Picture Update

I haven't posted any pictures for a while. My computer got a virus. Hubby fixed it, but my picture program needs to be reloaded and I keep forgetting to ask him. There is another picture program on my computer that is s-l-o-w! And it kind of freezes up after downloading a few pictures, making the whole process even longer. Oh well. I worked around it and now have some pictures to share.
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Homemade Bunk Beds

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My kids are big kids. And they keep getting bigger! I wanted to put bunk beds in the boys' bedroom to free up space for playing. Did you know that most top bunk beds only support between 100 - 150 pounds? And that they all have warnings about not jumping or rough-housing or rolling in your sleep due to the shakiness of the bed? Well, they do. And let me think... My oldest daughter (who turns ten in a month) is already 100 pounds. Crazy, I know. She's also already in size 8 shoes and is close to 5 foot tall, if not over! If that's any indication of how my boys are going to grow, I knew that none of the bunk beds on the market would suit our family's needs.

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I talked to one of the Air Force guys in my neighborhood to find out where they get their bunk beds. I was informed that they were special ordered, special made by one of the defense contractors. Sheesh! There went that option. Hubby quickly volunteered to make bunk beds himself. I was very skeptical. I've seen his other woodwork. I love the man, but woodworking is a talent that he is most definitely still in the development stage. Despite my skepticism0, they turned out pretty good! They are solid and sturdy. Hubby jumped up and down on them to illustrate to me how sturdy they were. I told him if he fell through and hurt himself, I wasn't going to take him to the hospital and would be mad at him for a year. He laughed and kept jumping. Surprisingly, the beds held his weight!

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The bunk bed pieces soaking up their stain.

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Hubby and Joe putting the beds together.

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Roadshow!

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Miss Q participated in our Stake's Roadshow. The whole experience for her was hilarious for me (the Mom) to watch. Miss Q had never done anything like this before. She is a kind of shy and very unsure of herself. She was worried about looking like an idiot, which is the goal of every Roadshow I've ever seen! ;) She was also super excited about participating. So she would go back and forth between biting-her-fingernails-off-scared (practically begging me to get her out of it) to school-girl-giddy in anticipation. Silly Girl!

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She did a good job. She's in the middle of the picture holding a palm frawn.
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Pinocchio

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Missoula Children's Theatre came to our town. Joe, Anne, Rose, and Miss Q tried out. The three girls were cast. Poor Joe was so sad. He and another little boy (whose sister had been cast) started crying when they realized that "everyone got picked but me." Poblacito!

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The three girls had an intense week of rehearsing. Monday through Friday we would race from school to the rehearsal site. Saturday afternoon was spent rehearsing. That evening was the performance. It was an interesting take on Pinocchio. Anne played a Ballerina Doll, Rose played a Treasure Island Kid, and Miss Q played Candlewick. They were all very brave and did a great job!

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Joe and Cakes killing time before the performance.

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Anne, the cutest Ballerina Doll ever!

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Rose, the Treasure Island Kid, smiling because she just broke a window. ;)

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Candlewick and her gang, being PUNKS! Miss Q is on the right end.

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BLOCKS

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We try to keep the Sabbath day holy. It is a tough job! One of the activities that we use to keep our brains and hands occupied is building with blocks while listening to jazzy hymns. (No one said all hymns have to be slow and monotonous!) The kids begged Hubby to take pictures of their creations. Here they are. :)

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Anne's block city and flowers

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Joe's tower. Cakes helped by not knocking it down until after the picture.

(That's me in the background, trying to figure out what to name this baby!)

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Annie

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After Pinocchio, the acting bug stuck with Anne and Rose. Hubby volunteered to take them to try-outs. I made him promise that he would not try-out or let himself get roped into Annie in any way other than doting stage father. He laughed and said there was "no way he would try-out". He assured me that he was "way too busy to participate in Annie". The Bum! He had no chance against the audition ladies. He was cast as "Rooster" and the girls were cast as "Chorus".

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For the last few months, they have worked hard memorizing lines and songs, learning choreography, and developing their acting skills. Joe, Miss Q and I attended the opening night show last Thursday. It was great! Rose and Anne did a wonderful job. They sung "Hooverville" and "A New Deal for Christmas". It was such a joy to see them up there having fun. They have one more week of performances, starting tonight. Afterwards, they don't want to do another play as long as they live! Haha! As much as they've enjoyed it, they have really missed playing with friends, riding bikes, and going to bed at a decent hour.

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Hubby did a good job too. It was hilarious to watch him, Lily, and Miss Hannigan. What goofballs! Hubby did fine, but Lily completely stole the spotlight every time she opened her mouth. Hahaha!!!

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Hubby, like the girls, does not want to participate in another play for a long, long time. I told him that was fine by me! Especially since he wasn't supposed to do this one in the first place. Haha. Although, I do expect him to participate in the opera Desert Pointe in putting on next December: "Ahmal and the Night Visitors". My man can S-I-N-G!!! And Opera is right up his alley. *sigh*

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My Chorus Girls

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Lily & Rooster

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Oh! I never posted the Into the Woods pictures. I will get to that...eventually. ;)