A Very, Busy Day!

Well, today turned out to be an extremely busy day as one thing after the other got added to the calendar over the past few weeks.  However, I am happy to report that we managed to make it to everything on time and had a great day!  The first item on the agenda was hand's down the most exciting event of the day.  My darling nephew who I have always been so close to (since he is the first grandchild in my family and who I bonded with during his first eleven years of his life when I didn't have any children of my own) completed his 2-year mission to Taiwan today. Just by coincidence, he had a five hour layover in Seattle on his way home to Montana.  As a result, most of my family decided that we had to take advantage of this awesome opportunity to go to the airport to see him before he even had the chance to see his parents and sisters at the Missoula airport.  His plane was scheduled to arrive in Seattle at 8 a.m., but Lia had her annual piano recital back in Puyallup at 10:30 which meant that we needed to leave the airport by 9:30...giving us about 45 minutes with him before we had to turn around and head back home.  As crazy as this made our morning, I decided that we couldn't pass on this opportunity.  So, I made sure to get everyone up and ready and out the door by 8 o'clock.  We got to the airport right at 8:45 and found Spencer and my parents waiting for us at baggage claim.  It was so much fun to see him in his finals hours as an official missionary.  He looked and acted exactly the same--except for the fact that he kept on saying things in Chinese which we found so funny and fascinating.  We had so much fun talking to Spencer for a few minutes before taking him in our car to a local, Jack In the Box so that he could eat some breakfast.  As crazy as it made our morning, it was so worth it to see him before we had to turn around and drive back to Puyallup.  We are so excited to drive out to Missoula next weekend to be a part of his homecoming celebrations!
Luckily, there was no traffic on the way home and we made it to Lia's piano recital about ten minutes before it started.  Lia did a great job playing her two piano pieces by memory.  She has really improved so much over the past three, school years and I am so proud of how confident she has become.  After the piano recital was over, we raced back home for the kids to change and eat lunch before I had to take Lia to a birthday party from 1 to 3 p.m.  I tried to get Ella to take her afternoon nap (which didn't happen) while Logan watched some television before heading outside to help Ron in the yard.  After Lia got home from her friend's birthday party, we turned around and got ready for Ella's ballet recital which was back at the church at 4 o'clock.  I had switched her to a new ballet class at the end of March after learning about a wonderful mom in a neighboring ward who teaches ballet from her converted garage once a week.  She teaches a bunch of adorable, LDS girls--half of which we ended up knowing from our years of living in this town.  Ella looked so adorable in her turquoise and black, sequin ballet costume and did such a cute job performing her dance.  We all just sat in the audience and laughed and smiled throughout the entire recital.  There are very few things in life that are more adorable than a bunch of 4-year old girls flitting and dancing around in girly costumes.  We had so much fun watching her.  We then wrapped up the evening by taking the kids to Applebees for dinner as a way to celebrate the girls' accomplishments from today.  Needless to say, we were exhausted by the end of the day, but it was so worth it!

My kids and me posing with our beloved cousin and nephew!

Elder Spencer immediately took off one of his tags and put it on Logan.

Future missionary!

Lia and Spencer chatting away. Lia has adored Spencer since she was a toddler.

Lia, Logan, and grandpa surrounding Spencer while he ate some breakfast.

Lia, Logan, and Ella standing in the foyer of our church before heading into the chapel for the piano recital.

Lia playing one of her two songs on the grand piano.

Lia walking to the podium to announce her second piano piece.

Lia heading back to her seat after she completed playing her two songs.

Lia and her friends (Mollie, Bella, Isabel, and Gabriella) eating refreshments in the foyer after the recital was over.

Ella all dressed up and ready to go for her ballet recital.  She struck several poses for me before we headed out the door.  I just thought that they were all hilarious!

Ella striking another pose.

And another one.

Ella lining up with the rest of her class before their performance began.

Ella and most of her class.

Ella waiting for the teacher to start the song.

Ella, Ariana, and Amelia beginning the dance.

Ella dancing away.

Ella following her teacher in the dance.  I just love how beautiful her ballet pose looks in this picture compared to the other girls in her class.

Ella following her teacher's lead.  Look at that pointed toe and those graceful arms compared to the other dancers!

The entire class forming a circle.

Ella dancing again with Ariana and Amelia.

Ella sitting in her final position at the end of the dance.

After the girls finished the dance, their teacher had them demonstrate a few of the skills that they have worked on this year.  Here are the girls dancing however they wanted while the teacher played another song.

Ella striking a pose.

A group photo of all of the girls at the very end of the recital.  I just think that Ella looks so adorable front and center.

Ella posing with her rose (courtesy of her ballet teacher) and her siblings after the recital was over.

I just had to include this picture of Logan sleeping at the end of our busy, long day.  I just love how he always falls asleep with multiple blankets wrapped around his head.  It always makes for great picture!