DECA

In between the two weekends of Hairspray performances Tessa attended the DECA State  Conference and competed in the Fashion Promotion Division.  She had worked so hard the last few months on her presentation and her board looked great.

It was a crazy few days as the conference was out at Jantzen Beach and she had to go back and forth on Monday and Tuesday for Hairspray Rehearsal.

Her hard work paid off though and she placed first in state in the written event and 3 rd place overall in state.  The first and second place qualify to go to Nationals which will be in Orlando this year.  Tessa was very happy with her results and received a first place medal and a trophy.

On Friday night after their Hairspray performance she received a text from her DECA advisor informing her she had qualified to go to Nationals as one of the first two place people couldn't go.  She was so excited.  She will go to Orlando the end of April to compete.

The Spruce Goose

On Saturday morning this past weekend Jim and Grandpa headed out to McMinnville to visit the Evergreen Aviation museum where Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose lives.  Since Grandpa worked for Hughes and also flew planes in the Navy Jim thought he would really enjoy it and they both did!

Here's the Spruce Goose - it's one big plane!

They also saw the type of plane that Grandpa flew.  I asked him if he got to wear goggles and a long flowing scarf when he was in the plane!

They had a great time exploring the museum and all there was to see.

Grandma hung out at home and watched us run around like crazy people and helped put out fires (literally)

I taught a class on taking better photos at our Stake Cultural Arts Fair, attended a bridal shower and got ready for the cast party.  The girls went and had pedicures!  A fun but CRAZY day!!  Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for ordering in pizza for dinner.

Hairspray Party

We had fun getting lots of things ready for the Hairspray Cast Party.  I had a great group of parents who volunteered to help so the work load was light for everyone.

I decided to make crown shaped sugar cookies for each member of the cast and crew as a little gift from Amber (Tessa).

That's a lot of sugar cookies - over 80!

Fortunately I had lots of helpers.  Grandma Wilkes and Cali pitched in and Hannah and Olivia helped out too.  While we were decorating the cookies our friends Dyann and Calista stopped by with some pretty purple tulips for me and they pitched in to help too!!

Calista and Calista!

The girls helped bag them up, add a tag and tie the ribbon!

They turned out pretty cute and the kids loved them.  Had lots of thank yous from them.

I also made Tessa a cookie bouquet for closing night.  Thought it turned out pretty cute and a lot less expensive than the ones you buy.  And my cookies taste better!

The cast party was a big success and we had lots of great food thanks to all the parent volunteers.  I provided a pot full of Kahlua pork which the kids loved.

I had left it cooking in the oven all day.  Fortunately for me grandma was home while it was cooking because while I was off at the Stake Cultural Arts Fair teaching a class on taking better photos Grandma got up to get a drink of water and noticed that my oven was on fire!!  I guess, I had accidently left the hot pot holder in the oven along with the pot!  Yikes!  Glad our house is still standing!!!


One of the other moms is a great cake decorator so she created this amazing cake for the party.

Another mom made cupcakes and made these darling cupcake liners for them  - they say Hairspray and there is a can of hairspray on it.  I made the cake stands out of plastic trays from the Dollar Store and cans of hairspray.

We got home from the party about 1 a.m. which was really 2 a.m. thanks to Day Light Savings time.  Fortunately church wasn't until 11 the next day!!

Hard to believe that my 12 year run of working on musicals at Westview is over.  It was a bittersweet closing night and I must admit I shed a few tears as I watched the closing number.

  It was an amazing show to go out on though!!!

Hairspray Fans

Tessa has had so many friends and family come and support her at the show.

I haven't gotten pictures of everyone but here are a few more.

Tessa's two biggest fans - her older brothers.  It was fun to watch the expression on Clark's face when he saw Tessa kissing on the stage for the first time!  Logan was sitting farther up in the theater with some friends and I think I could hear him too!!

We loved having Emily and the girls here!  Richard and Tamara drove down from Moses Lake for the show too but somehow I didn't get a picture of them with Tessa!  We are so lucky to have such a supportive family!

Our neighbors the Quillins came to the show and friends the Monaghans.

 Tessa's voice teacher, Jay, was there to give her a great big hug!

What a lucky girl to have both sets of grandparents there on the same night!

Logan and Clark's first grade teacher, Anne Vingelen and her husband John were there to support Tessa too!

Cali flew in the second weekend of the show!

And so many of our neighbors came, including Hannah and her mom and sister, of course!



Several of Tessa's teachers were at the show, including Ms. Baldwin, her Fashion Marketing teacher and DECA support.

Miss Calista (named after our Calista) along with her mother and grandmother were there to cheer her on!

She had fans small....

and a little more grown up.

There were lots more and I didn't get pictures of everyone.  But a BIG thank you to all of our friends and family members who took the time and many who traveled far to come and support Tessa!  It means the world to us.