Stinkin' Proud

I started this post a week ago, but never finished it. Talia officially started classes at BYU today.  So happy for her, but let the tears flow!

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It's an emotional moment.  Talia moves into her freshman dorm in two days, Brooklyn is living her best life in Bilbao, Eli is rocking his sophomore year, and Annika is officially in Middle School.  How did the time pass so quickly?  Even though we still have challenging moments, I am just so stinkin' proud of these kids.  They work so hard and make so many great choices.  Humility matters, but I think it's also important to recognize accomplishments.  So today, let's celebrate!

Robotics

I know I blogged about it a while back here, but Eli rocked Red Rock Robotics freshman year.  He was so dedicated to the team, committing hours and hours after school to helping them refine their amazing machine.

In the end, their robot ranked 8th out of 75 teams in the Blue Alliance at the World Championships in Houston.  Just being invited to attend was quite an honor--I'm so happy that they performed so well.  Eli had an amazing experience traveling there with his team and teachers.  Fingers crossed they can make it to Worlds again this year!

Eli worked hard on robotics at home too, designing these cool 3D printed pendants to share with other teams.

He also printed these super cool nametags for his teammates.

Here's Eli sharing the robotics fun with Anders at one of their competitions.  Future engineers in the making!

Eli was both the youngest student to travel with the team and the only student who didn't have a cell phone.  As a mom, I didn't worry much because I know how responsible, observant and resourceful Eli is.  However, I think the situation stressed out his coach a few times; she worried that he might get lost in the thousands of people swarming the Houston arena.  Afterward we joked that she would have liked for him to wear his luggage tag as a nametag as well.

Celebrating with an end-of-the-year robotics picnic.  Enrique came straight from running the Salt Lake City marathon!

We are so grateful to all of the coaches and mentors for the countless hours they invest in the program.  Thank you!  In many ways, robotics has defined Eli's high school experience, both challenging him and helping him to find his people.

Krakens Ultimate Frisbee.  Warning: I have way too many photos here, but I'm not certain that anyone else in the family will play high school Ultimate again, so this is my way of grieving.

Winter season means playing on the indoor fields. Apparently the turf serves multiple purposes.  Talia went to Prom with Bryson, one of the boys she met on an opposing team.  Don't think he's in this photo, but maybe?

Back outdoors for spring training. I absolutely love Coach Erin and Coach Kellie.  Kellie challenges the girls while Erin is the kindest, most supportive coach that connects with and loves these gals as they grow into amazing humans.

Adding to the fun was the fact that the Krakens Girls Team was really good this year--ranked as one of the top teams in the nation.  We love the game whether they win or lose, but let's be honest--sometimes victory feels nice.

Check out the new jerseys!  The Krakens get a Celtic flare.

Playing in Provo on Easter weekend.

Back to Riverside Park.

Nice catch, Ollie!

States!

This spring Eli prioritized Robotics over Ultimate so he didn't get much play time.  But here his is supporting his team at the State Tourney.  

Krakens Girls positively rocked states, winning every game but the very last which was super close.  The team played so cohesively, even with a wide range of young and experienced players.  

Too bad Annika and her buddy Sam missed it all!

I'm sure going to miss hanging out on the fields with my friend Jamie.

So stinkin' proud of this kid!  She shines.  Also Brooklyn, we think of you and miss you every time we watch Ultimate as well.  Thanks for introducing us to such an amazing sport!

Celebrating a win.

Check out these powerful Seniors!

Speedy and strong.

Coach Erin gave Talia this super cute Jersey.  Each Senior got a different one that represented their personality and contributions.

Many of the girls were Freshman, so it will be fun to see how the team grows over the next three years.

These handsome boys came to watch the girls play. Thanks Uncle Justin!

Thanks to Grandma Susie and Grandpa Charles for coming down too.

These boys are just silly.

But...the Boys Krakens team proved to be quite useful in shepherding a stray dog off the field when it interrupted play during the Girls' Championship game.  Not to be petty, but the dog seriously impeded the flow.  Our team was tied/ahead up until the canine stopped play.  The exhausted girls had a hard time regaining momentum once the game started again.

While Provo may have taken the title, everyone left feeling like a winner.

Arts and Crafts

Moving on to accomplishments of a different sort, Talia's IB Art Show was held this spring.  Here are some photos of her art in all different stages.

Her drawing of Papa Kay won second place in 2D Visual Art at the District Art show!  At first I was skeptical of the textured background made from rolled up pieces of construction paper, but it turned out beautifully.

Zion liked it too.

The size of this piece makes it particularly poignant.  I adore the colors on the wings as well.  Plus, I spy Anders!

Sticking with the Icarus theme, just look at this beautifully embroidered design.

After drawing these gorgeous clouds, Talia burnt the paper where Icarus would fall through.

Stunning and so unique!

This one makes me cry.

Setting up her art at the Marmalade Library.

Here's her friend Annie with her ceramic creations.

Admiring the finished pieces.

Papa Kay, you have an award-winning smile!

Here are some of the IB art students.  They displayed their work over a couple of sessions because there were too many artists to feature at once.

Their art teacher, Mr. Smith, is fabulous.  This was his final year teaching before retirement.

Janet, Greg and Alesia visited at just the right time to see Talia's display.  We were so glad they could come!

Talia loved the flowers they brought too.  Thank you!

Exploring the library terrace after.

Last but not least, some painting fun.  Talia whipped out this portrait one afternoon when she was feeling relaxed.

As for Annika, she prefers to work in miniature.  Here are some pets she sculpted: eight puppies, including a hot dog...

Three kittens and their toys...

More mice and the snake that might eat them...

 

And three birds.

Moving into the 2D artistic realm, Annika loves to draw, particularly with colored pencil.

She creates elaborate background stories and settings for all of her imaginary characters as well.

She adores wolves and wrote a passionate letter to the mayor advocating for the reintroduction of wolves into Salt Lake City.  Since then we've discussed how the Uintas might be a more promising habitat.

Last of all, here's Zion's creative handiwork.  When it comes to plastic toys, our dog is a menace!

I've heard that axolotls are capable of regenerating a limb or even an organ.  Perhaps they can regrow faces too?  Anyhoo, thanks for celebrating some of our springtime wins.  Hermana Brooklyn, we wish you were here to be in these photos!  Just know that we are so very stinkin' proud of you too.

P.S.  Just realized that nearly sixteen years ago I labeled a different post "Stinkin' Proud" as well.  Time flies!

More May Memories

Photo dump time! I have a quiet moment, but the stillness rarely lasts long. Looking back to the end of April, our family attended a Donor Connect event at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. The event celebrated the many heroes who have given life through organ donation. Recipients were invited to participate too. Kind of heavy stuff, but they kept it light with a fun, carnival-like atmosphere. Nothing says Utah like a dirty soda bar!

Here's Annika getting her face painted.  Blue and green are the colors of Donate Life so she dressed accordingly.

Can't forget the balloon animals!

Rock painting time.

I kind of feel like I should end the post right here.  Thinking about the gift granted us by Annika's organ donor, anything else seems trivial. Every day we are grateful. I wish I could hug her donor's family, cry with them, and thank them for giving her a fresh start.

Never one to waste an opportunity, Annika seized the day with artisan cheese and fine chocolate.  We went to a foodie event at the Natural History Museum and were delighted but unsurprised to discover Spackmans (of the Neal and Eden variety) checking in at the same time,

Caputo's samples were delicious. While Utah boasts a surprisingly robust handcrafted chocolate scene, this selection included a Lithuanian chocolatier as well.

As delicious as the chocolate was, I enjoyed the cheese even more.

Once our bellies were satisfied, we moved on to appreciate the dinosaurs.  These guys are the real millennials.

May the 4th be with you on Star Wars Day!  We had a delightful celebration with the Millcreek Wheelers and the Wheeler grandparents.

Grandma Susie and Grandpa Charles shared a delicious post-Easter ham dinner and Brianna made bread.  Yum!

Marshmallow is still the cutest bunny all year round.

Naturally Annika decided to get her face painted like a wolf because...why not?  She's just a girl who loves wolves.

Ruby the artist, hard at work.

Violet makes a stinkin' cute kitty.

After our Star Wars dinner we headed over to Abravanel Hall where Talia was performing with YACP. It was a pretty monumental celebration!  40 year anniversary of the orchestra, commemoration for their beloved conductor Jack Ashton, and Senior night.

They had so many alumni return to perform with the orchestra that they had to turn some away because there was no more room on the stage.  I felt touched to witness such a powerful moment.  Jack never had much in terms of worldly wealth, but the number of lives that he impacted through music is remarkable.  Whether performing with the Utah Symphony, teaching high school orchestra, or conducting the Young Area Chamber Players, he mentored innumerable youth to become better musicians and better people.

As for our sweet Talia, she got a personal call-out on the Abravanel stage for her crocheting skills because of the s'mores dinosaur that she gave Sugar following her father Jack's passing.  Yes, Sugar is really a name and s'mores dinosaurs are really a thing.

They honored Jack with a reception full of all his bad jokes, some of which are inappropriate and the rest of which scourge violists.

Talia, we are so very proud of you an all the hard work you've dedicated to become such an accomplished musician.  I'll miss hearing your violin in the early hours of the morning more than you'll ever know!  I hope you'll keep playing at BYU and beyond.  (Maybe you can convince Brooklyn to join you too--wink, hint.  We miss her cello as well!)

All musicians have to start somewhere which brings us to...Cinco de Mayo!  I had the best time helping  chaperone Aunt Callie's amazing mariachi band as they performed at the City library and City offices.  These elementary schoolers sounded as sharp as they look.

If you'd told Callie and I that some day she would teach violin and our children would play string instruments, we would have laughed in your face.  We were band nerds supreme--fiercely loyal to all wind insruments.  But hey, the world has a strange way of coming full circle.

The seasons make the loveliest circles, and I'm so grateful for spring! Our anniversary falls in May, so every time the tulips blossom I think of our lovely wedding day.

We celebrated with dinner at Sol Agave.  It was inspiring!

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This smoking dessert is sure to keep the flame alive for another twenty plus years.

I love you Peanut Butter!  Thanks for sticking to your Jelly, not only when the tulips shine but during colder seasons when the bulbs are tucked away waiting to blossom again.