Choirside

'Tis the season for the final concerts and activities of the school year. Last year, SHHS choirs did a choirside at Salem Stake Center (only in Utah!) and were invited back again. I actually really enjoyed this concert. I like that it is in a more intimate setting instead of a large high school auditorium. The songs were beautiful (even if I couldn't understand the songs in Latin). They did a great job!

SHHS Prom

Tonight we had two very beautiful princesses in our house. Both Amber and Laurin were asked to Prom so it was an evening of make-up, hair, and dresses! I love that both their dresses depict their personalities. Prom was held at a local Golf Course Country Club and the girls said it was very elegant. Both seemed to have a great evening...and they were home on time. Good job boys! Amber went with Spencer Giles and Laurin's date was Austin Houtz. I never went to prom. Not that I would ever want to go back to high school, but if I did, I would love to have that experience. I'm so glad the girls get to have these fun high school experiences.

Tulip Festival

Today I finally got to enjoy the Tulip Festival! Jeff and I had decided that this would be a good date night activity (and one of our favorite date nights last year)...and we were right. The Thanksgiving Gardens are beautiful in and of themselves, but, in my opinion, the tulips add a different aspect to the beauty that already exists. Plus there are 137 different varieties! I never realized how many different colors and shapes a tulip could take! Jeff and I took our time wandering through the 15 different themed gardens. There were a lot of people there because it was Dutch Days, but we didn't mind. We still found those quiet places to sit and reflect on the beauty of God's creations. I love that Jeff enjoys visiting the Gardens. I have always been more fond of the cultural experiences (over sports). I know there are some of those experiences that Jeff endures more than enjoys, but this is one we both enjoy. It was the perfect date night with my perfect date!

Can you see my head popping up in the back of all those tulips?! 

A day of Danny!

Today was a fun, busy day for Danny (and an exhausting day for me!). I accompanied Danny's class on a field trip to Thanksgiving Point to see the Tulip Festival. I should've known I was in for it when I discovered that Danny chose all his friends to be in our group (and all his friends happen to be just as competitive as he is). Once we reached the Gardens, we were handed a scavenger hunt to complete and off my little group ran. For some reason, they thought it was a race. Several times I had to yell for them to slow down and actually enjoy the beauty of all the different tulips. Luckily, I already knew that I would be going back to the Tulip Festival on Friday so I relinquished my quest to get them to enjoy the beauty of the gardens and embraced their competitive spirit. At least I got them to stop long enough to take a few pics. They actually finished the scavenger hunt with about a half hour to spare so I took them to the open fields where they could run around and roll down the hills. Boys!

My cute, energetic, little boy!

That evening Danny had a Cub Scout pack meeting. As you already know, I'm not a huge fan of these meetings. I love the scouting program - just not fond of the silly cheers or the funky games. Tonight was Cubannapolis. The Cub Scout leaders organized a very fun boxcar race. These boys have incredible leaders! I'm amazed at how creative and engaging they are. Danny had a blast and won the "Fastest Racer" award for coming in 1st!

 

Easter Sunday

Today we get to celebrate the real reason for this holiday (after the Easter Bunny came & delivered the kids' Easter baskets). I know I've mentioned in a previous post how much I love the beauty of Spring. I also love the symbolism of this time of year. It is a time of new birth - a time of renewal and life. I don't think it's a coincident that we celebrate Christ's victory over death during this season. I can't even begin to describe the depth of gratitude I feel for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Everything I have and all that I am I owe to Him. I have felt His peace during times of tumult. I have experienced His love when I had no one to love. I have been guided by His promptings when I was lost. I still cannot grasp all He sacrificed for me. I still do not understand the breadth of His atonement, but I do know He loves me. I know He understands all my pains, even if I don't know how. I know He knows what's best even if I don't see it at the time. I'm grateful for His example. I'm grateful that He still loves me and forgives me when I don't always follow in His path. I love my Savior. In any case, like I mentioned before, the kids woke up and discovered their Easter baskets. I have to explain. The chocolate milk and spray whip cream is something Jeff did for the kids in the few years before we were married. It wasn't my idea, but the kids (well the boys) love it! I added "bunny tails" (white powdered donuts) and candy-filled "carrots". Each kid also received a large Symphony bar and a bow tie (the girls' bowties were the color of a $20 bill).

My handsome boys and their Easter ties!

We went to church then came home for a quiet Easter dinner. I know I may get struck with lightning for this, but I came up with my own symbolic Easter feast. We had roast lamb (for the Lamb of God), funeral potatoes (because He died), rolls (because the stone was "rolled" away), and green beans (still not sure what that could symbolize but I had to make sure there was a veggie in there). For dessert, we had angel food cake (because He rose again) with raspberry compote and strawberries. It was a delicious way to end an awesome Easter weekend!

 

Easter Saturday

Because we knew Mikey and Jenn would have to travel back to Idaho on Easter Sunday, we decided to have our fun Easter festivities today. Actually, I like being able to do these activities on Saturday so as to reserve most of Easter Sunday to reflect on the real reason for the holiday. In any case, Mikey, Jenn, Scott, Mel, Kaia, Krystle, Jordan, and Nolan came over to our house at about noon where we had our traditional Shumway Easter meal - burgers, potato salad, and more. In Arizona, it was generally already warm around Easter so we would do a BBQ instead of a more traditional ham (I'm not really fond of ham anyway) dinner.

After our bellies were filled, the kids came inside to color eggs while the adults went outside to hide the candy-filled, plastic eggs. Like last year, we gave each kid a specific color of an egg to find...and the adults didn't go easy! It was hilarious watching the kids find everyone else's eggs but their own (and they were ordered not to help the others!). I think Jenn did the best at hiding the eggs - poor Laurin!

Amber using a hair dryer to get the egg to dry faster. Silly girl! 

Jenn hiding Laurin's eggs. 

Mel and Scott 

Krystle and Nolan 

Jordan 

Jeff 

Nolan was the first to find all his eggs! 

The happy hunters 

After searching for eggs, we went back inside to enjoy a yummy carrots and dirt dessert.

Our last event was egg bashing. This was something we were introduced to last year. A couple in our ward invited us over to take part in their Easter tradition. Basically, two people get a boiled egg each and hit them together. Only one egg will break. You continue this until there is only one egg left. We each started with two eggs (double elimination). The boys love this new tradition! They get to smash things so why wouldn't they?! Ultimately, Scott was the first annual Southwick Egg Bashing winner. For his prize, he won an egg Pez dispenser and candy.

By this time, Krystle, Jordan and Nolan had to leave because Krystle had to go to work, but Scott, Kaia, Mikey, and Jenn stayed through dinner and played games. Again, it was an awesome day! I LOVE my family. I love hanging out with my siblings. I love laughing so hard I start crying. I simply love being with family. Thanks Mike and Jenn for coming down!