Jenna: Madrigal Salt Lake Trip

Jenna went to Salt Lake for the Madrigal Christmas trip the past couple of days and I also had the opportunity to go as a chaperone. I am really grateful that I had the opportunity to go. I have never been on the Madrigal Salt Lake trip before and I really enjoyed it! This would be my last opportunity to go and so I am glad that Mr. Moore approached me about it. 

The Madrigals met at the high school at 3:00 to head up on a school bus. I rode up with my friend Amy Ence, the other chaperone. It was really fun to visit on the way there and back. We left a half hour after the kids did, but still caught up with up them when they stopped for dinner in Fillmore. The kids continued on to SLC where they went ice skating at the Gallivan Ice Skating Rink. It was really cold. I told Jenna that she should bring a nice coat, beanie, and gloves, but she didn't listen and only brought a hoodie, so she probably froze!  

While they went ice skating Amy and I stopped in South Jordan for dinner. Amy was meeting up with some family members and so I had her drop me off at Texas Roadhouse. I got a grilled chicken salad and it was delicious. Then we headed to the Hampton Inn in downtown Salt Lake arriving shortly before the kids. Jenna said that she and Anna stayed up and listened to a scary podcast and then had to watch a Hallmark move after that to get their mind off the podcast. So they were up until 3:00 a.m. apparently, which was definitely not a good move and left them very tired the next day.

Tuesday we had breakfast at the hotel and then we all rode on the bus to the Hartvigsen School, which is a school for special needs students. I guess Mr. Moore had ordered teddy bears for the Madrigals to pass out to all of the kids, but they didn't arrive in time, so that's too bad. But the show went well and they were able to carol to some of the classrooms after. 

Then we all headed to the State Capitol Building and took a bunch of pictures and then did a concert. The accoustics were awesome and I was able to get some good videos. Then we stopped at an area where there were lots of restaurants. Jenna, Anna came with Amy and I to Cafe Zupes. I got a yummy salad. Then we all went to Trader Joes. Who knew that Trader Joes would be such a highlight of the trip, ha ha. They carry lots of yummy gluten free food and Jenna came away with a whole bag filled with snacks. 

We then went to the Joseph Smith Building. That is such a beautiful building! The set up was kind of weird though because they were singing up on the balcony with the audience below on the first floor looking up. I stayed on the second floor and walked around to the other side where I had a more eye level view. It was a bit of a rough performance. Jenna said that it was so hot and so they all felt like they were going to pass out. 

Rick met us here for that performance since he was also in Salt Lake for some work meetings. He had come up on Sunday and then stayed with him mom in Ogden and had meetings all day. He brought his mom out to dinner for a belated birthday gift and went to visit Tanner Wittwer in Primary Children's Hospital. He became very sick a week ago and they found a brain tumor. He is only 15. It is so heartbreaking! Since Rick was going up we asked the RS presidency if they wanted to send up a care package. They put together a huge basket filled with books and fruit and treats and other items as well along with a minky blanket. When Rick arrived Tanner's parents had just learned that Tanner would require surgery. We are praying so hard for him! 

Rick had to teach a class over zoom tonight and so he planned to stop in the seminary building in Fillmore to do that. So he had to rush out right after the performance.  After the performance we all went and looked at the candy display in the Macy's windows, were which so exquisite and amazing! They have these HUGE Christmas ornaments made entirely from candy. Jenna took a little cat nap on a bench in the mall. 

We then walked over to the Church History Museum for a performance there. Jenna's feet were killing her because of her church shoes. They are typically supposed to wear black performance shoes, but several of the girls had comfortable shoes, boots, or even slippers, which were a lot more warm and comfortable for walking around so much. Their feet didn't show anyway under their dresses, in fact they all had pajama pants or other pants under their dresses too, which I thought was funny. I wish we had known they could get away with alternate shoes because she would have been a lot more comfortable. 

After the performance at the Church History Museum Jenna and Anna decided that they were more tired than hungry and so they skipped dinner and took a thirty minute nap on some couches in the building. Jenna said that she slept great and that the nap really helped. We then went to the tabernacle building for the next performance. That is such a beautiful, iconic building with great acoustics. Being there brought back a lot of memories from when I sang with the Mormon Youth Chorus as a young adult. 

Jenna said that they loved singing there because the building was so cool. After that there was time to walk around temple square, but it was really cold and so everyone headed over to the conference center, where they had their final performance. It was a busy day, but fun to follow them around and hear them sing. 

Then we headed back to the hotel for a meeting with the group, where Mr. Moore emotionally gave a sad announcement that he wouldn't be with them after this semester. All four of my girls had Mr. Moore as their director in Madrigals and we really grew to love and respect him. He retired in 2020 after a wonderful, successful career of directing Madrigals, band, and orchestra. Then when Mr. Leonard had to leave at the end of last year because of his family situation, Mr. Moore felt prompted to come back. But so much has changed in the past five years and it was a really rough transition for everyone. There were lots of differences in opinion, and drama in the group, and kids started dropping out. About ten members of the group ended up leaving, which was really unfair to everyone else. This is why the numbers are so small. It was all very unfortunate. 

As for Jenna, I wish she enjoyed Madrigals as much as her sisters did. She was in Madrigals last year with Mr. Leonard and seemed to enjoy it okay, but wasn't passionate about it. She wasn't going to do it again this year but I convinced her to audition again. I was so excited that Mr. Moore was coming back and wanted her to be able to have him as a director. But then there was conflict in the group and she really struggled with the earlier time. With Mr. Leonard they met Monday through Thursday at 7:00, with Fridays off, but with Mr. Moore it was every other day at 6:40. The previous time worked better for Jenna and she and her friends went to the temple every Friday morning since they didn't have Madrigals that day. 

Jenna is also taking lots of college classes and an AP class this year and kept both her jobs (Tuacahn and lifeguard) and so she doesn't have a lot of down time. Mr. Moore required (or very strongly encouraged) them to take Concert Choir along with Madrigals and so I signed Jenna up for Concert Choir. She was at FSY in the summer during Class Choice and so I am the one who put together her schedule. But she hated Concert Choir. She said that the only reason she survived Madrigals last year was because she had a free period right after on some of the days (not really a free period, but an online class). So she could roll out of bed and go to Madrigals and then come home and take a shower and get ready for the day. 

She said that having Madrigals and Concert Choir back to back was exhausting. So I wished that I had listened to Jenna and let her take an online class after Madrigals, like last year, and not forced her to take Concert Choir. She would have had to get special permission and learn the songs on her own, but it definitely would have been better than listening to her complain about it everyday. 

The school will be getting an new director, and I wish Jenna would continue, but she has already decided that she is not going to, which makes me so sad! I have LOVED watching my children perform through the years! I was already so sad that Jenna didn't want to be involved with the plays anymore and will miss hearing her sing with the Madrigals. 

On the upside though, Rick has decided to put together a caroling group again in conjunction with Liberty Village. Jenna only got to be a caroler one year, several years ago, and she is excited about being able to do it again. So I guess the timing is good in that way. So I WILL be able to still watch her perform, and I am excited about that! Carolers is a lot smaller, more personal, and includes acting, bells, and sign language. I think it will be a better fit for her. But I am grateful that she was able to participate in Madrigals under TWO amazing directors over the past couple of years. I am sure she has learned a lot from her experience and I look forward to seeing her perform in a different way in the future.  

Jenna and Anna Ence 

Josh's Graduation!!

Six down, one to go!! Congratulations, Josh!! Josh graduated with a 4.0 GPA!! All of our children have graduated with either a 3.9 or 4.0!! Josh got several honor cords, but ended up losing one somehow during graduation. 

I had told Rick that one of us needed to go an hour early in order to get seats on the shady side! He offered and said that when he got there a little after 7:00 a.m. it was already really crowded! He was lucky to get seats! I came thirty minutes early and had a difficult time even finding parking! 

It turned out to be a little chilly in the shade. Whereas the people on the other side of the stadium were all fanning themselves because it was so hot in the sun! Rick had first put on a long-sleeved shirt and I said, "Why are you wearing long-sleeves? It is going to be really hot!" So he changed, but then he wished that he hadn't listened to me because he was cold! By the time our seventh child graduates we should have it figured out -- come over an hour early to get in line in order to get the shady side, but bring a jacket! 

The program was good and the students who spoke did a great job on their speeches. Josh's friends were the Valedictorian and Salutatorian. Josh sang with the other senior madrigals for the musical number. The program ended in about 90 minutes. We took some pictures and then took Josh out to lunch at a restaurant called Bishops. It was really good. Then we came home and took naps!! Tonight he will go to Grad Night at the RINQ! 

Yesterday I made candy leis for Josh. They took a lot longer than I remembered. In fact it took several hours to make the four leis. It also took a good while to iron Josh's graduation gown. I think Josh is glad to have high school behind him. Rick and I are glad that he is graduated and can now move on to bigger and better things! Now he can start focusing on mission preparation!! 

Josh Jensen and Bridget Layton 

Adam Parkhurst, Josh Jensen, Caleb Parkhurst 

A few of the soccer seniors... Zach Buck, Ethan Scott, Brock Boyce, Josh Jensen, Kadan Morris

To see all of the past graduation posts, click HERE!! 

The End of Soccer Season

Well, soccer season for Snow Canyon High School is officially finished. It ended with a disappointing loss tonight against Desert Hills High School. Both teams played hard and the final score was 1-2. The game was at 4:00 p.m. and it was above 90 degrees. We were all melting in the stands and I am sure it was WAY worse for the boys playing their hearts out on the burning turf. All of the other games this season were played at 7:30 p.m., where the temperature was much more pleasant. I don't know why they put the semi-final games at 4:00! Thankfully we got some cloud coverage the last thirty minutes or so and that helped immensely! The game was very intense and it was SO disappointing to lose. 

The winning team goes on to the next level, playing up north. The boys really hoped for this. I brought my camera in the hopes of getting some last-game footage of Josh. I didn't get much, but I did get a great shot of Adam's amazing goal. I will try and add that to this post at some point. I think a lot of the boys cried -- not so much because they lost the game, but because this game marks the end of an era! Many of these boys will never play on a soccer team again. It is difficult to put so many years of hard-work and sweat into something and then finally see it come to an end. Mixed emotions for sure! I sure  enjoyed cheering them on at every game. I am going to miss watching them play! 

Our Seniors with Coach Nani! 

After the game many of the boys went hot-tubbing at Max's house! 

SCHS Madrigals: Pops Concert

 Tonight was the Snow Canyon High School Madrigal Pops Concert! I enjoyed it! Below is the song: "Taking a Chance on Love." Watch for Josh's solo around 1:29 in the video! The Seniors also got awards and got their fancy (and expensive) pitch pipe for their senior gift (purchased by their parents). 

They also sang "Send in the Clowns:" 

They ended with "Irish Blessing," which is a beautiful song that they hope to make an annual tradition! (Oh my gosh, Josh's glowing hair looks like he is wearing a helmet or something, ha ha!) 

Josh Jensen and Austin Renstrom

Josh's friend, Austin, is one of the accompanists and credits Josh for the opportunity. Josh and Austin are also on the high school soccer team together (thus the bleached hair!) They went to FSY together last year and Josh knew that Austin knew a little piano and had encouraged him to tryout as one of the accompanists. Austin hadn't ever really considered it before, but decided to give it a shot! It was sort of out of the blue for him since he wasn't taking lessons or anything, but he put his mind to it and started practicing and made it into the group! His mom (a teacher at the middle school) says that now he practices all of the time just because he loves to! He loves being in the group and he really only has to learn a few songs since there are two accompanists and the director does a lot of songs acapella, and he gets to go on all of the trips like Disneyland! He was the accompanist for the Madrigals' first song tonight, "Taking a Chance on Love." 

Josh Jensen and Bridget Layton

Looks like he forgot to change the date, ha ha! It should say 2024, not 2023! 

A few days after the concert the Madrigals had a party and gave out Section Leader Awards. Josh received the "Unexpected Award," because no one expected him to join Madrigals! He is glad that he did though! 

Josh, Soccer Banquet and Awards

Josh had his final soccer banquet and awards ceremony tonight! We got all new coaches this year and they have been awesome! There just seems to be much more positivity and team unity than in the past and that has definitely shown on the field! However I am not thrilled about the proposal this week to have the whole team bleach their hair before the quarter-finals!! 😝😂

Here is a picture of the Varsity Seniors (missing one) 

Josh received the Warrior Letter Award, Offensive Player of the Year, and Academic All-State for Soccer! They have started calling Josh "Josh LIGHTNING Jensen." Coach said he was the fastest player that he has ever seen! Here is a picture of Josh with head coach Kendall Nani (who also bleached his hair, but his isn't as noticeable).