Goings On

I'll be darned if I can come up with a good title for this post, since I don't have an organizing principle for it. Mainly I just need to catch up on our goings on. That's what I'll call it. Goings On. Which reminds me . . . do you watch Downton Abbey? I know mom does. Anybody else out there? Oh, it's so much fun. So sad the season is over -- it was fun to shoo the kids to bed by 9:00 on Sunday nights and watch my DVRed Brits in blissful peace. And aren't these paper dolls a riot? Ah, the things one can find on the Internet. What did we do without it, truly?

Not a lot of earth shattering news at the Hallstrom house of late, although Jonas did get contacts. That's kind of a big deal, no? Just look at those baby blues, all unfettered:

The lady at Target Optical said Jonas was one of the quickest students of contact lens application that she's ever worked with. "Quicker than most grown men!" she said. After fifteen minutes he had it down, and he's been totally responsible for his contacts without needing any help or guidance from me ever since. I think he's enjoying not having to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose hundreds of times a day.

I also got to go see Wyatt's "Grandparents Day" performance. I was among the cadre of parents-standing-in-for-Grandparents. It was mostly the Mormons who were grandparentless -- every last one of us a transplant from the west. Although our bishop's wife did come and stood in as a surrogate grandma, which was SO incredibly nice. (Speaking of bishops: I had a dream last night that Forrest was called as the bishop and nobody even told me. They just called his name and he stood up, all smiley and content. I woke up in a panic. Did you know that George Albert Smith was called to be an apostle at General Conference and didn't even know it? He wasn't even there. He was taking his kids to the fair and got home and a bunch of people were on his front lawn, informing him of the matter. How the Church changes over time.)

ANYWAY . . . here are some cute pictures of my Wy-Diggity, for those grandparents who weren't able to make it:

During this particular song they had to stick their tongues out and wiggle their bottoms, much to the chagrin of one of Wyatt's friends who's very shy -- she ran off the stage in dismay.

Instruments!

This one's a little fuzzy, but I love how happy he looks. And his cute little exposed belly. (Wyatt has the best belly.)

I would have taken video but, alas, my phone didn't have enough battery. I know, I know. Why does that always happen? It's like a conspiracy.

And now I've got to get busy really writing. Now that "Field Walking" has a home, I'm rededicating myself to my oft-abandoned YA novel. Wish me luck.

Hoary!

"Hoar" is one of those words we don't use in modern American English very often. (At least, not H-O-A-R hoar.) But in a strange coincidence, the very same weekend I was studying 1st Kings for seminary and came upon this verse:

1 Kings 2:6 "Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace." [For those of you who are interested, this is David, on his deathbed, speaking to his son Solomon, asking him to exact vengeance upon the hoar(y?) head of Joab, his former military commander who betrayed him.]

Anyway, that very same weekend we had one of these:

Who doesn't like a good hoar frost? It happens when fog gets frozen in the night and there's no wind to blow the frozen crystals off of the trees. Isn't it beautiful?

A hoary weekend indeed!

And with no relation to hoariness of any kind, Jonas performed in his school's play on Saturday and did a great job. He was a "cool cat," and I went to the play assuming that he would be an ACTUAL cat who was also cool. But no. He was just a cool kid from the 50s. Aha!

Pictures weren't allowed during the performance, but I snapped some at the very end as they were giving flowers to the directors:

Jonas is in the red, on the far right. Such a cool cat.

He got his very own pair of sunglasses.

Doesn't he look cute with his hair slicked back? I mean, doesn't he look "cool"?

 In other news, Wyatt is mostly asking me dozens of questions every day.  Here are some examples:

-How do they make the stoplights turn red at the right time?
-If God has a body, is he bigger than Dad? Or just bigger than Ethan?
-What is the name of the biggest toad in the world?
-What do bullies look like?
-(Pointing at the crosswalk.) If we don't have one of these by our house then how can we cross the street?
-Why do we have to be babies before we can be people?

Important points to ponder, all. I finally gave up trying to explain how stoplights work because, frankly, I'm not sure. And who knows? Maybe God is 5'11". Something to think about.

I Am Not Concerned About the Very Poor

Actually, I am concerned about the very poor, but there's something about that line, right? It just makes you want to click on it. I'm guessing that the day after the Florida primary there were some Romney staffers who just put their heads down on their desks and moaned in the way that Billy Crystal moaned when he was on the phone all depressed with Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. Remember that scene? "Will you be able to sleep?" "If not, I'll be okay." "What will you do?" "I'll just stay up and moan. [Moan, moan, moan.]"

Anyway! Enough about politics and timeless 80s movies. (But I just have to say . . . isn't it weird that I'm older than both the Harry character and the Sally character at their OLDEST in that film?)

So here's what's going on at our house, in age order:

FORREST is currently sitting beside me playing Angry Birds on my Kindle. He's a little obsessed. It's cute. He's not much of a gamer at all (and real "gamers," I realize, would not call playing Angry Birds something that qualifies you to BE a gamer) . . . but anyway, it's cute. He's been doing strength training, which is more handsome than cute, in that "Hey, look at those new muscles, hon!" kind of way. We haven't had enough snow for him to go cross country skiing at all. He made a really yummy baked potato soup tonight for dinner.

ME, Angela (Angie, Ang, Mom, Mother, Sister Hallstrom, Hey Lady), well I have a couple of fun things to report. One is that Dialogue is going to publish my story, "Field Walking," this summer, which makes me very happy. Another is that a former professor at Hamline, Sheila (who is actually more than just a former professor -- she's been a wonderful mentor and example) asked me to sub for her in April in her point of view class. I wrote my first draft of "Thanksgiving" in that class and she's had her students read it over the years, so I get to go and talk about it with them and help run a workshop. Should be fun. A little intimidating, but fun.

Also, I got my first shipment of books for my new gig as BYU Studies' literature review editor. Jonas asked, "Do they pay you?" And I said no, and then he said, "But I guess they pay you in books, so that's kind of like paying you." I agree. It was fun to slide the new books into the "Mormon lit" spot on my bookshelf. Actually, the Mormon lit shelf is now officially full. (And I don't even have The Lonely Polygamist on it, since I have it with my "hardback novels" shelf.) (Also, true, I might not be keeping all the books I get, because if I ask someone else to review them then I ship them off. Anyway.):

Yes, I realize that for many of you it's disappointing that there are no pictures of kids, but instead a picture of my bookshelf. It's early February, aaight? Give a girl a break.  But back to the books: in the far right corner you can see a poetry anthology called Fire in the Pasture. I just got it a couple of days ago and it's excellent. So many wonderful poems. (I'll be writing the notice in BYU Studies for that one because I'm keeping that puppy.) Why in the world there aren't more Mormon Lit courses at BYU is beyond me. Dispensation, Fire in the Pasture, The Lonely Polygamist, The Year My Son and I Were Born, Sense of Order and Other Stories, On the Road to Heaven, Hooligan -- the syllabus just writes itself, and the quality of the writing could stand toe to toe with that found in any other lit class. Sometimes I have this little fantasy that if we'd stayed in Utah I could have started teaching it at the SL Center (I'd already started asking around). But we'll not go there. Anyway, I hope Mo Lit courses can be taken more seriously, and offered more regularly, at BYU Provo. I know they're doing a pretty good job of it at BYU Idaho.

ETHAN has started to get scads of college recruitment mail because he took the PSAT and rocked it. (It actually was a "P"PSAT for Ethan, since it doens't count until your Junior year and he was only taking it for practice.) I remember getting recruitment mail in high school from places like Bryn Mawr and even though it seemed completely outside the realm of possibility that I would actually GO to Bryn Mawr, it was cool they were sending me mail. Also, he took 3rd place in varsity creative expression at last week's speech meet, which is very cool considering how many students were competing and how new Ethan is to the category. He has a very handsome eagle trophy show for it.

ELISE is in the ensemble of Lake Middle School's musical, Honk Jr. At first she was a touch disappointed that she didn't get a speaking part, but now she's really enjoying herself. The ensemble is in lots of scenes and the songs are fun. She also told me this afternoon that she has to "flirt in slow motion" with the boy lead in one scene. "It's hard enough to flirt," she said. "Try it in slow motion!" Very true.

JONAS is playing a "cool cat" in his school's production of Cinderella: A 50s Version. They do it all in one week, staying after school till 8:00 p.m. every day until Saturday, when they perform it. It's his first play and he seems to be having fun. Looks as if the Hallstrom family is going thespian.

WYATT completely skipped over "eel" in swimming lessons and is now doing the more advanced "ray" class. He could swim all day. He's also really, really focused on asking questions right now. I can't even listen to NPR in the car any more. "Hey, Mom -- Why those guys in Egypt so mad?" "Hey Mom, how come everybody keeps talking about Primary?" (Perhaps if Newt Gingrich had GONE to Primary he'd be a little less Gingrichy. Just sayin.)


And now I need to turn the laptop over to Elise so she can study for her science test. Do YOU know the difference between foliated and non-foliated metamorphic rocks? Me neither, but Elise does.

Happy Birthday Wy Diggidy

Wyatt Dean turned 5 on Saturday. Unbelievable! I remember talking with my mom when he was born, telling ourselves that in 5 years all my kids would be in school and my mom could retire. It seemed so far away. And wouldn't you know it? Time marched on as time does, and now my baby's a kid. And my mom's still working. (But not for long, right Mama!?!?! :-)

The family celebrated on Friday night by heading over to the Water Park of America (billed as the world's biggest indoor waterpark, but I'm not sure how they were measuring. By volume? The ceilings were high and all, but I've seen bigger indoor waterparks in my day. Maybe they excluded all indoor/outdoor waterparks? It is a mystery). Wyatt loves swimming and had a ball. The rest of the family did as well. Although I will say: parents, do you not have ANY opinions about the swimsuits your daughters wear? There are two piece swimsuits, I understand that, but then there are teeny tiny bikinis that serve no purpose other than 1. to objectify a pretty girl and 2. make a girl without a perfect body uncomfortable. My favorite girl of the night was a very attractive blond who didn't look any more that 15. She had a scriptural tattoo on her back (reference and all). 1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear." Classic.

But back to Wyatt's birthday! Wyatt asked for a Nerf battle axe for his birthday, and because he is the last child and I am a pushover, I acquiesced. The maniacal gleam in his eye does. not. worry. me.

I also got him a remote control car, since just giving him a battle axe seemed wrong somehow:

He also requested a chocolate cake with white frosting and strawberries. An excellent choice, and very mature!

(I didn't realize until it came time to light the candles that I only had ONE candle left. Luckily there was the one. Bad mom, yes, but he didn't seem to mind.)

We wish we could have had a big family bash like the days of yore, but Forrest did take a video of the single-candle-blowing-out. At least we can all be virtually together:



Happy birthday my boy! We love you.

Frickin Freezing

It finally feels like a Minnesota winter today. -7 without wind chill (something like -25 with). I took Wyatt to swimming lessons and he insisted on wearing his swim suit there, although I made him wear his coat and shirt of course. The best part of the story, though, is how I bundled up his pants and underwear inside the towel, or so I thought. Turns out I dropped the pants in the garage. I ended up wrapping Wyatt's bottom half in his towel and carrying all 50 pounds of him across the wind whipped YMAC parking lot. Mom hero!

What else? Hmmm. Ethan starts speech this weekend. Elise was one of 15 of the 40 kids who auditioned for her school's talent show, "Lake Idol." She performed two days ago, singing and playing "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane on her guitar, and did GREAT. I'm not just saying that as a mom, either. She rocked it. Sadly, though, she didn't make to the Top 10 "next round," and she was robbed. Robbed I tell you! (Seriously. I'm getting over it though. She got over it faster than I did.) Jonas wants contact lenses. Wyatt completely skipped over the "Eel" portion of swimming lessons (Pike - Ray - Eel is the usual progression) and just learned how to do the breast stroke today. In Eel class they call it "pizza," because what almost-5 year old is interested in doing a "breast stroke"? And it's almost his birthday. Saturday, the big 5! I can hardly believe it.

Seminary is going okay, but January and February are the doldrums, to be sure. I remember from my time as a public school teacher. This morning at 7:15 we had exactly 4 kids of 16 in the classroom. A few more trickled in to hear me try and make Samuel the Boy Prophet applicable to their everyday lives (and he actually is applicable to their everyday lives, wouldnt-you-know), but overall the feeling in the room is not the most robust from day to day. It's okay, though. Ups and downs, yes? We'll all feel better when it's not so frickin freezing.

I am very conflicted about Romney becoming the Republican nominee. The Mormon part of me wants him to do well -- that whole tribal thing -- but the Democrat part of me really wishes that he would stop saying stuff like concern over income inequality is just envy. Dude, I'm not jealous of you. Promise. I just think that the whole rich-get-richer-while-the-poor-go-hang isn't the very best way to run a society. How about this: I won't say you're blinded by privilege if you don't say I'm blinded by envy, and we'll leave it at that.

Last thing: I just finished listening to Destiny of the Republic, a biography of President James Garfield, and it was excellent. I love books where I find myself thinking, "I had no idea," and I thought that over and over and over again while listening to this book.  Garfield was a truly outstanding human being and would have probably been one of our best presidents had he lived. If you want a good read (or a good listen) pick this one up.

So. 2012.

First, before I wax philosophical, a few pictures of New Year's Eve and some other photo-worthy events of 2011.

We had a few friends over for New Year's Eve and had a most wonderful time:

Some of the kids at our place on New Year's Eve

More of the kids at our place on New Year's Eve

Ethan and two of his buddies, getting ready to go to the New Year's dance.

Happy New Year!

And Silly String!

A few more photo-worthy events over the holiday break:

Elise and her friend enjoying  mud masks from the "spa kit" Grandma Sweat gave Elise for Christmas.

Dad and Ethan and a gaggle of dead pheasants.

Jonas hanging from a rock wall -- the Big Boys enjoyed a day of indoor rock climbing over the break.

It was nice to spend time together as a family and just chill over the holiday break. It's also been nice to get back into the swing of a normal schedule and take down the holiday decorations. Ethan came home from school the day I got Christmas all taken down and said, "Mom, our house is so clean! What's the deal?" No cleaner than normal -- I'd just cleared out all that wonderful, but cluttery, Christmassy stuff. And don't be so surprised that the house looks clean, kiddo.

And now it's 2012. I'm not a big one for official "resolutions," but it is nice to take a minute to look back on the year that just passed and look forward to the year that's coming. Here are a few thoughts on 2011:

Good stuff: Seeing the kids come into their own in their new schools and with new friends. Watching them participate in baseball and swimming lessons and plays and church events and all that fun stuff and enjoying their successes at school. Appreciating the benefits of having a happy husband: happy in his job, happy in the opportunities that living in Minnesota affords, happy in his calling. Spending time with friends and family during our three trips (hey, wait, with the Segullah retreat I had FOUR trips to Utah. Can that be right?), as well as our other trips and boating expeditions. I also found  a lot of purpose and growth with my new seminary calling (amidst the sleepiness and late-night "what in the heck am I going to teach tomorrow?" panic sessions).

And then there's the entertainment rundown. My favorite movies of the year? (It's actually slim pickins this year, imo, but I do have some favorites): Moneyball, The Muppets, Super 8, Contagion, and The Help. Favorite TV shows?: The Good Wife and the first season of Downton Abbey (hooray for good writing, good acting, good production values, for both shows). Modern Family and Community made me laugh, too. And I know it's totally predictable of me since it was only the most popular album of 2011, but singing along to Adele's album 21 while I drove around in my car brought me lots of joy. Mumford & Sons had some nice ditties too. I read some really great books as well: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, Mystery and Manners by Flannery O'Connor, The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer, 11/22/63 by Stephen King, The Place of Knowing by Emma Lou Thayne, Bossypants by Tina Fey, and Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand were probably my favorites.

I was happy to discover that Rick Bayless of Top Chef fame has a new line of Mexican products at Target. This sauce  is mui bueno, especially when you're making shrimp tacos with corn tortillas. Big time mmmmmmm. . . .

Oh, and I also was really glad to see Forrest (almost) finish our new deck in the backyard. It was a big project and he did a great job. (The only thing left to do is cover up those white posts. I'm having issues with the white posts.)

Not as Good Stuff: 
The toughest losses of the year were Forrest's dad's death, as well as the death of my Grandma. We also lost Buttercup -- she left one day and never came home. It was hard not to know what became of her. Even though she drove me crazy with her late-night wake-ups and incessant need to destroy the carpet on our bottom stair, she's been a part of our family for seven years. We miss her. I've also struggled some this year with feeling a bit aimless and untethered and (perhaps strangely, since in comparison to other years I have so few external pressures right now) anxious. I think, out of everyone in the family, I've had the hardest time with the move. Although there are many good things about living in Minnesota and I've met some wonderful people I'm so grateful now to know, I miss my family and Utah friends and my writing community and my BYU teaching job.  I went from being too busy to being not busy enough, I think, and the shifting of gears has been a little rough at times. I also tend to tilt toward anxiety when my emotional equilibrium gets wonky, and with only one way to direct my nervous energies -- training them directly on my kids -- I tend to overmanage their lives to a certain extent, and overworry.

Blogs often give the impression that everything is always sunshine and toothy grins, and while I had a lot to be grateful for this past year and nothing tragic or terrible happened, this year has probably been more challenging for me personally than I would have liked it to be. I have learned a lot, though, and can honestly say I've grown closer to the spirit. It's such a cliche that it's almost embarrassing, but it's much easier to forget God when your life is full and brimming. So I count my opportunity to call on my Heavenly Father and strengthen my understanding of the atonement as one of the blessings of 2011.


Which doesn't mean that I don't hope 2012 is a little better.

Here are my hopes for 2012, as well as some of the things I'm looking forward to:

-That the kids will all be healthy (physically, mentally, spiritually) and, of course, happy. That they will continue to do well in school and make friends and work hard and have fun.

-That I can keep on enjoying teaching seminary and figure out a way for it to work next year. (Jonas goes to middle school, so there's nobody at my house to watch Wyatt. Hmmm.)

-That Forrest will continue to enjoy work and find success there, and new challenges. That he'll always know how very grateful I am for him: that he is my rock, my best friend, my one and only, my favorite person. (Yes, that's too sappy, I realize, but no matter how I feel about some externals in my life, I never want to forget how lucky I am to be married to someone I truly love and who loves me back. Even when I'm wonky.)

-That I might be able to find an adjunct teaching job. Wyatt will be going to Kindergarten in the Fall, probably full time, and it will be good for me to be able to have something else besides the kids to focus on. I know this isn't the case for everybody, but for me, I'm a better mom when I have a little something else to worry over and concentrate on. Teaching a class or two isn't the be-all end-all, but I know from past experience that it fills me up just enough, despite some added stress, to give me the emotional reserves I need at home.

-That I'll continue to work on my writing. I finished the short story I'd been working on for months and have submitted it, but haven't heard back on it yet. Hopefully it'll find a home. Now I need to get serious on my novel.

-That we'll have some fun family trips. And that Forrest and I will TOTALLY enjoy ourselves in St. Lucia in March. We're going with the Wilkeys for our 20th anniversary and it should be an awesome time.

-That I won't need trials or personal wonkiness to remember to turn to God. That's the best way, right?

I hope you all have an excellent 2012. See ya 2011! Onward and upward.

Resist My Charm

The title of this post refers to one of the many anagrams formed with the "Merry Christmas" letter blocks that have graced our kitchen window sill this holiday season. Here's another:

Forrest wants me to point out an anagram he's particularly proud of, one that uses every single "Merry Christmas" letter block (and is therefore, in his words, a "bingo"): "Cram it, Ms. Sherry." Not particularly Christmassy, but the phrase has a certain je ne sais quoi. There are many many others, as the Christmas blocks are rearranged at least a couple of times a day during the month of December, but this post is not about anagrams of Merry Christmas, but of an actual Merry Christmas. The one at our house!

(Ethan just said to me: "Hey Mom, when are you going to write the blog post about Christmas that makes you sound a little more enthusiastic about everything than you actually are?" Ah, my son.)

So here we go! Enthusiastically!

The family, gathered around ye old dinner table, ready to partake of our traditional Christmas Eve meal, one taken from my childhood and slightly altered: breaded shrimp (popcorn for the little kids, big guys for the big ones), macaroni and cheese, and -- the Hallstrom family addition -- scones with butter and honey. Mmmmm. We had pineapple too, and a couple bottles of Martinelli's. Mui delicioso!

Then we had our Christmas eve program:

Elise, strumming away

Jonas whistling (he left his trumpet at school -- ahem) and Wyatt clicking. They're talented kids, I tell you. I'm thinking of enrolling Wyatt in a Suzuki-method school for prodigy clickers.

Wyatt singing a Christmas song from his preschool program

Ethan reading the Christmas story from Luke.

The kids in front of the "family presents," the ones they get to open on Christmas Eve.

 Speaking of opening "family presents" on Christmas Eve: I remember being so excited/anxious about opening those presents that I could barely contain myself during the obligatory Christmas Eve Program portion of the evening. Oh, the exquisite torture of waiting!

And now, two pictures of Ethan opening up the aforementioned family presents, mostly because they're kind of hilarious:

Thanks for the scarf, Mindy!

And Grandma! Subway AND iTunes? What 15 year old boy could ask for anything more?

Then we shooed the kids off to bed and finished wrapping presents and arranging them under the tree. I love (love love love) looking at a tree with presents piled underneath, everything dark except for the glow of Christmas lights. Oh, it's my favorite!

We got to bed at a reasonable hour, but then at 4:45 we heard trampling in the hall -- the kids going to check out the tree, of course. Didn't you guys do that when you were young too? (I think I even did it when I was 17.) But I could still hear them talking and shuffling around in their room at 5:15 and had to go in and lay down the law (and make Wyatt get in his own bed) so everybody could get at least a little sleep. Then, at 6:45, our bedroom door opened and Wyatt said, "Hey Mom? I don't mean to bother you, but . . . I don't know if it's seven o'clock?"

We gave the kid a break and got up fifteen minutes early.

The obligatory "Top of the Stairs" photo. Everyone always looks a little pale and stunned in this picture. It's a tradition.

Wyatt, holding up a new Wii game

Ethan, enjoying the dulcet tones as Elise tries out her new guitar.

Imaginext! Created by people who know how to get 4 year olds to persuade their parents that they reaaally need one more plastic castle-type play thingie. A new one every year!

Jonas's remote control helicopter. A big hit with all the men in the house.

Forrest, demonstrating a proper bow hunting stance, as well as proper bow hunting crazy eyes.

And more weaponry. This gun was a $14.99 impulse buy the day before Christmas, and I think it's been Wyatt's favorite gift.

Elise, modeling a new Christmas sweater.

Although part of me was dreading getting ready for church at 10 a.m., it turned out to be really nice. Since we didn't have any family to visit (or visit us), it gave us a reason to get dressed and head out and mingle with humanity. And there was some beautiful Christmas music on the program too.

We were running five minutes late, as usual, but I still made everybody pose for a picture before we left. Here's Forrest's attempt:

Then I came downstairs and made them do it right:

Wyatt hated his sweater. Hated the argyle, hated the itchiness, hated how high his pants were. He humored me, though, and wore it to church at least once. Look how nicely they all match! Ethan told me I should just use this picture for next year's Christmas card. Ha. How little the boy knows me.

We came home from church, changed into our comfy (non-matchy) clothes, and hung out, ate, played games, etc. etc., long into the evening. A little after 9:00 p.m. we found Wyatt on the couch:

A satisfying end to a satisfying day.

We had a lovely Christmas, but missed seeing all of you. Maybe next year somebody will come see us! (You know you want to travel to Minnesota in the dead of winter! C'mon!)

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas as well. Here's to one more week of sleeping in! Happy Holidays!

Oh, The Concerts!

Christmastime is a time of concerts. Always has been, always should be. I think my very best high school memories were of skidding along I-15 in a rattletrap car stuffed to the brim with Madrigals, racing through a snow storm to make it to our next Christmas concert on time. It's amazing we survived (truly), but man, I loved singing Christmas carols. And now I get to enjoy listening to my kids sing Christmas carols, which is wonderful in its own way too.

Here are a few highlights from the past few weeks:

The best closeup I could get at Wyatt's Preschool program

Wyatt and the gang at Salem Lutheran Church

Here's a video clip of Wyatt singing away. (All video clips are mostly for Grandmas :-).

Wyatt ends this particular performance with some excellent preschool-grade nose-picking, doesn't he? Ah, to be at the age when nose picking is still cute.

Here are some of Jonas's performances. First, band. He just started the trumpet this year and is doing a great job. (I'm glad somebody in the house decided to pick it up after Ethan unceremoniously dropped the instrument last year.)

No video of the band concert (so sorry Grandmas!). But we do have video Jonas's choir concert. I thought this song was a lot of fun:

And it's always nice to hear kids singing in a foreign language:

And here's s a nice photo as well, to compensate for the kinda icky grainy video taken with my cell phone:

My two favorite things about this picture: Jonas's smile, and the hair on the kid two to his right.

I've been so happy with the opportunities Jonas has had with music at his school. His school has TWO music teachers (band and chorus), and I've been so impressed with the great job both have done. The kids are really learning a lot, and Jonas is starting to like singing more and more. It helps that his good friend Jack (he's the kid in the bottom right in the orange) is an excellent singer. The two of them sang a version of Linkin Park's "In the End" for their school's talent show. (Jonas sang the "It starts with . . ." part, while Jack did the rapping, then they came together for the chorus. Wish I could have seen it.)

Here are some pics and videos from Elise's last few weeks:

First she participated in the District Honor Choir for her school district and spent the day with other good singers from middle schools in the area:

Elise is on the far right . . . somewhere.

Elise and her friend Preeta.

 She's also had fun performing with her middle school's extra curricular choir, Vocal Jazz. It's quite a sacrifice for our Lou to go to her Vocal Jazz rehearsals, since they take place at 7:00 a.m. one or two times a week, and our Lou is not a 7:00 a.m. girl. But she's happy to go because she loves to sing:

Elise is on the right, in the back (as always -- the right where the altos stand, the back is where the tall girls stand)

After her concert at the middle school

 She's also been able to perform at the Mall of America, at an old folks home (there's nothing like performing at old folks homes when you're a choral singer -- they're always willing to host a bunch of warbly teenagers), and at our local library. Our local library also has a cool indoor park area with an amphitheater, so it's more like a community center than simple library. She always comments on how much she likes its smell. Something about the indoor waterfall and trees? Hmmm. Anyway, here's Elise singing, along with the combined choirs of East Ridge and Woodbury high schools:

Wyatt has spent some time listening to all of these concerts. Here's his take on the experience:

Finally . . . what about Ethan? I know you were wondering how I would work him into this post. It's true that we no longer attend any Ethan concerts since he's not in a choir or a band anymore, and we're in between the musical and the play at school, but he's been keeping busy. He finished out his first trimester with a flourish, earning a 4.05 GPA (the .05 is possible because AP classes get extra weight). And he's been spending every Mon, Tues, and Thurs from 6-9 at drivers ed. He finished this Thursday and got his "blue card," which earns him the right to take his permit exam, which, if he passes, will earn him the right to drive with a parent in the car. AHH! Seriously? Seriously. I made him back the car out this morning so I could take his picture. He was happy about the backing out part, not so happy about the picture taking part:

Oh, and one quick thing from me. I'm the new Literature and Fiction Editor at BYU Studies, which is pretty cool. It's another volunteer gig, but I look forward to getting to know the people on staff and to the opportunity to promote good Mormon lit in another venue. Should be fun.

And that's it from here. Christmas is coming! Hooray hooray hooray! And it's been so much fun to get everybody's Christmas cards in the mail -- thank you. If you haven't sent yours, I'll be haunting my mailbox until it arrives.