussical, the Musical."  It's a wacky show--just like Dr. Seuss but the music, costumes, and sets are really FUN!  This is a picture of rehearsal one week ago and the show was very rough---(I was a little nervous to be honest!)

 But last night, my mom and I went to the full dress rehearsal and honestly, it BLEW US AWAY!  The costumes and wigs are SO fun to look at and the music just makes you want to get up and dance.  It is a show full of color and energy!  They have worked so hard this last week and it really shows.  We were totally impressed! 

Spencer is wearing a hat and khaki shorts and Kelsey is behind him on the other side of the stage.  This was taken two nights ago.  

 Spencer missed dress rehearsal last night but is ready for the show. His fourth grade class went to the Grand Canyon and they are coming home today.  I just hope the bus isn't late so he can make it on time!  I am so glad Tom was able to go with him.  Next week I will post some pictures of their trip.  But, check this out first . . .

 Last Sunday, we all came home from church and it was raining (one of our favorite things!).  As we were eating dinner with my parents, Hailey said, "Hey, I see a rainbow!"  We all went to the window to check it out and found that it was actually a DOUBLE RAINBOW! how cool is that??

 It put us in such a good mood that we decided to make creme brulee and try out my new torch Tom got me for my birthday.  It was awesome!

 It's been a busy week---I helped my mom watch my nephew, Keegan, so they could go on a quick trip to California.  It was a lot of fun having him around!

 All the kids were so kind to him.  He is such a sweet little guy.

 One of the greatest moments of this week was hearing my mom play the piano and Hailey sing.  They must have done this for about 45 minutes and they went through every primary song Hailey knows.  My favorites were, "Tell me the stories of Jesus," "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus," and "I am a child of God."  It was a precious moment of time for me to hear my sweet daughter sing so pretty while my angel mother played for her.  

Yesterday, before school, my mother had a nice talk with Hailey.  She told her how much we all loved her and how much her mommy loves her.  Hailey told her grandma that one day she wasn't being very nice and that her mommy (me) thought she didn't love mommy very much because of how she was acting.  Hailey said that she really did love me and this is what she told her grandma (and my mom wrote this down so she wouldn't forget it)  

"I love my mom to infinity.  I have loved her every day I lived, even when I was in her tummy, even before I didn't know what she looked like, I still loved her!"  

What a little sweet angel girl to say those things. I am so blessed to have her in my life! 

This is a short video of Hailey singing "I am a Child of God."  Watch what she does---it melts my heart every time.

Even short shorts can sometimes teach a lesson?

Tom and his fellow bishopric counselor, Steve, were asked by the bishop to put on a fireside for our youth to introduce the new "For the Strength of Youth" that has been printed by the church.  They didn't want to stand up there and lecture---putting the kids to sleep----so they decided to put together a movie called, "A Day in the Life of Bishop Everton."  So Steve and his wife Rachel, came over and we planned out a storyboard of how this movie was going to run.  We laughed our heads off thinking of funny 80's songs and scenes that would get the point across to the kids.  So, last Friday, they came over to our house and Tom and I were donned in our best 80's fashion.  (it was so nasty!)  I even teased my bangs up and wore a turtle neck and leg warmers.  Ugh!!  

 We never alter our garments---but since Tom was suppossed to be the "wayward friend' of the bishop's, back in high school, when they didn't wear garments----so he and Steve hiked up their shorts to look like those nasty "short shorts" that the guys wore back in the day.  Aw man -----it was SO funny!

 They had wigs and everything---then Tom put some great 80's tunes to it which made it even more realistic.  They covered topics like the word of wisdom, dating, education, treating women with respect, clean language, avoiding too much time playing video games (only they used an old Nintendo 64 and played Pac-Man!  so funny!)  

 It really hit home to the kids and they laughed so hard----but even more, they felt the Spirit and learned what the prophet wants us to know for OUR day.

My dad and sister, MaryKay, even helped us film the movie.  It was so bizarre that it captured the attention of my cute little nieces and nephews!  They all came out to watch us!  I wish I could upload the movie to my blog---but it will forever be a funny memory in my mind that served a very good purpose.  

Spring Break Swim Fun!

Last week was spring break and my family got together because MaryKay's oldest daughter got baptized on  Saturday!  I love it when my family gets to hang out together! 

We went out for a birthday lunch for me and Suzanne because our birthdays are so close together.  It was just mom, dad, and all the sisters.  heaven . . .  We sat and talked for 3 hours at Brio and it FLEW by!  

 The next day, my dad took Kelsey to the Chandler Mall and helped her pick out a darling dress with all the accessories.  (Grandpa is SUPER fun to go shopping with!)  It was their own little date! 

 It was an awesome spring break PARTY!!!

It was so much fun having all the cousins play together.  We especially were glad that Suzanne and Tony could drive over from California to be there.  It wouldn't be the same without them.  (we did miss Steve and Ali, though :)  

After 6+hours in the sun, swimming, lots of sunscreen and then sunburns, hamburgers, hot dogs, rootbeer floats, etc. the kids all were wiped out.  So, we left them at home with the older cousins and the adults went out to dinner.  And there you have it . . . the perfect spring break day!