Easter - April 4, 2010

Easter
April 4, 2010

It's Easter Day and Spring is finally here.....at least we thought it was until we woke up and looked out the window. SNOW!! It was everywhere. I guess that means that we need to go to plan B and spend the day inside.

Brittania and Braxton came over to spend Easter morning at our house. Ryan had to work, he seems to have the wrong schedule so his work weekends end up on the holidays.

Some of the Easter eggs were "hid" in the middle of the floor for Braxton to find. He got a head start while we were waiting for Scott and Emily to come. Charlie wanted to get in on the fun.

Shaun and Charlie went outside to see if Scott and Emily were coming. Scott and Emily are crossing the street. (Charlie got a hair cut this past week).

Scott and Emily on Easter morning.

Braxton on Easter morning.

Emily and Scott opening an Easter present from mom and dad.

Brittania opening her's and Ryan's Easter present.

Braxton on Easter.

Braxton and Brittania with the Easter bunnies decorations.

Emily and Scott with their present - Easter bunnies.

I think that maybe Shaun didn't want his picture taken - He really is just trying to be silly.

Here's a second try. Braxton must be wondering why Shaun has an Easter basket on his head.

Time to find the Easter eggs - Shaun and Brittania.

Braxton is done looking for eggs and just wants to go for the candy jar, it's probably easier that way.

Emily looking for Easter eggs.

Shaun, Brittania, Braxton and Emily looking for Easter eggs. It appears that they were all hid in the kitchen this year.

Scott looking for Easter eggs.

Shaun, Grandpa Ray, Braxton and Scott trying to find Easter eggs.

After they found the Easter eggs (there are still 9 missing) we had breakfast of Easter eggs (hard boiled eggs) and pull-aparts, which is one of the kids favorites. The first week of April is always our General Conference so we all watched the morning session together. We always love listening to our Prophet speak.
Braxton is good at opening presents.

WOW! Grandma and Grandpa Walker gave him a little wagon for Easter.

Braxton is curious about all of those parts in the box, Shaun is starting to put it together.

It's a 3 in 1 toy - Braxton can ride it, turn over the top part and have a wagon, or tip it for a stroller. Braxton loves Grandpa pushing him fast.

Braxton thinks it is great fun.

The Precious Moments was an Easter gift from Becky Rees and her family, the Angel was a gift from them for Christmas.

When the afternoon session of General Conference was over we left to go up to my dad's cabin in Midway. Since it snowed the BBQ with the Little family had to be changed. Grandpa Little offered his cabin for us to go to for our family Easter dinner. We all had food assignments and we ended up cooking the hamburgers on a George Foreman grill - inside - rather than the original plan of a BBQ. So I guess instead of an outdoor BBQ for Easter our family ended up sleigh riding on Easter. It seems a little bit backwards - there was no sleigh riding at Grandpa's Christmas party because there was no snow, but on Easter when it is supposed to be a nice spring day we end up in the snow. That was a first - sleigh riding on Easter. This is Shaun getting ready to go down the hill.


The cousins were trying to make it steeper and faster. Kyle, Shaun and Jennifer



Shaun is ready to go again

Jazz Band Festival - March 27, 2010

Jazz Band Festival
March 27, 2010

Shaun and his Orem High School Jazz Band went to the State Jazz Band festival. The band director Mr. Summers was running the festival, so he was at Jordon High School all day and was not able to come up with his band. The band needed a parent to come on the bus with them since Mr. Summers couldn't, so I was "elected" by Shaun to be that adult.

Jordon High School is where Ray's dad went to school (of course it is a different building now) and their mascot is the Beet Digger. Dad Walker would tell us cheers from his days as a beet digger. So I thought it was appropriate to have this picture of a beet digger in honor of Dad Weber Read Walker. He also loved to garden and had huge gardens and this statue reminded me of him.

Shaun's Jazz Band had a good warm up before they played for the judges. Shaun is somewhere on the back row.

More warming up.

And even more warm ups.

Jordan High School Beet Digger again.

A clinic was held for the Jazz Bands after they performed. The musician that talked to them made a comparison of playing an instrument and learning to talk as a baby/toddler. When you learn to talk you are immersed in language by parents, siblings and all who are around you. Through this immersion with language a baby will learn to speak, and speak the language that he hears. It is the same with music - he challenged the students to immerse themselves with Jazz music. They need to listen to it everyday and find someone they want to play like and listen, and listen to them to learn their "music" language. I enjoyed listening to his presentation and I think the students did also.

Orem High Jazz Band did a great job, receiving a 1; 1; and a 1+. They tied with American Fork for the best scores in the state. Later at the Orem High School Jazz Band Concert they were presented with their certificate for doing so great, Shaun's friend Jan received the award for best soloist, and the trumpet section was awarded with Best in State. That was quite the honor for Shaun and his friends.

Shaun's Friends - March 5, 12, 19, 2010

Snow and More Snow!
March 5, 2010

Will spring ever come? We keep waking up to more snow!

Braxton and Grandpa

March 12, 2010

Braxton loves books and enjoys when grandpa reads to him!

A Surprise from Shaun's Friends
March 19, 2010

Shaun's friends devised a plan - - a clever and cunning plan. All day at school Shaun's friends were telling him that they were going to bring something to him tonight. The more they talked to Shaun about it the more curious he was. Well, night came and so did the friends who had made a cake (or was it?) for Shaun. They had made a cake with large bumps randomly placed on it - - was it safe? what were the bumps? They wouldn't let Shaun touch or poke the bumps to find out what they might be. They told Shaun to have a piece of whatever it was - - if he dared. They were really teasing Shaun so he didn't know if he should try it. Shaun got brave and tried it, and it actually tasted good. It turned out to be just a cake with parts of cup cakes on top of it. Everybody joined in and had cake with Shaun. A great time was had by all.

Shaun is not quite sure what to do.

The friends are coaxing him to try it.

Time for everyone to join in for cake!

Valentines and Aunt Gladys' 80th Birthday - Feb 14, 2010

Valentines
February 14, 2010

Emily and Scott left us a great surprise on Valentine's Day. They "heart attacked" our door and left treats on the door step.

Aunt Gladys' 80th Birthday
My Aunt Gladys was having her 80th birthday so my cousin Christy decided to throw a birthday party for her. We were invited to attend. I have only seen my cousin and aunt recently at funerals and was happy to have a chance to visit them. It was held at Christy's house in Payson. Side note - Aunt Gladys always called me Dana Kay (my first and middle name) as I was growing up and she still calls me that. Her and my Aunt Peggy were the only people that called me Dana Kay. It brings back warm memories!

This is me (Dana) and my Aunt Gladys Larson