Stage fright....what's that?

Our children have an enormous amount of confidence about their ability to perform. Whether it be dancing, singing or stand up comedy...they have no fear. And it's not because they are super talented. They just don't get embarrassed.

At least not YET.....

Some day, in the future, there will be a good time to pull these memories out, and then see how they react! Mason just pulled out the flip camera and I was looking at the videos on it over the last year. These are two that were taken at Aspen Grove (a BYU alumni family camp) I was dying watching Chase up on stage. He got a big thumbs up from the Teenage/Young Adult group at camp.

Yes, that's him. Blue baseball cap, red jacket.

What a character.

I didn't see Madison at the family dance on the last night of camp, but apparently she had a whole group of teenagers following her sweet dance moves. She wants to be a rock star when she grows up.

Enough said.

Kindergarten!

I wish I could remember to take my camera around with me and take cute pictures of my cute kids doing cute things. Like the first day of Kindergarten. That is one of the cutest things you get to witness as a parent. Chase is a great Kindergartener. He is curious, fun-loving, excited, affectionate, and sometimes a little bit impulsive. In his class, when kids get a little impulsive, they have to "re-set" He has had to "re-set" a couple of times, but even with that, this Kindergarten year has started out as our easiest one yet! Phew! Our biggest problem is that he won't eat anything. He is too excited to play with his friends. Oh well.

Maybe by the time Mason starts school I will actually remember to bring the good camera with me instead of the iphone. And maybe I will start to remember when show and tell day is, and that I don't need to pack a lunch on Wacky Wednesdays, and that library books need to be there the day before library, and so on and so forth....... I seriously doubt it, but one can hope.....

Easily Pleased

Madison was lamenting our move to Connecticut the other day.

Madi: Why do we have to move to Connecticut?

Me: Because Daddy got a new job there. It will be great, don't worry.

Madi: Why did Daddy have to get a new job.

Me: Daddy wanted to do something different so he got a new job. Really, it will be great.

Madi: I don't want to go to Connecticut.

Me: Madi, it will be great. We will have so much fun. You can join a basketball team, there will be snow and you can build a snowman. We can go skiing, we will be near the ocean......

Madi: I don't want to go to Connecticut.

Me: Madi, you can have hot chocolate there every day during the winter.

Madi: Really???

Me: Yes, really...

Madi: Hot Chocolate with marshmallows?

Me: Yes, with marshmallows.

Madi: That is SO AWESOME. I love hot chocolate with marshmallows. I am SO excited. Connecticut is the BEST!!!!!!!!

Funny girl. Always easily won over with sweet treats!

Changes

This picture has nothing to do with this post, but I thought it was cute.

It's been a while, I know. We have been busy. We are making some big changes in our lives, and we have been focused on preparing for these changes. It's exhausting, but exciting too.

Gordon decided to take a new job. He decided to leave public accounting and go in house with a large company. That in and of itself is a huge change. Gordon was a partner at Deloitte, which is kind of a big deal. It was a very hard decision, but we are hoping that this change allows us the opportunity to spend more time as a family.

The company Gordon is going to, UTC, just happens to be in Connecticut. So, we are moving.... Cross country.... with 4 kids and a dog (the fish is not going to make the journey....Sorry Petey, or Goldie, or whatever your name is....) Our home in California is on the market, and we have decided to build a home in Connecticut. We are really excited about that, but the problem is we don't have anywhere to live in the meantime. We are looking for a rental, but haven't been too successful.

So this afternoon the kids and I are going to take Gordon to the airport, wave goodbye and send him off to Connecticut to start his new job. We are going on faith that is will all work out and we won't have to be apart for an extended period of time. In the meantime we will be busy keeping the house picture perfect, keeping up with schoolwork and soccer, and trying to stay sane! Wish us luck!