PETER PAN!!!

To say that the past 3 months have been the BEST months of Max's life would be a HUGE understatement.  He was the star and loved every single minute of every single rehearsal and performance!

I have to admit that I was a nervous wreck during the performance weeks--just as I have been during Carlie's lead performances.  During tech week, these kiddos were kept out late--10:30 pm--on school nights to get this play pulled together.  On Wednesday night that week--the LAST rehearsal--Max came home in tears!  The pressure had caught up to him and he was definitely feeling it!  He also needed to stay healthy because this theatre company does not cast understudies and several of the kids in the cast were sick!!!  

So I kept Max home from school on opening day--Thursday, Feb. 4th--sleeping in, drinking LOTs of water/OJ, and oiled up with "On Guard."  We had a very relaxing day at home.  I took him to get his favorite lunch--a pretzel with cheese and a soda from QT.  I sent his teacher at school an email letting her know why I was keeping him home.  Ms. Askins was SOOOO awesome and understanding.  She actually had the entire class sign a huge sheet of green paper wishing him good luck on opening night.  She sent it up to the theatre with another teacher that was coming on opening night--Ms. Askins came on Saturday night:)  Seriously brought tears to my eyes and meant the world to Max.  I was there on opening night (NOT breathing properly because I was SOOOOOO nervous for him!)  and Max did A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!  Not missing a single cue, line, dance step, or song!  

I ended up seeing 5 of the 8 performances--I would have seen them all but I was required to help backstage and in the lobby sometimes:)  Max was very calm, collect, and by golly "professional" up there.  Each performance just got better and better--AND he stayed 100% HEALTHY the entire time!!!  YAHOO!!!  

Closing night was HILARIOUS!  During intermission of the last show, Carlie was called out to ask my permission for Tiger Lily to kiss Max on the cheek during their "Blood Brothers" performance.  I of course gave 2 big thumbs up and anxiously awaited.  Apparently EVERYONE EXCEPT Max knew that this kiss was going to happen.  All of the Meekers were there and were on the edge of our seats when it happened....OH MY GOSH!  Max barely kept it together and was definitely freaked out and seriously blushing!  We were ALL laughing so hard.  When poor Max got off stage, all the other actors rushed in on him asking him all about "the kiss" which caused him to miss a cue to crow--but the backstage guys covered it for him:)  (Only I could tell it was NOT Max crowing:)  Thankfully he recovered quickly and made it back on stage for his next cue.  Closing night is when everyone goes a little "off script" while hamming it up and adding extra stuff--like in the final fight scene between Peter Pan and Captain Hook, Max & Brandon had planned for Hook's wig to fall off as part of their fight and once again, we were laughing hysterically!  So closing night was my hands down favorite--Tiger Lily kissed Max AGAIN at the curtain call so he was kissed TWICE that night by a teenage girl:)  Stud.

Max proved to me that he is a boy that can handle a lot.  He balanced school, scouts, campouts, rehearsals, and performances.  He didn't just do okay, HE ROCKED IT ALL!  I am just incredibly proud of my little guy :)

We had a ton of friends and family come and support him in this play--friends/teachers from school, church, and neighbors all came out to see Max as Peter Pan.  I am ever so grateful for these good people who helped make this an amazing experience for him.  

As I think over just these past few months, I am so grateful to live in an area like we do.  My kids have had AMAZING opportunities in their lives that I never had in mine--softball and plays just to name two.  Sometimes I feel like I'm not cut out for "big city living" but times like this, I know I'm right where I should be and I am grateful to have been lead here.

Peter Pan and Nibbs (Eric)

Black-eyed Tom (Remington)

Peter Pan and his Shadow (Aylse)
with Mandy photobomb:)

Peter Pan and Shadow
with Kobi photobomb:)

Mr. Smee (Grant)

Grown Wendy (Emma)
Not sure how I feel about teenage girls
hugging my young son:)

John (Noah), Wendy (Emmie), Michael (Will)
& Nana (Hailey)--The Darling Family

Captain Hook (Brandon)

Peter Pan and the Mermaids
My FAVORITE picture of this show
Again, not sure how I feel about teenage girls
oohing and aweing over my little guy:)

This show is a "legacy" show and this is the 3rd time
AYT has performed this show.  Here in this
picture are several member of the previous cast.

Max on Adam's shoulders
Adam was Peter Pan 5 years ago

Wendy (Emmie)

Tinkerbelle (Kembri)

Every show has a "Denny's" night where the cast stays out extra late to eat at Denny's together.  ALWAYS a great time!

I think this table could have held a few more...

Again...NOT crazy about teenage girls hugging my boy!

He was a celebrity outside with lots of kids
wanting pictures with Peter Pan

Friends:

Alex, Korin, & Tristian

2 Best friends from school--Evan & Connor
and the Gratton Family

Mark!

Bishop & Mark

Even Carlie's friends came to see him!
Kayleah!

Big Peter Pan and Little Peter Pan
Adam:)

Ms. Askins & Parker--from school!

MORE CAST PICS:

Max & Tiger Lily (Kalei)

Mandy

Lacie

Tiger Lily (Kalei) & Doughnut (Kobi)

Shadow/Pirate Starkey (Alyse)

Mr. Smee (Grant) & John (Noah)

BEST SOFTBALL TEAM EVER!!!

This past fall was Tatum's 5th season of playing softball.  We just absolutely fell in love with her Coach--Coach Trish.  I have never seen a woman more passionate about her players than this lady.  She was intense and these girls played intense.  This was the first team I have ever seen pull off a TRIPLE-PLAY!  That was just one of their amazing plays this season.  Their final season ended up with 9 wins and 2 losses.

The coaches hosted a party for the girls just this past month--February.  Tatum was SOOO excited to see all of her good friends.  They gave the girls the COOLEST scrapbooks.  One of the coach's dads took pictures of every single one of these girls hitting, running, catching, being hugged by the coach, etc. and put it all into one book.  Each girl had their very own page all to themselves with their jersey number and a place to put their autographs.  So someday when these girls are all famous softball players, they'll have their "rookie" signatures:)   Seriously my most favorite season and coach ever.

They ALL just LOVED her!

Christmas 2015

Another wonderfully busy Christmas season here at home.  The month of December was FILLED with traveling for Chris, piano recitals, music/play rehearsals, and performances.  I was sure glad when the week of Christmas finally hit because everything slowed way down:)  

We of course had our "Elf on the Shelf" visit us this year.  This was my favorite thing he did--it's one of our Halloween spiders who came back for a quick visit:)

Everyone got their Christmas Eve jimmies--even the dogs got sweaters:)

Christmas morning, Chris and I actually had to wake everyone up!!!  To be honest, we wanted everyone up, presents opened, so that we could make the first Star Wars movie time of the day!  And we accomplished our mission:)  

This shirt is SOOO true!!!
Ethan was cracking up:)

Max has been wanting real puppets for a while now.

Tatum was excited to get a new 4-Square ball
AND a new volleyball.
She spends a lot of time outside playing with these:)

So another Christmas has come and gone!  Everyone was happy and Star Wars was AWESOME!  2016...BRING IT!!!

Max's first BIG LEAD!!!

We had an INSANE week at our home the first week of December!  Chris was preparing to leave for the Pearl Harbor Parade in Hawaii and I had 4 piano recitals coming up.  I had been promising Max that he could audition for another play soon and so I quickly ran to the AYT website and saw they had auditions for Peter Pan and Wendy.  The bulk of the auditions were on Saturday, Dec. 5th but I was so relieved to see that I could get both Max and Tatum in for an early audition that Wednesday--because Saturday was Chris out of town/piano recitals/final softball game day.

So they were out late that Wednesday night.  Max and Tatum both had a great time at the audition.  Tatum kept saying over and over, "Max is going to get Peter Pan--he was SOO funny in his auditions."  I  knew there were over 100 kids trying out for this play and they were only taking 43.  So I did not know what his chances really were.  Max was worried that they wouldn't remember him from Wednesday to Saturday--I was honesty a little worried too but it was the best I could do.

Sunday night...cast list night!  The only thing we knew was that it would be posted by 9 pm.  Well Carlie and I were in stake music rehearsal that night.  We were running past each other as we were switching off places at the pianos when Carlie says in a hushed whisper, "MOM!  MAX GOT PETER PAN!!!"  I asked, "How do you know???"  She said, "ALL my friends keep texting me!!!"

So apparently we were the LAST to know that he got Pan!  As soon as I had a minute in the rehearsal, I quickly scanned the cast list for Tatum's name and sadly, it was not there.  I was SOOO sad to have to tell her but not a tear was shed!  She was SOOO excited for Max and just kept telling us over and over, "I TOLD YOU HE WOULD GET PETER PAN!!!"  So I'm really proud of both of my youngest.  Max for being Max and Tatum for keeping her chin up--ALL 4 of my kids have had the experience of NOT making a play and while it's hard for them, it's 100 times harder on me.  But I know it is so good for them to learn this early on.

Way to go Max, YOU CAN FLY!!!

Thanksgiving 2015--Peurto Penasco, Mexico

We had so much fun a couple years ago going to Mexico for Thanksgiving that we decided to do it again this year.  And once again...SOOOOO MUCH FUN!!!

Being in Mexico is like a step back in time.  It's really great because we had no working TV or computer and our phone service was sketchy at best so we really had to make our own fun--which amazingly always ends up being the best time:)  We found a few random card games that had been left in the condo by other tenants and they ended up being so much fun that these games are now on my kids Christmas lists:)  We spent most of our time right out our back door on the beach gathering seashells, playing frisbee and softball, and swimming--just the boys and Tatum, way too cold for Carlie, Grandma, and myself:)

First of all, we just LOVE the vibrant colors the homes are that we rent here.  Here is Max hamming it up in front of our "Crucifix Wall"--which kept us super safe at night:)

Tatum has a HUGE obsession with seashells.  As soon as we hit the beach Tatum shouts, "LOOK FOR MORE PRETTY SEASHELLS!!!"  We jokingly call it the "Tatum Seashell Sweat Shoppe" as we are all put to work to do her bidding.  The problem is that ALL the shells are "pretty" to Tatum.  We literally came home with bag and bags of seashells--we learned that there are very few beaches that you are allowed to take as many seashells as you want, and this is one of the few.  And boy did we take A LOT.  (But we've made some REALLY cute crafts out of them:)

By the end of the 3 days this ENTIRE table AND it's benches
were covered in seashells that we brought home!

The view from our condo

SHELLS! SHELLS! SHELLS!

Fun at the beach!!!

We are SOOO NOT selfie people and this is why:)

Max is always the one who gets buried!
Here he is as a mermaid--he LOVED having "Boobs!"

BREATH-TAKING sunsets!!!

And we of course have to do some in-town shopping!  Always fun to do some price-haggling!

We also had some good friends that were down in Rocky Pointe also for the weekend and so we met up with them for a super yummy bbq one night--seriously SOOO MUCH fun!  Their condo had a shuffle board table--something we had never played before but learned and had a blast.  It was just such a fun/laid back evening that ended with ukulele playing and singing around a fire pit.  That's what I personally liked most about being in Mexico--NO hustle and bustle.  It was so great to see lots of other american families down there doing exactly what we were doing--NOTHING productive, just good old-fashioned fun and games.  I would definitely do this every year if possible--get as far away as I can from Black-Friday shopping/holiday bustle, etc.  Just LOVED our time here.  Definitely one of my most favorite Thanksgivings ever.

Here are a few of our seashell crafts that we made.  We still have TONS of seashells left so we've got plenty more Pintrest ideas to create:)

It's hard to see the tiny shells inside the ornament.
This has been my favorite project!!!

"K" for Knoop
One of their Christmas gifts:)