Band UIL Competition

Ciera had her annual UIL Band Competition on Friday, April 11.  Their band played 3 songs and then did a sight reading portion.  I thought they sounded good, but after they finished, while they were waiting for their results, I spoke to the director.  She said the judges were being really tough and she was not sure how well they did.

They ended up getting straight 1's, which is the top score!  Yay Ciera!

HaPpY BirThDaY ChLOe!!

I can not believe that my Chloe is 12 years old!  It seems like just yesterday she was in such a hurry to be born, and now she is 12!  She is such an amazing girl.  I am so glad she is my daughter! Her birthday fell on General Conference weekend, so she had her birthday party with her friends on Friday evening.  She had 3 girls come, and they had food and watched the Hunger Games movies, did nails, and made rubber band bracelets.  She had a lot of fun!

For her birthday date with me and Dave, she chose to go to Studio Movie Grill and see the new Muppet Movie.  We did that on Thursday night.  It was really fun!

This morning, we slept in, had cinnamon rolls, opened presents, and then watched the first session of General Conference.   In between sessions, we ate lunch and then had cake and ice cream with our birthday girl.  Chloe wanted a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and fondant flowers... not too fancy.  That is what I made her.  In the evening, we ran to Target and she got some bath finger paint soap for herself (which she had to try out...)!  We did some butterfly crafts in the evening, and then after we got the little girls in bed, Ciera, Chloe, Dave and I watched Mission Impossible 2 together.  I hope Chloe had a wonderful birthday!  We love our Chloe-girl!

Now, A Day All About Chloe...

Chloe was recognized twice at her school this morning.  Once for her participation in "Celebrate the Arts", and once for getting straight A's this grading period.  I was able to go to her assembly, her team also got the spirit award.  I am super proud of Chloe!

As part of the Future Problem Solvers, Chloe was part of a special presentation to the Wylie Fire Department.  For FPS, they did a community outreach with the fire department to provide batteries for smoke detectors in people's homes in the neighborhoods around the school.  At their assembly, the FPS presented the fire fighters with their remaining batteries.  It was awesome.  Chloe was one of the girls that got to do the presentation.  Chloe is such a great student and member of her community.  Way to go Chloe!

Team Isabella

We have been fortunate to be a part of something special.  In Kindergarten, Brooke met a little girl in her class named Isabella Martinez.  It just so happened that she lives only two houses away from us, and the girls became friends.  After several months, during which Isabella's health seemed to be deteriorating, the Martinez family received terrible news.  Isabella had a rare (and unknown to us) disease called Mitochondrial Disease.  It didn't look good.  Isabella has had to be hospitalized several times in the years following, and at one point lost her eyesight for a few days.  (Luckily, it has come back.)  Isabella is doing good right now, but it is like living with a ticking bomb... you never know when something will happen.  There is no cure right now.

The Dallas area had its first ever walk for Mito awareness last weekend.  We were all able to walk on Team Isabella (our family and Ciera's friend Katherine).  The walk was a great success, and the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation raised more than their goal!  We love Isabella, and hope that she is around for a really long time!!

It's all about Brooke...

Brooke is in the Gifted and Talented program in school and each year they have a big project that they have to do.  This year it was "Patterns in Math".  Brooke chose to do her project on Tessellations.  SHe worked really hard and did a great job!!

Brooke was also chosen by her teacher as the Dino-kid for March.  Dave and I were able to go to the assembly where she received her award.  Her teacher said that "Brooke is sweet, kind, respectful, responsible, polite, and a great friend to everyone.  Brooke makes everyone feel special every single day, and today SHE is the special one."  I completely agree... Brooke is very special and we are so proud of her!

Celebrate the Arts 2014

Last Friday through today was the Wylie School District's Arts Festival, called "Celebrate the Arts".  They hold it every year, and it is a collection of artwork by students of all grades (chosen by their teachers), and performances by choirs and bands of each level.  Friday was the kickoff, and we went to see the artwork that Chloe had there.  She had made a ceramic bowl for a charity called "No empty bowls" (I think), that was being sold... all proceeds from the bowls going to this charity to feed the hungry.  We bought Chloe's bowl!  Additionally, Chloe had two pieces of artwork in the festival.  One was a graphic art assignment, made partly on the computer.  The other was her hand over a bright abstract drawing.  Both pieces were assignments from her art class at school... she is doing so awesome!

Ciera was also in "Celebrate the Arts" with band.  The Junior High band festival was last night, and we went to listen to her perform.  Her band played three songs and did really well.  I really liked the last one that they played... they did awesome!  After they performed, they went into another room for the "sight reading" part of the competition.  They were given 7 minutes to go over the music with their director (without playing at all), and then had to perform it.  I was really impressed!  It sounded really good, especially for their first time ever seeing it!
I am so proud of my girls.  They are all so smart, and talented in so many different ways!  I look forward to seeing how they grow and develop their talents over the coming years!

A mouse, bunnies, and green things?

During Grandma's stay, we took the girls to Chuck E. Cheese one day.  (They very rarely get to go there, so it is a treat for them.)  They had a blast doing the games and winning tickets to get prizes.  They all got a few little things out of it all, and had a lot of fun... so the craziness was worth it!  They all agreed, though, that Chuck E. Cheese is a bit creepy.  (I made them take a picture in front of him anyway...)

One day, we had a craft day.  We made Easter bunny crafts and painted egg ornaments.  My girls LOVE to do arts and crafts!  They all did such a good job, and all did theirs on their own.  Now, what to do with all those bunnies...

The day before Grandma left was Saint Patrick's Day.  We love to celebrate holidays, and this is one that we never miss.  The evening before, I did all the girls' nails so they would always have green (even if they were naked!) and Chloe made a few green bracelets.

 That morning we woke up and our oatmeal and milk had been turned green by some trouble-making little Leprechauns.  Then, that evening we had traditional corned beef and cabbage.  It was a hit (at least the meat part... the veggies are a harder sell to my kiddos!), and we had a good time.

We are so glad Grandma was able to come and spend time with us!  We had a lot of fun!