Going to the "Germ-a-tologist"

Abby has had a red spot by her left eye for about 8 or 9 months, that just hasn't gone away. So I scheduled an appointment with the dermatologist this week to take a look at it and tell me what it was. Abby has been reminding me for about a month now to make an appointment with the doctor, so when I told her she was pretty happy, but she just couldn't seem to get the name dermatologist down and she kept asking when are we going to the "Germ-a-tologist"? She told her teacher that she would be late to school (because we had a morning appointment) because she was going to the "Germ-a-tologist". We all only got to laugh at her a couple of times before she got it down to dermatologist. I just love it when kids get names mixed up and I didn't want to forget this one of Abby's!
Oh and if you are wondering the doctor said that her red spot is...a name I can't remember because I didn't write it down...but that it was not harmful and common in kids that were born early. They can disappear when the child goes through puberty or we could have him take a needle and he pokes it into the skin and drains it. Abby picked the option of waiting to see if it goes away, she wanted nothing to do with needles! So we will wait and see what happens to it!

The Guild Audition!

Elizabeth had the opportunity to do the Guild Audition this year in piano. The Piano Guild (a division of the American College of Musicians) was founded in 1929 by Dr. Irl Allison. Forty-six entrants participated in the first audition (then called a "tournament") at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Since that time, the Guild has grown to more than 850 audition centers where thousands of students enroll annually in international auditions, which are held throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Their primary function is to establish definite goals and awards--in noncompetitive auditions--for students of all levels, from the earliest beginner to the gifted prodigy. Teachers have the flexibility to choose all repertoire for student auditions. Students are judged on individual merit, by a well-qualified music professional, in the areas of accuracy, continuity, phrasing, pedaling, dynamics, rhythm, tempo, tone, interpretation, style, and technique. Their purpose is to encourage growth and enjoyment through the study of piano. 

Elizabeth's teacher and her picked out 3 different songs that she then memorized and performed for this judge. The audition was up in Midvale and Elizabeth was SO nervous. She picked out a dress to wear and we of course fought about wearing tights and how much she hates shoes. But that is just a regular day at our house. 

Elizabeth fought us throughout this whole journey to get to these audition about practicing the piano and how she didn't want to do this anymore. She even tried to pay me off at one point to get out of it. (Because it cost me money for her to do this) I of course wouldn't let her out of it and she is now happy she did it. So much so that she says that she wants to do it next year...and I am sure that when that time comes she will fight me over practicing again and try to pay me off! 

I am SO proud of her, we got a quick look at how she did after the audition (we were not permitted to go in with her so we waited outside with her piano teacher who also was not permitted to go in). She got 31 C's (which you would think is not so good but that is the best you can get!) and only 2 A's (which is where you messed up or made a mistake!) I was just holding back tears, so I wouldn't embarrass her, but I was so happy that she did so well for her first time doing this. Some of the comments from the judge was that she had great petal control and that she had great hand positioning.(those are what I could remember) She took the 2 A's pretty well and told us that she maybe needs to practice those things that the A's were in. Which made Josh and I just stare at each other with amazement that she is volunteering to practice!  I am sure that she will be back to her old self soon! She will get her certificate and report card on this audition on May 24th when they have their Spring Awards Recital! She will have to play one of her pieces as well.  Here is a picture of her right before going into her Audition... 

This morning while Elizabeth was practicing she reminded me that I was going to video her playing her pieces for you Trudy, so this is for you!

After the audition we took the girls to get ice cream...and Josh was driving so of course we ended up at Leatherby's!

Day 2 of Graduation!

Friday started at 9:30am with everyone meeting at mom's house to drive over to BYU! We went a little more causal today. Cory had shirts made for all the kids and us girls! Yes the boy's didn't get shirts because we ALL knew that ONE of them...Josh...would never play the game and wear his shirt! So the other boys just wore BYU shirts to support my mom...and yes Josh couldn't even do that, sometimes he can just be a butt (and yes that is the nicest word I could come up with, I would call him something more colorful but this is a family blog!) The girls shirts said: Proud Daughter of a BYU GRADUATE. And the kid's shirts said, My Nana is a Cougar...but in the middle of a and Cougar BYU is pushed in...it's funny! We took tons of pictures to document the day here are a few... 

We sat way up at the top to the Marriott so I went down to the special photo area so that I could get a good photo of my mom when her name was called! The tears came as soon as they called out "Claudia Ann Cole"! 

After we made my mom take pictures with each and everyone of us! She smiled and endured it, she will be happy we have documented all this someday!

If you are wondering why Josh is holding up the number 2, it is because everyone jokes that my mom is his second wife...and if you are wondering, yes she HATES this, so we joke about it even more (that is the Cole way)!

It was a wonderful day to spend as a family. The kids sort of made it through the whole ceremony without too much trouble, but I don't think that they are in a hurry to go to another one any time soon. As we were driving home my mom asked the girls if they would like to go to Auntie Celeste's or Josh's graduation next...Elizabeth quickly said that she didn't think they needed to go back to school, or maybe they could graduate at the same time so that she would only have to go to one more of these things! Abby of course the "PC" one of the bunch said that she would go to both!

Day 1 of Graduation!

Yes BYU Graduation is a 2 day event! The first day is the commencement with ALL the 6,001 graduating Students in the Marriott Center, which my cousin Vern got us 3 sisters tickets up close and personal down on the floor of the Marriott Center. The ceremony didn't start until 3pm but we first went up to BYU at around 11am to attend a luncheon in the Dean of Student's office (AKA: My cousin Vern's office).  And since Vern was so nice to get us these amazing tickets we came up early to campus for the luncheon. We ate in is office and since he left us alone in there we decided to make our mom try on his robe for the graduation that was just hanging there on the back of his door begging to be tried on! My mom liked his robe so much better then her's that for maybe a second she considered continuing on in her education...but just for a second!

After the luncheon we went to the bookstore and my mom got us each something from there. Yes I know it is her day and we got gifts...but we are still Cole girls at heart! It was so much fun going through all the BYU apparel with my mom and sisters. I picked out a BYU sweatshirt. Celeste's feet were in pain from the shoe choice that she made that morning so Cory and her rested while I took my mom over to the Maeser Building all the way on the other side of campus. I wanted to take her picture on the steps there because she has a picture of her back in the day sitting on the steps that I wanted to reenact.  Now I know I should of taken the old picture with me so I could of gotten her in the same spot but...this is me...so we winged it! This is the picture of her before, and it is sort of cropped funny because we cropped out an old boyfriend that was sitting next to her, because I didn't want to remember that part...

And this is the picture today...She is still as amazing as ever! (and I know that she just rolled her eyes at this point!)

Then we had to get some with her cap and gown on! I loved to walk around campus with her and have people give her a double take. She got many congratulations, and way to goes also as we walked back to Celeste and Cory.

As we were walking my mom would tell me about different spots on campus that we would pass. Different memories old and new. This spot is where she and my dad were sitting one day (they weren't dating yet) and a friend of my dad's came up and was talking to my dad and asked who my mom was...well my dad told this friend, "Oh she is just one of the girls!"  Well if you can imagine that didn't go over too well with my mom ...she has never and will never be "just one of the girls"! So in honor of that day I had to get a picture of mom in "that" spot!

It was FINALLY time for us to drop off mom and get to our seats. This was right before we left her. She was meeting a friend of her's that she meet in a class this last semester, so that they could sit next to each other. I love that about my mom, she ALWAYS makes new friends where ever she is!

The ceremony was amazing. Elder L. Tom Perry spoke, there was this piano duet that...words can't even describe...and seeing my mom walk into the Marriott Center brought tears to my eyes. I am so proud of my mom. She did not want to do this whole walking thing, and the whole day before we dropped her off for the ceremony she kept saying how embarrassed she was to be there. I am so happy that us girls did not let her off the hook and pretty much made her do this, because this has been the best day!  And even though my feet and body hurt more then words right now I have loved spending the whole day with my mom and sisters. I can not wait until tomorrow to see her walk up and have them call out her name!

Gardening Cole Style!

I've wanted to grow a garden for a while now. I love the thought of just going outside to pick fresh veggies and fruits. However, I don't really have a great track record on keeping plants alive, so I really haven't pushed the subject. Josh thought a garden would be a great way for me to get outside for an hour each day and would help me and my health (he is always coming up with new ideas for things that would improve my health). We have talked about where to do a garden with my mom since we moved in. Finally this last winter my mom had this raised garden built so that we could start a garden. And when my mom has something built she doesn't do things half way...Isn't it pretty?

We have finally gotten the dirt for it this last Saturday and Josh and I spent a big chunk of the day putting it in each of the beds. (Of course I couldn't walk or move after that for the rest of the day and part of Sunday, apparently even if I feel good I can't do everything!) 

We are now ready to start planting...however, I hear that you shouldn't start planting here until after Mother's Day because lovely Utah can't seem to get spring here and keep it! So we wait now....well Josh does need to finish the drip system and their is a fountain that is going in....yes when my mom does a project she really does a project! So stay tuned to see our pretty garden bloom!

The Queen's Birthday!

When Abby has a birthday the world stops to focus ALL on her...well that is what she thinks anyways! She has been SO excited for the last few weeks for this day to come and has been counting down for the BIG day! The night before Abby's Birthday Auntie Celeste took Abby out to Planet Play! Abby asked to take a friend and Auntie Celeste said yes...Abby wanted Elizabeth to go with them. Poor Celeste.. took two kids to Planet Play on a Saturday night! Celeste sent me a couple of texts while they were out which included, "It is a mad house here!", "Oh Boy!", and this picture...

My girls had such a wonderful night and love their Auntie.  Abby got a special box in the mail from Mark and Trudy for her birthday. It was filled with all of her favorite treats with lots of one dollar bills in it (and yes the humor of the $1 bills and my in-laws being from Vegas wasn't lost on me!). My girls LOVE getting money for their birthdays. They love going shopping and deciding what to spend their money on! Abby took some of her new found fortune to school and to the book fair and got two books, a poster, and a pointer thingy! We are going to go to Wal-Mart today to spend the rest of her money on stuff for her American Girl doll! Oh and she already bought her cousin Isabelle's bike from her for $20 of those dollars. Yep she's spoiled! 

Sunday night we had my sister's and their families over for some dinner, cake, ice cream, and of course gifts. When I invited everyone Abby wanted me to make sure to tell everyone that gifts were expected! Abby had me make her a barbie cake and it had to have purple icing! Do you know how hard it is to make purple icing? But purple icing is what she got! We sat all around Abby with her crown on her head and watched her open her gifts.

After all was said and done and we were getting ready for bed we took some family pictures while Josh held out the camera. It was a good day and Abby was happy with ALL she got. Abby's birthday didn't end there. Monday was Abby's "school" birthday. Josh went to lunch with Abby and I took in cookies to her class. Abby dragged this birthday out as long as she could, and now we are done for another year! The queen's day is over...well her birthday day that is!

Easter 2013

Easter started the night before the the Easter Bunny and his helper. The girls set out their baskets with some carrots for the Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny did the traditional M&M's trail from their bedroom door to the baskets. He only took it down the hall to the toy room so that my mom didn't find M&M's everywhere throughout the house (I thought that was very smart of him). Then the Easter Bunny put an A for Abby's basket and an E for Elizabeth's basket so that they knew who's was who. Instead of a lot of candy which I knew they would get on the egg hunt later, and the simple fact that my kids never really eat their candy, the Easter Bunny got them cotton candy as their candy treat, also some chocolate covered peeps because lets just face it they might not be that good but you have to have some peeps!  They LOVED it. The Easter Bunny also got them each a new swim suit, and some new summer shoes (some toms) that they loved. I like that our Easter Bunny is practical and gets the girls things that they need for the upcoming season! The Easter Bunny also ordered them each a book in the series that they are each reading but Abby's book didn't come in time it will get here in April. Next time that Bunny should really look at a calendar to really know when the holiday comes! So the Bunny will have to just think of another reason to give them each a book....maybe end of school gift, start of summer reading program.... 

The girls had me put their hair in curlers the night before so that they could have curly hair for Church. You can't really tell in the picture with Elizabeth's curls all up but they were cute, and I love the back of this dress that I had to take a picture of it.

I got Abby a new Easter dress but when it got here (I ordered it from online) it was way too big and fit Elizabeth (so bonus for Elizabeth she ended up with two new dresses, which I was happy because she needed some Church dresses). But thankfully Abby is such a good sport and she really has more dresses then all of us combined. That she said is was ok and she would pick one of her dresses that she already has. She picked this pink dress and I think she picked it because my mom said it was her favorite, because yesterday she had already picked out a purple one! I had put curlers in her hair also and it was so curly that we had to wet it down so that she didn't look like Annie! She later told me that maybe she didn't need to have curler in her hair because she already has curly hair. She is very wise!

The girls are getting so big. I love Easter and Easter dresses. I think Josh is finally getting used to me getting the girls Easter dresses and dragging them outside to take pictures, because this year I didn't even have to say anything like wait we have to take pictures he just told the girls to go outside and let mommy take your picture so that we can go to Church.
At least this year I didn't go over board and get the matching purses, or hats, or gloves! I just went with the simple dress! Oh we did have to take Abby shopping for new shoes yesterday and if you have ever taken Abby shopping for anything you know it is a production!  She had to try on EVERY shoe on in the store. She LOVES shoes and clothes and anything girly. She did find a purse that she told me would look great with her Easter outfit but I didn't get it...Josh should be so proud! And then there is Elizabeth who I have to fight to get her to wear ANYTHING that she may think is uncomfortable! That includes all shoes, unless they are flip flops, clothes, tights...the list goes on and on! Where Abby will squeeze into anything or wear anything if she thinks it is fashionable!

Later that afternoon the whole family came over for an Easter Egg Hunt. And thanks to Bryce and Celeste the egg hunt went from already more eggs then they needed to extreme hunt! They brought with them a BOX of eggs filled with candy and treats. She also brought one egg with a $5 bill in it! We had so many eggs to hide that it  took half the backyard up! And my mom has a pretty BIG backyard. We started to think that this was more eggs then these five kids needed...

So we called up the neighbors and asked if they had any grandchildren over yet that would like to hunt eggs with us. They only sent over two! We had enough eggs to supply a small neighborhood....but at least these two little boys could come and get eggs. We let them go according to age and sent them on their way. They had to climb up the rocks and trees...by the end of hiding the eggs for the kids Uncle Bryce I think was getting tired and started making small mounds of eggs for the kids to find....they loved it. Conrad found the $5 egg, but they all found some money eggs. I am so happy that Conrad found the big money, he was so kind to the two littler boys and when his basket was already filled he would find eggs for the littlest boy! I love to see it when these kids get opportunities to share and they do it!

After the hunt we went inside to see what everyone got. A few of the eggs candy melted in the sun. Yes can you believe it that it was actually hot outside, or what Utah people call hot! So a handful of the eggs had to be put in the sink to be cleaned out. All of the Chocolate had to be put in the freezer to harden up again, but I don't think the kids don't mind! 

We ate a wonderful dinner after that and enjoyed each others company on this wonderful Easter Sunday!