Two years ago Lorenne was in a musical called, Promised Land. Her Aunt Sara was directing it so she didn't have to audition to get in. Since doing the show Lorenne has wanted to be in another show. Last year she auditioned for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. She didn't make it in, but that hasn't deterred her from wanting to do another show.
Last week Lorenne auditioned for Music Man in American Fork. Sara was auditioning and wanted Lorenne to audition with her. I ended up taking Lorenne to the audition this time. I really didn't know how she would do. Sometimes she gets so shy.
While we waited for Lorenne's turn to audition we talked about what she wanted to sing. We needed to find something that she knew all the words to and could stay on pitch. She finally decided to sing the ABC song.
We went in the audition room with Sara. Sara did her song first and then it was Lorenne's turn. Sara held one of Lorenne's hands and I held the other. They asked Lorenne what she was going to sing. She told them and then she started to sing. I was so proud of her I was trying really hard not to just bawl. She stood up tall and sang loud and clear and mostly on pitch. They applauded for Lorenne and thanked her for auditioning.
Lorenne was so excited after her audition. She wanted to know when the rehearsals started. I told her that we didn't know if she had made it in yet. But she just talked on like she was in the show.
Well, today I got a message from the casting director. Lorenne made the ensemble for the show!!! I am so excited for her. I can hardly wait for her to get home from school so I can tell her. She is going to be ecstatic. Her first rehearsal is tonight. Fortunately Sara made the show as well so most of the time they will go to rehearsal together.
I will keep you updated on the progress of the show so if any of you want to come and see it you can.
I am so proud of Lorenne for having the guts to audition. This is going to be such a great experience for her.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Little Grand Canyon: Pictures
The kids and me at the Little Grand Canyon. Do I look scared to death?
The kids and me chasing the lizards.
Michael with a chip in one hand and a cookie in the other.
The river at the base of the canyon.The Little Grand Canyon
The Little Grand CanyonAfter we were finished at the dinosaur excavation on Saturday it was time for lunch. We were planning on just eating there at the site. But Alex got talking to a lady there and she said if we drove about 10 miles further we could go see what is called the Little Grand Canyon. We had all day ahead of us so we decided we would do it.
We followed the lady and her family. After 20 minutes on a bumpy dirt road I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to get there. Finally we pulled over and got out to look. The view took my breath away; mostly because of the beauty but partially because I am afraid of heights. It was gorgeous! There was even an eagle or hawk flying overhead.
But that stop was not our final destination. We got back in and drove for about 5 more minutes and came to the lookout area. I really had a hard time there. It was a cliff that jutted out into the canyon. There were no barriers on the edge. I wasn't so worried about myself, but Michael is constant motion and worrying about him getting too close to the edge about did me in.
I took a lot of calming breaths and looked out to enjoy the view. It was absolutely amazing! The way the cliffs were carved and the different layers and colors. It is amazing to me that I can drive two hours from Provo and its rolling mountains and be in the desert with majestic cliffs and plateaus.
I tried hard not to show my kids how scared I was. I don't want them to be scared of heights because I am. I offered Lorenne my camera and she took a bunch of pictures. That got her over her nervousness. Yesterday she took the pictures with her to school for show and tell.
We found a big flat rock back on more solid ground and spread our blanket over it for a picnic table. As I was setting up my chair I saw something move on the ground. I was already jumpy so the movement really startled me. I looked down and saw two little lizards running around the rock. I got the kids to come over and look. The two lizards scurried over to the next big rock and then the next as we followed them.
The kids loved the lizards. Michael wanted to catch one, of course. We didn't catch one, but I did manage to get a picture.
After eating we got back in the car and began the drive home. On the way back Lorenne asked Alex if they were going shopping for Mother's Day. So when we got back to Provo Alex and the kids dropped me off and they went shopping. So I had a few hours to myself. A great end to a wonderful day.
We followed the lady and her family. After 20 minutes on a bumpy dirt road I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to get there. Finally we pulled over and got out to look. The view took my breath away; mostly because of the beauty but partially because I am afraid of heights. It was gorgeous! There was even an eagle or hawk flying overhead.
But that stop was not our final destination. We got back in and drove for about 5 more minutes and came to the lookout area. I really had a hard time there. It was a cliff that jutted out into the canyon. There were no barriers on the edge. I wasn't so worried about myself, but Michael is constant motion and worrying about him getting too close to the edge about did me in.
I took a lot of calming breaths and looked out to enjoy the view. It was absolutely amazing! The way the cliffs were carved and the different layers and colors. It is amazing to me that I can drive two hours from Provo and its rolling mountains and be in the desert with majestic cliffs and plateaus.
I tried hard not to show my kids how scared I was. I don't want them to be scared of heights because I am. I offered Lorenne my camera and she took a bunch of pictures. That got her over her nervousness. Yesterday she took the pictures with her to school for show and tell.
We found a big flat rock back on more solid ground and spread our blanket over it for a picnic table. As I was setting up my chair I saw something move on the ground. I was already jumpy so the movement really startled me. I looked down and saw two little lizards running around the rock. I got the kids to come over and look. The two lizards scurried over to the next big rock and then the next as we followed them.
The kids loved the lizards. Michael wanted to catch one, of course. We didn't catch one, but I did manage to get a picture.
After eating we got back in the car and began the drive home. On the way back Lorenne asked Alex if they were going shopping for Mother's Day. So when we got back to Provo Alex and the kids dropped me off and they went shopping. So I had a few hours to myself. A great end to a wonderful day.Gooseneck Site
Alex, Michael, Katy, and Lorenne at the Gooseneck Site.
The Gooseneck Site
Michael holding the allosaurus tooth.
Allosaurus tooth: notice the serrated edge.
Rib bone of the sauropod
Drawing of the fossil as found in the site.Dinosaur Excavation
On Saturday we had the rare opportunity of going to a dinosaur excavation. In November a partially articulated allosaurus fossil was found just outside of Castledale, Utah. Last week the College of Eastern Utah began the excavation of the fossil. Because the site was so accessible they invited the public to come and view it. This is not common practice.
When I saw the article in the Deseret News about the excavation, I knew we had to go. Michael is such a dinosaur fanatic. A few nights before I heard about the excavation Michael had watched a documentary on Allosauruses. When asked what he wants to eat it is almost always dinosaur chicken nuggets. He is always playing with his toy dinosaurs and reading books about them, too.
Bright and early on Saturday morning we set out for Castledale. The night before Alex and I had packed lunch for us. Our lunch included dinosaur sandwiches (sandwiches imprinted with a dinosaur shape).
I had to laugh at Lorenne. With in just a short time she was asking, "are we there yet?" It was about a two hour drive to where we turned off the main road. Then there was a 9 mile drive on a graded dirt road to the Gooseneck site. It is called the Gooseneck site because of how the head of the dinosaur was pulled back and tucked under, kind of like how a goose tucks its head under its wing.
Once we reached the site it was about a five minute hike to the excavation. There were quite a few people there. Not tons, but the flow of people in and out was steady. I was really surprised at how close we were to the actual fossil. I reached down and picked up a fossil that was right in front of me. They had a large part of the fossil cast in plaster. They use the plaster to keep all the pieces together as they transport them.
It turned out that there were actually two dinosaur fossils there. One was the allosaurus and the other was a sauropod, like a brontosaurus or brachiasaurus. It was totally fascinating to see the way they worked. They mapped out and drew each bone as they found it. They used little umpire brooms to sweep dirt away. It is a slow and tedious process. They had found a piece of a tooth, the edge of which was serrated. This was the tooth of a meat eater that was designed to cut and tear flesh. When Michael held the tooth he started to bury it back in the dirt.
Michael was pretty excited about being there. It was a little abstract for him to understand because a big portion of the bones were covered in plaster. But he still enjoyed it. I think he enjoyed digging in the dirt as much as anything.
We had such a wonderful time and felt truly blessed to have such a unique opportunity. It was more than worth the time that we invested in the trip. After all, how many dinosaur loving boys can say that they have been to a real dinosaur excavation?
When I saw the article in the Deseret News about the excavation, I knew we had to go. Michael is such a dinosaur fanatic. A few nights before I heard about the excavation Michael had watched a documentary on Allosauruses. When asked what he wants to eat it is almost always dinosaur chicken nuggets. He is always playing with his toy dinosaurs and reading books about them, too.
Bright and early on Saturday morning we set out for Castledale. The night before Alex and I had packed lunch for us. Our lunch included dinosaur sandwiches (sandwiches imprinted with a dinosaur shape).
I had to laugh at Lorenne. With in just a short time she was asking, "are we there yet?" It was about a two hour drive to where we turned off the main road. Then there was a 9 mile drive on a graded dirt road to the Gooseneck site. It is called the Gooseneck site because of how the head of the dinosaur was pulled back and tucked under, kind of like how a goose tucks its head under its wing.
Once we reached the site it was about a five minute hike to the excavation. There were quite a few people there. Not tons, but the flow of people in and out was steady. I was really surprised at how close we were to the actual fossil. I reached down and picked up a fossil that was right in front of me. They had a large part of the fossil cast in plaster. They use the plaster to keep all the pieces together as they transport them.
It turned out that there were actually two dinosaur fossils there. One was the allosaurus and the other was a sauropod, like a brontosaurus or brachiasaurus. It was totally fascinating to see the way they worked. They mapped out and drew each bone as they found it. They used little umpire brooms to sweep dirt away. It is a slow and tedious process. They had found a piece of a tooth, the edge of which was serrated. This was the tooth of a meat eater that was designed to cut and tear flesh. When Michael held the tooth he started to bury it back in the dirt.
Michael was pretty excited about being there. It was a little abstract for him to understand because a big portion of the bones were covered in plaster. But he still enjoyed it. I think he enjoyed digging in the dirt as much as anything.
We had such a wonderful time and felt truly blessed to have such a unique opportunity. It was more than worth the time that we invested in the trip. After all, how many dinosaur loving boys can say that they have been to a real dinosaur excavation?
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