2016 Year in Review

2016 has been sooo busy that I really haven't stopped to take the time to blog it. I've downloaded some pics and hope to hit the highlights for posterity's sake. Hopefully, I can finish this project before I run out of time!

Chalice -  bought broadway series tickets for the first time in 17 years. Jhonny and Chalice sold the house in Rockdale - Finally! She started off teaching sunbeams (3-4 yr olds) and ended the year teaching Jessica's Sunday school class (13-14 yr olds). Still working as a counselor at CRHS.

Jhonny - went to Mexico a LOT! Moved to the 4th grade classroom and has hopes of getting out of teaching soon. Helped teach sunbeams and then was called to be a ward missionary. Has worked on many home improvement projects - including a mud wall (area for coats, backpacks and shoes), refinishing a table, finishing a backsplash to go with new kitchen granite countertops, painting the kid's rooms, installing/replacing carpet and flooring upstairs. We also just signed a contract to get solar panels installed.

Jessica - graduated from 8th grade with lots of recognitions and improving her singing talents along the way. She turned 14! Started high school and has already begun establishing a name for herself in the music department. She's been super busy!! Chalice got to go to girl's camp with her this summer. Jessica also started going to stake dances and dealing with boys and their crushes.

Lily - Choir, cheerleading, gymnastics, girl scouts, piano lessons and now a 5th grader! She's ending the year with oral surgery that she is NOT looking forward to. She is growing into a beautiful and responsible young lady. She is also super funny on her youtube channel where she hopes to become famous someday. We shall see.

Gavin- turned 8 this year and got baptized! Tried piano lessons and kind of liked it. Loves Pokemon, video games, Dan TDM, and reading. Still the sweetest boy ever! Started Choir this year.  He's in TAG again and dealing with more homework. Super smart, but having a hard time with what we think is probably ADHD. Most importantly - He loves his mommy and she loves him.

Ammon - Got moved to PPCD, had to have more tubes put in his ears, turned 4 (but thinks he's 3). We can finally understand him 80% of the time. Hoping that we will get a diagnosis in 2017 of what is wrong. Hopefully for Christmas this year he will be potty trained. He's doing so much better. Still not ready for kinder next year, but it looks like we will not have another choice. So kinder in 2017 here he comes! and with that no more daycare and hopefully no more diapers!!

The Marcano Family - spent a weekend in Port Aransas after winning a silent auction bid at Dancing with the Teachers. They went on a Cruise to Mexico and then drove to UT and Idaho to visit family. They hiked Mt. Timpanogas to see the ice caves. Went camping with the Ellis family. Gavin got baptized. Saw some old friends in UT and fireworks. Went to Lagoon with Ginger's family.

Now for some pics!

Christmas 2015

Super Ammon 

8th grade UIL Solo Competition - Amarilli earned a I

YW New Beginnings

Ammon starts PPCD (school ALL day long!)

Gavin and Mom's Valentine's date to Austin Parks and Pizza

my pretty 8th grader

4th grade Lily

District Cheer showcase

Brothers!

Brooklyn Zaugg's baptism

Easter egg hunting 2016

CDF One Act Play - 4 am. Jessica played Juliet

Empty bowls festival. Lily had a solo

Lily is 10! Mom's bday date to Applebee's

Lily's silly face is better than mine

Friends and Family over for cake on the real day!

Camp Champions 2016!

Zach PPC's Mixed Tape show with Brendon. It was AWESOME!

Jessica named Choir student of the year.

Ammon turns 4!

He's really a minion.

8th grade awards ceremony! 

Goodbye Middle School!

Weekend in Port Aransas

 

Ammon turns 4! (but says he is 3)

Jhonny celebrates 41 years!

Grandma Ellis celebrates 65! she sure doesn't look it!

Lily and Gavin at their piano recital with AJ, their teacher.

Ammon found a permanent marker and not only decorated his face, but also his room. It took til December to get the room painted over and remove the artwork. 

CDF MS Talent show - last one! Jessica sang "Stand in the Light"

End of Year GS party

Jessica invited to sing at the District Principal's conference

Gavin turns 8

Gavin at Cub Scout Camp

So great to be 8!

Impromptu party at the pool!

Jessica gets a grown up haircut day before the cruise!

Progresso Mexico

Breakfast on the Cruise ship

Can't believe it ended so soon!

Happy 14th birthday to Jessica!

Breakfast date to IHOP

with friend Alyssa who was moving to Kansas right after our date

Trip to ID/UT

Stopping in Moab

New Provo Temple

Hiking with Spencer's kids

Long hike - we are sooo out of shape! Ammon freaked out inside the caves. I think the water dripping sound did it. He wanted out!

View on the way to Idaho

Long hours in the car go better with headphones and movies

Gavin got baptized in Kimberly, ID

Real set of scriptures from Grandma Ellis

The family who showed up for the baptism

Uncles, Grandpa's and cousins who stood in the circle

Kip Stanger, Kevin Ellis, Jhonny Marcano, Matthew Ellis, Erik Lathen, Randy Ellis, Spencer Ellis, Gavin in front

The aunts - Giner, Tanya, and Shelley

The cousins

Grandpa and Grandma Ellis

Marcano Family

4th of July Family Selfie

Lagoon 2016!

With Ginger, Erik, Rigby and Weston!

The car ride

I have a pic like this of me and Spencer

Ammon loves the choo choo train!

Girls Camp 2016.. Bandana headbands are the thing

Love this girl. Glad I got to go to YW girl's camp this year.

Jake came home from Jordan/Quwait. Never seen his wife so happy.

Welcome home Jake party!

Ammon goes back to school

1st day of 3rd grade

1st day of 5th grade

makes me flip out!

1st day of 9th grade and seminary!

1st day back of PPCD

1st stake dance

He's so sweet when he's sleeping

Homecoming 2016

Homecoming was the same night as my Newsies tickets

Chalk Walk 2016

Gavin and Mom at CRHS undefeated football game

Lily figuring out her Halloween costume. Miranda Sings was the winner.

Fall Concert at CRHS

So nice to have Jessica at school on my Bday

It's my Bday buddy!

Gavin's 3rd grade PTA music concert about hats

Halloween 2016 

GS Fall Campout 2016 at Zilker Cabin

Hike to Austin's nature and science reserve

Jessica made it into all region choir 3rd year in a row and qualified for all-state auditions

Walking with mom in the morning. Great to have lone time!

Dad do I really look like you?

Zara Larsson made a surprise appearance at CRHS. Lily skipped the beginning of school to see her.

CDF vertical concert. Gavin is in choir - but for how long? 

Lily's 3rd year in choir. 

 

Off to see Cinderella with Mom 

Carols and Cocoa vertical concert 2016 

Jessica wowed audiences with her featured solo "Snowflakes"

Christmas PJ's 2016

Yep Ammon got 2 pairs and couldn't decide

Gavin turns 8

https://goo.gl/photos/dKJgzgn383VCRcoSA

Easter 2016

https://goo.gl/photos/8njQqiWrPwq8oUvJ7

Lily's 9th Birthday

2015 was a busy year. Lily pointed out that I didn't blog about her birthday last year. I had all the material - just didn't get a roundtoit. So here is Lily's 9th birthday in review. We didn't have a big party - just one friend over for a sleepover and a Saturday shopping spree. The following weekend, we went to GS camp at Camp Kachina. Dad was out of town that weekend as well. We love our spunky talented full of energy Lily!

Annual Valentine's date 2016

Ammon in big boy school

Today was the start of PPCD for Ammon. He was essentially demoted from the PEAR program for lack of progress last semester. But that means he is at school all day with a hybrid of PPCD and TWC program. He was excited to take his lunch. When he asked me what the the kool aid jammers were for, I told him it was for his lunch at school. His eyes got super big and he gave me the most excited drop my jaw as far as it will go face I have ever seen. I wish I had had my camera for that priceless face!! You can tell he didn't let go of that lunch all morning. We'll see how long that will last. LOL.
Mom is nervous for the changes and hopes all will go well. I'm also looking forward to him reaching his goals and working on his motor skills and social skills with friends - like taking turns and sharing. Hopefully his speech will improve. He's still hard to understand even though his language has picked up and he's talking a lot. If you don't know what the context is, it's VERY hard to know what he's saying. And if he doesn't understand you he starts on his own conversation - usually about Mickey Mouse Clubhouse which is also code for I want to watch TV. Or I really liked "" on TV and I want to watch more. Or at least I think that's what it is. . . Not 100% sure.

Jessica at Solo/Ensemble Contest Jan 2016

This was perhaps one of the most challenging songs that Jessica has learned thus far. She had me nervous and I'm never nervous for her. But this song. . . well. It began with the fact that she picked the hardest song her Middle School Choir director had last year. So this year in order to challenge herself, we went to the High School Choir director to pick a song. The choir director who was available showed her some music and she picked this one. I asked if it would be challenging enough for her and he assured me that college students use this song, so I said, "OK." The hardest part was getting a practice CD with the backup music. The teacher to make that was busy in rehearsals for the musical. So we didn't get the official music until a week and 1/2 before the contest. She did her best off of Youtube, but it wasn't the same speed as the music she got and she was having a hard time with the ending. The trills proved to be the most challenging, especially the last one. We spent a night just going over that ending. It took me a while to figure out even how to play what she was trying to sing. Wow! I had no idea it would be that tough! She got it though just in time. This is the recording of her practice just before the real deal. She kept forgetting the ending and forgetting to breath for that ending. So of course I was nervous. Usually she is confident and bored by this point in the game. This time I had to redirect her friends so she could focus and concentrate before going in. I made her hum it in her head over and over before she entered the room.

So the judge was impressed by the level of her music and I'm thinking - you better get this girl because otherwise you are just going to look like  a fool for picking a song too hard for you. Then the lady said she sang this song in her college senior graduation recital. Great! So she's familiar with it. More nerves!! I didn't record her because I didn't want to add to her nerves or mine. 

I needn't have worried. She did it. Better than this recording even. She hit every note. She didn't run out of breath. She supported everything and did her thing! Phew!! It was awesome and she got her 1. 

Now what to do next year? Yikes.