Disney Queen

Emily  has been saving and planning all year for this event.   Every few years the Alta High Music department takes their ensembles to a competition in Anaheim.      I was told that they played both at the competition and on stage at Disneyland but Disneyland fun was photographed.    

Emily and Alix coordinated their bright pink comfy velour wear for the overnight bus ride and as always looked adorable. 

They went straight off the long overnight bus ride into Disneyland for the day.  That's one of those things that should only be done as a teenager.  

Day 2 was spent at California Adventure in the morning and then back to Disney.

Emily was great to keep my informed.   The package included a food card with $60 uploaded each day.   They decided to share their food and try just about everything.     All day long I would get these cute texts about what they were eating and how well they liked it.   I laughed at my Disneyland food influencer.     

These ride photos   😄

We better not forget Emily little camera.   Emily will say there is just something about low quality prints with the wrong date.    One more reason she was born in the wrong decade.  

 

The last day in California was spent performing at a local high school.  They then were escorted back into Disneyland to a big stage where they had a celebration with all the competitors and found out that the chamber orchestra took 1st place.  A great way to end a fabulous weekend.  

Before heading home the group spent the morning at the beach.   Emily and a few friends rented a group petal bike and then promptly argued the whole time about who wasn't pulling their weight.  

Prom for Emily 2021

It started with a knock at the door late one night and Emily frantically running to be the first to open it up.  

Next step was the reply......   I was not in approval of giving Henry a bunny but Emily assured me he has always wanted a bunny and they've had lots of animals before so it's not a big deal.  Plus they have a huge barn to house it.     The lady at IFA was hesitant to let them buy it telling them what a big responsibility a rabbit is and a gift like that shouldn't be taken lightly.   Emily told her the same thing she told me and forced her to let her buy if for him.    They named it Flip Flop!!!  

The next step was finding the dress.     Emily decided the cutest and most modest dresses were from Shein.   She ordered a few and found a winner!!!   Here are the cute ones she rejected.     

Emily really wanted to make her own corsage.  I suggested she call her grandma Nona since she diy mine for my wedding.    Nona agreed to teach her and then go her neighborhood friends involved.

Emily was instructed to buy some flowers and bring them up to her house.  

What a cute picture of Nona and Emily.  

  

Pauline does this so effortlessly that I had no idea what an ordeal it is to make corsages.  Women aren't like they use to be.   All of these women were so willing to help and man were they perfectionists.  The corsages turned out so beautiful.  

Henry and Oliver took Emily and Alix to the Butterfly gardens at Thanksgiving Point.  

Henry even bought Emily a Stuffed butterfly to remember the date. It promptly made it to middle position on her bed.  

The girls then came back to our house to get ready.  

When the boys came to pick up the girls I made them take a porch picture.  They complied even though they knew Sami's professional ones were coming and would be way better.   Henry coordinated his suite with Emily's dress again.  He says he hopes to have a suit in every color someday.  

The dance was at the Rice Eccles stadium so the boys took the girls downtown to dinner at this Pizzeria Downtown.  Fitting the brick is painted green.  

The original plan was to go out to the salt flats for pictures but time got away from them and they last minute decided on pictures on top of a parking garage and the streets surrounding where they ate dinner.   They turned out perfect!!!

On the way home Emily was treated to rolled ice cream!

 

Bart's Ballers

 It's the end of the basketball season.    My boys and Jane all played on teams   

The boys always wanted Bart to take them and with me having covid and all the after math complications with it I didn't attend that many games.   The couple I went to were the highlight of my weekend.   The ones I missed I always had to have a report.   Bart often would comment "he's a baller"

Spencer took it to heart.  He's such a confident kid and always came home telling me all the great things he did. Where Bart gives the generic answer Spencer would give me the play by plays even though he wasn't the one to get the rebounds or baskets he felt like a star.   One day in the middle of the report he would say "I'm a baller right dad?"   

I made it to one of Spencer's games and was expecting the typical kindergarten herding cats show.  I'm not sure if Spencer was just having a lucky game but he strutted out to the court like a stallion and  went right after the ball the entire game.  He insisted on being the point guard so he could dribble the ball down the court every time (even when the ref asked him to throw the ball in).   He flat out said No I'm catching the ball.     He would drive it into the herd of  5 years old who clumped together like sheep and astonishingly made like 4 baskets with these crazy out of control shots.     He knew he was a baller and lived up to it.

 

I heard great reports from both Aaron and his dad about Aaron really going after it this year and all the rebounds he made each game.    He was so sad when his team had bye or the didn't schedule a game due to a couple holidays.   I knew Aaron had a love of this game and was a good player but I was shocked at how aggressive he's become on the court and really does get most of the rebounds, sticks to his man and gives it his all.   I love that he loves Bart and my favorite sport. 

I saw so much personal growth in Jane this season.   Her season was cut short last year because of her broken arm.  This fall she was anxious to get involved in an activity and signed up again for the Alta High Middle School team.    She was always happy to go and talked highly about the fun she was having with her team but the games were rough and they often lost by 20 or 30.     Jane took it with stride and joked that her team was there to help other teams feel awesome.   She still worked hard each game and the team became amazing defenders cutting the gap in the score to around 15 points.   Their problem was they  remained hesitant to shoot the ball up to the basket.   Some of the other parents jokingly yelled out if you just shoot the ball  I'll buy you a slushy.    It was good to see my "practically perfect Jane" stay lighthearted and not get too upset at herself and her not so perfect team.