Pageant

So, Cora went to Utah before us to spend some time with cousins, and also so that she could be in the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti, UT this year with her cousins.  It turned out that Joseph was able to be in it as well, even though he didn't go to Utah early.  I'm so glad that they were able to have this opportunity, and soooooo grateful to Joe's mom and dad for hosting everybody!

 They were in two parts - Handcart pioneers and Nephites for the Christ in America scene.

 A big part of participating in the pageant, is missionary work.  All of the cast members walk through the audience (in costume) before the Pageant starts each night, and they talk to people, bare their testimonies, and pass out pass-along cards (cards that have contact information in case you're interested in learning more about the church).  The kids did great, and they really enjoyed the whole thing, even though there were some tough times along the way - long hours, cold and rain, crying, a LOT of running on a steep and slippery hill (sometimes pulling a handcart), and getting the crap scared out of them the first time they practiced with the pyrotechnics :)

Another reason I was so grateful that my kids could be a part of this is because Joe and his brothers and sisters were in it SO many times growing up, and his parents were both directors for it a few years ago.  It is a big part of them, and they all have the whole thing memorized :)  It was so fun to see that tradition now being passed on to the kids....who also now have it memorized :)

The Liddell family was also asked to sing at the devotional the last night of the Pageant, and at church the next day.

 And the boys were asked for the second time to sing the national anthem at the beginning of the Pageant.  They like the Liddells in Manti ;)

 That's a horrible picture.  Oh well, they're up there, standing in front of the flag.

We also got to sit in the VIP section, which was great. I think I saw the pageant FOUR times...it might have been more and I just lost track ;) Practices, dress rehearsal, with my Petersen family, and with the Liddell family.  Whew!  Joe only saw it once (the night he sang) - but he gets a free pass because he was in it so many times ;)

 

Here are some more horrible pictures of the pageant.  Christ in America scene - Cora and her cousin Abbey as cripples going up to Christ to be healed.

And this is their square-dancing scene with the pioneers.

 

Cora and Joseph would both like to do this again.  I don't know if they'll get a chance to or not, but I hope, at very least, that my younger two kids get to do it someday too.

Goodbye California

A long, long, long time ago, in a land far, far, far away, we moved.  I will now attempt to reach far back into my memory, and catch up.  It's probably going to take a long time, so make sure you're good and rested before you start this.

The end of school days were filled with reports, and moldy rice (science experiment), and activities, and awards.

 Field Day Fun.  Not exactly how it was when I was a kid.

 This was the third time that Madelyn has been student of the month, but only the first time we've gone to the "ceremony".  It was funny because there were FIVE other kids from our church who were getting it at the same time!

 Joe graduated too!!!

As hard as it was, this was such a great opportunity for Joe.  He really enjoyed learning the Iraqi dialect, learning about the Iraqi culture, and his teachers were wonderful!  And can I just take this moment to brag about my awesome husband? He now speaks Spanish, Korean, and Iraqi.  Plus he is proficient (understands it, tests out of it, but doesn't speak it well) in Portuguese and Italian.  This despite the fact that we're pretty sure he's dyslexic.  He has worked soooooooo hard to learn these languages, and I am so proud of him!

Here's our traditional wall of art for the school year...well, actually it's for the past two years.  We never took anything down last year.

 

We kind of got a head start on our move, because we actually moved out of our house in May, but didn't leave California until June.  This saved us some money, and it's a good thing, because the housing nickel and dimed our butts. Seriously, never live in Pinnacle housing - NEVER!  We moved into our trailer for the rest of our time in CA, which wasn't bad at all. We got out a lot, and drove a LOT, because we wanted to see/do everything one last time.

 

One last time eating clam chowder at the Wharf.

 One last time getting fresh guacamole from the farm stand in Carmel Valley.

 One last time driving along the coast.

 Stopping at the spot where John Denver died.

 One last time at Cannery Row.

 Finally saw the Carmel Mission - very pretty - don't know why we never went there before.

 p.s. Joseph made a model of this mission for a school project, which we never took a picture of :(

I'm definitely going to miss living near the ocean!

 

And of course we had to say goodbye to all of our friends.

 

 

I really need to take more pictures of my friends! I don't even have a picture of me with some of them!  I miss my friends - they were the best part of California.  Even better than the ocean :)

 

Cora was not with us for all of this, because she left for Utah with Marie and Antione when they came to visit.  But more about that in the next post.



Last, Last, Last Call

After we had our "last" visit, we were lucky enough to get two more visits.  First from Joe's parents.  They were only here a couple of days, but we took them to see the redwoods, which they hadn't seen before.

And then Marie and Antione came with their kids.

 We tried out a new beach that we hadn't been to before, the Carmel River Beach.  There was a HUGE hill of sand (that's Alex up on top)...

...and on one side was the ocean...

...and on the other side it was more like a lake.

Even though the sand was better on the ocean side (not to mention the ocean), we stayed on the "lake" side because the water was shallow and calm and warm, and because that's where all the other people were, including all the kids that our kids befriended.  They befriended the kid with the kayak.

They befriended the kids with the huge floating living room.

And Alex befriended a cute little girl that he couldn't get enough of ;)

 AJ befriended the sand...

 ...and the laundry basket back at home.

Marie and I took this selfie...

...and laughed because we thought we had nice smiles for it, but, not so much. Plus our hair is all crazy, plus I need new sunglasses that don't make me look like a bug ;)

 We went to Phil's Fish Market one last time, and we timed our departure perfectly, with the setting of the sun.

 Perfect.

 

And now we move.