Hello! My name is Shannon. I live in the desert with my husband Scott and 3 kids (Conner, Payton, Anna). I have been blogging since 2005 and I love to write about my family, everyday life, dating my husband, projects and parties, memory keeping, being a mom, faith, setting and working towards goals, and finding joy in the journey.
Thank you so much for dropping by!
Thomas S. Monson
- I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey -- now.
I am officially the mother of 3 teenagers. Crazy how time flies! You know, I started this blog when I was 8 months pregnant with Anna. So if you have been with me from the beginning you have really seen her grow up!
Yesterday Anna celebrated her 13th birthday and it has been a great birthday weekend/month! For the 13 days leading up to her birthday we gave her 13 small gifts (more on that later). And last night she had a fun pajama party with 10 of her friends (more on that later.) The one thing she wanted for her birthday was a bedroom makeover. We also did a bedroom makeover for her 9th birthday and since then her tastes have changed just a bit. Last weekend we said goodbye to the teal blue wall and painted it a pretty muted pink. We also purchased new grown-up bedding and over the summer she got a new bed. When all the final touches are done I'll be sure to share a peek here.
Friday morning Anna was honored at the Breakfast of Champions at her middle school -- she was selected by her English Language Arts teacher as student of the month. Right out of the chutes! The SAME thing happened last year. In the first month of school her English/Reading teacher selected her as student of the month. This girl has a love for writing. She is very descriptive and it seems to flow naturally for her. We'll see if she can keep up the streak next year!
Saturday morning (her birthday) she had a soccer game. She plays as keeper and loves it. Sometimes the coach will have her play keeper the first half, and then put her on the field the 2nd half. But, knowing that they would be up against a tough team this week the coach kept her in keeper the entire game. It was a tough, well fought game, but her team ended up losing 0-1.
That's her in the pink. She loves her special goalie jersey and her professional goalie gloves.
Missed the ball by just that much! While this photo is a bit heart-breaking (the other team scored), at the same time I love it because it shows how she puts her all -- her whole heart, her whole body! -- into this position. She is fearless and will charge the ball as players come at her or throw her body across the keeper box to keep that ball out!
Scott is the assistant coach -- here he is giving her some pointers during the water break. Yep, we're still in the upper 90's here!
And always so sheepish about getting her picture taken on the field. She has much more important things to think about!
We brought donuts to share with the team and another mom brought fancy cupcakes (just because). Sweet! Diabetes for everyone!
We spent most of Saturday preparing for the big birthday party. Anna was a great helper. Here's a little snuggle time with Cooper before everyone arrived.
She sure loves this dog! She has been lobbying for a dog since she was 5 years old. We've received many sappy pleas and notes like this one (go read it!). I'm so glad we were able to make her hopes and dreams come true! So far she has given Cooper all of his baths. She helps with the dog training -- she taught him to lay down and to roll over. I still can't get him to roll over. She calls him "Baby" and basically just loves on him anytime she can.
Anna also loves
TV . . . . America's Got Talent or Miraculous Lady Bug
Music . . . . Organs by of Monsters and Men
Books . . . adventure books. Although we are currently listening to Echo on audiobook.
Youtube . . . . watching drawing & art videos (just this morning she was studying how to draw a hand in various angles/positions)
She definitely has a talent for art. She is always drawing, always sketching with either a pencil or colored pencils. She has dabbled a bit in watercolors. Other than a new bedroom her wishlist includes a long list of art supplies and an iPad so she can sketch on Adobe Illustrator.
Anna has always loved to create. This summer she created several amazing things for her bedroom using basic supplies like straws, wooden dowels, cereal boxes, a wood pallet, a glue gun, and spray paint. Like, really amazing! I'll show off those items once we finish her bedroom update.
Recently she took on the project of planning our ward's Young Women in Excellence evening. I'm excited to see her get practice in planning & executing & having responsibility for something like this. I can see the wheels in her heard turning!
It was really fun watching her interact with all her friends at the party. She was so thankful for every little thing, and made an effort to help each girl feel welcome as they arrived and appreciated (hugs) as they left. So many simple little things too that just demonstrated how kind she is. I noticed that every interaction had the purpose or motive to make the other girl feel good, appreciated, or uplifted. Never anything in her demeanor that would have put someone down or make them feel less than -- I noticed this specific thing because there were moments when it would have been very easy to do so.
She got braces over the summer. Since then, I think she has been a little unsure of her smile and overall appearance. She spends A LOT more time planning outfits and caring about her clothes than she used to. And smiling with her mouth closed Ugh. It pains me to see that. I just want her to see how amazing & beautiful she is and be confident in that and somehow squash all of the outside influences that come from friends, school, etc. Being 12 is just weird. BUT, I've seen her come out of that in recent weeks. In fact, in just the last few days she has commented on several occasions (almost with surprise) that she likes her smile in pictures (including these below). Yay! The big smiles are back and I'm so glad.
She is attentive and aware. Last week was a hard one for me. I felt like I was doing a decent job of keeping it together around the kids -- but truly, just going through the motions. One day a friend (who I admire & adore) invited me to lunch. That definitely turned my day around. Later that day, Anna actually commented to me, "You seem happier today." Like I said, she is so aware & sensitive to the needs of others. She'll ask me questions about my mom / Grammer like, "what do you admire most about Grammer?" or "what your favorite thing that Grammer had?"
She is a pretty amazing girl. Smart, talented, driven, thoughtful, a caring friend & daughter, helpful, kind.
"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."
James Barrie
It has been one year since her passing. She brought so much sunshine to our lives and will ever be our ray of light, a wellspring of love to emulate. I miss her more than words can describe.
This. This is something pretty darn special right here.
I am holding in my hands 2 tickets to the Women's Session of General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints coming up in two weeks! It is special for obvious reasons . . . we get to attend conference in the huge Conference Center in Salt Lake City. A first for both of us!
But it is special for a few more reasons. Let me tell you why.
When Conner turned 12 years old Scott took him to the Priesthood session of General Conference in Salt Lake City and a family tradition began. When Payton turned 12, father & son made another trip to the Priesthood session of General Conference and many great memories were made.
Anna turned 12 last September and continuing with tradition we were able to score two tickets to General Conference and a trip to Salt Lake City was planned. We felt so lucky to get these tickets because they aren't super easy to come by!
But then, my mom's health went down drastically, I traveled to California to be with her, and two days before General Conference . . . my mom passed away. Obviously, those general conference tickets could no longer be used, priorities shifted, and our trip was cancelled.
As you might know, my mom and I had a tradition of yearly mother-daughter getaways. We did 1 or 2 when I was a teen at home. But we really started getting serious about these annual getaways after I started having kids. It was such a treat to know that each year we would have dedicated mom-daughter time. It strengthened our relationship, we went on some really fun adventures, it was a break from real life, and we were diligent in making sure it happened every year.
Even as she was enduring cancer, we began planning a trip -- a fall leaves tour in Vermont the first week of October. This mother-daughter trip would fulfill one of her long-time desires . . . see fall colors in all their splendor. Plus, through her illness we found that the act of planning, having things to look forward to, helped her so so much. I researched a bunch of fall drives, found all the covered bridges, scoped out the cutest New England villages, and even made reservations to stay in quaint little Woodstock, Vermont. But when we reached the end of the summer 2017 and her health was not moving in a positive direction, we cancelled the trip.
In September as I watched her body failing and slipping away from us, I was hit with the harsh reality that these mother-daughter trips had come to an end. One day as I sat close to her bed holding her hand, I whispered in her ear while she slept -- I thanked her for all of our trips and experiences, and promised that I would continue the tradition with Anna. Perhaps, even, we would go see the New England fall colors one day. When we do, I hope she joins us.
. . .
So these tickets you see right here are the beginning . . . no, rather, the continuation of something special.
Mother & daughter time together. Being enriched. Strengthened. Taught. Coming closer. Experiencing new things. Looking for beauty and being grateful for it.
This will be a great trip! I've booked a cute Airbnb on Capitol Hill, we're planning an early morning hike, fun meals, audiobooks for the drive, maybe catch a glimpse of fall colors, and of course . . . soak up General Conference! - while writing notes in our new, beautiful, matching Conference notebooks by Work and Wonder.
That's 39-year-old me. And Cooper. Oh, yes! I forgot to write a post here . . . we got a puppy! That should be a post all its own. But, later.
Not many big plans on my actual birthday. Pretty low-key because, you know, mom life. :) Cooper and I hung out all day. I went on a nice morning walk. I grabbed some Cafe Rio takeout for lunch. And enjoyed text and phone calls and visits from sweet friends and family.
I have to say the highlight of my day was opening gifts from the kids. Scott told me a little about shopping with the boys so I was in eager anticipation to discover the results. I have enjoyed a long history of interesting gifts from the boys. When they were little the gifts were incredibly sweet and thoughtful and full of love. As they have gotten older, though, . . . I often wonder if they know anything about me. Really, the level (lack) of attention is quite astonishing. And laughable! I still tease Conner about the epic last-minute birthday card he wrote for me one year. It was a single piece of computer paper, folded in half, and inside he wrote in pencil "Happy birthday mom". The lack of effort was comical!
So it sounds like Scott gave the boys a pep talk in preparation for the shopping trip. "Guys. For the next 45 years of your life, you're going to need to come up with thoughtful gifts for the important women in your life. Let's start now! Think about what your mom likes and what she enjoys doing and try to come up with a thoughtful gift. And I'm just going to follow you around while you think this through."
I have to say, they did a pretty decent job! Interesting. But decent. I cannot complain at all. And the cards! They checked off all of my requirements -- longer than 3 words, and showed they had put a sliver of thought into it.
That being said, Conner did save his card-making for the last minute once again. In fact, we had gathered in the family room with my gifts but had to sit there and wait while Conner ran into the kitchen to both WRAP his gift and write his birthday note. No card this year . . . he wrote a note directly ON the gift. Which is almost as good as the plain sheet of computer paper! I unwrapped the gift very carefully so that I could preserve this goodness:
The gift: Exploding Kittens
His observation: Mom likes to play card games with us
The note:
Dear Mom,
I know I'm terrible with presents, cards and birthdays in general, but I'm trying to learn. I'm learning because I love you and I want to show you how much I do.
Love, Conner Brown
Love that! Love that he acknowledges his weaknesses, but the desire to do better is what totally wins me over. Good job, Conner!
The gift: Apple Cider concentrate
His observation: "because you like that kind of thing" ..... just wait for the note!
The note:
Dear Mom,
Thank you for HAVING FUN WITH US, and TEACHING US HOW TO WORK CORRECTLY, and who could forget that you PUT UP WITH US NOT PUTTING DISHES IN THE DISHWASHER, OR DOING ONLY HALF OF A JOB.
Thank you for being a fantastic mom, Payton
Here's some cider to make in the winter because you like that kind of thing.
I seriously had tears in my eyes, I was laughing so hard! There are so. many. things. in this note that are just amazing. The phrases in all caps, "teaching us to work correctly", putting up with them doing "half of a job", and "because you like that kind of thing" . . . . . hahahahaha! This note is true and honest and I love it!
Now, Anna . . . she knows how to choose thoughtful gifts. It is second nature for her! In honor of our new puppy that I picked out and spend all day long with, she created a portrait of Cooper. Isn't it great?!
She made it in Adobe Illustrator on the iPad (she has big dreams/wishes of getting her own iPad and the fancy illustrator pen -- right now she has to put up with my mediocre tools). But it looks amazing! She printed it out on nice paper and mounted it to an easel for displaying. What a talented girl!
Scott gave me a gift certificate for two photo facial (lime light) treatments which was high at the top of my list, so I'm super excited about that! Sun spots, be gone! And, it will help me cross something off my 40 before 40 list!
hydrangeas from Scott because he knows I love them and (he may not know) they remind me of my mom
Here's a bit of truth:
This year my birthday felt heavy. Leading up to the day I tried my best not to think about it (hence, no birthday plans). You see, last year I spent my birthday holding my dying mother's hand while watching her sleep. And sleep. Wondering if we would ever get to talk again.
So yes. That has changed the feeling of the day for me. At least for this year. I don't know that it will be this way going forward forever. You know how much I love celebrating my birthday! And I want to be back in that celebratory place. She would want me to celebrate -- but for right now there are heavy things connected with this day.
This year I am missing her cheerful birthday phone call and a birthday package filled with fun & beautiful things perfectly curated just for me. But really, I just plain miss her.
Last September changed me. And it changed my world.
September has always been a time of new beginnings, which I enjoy . . . and now it will also be a time of remembrance.
Today is my 39th birthday. So you know what that means? . . . . I'm looking at the big 4-0 next year! I'm actually excited about it. A new decade means new possibilities, new perspectives, and an opportunity to reassess and make sure you are becoming the person you want to be. I always love a good goal list, so when I saw this 40th bucket list and this 40 by 40 list earlier in the year I just knew I needed to make one of my own.
Here goes! 40 things I want to accomplish, experience, or work towards before my 40th birthday in September 2019.
I should note that I actually began making this list at the beginning of this year and crossing a few of them off. I don't think there's any reason I have to limit myself to these 12 months (September to September) and chances are I won't cross them all off before 40 rolls around. And thats okay.
This cabin was purchased in 2013 by my parents with the intent that it be a place for gathering family and making memories. Mom and dad have put their hearts into making the cabin a comfortable and welcoming place for all who come here. They invested their time, blood (literally!), sweat, and happy tears into creating this beautiful space.
From the completely renovated kitchen to the beautiful decks and fire pit & benches built by my dad … the whimsical and welcoming bedrooms imagined and named by mom (you’ll find the Three Bears to the left at the top of the stairs and The Nest to the right) … every picture is hung on the wall with love and meaning …. there is our backyard friend, bunkie - mom likes to dress him up for every season … and the kitchen stone wall which mom and dad installed themselves (that’s where the blood was spilt!) and completed on Valentine’s Day 2014. To commemorate the day, they plastered a red heart into the wall and carved their initials in a heart on the exposed wall post. Such romantics! :)
My mom has hosted many gatherings with girlfriends there -- Daffodil Day, a weekend cooking class, a pie-making class taught by my brother Sam, snowshoeing excursions, cozy fall gatherings, and many more! Each year they have a Cabin Workday where the family gathers to chop wood, clear pine needles, work on projects, and deep clean the house. They take their grandkids there for mini adventures at White Pines Lake, Big Trees Park, and excursions to the old west town of Columbia. My cousin & her new husband even honeymooned there. My mom recorded all of the projects and happenings on her cabin blog - The Cabin Under The Pines - and on Instagram.
Mom and dad imagined this cabin, filled with family, as their heart and purpose.
As much as we hoped and planned for this to be a place where our families could retreat, relax, and make memories over the years (maybe even generations) . . . change is upon us yet again.
This week the cabin was sold.
In honesty, I've been terribly sad and heartbroken about it since I heard the news a few weeks ago. In addition to this being a place that we just love to visit, it holds a special place to us because it feels like my mom. Going there felt like a big hug from mom and since her passing that is something I've needed a lot of. I've made a point to visit the cabin 3 (now, 4) times in the last year. Her touches are in every detail, everywhere you look. It was one of our last tangible connections to her.
I always say that my mom didn't quilt, she didn't really scrapbook, or paint, or anything like that . . . . but she created homes. She created homes filled with an unmistakable spirit that left you feeling full, loved, and peaceful. In one of mom's homes, the cares of the world easily washed away.
When it was announced that the cabin was to be sold, I knew right away that I needed to take one last trip. I wanted to see and enjoy and soak it in one last time. I wanted to record the memory of it through pictures and videos. And I also wanted to sort through, and bring home with me, some family treasures -- pieces of the cabin that meant a lot to me. You see, the cabin was being sold fully furnished (furnishings, bedding, dishes, everything).
So the Thursday before Labor Day I took Anna out of school and we made the 500 mile drive for a cabin weekend.
I'm so so glad she came with me. She was helpful, understanding, bright, and in continuation of all that she saw/experienced with me during our many visits to my mom over her cancer journey . . . this was yet another piece of watching her mom lose something she loved and getting a peek into what these big emotions look and feel like. And how we can endure well through them. In my opinion, those are invaluable lessons. And because she is a 12 year old girl I know it isn't lost on her -- she keenly aware and attentive.
As we often do on road trips, Anna and I decided to listen to an audio book for the 9-10 hour drive to the cabin. I had been contemplating what would be a good choice and when my mind came up blank I put out a request on Instagram for recommendations. Someone (a stranger) came back with the suggestion: "Pollyanna - teaching about loving one's circumstances." Wouldn't you know it -- that book had actually been sitting in the back of my mind! And the comment about "loving one's circumstances" . . . . well, that felt pretty perfect for our situation.
We listened and we sure enjoyed it. And I know that the Pollyanna-personality gets criticized for being excessively optimistic and cheerful -- as if that is small-minded or out of touch with reality. But you know what, I found some great lessons in this story.
In the book, Pollyanna comes to live with her aunt after both of her parents have died. As a child, her father taught her a game -- The Glad Game. He believed that no matter what happens, there is always something to be glad about. The game came about one Christmas when Pollyanna, who was hoping for a doll from the missionary barrel (a collection of donations sent to the minister) . . . opens the barrel to find a pair of crutches. Her father creates the game on the spot, and teaches Pollyanna to look at the good side of things -- in this case, to be glad about the crutches because "we didn't need to use them!"
Pollyanna spends time in her new home meeting residents and neighbors and teaching them all to play the Glad Game. Later in the story, when she has been hit by a car and lies paralyzed in her bed, countless members of the community stop by to visit her aunt and recount stories of how their lives have been changed for the better because Pollyanna taught them to play the game. And even later, when Pollyanna is able to walk again she says that she was glad she was hit by the car and her legs didn't work, because it taught her to appreciate them more.
Multiple times throughout the story Anna and I turned to each other knowingly . . . this reminds us of Grammer. She looked for the happy in each day. And she taught others to do the same.
"When you're hunting for the good things you sorta forget the other kind." - Pollyanna
And so we entered the cabin with this thought in our minds. To look for the good things.
Anna and I spent the first night and day at the cabin alone. And then my dad joined us for Friday night. We soaked in every part of it . . .
We walked slowly through every room, pointing out the details, describing our favorite parts, and recalling memories.
In the evenings we snuggled on those comfortable recliner couches with blankets and watched our new favorite Netflix show, Victoria. (We have binge-watched many tv series there at the cabin)
We swept bat poop droppings from the corner of The Nest. That is pretty typical -- can't seem to get rid of that bat!
We cleaned up bunkie -- it looked like an animal has been enjoying some time in there -- turned the twinkle lights on in the rafters, and remembered the time that Anna and Payton spent the night in the bunkie. They signed their names on a paper "For those brave enough to sleep in the bunkie" and it still hangs on the wall.
We got shakes and fries from Giant Burger and brought them back to enjoy on the swing on the front porch.
I also took a nap in the hammock on the front porch while Anna sat at the table and painted with watercolors found in mom's craft supplies.
Dad took Anna to the Arts & Crafts fair that was happening for Labor Day weekend. They always had some kind of small town events & happenings for every holiday.
We built a fire and watched Anna play with her stick, spreading smoke signals. As the daylight faded we watched a doe and fawn make their evening walk through the ferns, just a few yards away from us.
We lit apple spice candles inside to make it smell sweet.
The bottoms of our shoes were covered with sticky sap -- the pine trees were dropping sap in unusually high amounts.
We made a trip to the nearby apple store to purchase apple cider donuts and one of their wonderful berry pies to enjoy at home.
We took a picture next to the bear on the porch. For mom. That was always her tradition. When someone came to visit the cabin she had to get a picture of them next to the cute bear.
Before the cleaning and sorting needed to begin, I spent an entire morning going through the cabin, inch by inch, taking video and pictures to record the memory of this place. I also took the opportunity to record my dad on camera, telling the story of the kitchen remodel, the heart in the rock wall, and the initials carved into the wall post. The whole process took over 2 hours and it was a special time to really take in everything with my eyes, paying attention to every detail, and recording those images not only in my camera, but also in my memory & heart.
Then, we began going through every room, every closet, every inch -- gathering the things that were important and meaningful to us. I gathered things for each of my siblings who would not be able to make it up to the cabin. Everyone got a piece of what was important to them.
One of the things at the top of my list was this framed cross-stich -- Our Family Can Be Forever. It has hung in our home for as long as I can remember.
But I didn't exactly know who had made it. I had my hunches. Maybe my mom. Maybe an aunt. Imagine my absolute delight when I took it down from the wall and turned it over . . . .
What a treasure! I'm so glad she wrote that note on the back. Thank you mom! This is something I always do and I've begun preaching to Anna who makes handmade gifts on a regular basis -- always, always, always write your name on the things that you create.
We had a good visit at the cabin. Just enjoying it. But at the same time I was trying to push the thought of leaving it out of my mind.
When it got close to the end, I could feel a heaviness & tightening in my chest. I remember mopping the kitchen floor, head down, trying to hold back tears as that feeling of loss was beginning to take over. Then my dad walked into the kitchen teary-eyed, red in the face, and full of heavy emotion. I walked over to hug him and just held on for a while.
This is hard for everyone.
Change is hard when it is out of your control. And it is also hard when you're the one making the decisions.
Then he invited Anna and I to join him in the bedroom for a prayer. We knelt around the bed and he offered a prayer of thanks for the memories and joy we have found in the cabin. A prayer of remembrance for all that mom created there for us. A prayer of love -- our deep love for her and a request that we can feel her love carry us through our lives. And a blessing, a hope that the new owners will feel & enjoy the spirit there.
One tender mercy in all of this . . . the new owners knew my mom. And when they walked through the cabin for the first time they felt that special spirit and were overcome with emotion as they recognized my mom's touches in everything. Knowing that they will appreciate and love the cabin in that way gives us a small portion of peace.
Then it was just time to go.
I will miss this place dearly. The comfort I felt there was unmatched. I found that when our family visited the cabin we were able to completely relax and detach from distractions like no place else. There is a certain magic and power there that is unmistakable. My mom is in every detail and we felt her love, her attention, and her care there. Because she - and my dad - prepared this place for us. Everything she did was with the happiness of others in mind.
. . . . . I am also going to try to play the Glad Game.
I'm glad we had the cabin because it created so many wonderful memories for us.
I'm glad my mom had this place to tinker with, to plan & scheme & dream with. I'm glad it was a creative outlet for her as she designed and pulled together each room with things she already had or things that were gifted to her or things she found at estate sales. She pulled it all together beautifully.
I'm glad that so many people were able to enjoy and feel the spirit of the cabin. Not just our family, but also my mom's girlfriends, Relief Society sisters, and I will venture to say those who followed her cabin adventures online as well. Here are some of their words from the cabin guestbook.
Stepped into Heaven today! Thank you for a glorious day!
You are THE hostess to aspire to be. Thank you BEYOND for your love, your goodness & your spirit. What a privilege to spend time in this beautiful space.
Bless your heart Teresa! This weekend was rejuvenating and lovely and special!
Thank you so much. It was such a delight & I feel so blessed.
As it was in the book Pollyanna, I know without a doubt that if they could, people would line up to tell us what gladness, what joy, and what beauty they got to partake of because of the cabin. How it lifted their hearts, made them see things differently, and made their lives better.
For that I can be very glad.
----------------------------------------
We visited the cabin in July 2016 and I made these fun little videos during our time there. They are extra special to me because this was one of my mom's last "healthy" trips to the cabin. She was diagnosed with cancer 3 months later.
A text from the kids' wonderful piano teacher, Becky. This note is such a great snapshot of their piano progress and their lives right now, I just needed to record it. The way the teacher talks about the kids . . . . it fills me with so much joy to know that others observe these great qualities and work to bring them out.
Hi Shannon.
It is great to have your children back to piano this week. We went over goals for the coming school year. Here’s a brief synopsis (I will send home a written copy of their goals the first week of September)
Anna: level 3A- 1st semester. 3B- 2nd semester. She likes popular music like “A thousand years” and Nasty Majesty” - her favorite instrument to play is flute and her least is piano! Ha! She’s doing well and I love her spunk!
Payton: he has just blossomed this past year- a light has gone on inside! He loves playing his downloads and his arrangements are amazing. He used to hate playing octaves- now he embraces them!!! We are looking forward to him playing his glockenspiel in our Oct rep class. He is finishing Level 4 in a couple of months and then jumping into level 5! He is also taking his 2nd year of HS credit!
Conner- our SENIOR! He wants to do some fun music this year - one of which is Clair De Lune by Debussy. Also, he wants to learn a duet with a young woman for a school concert in the spring- (talent show?) I have several pieces we will look at next Thursday. Conner will also study theory & technic exams level 9 this year. There are only 10 levels so you can see Conner is quite accomplished by studying the concepts found in these exams the last few years.
Your 3 children are talented, humorous, and diligent in their piano studies. Makes for wonderful piano students! Also, they enjoy each other. I love the friendship they share with one another at piano lessons.