March

At The Park Above

We went to Bloomfield for Sid's baby blessing.

Grandma Kara playing during Grace's piano lesson

We finally got a pass to the zoo so we've enjoyed a few trips there. Peter enjoys riding in the stroller and Benjamin is NOT getting used to walking. I foresee a wagon in the near future. We tried the double stroller thing but returned it because it was too bulky.

I had the chance to play a with the NM Philharmonic when world-famous pianist, Olga Kern came. She played Tchaikovsky's 1st Piano Concerto, one of my favorites. That week was very intense. 3 hour long rehearsals most days, lots of practicing and of course all the usual stuff doesn't stop. This picture sums up how that week was! 

My laundry helpers. It's fun trying to fold when they're BOTH in the basket. :-)

At a friend's birthday party at Peter Piper. Not my favorite place. I wouldn't be sad if I never go back.

February - Peter 8 months old

Benjamin loves having a bath buddy now and Peter enjoys baths.

The first time Benjamin spelled his name without my help (at Joy School)

Brotherly love...

Peter showers us all with kisses and has since he was just a couple months old.

Peter is a big fan of the play place

I have finally worked through which instrument Peter can play - the piano. It has bothered me ever since I was pregnant with him and now it's so clear. I don't know who I will have teach him, so I hope an awesome Suzuki piano teacher pops up near where we will live when he's ready to start. I've decided that the boys will each play 1 instrument only (which will kill Benjamin because he REALLY wants to play the piano) until they are old enough to practice additional instruments without my help.

I think this was the first day that he pulled himself up.

For awhile we were doing a reward chart for happy cello practice with ice cream as the end goal. This is I Scream Ice Cream, an amazing mom and pop shop off of Carlisle and I-40.

Thanks to Joy School I am given many creative ideas I would never have thought of since I don't Pinterest. ;-)

More kisses

When I was 13 years old I started teaching my first student in Grand Junction, CO. She was on my teacher's waitlist and my teacher thought it would be good for me to start teaching. Josie drove with her mom and brother an hour each way every week for a lesson with me. I taught her until I moved to Oklahoma for school. She ended up studying violin in college and through Facebook I was able to keep in touch with her. In February a drunk driver hit her on her commute back home. She would be 20 years old the next weekend. It is incredibly sad. I was able to go to the funeral with the boys and Lamoni took off work. I brought my violin to play at the reception during an open mic and on the way got a message from her mom asking if I could play at the service. I played Homeward bound (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaQYQnrPgSM) for the hundreds of people who were there to remember her.

Look at the snowdrifts we drove through - on both sides of the car!

Jared had his first sleepover at our house and the boys LOVED it. I couldn't get them to stand still long enough for a picture.

Benjamin reads aloud emails he sends while typing.

We went on a putt-putt golf mommy date.

Another ice cream. He was getting some consistent practice in!

Peter utilizes the walker from all angles.

Look at those rolls in the reflection!

More kisses

We love having Katheryn over - double the children for Benjamin to entertain!

Do you see the cat? This is the masterpiece Benjamin completed while I impatiently called for him from the garage to get into his car seat. He finished all but the eyes and mouth before we left (unbeknownst to me) and when we got home I was astonished. I praised him for his work and apologized for rushing him. As he shrugged it he said, "I was almost done." and added the face.