Sloane’s Primary Class Party

Sloane received an invitation in the mail to come decorate a gingerbread house with her primary class at her teachers’ home.  She was so excited, she asked every 30 seconds if it was time to go yet, and eventually we set the oven timer to help her count down until party time. 

Sloane’s teachers, Guy and Beth Fife, are the sweetest!  Sloane had a great time at the party! Thank you, Bro and Sis Fife! 

Happy Soren Day!

Soren’s birthday fell on the second week of school and during a covid spike, so we postponed celebrating him. But schedules got tricky and this morning we realized we finally had an opportunity to pull a few of his best buddies together for a party. So at 10 I texted the moms and invited them over, and friends arrived at 11 for pizza and donuts and a trip in the fun bus to the retro arcade with Dad!  Soren loved it!  Shown above L-R are Oliver, Henry M, Corbin, Sawyer F, Jordan G, and Harlow M.  We love you, Soren! Keep being you! 

Meg on the violin

I did a thing and picked up a violin after 20 years.

1) Muscle Memory is real 

2) It doesn’t sound good, but each day sounds better than the dat before

3) I genuinely like playing the violin even though I am frustrated it doesn’t sound good yet

4) I am in a 5/5 streak for practicing daily. 

5) I started back with the Twinkle variations and am currently working on Minuet 2 in Suzuki book 1. I took lessons in high school, but I’d predict I’m basically at the level of someone who has taken lessons for 6 months to a year. 

6) I pulled out the Christmas Kaleidoscope book and played a few duets with Quincy. That was super fun for me. Quincy painstakingly tolerated it. Maybe Corbin will learn the 2nd cello like and we can play some 3 part carols.  

7) my teens used to be super impressed when I would do anything but in the last 2 months they have entered the eye roll “but it’s bringing me a lot of joy.

Corbin and Quincy’s Cello Recital

Corbin and Quincy played so beautifully at their today. They both played Suzuki pieces accompanied by their teacher, Mr Finch.  Corbin played the theme from Judas Maccabaeus by Handel, and Quincy played Allegro by B Marcello. Both were a challenge and helped them develop new skills, and performing for an audience also gave them a good emotional stretch. 

Another fun thing was that the piano accompanist, Traci, has been working with Finch for many years, and she took a video of Quincy and sent it to her daughter, Anna, who was Quincy’s very first cello teacher as a student teacher in the music studio at Casa Castillo. Thanks Anna! 

I love music recitals. Well done Q and C! 

Quincy is 15!

This beautiful girl is 15! Quincy is such a treasure. She is everyone’s bestie. She loves vivaciously and loves abundantly. It’s so easy to love her right back.  Quincy has a compassionate heart. She loves fashion. She works very hard. She reeeeeally loves her friends. All 217,199 of them.  Everyone who spends a minute with Quincy knows that you’re automatically THE most important person in her life. She’s adored by adults and children alike and we all just can’t get enough. 













For her party, she wanted a full on Quinceañera, with a gown and a dance, but to avoid culturally appropriating her Latinx friends (and her sister), she opted to just take some inspiration from the beautiful tradition and have a big party.  Aaron took the boys for the day up to a BYU basketball game in Missouri and we got into party mode around here.  I took the big girls out for bagels and shopping (Quincy’s dream day!) and then came back home to set up for a party.  

I made a Cafe Rio feast (MVP of the day goes to Kasey, who entertained littles, brought food, and even picked up my groceries so I could focus on birthday girl, and then she came over to hang out so I could slip out to help a friend who’s house was on fire-more on that later. Kasey played party mom with me and stayed to the end and even helped me take one of the round of kids home when we shut the party down at midnight.) 

Quincy is well loved.  She put out an open invite on the flier and texted it to a handful of friends. There were 28 flannel and Christmas clad teens here and at one point, they all crammed into the living room for an epic round of just dance. What fun kids.  

Millie, Lilly, Gracie, Brightyn, Phoebe, Annie, Lacey, Finley, Ruby, Reese, Avery, Bailey, Piper (not shown), Cadence (not shown), Ena, Cara, Ethan V (not shown), Ethan A (not shown), Fancy (not shown), Jacob, Jacen (not shown), Isaac, Landan, Spencer, Luke, Zack, Parker, and Quincy  

Orchestra Concerts

Here’s Quincy with her orchestra crew (plus Piper and Baylee). 



Quincy plays 3rd Chair. She and Lance are stand partners again and it’s fun to watch their dynamic. They perform well together. I also spy Jacob B in the background.  Quincy loves orchestra and I’m so happy for her that she’s discovered and developed this talent. 





Corbin’s concert was the previous evening at the same venue (Arend Arts Center at BHS).  Corbin plays 1st chair in the 7th grade orchestra and he also performed Pachabel’s canon in a group of mixed 7th and 8th graders. He was recognized for making all region and he got to student lead one of the songs they performed.  I caught a pic of him with his private teacher, Mr Finch, who also comes into the school to help the cellists on occasion. It was a week of great concerts and beautiful music! As a parent, Orchestra is, by far, my favorite extra curricular activity my kids have ever participated in. Yay for musical education! 









Also a pic of the pretty cookies I made for the SBO sales cuz I’m a cool booster mom now. 

Elf on the Shelf