On Father's Day I woke up at 4:00 am so that we could leave and be back in Utah to still spend the day with John my fabulous husband and amazing father to our daughters. We went right from the SLC airport and to brunch at Market Street so it was a long day! Then the next morning my crazy week started. As many of you know, Lauren has been taking the violin for a year or so. She is being taught the Suzuki Method. She is really doing well and is liking it a lot. So every summer the Intermountain Suzuki Assoc. hold an intensive Institute at Juan Diego H.S. here in town. They have teachers from all over the world come and teach. This year Lauren went. She spent last Monday through Friday from 9:00 to about 5:00 in various classes. She had classes in Technique, Music Theory, Repertoire, Music Theater Review, Orchestra, and a Master class. Emily had the chance to take a chorus class and an art class just for fun. They both had a great time. Lauren really learned a lot and improved her playing HUGE. She also got the chance to be exposed to some fabulous musicians and hear some great concerts and to become more familiar with the other classical string instruments. This all meant that all last week I was hanging around Juan Diego from 9-5! Not as much fun for me! I started the week tired and never really recovered. This week the kids are playing with friends and I am catching up on laundry and house cleaning, etc... I am doing NOTHING tiring.

Lauren in her Orchestra Class.

Lauren after her final concert on Saturday morning.

The week after school ended for the girls, I went on a little trip to my Step-mother's family reunion in a little town called Davis, Oklahoma. It was really interesting. Her family settled there when it was still Indian Territory. We had a great time. Oklahoma was nothing like I thought it would be. I think I expected it do be the Dust Bowl, but it was really green and pretty. The earth is really red, even more than So. Utah. We got to see a lot of tarantulas because it was their mating season (uurgh!). Every night at dusk, these hairy monsters crossed the road to do their thing. I was fascinated and terrified at the same time. We also found a bunch of fossils just by the side of one of the roads. If you look enough you can find all sorts of things trapped in the rock. Virginia (my step-mom) has some really fun family too! They made me feel right at home.

The stuff of nightmares!

This is a plaque on the side of the original funeral home building commerating the family contributions in the early days.

Beautiful Oklahoma sunset.

P.S. Don't be jealous but I have driven through Moore, OK, the hometown of Toby Keith! (Don't think that wasn't on about 4o various signs in the area.) and let me just say, WOW do they take their football seriously! The BYU v.s. Utah rivalry has nothing on them!

O.K. I know, I know...It's been forever! We have been so crazy busy! First we had the end of the year with all of the school programs. Of course my super talented kids had big parts and so that meant I was around the school most of the last month of school. It is all worth it when I hear my girls' friends say that they wish their Moms would come to class too. I realize how lucky I am to have a husband who makes it possible for me to spend this special time with our girls. Thank you John. I love you!

Lauren in her part in the 4th grade program, "Are you Smarter than a 4th Grader?", as one of the students. Totally cute!

Lauren and her teacher, Mrs. Winzenreid.

Lauren and Emily with Emily's teacher Mrs. Juarez. (She was Lauren's teacher last year too!)