A History of Performances

I mentioned that while we were in Sundance the girls put on a play. It was a highly exaggerated comedy. There is always a complete story, about 10 minutes long, and very enjoyable to watch. The creativity is delightful.

Geoff and I couldn't remember when these performances started, but it was a long time ago. At a quick glance through our old blog, chezdavis.blogspot.com, I found a couple, although there are many more!

2013 with the Serafin kids (that same Nina who joined us this past weekend):

And all the way back to 2009:

Where does the time go? Luckily charming personalities grow with time...

Memorial Day's Plan B

We almost beat the Utah record for most rain in May, which is awesome because we are no longer in a drought, but it sure foiled our Memorial weekend plans! By the time the weather looked as though it really was going to be as bad as forecasted a week earlier, all campsites were full in the couple places that promised to be warmish. After conjuring up every possible place we could get away to, we decided to stay put and make it a fun few days at home since the weather in Salt Lake was actually pretty good.

Friday night we rode scooters to the movie theater to see Aladdin, followed by pizza at Settebello.

Saturday we spent the day in Sundance, not doing anything in particular, just enjoying being outside.

A trip to Sundance wouldn't be the same without the girls putting on a play.

Erica, Davey and kids joined us in the late afternoon, but the rains came and had us all running for cover.

Sunday after church we were joined by our great friend Nina Serafin and we all went to the Salt Flats. Stella and Nina had never seen them. But all of those salty flats were covered in rain water. Instead of driving to the official salt flats an hour farther, these five teenagers made the most of it and played in the water for at least two hours.

Monday morning everyone went to yoga followed by a late breakfast at Blue Plate Diner in Sugarhouse.

Hacky sack is a new hobby...

We spent a few hours at home while Adele and Nina pierced their ears...themselves! Ouch!

Our weekend ended at The Front climbing gym. Stella and I were observers, both of us marveling at the guts of all those climbers!

While it wasn't Bryce Canyon, where we had planned to go, it was still a great weekend together as family and friends.

God bless all those who gave their lives for the freedoms we all take for granted.

Into the Woods and Back Again

Geoff, Tennie and Ceci set out on an overnight camping adventure a few weekends ago.

They packed their stuff down to the perfect spot (it took a few loads), set up their tent, Ceci built a beautiful fire and was just about to break out the marshmallows...

A ranger approached and told them they couldn't camp there (this was their third attempt at finding a spot because all the other campgrounds still had several feet of snow!) He kindly gave them a $50 fine for camping near the watershed. Disappointed, they dissembled their camp and headed home, their outing to the woods completely foiled. (And it turns out that fine is a criminal charge that Geoff has to go to court to defend. There weren't even any No Camping signs!)

Ceci, determined to sleep in a tent that night, set up camp in the living room.

A very sorry Plan B.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was simple and wonderful. Tennie prepared some tinfoil dinners at home, and we went to the canyon to enjoy the beautiful day.

Being with my favorite people made the day perfect.

8th Grade Advancement

After spending a week together free and wild, Ceci's 8th grade class gathered this past weekend for their 8th grade advancement. All of the families gathered for a potluck dinner before the ceremony.

Ceci, Edie, Lena, Mary Kate and Halle

A few students shared remarks, the class performed a song, and then the class performed a surprise number for their teacher, Mr Op 't Ende (he's from the Netherlands and thankfully goes by Mr. O). The song was Let It Be by the Beatles, with a few word changes mixed in.

Then a class hug.

Ceci will miss this great group of friends as they're all going in different directions next year.

Here she and cousin Bailey are with teacher Mr. O.

And here is Ceci with the class's first teacher at Waldorf in 6th grade, Mrs. Simmons. She pulled this group together into a very united and accepting class, and she is and will always be loved by all of the students. If only the world were full of such teachers. She has two doves that live in her classroom and fly free, Samson and Delilah. Ceci is quite attached to Samson who comes and lands on her every time she goes to Mrs. Simmons class to paint, which she does a couple times each week.

After all of the crying and loving and hugging the principle said, "Ok, see you all on Monday." Ha! There are still two weeks of school!

8th Grade Camping Trip

Ceci's time at her Waldorf charter school is coming to a close. Her class took a camping trip to Moab last week, and Ceci came home with tales of hikes and swims and tunnels and sketchy climbs and stops for shakes and all-nighters spying on the chaperones and running dirty and wild all day every day with classmates that are very close friends.

She came home covered in dirt, with boundless energy, and looking and feeling totally alive. Mila followed her around that whole day, pulling Ceci's arm in close to sleep with. Pretty much the cutest welcome back ever.

Prom

I'm really behind! But here I am getting back in the saddle of recording our lives!

Adele has a really great group of friends this year. They spend a lot of time together and have a lot of fun together. They all paired up to go to prom, and Adele went with a friend named Victor.

This month, right in the midst of studying for an AP (US History) test, Adele's school announced that it would close at the end of the year. It is a long, complicated story about how it came to such dire financial circumstances, a story I won't tell here. Geoff and I spent many hours upon hearing the announcement going to meetings, having phone calls and endlessly texting a friend on the board trying to find solutions to keep it open, or at a minimum replaced, but to no avail. Parent and students were devastated. It is a special school. Adele and friends were franticly trying to find a way to stay together next year. It was a stressful and emotional week as there was a period of trying to find possible solutions. Prom was all that much more sweet and significant for this sweet group of kids.