Go hear some amazing music ...

For all of you lucky folks out in UT, you will have the most amazing opportunity to hear Julia sing ... A SOLO at the BYU University Choir concert!!!

August 4th   7:30 p.m.  Marsden Recital Hall.

Wish I could be there.  Trying to figure out how ...

Whenever I think about Pioneers

I think of two brave girls ... heading out to do the Rocky Ridge Trek in Wyoming.

Jenna attended 2 years ago with a Colorado Springs Stake on the same trail - Rocky Ridge.  She is wearing the same dress I made her back then.  Two weeks ago, Jaley and I made another one for Jaley to wear.

They left this morning.  At 6:15.  They will have a wonderful experience.

All together again

I have not yet blogged about dropping Julia off at college.  I find it is easier to answer the questions, "How are you doing with her gone?" by writing (responding in e-mails) and not talking about it.  I had to discreetly leave the orthodontist office after setting up a return appointment for Kerst after Jaquelyn asked me how I was doing with Julia gone.

We have been keeping busy this summer with finishing the basement (still doing odds and ends), 2 family reunions back-to-back, preparing Jaley for EFY (she did that herself), preparing Jaley for trek (sewing a pioneer dress, 2 bonnets and an apron), preparing Jenna for trek (sewing a pioneer skirt and apron), running Jenna to and from her lifegaurding job, etc.  This busy schedule keeps our minds off of who has left and gone to college.  We are REALLY excited about her future.  She has already made some wonderful friends and is enjoying her classes.

We were all together again the evening of July 8 to the afternoon of July 9 and then again for a couple of hours on Sunday, July 10.  Julia was able to come up for a small portion of the M Family Reunion at Bear Lake.  We hung around in UT to attend Ben M and Bryan G's baptism on Saturday afternoon and then stayed an extra day so we could hear Julia sing at Jens' farewell before he left this past Wednesday on his mission.  It was like being in heaven hearing her sing again.  Thanks Beautiful for arranging this!

Kendall thought we were bringing Julia home with us because she already went to college.  Poor kid.  His life will be filled with good bye's with Julia coming and going and Jenna being the next one heading to college in 2 more years.

While we were together, Kelly took our family pictures.  Love them!!!

Ahhh.  Together again.

Cooking with Kelly and a Bosch

During a visit to see family in UT this past June, my sister Kelly and I decided to make the most delicious cookies.  We had full reign of Brooke's awesome kitchen ... which included her high tech Bosch mixer.

Sam was patient while we tried to figure out this most interesting contraption of a mixer.

We finally figured it out - but a little to late for Sam.

These cookies are so yummy.  You should try to make them.  We made these cookies with dried cherries - no chocolate.   Sweet and tangy.

Mrs. Fields Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies


Description:
A recipe of Kelly's ... from Mom

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups oats
2 1/4 cups flour
one bag of chocolate chips (or a 2 cups dried cherries chopped up from Costco)

Directions:
Mix butter, sugars and egg. Add vanilla, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour and oats.

Bake 400 for 7 min or freeze in tubes (roll in wax paper in the shape of a tube).

The Premiere

Jenna sleeps, eats and breathes Harry Potter.  Her bff Sierra M. had tickets to the Premiere.  She joined in on the fun, even though she can't hear - STILL.  She had tons fun, in her own quiet world.

8 hours away another set of sisters had fun as well.  Julia and her roommate, Mikaela M (Sierra's older sister), attended the premiere.  And they did it in style.

Julia went dressed as Fleur Delacour, from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic (from the Goblet of Fire).

Mikaela went as Moaning Myrtle.

Aren't they adorable?  They are the perfect roommates.  We love them.

 Julia has also made some other wonderful friends at BYU as well.  They all found their costumes at DI (Deseret Industries ... aka Goodwill in UT).   Jamie C, Mikaela M, Julia, Voldemort, Katie G, McKenzie F

There is a fun video of Julia acting as Fleur ... going up to a random person who looked like Ron Weasley - grabbing his cheeks and saying in a French accent, "You saved my brother! Even though he was no your to save!" *kiss kiss* - on each cheek.  I hope to get a copy of that video ...

And I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this photo Julia snapped ... this is so Julia and Mikaela.

 

 So glad she is having fun.

Say What?

Jenna went jet skiing on Thursday at our family reunion last week.  She had 4 major spills.  She had a blast ...

Until ... she was in tears from pain in her ear.  I knew it was painful because this girl has an extremely high pain tolerance. 

We took her to after hours urgent care.  It was 30 SECONDS from the place where we were staying.  We had to wait 10 minutes for the doctor to arrive.

Swimmer's ear.  Painful.  Very painful.  The infection started so quickly.  She was put on antibiotic drops and numbing drops.

She didn't get any better.  In fact, she got worse.

We arrived home Sunday night.  Monday I took her in to our pediatrician.  She was shocked at the condition of her inner ear on both ears.  Two major ear infections with both ear drums ready to burst at any moment.  Congestion (thank you UT allergies) didn't help either.

Jenna can't hear very well.  Huh?  Is what we are constantly hearing from her. 

Last night we had fun in front of her mouthing random words.

Get better soon Jenna!

The portfolio

Julia is auditioning for the Music Education Program.  She performed 3 classical songs in front of the judges 1 1/2 weeks ago (thanks Wendi for accompanying her).  Last week she had to turn in a portfolio.  It is stiff competition.  Her professor told the class that only 3 will make the program; no freshman ever has.  I think know Julia has a fighting chance to break that record.

The portfolio had several sections.  An application.  A letter of recommendation.  An evaluation.  A DVD of Julia singing a solo.  A DVD of Julia teaching a musical concept to a group of 3 or more for 10 minutes.  Two essays.  And a "Who am I" section.

Her essays rocked (thanks Christina and Erin for helping her edit them).

Her "All About Me" section was pretty neat too.  They wanted to know more about who Julia is as a person. 





The final part of this LONG and STRESSFUL application process is tomorrow - an interview.

Good Luck Jules!  You have so much to be grateful for.  So much talent to share.

Almost a sophomore

Julia is currently attending BYU this summer to take the prerequisite to audition for the music education program.  She is taking 8 credits.  That's a lot of credits.

She just got her AP test scores.  As of August 12, she will be a sophomore!!!  Love AP tests that give you college credits!  She will have 30 credits exactly.

We are very proud of her.

Roomie - Mikaela M, Julia and Jamie C.

And boy do I miss her.  UT is so lucky ...