Lexi's First Violin

(This is my fifth blog post today! Hurray for getting caught up!)

 

Lexi has been asking me if she could learn to play the violin for months.

When she started school she got a flyer for the school orchestra.

You can start in first grade. Lexi really wanted to join.

And I thought we might as well give it a try.

We decided to rent her violin. It's $17 a month with accident insurance.

And orchestra is $200 for the school year so it's a bit of an investment.

So I'm really hoping she likes it.

She was so excited to go to the violin shop and get sized.

 

 

I am not musically talented at all! I don't know how to read music or know anything about the violin.

So I'm a little overwhelmed with the idea of helping her practice.

 

Beginner Orchestra is from 8-8:45 on Mondays and Wednesday (school starts at 8:55).

I'm know that makes for some early mornings and long days. I hope she'll get used to it.

 



She loves her violin but we haven't been the best about practicing to be honest.

I bought the wrong version of the book they are using

which is making it difficult to figure out her homework. I need to track down the right version.

Plus, I'm just not sure when to have her practice.

I think it would be nice to have a set time but don't know when that should be.

I'm still just trying to figure out how to get her to do her homework.

 



 

I'm a bit nervous that she'll learn well. I think she should probably have a private teacher.

But they are so expensive and I just don't feel like we have time for one more thing right now.

Her first concert is in December.

 I'm really excited to see how she and the other kids are doing by then.



First Day of Dance 2014

 Last week the girls started dance class. Lexi's class is on Tuesdays and Avery's is on Wednesdays.

I wanted to take some pictures of Lexi before class but she was not in the mood.

I still managed to get a few pictures that I liked.

(It's a good thing I'm stubborn and persistent or sometimes I would never get good pictures.)

 

And one picture of Lexi at class.

She has three friends in her class this year.

A friend from her kindergarten class, a friend from our apartment complex,

and a friend we met in Rexburg when Lexi was just a baby.

(I'll have to get pictures with the friends later.)

 



Avery was much more cooperative when I wanted to take her picture.

She even tried doing the ballet positions for me.

What a trooper!

 



Avery's cousin Halle is in her class again this year.

And one of Avery's friends from preschool last year is also in her class.

 

Isn't she adorable in her boot and cast and frilly dance outfit?!

 



 

Of course, Avery didn't actually dance in dance class. She got to be a helper and hold up the signs.

And she got to wave a scarf and wear a tiara.

She also got a treat with all the other girls at the end of class.

And she got to watch the girls start learning their routine for the recital in December.

 



Lexi Lost Her Second Tooth

The day Avery had her surgery, Lexi noticed that she had a loose tooth.

She was so excited to tell us when we got home from the hospital.

It had been four months since she lost her first tooth.

One week later, she was upset because her tooth hurt her while we she was trying to eat.

Sean asked to look at her tooth. He just touched it and it fell out.

She was so upset!
(Look at her tear stained dress.)

 



Later that night she was excited for the Tooth Fairy to come.

 

 

Just like last time, her adult tooth had already come in behind the baby one.

 

We put her bowl in a container so she wouldn't loose her tooth like last time.

 



She told me that this was her favorite teeny tiny tooth.

 



The next morning Lexi was excited to find two dollars in her bed.

Avery's First Day of Preschool 2014

After Avery got her cast put on her arm she was able to start preschool.

Which I thought would be great for her because she'll been bored since the accident.

I took these pictures of Avery at preschool.

 

 

Avery reminds me of my niece Lyla in this next picture.

 



Avery is going to preschool at my friend Jennifer's house.

Jennifer is a super mom. She has seven kids of her own and her family is just amazing.

I know Avery is going to love going to Jennifer's preschool.

 



Avery did her beginning of the year assessment and she rocked it!

She knew all of her letters and their sounds.

I haven't worked with Avery as much as I did with Lexi

 but she just catches on and already knows so much!

 



I switched preschools simply because I like change.

And I think that different teachers have different strengthens.

 



 

 Back at home, I took a few more pictures.

(It never ends. My poor children.)

 

You can really see how much Avery's grown

when you look at the pictures of her starting school last year.

 

Avery picked out this new outfit and shoes at Target for her first day.

I was worried she wouldn't be able to wear them with her cast and boot but we made it work.

I had to take off her boot to get the leggings on.

And her casted arm barely fit in that sleeve.

 



Avery had a really hard time holding up that sign so we took some pictures on the couch.

 





Avery and I made her "Mini Me" to take to preschool on her second day.

She was really excited about it.

 





Avery's been in school for a week now and the last two times I picked her up

a boy named Charlie has been pushing her in the tire swing.

And on Monday he asked if he could come play with Avery.

Looks like she is already making friends.





Bear Lake 2014

 Our family had been planning on going to Bear Lake for months.

We had such a great time when we went last year.

We couldn't go as early as we had originally planned because of Avery's surgery.

But we were still determined to have a nice weekend get-a-way.

On the drive up to Bear Lake we stopped in Ogden to go to the temple open house.

 

I was so excited to take the girls inside a temple.

Lexi was really excited too.

The temple was gorgeous.

Avery's favorite room was the Bride's Room and Lexi's was the Celestial Room.

Eli's favorite room must have been the baptistery. When he saw the oxen he kept saying, "Moo."

 



The condo we stayed in at Bear Lake was one the first floor.
Which was nice that we didn't have to deal with stairs.

The girls were so excited about "our backyard."

 



The girls loved playing in the murphy bed in the living room.

 



The day we arrive there, I was exactly 28 weeks along which was the start of my third trimester.

Hurry up November so I can get this baby out of me!

 



The next morning, we drove around the lake and enjoyed the scenery.

 



Lexi was so excited to take her camera to Bear Lake.

 



There aren't many bears around Bear Lake.

 



The staff at the resort were so nice. They gave Avery gave a bunch of gifts.

Several coloring books, candy, popcorn, movie vouchers and a little pony.

 



Later on Friday we headed up to North Beach.

 



Sean and I were really nervous that Avery wouldn't be able to do a lot.

So we tried to make the trip as normal for her as possible.

So we let her get in her swimsuit and we bagged her up and let her play in the sand.

 



We didn't let her go in the lake though. We didn't want to get her bags went.

Sean and I were stressed the whole time Avery was around the water but we wanted her to have fun.
Sean kept referring to Avery as the bag lady which she hated.

 



Sean walking on water.

 



Lexi had a blast at the beach. She could have stayed there all day.

(And we would have if Avery wasn't all broken up.)

 



Later that night we headed back to the beach to watch the sunset. It was gorgeous.

 



Avery is the most gorgeous one armed and one legged little girl!

 



Gorgeous!

 



Saturday we went and got some delicious raspberry shakes and homemade fries.

They were so yummy!

 



I took the girls to this place with all the ride on toys last year.

We went back because I thought Eli would like it.

 



Saturday afternoon, Lexi and I went swimming together at the pool while Eli napped,

Sean watched football and Avery watch a movie.

I felt bad Avery couldn't join us but I didn't want Lexi to miss out too.

Sean and Eli cuddling and watching football.

 





 

Later that day we went back to North Beach.

 



Eli was so content at the beach. He was so happy to just walk around and play with the sand.

 





Avery didn't want to get dirty that second day at the beach.

(She hates getting a bath with bags on her arm and leg.)

So she just sat and watched. It made me sad.

But she just took pictures with Lexi's camera, ate snacks and played in the van.

She's such a trooper.

 



Sean and Lexi made a wall to block the coming waves.

 



Saturday night, I let Lexi and Eli take a bath in the huge jetted tub in the master bathroom.

Avery was a little jealous. Poor girl kept missing out on the fun.

 



Eli was so excited about the bubbles. The jets made them grow like crazy.

 



Sunday we headed home.

We made sure to give Lexi motion sickness pills (like we do every time we go on a road trip).

But she still threw up. And of course, she missed the bowl we had given her.

She literally threw up as we were leaving the canyon and arriving in Logan.

So we stopped at the temple.

Sean cleaned Lexi up while Avery and went and looked at the temple.

 



It was a memorable trip and end to our summer.