For Grandma part two

Maddy had a band concert last night. The fifth grades and the sixth grade middle school band performed. The middle school gym was packed with people. They had to move the band back to put up more chairs. Maddy plays the french horn. She started last year with the trumpet, but quickly decided it sounded "ugly." She switched to the french horn because it sounds "beautiful." Please forgive my videography.

Maddy is very small for her age. I was surprised that she wanted to play an instrument whose case was almost as big as she is. Watching her lug her horn is quite a sight. That also makes it difficult to see her in concert. She has at least one row of kids in front of her.

I love being at the concerts, and watching their talents develop and improve. This week I saw the end result in Cam's concert. Each step in their musical growth is great to see.

For Grandma

Courtney and Cameron had band concerts tonight. Courtney's is the first video and Cam's is the second. Court plays for the symphonic band. Cam plays for the wind symphony.

The quality is not good, Courtney is the second white face on the front row.

Cam is in the middle, he is the first to stand up at the end

Posing for the paparazzi.

Play that funky music white girl!

Hiding behind the music stand.

Spring?!!!

I looked out my window and what did I see? My first blooming daffodils of the year! (Sorry, I am horrible at poetry). I am excited to have more of these popping up soon.

Of course Court saw me taking pictures and had to embarass the poor daffodils. Hopefully, they won't take revenge and refuse to bloom!

Things that make you go "Hmmm"

Yesterday, I decided to finally paint the upstairs bathroom I had been putting off for awhile. When the family came home starving, with me up to my hair in paint, Hubby took one look at me and at the clock and said, "I'll take you out." Thank you, dear, sweet, understanding, lucky;) husband.

The conversation on the way home was the reason for this post. After getting the feast from Taco Bell, we took the shortcut home through the movie theatre parking lot.

"That movie is supposed to be really scary." Court said when she saw the poster for THE EYE.

"The sequel: The Nose" Cameron said, very amused with himself.

So the rest of the quick trip home consisted of different sequels. "The Ear", "The Neck, The Left Cheekbone". I knew we didn't have much time before everyone had to leave for their activities. We blessed the food. (the appropriate blessing for this meal would be, "please bless that my arteries won't clog, and the cheese and sour cream will not stick to my --insert body part here---.

"Mckenna, do you want a hard taco?" I asked hurriedly trying to get everyone fed.

"The bellybutton" someone said. I couldn't keep track, the body parts were flying too fast.

Cameron made quick work of inhaling several tacos, and in the process came up with what he thought would make the best sequel.

"The Unibrow!" He said with his best announcer voice.

"Ha! You would be perfect for the poster!" Court said not missing a beat.

Just then the doorbell rang. They were off. I went out and gazed at the eclipse and wondered if the shadow on the moon might possibly have some effect on the Moons' here on the Earth.

Recipe for growing boys

What do you do when you have a church camp in need of improvements, like say a new trail.


You combine some strapping young men with chain saws, add some work gloves, and food.




Like these guys.


The before picure:




The after picture:




The result:

One Eagle Scout and one happy Dad!



This young man turns 18 in a little over three weeks. I know, I know, what's the rush. Why not procrastinate? He wanted to get it done so he could relax until midterms, college acceptance letters, working at the theatre and his senior project.

Jimmy Lingo

This video was made by kids in seminary this week. I can't wait for Oscar nominations next year. I am sure the actress playing Mahana and the actor playing the assistant to Mahana's father are sure to be honored.

Young Love

This week, my mind keeps wandering to a Valentine's day many moons ago. I was in my second year of college at Utah State and had recently started studying with a very sweet mustached young man. (I can't say dated, because we never really dated. I just met him at the library almost every night.) We had gone on one date shortly after winter quarter started, and were together as often as we could be after that first night out. We were still at a slightly awkward stage as neither one of us had said the "L" word yet. I wanted to do something special for him for V-day, but I wasn't quite sure what to do. I didn't want to come on too strong and scare him away. But I wanted it to be clear that I really really liked him a lot. My mom was a cake decorator and suggested a decorated giant heart shaped chocolate chip cookie. After the cookie was baked and cooled, I stared at the cookie for what seemed like hours, with a bag of red frosting in my hand, trying to write the right sentiment on this cookie. "I like you," wasn't right. "I think your great," didn't cut it either. I was too terrified to write what I really felt. I finally commited to start writing before I could chicken out. I stood back and looked at my creation. "I _____ You!" There I did it. No I didn't write the "L" word. I used the safe alternative, "heart", but I didn't spell it out, I drew a frosting red heart.

His gift to me was bit of a mystery to me. A Valentine card showed up in my apartment. It had my name on the front. When I opened it, their was no name. It was signed but not with a name. For a brief moment I thought I might have a secret admirer. When I asked my sweetie about it he denied knowing anything about it. I was confused, but let it go.

That quarter I got the best grades of my college career, Fell madly in love with that sweet mustached young man and told him so. The next year for Valentines day I opened the card given to me by my new husband. On the bottom of the card, it was signed "Love, Me." The same as the card given to me a year earlier. Mystery solved.



It is now twenty years later and I couldn't make a cookie big enough to express my "heart" or love for that same not-quite-as-young and unmustached man. Sappy I know, but true.

Us girls, and homemade Valentines

This year I only have one child in elementary school. So I thought it would be fun to make valentines instead of buying the box.

They were so simple, and we had a ball!

Is there a plan for me?

This year, we are planning on building a house. Yesterday, we met with a realtor to find out what we need to do to put out house on the market. We have carpeted and painted and laminated and retrimed etc. We are getting closer to being ready except......



I CAN'T FIND A HOUSE PLAN!!!

For the past couple of years I have searched on the internet, bought plan books and walked through countless homes to find a plan I want to build. If I were to be paid for the HOURS I have spent looking for my dream house, I would be able to pay cash for it! I don't think I am being too unreasonable. I want a one story, with a basement, three split bedrooms on the main level, a living room, no dining room, a library, huge kitchen, mudroom with a separate entrance for the kids to dump their stuff, and a partridge in a pear tree.



At first, I was excited to find my dream home. I just knew it would happen to me just like it did for Brigham Young. I would see a plan and know, "This is the place." It hasn't happened yet.
I have found several plans that have come close to what I want. For awhile, I would be excited about a plan, but after closer inspection, it just wasn't quite right. I would look again and find another "plan of the day." One of the big struggles, is the placement of the stairs! How hard is it to move the stairs? Obviously really hard. I fell in love with a plan, except the stairs were in a very awkward place. I paid my fifty dollars to get a quote to modify it. "No problem, for several thousand dollars, we can change that for you." I guess it has something to do with the roof something, width and length or moonspots.

So even though I am looking forward to living closer to this girl, I think it will take a miracle for me to find our dream house.

My mullet

In the comments from the tag yesterday, Heather dared me to post a picture of me with my mullet. It took me awhile to find the one I was looking for. This picture was taken shortly after we were engaged. (No laughy at the stachey... I LOVED it. Without his stache he looked like he was twelve.)

I am about a quarter of an inch taller than Tom. With my eighties hair, I look even taller. Looking back, maybe it is not so much the mullet that I liked. It is more likely the body that went with it. Aren't we cute?!

Debie tagged Me!

Where were you born? St. Anthony, ID

Middle name: Lynn

How old will you be this year? Oh, Come On!! This year? I just turned 40 a little over a month ago. Don't make me admit I'll be 41 when I haven't got used to 40!

Nickames: When I was in college a friend started calling me Ter, which turned into Rip
.
Are you taller than your mother or father? Shorter than both.

Do you cry often during movies? Yeah! I am the family emotional barometer. Commercials, sitcoms, news, if anything looks like it will cause any reaction, everyone stops and looks at my tear streaked face and then laughs.

What is your biggest pet peeve? Weird things, like people driving down the road with their blinkers on for MILES, Dog hair all over everything and telemarketers.

Favorite color: I like blues.

Favorite foods: Debie is right. It's easier to write what I don't like. Anything that has ever lived in water, celery, boxed mac and cheese and any animal internal organ.

Favorite beverage: Cold water

Favorite cold cereal: Honey bunches of oats w/almonds.

Favorite Smells : Eucalyptis, cilantro, cinnamon and vanilla

Favorite time of day: Snuggled with hubby after kids are in bed.

What brand of shampoo/conditioner do you use? Cheapest most moisturizing I can find.

Make-up products: Variety. I am not set on any one brand.

How many pillows do you sleep with? One, I can't imagine drooling on more than one.

Do you play an instrument? Yes, the flute and a very tiny bit, the piano.

Have you ever been skinny dipping? No, I have always been too scared.

Did you do any sports in High School? Ha Ha! No! But I was a very proud band geek.

What was the last movie you saw in the theater? Alvin and the Chipmunks.

What is your favorite article of clothing? The cozy PJs I got for Christmas.

What is your dream vacation? Anywhere, as long as I'm with hubby and am at least fifty pounds lighter.

What was your first impression of your spouse? He's really short.

If you were an animal what would you be? I think I like being human . It would be fun to fly.

What is your favorite "me- time" activity? Photoshop, reading and now blogging.

What is your dream car? I don't have one. Tom wants to get me a BMW something. I don't remember what it is.

What is one of your weaknesses? THE COMPUTER!

What do you fix for dinner when there's nothing to fix? Breakfast

If you could live in a different decade/era which one would it be? Definitly the 80's. My kids think I still belong there. I seriously miss my mullet.

What is the emotion you feel the most? Happy and at peace

Do you consider yourself outgoing? Yes and no. It depends on the situation. I want to be more outgoing.

What is something you are constantly working on? Six pack abs, Kidding Laundry.

Any hidden talents? I have a knack of being able to identify voices in animated characters, and I can acurately guess artists of a lot of Christmas songs.

What is a word or phrase you overuse? Take your clothes to your room. Empty the dishwasher
.
What was the hardest thing that happened to you this past year? When my son got his drivers license

What is the best thing that happened to you this past year? When my son got his drivers license.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish this year? Decide on a house plan. Build a house.

The best piece of advice you learned this past year? "In all of living have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." Gordon B. Hinckley

Who are the 6 people you are going to tag to do this survey? Jana R., Sarah R., Laurie C., Natasha W., Missy R. and Brad R.

The Time is Now

I was talking to hubby a few days ago, and I asked him,

"Is time speeding up? We had Christmas last week, Valentines day is tomorrow and Easter is next week."

I guess I am starting to see what older people, who've been through this, mean when they say,

"Enjoy this time it goes way too fast."

When I was burping, cleaning, playing, refereeing etc., I know I had the thought in the back of my head, 'Just two, three or how many years until they will be in school'. Looking back I'm surprised how fast it came. Now I've become so sentimental about "then". I look at baby pictures, trying to remember their faces, their smell and some of who they used to be. I sometimes long to go back again and catch glimpses of them again when they were small. (Until someone throws a fit, a shoe or up).

The lesson I am trying to learn is to enjoy the moment. I will miss them when they were small, but I am so excited to see who they will become. Their books have not been written yet. I guess mine hasn't either. So......

"Enjoy this time it goes way too fast."