Tuck Everlasting❤️

 The Spring MDT class musical ended up being a big hit!  I wasn't excited about the show at first, because once again Katelyn didn't get a part and she was disappointed. But as a wood spirit/townsperson she was actually onstage more than the smaller speaking parts (Winnie's mom and grandma) that she had wanted, and she got to be in all the fun songs and dances.  So it turned out to be a really fun show for her. Here she is with her siblings, who of course wanted to see the show multiple times, and with me backstage when I got to chaperone!

view from backstage, and with Andrea by the GIANT tree they built for the show!! 

I will never forget being backstage with Katelyn and she had on her ballet shoes (that we bought for the show- the first time she has owned some) and she said "these shoes just make me want to dance!" and she kept flitting around the dressing room gracefully like a child.  It made me so happy to see her so happy, getting to move her body in such a joyful, carefree, beautiful way.  I'm thrilled that she has had so many opportunities to dance and feel confident in that.

So actually....I ended up LOVING Tuck Everlasting!  The cast was FABULOUS, the show itself is very soulful, and it was just fun and beautiful!

Katelyn dancing and singing on the back row, and in the front middle. 

They all just looked so pretty! Background vocals for "It's a Wheel, Winnie" 

More backstage

This gorgeous, fun set for the carnival scene!  Wow!  Katelyn got to be a mom to little Owen Ellis for this part, during a couple of songs. Here they are in the middle of the shot, she's in a patchwork dress.

Both of these are from the big number "Live Like This" that they ended up getting to perform at Abravenel Hall in Salt Lake because they were nominated for best musical by the Utah HS Musical Theater awards.... more on that later. It was so cool!!

Yay for another successful show. :)

Whitney the Brave

 Lacrosse???? What?!?

Yes, we now have a Lacrosse player in the family!  Whitney decided to try a totally new sport, and for the most part she liked it haha. 

It didn't help that we had the snowiest winter and the wettest/coldest spring EVER!  Literally top 5 in recorded history. Anyway this was her first game ever, up in Salt Lake at Murray High.  Eric and I decided to go see it.  This was in the first half, when it was still light outside and just freezing. Whitney is second from right, playing attack with Ashelyn.

In the second half, a freak thunderstorm came in....in March?? and it started raining, then POURING, then coming down in sheets so heavy we couldn't even see the field anymore.  Eric and I were in the stands huddled under a blanket trying not to drown- we didn't bring an umbrella obviously, because it was March!! Whitney said she couldn't see anything already because of the heavy rain, and then she had to sprint down the field after the ball right INTO the oncoming freezing rain, and she was just running totally blindly!  Finally when it started HAILING they called the game!  We managed to catch Whitney for this picture as everyone was sprinting for the bus/their cars. Crazy first lacrosse experience haha.   

And thus began a season full of 75% of the games being played in snow, rain, or just general freezing temperatures.  Whitney had more experiences of not being able to feel her fingers or toes than all her years of skiing combined.  

Here's a little photo shoot we did before her first home game. They wear skirts in lacrosse!!  or they did until they ordered matching shorts and wore those instead.

First home game, with that snowy mountain backdrop!  This game Whitney got to play middie- throughout the season she tried all the positions.

#27 going for it!  And her brave supporters learning the rules of Lacrosse.

Later in the season, playing attack, she scored a goal!

The whole varsity and JV team coming together for a cheer. It was the first year they had enough for a JV team!  Whitney played JV whenever the other team had a JV team (lacrosse is a new sport for HS in Utah), and got some Varsity minutes whenever there wasn't a JV team.  Pretty good for a Freshman who had never touched a Lacrosse stick before. 

ice cream with the cousins after they came to a game!

Last home game, it was actually warm-ish!

Playing attack at a game in SF. 

Before we knew it, it was May and the season was over. Here's Whit with the other Freshmen at the team banquet: Macy, Ariah, and Ashelyn.  Whitney got her first Varsity Letter!  Her coach was....not the best.  Bad coaching almost made her want to not do lacrosse again! 

Whitney and her 9th grade bestie Ashelyn.  They were together A LOT (HS soccer, indoor club soccer, Lacrosse, outdoor club season, and several classes together) and they didn't get sick of each other, yay!  So grateful for their friendship.  

Also Whitney taking a classic selfie on my phone in her Lacrosse swag.... half the reason she didn't quit after the first couple of games. She was in it for the merch! :)

An interesting experience for sure!

Hazel’s Baptism

 Me and 4 of the kids and Jonathan went down to St George for Hazel's baptism the first weekend of March- so for the 3rd time in 6 weeks we were down there haha! Eric and Whitney stayed home for indoor soccer/lacrosse. 

Here is Brooke with her doggie and her new favorite person, me!! She decided she liked me, and wanted to me to always hold her and cried when I left!  Phillip and Katrina were shocked because she usually doesn't like anyone. We are still buddies 6 months later, it is SO cute!!

We made a stop at the St George temple,

And Pioneer Park to do the crack of course!!

Katelyn and Maris.

One reason we went (besides the most important reason of supporting Hazel, and that she asked me to speak at her baptism!) was that Donny and Christine and their girls decided to come down for it (and stay at the house in Hurricane) and my parents would be there too. So it was a major cousin party!!

Emma, Lydia, Maris, Ryder, Owen, Evelyn, Travis, Claire, Hazel and Mei all toasting their popcicles :)

Trampoline time at the Cravens and Owen and Ryder being a little too fearless on our hike.

We (minus D&C and girls) hiked to some petroglyphs, it was super cool.

One more of the top of the crack.

cute cousins swimming- Maris, hazel, Lydia, Claire and justin

beautiful sunset at the heated pool in early March. 

Super glad we went, it was a great trip.

Kate’s 15 Costume Changes in The Three Musketeers!

 What a show for Katelyn's Junior Year!  They had an all-star cast of Senior boys who reveled in the comedy and combat of the 3 Musketeers. WHAT. A. PARTY! it was for them! And the whole cast. In addition to being the Student Director for her cast of the show, Katelyn also played the roles of Lady in Waiting for the Queen, Cardinal's Guard, a Nun, and a tavern wench.  6 different costumes, which she had to put on and take off multiple times each!  It was a madhouse backstage!  But the show turned out great, it was hilarious.  And Katelyn got to learn several new swordfights and dances, very cool. 

Here she is in her fancy dress, so pretty. Onstage with Andrea the Queen, Kyle the King and Dylan the Cardinal. And after with Andrea and Dylan's little brother who played young king Louis, so funny!

katelyn in all her ball gown glory, dancing with Liam

The big reveal scene at the end, and Katelyn and the other ladies of the court having a laugh with the queen and Treville.

ladies with parasols (kate malaina and clover), and Katelyn and Ben at the masquerade ball.

Kate with her sibling supporters!

Katelyn clapping during the bows! the music for the show (by Leah) was actually really cool- modern songs in an old-timey lute/harp/violin type style, it was awesome. And then the bows were to the song Carry On by Fun, it was such a cool way to end! ANd Kate and Liam with his scary beard haha.

Kate in the back charging with the Card Guard, and fighting Sean.

Fighting Michaiah!

In an epic 3v1 fight scene with Liam (Porthos) vs Katelyn, Katherine and Leo.

They had to work on this scene quite a bit and there was lots of great acting in it!

Katelyn's great death scene!  And she was dragged offstage dead haha

And this was the part where Katelyn had the most lines; as a nun! She and Carrie and Liliana (Milady- the villain), rehearsed this one 3 minute exchange until their timing and delivery was PERFECT, it was hilarious.  Kate and Carrie played the part of gossipy nuns who had no personal space boundaries and kept making the evil villain uncomfortable!  So great. Oh and on the left you see them with Constance (Ally)

Katelyn's face! So awesome!

Kate and Ben singing and dancing as tavern-goers (he was a lead in the other cast).

Katelyn and Malaina had to keep up a dialogue background acting for like 10 minutes in this tavern scene!

Katelyn flirting with Nathan (Aramis)

After bows when they (Roslyn- the other cast student director) gave Ms. Millet flowers- you can see Katelyn in the middle.

Three Musketeers was the perfect choice for the play this year, what a great show! Katelyn had a great time and learned a lot.