Monday, September 11, 2017

September, Already?!

It's still in the 100's here, so it does not feel like fall yet. The heat doesn't slow us down though. We just keep on chuggin' along, full speed. It is going to be in the 90's for the high in a couple of days and then stay that way for the foreseeable future! Hooray!!!!

We have been seeing more and more of lovely Leigh. We love her and her sweet smile! She and Josh attended a mission call opening for one of her family friends.


They have been attending the temple together every week since they met. So adorable and awesome!

Laney is growing up so fast. She makes pretty selfies.

Andrew is taking half of his classes online to help him stay focused. It think it's working out well. He seems pretty focused. hee hee! (It really is going well, and he gets a lot more napping in too.)

Millennial Choir rehearsals have started for the kids. This year Sara can't fit it into her schedule with Cosmetology School, she is so sad. However, since Tim is gone and Sara can't go, Daniel and Laney have joined Freddy and Andrew for this year. They are thrilled!  Jessi's girls have all joined as well. They are enjoying sharing it with their cousins!

I had to hurry so this is a bit blurry. 
Concert Choir rehearsing

After choir practice we went to Costco for a few minutes and this is how the boys walked around the store. It is never dull with these cuties!

Labor Day weekend we had the Desert City Swing convention. Daniel and Susanna were our only kids competing this time. It takes skill to place, but it also takes good luck in drawing a partner with skills. Daniel usually places, but this time he got two newbies. He still had a fun time dancing and did a great job.


Susanna is still very basic in her skill set, but she did a great job and loved every minute on the dance floor.



On the left you can see Gwen dancing with our friend Ben. He is a GREAT dancer, as is Gwen and they got 1st Place in juniors! On the right is Daniel with his second partner, sweet little Tori. She had the cutest smile as he twirled her around the floor. I love it!



I didn't get any pictures of Heidi, Jessi was chasing her around the floor 
with her camera, but she was there also. 

Lilli and her partner got 3rd. He dances ok, but Lilli is much more advanced and an incredible dancer. Again a lot of it is luck of the draw.


I took this picture for Tim. Josh was enjoying some of Tim's favorite bakery bread for him. 

My Sweet Danny Boy

Sara and I went over to Grandma and Grandpa Alger's on Labor Day and she permed Grandma's hair. We had a wonderful time talking while she worked. Grandpa and I got out maps and talked about the beautiful mountains of the Uintas in Utah and a bit about the Tetons in Idaho, as well as Mount Timpanogos and Cascade Mountain in Utah. It was wonderful to hear his stories and to see where all of them took place on the maps. 


Grandma's hair turned out so pretty!

I love Grandpa!

After we finished, Nan sent us a 25% off coupon and told us that all the clearance shoes at Payless were $10 or less. We HAD to check it out, of course. We both found lots of beautiful cheap, comfortable shoes!  Thank you Nan!


I had decided my $50 that I was paid for the Cinematic Pop concerts would be for clothes and shoes, since it has been a while since I bought any new things for myself. I had to get a picture with my $50 before I spent it. My thanks to Rob Gardner for the new shoes!


I love to see my kids loving each other and having fun. Sam and Sara have been doing that a lot lately. They are such great buddies. He loves to bug her and she loves to be bugged. I'm not even sure what was going on here, but there was lots of laughing and squealing. 



Susanna has been leading our Family Home Evenings lately. We decided she needed something to be in charge of since she is the youngest and almost never in charge of anything. She loves it! Here is Dad wait to be called on to answer a question. 


Driving to Gilbert for the second week of choir
Freddy, Heidi sleeping and Daniel studying, Drew was asleep in the front seat.

This last Sunday, we Richard, Sam and Josh and I were able to Gilbert to hear Josh's mission president and his wife give their homecoming talks. They were released this summer also, within days of Josh's release. The Schmitts are a fabulous couple and gave amazing talks and powerful testimonies of the Savior and the atonement. We joined some other former missionaries of the San Diego mission and some of the Schmitt's family at their house for lunch as well. It was delightful to get to know some of the other missionaries Josh worked with.

After that, we hurried back to our side of town to hear Josh and Leigh speak in their sacrament meeting. They both did a beautiful job. We also got to meet Leigh's parents who came to hear them speak also. They seem like wonderful people, which is no surprise, since Leigh is so awesome!


There is just nothing like falling asleep at the end of the day, being snuggled by your big brother. I just love these kind of pictures! They were both out cold on the sofa.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Wrapping Up August

Freddy, Josh Jordan and Lilli went shopping and found some exciting things at Ross. Freddy purchased the black jacket. Lilli decided to pass on the banana shirt, ha!


Country vs. City spirit day at the high school
Sara and Brandon went with country. Such cute friends!

This picture we took at church, just for Tim, because we miss him!
Brandon, Andrew and Laney

I found these beauties on my phone. Crazy Susanna Girl!


Daniel was waving KenaDee's foot around in the air, like he was conducting music. They are all totally bonkers!

And I finished the month off by celebrating my Mom's birthday with her at a new 
Thai Restaurant, of course! Bankok Thai, it was super yummy! Love you, Mommy.

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Cinematic Pop Concert

It is so much fun to be part of Cinematic Pop!  We had two sold out concerts in the Ikeda Theater at the Mesa Arts theater on August 26th.  9 of the 20 songs we performed were new. Rob Gardner, our conductor/ composer, is a genius! I cannot believe the beautiful music that comes out of his head!!!  

These are the songs we performed, the new ones are in blue.
1.    Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel
2.    Everybody Wants to Rule by Tears for Fears
3.    Forever Young by Alphaville
4.    Friday I’m in Love by The Cure
5.    Homeward Bound by Simon and Garfunkel
6.    Ain’t No Mountain by Marvin Gaye
7.    Like Memories Do by McKane Davis and Rob Gardner
8.    Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
9.    Take On Me by Ah Ha
10.  So Low by Spencer Jones and Rob Gardner
11.  Prodigal by Spencer Jones and Rob Gardner
12.  Sunday Candy by Chance the Rapper *edited to make appropriate
13.  Titanium by David Guetta
14.  First Light by Spencer Jones and Rob Gardner
15.  Listen to Your Heart by Roxette
16.  Fade to Grey by Spencer and Rob
17.  Come Together by The Beatles
18.  Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
19.  More Than A Feeling by Boston
20.  Fix You by Coldplay

You can watch some of our previous videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkyCGwxwh1F2Y3d1397A11Q/videos

Or listen to more here:


One of the guys snapped this one during while Spencer took a 
selfie mid concert from the conductors podium.

Here is Spencer's selfie!

Rob introducing one of the songs

McKenna and Cosette

McKenna, Cosette and Spencer singing  and Rob conducting

My friend Rebekah Jennings and I after the concert

With Mom and Dad

Rob and I

My girls were so excited to have their picture taken with these cute fellas!
Rob Gardner, Benson and Spencer Jones with Susanna and Laney

The big kids needed one too.

It was lots of fun to have everyone there (missing our missionary, of course). Josh brought his girlfriend, Leigh Sasaki (on the left) and Sam brought a friend, Lila Boston (on the right).

I love the dreamy look on McKenna's face while she is talking to Drew! So cute!

McKane Davis (producer), Benson Jones, Cosette Smith, and McKenna  Breinholt (all soloists), Rob Gardner (composer and conductor), Spencer Jones (soloist/song writer) and Drex Davis (producer)

Josh and Leigh, so happy together!

I love being part of this awesome group! 
I love my Cinematic Pop friends and can't wait for the next time!