Schoonie Reunion

Schoonie Reunion
May 14th and 15th, 2011
Greg and Debbie's Retirement from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
We had a late Saturday getting home from reunion activities and then a very early Sunday morning heading back to Salt Lake. Trent needed to be to the tabernacle by 8am to sit by family for the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast. We dropped him off at 8 at the gate and he was able to make it. The family sat 3 rows back for the broadcast.

My little friends and I walked over to where the Papworth's were staying and then walked to temple square with Shauna. We watched the broadcast at the North visitors center. They had it setup for families with children not 8 to watch the broadcast. It was the party version of the broadcast!
Immediately following the live broadcast we headed over to the tabernacle for the retirement ceremony. 19 members of the choir were retiring and let me say it was an awesome and inspiring meeting to a part of. President Monson was there, which was awesome! I love when he walks into a meeting and everyone stands. The spirit in those moments is overpowering, yet peaceful. Each retiring choir member had written about a short write about their story, experiences with the choir, why they joined the choir, how they feel about the choir, etc. and then Mac Wilberg shared something about the choir member as well. The stories were fascinating. There was one sister who attended a Mo Tab Choir concert and knew right then that the church was true and that she was going to join the church and sing in the choir someday. The day of her choir retirement was also the 45th anniversary of her baptism. I really enjoyed listening to each story and learning about these individuals.
I think it is awesome that Greg and Debbie have been able to share this experience together. Debbie has been in the choir for 11 years and Greg for 5. They both celebrated their 60th birthdays this past year and so were required to retire. They were so excited/appreciative of how much family they had at the retirement ceremony. They have all the family and friends stand up as part of their recognition. Debbie said that when all of their family/friends stood up that Mac said, "oh wow!"

This is so Greg...always happy, friendly and outgoing. I love his big smile in this picture.

President Monson was so animated throughout the whole retirement ceremony. I loved watching his reaction to something that was shared, his smile, his presence in the meeting was felt by all who were there.

After the ceremony we took a few pictures of our little friends. The flowers were beautiful! Then we headed over to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to have lunch with all of the Schoonie family.

I love little monkey's lips in this picture. I am sure she was being sassy!

After lunch we walked over to the church museum to check out the new children's exhibit on the Book of Mormon and to see the pioneer house. Jack loves to see the pioneer house.

I am loving their face expressions in this pic. Ruby looks like she is getting in trouble and Jack looks like he is in shock!

This was a church missionary helping Ruby put on a skirt to learn a dance.

Learning the dance. Trent jumped right into this activity.

Ruby is checkin herself out in the mirror!

iGirl...she has a radar for anything with a touchscreen!

We had a fabulous weekend with family, feeling the spirit, and being on temple square. I am truly grateful for the gospel. I know it brings us all together and holds us all together.
One more...I just want to give you all squeezes!

Schoonie Reunion Talent Show

Schoonie Reunion
May 14th and 15th, 2011
In conjunction with Greg and Debbie Griffith's (Trent's uncle and aunt) retiring from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir we held a short Schoonie Family Reunion. We spent time visiting on Saturday afternoon, Cynthia did a short family history activity, which was very good. I did not take many pictures because Kelly and Laura were doing such a good job with that. When we get all of their pictures I will add to this.
Cynthia taught the kids about ancestors and descendants. They loved learning about other family members. She had a picture of each 1st generation grandparents and had the children put a smiley face by the picture/family they belong with. She shared a few stories, one that I like is about a great, great grandmother who was born so early that the dr did not think she would survive. Her parents put her in a shoe box with cotton balls because she was so tiny and kept her in an oven to keep her warm. They would feed her through a dropper. She survived! The resourcefulness and faith is incredible.
After dinner on Saturday we had a family talent show. This has become a tradition at each family reunion. I never participate, but I LOVE this time because Trent comes from a talented family and everyone always does a fabulous job and everyone always feels comfortable participating. I remember even when Lucie was 2 she wanted to participate and sang the ABC's. This time was no exception. Both Lucie and Jack were excited to share their talents....
Jack wanted to break dance. This is not a very good picture, but it is the only one I was able to get.

Lucie decided at the reunion to sing a bug song with her cousins Clara and Natalie. These girls just immediately clicked on Saturday. They started calling themselves the 3 musketeers and by Sunday had already planned a summer sleepover. Angie, Natalie's mom was so nice and ran home (luckily it was around the corner from the church we were at) to get Lucie a costume to wear in the talent show with Natalie and Clara.

Lucie played the piano as well. She played Fanfare and did an excellent job!

It was so good to catch up with lots of the Schoonmaker family. Cynthia and family, Griffith's family, and 5 of the Papworth's (Ann, Katherine, Cheryl, Carol and Shauna) were able to come. The Cook family and us represented the Bob Schoonmaker family. Trent's parents were not able to attend because they were in Washington DC for Nicki's graduation! Congrats to Nicki for her graduation from Physical Therapy school!

Jack's Music Recital

Handsome Jack at his music recital for

Let's Play Music
Wednesday May 11th, 2011

I'm done taking pictures now...

The details...I thought it was really nice that it was held at the Springville Art Museum.
Ruby wanted to sit by you and was so sweet. Jack you are giving us the look of "come and get her!"

Jack and his friend Lydia

Did not quite get everyone to look, but at least it's a shot...

Getting ready to play the bells to Goodbye Old Paint. You are pictured here with Miss Melodie, Cooper, Lydia and Spencer.

Jack you did awesome at playing your part. You really liked the song Goodbye Old Paint. It was kind of cool because Lucie was playing this on the piano when you were learning it in music class. You had practiced a lot and were completely calm and confident in your abilities to play at the recital. You played the bells and you also had a short speaking part in the bug song.

Jack you were so well behaved through the whole recital. You sat on your "pocket," you sang, and participated throughout the whole night. Dad and I were so proud of you!

Ruby made it 1/2 through and then she became the iGirl!

Jack you were so excited about your recital that you invited all of your preschool class. Miss Chelsie, one of your teachers came and you were so excited. This picture was taken at the end of the recital and you are beaming! You did a fantastic job!

Being a MOM

My Mother's Day was awesome!

It had a little bit of everything....
peace
quiet
adventure
sweatiness (our church was 150 degrees:)
food
love
I was surprised with cards from Luc, Jack and Ruby. All of their teachers are so nice to make things with them in class for Mother's Day. Trent did not have any church meetings today and it was bliss! He fixed breakfast, we rode to church together. We did have a bit of a rush out the door. I always think we have more time than we really do on Sunday mornings.
Church was busy. We had a lot of people at church today....a farewell and 30 new people in our ward (from the Married Student Wards that were dissolved last Sunday). We kept getting scrunched together on our bench and the heat was on in our building. I think my friends think I am a jungle gym and my parents were so kind to be participants today as well. During Primary I held Lucie's notebook and she had colored blue on the cover. I looked down to find my hands and shirt all blue!
We had dinner with my family. My parents made turkey dinner and chocolate cake for dessert. The meal tasted so good!
I read this saying on a friend's blog this morning and thought it summarized being a MOM. I love my responsibility and role as a MOM. It is tough to always have patience and love in the day to day frustrations of getting my friends to pick up their rooms and their shoes, to be polite and kind to others....when I see their smiles, when I can wipe away their tears, make up a silly song to make them laugh, when they try best....those moments are sweeter than sweet.
(not sure who to give proper credit to for this saying...i did change a couple things)
I love that tomorrow morning, the sun is sure to rise, and I love that if I’m lucky, I’ll find a moment to go outside and stand in it. I love that at 9 am, I’ll hear little feet pitter patting their way to the potty and then in to make sure I haven’t sleep a solitary moment longer than necessary. I love that I’ll get to make breakfast, wash dishes, hold hands, make lunches and kiss boo boos. I love that at one point or another, I’m guaranteed to want to hide in the bathroom to find one tiny moment of solitude and peace. I love that there will be chaos, all kinds of glorious madness, and that I’ll have to walk a 2 year old to the naughty chair approximately seven hundred and forty-six times...k not really that many times but it sounds funny. I love that the day will stretch, pull, trample and prod at every recess of my heart and that it is likely to test my will to the breaking point. . . because all these things are evidence that life is good and that God always giveth FAR more than he taketh.

This Little Friend of MINE...

This little friend of mine
is chalk full of spunk.
She's got lots of goodness and dash of naughtiness in her!
She is not afraid to get into anything,
She loves to eat lotion and anything else that one would think is not for eating.
She will tackle any climbing challenge, the most recent being our hallway closet up 4 shelves to reach the games.
She can give the growliest scowls (I cannot find the picture of you scowling right now, but I will add it to the collection when I do).
But saving the best for last you are super sweet and loving.
I love when I am holding you and you give me tight squeezes.
When you stroke my the back of my hair or my arm while I am holding you feels so sweet.
You love to help around the house and when you give smiles or tell a story I love how your eyes get so big and move to the side of your eye sockets.
Your little voice melts my heart and you have me wrapped around your little fingers when you voice your opinion.
You are my one and only
Ruby Jane!

On this day you were sick and did not have any energy....you zonked out on the couch and were soooo sweet and quiet:)

You are a chatty little friend...you talk with your hands and your face and eyes are full of expression when you are telling a story. Some lines that you use...
- turn it up it (you yell this when you want a song louder, which is every time we are in the car)
- oh my goodness
- oh heck
- nana nana boo boo (you go around singing this)
- you love to give high five after saying a prayer

Ruby you love music and you know the names of quite a few songs. Just a few of the songs you like...Best of Both Worlds (Miley Cyrus), I gotta feeling (Black Eyed Peas), Kids in America (The Muffs), Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam. I could not find Kids in America the other day and there was no tricking you. Every time I picked a song you immediately would let me know that was not the right one.
We were talking about Jack's song "Goodbye Old Paint" that he is playing at his recital this week. In this song it talks about Cheyenne and Montana. Luc was asking if there was really a place called Cheyenne. Then Jack asked if there was really a place called Montana. Before I could answer you called out with duh tone in your voice, "Yes, Hannah Montana!"

Temple Square

Last weekend we went to Temple Square for a wedding reception. It was a wintry April (29th) evening. It snowed on our way to SL....burrr. All we had was Trent's phone, but it captured our friends and the beautiful flowers!

Never a Dull Moment

Whoa, I fell off the wagon of keeping our memories updated! It has been awhile since I really sat down and recorded the activities that our family has up to. I did good for about 45 days on keeping up on the picture a day, but we became busy we other things and now I just need to get back to journaling our activities!
(side note...curse blogger right about now...I had a post all typed and whoosh it was all erased in a split second...I will try again:)
During the day on Monday I said to my father-in-law that this day was flying by. Somewhat along these lines he responded with wouldn't you rather that time keep moving along fast rather than slow. This thought started me thinking about both of my grandmas who both lived several years after their husbands had passed away. I know that they were both happy and made the best of their time, but I also bet that somedays probably felt like an eternity when there were no visitors or kids running around. There are so many times when I want to stop time and keep my little friends the ages that they are, but each year they continue to grow and we see their sweet, sassy, adventurous, drama filled, fun, personalities develop. I cannot stop time and if time did stop I would probably complain anyways. Instead of wishing the days would slow down I need to embrace each day and be better about recording memories so that I can always remember the good, the bad, the ugly, the fun, the everything in between!
Last week Lucie asked if she could read some of my journals. After awhile she told my she had to read something to me. It was an entry from 1996 and it was a day when Noelle and I were in a fight. At first I was embarrassed that Lucie was reading this, but my embarrassment turned to gratitude as I realized I would have never remembered this fight with Noelle if I had not written it down in my journal and I think it's important to remember the day to day events and remembering how we have overcome challenges and how blessed we are. Something in my father-in-laws comment just made sense. My hope is that I can embrace time and watch it pass with faith and peace.
We have not had very many dull moments around our house. Our April was filled with family and friends! We took a trip to California with the Wrights, Trent's sister Melanie stayed with us the week we returned from California, we celebrated Easter with grandma and grandpa Taylor and the Ovards and we had grandpa and grandma Schoonie stay with us the last week of April.
When Grandma Schoonie arrived she immediately took Lucie shopping for fabric and a dress pattern. She is making her a dress for her 8th birthday. Lucie has been looking forward to this for several months. Grandma and Lucie came home from shopping giggling! Lucie had a great time listening to grandma tell stories about Trent as a little boy and Lucie had fun telling grandma knock-knock jokes.
When grandpa arrived Trent, grandpa and Luc went right to the grocery store to get Haagen Dazs bars. It is a tradition now to have Haagen Dazs bars with grandpa Schoonie. Grandpa and Ruby would share one everyday at Disney World!

Gotta love Trent in the flower apron! He was a bit embarrassed, but not enough to take it off!

Miss Poser!

Dig In!

We made shakes for grandma one night.

CHEERS!
Ruby loves tapping food or glasses with people and saying cheers. It started out as saying same-same when she would be eating the same thing as someone else, now she has changed it to CHEERS!

I was playing around in photoshop with this picture and the one on the right is supposed to look like a sketch.