Horses, piano and trees, oh my!

One Friday in May Thanksgiving Point was having their farm's grand re-opening.  We decided we had to attend.  I even pulled the girls out of school a bit early (yet another trip to the school).  We got to make ice cream, play games, meet Miss Utah (the girls still talk about meeting real royalty) and last but not least, face painting.  We waited forever in line.  For...ever.... Maddie and Lindsay had their piano recital right after, so I discouraged the face painting, but didn't say no.  Macie went up first and asked for a horse.  It took for...ever...and then she turned and showed me and I was speechless.  I giggled.  She had no clue what amazing work of art was on her face.  We were all quite surprised.  It was a lot to take in, but pretty cool.  After seeing Macie, Maddie and Lindsay agreed they wouldn't get their done for the piano recital. 
We headed off to the recital.  I should also add this now so that we can always remember this.  Lindsay HATED piano.  Hated it with a passion.  She would not practice.  We would fight.  She would cry.  She would go to time out.  And so on.  Huge waste of my money and Niki's time.  She seriously only got through like 15 songs all year.  We told her she just had to make it until the recital and then she could be done.  (Until fall,  but she didn't need to know all the details).  Recital day came.  Maddie was a bit nervous.  Lindsay was fine.  Calm as can be.  Maddie chose to take her music with her (she had that thing memorized forward and backward).  Lindsay had just barely mastered her song earlier in the week.  She chose not to take her music.  I chose not to panic. 
That much. 
But, of course, she did fine.  She even said, "Mom, I think that's the best I've ever played it!"
And then, gasp, she asked if she could take lessons this summer. 
And then, gasp, she went home and practiced! 
Maddie is getting so good!  She's just about through level 2.  It's so fun to hear her try songs in the Hymnbook.  I really do love to have music in my home. 
And the tree...
after the recital we went home to plant our tree. 
We have lived in our home for almost 10 years.  When we moved in, there were 3 trees.  One died, one got knocked over by the neighbor kids and so we only have one sad, lonely, tiny tree that won't grow left.  Our awesome neighbor somehow scored a truck load of trees for dirt cheap and gave us a tree.  We were thrilled!  We started digging and soon realized why nothing will grow in our yard. 
Clay. 
Sweet Lindsay chipped away at it with her little hand shovel.  We finally ran the hose in it hoping to soften it up.  Nope.  The water just sat there all night without draining out.  Jeramy finally  got the hole deep enough.  Have I mentioned how excited we are to finally have a tree?  Let's hope it survives!