Happy New Year

Our regular tradition of traveling NYC over New Years, had to be curtailed this year because we went to Vegas for Christmas.  We opted for a more quiet new years this year.  But it was soooo good that this might become the new tradition.

On the Eve we went to our favorite fondue restaurant!!

Then that evening we went to Annapolis harbor and had good luck in getting really close, with our car, to view the fireworks, and not have to fuss with the crowds and the cold weather!!  It was perfect!!

Then on new years day we made tempura for dinner!!  A family favorite!!

Christmas means music!

Christmas means lots of music playing in our household.  We were proud of Lillie with all the orchestras she played in this year.  All county, tri county, her high school orchestra and the chesapeake youth symphony.  We also play a lot at home and for church!,

Las Vegas for Christmas!!!!

We went to Las Vegas for Christmas!  Mom them came up from Hawaii and we had a great time eating at great restaurants, seeing another cirque du soleil show, and enjoying all the spectacle that IS Vegas!

All County Honors Orchestra

Lillie did another great job in the high school honors all county orchestra. This is a picture of the youth from the ward in the honors orchestra with her. Great bunch of kids.

Rachel Beaver, Corbin Hilton, Lillie, Ian Hays, Mason Isaacson, Sam Wilks, Luke Isaacson across everyone. These are really a great bunch of youth.

High School Orchestra

We are so proud of our Lillie for always trying her best despite not really being all THAT interested. But she is so talented and is doing so well on the violin. Last night she had her orchestra concert. She is the concertmaster for the 9th grade orchestra. She did really good. You could really see her leading the group. She has really come into her own on the violin. We could not be more proud.

Here she is walking out to tune the orchestra:

Here she is below tuning the orchestra. It was a Halloween concert. So she was dressed as a cow girl. 

Here is a zombie Halloween fun piece:

Braces

After two years of braces, Lillie got them taken off this month!! Her smile looks great and her teeth are so straight!!  Good job Lillie for taking such good care of your teeth!!

First day of high school

Our little Lillie started high school today. Here she is all loaded down with all her stuff. Violin, back pack, lunch, and scriptures for seminary. She gets up at 4:30 now to be at seminary by 5:50. She is such a good girl!!

More pictures from Hawaii

It was so nice to be home and be with family!  We enjoyed our time there!!we also went out with a dear friend from high school. Actually our families have been friends since we were babies. Leigh Ann Chang Siaosi. She is very accomplished and her family is outstanding in every way!!

Pioneer Trek Youth Conference

Before we came to Hawaii Lillie went on a pioneer trek. We are so proud of her. We were nervous because the weather was going to be extremely hot and humid and the youth were going to trek from noon until midnight on the first day. With nothing to eat. So we are so proud of Lillie. She can do hard things and we heard she was a real cheerleader to other youth. We sure love our Lillie a lot.

Grandma passes away

We have been in Hawaii for the passing of my grandma. I sure miss her. I have fond memories of spending my summers with her. We would go gallivanting all over the place on foot and bus.  I don’t think I was appreciative of doing that with her back then, but I am now. Somehow those simple days with her a long time ago were the best!  The funeral was wonderful. Lots of the extende family came out. That was so nice of them to honor my grandma like that. Over 150 people. The program was beautiful too. Simple for my grandma. I think she would have liked it.