Nutt House: Birthday, recital, and more

It’s hard to believe another week has come and gone for the Nutt House. It’s been a busy week, one where we’ve spent time adjusting to summer schedules and sadly, summer temperatures. The nice weather we’ve been enjoying left and we are now triple digit hot weather people again.

His take my picture moment after church,
he wasn't leaving without it.
Nice pose, right?

Cry, just cry

Kara kept cool this week in the pool where we saw the end of the current round of swim lessons. I am happy to say that she has now graduated onto the Ray class that will start this next week! Her comfort level with the water is back and she is having as much fun as ever in the water and looks forward to her 4 day a week swim lessons.

All on her own!

Not only did her swim class end, but, the dance season ended as well. I reflected earlier this week on how this dance year has gone, because it’s been a crazy whirlwind of changes for not just Kara but all of us Nutts. Kara had some friends join her dance class in the fall, while having her friends in class with her was enjoyable I also noticed that dance time wasn’t being utilized for dancing, rather, an extra play date. In frustration I went to Kara’s dance teacher asking what we could do. She suggested we put her in her competition class where Kara would be pushed harder than before. We agreed to try this just a couple weeks prior to the winter recital. When the winter recital came Kara did not do well and I couldn’t help but think the change in class was a mistake. Thankfully we trusted Kara’s dance teacher and Kara was competition ready by February. Fast forward to May where Kara not only is competition ready, but does so well at memorizing the movements AND timing for dancing so well that Kara was asked to be the front girl for her yearend recital so the other girls could follow Kara if they got lost! Kara loves dance so much, it is such a joy to watch her. Prior to every class, actually prior to every activity Kara or Kaden do I give them two pieces of advice 1) Do your best and 2) Have Fun. Anything in life worth doing is worth giving your best and why engage in any activity that you cannot have or find the fun in… right?

Anyway, back to dance, this week was a hustle with year-end pictures, final practices, and a dress rehearsal – all of which led to Kara’s year end performance Saturday evening. Of course I was in tears, I was so happy and proud of our little Nutt! (Though doing dance hair makes me even nuttier!!). Kara did well, had fun, and enjoyed having the family time be all about Kara.

Kara's dance group, the Shooting Stars

Our sparkling Tinkerbell Fairy Princess

She danced to "Float" from Tinkerbell and the Neverbeast

Kara is front left. Her timing was almost spot on the entire dance!

Kaden hasn’t been one to be left out of the excitement this week. Where Kaden’s little sports class had ended we ventured over to My Gym to try out a class there. Oh. My. Goodness! Kaden was beaming from ear to ear as he went from one activity to the next then back again. He did this over and over again. Fortunately, Brent was able to join us for the class and witnessed firsthand how much fun Kaden had. So, while Brent assisted Kaden in his class I sat back on picture duty having the thought more than once that us putting Kaden in a class that not just teaches but encourages him to climb and explore may come back to get us. That said, for a full hour Kaden did not stop moving, laughing, or smiling so it is all worth it. All that said, I am sure you cannot guess who will be going back next Saturday and the Saturday after that to enjoy his new class and activity?

Busy little man

Thanks Brent for teaching his this one!

swinging across

the little man that doesn't like to swing liked to swing

Brent wasn’t left out of the fun this week as he celebrated a birthday. The kiddos enthusiastically continued our family tradition of decorating someone’s room for their birthday. They had so much fun trying to have enough streamers up that Brent couldn’t even enter the room. Brent was showered with gifts including a special Star Wars tie from his mom along with a tie tack from when he was a young boy. The fact his mom saved it all this time inspired me to try and do the same sort of thing for Kaden when he gets older. The evening of Brent’s birthday we went out to dinner and tried a Thai restaurant to enjoy some of Brent’s favorite cuisine. I was slightly nervous how our little Nutt’s would do but they pleasantly surprised me as they tried each item (Brent’s super-hot dish excluded) and discovered they enjoyed the food as well. Once we were done with dinner we came home to top off Brent’s birthday with homemade apple pie

Bursting into the room

Being led around to see the decorations

Brent's desk at work thanks to his co-workers

The best kind of gift...

Happy birthday, You.

I am so blessed and grateful for this birthday boy. He has changed my life. He encourages me, inspires me, loves me, is an amazing dad, a great provider, he’s giving, selfless, compassionate, sensitive, hardworking, kind, loving, he has a strong testimony and is an active priesthood holder. I am thankful for the privilege of being Brent’s wife and celebrating his birthday with him. With all my heart and soul I love him forever, and ever, and always.

All that mushy stuff over with – intermixed with the other activities of this week the little Nutt’s and myself found time to try our luck at making homemade marshmallows. Brent has attested for quite some time how easy it would be to make them and come to find out, he was right! They were easy to make and have been a fun treat to enjoy.

Finished product

They loved cutting them out like cookies

and eating them, of course

Not ones to sit around and do nothing the kiddos and I journeyed over to the Halle Heart Museum this past week where we explored the museum, talking more about how we can be heart healthy and make good choices. Along with trying to educate my little Nutts we played and had fun while at the museum as well.

These two have stolen my heart

It's slightly dark & blurry, but it's an exhibit on
being active and moving around... so
Kaden jumps and runs around while
Kara sits on the ground :/

Grocery shopping is always a favorite

for both of them

On the edge of their seats for the heart movie

Future doctor?

Never fear, fireman Kaden is here!

Or is that Dr. Kaden

Just line 'around

Making drums to hear your heart beat with

Thanks to our summer passes, the Nutt House once again went bowling this week. While I did pretty amazing for myself the first game (seeing the score it isn’t that impressive, but for me, it was) I ran out of gas and Brent soared ahead to win the game and walk away with the overall highest score. While Brent and I are both proud we are improving I think we both also hung our heads a little in shame that the scores we achieved were with the bumpers raised for the kiddos and we didn’t do any better than we did. While our scores aren’t amazing ….. Yet! We are improving and each Nutt had a good time at the bowling alley.