auditions update

Okay, I've had lots of people asking me "How did those auditions go?" So, I will tell you all about it here.

The auditions themselves went great. :o) There were about 30 people at the LA audition and 50 at the Salt Lake one a few days later. I really wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be and they really tried to make it as laid back for everyone as they could.

I didn't make it into the top 20, so obviously I'm not in the top 6 finalists either. You can go here to listen to the top 20 and the 6 finalists. I'm totally fine with how everything turned out. I had fun, it was a good experience, and I can just go to the game and enjoy myself instead of enduring the torture of waiting to see if I would be picked or not with the other finalists (yeah, that's how they are doing it!). The only thing that I'm a little urked about is that not one person in the top 6 is from the LA area. It just seems weird that they are all either from Utah or Arizona and they are competing to sing at a Dodger's game. Anyway, you can listen to them if you'd like and form your own opinions. While there are definitely some talented people on there, there were also some interesting choices in the top 20. I guess it's all a matter of preference. :o) Oh, well! Best of luck to the top 6 finalists!

shailey's haircut

After lots of tangles and tears, the hair came off! Shailey has been growing out her hair for months to donate it to make wigs for kids with cancer. It was finally long enough that we could cut it and still have a cute haircut afterwards. I was excited to see it go because now I don't have a mess of hair to brush through everyday. She was excited to see it go because now it won't take mommy F-O-R-E-V-E-R to do her hair! We had Kelly cut it and she did an awesome job!!

Here's Shailey right before her haircut.

Now Kelly is dividing it into two ponytails.

Cutting the ponytails off!

The boys waiting patiently. :o)

And the final result! Soooo cute! She looks so much older now!

Thanks Kelly!! :o)

sewing frenzy

I think the nesting instinct may have begun early for me and taken on the form of sewing projects. Danny will agree that I have been glued to my sewing machine the past several days trying to get project after project done. I'm not finished yet, but I'm close. I think (so I don't ignore my family beyond repair) that I will take a break for awhile. I just want to get these projects done now while I still have energy and while I'm still somewhat comfortable.

This is what I've done the last few days...

I finished three more burp clothes. The day we found out we were having a girl, I zipped off to JoAnn to buy lots of cute, girly fabrics! :o)

Then I made three blankets.

And today I finshed a slipcover for my Boppy. This was the Boppy before...

And this is the Boppy with the new slipcover. It has a zipper in the back. (I am not a fan of sewing with zippers, by the way. I think I will just go for easy velcro next time!)

And finally, though I haven't started sewing it yet, I did buy fabric for the crib set I will be sewing. This is what I chose...

This will be the outside of the bumper pads.

This will be the inside of the bumper pads.

And this will be the dust ruffle.

I can't wait to see it all finished!

and the score is...

BOYS - 2

GIRLS - 2!!

We are all so excited to meet

this new little girl!

And yes, Shailey is VERY happy that she will not be "boy trapped"!

sewing and swimming

I made a dress for Shailey yesterday. It was an easy pattern so I thought, why not? The material was $2.00 a yard at Wal-Mart (by the way, I heard they are getting rid of their fabric department there--at least at that particular store. I am bummed!). It turned out pretty cute. I will be making one more for her... just not today. :o)

Shailey has also been doing really well with her swim lessons, thanks to this great teacher. :o) Thanks Violet! Just to give you insight on how much she's improved, at the beginning of summer she insisted on swimming with not one, but two water rings and a pair of water wings before she would set foot in the water. I think she's made progress! Now if we could just get the boys to follow her lead...

cow appreciation day

Chick-fil-A hosted their annual "Cow Appreciation Day". A family in our ward owns our local Chick-fil-A so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to participate! Anyone that showed up dressed up as a cow got a free meal! So the kids and I donned our cow costumes and set out with a bunch of other friends from the ward! It was a lot of fun!!

auditions

Okay, so Danny made me audition to sing the national anthem for "Mormon Night" at Dodger Stadium and I didn't want to do it. But like I said, he made me do it. :o) I had to send in two recorded songs of myself singing: the national anthem and a song of my choice. I had to fill out an application along with the bishop's approval. I had to send it in by June 15th. I then I waited.

Recently I got a letter back saying that out of over 500 applicants from around the US and Canada, I was being selected as one of 80 semi-finalists to audition live in front of a panel of judges on July 18th. Now I am terrified! I hate auditioning! People have asked me, "Well, isn't it just the same as singing in church?" NO! It's totally different! When I sing in church I don't have people critiquing my performance to my face. So since the live auditions are actually at an LDS chapel near the LA Temple, I'm just going to pretend that I'm just singing in church. Now I just have to convince my nerves. :o)