Dance

It was Parents Day at dance last week, so Al and I got to stay and watch the girls. They are both so cute I can hardly stand it!

I loved watching their creativity as they danced around the space in the gym.

They're both so happy while they're dancing.

They are learning a lot of technique also. I loved watching Tess try her hardest to learn the correct technique, and practice it to the very end of the gym every time.

Dancing with Hallee every week is Tessa's happy place.

Basketball

Rockwell just finished another season of basketball in Provo. 

The league is a little frustrating with the inconsistency of rules depending on which ref you get. I could tell that made Rockwell a little unsure of himself at the beginning of each game. He usually played better the second half of the games, after he figured out what the ref was going to call and what he was going to ignore.

He loves playing with Wyatt. There was one game where the opposing team didn't have enough players, so Wyatt and another kid took turns playing on their team. Rock said it felt weird to defend Wyatt instead of working with him as a teammate.

Keith filled in as coach for a few games, and Jonah helped him at one of those games. I thought that was adorable.

It was fun to watch the games and cheer for Rockwell and Wyatt. They're both great players.

Nebraska, It's Not For Everyone

Paul, Todd, and Ryan took a weekend road trip to Nebraska to see the Michigan State vs. Nebraska football game. They left Friday evening at 5:30 and drove straight through the night. 

They stopped for some breakfast and then headed over to the game.

Paul said it was absolutely freezing. They were bummed that Michigan State lost the game, but they had a ton of fun being there and taking this trip together. I think it's awesome that the administrative team at Pleasant Grove likes each other enough to take a road trip together!

They drove back toward home for a few hours, then stopped at a hotel Saturday night, and drove the rest of the way home on Sunday. They had a lot of fun. Paul said they all laughed pretty hard at the state motto: Nebraska, it's not for everyone.  

Thanksgiving

We went to Grandma and Gramps Clark's house for Thanksgiving this year. Dinner was so yummy!

Brent got all dressed up for dinner this year, thanks to some prodding by Hayden. :)

We loved spending the day playing with family.

We celebrated Tessa, Hayden, and Grandma's birthdays.

That's a good lookin' group right there! We missed Cade and Chad though!

Life Lately

Rockwell did a Patriotic Music Program at school. He was really excited about this. He seems to really like music class this year.

He held some states for one of the songs and he played the bells on another. It was a really great program.

Paul and I went on a date to see Creed II. We went to Shoots for dinner, and the Riverwoods were beautiful all decorated for Christmas.

We started a puzzle over Fall Break, and were so excited when we finished it up last month.

Tessa went to Brian's birthday party. Brian is the new boy she loves. :) I read a Christmas book to Tessa's kindergarten class this week, and Brian made sure to come tell me that he's her friend and that he has a crush on Tessa. Kids are so funny these days!

  

Buffie and her kids came over to play, and the kids all had a blast playing in the leaves. We were both picking leaves out of our girls' hair throughout the next day, but the fun they had was worth it.

We get SO many leaves on the ground every fall. Damon loved to help rake them this year. 

  

He loved to "do hard work" with Daddy every weekend.

Paul installed some grates on our rain gutters to keep all the leaves out. They look great!

  

I went to Kyle's Latin dance concert a few weeks ago. It was an awesome show, and I was super impressed with Kyle's moves.

My kids just melt my heart sometimes. This is the conversation I overheard last week:

Damon: "Tessa, you're the greatest girl alive."

Tessa: "Aww, thanks Damon. I love you."

Damon: "Me too."

And today Rockwell told me, "Mom, I'm so glad Damon was sent down to our family because he is so cute and so funny!"

Tessa is 6!!!

It was Tessa Girl's birthday yesterday. She is now 6 years old!

Tessa is such a spunky, sassy, quick-witted girl. She loves to have fun and laugh. Her happy personality draws people to her. 

She is also very sweet and caring, which makes her a really great friend.

Tess is adventurous. She enjoys trying new things and being active. There isn't much that scares her or makes her nervous. 

Tessa is boy crazy!! When Al picked her up from school a few weeks ago, she got in the car, asked Al why she was picking her up, and then said, "So, has my mom told you about the new boy I love?" She plays with her friend Brian every day at school, and says she loves him now instead of Bryce. 
 
I was reading Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day to the kids the other night. It says, "There was kissing on tv, and I hate kissing." Rockwell said, "Same as me! I hate kissing." To which Tessa responded, "I love kissing!" Haha! I'm very curious to know what she's going to be like as a teenager. And I hope we can handle it. :)

Tessa loves to draw and color, swim, read, play with her brothers, ride bikes, and watch tv. The way to her heart is to sit down and read books to her. She needs a little alone time every day, and I love that she'll tell us that's what she needs.

She is so generous and thoughtful. She loves to share and is always willing to. Her brothers adore her and have so much fun playing with her.

We sure love you Tessa Girl!! Happy birthday!!



Paul took the day off work for Tessa's birthday. As soon as Rockwell got home from school, Tessa opened her presents.

She didn't have one idea of what she wanted, she just said she wanted to be surprised.


She was excited about her barbie, ballet skirt, fuzzy socks, paint set, beanie boo bag, and notebook and pens. She's had fun playing with all of them.

She's already painted pictures for me, Rockwell's friend Flynn, and our babysitter Acacia.

She wanted to go to Hang Time with Hallee for her party. They had a blast!

Tessa loved these ropes.

We had cupcakes after dinner and then Tessa got to stay up late with us. I think she had a wonderful day and felt special and loved.