Heugh's Canyon & Ballroom Performance

Today Abi should have had school, cause it was an A day, but she came back home, so whatever I guess? Her senior year does not look how my senior year did, nor how Joseph's did. She's just got a bit too much time to be free. None of this freedom and enjoying life Abi! It's time to get ready to be an adult! Which means work, hustle, and no money. She's got the no money thing down, haha. Actually, she's got a job! She is working at Big Blue Swim School, and this is her second week. Nice to know she can start helping with gas money. Though yes, we should probably let her use it for savings so that she has something when she comes home from her mission. Her mission I think is paid for though - I guess people (my mom, Wayne, others?) donated so much for the other kids, and it keeps carrying over, and Wesley's was paid for and there's enough for Abi's mission too, I think that's what Corey said. So thank you Lord for that kindness and generosity shown toward our family. 

So, since Abi was home, I decided to go exercise. Lily still needed a ride home from school though, so that gave me about an hour. I left around 1pm and thought I'd do what I could for an hour and then go get her. It was such a pretty day that as I was getting my shoes I decided I didn't want to go to the gym - so sad to be inside in a metal gym with artificial light when it's beautiful outside!! So perhaps a walk on a hike on the way to Skyline. Fergueson? I almost turned in there but then I didn't - I continued on Wasatch and soon pulled into the parking lot for Heugh's Canyon. I've never hiked it, but I've scouted it out. Also a friend, Kyle, recently hiked this, so seeing his Strava made me want to hit this up. He did it in 58 minutes, so I thought it could be perfect, Lily would just have to wait a bit longer. It took me a few min to figure out where to go, and once I found it I spent some time exploring. (I found a perfect hidden spot to bring a blanket and take a nap next to the stream.) Then as I was hiking, Lily texted saying she was staying after for something, so I thought maybe I'd keep going. I had a timer going off every 20 min for the first hour. I kept looking at my time and texting Abi and Lily to know what was going on. Checking Strava to see how much was left, hmm can I make it? I tried to hurry up the trail near the end. It got my heartrate up in a few spots where it was a steep climb. I didn't bring water but got some from the stream. A little more up and there was a cool boulder field to crawl over. I eventually made it to a waterfall! I didn't know that was up here! Totally beautiful.

OK! Now it was 2:20 - Abi had to work at 3. If she was going to bike there, she would need to leave home at 2:40 to make it on time. Yeah, that's not gonna happen, I guess I'm driving you? Lily, I guess I'm not picking you up, I don't have time. She walked to Corey's dad's house, I ran down the trail as much as I could I was wearing some grippy, flexible, and flat hiking shoes that had NO cushion, and so it was a bit brutal as I tried to run down. the canyon. I made it back to the car at 2:45 though! I was home by 3, Abi was ready with Katharine to get in the car, we drove Abi to work, and got her there in time! I'm sure that tomorrow my knees will be letting me know that they did not appreciate that run. 

So then - I headed back home. Sophi and Natalie stayed after school for a ballroom hangout. They had a performance tonight that we all went to - 

Dressed up for their first number - Surfin USA I think. Natalie and Sophi are the two girls front and side by side here - Natalie on the left, Soph on the right. 

Katharine liked the ballerina number. She told me "I want to be a ballerina!" and then in the next breath, "How much longer?!" "Just a few more" I told her 10 times. We watched the show until 7:20 when Abi texted that she was done with work early (aka now) and to come get her. She had said she'd be done at 8, but whatever, I guess I'm leaving now.  

I took some videos, but if I upload them to youtube, I have to keep them to under 1 min or else the music will be flagged for a copyright violation. I missed Sophi's solo. I'll have to watch Corey's video. So Katharine was done, and the boys were down the row sitting with Wayne, but I had them come with me, and we left to pick up Abi. I need to go get the program from the car... I'll update their dance numbers later after I get that. Or when they get here to tell me. They are still gone - it's a tradition for the ballroom dancers to go to Menchies on 33rd south after their ballroom concerts. Joseph, Wesley, and Abi all did ballroom and I think they all went to Menchies too. 

So I had ODPK, Corey stayed with Lily and Wayne for the rest of the performance. Then they stayed while Corey worked, and Lily is picking up S&N from Menchies, 

On way back from getting Abi at work yesterday, she let me know she got a dr bill for her well visit in December. Yeah, I figured it was too good to be true (in Feb it appeared they magically waived her $1300 bill). But they didn't. So bad news: we still have to pay for that. Good news: we got a -$450 self pay discount. So now it's only $953. I called today to get that set up on a 12 month payment plan and I'm going to apply for financial assistance, just in case). it's nice that I was able to thinking it was for a few months. 

I didn't paint last week and haven't yet this week, BUT I have done other "arts" - I've practiced the violin! I was asked if we'd be around Memorial Day weekend and if I was available to play violin in sacrament meeting. I told her I was available and willing, but I have hardly touched it for the past 4 years. I have now touched it more this week than in the past 4 years. We reviewed it this past Sunday and they recorded the piano and cello so I could practice with those in a recording. I've been practicing every day trying to learn it. I'm probably going to play, but I play violin like all my girls dance in ballroom - a bit stiff and without feeling. I always find it funny watching them dance, cause they are a bit robotic - like they are walking these memorized steps (the same way I shall be playing memorized notes) but they just lack the relaxation and enjoyment of it cause they are too in their heads with the memorization of it? That's how it looks from the audience most of the time to me anyway. They're moving their arms and doing the things, but lacking that MJ "feeling it" touch. I guess with the violin too, you just have to do it long enough that you get out of your head. I'm so in my head with this violin thing (we're playing "Be Thou My Vision") that if I try to do vibrato or think I'll use my 4th finger instead of the open string so I can try vibrato, I just mess up completely with the counting and the notes and get lost. So I'll be playing robotic and hope that Sophi is able to carry us through with nice tone and vibrato. I bet I could outdance them though. Ok CLSN are on their way back home now, I guess we'll go read and go to bed.