Melanie's and Christian's Music Recital

This was Christian's first year of piano. While he's not crazy about it, he knows we think it's important for him to play an instrument, so he's very good about doing it. He doesn't practice like he could but he's promised to do better this coming year.

Melanie has been taking piano for 2 years and voice for 3 and a half years. She loves music and plans to major or minor in it in college.

Both Melanie and Christian took about a year and a half of violin but their teacher moved and we weren't able to find another one so I started Christian with piano.

Christian had 3 short piano pieces he played at the recital. Melanie played 3 piano and sang 3 songs as well. It was an early birthday present for me this year! Chris DID NOT want to play Happy Birthday... he thought it was too babyish, but I said he would be playing it for me and not to worry about what others thought about it.  I love watching my kids developing their talents!

Chris playing The Gift to be Simple

Chris playing Blow the Man Down

Chris playing Happy Birthday

Melanie playing The Entertainer

Melanie singing O Cessate

Melanie playing Amazing Graze

Melanie singing Early One Morning

Melanie playing Over the Rainbow

Melanie singing Far From the Home I Love

Happy Birthday Ali Lou!

Ali, who just turned 22, spent her first birthday away from home and family this year. She's serving an 18 month mission in England and loving every minute of it!

We couldn't not celebrate her birthday... so here's how we celebrated and may I say, it was delicious!

She sent home a few pictures of her time there celebrating.

Opening presents :D

MORE PRESENTS!!!

Me on my birthday! :D 

We sure do miss her! Next year we'll have one of the chocolate cakes and she'll love it!

Happy Birthday, Sister Ali Stout!! We love and miss you!!

My Baby's 13!

It's hard to believe that Christian is 13 now. We spent the weekend before his birthday up at our cabin - we had a great time. There was still some snow up there and the last 1/2 mile up to the cabin is a dirt road and we just made. Our daughter, Cassie, who is going to SUU came for the weekend. It's strange having so half the kids gone and our gatherings are getting smaller and smaller.  But I know as they all get married and start their families, that will change. Something I look very forward to :)

Opening gifts at the cabin

He is such a sweetie :)

A quick, chilly pic just before heading home.

As we were packing, Cassie decided to make Christian a cake. The oven in the cabin doesn't work really great and with the elevation, we needed to add more flour - which we didn't have. We also didn't have frosting. She added Nutella to half the cake, in case it wasn't going to taste good. But it was wonderful. We couldn't get pieces out, so we all just ate right out of the pan. Chris loved it :) Oh, did I mention that he's pretty excited to be a teenager :D

The cake after we started eating. We decided it needed some strawberries as well. It made it even better. Doesn't look great, but it was and made a fun memory.

On our way down the mountain, we saw a llama. This is the first time we've seen one in all the years we've been going up to Kolob Mountain - 16 years now. It was in the middle of the street and one of the girls thought it was a horse from a distance, but we were excited to see a llama!

He is so cute. He was enjoying being sung to. One of the elders added his own version of the birthday song and Chris got a big kick out of it :)  

I love him :)  <3

We love having the elders over. They are lots of fun!

Happy 13th Birthday, Christian! We love you, SO much! :D