Paris - Joy and Appreciation!

Our 31st anniversary happened to fall during the same week that the boys were away to Camp Helaman, and since that left only Lissie at home with us, Tracy and I decided to let her tag along with us to Paris for a couple of days. She had been dying to go there for quite a long time (though she cannot convince me that she has been deprived in anyway) and I think she liked pretending that she was an "only child", if only for a couple of days.  Here she is at a cafe near the Eiffel Tower. She ordered (in her best French) some pasta and then chocolate mousse for dessert. 

Afterwards, we stood in line for an hour, climbed to the second level of the tower, then took the elevator up to the top -- and that was when I really wished the boys could have come with us.They would have enjoyed this amazing structure and the climb and the view. Lissie was in heaven. The tower puts on a sparkling light show every evening at 11:00 and 12:00 and we happened to be on our way down when it lit up the first time.  It was exciting and Lissie insisted that we race down to the bottom so she could take a picture. (Imagine us all running down those tower steps!)  We arrived to the bottom just in time for the sparkling to stop, but not in time for a picture!

The next day we took the Metro into the city, and then we started with a visit to Notre Dame.  We stood in another long line to gain entrance to the towers, bought some crepes, and climbed!  We enjoyed the beautiful view and an up close look at a few gargoyles.  Then we walked and walked and walked  . . . with a stop at the outside of the Louvre, then the Musee D'Orsay (a three hour visit), and then a ballet performance at the Paris Opera House -- La Fille Mal Gardee. It was wonderful!

An anniversary kiss on a bridge in Paris

Here is Tracy helping me change into heels for the ballet

I highly recommend this delightful ballet.  It was beyond excellent!

It was quite delightful to have Lissie along with us for our anniversary trip to Paris.  She seemed to love every second of it -- the metro rides, the walks and the climbs, the art galleries . . .  and it made the trip even more memorable. Thanks for coming with us, Lucky Girl!

Berchtesgaden - Camp Helaman

The only real report I got from the boys when they got back from Camp Helaman in Berchtesgaden was that a lot of people got sick, the hike was fun, and that they got to feed these very friendly birds once they reached the summit.  So, this picture is in memory of the hike and the birds . . .

a highlight of Camp Helaman 2012

Sweet 16

My "baby" Bryant turned sweet sixteen this year. We invited some friends over for lunch after church to help with the celebration. And although I offered to make him any meal he wanted, he insisted on having the traditional Sunday spaghetti dinner (it's hard to break out of that habit even for a special occasion like turning sixteen). I did, however, make him an apple streusel that is basically a simpler form of apple pie. He loved it! Instead of placing his candles in the pie though, we arranged them on the "You Are Special Today" birthday plate. I don't think we took many pictures that day (maybe Brother Clark did?). Sorry, Bryant! But we are so glad to have at least a picture from the Europa Park excursion that followed in the next week (which was an extension of his birthday celebration and Christian's graduation --they both got tickets). Wishing you a wonderful year.

And look, even the mouse says, "CONGRATULATIONS!"

A Good Season

A good friend of mine mentioned to me last week how her son was having a "good season" with graduations from high school and seminary and other worthy accomplishments, so I thought that this post could be all about Christian's "good season."  He has accomplished a great deal in the past year and we are so proud of him.  By the way, I framed the above picture and placed it next to the senior pictures of Emily, Lauren, Matthew and Marie, and when he looked up and saw his picture all lined up with the others, all he had to say was, "that's weird."  I guess he thinks he needs to "be gone" to have his picture in such a place of honor.

So on to the list of his recent accomplishments -- they all actually represent a culmination of many months/years of hard work and effort:  

Scholarship Recipient x 3: HCSC, Bankhead, and PTSO.  All that scholarship money will give him a great start to his college career.

Heidelberg High School Graduation with Honors.  He was one of the few students that had a GPA above 3.8 as well as completion of at least four AP classes.  Way to go, Christian!  HHS does an incredible job of honoring their graduates:  Baccalaureate at the Heiliggeist Kirche, Graduation in the Stadthalle (with fanfare and fireworks!), and then a three-hour cruise along the Neckar River (and MORE fireworks!).  I was impressed. 

Seminary Graduation: Four years, early morning. That's an accomplishment!  Christian was also one of the final youth speakers at the graduation last Sunday. He is an amazingly excellent speaker. The theme of his talk was on how good habits can keep us on the right path.  He incorporated examples from all of his past seminary teachers -- from devotionals and heartfelt testimony to routinely providing food for the students! I think I need a copy of that talk (but I'm pretty sure it was just a few notes and came mostly extemporaneously).

Duty to God Award -- just in the nick of time!  Christian memorized one last scripture and had his final interview with the bishop this week.   Good job, Christian.  This was a nice way to culminate your accomplishments and put the final touches on your "good season."  We look forward to many more "good seasons" to come.

Here he is with three other Bankhead Scholarship recipients

And a couple of graduation pics:

Soon he and Taylor will be off  to more adventures at BYU! 

We are all so proud of you Christian. And we're going to miss you . . . I think you might even miss us too!

Sleeping Beauty

Lissie danced in her first ballet this past spring -- Sleeping Beauty. She was cast as a courtier, a "thorn", and the goddess of the harvest. We like how the end-of-the-year recital is actually a full length ballet production which includes all levels of classes; and Lissie feels especially lucky that she was chosen for one of the solo routines. We loved watching her, of course. After all, in Ms. Christie's own words, "she is a born dancer!"  

Here she is with fellow dancer and good friend

 Giuliana Gillespie (the Fairy of Joy)

Friends of the Ballet -- Taylor, Ezra, Rachel, Lissie, Christian, Christina, Marlowe, Bryant and Bowen
Thanks for coming guys!

There's nothing better than some fireworks and Italian ice cream to top off such 

                            a lovely and enchanted evening (Thank you, Brother Clark!)

And a very grand thank you to the excellent ballet teachers, Ms.Christie and Ms. Stasia. 

 It was a wonderful production because of your vision and direction.