Skiing and Piano

Today was a good Saturday for Corey. It started off with me letting him know that I would not be leaving him alone with all the children by going to the temple. He appreciated that. He went later today to rep our family in the temple. But first he took Owen and Daniel skiing. He went by himself, which is impressive, since it was fairly challenging when there were the two of us skiing with the toddlers last month. He said he would have taken pictures, but that wasn't possible. Getting them and their skiis on and down the mountain and onto the lift was challenging enough - without trying to get a free hand to take photographs of it! So this was the only picture we got - of them sleeping in the car after they got back home.

When Owen woke up, he proudly told me that he went down the hill by himself. Good job Owen!! That is great! You're getting so big!

Last night, on our drive to out date to Mel's concert, we discussed music, and we there decided that ALL of the kids will begin piano. Abi had been protesting for a while that she has to take piano when no one else does. I told her that she will be happy, when she is older, if she continues. And that she will regret it if she quits. She agreed, but still doesn't want to practice. So I wanted to make policy. The new policy is - 15 minutes a day by each kid. And today, every kid did it!! The goal is for them to be able to play the simplified hymns by the time they leave the house and serve missions. So Ethan and Hyrum are in crunch time trying to get it learned - Ethan just has a few months, Hyrum has a year so that's more realistic but he's still gonna have to work at it consistently. But I was so pleased that today they all did it! I sat with most of them at the piano (not Ethan) and pointed out the few things I remember from when I took lessons. The girls just did the C scale for 15 minutes each, and I watched and helped them get the fingering right. But it was fun and it really filled my heart to see them willingly working and doing something that will bless their lives. So yay for this new music policy - everyone is doing music. We might make Hyrum do extra since he doesn't play another instrument. But I was quite pleased that they all practiced today. Hooray. Tomorrow daylight saving time begins, and early tomorrow morning we are taking Abi to the airport, she is headed to Texas for two weeks. Fun for her! She's such a big kid - traveling by herself and having an adventure on her own (well, with supervision via her uncle's inlaw, but not with any of her immediate family) It should be a good growing experience for her.