Julia's Trek

Trek is a youth activity that occurs once every four years in our area (so each youth does it once). It's a reenactment of the trek that thousands of Mormon pioneers took across the plains from Nauvoo, Illinois where they were driven out to the Salt Lake Valley.


Julia with her friends as they set out.



Julia's trek was July 22-25--in itself eventful as the first main group of pioneers entered Salt Lake on July 24, 1846, and one of her relative's was a scout for Brigham Young, who actually arrived July 22 that year and had began planting a crop before the main group of Latter-Day Saints had arrived.




The youth wear pioneer clothes and are limited in their gear and food. They push a hand cart all day the first day in the humid summer heat. The next few days involve other pioneer activities like a hoe-down, washing their hair in a stream, cooking meals over a fire and sleeping in sleeping bags on the ground. Each handcart has a Ma and Pa and assigned brothers and sisters.
The happy arrival. We picked up Julia in Pennsylvania. They had some hilly and difficult terrain to cover, but it was exciting feeling of accomplishment when it was over.

Deep Creek July13-17

We had a nice vacation in Deep Creek, a 3-hour drive to Western Maryland. My Dad was with us, as well as Kara and her son Jacob: also Erika, Julia and Andrea with Dave and I.

We stayed at a lake house about 5 days and did jet skis, tubing from a pontoon boat and canoing.

4th of July breakfast

Kara and Jacob were visiting over the 4th of July.


It was fun to have all our girls and one little boy at our ward's breakfast at a nearby park.




Andrea liked Jacob's cool sunglasses,

but I liked them most on him.

Day at the Zoo

Kara came into town last week with her baby Jacob. We took a day trip to the National Zoo in Washington, DC.


Jacob chose his animal shirt and jungle car seat for the occasion.


My dad was also visiting from Utah. There's my dad, Julia, Kara, Andrea, Erika and Jacob. It's been fun to have my dad here and all the girls together for a couple weeks.

2009 Cougar Marching Band

We found out rather late about applying for bands at BYU. When Daniel and I looked into it in May, they had already been accepting applications for a couple weeks. Daniel requested the Marching Band music by email and I think he only had a day to rehearse the music. His last week of school, amidst finals, his band director kindly helped him tape a DVD audition to send.

After waiting several weeks to hear back, Daniel got the great news that he has been accepted into the Trombone Section of the 2009 Cougar Marching Band which plays for all of BYU's football games--some of which are televised. Daniel will also receive a small Talent Award for his services. I'm very excited for Daniel. He'll do great. And he'll keep the Cougar spirit alive--as his parents and grandpa are also BYU alumni.

Daniel accepted to BYU

Since his sophomore year Daniel has collected letters inviting him to apply to colleges. He has over 200 letters here. But he never opened any of them. He always wanted to go to BYU--Brigham Young University (in Provo, Utah), or BYU-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho. He was accepted to both schools and based on the Music Program, has decided to attend BYU.

I also started out as a Music major at BYU --though I later switched to elementary education, and minored in music.

Daniel will be living at Young Hall. Back when I attended (34 years ago!) Young Hall was a women's dorm--and that's where I lived my freshman year. That's probably where the similarities end, though. I'm sure Daniel will be very successful there!

Student of the Month

Julia has snagged two Student of the Month awards. She received an April award from her Math teacher, and a May award for Band.

And only one more day left of her Junior year. Good luck on those last finals!

Erika is home

Erika graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology on April 10, 2009. We were not able to attend, but her Grandpa Vic and Grandma Susan who live nearby in Logan, Utah were able to celebrate with her at a campus dinner and then at the ceremonies.

She has been accepted to Idaho State University in the fall as a graduate student in Marriage and Family Counseling.

She went to work in Milwaukee for 6 weeks selling alarm systems door-to-door. She flew home a week ago on June 3rd and now has a job nearby at a small restaurant.

Andrea was excited for her to take her to her school carnival on Friday.

Bike Ride to Annapolis

We try to put at least one special family day a month on the calendar--which we call Make-a-Memory day. Last Saturday we decided to go on a bike ride. Daniel had just left for New Mexico and Erika had just come back from Milwaukee.(James is still in California on his mission and Kara, Luke and Jacob are in the Denver area.)


So, it was Dave, Erika, Julia, Andrea and I who went on this ride. We had just enough bikes and helmets. We (or rather Dave) checked the air and seats on the bikes and loaded them into the van. We drove about 1/2 hour to Severna Park where we parked at a Park and Ride. Then we rode on a nice, wooded bike path for about 7 miles into Annapolis, Maryland's historic capital. We rode over a scenic bridge over the Severn River and into town.


We parked out bikes at the Naval Academy and walked a couple blocks into the heart of town. There we bought sandwiches and chips at a deli and ate lunch in the center of town, on the dock where the sailing and other boats congregate.






On the way back I found that riding on the old bumpy cobblestones was getting to be a bit much for my knees and tired legs. I rode outside Annapolis and opted to wait at a bus stop for the rest of them to finish the ride back. Julia and Andrea then stopped at an overlook and Erika and Dave rode back to the car and picked us up.

We stopped for Slurpees (and a V-8) on the ride back. We were pretty tired, but had a great day together.

Quilts

When Kara graduated from high school in 2003, I started the tradition of making a lap quilt for college. Kara's was the first quilt I made. I bought a book of patterns and created my own variation.



Erika graduated in 2004. She wanted happy, springtime fabrics in a simple pattern. Small buttons are sewed in all the corners.



For James, the chess enthusiast, who graduated in 2006 I made a chessboard. I also made foam chess pieces so he could actually play.



Then I joined a quilting group that meets twice a month. I learned a little more and did a log cabin pattern for Daniel who just graduated in 2009. I call it a jazz quilt. He requested bright colors, and the fabric with music notation reminded me of Daniel's love for music.




Two more high school quilts to go. Now I need to start on Julia's for next year.

Dan's Seminary Graduation

We attended Daniel's seminary graduation last night--without him. (He left right after high school graduation for New Mexico, where he is working for the summer.) He has attended seminary (a religion class) at 5:45am each school morning for four years. We're proud of the work he has done and for getting up and driving himself and Julia the past two years. His diploma includes the signature of Thomas Monson, the prophet and president of the church.

Daniel Graduates

On Thursday, May 28th, at 8PM, Daniel had his graduation ceremony at the Merriweather Post Pavillion.

Here he is receiving his diploma from his principal.

As a member of the National Honors Society, he got to wear this cool white collar.

Daniel sang in the Madrigals, although he wasn't able to play in the band and march down the aisle at the same time. Julia played 'Pomp and Circumstance' with the band for him and the other seniors.

Only Dave, Andrea and I were there to congratulate him, as Julia had to return on the school bus.

At home, we had a steak dinner earlier, and when we got back at about 10:30 we had a little party for Daniel.

Here is the quilt I made for Daniel. I began on it 2 years ago, and fortunately finished in plenty of time. One of the fabrics has musical notation as a reminder of the seven music groups he performed in while in high school.

It's possible that the quilt was overshadowed, though, when he was surprised to receive an i-pod Touch.

We are incredibly proud of all of Daniel's accomplishments and his tenacity to achieve accademically as well as in sports and music.

Spring Concert 2009

The Spring Concert was the last high school performance for Daniel who performed with the Madrigals, Men's Choir, Men's Quartet, Concert Choir, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band and Orchestra. He directed the Madrigals, and was 1st chair and section leader in Symphonic and Jazz Band.






Here's part of the 'Star Wars' song he arranged for the Men's Quartet.


Julia performed in the Symphonic Band, including a clarinet soli with another girl. She sang with the Women's Choir, and was in the orchestra.

The Music Banquet was the next week. Julia was awarded the Band's "Most Improved" award for going from sixth to first chair this year. Daniel was awarded Choir's "Unsung Hero Award", band's "Director's Award, a medal for playing in the pit for the school play, and a small music scholarship from the music department.

Rocktagon

Daniel plays the trombone in a group called the Rocktagon. They played at his school for Wellness Day, and at the annual Main Street Festival in Laurel. Dan is in the shadows on the right. They had a lot of friends and family listening at the Festival.

Memorial Weekend in Cinti

We left at 4 pm on Friday for Cincinnati--getting in about 3am to see Dave's Mom and Dad.

Dave's sister Nancy and her children--James, Julie and Christine-- were there on Saturday. Her children are roughly the ages of Daniel, Julia and Andrea who were with us, so they all had fun with their cousins. They had a touch football game together with the Meiners' vs. the Byers.

Then on Sunday his sister Julie came. We had some yummy grilled food and a nice visit with family. Erika was in Milwaukee selling alarm systems door to door. We were glad to have Daniel because he left the next week for New Mexico.

Trip to Philly

Over Spring break in April we took a trip to Philadelphia to see Dave's sister Kathy (who lives about an hour north) and to see the historic sights.

The first thing that happened as we arrivd into the historic district was to look for parking. Not seeing any, Dave decided to drop us off right by the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. I told the kids to get ready to get out so we wouldn't hold up traffic. Dave stopped. The four of us (Danny, Julia, Andrea and I) were out in a flash. Suddenly 4 or 5 policement descended on us and yelled, "Back in the vehicle! Get back in the vehicle!" Flustered, we got back in and went together to park. We hadn't realized what a threat we were to national security by unloading there. That was our welcome to the city of Brotherly Love.

We saw the historic buildings where the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were signed--at the one time nation's capital during the Revolutionary War. We saw Betsy Ross's house and the 'longest inhabited street in the US'. Most important to the kids was the Art Musuem--not for any actual art, but because 'Rocky' in the film by that name ran up and down those steps in his training. So, they've now put a Rocky statue outside the museum.

A picture of Julia and Andrea trying out an old 'dial' phone is at Aunt Kathy's--much more interesting than other historic relics we saw.

We had lovely weather to walk around in.

25th ANNIVERSARY!

This April 28 marked 25 years of being married to the greatest guy ever. This is a picture of us in April at the Washington DC temple--a reminder of the covenants (vows) we made in the Logan Temple 25 years ago.

Happy Anniversary to us!

That weekend we attended at stake dance at church called the Rose Ball. A local band played and we had fun with other friends.

Our annual anniversary getaway celebration will probably take place later his summer--due to a new grandchild, Erika's college graduation, a Marching Band excursion to Myrtle Beach and other things happening in the family this spring.

Myrtle Beach Music Trip

Daniel and Julia went on a 4-day trip to Myrtle Beach for music competitions. Dave was one of the group chaperons. Here is the scoop from the school newsletter on how they did. (I am only including awards that involved Julia and Daniel.)

1st Place with a Superior Rating went to the following groups!Symphonic Band, Jazz Band,  Orchestra, Concert Choir, Madrigals, Women’s Choir, Men’s Choir,

 Specialty Awards:
The Symphonic Band , Jazz Band, Orchestra,  Concert Choir, Women's Choir and Madrigals all won Best Overall for the festival regardless of group size or division.

Grand Champion Awards were presented to the Men’s Choir and Madrigals for the Vocal Grand Champion.  Symphonic Band and Orchestra received the the Instrumental Grand Champion for the highest overall score combining two performances averaged together.

Congratulations to Daniel as Madrigal's student director and Trombone Section Leader in Jazz and Symphonic Band, and Julia as Clarinet section leader in the Symphonic Band.