Memorial Day Weekend

Growing up, Memorial Day Weekend was always spent at the ward campout.  It was eagerly anticipated every year and is among my favorite childhood memories.  

Memorial Day Weekend is still a favorite holiday but observed very differently, with great tradition and dedication to family.  We get to observe it in a way I couldn’t have done where I grew up and it’s become very meaningful in a much different way.  My husband’s family always gathers on Monday at the cemetery where the local ancestry began.  From there we make a loop of several cemeteries to pay respects and hear stories before finishing with a big family bbq at the aunties house.

This year, being the first without my mother-in-law, included some additional events.

On Saturday, we arrived at Grandpa’s house to eagerly await the arrival of the rest of the family—husband’s brother and his wife and kids (driving from down south), and husband’s sister (flying from back east).  We helped Grandpa organize and clean up to get ready.  We had a quick lunch and soon they were here!  The girls were thrilled and scattered to play and squeal with crazy excitement.

The first special event though, was at the cemetery.  We gathered at Grandma’s spot, joined by the aunties and a few additional family members.  We removed the city’s temporary marker and set about replacing it with our own temporary marker.  Husband and his brother fashioned and placed a form and then mixed and poured cement.  They placed the new headstone, a piece of granite from the family’s favorite spot up the canyon, etched with a drawing and inscription.  The drawing is the rough draft of the final headstone (more later).  Around the granite, the two brothers helped each of the five granddaughters to leave a handprint and then the three siblings added their own.  Aunt C sang and it was a perfect tribute.  It was meaningful and healing and picturesque.  

That evening we went to our favorite restaurant for some delicious Mexican food while the girls talked and colored and basically drank the cilantro cream dip meant for their chips.

We had planned to campout in Grandpa’s backyard but it was cold and starting to rain so the girls rolled out their sleeping bags in the living room instead.

On Sunday, we made scones for breakfast and played through the morning.  We went on a family hike through the land behind the house.  For the girls, it was quite the endeavor.  We made it all the way out to the creek and then collected wildflowers for grandma’s headstone as we came home.  There we played and the girls had so much fun playing dress ups, dragging out toys, watching movies and more.

That night we had a big bbq on the back patio, enjoying the perfect weather and gorgeous view.  We got all the kids in bed and then the adults gathered around the kitchen table again.  Dad brought out all of Mom’s jewelry, ready to pass it on.  Kid Sister painstakingly went over the three unfinished and sometimes contradictory lists Mom had made.  We looked to Dad for interpretation and input and began dividing it up, giving Kid Sister first pick.  Dad participated, picking out sets of five earrings, five necklaces, etc. and then letting us divide them up for the girls.  With the remaining pieces, we took turns choosing things we thought the girls would like.  (More recently, I sat down with Dad again to record any stories he could remember for each of the pieces I have brought home and will put away to give them when they are older.)  It was a very late night, but well spent.  

On Monday, we started early.  We started at Mom’s headstone again, paying respects to her and Husband’s brother.  His sister laid out flowers in the same fashion she’s done for years, carefully coaching the girls.  We had family prayer and then headed down the valley to pay respect to several of Mom’s relatives.  After a quick picnic lunch at the park, we swung north to join Dad’s side of the family, travelling in caravan with the aunties and cousins to multiple cemeteries.  The last cemetery we visited was to pay tribute to Gram (Grandpa’s mother).  Again, we sang and prayed and then continued to Aunt C’s house for a family bbq.

On Tuesday, we kept L home from school so she could go with us to meet with the sculptor.  When Husband’s brother passed away, now over a decade ago, the family decided on a sculpture of a young ram for his headstone.  And now, for Mom and Dad’s headstone, a complementing sculpture will be fashioned.  Dad has been talking to the sculptor for several weeks (he’s also doing Gram’s headstone) to start the design and now Dad wanted the input of his kids.  We got to see Gram’s statue, still a work in progress but nearing competition and take a tour, learning the process of how these incredible (and often very large) bronzes are done.  Then Dad, Husband and his siblings spent an hour talking and describing and drawing with the artist.  Meanwhile, I pacified children with youtube videos and the portions of clay they had been given.

And finally, we went to lunch.  The kids were tired, the adults were hungry but it was a really good weekend together.

Schools Out

 The end of the school year is a full speed ahead, frantic, exciting celebration of many achievements. 

L had two dance concerts, the first being the spring recital themed “Alice in Wonderland” in the afternoon.  She performed with her ballet class as little oysters and loved watching the other numbers from backstage.  Then we ran some errands and had an early dinner at Ruby Tuesday before the evening performance which was the team showcase.  She preformed with her competition team, doing “Wedding Bells” (the brides dance with her teddy bear partner) and “The Gift”, (the production number, as fairies).  Her “sad” of the day was when she collided with another girl backstage and was left with a bloody nose and her “happy” was that she got to bring her teddy bear home.

E had a school field trip to the zoo.  We arrived and met up with E’s best friend (who happens to be the son of my best friend).  We started with a picnic lunch as we waited to find her classmates.  Unfortunately they miscommunicated and the group never did get everyone together.  But we did find some of them, including her teacher and they were thrilled to see her.  We wandered for a short while to see a few favorite animals and then attended the bird show which was new for us and really fun.  E was very concerned how low the birds would fly, nearly within reach of the audience.  We finished at the carousel and a mini-meltdown from E before she slept the whole way home.

That night we had to launch right into another big event—L’s auditions for next year’s company.  She’s thrilled that more of her neighborhood friends decided to join.  We went to the parent meeting and then the workshop.  L is definitely getting summer-itis or burnout so I was proud of her with sticking with it when I knew she would rather be playing.  She attended the review workshop and I got to watch when we went to auditions.  She has great ballet feet, her technique was above average for her age group.  For her choreography, she was about middle of the group (we didn’t practice at home, I knew it would just make her frustrated and truthfully, wouldn’t make much of a difference in placement at this age).  They did a ballet combination and a jazz combination.  Her talent is ballet but she loves jazz more.  And then at the end of the jazz combo, the girls finish with a single pirouette, mostly to test their skill, and about two-thirds of them can do it.  But L pulled out a double!  Her face exploded into shock, I don’t think even she knew she could do it.  Her teacher was thoroughly impressed as well.

Results weren’t posted for another week but she made the team that I was anticipating (and hoping), The Starlights.

L had a field trip at school.  She reminded me for weeks and even did countdown.  Then she woke up an hour early to pack her lunch and bounce around until it was time to go.  A bus took them to BYU’s museum of art and a nearby park.  Unfortunately I didn’t go but she had such a blast.

All of the kids had end of year parties.  E’s included a ten minute performance at the end for parents to watch some songs they had learned.  E made it through half a song and then, despite being the oldest and usually most helpful, had a full meltdown and refused to participate.  A’s party was a culmination of studying the 5 senses and ended with a pizza party.  She came home, thrilled with an Olaf t-shirt and a bubble gun.  L’s class party included breaking piñatas that they had made and homemade tortillas in her Spanish class (she raved for days about them).  All the girls happily picked out teacher’s gifts (chocolate covered cherries) and wrote out “Thank you berry much!” notes.

A graduated from preschool in a sweet little celebration.  She had one of the opening lines, welcoming everyone to the event.  They sang several cute songs with props or actions, like “Here comes the sun”, “zippity doo da”, “You are my sunshine”, “grand old flag” and “mr golden sun”.  During the procession, the teachers announced their names and they got to speak into the mic again and say what they wanted to be when they grow up.  A said a “vet doctor and ice skating teacher”.  And then they finished with a special recognition of A’s teacher who is retiring and will be sorely missed.  She was so fantastic!

We told A that it was her night so she could pick a special dinner and go anywhere she wanted.  She asked to go home and make pasta.  Silly girl.  So fun. 

And lastly, in the same night, L had her piano recital and dance team banquet.  For the recital she played “honeydew” from the playlist (and did so flawlessly with everyone singing) and her composition “Dancing Raindrops”.  She got to sit with a friend so they happily giggled and wiggled and cheered each other on the whole time.  For the dance banquet, L, Daddy and me arrived just a few minutes late and waited in the long buffet line.  We talked through dinner and then teachers recognized all the team, gave individual awards, honored the seniors and then gave special recognition to the teachers and team moms.  L’s teacher did L’s award first explaining that she had great dedication and determination.  She took correction and coaching well and often asked questions to perfect a new move or combination.  Each week she was given a new challenge and by the next week, it was perfected.  She received the “Determination” award.

And now, Happy Summer!