All-State Orchestra

Saturday we went down to U of A for All-State. Jasmine played awesome! They played Rossini's Barber of Seville, a modern composer, Jennifer Higdon's Blue Cathedral, and Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique! The whole orchestra sounded amazing! Fun times.

Lake Havasu Sprint Triathlon

Welp, we did it! It was a much more difficult course than the Casa Grande Sprint Triathlon, so I feel like we're taking baby steps towards our goals of becoming more active and getting into better shape! Really it was fun! The lake swim was terrific, just because I didn't drown, or freeze, although disappointing that I never found my rhythm in my breathing/stroke, because of the choppiness of the crowd in the water, and the initial shock of the cold water (despite having a wet suit on). So I ended up doing more of a doggie paddle stroke, luckily they don't disqualify you for that, you just look silly...Then the bike part; there were the torturing hills (going up) and the petrifying, "I am totally out of control!" hills (going down). I don't know if I would have gone through with this course, if we had driven the course in the car before hand, so I guess it's good we didn't get there early, as I had originally wanted. So, I survived the bike part, then it was on to the run (or, as Seth calls it the "army shuffle") where, yep, I nearly the whole time had both feet off the ground, so technically it was a jog I suppose, but my total time (2:34) might suggest otherwise! :( Oh well, our first Lake Sprint Tri under our belts! :) More pics to come, as soon as I get 'em from our trusty photographer/supporter, Bekki (well, I guess it was Amy's camera, but thank you, Bek, for all your awesome support and the water when I thought I was going to collapse!) Love you!! :) Oh yeah, and before the race began, we met Blaine and Dane from "The Biggest Loser," current season, who were there to do the Olympic Tri! They were very nice and let us take our picture with them, again, I'll post the pictures when we get them from Mimi! Seth was a bit starstruck when, on the run course Blaine gave him a high five as they passed each other, I think we can safely say that we are now BFFs! jk...

On Saturday we all drove down to Pima for the placing of dad's headstone on his grave. It was placed on a rock that he had brought back from a copper mine where he worked at some point. He passed on April 2, 2005, so it has been nearly 4 years. It was a beautiful day and a very good time of closure, where I think everyone felt his presence there. His brother, Uncle Bill, said that he knew he was. Wow! Incredible! I was filled with emotion as we all said things we thought of our growing up years. It was fun for the little ones to hear how much we were like them growing up! Jasmine asked to hear stories on the 3 hour ride home. We had a picnic and celebrated March and April birthdays at the park in Pima. It was such a wonderful time! :)

okee dokee, here we go - drumroll please......
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch, is blogging an art?
15. Adopted a child, no but we rescued Chiggy, our Italian Greyhound.
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty, seen, but not walked to the top.
18. Grown your own vegetables, eaten, that's another story.....
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse, oh, I thought it said sang "Total Eclipse of the Heart."
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors, does Pima count?
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language, well there was Pig Latin... I think I taught myself
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted, sketched, but a very good likeness, Michelle!
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, almost the top, ran out of $
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades (that's Florida, right?)
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (saw Pres. Bush, thanks to Kim!)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating, how about killed a meal, and ate it anyway! That is the story of my life for Pete's sake!
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life, my husband's by marrying him (hee hee)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (served Andre Agassai in the loges at BYU)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a scorpion

Here's the bragging part of the blog........jasmine won a scholarship to a fantastic summer music camp in Southern California, called Idylwild. She played the Lalo Cello Concerto for the Phoenix Youth Symphony Concerto Competition three weeks ago and was one of 16 finalists who all won different scholarships. We are so proud of her, and very excited that she will get this tremendous musical opportunity this coming July.

Welp, I survived our ski trip to Pinetop! Jasmine, Seth and Bekki did a fantastic job trying to teach me, alas, I don't think it's really for me. Give me the beach and the mountains, snow free. Actually, I enjoyed the Bunny Hill, shoulda stayed there. :) It was really a great weekend to chill (hee hee) with the whole family almost! The only ones not there were Andy, Todd and Nate. But, we had loads of fun soaking in the hot tub and playing new card games and relaxing!