THE PARK POST

A couple of weeks ago, Paige performed in both Peter and the Wolf and Carnival of Animals at the historic Springer Opera House. She played the role of the duck in P & W.  She was excited for the part until she saw her costume, but we thought she looked adorable.   She even got to do some partnering work with the wolf.  Jackson thought it was cool that the wolf eats her and then throws her back up.  He and Syd really liked it because of the narration and music that accompanied it For Carnival of Animals she played the part of the donkey.  That part fit her personality well.  She is fiesty and stubborn, as well as strong.  One of her favorite parts was leaping across the stage at the very end of the production with three switch leaps.  It was a fun day for all of us!!  

Last Saturday we went to the Atlanta Temple Open House as a family and then out to The Cheesecake Factory.  It felt so nice to have us all be together.  That is rare these days. They didn't let us take any pictures at the temple, so we will have to take some another day when we are up there.  We are so grateful to have a temple closer to us again.  This Saturday Mike and I will serve as tour guides at the open house and the next weekend the girl's will perform a dancing/singing performance for the prophet.  Then on May 1st we will attend the rededication of the temple.  It will be a busy month, but in a good way.

We decided it was time to tackle a garden again.  We've never had much luck with growing more than a radish or mini carrot before now.  But we forged ahead with faith and plowed (literally) into the backyard with a rented roto-tiller, turning the earth upside down.  Unfortunately, we found rocks and weeds all over in the soil, but we didn't let that deter us.  It was kind of exciting feeling like we were really preparing the ground for food that we would grow ourselves. 

. Happy Birthday to a beautiful daughter who has  always seemed a little wiser and mature for her years.  From a very young age she showed us her passion, intensity, loyalty,  intelligence, and wisdom. Even today people come to Paige for advice on how to handle life's problems.  She is the teenage Dr. Phil. We love you Paige and are so glad you are a part of our family.

Syd lost one of her top front teeth this last week.  I love the look of missing front teeth, but she was not so sure about it.  She generally resists change, fearing that anything different will be bad.  At first she did not want her picture taken, but after some reassurance that missing teeth mean you are getting older like the big kids and that they have all lost their front teeth too she decided it wasn't all bad and decided to actually feel happy and excited about it.