Winter miscellany

D.I.: Saturday, December 10

Winnie poses like a the ceramic doll she's holding. We went to D.I. to find white elephant gifts for the girls' gift exchanges at ballroom and band.

Coloring gift: Saturday, December 17

Winnie displays the custom coloring page her 5th grade teacher Miss Murphy made and gave her for Christmas.

Harry Potter quilt: Saturday, December 24

The Harry Potter lap quilt I made for Aunt Jessica's Christmas present.

Stuck: Tuesday, December 27

Ana tries to squeeze between Andrea's legs as she backs out of the pantry.

Praxium recruiting: Monday, January 9

Bryson, Connor and Miriam sit on the stage at an area elementary school waiting for their turn to talk about Praxium, the school they attend. They were going around to a few elementary schools to talk to 6th graders about their school so that maybe they'd get more kids to join. Andrea drove them around because the teachers weren't allowed to.

Explorer presentation: Thursday, January 12

Cora, Winnie, Naomi and Annalise pose for a picture after giving a presentation on an explorer during their 5th grade class. The teacher's future brother-in-law watched all the presentations and took pictures of the kids afterward.

On a walk: Friday, January 13

Winnie and Peach sit on a trailer at "the bumps," a vacant lot at the end of the neighborhood while on a walk.

Cross-country skiing: Saturday, January 28

Peach and Seth cross-country ski at Twin Bridges Campground. After doing our usual Saturday chores, we asked if anyone wanted to come with us. All the kids politely declined.

Andrea skiing.

Valentine's cards: Tuesday, January 31

Winnie holds up a Valentine's Day card she made at a combined stake RS/YW activity. Winnie wasn't yet in YW, but because Andrea was in the stake RS presidency, Winnie tagged along to help set up and make cards.

Goodwill: Wednesday, February 1

Seth holding a funny book we found while on a date at Goodwill. He sent the pictures to the girls because he thought they'd get a kick out of it.

Project boards: Friday, February 3

The Roanoke Mystery project board Miriam made for school. The entire school had a night where they put their projects on display for parents and friends. After their display night, Miriam brought her boards home.

Miriam's History without Writing project board.

Teaching moment: Sunday, February 12

Seth tying a tie on Winnie in the kitchen.

Arlington: February 20-23

Seth taking a selfie from his hotel room in Arlington, Virginia, while on a work trip.

Seth poses next to the headstone of Wendell Neville at the Arlington National Cemetery. Winnie had just given a presentation at school on Neville. Each of her classmates did a report on a Marine who had been awarded the Medal of Honor. When Winnie found out Seth was headed to Arlington, she told him that Neville was buried there and asked if he could get a picture of the headstone to show her class. He delivered, and I forwarded the picture to Miss Murphy who shared it with the entire class.

Seth with his coworker Melanie at the Eternal Flame at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Seth posing with C3PO and R2D2 at the National Museum of American History while on his trip. Melanie hadn't been to D.C./Arlington before, so Seth and Melanie went to some of the sites/museums.

Andrea with the cool shirt she bought at Goodwill while Seth was on his trip.

Studying: Monday, February 20

Ana working on her Chromebook in her ballroom hair and makeup. Even thought it was President's Day, she had to go to ballroom in full hair and makeup to get ready for Nationals.

Temple: Saturday, February 25

Seth and Andrea outside the Idaho Falls Temple after attending a session. Later that day we went to Rexburg to listen to Rebekah at her jazz festival.

Church meetings: Sunday, February 26

Seth and Andrea posing for a selfie in the dining room before heading to a stake council meeting together. Andrea was serving in the stake Relief Society presidency, and Seth was serving in the stake Young Men presidency, so sometimes they got to go to meetings together. That left the girls attending their ward alone, but they had grandparents to sit with them, and they were all old enough to get themselves ready and to church.

Balloon fun: Sunday, February 26

Miriam making Winnie's hair stand up with the static from a balloon. 

Couch snuggles: Tuesday, February 28

Andrea, Seth and Winnie take a snuggly selfie.

Last day: Thursday, March 2

Rebekah heads out for her last-ever day of high school. She finished school a trimester early. For the time between her last day and walking at graduation, she got a job as a duty aide at Discovery Elementary and worked there between jazz band during zero hour and pit orchestra during sixth hour. Even though she didn't need the credits, she kept with the jazz band and pit orchestra for fun.

Mommy daddy daughter date: Friday, March 3

Rebekah poses with her dragon mug, Seth with his honeycomb cup, and Andrea with her light switch plate at Possibly Picasso while on a date. There was no school that day and Seth didn't have work, so we went on our date.

Seth, Rebekah and Andrea at Orange Leaf.

Pillow: Saturday, March 4

Miriam reads a book with a neck pillow on her head.

Date selfie: Saturday, March 4

Seth and Andrea eating Mexican food on a date.

Some dances

Sweetheart Ball, February 11

First up, Sweetheart Ball. Ana wanted to go with a big group of friends. With the guidance of the new "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet and our consideration, we decided it would be a good experience for her to go. So the day after we got home from California, Ana got gussied up and had a swell time with her date, Asher, and a big ol' bunch of ballroom kids as they attended Skyline's Sweetheart. (Bonneville's had been the weekend before.)

Ana pinning a boutonniere on her date at Barnes and Noble. Why were they at Barnes and Noble? To take pictures, of course.

 

Group photo in the mall. 

Utah Classic, February 17-18

Then Ana went to Farmington (and Seth and I followed) to compete in the Utah Classic on February 17 and 18. We did some thrift shopping in our off time, and enjoyed the dancing in the Legacy Events Center.

Ana's gold team placed 1st in their division for "Higher" and "Sticks and Stones," 3rd in their division for "I Need You" and their varsity cabaret number.

Dancing "Higher."

"Sticks and Stones," a fun routine that basically has no ballroom in it. They weren't allowed to use it at their Gem State competition because the rules have been changed that say you have to have a specific percentage of recognizable ballroom steps in it. 

Ana dancing with Dallin for syllabus while her coaches Javie and McKinley watch in the background.

Dancing "I Need You." Normally Ana doesn't have to dance with an air partner, but her partner during this part of the dance threw his back out the day before, so he couldn't dance that day.

Reacting to the "very high" fire danger posted at the Malad rest stop on our way home Saturday. It had obviously been a while since someone had updated it because everything was covered in snow.

Nationals, March 7-11

Since Ana is on the gold team at Bonneville, that meant she got to go to Nationals. The team rented out part of an enormous mansion in Orem to stay at between their medleys, syllabus and open. Rebekah got to be my dance trip buddy since she finished her high school requirements a trimester early. So she and I stayed in an apartment Seth's uncle owns in Provo. We were a 10-minute drive from the dancers' place, and a 5-minute drive from the Marriott Center where the competition was held. 

Ana performed with the medley team and with her partner for syllabus. The Elvis medley placed fourth in their division, and Ana and Dallin made it to the quarterfinals with their swing. Rebekah and I photographed/videotaped performances, ate a Cougar Tail (a GIANT maple bar), went to the campus art and biology museums, toured the tabernacle replica that happened to be on campus that week, ate lunch with my nephew Mason, and watched several edited movies (Jaws, Psycho, Schindler's List, Zombieland). We also sneaked a Cougar Tail to Ana on the last day. It took her forever to see her texts and get it off the porch. 

Ana and Jo dancing their Elvis (Latin) medley. Ana was an alternate for their WWII (standard) medley, and since all the girls were in proper working order, she didn't perform that one this time.

 

Ana and Dallin in the Elvis medley.

Ana and Dallin swing dancing. Poor Dallin was wearing a short-sleeved white shirt for the first round, and then had to change to a long-sleeved shirt when they advanced. (Because the rules state you can have short sleeves in the first round but not the others, apparently.) The only long-sleeved white shirt he had was a tux shirt, and the only black tie he had was not a bow tie. (And black ties/bow ties are required, apparently.) Hence the unique combination you see here.

Ana bowing at the end of her samba routine.

Ana, Lilli, Braxton and Dallin waiting to see if they advanced in samba.

Rebekah helping to sew a bracelet together for the Elvis medley. We were put to work as soon as we got to the Marriott Center. We sewed buttons, bracelets, jackets and pants. And we ran back to the house where the kids were staying because one pair of Latin pants accidentally got left behind.

Andrea and Rebekah at the gravesite of Mark and Sally Fifield in the Evergreen Cemetery in Springville, Utah. One morning when we had nothing to do, we drove around to cemeteries and thrift stores. 

Andrea, Rebekah and Ana at the Marriott Center between Ana's routines.

Mason, Andrea and Rebekah in Provo after eating lunch together at K's Japanese Kitchen. Rebekah and I had already eaten there our first day in town, but when we asked Mason for a recommendation, he suggested this one. It was so good the first time, we didn't even let him know we'd been there until we were already at the restaurant.

Rebekah and Andrea at the traveling tabernacle replica. Mason told us that he would be volunteering there the evening after we had lunch together, so we looked it up and went the next day. It was a great exhibit. 

At the Monte L. Bean Museum. It seemed like it hadn't been that long since we last went, but I guess it had been a few years (2017).

Ha!

Rebekah at the BYU art museum.

Gem State, March 23-26

The great thing about this dance competition is that it's held in Idaho Falls. The bad thing about this dance competition is that it's held during spring break. But because we had already gone on a big trip earlier in the year, we just stayed around town and didn't feel too bad about having to be here for Gem State.

Both Ana and Miriam competed in this one. Ana's team placed 1st for "I Need You," 3rd for "Higher," 3rd for "Don't Slack" (their Latin medley adapted to be a jive for this competition), and 5th for their cabaret. Miriam's team places 1st for "No Excuses" and 2nd for "Everybody Talks." She also placed 3rd in Junior Bronze B foxtrot and 3rd in Youth Bronze B samba. 

Miriam keeping her eye on the camera while waiting to dance with her partner during syllabus on Thursday.

Miriam dancing.

Ana dancing with Dallin during syllabus on Thursday.

Twirly skirt.

Ana dancing "Higher" on Friday.

Ana walking her dog, Beelzebub, at the beginning of "I Need You."

Miriam dancing "No Excuses."

Ana dancing cabaret.

Ana's jive.

Miriam dancing syllabus on Saturday.

Dinner show, April 10

Every year the Bonneville ballroom team has a fundraiser where they serve dinner and perform for their fans. I served salad and then joined the rest of the family to watch our girls in the Bonneville gym. All the grandparents and Aunt Rachel's family were able to come.

Ana dancing "Higher." 

Ana dancing "Rainbow Connection" with the Mini Bees. The Mini Bees are elementary-aged kids who pay to attend weekly ballroom classes. The high school ballroom kids help with the lessons and dance with them in performances. 

Miriam dances "Everybody Talks" with the Stinger team.

Ana dancing her jive.

Ana dancing "Sticks and Stones."

Ana dancing her Elvis Medley. Seth was giving her a double thumbs-up during the routine, so after Ana noticed him, she found a way to work in her own double thumbs-up.

Miriam dancing "No Excuses."

Ana dancing "Gitchee Gitchee Goo" with the older Mini Bees.

Ana frozen during the opening of "I Need You."