I thought I would do a quick post to commemorate a big day in Peter's life. He got his braces on! He told me it hurts a little and that his tongue keeps getting caught on one of the pieces of metal. I told him to give it a couple of weeks and he'll get used to what it feels like.
Before
After
Peter is seriously growing so fast. I remember when he was Luke's size, and it gives me a little pang to know how fast it will goes by.
After the last All-Star game of the season, the Schofields had the team over for some pizza and ice cream in celebration of Peter's birthday. First came the jumping on the trampoline...
Next was pool-time and pool-tricks...
Followed by pizza...
and being very, very cool. 
Somehow Peter's lizard got to come meet all of his friends.
Last of all they played with the left over sparklers, with very little incident. Only 2 minor burns out of 12 kids. Not too shabby!
The boys were all very fun and polite. They were very cute to watch. Adam, pictured below, had fun teasing the girls by hiding their butterfly net.
In the end the girls got the net back. I asked Emily if she wanted to retake this photo because she had pizza in her mouth. She said no.
Luke slept most of the party and Mac played video games right outside the door to help keep him down. He woke up right around 9:45 and we stayed a few minutes until Dad got home from picking Kevin up from the train station. Stay tuned for more updates- it'll be a fun weekend with Lyle and Kevin home, plus Peter's REAL birthday party (the party previously posted was only the beginning...).
One reason Emily has been spending time in LA is because of a call back from a casting director named Jenny Treadwell. Jenny asked that prospective talent stay in the LA area for three months. When Emily's agents at KSR found out about this connection, they wanted to make sure Emily met Jenny's partner, Krisha Bullock, who does the actual casting for Nickelodeon shows like iCarly. After being coached by her wonderful new acting coach Dawn Jeffory Nelson on her comedic monologue, Em was granted an interview by Krisha last Friday. After waiting a few minutes, it was determined Krisha would be too busy working with the director of iCarly to see Emily. However, Jenny videotaped Emily to show Krisha later, then took us on a tour of the set, which is closed to the public. Above, Emily is at Carly's apartment door. . .then in her kitchen . . .and sitting on her couch. . .and hanging out in her green room! Jenny even toured us through sets that were being built for a space ship episode that hasn't been shot yet.
Jenny, who was as honest as she was kind, made sure Emily understood that this was not an audition for a specific part, and if that opportunity came, she would have to try out like anyone else.
All is well back home in Granite Bay as Peter has been practicing for his All-Star baseball games, which began with a 10-0 victory today. The baseball field literally backs up to Granite Bay High School where Emily was swimming with her team against the Granite Bay Gators, so I could run back and forth and watch them both! Emmy achieved personal best times in breast and butterfly, due in large part to the encouragement she receives from our special coa-cha (this is coach plus a cha, you see), Jackie Vigeant. In addition to being an amazing swimmer, Jackie is both a real princess and a hostess with the most-ess. Although she can be seen as Cinderella, Tinker Bell, Alice in Wonderland and other characters, on this day she was The Little Mermaid, Ariel, and therefore needed to use a dinglehopper to comb her hair.
We had the great honor of assisting her with some of her duties at Olivia's Doll House. 
This was followed by a session with Jackie generously putting up our hair and playing dress up!
Emily's doll friends, Samantha (who is seen here resting her broken leg), Nikki and Miley all came for a tea party.
As I sit down to create this blog, it's with the acknowledgment that I'm very tired! I'm very glad I could have Sunday as a day to rest. I spent the morning taking care of Emily who is suffering with a virus, then left her with Kevin while I attended the Studio City ward sacrament meeting. I was very impressed with the spirit of the meeting. The bishop took the opportunity to thank ward members throughout the meeting--activities committee, seminary teacher, an elder who would be leaving, a sister who had just returned from her mission. I was grateful to be among them.
When I returned home, Kevin had made Emily her lunch. After I ate, I found I couldn't keep my eyes open! I have been needing naps frequently since I've been here, which is frustrating since I like to stay on my toes all day.
Our time here in LA is interesting. Emily misses her friends. I miss home, the dogs and Peter especially. Luckily, we stayed in Granite Bay last week through Tuesday. Emily was able to attend school and we were able to go to Peter's baseball game and team party.
We left early Wednesday so Emily could attend two auditions. I'm fortunate to have Kevin coach me or come along when we are in unfamiliar areas. Emily is a trooper; we arrived barely in time for the first audition and they asked her to improv as if she were reporting at a fashion show event. At the second audition, the casting director put her at ease having her blow bubbles and she really enjoyed it. Likewise, the next day she enjoyed working with her acting coach. Later in the day we went in to KSR to go through the process of "signing her" to the agency and she went in to say hi and show her agents her progess on the monologue she's working on. The family arrived to join us Thursday evening.
Friday was the big graduation celebration. I got up early to finish shopping for supplies, then in a fete of extreme teamwork Marv, Diana and I prepared the meat and all the fixings for three different types of small burgers, called sliders: pizza, teriyaki and mesquite. We also made a strawberry spinach salad. We met Bryan's roomates Mark and Bobby and their families at the UCLA Sunset Rec center where we had a great picnic area reserved. We were joined by Grandpa, Aunt Patricia, Uncle David and Aunt Peggy. Bryan's other's guests included family friend Jennifer Du and Jackie's dear former roomate Lindsey, who is pictured with Emily. Great athleticism was exhibited in the frisbee tossing. As Bryan himself said, the graduation ceremony itself was a bit like a political rally, but Brad Delsum from the rock group Linkin Park was impossible not to like as the keynote speaker. To view his address, here are the links:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esQ7WSzJUxk
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSlTGW3GDgs
Speaking of graduations, we missed Jackie's due to our rental car breaking down, but we think we got the right gift. We presented her with a tape measure that acknowledged she is "pratically perfect in every way"! Attached to it were two tickets to an upcoming theater event; Mary Poppins will be in LA later this year.
Just a quick update. Photos will follow. Marv has started his new job at US Bank and he seems very happy. Peter pitched a great game last week--a no hitter up until the third inning. His hitting coach Richie said he's had a breakthrough with batting as well. His essay was selected as the best in his DARE program and he will read it to the entire sixth grade tomorrow. Emmy swam personal best times in the IM and Butterfly at her swim meet Sat. We left for LA Sunday morning. In spite of having a nasty cold, she felt good about her audition for the television pilot for INCYBERS. If you'd like to know more about the project, they have a website. We visited Bryan Sunday evening and enjoyed going out for Mongolian Barbecue and playing the new card game Diana and Mac taught us. They call it "Heck" and it's like a multiplayer game of solitare. Our biggest news is Kevin's acceptance as a transfer student as either a film or screenwriting student to the following universities: Loyola Marymont, Chapman and (drumroll, please) USC.
In LA, Emmy and I spent the entire morning trying to navigate the Kaiser medical system. She was seen and has both an inner and outer ear infection. She felt better this afternoon so we explored the grounds of our apartment complex and played beach volleyball. She is a natural athlete. I embarrassed myself. And her.
What a weekend! Marv worked very hard to prepare and complete a century bike ride in scorching temperatures Saturday morning down in Lodi. Meantime, Peter was on the baseball field and Emily and I were meeting with the partner of the woman who cast "iCarly" for Nickelodeon.
The interview with Jenny Treadwell was possible because of series of fortunate events. I had made a contact with Hank Ritter at John Robert Powers to let him know of our plan to relocate to LA. As luck would have it, the casting director from Nickelodeon who auditioned Emily last fall was going to be in Roseville again Sat. morning. Since Jenny had seen Emily earlier and encouraged her to come, he would be able to get us in for her first appointment--could we make it? Only if we delayed attending our Girl Scout Camporee. We were supposed to leave on Friday afternoon and I was going as a leader! In a complete dither, I began making phone calls to see if another parent could cover my duties. Two phone calls later, another mom was able to back me up. One more phone call, and Emmy's favorite acting coach at JRP, Tina Cole from "My Three Sons" and the one of the King family singers, was able to help her to prepare a monologue to present. At the appointment, Jenny called me in (usually parents wait outside during the audition) to talk about some particulars of what our experience will be like. When she heard where we would be living temporarily, she said, "Get out of there as soon as you can!" I guess the place is known for gossipy stage moms who aren't very nice. She really encouraged us to not buy into the Hollywood scene and stay grounded with family first. Almost unbelievable coming from someone who works in the entertainment industry, but just what we had in mind!
As Saturday continued, Peter was a guest at his friend Connor Milnes' home while Emmy and I traveled up to Camp Del Oro. We arrived just in time for lunch. The lunch set the tone for a weekend that was not like roughing it in the least! The food was fabulous--more like a cruise ship than a scout camp. Our accomodations were just as luxurious! Friday night when we weren't there, the troop's original cabin (which was spidery, dingy and cramped) was flooded as it was downhill from the bathhouse! Eww! Salvaging their things, the girls had been moved to a fabulous, clean, roomy lodge with it's own kitchen and bathroom. Saturday afternoon we canoed and did archery, then prepared our dinner together as a troop and presented a cute skit for the camp fire program that night. Sunday, after more terrific food and an orienteering course, I had all the girls in my car for the trip home. They played a game called "Mafia", which is where dealing out cards decides which role you have and everyone has to determine who the bad guy is. They are such a nice group of girls, and the other moms who came, Jenny, Beth, and Molly are such sweethearts!
I have no idea what happened to the New Year's resolution of making a weekly entry in my blog, but let's just start where we're at, shall we?
My kids are the greatest. I remember an "A-ha!" moment many years ago. I traveled with little Lyle, Diana and Bryan to visit my mom in Hawaii and went to the beach with my friend Patricia Eddington. She had no kids at that time. She watched me playing and interacting with them for a while and said, "Motherhood agrees with you." Yep. I think even if I'd had no children of my own, I would still love children, which is why I adore my job at Tricks gymnastics teaching the parent toddler classes. I had a great Mother's Day. Marv prepared both a big breakfast and a big dinner. He and Peter purchased wonderful flowers. Emmy made beautiful art for me. Diana knit a groovy scarf and found the cutest video tribute. Bryan and Lyle called for phone visits. Lyle was frustrated because his card wasn't on time--I said--DON'T WORRY! My son the dental student! And performing artist! (Please see their blog for the video!) I couldn't be prouder! Bryan was frustrated because he thought he was going in on flowers for me with Kevin, but then Kevin ended up going in on earrings with Jackie and forgot about the flowers! I told him a phone call is enough! He has a job and is graduating from UCLA! Look at the son I raised! I must have done something right! Kevin kept trying to call, but every time we connected someone else called in, or we had just sat down to dinner or to watch a show! He was a good sport as always and we finally got to visit before bedtime. (By the way, the Blue Fairy earrings were fabulous!) For those here at the family dinner, I did a "Hobbit" Mother's Day and had a gift for everyone. It started because I wanted to get the new Rick Riordan book in the Percy Jackson series for Peter, but I ended up with craft supplies for Diana, a book and sewing machine (!) for Emily, a hands free device for Marv's car, and a cool Star Wars card set for Mac. A fabulous Mother's Day was had by all.
Speaking of celebrations, we made Bryan's birthday memorable (5/5) by making his favorite dessert, a pizzookie, even though he wasn't home to share it with us.
As you know, it's baseball season. Since I have never really understood all the excitement (yawn) of baseball, I decided to learn to keep the scorebook at Peter's games. I even bought my own book so I can practice when I'm not needed as the official scorekeeper. It's actually quite complex and I still make mistakes, but I'm getting much more reliable. The by-products of this new skill are my brain is staying awake and I'm appreciating the games more.
Marv is still coaching basketball and the boys have a fun, though inconsistent, team.
Peter missed three days of school with a terrible case of poison oak April 29-May 1. I think he may have picked it up when Lucy got out of the yard one morning. Peter was the one who got her back. (She may have had it on her fur.) Diana has a photo on her blog. Thankfully, he was better in time to have a wonderful time with his entire sixth grade class at Shady Creek Camp last week. One of this favorite things there was playing Ultimate Frisbee and the 6 foot 7 inch twin Naturalist Counselors they called Sasquatch and Yeti . He was in a cabin with a great group of friends, including Blake and Brandon White. It was his very first time away from home for more than one night without mom or dad.
Emily's swim season began officially with time trials on Saturday. After attending any swim meet, I always feel I have survived a marathon. She was spectacular in the IM, her first time to swim this event. She had personal bests in all other strokes except her freestyle which we'll need to work on. She continues her weekly gymnastics. She has taken up sewing, having completed two projects, a pillowcase and tote bag. The tote bag was hard work, but the results made it worth while. She and I traveled to San Diego for a movie audition in April, which was a good experience. It looks as though we've found housing with Kevin, so we plan to go temporarily to LA for the summer.
