Shell Necklace

Remember the shell necklace I said Jodie made me out of a shell from our family California trip earlier this year? I wore it to work today, and yep, I still. love. it!

Guess what arrived in the mail today??! My new cello! It is beautiful. I spent the evening setting up the bridge and strings, and tuning it then rosining my bow. I'll finish up the bow tonight and will hopefully be able to start playing it soon. Again, it is so beautiful!



Holiday/Bday Bash

Yesterday, we went to the Pleasant Grove Cemetery to put flowers on the graves. After, I drove mom and grandma to Salt Lake and we put flowers on Vernon's grave too. Then we hit the airport to pick Jodie up. She was back in Virginia at an open house for the school she wants to attend there in the fall.

With Lori and Cody both turning 30, mom and dad threw a big birthday party in their backyard and invited Cody's family. Mom got dad an awning for Father's Day so we set that up for shade and enough tables and chairs for 40 people. Then we set up all the games - ping pong table, badminton, croquet, etc. Dad has kept the backyard so nice, it looked great! I played ping pong with Jer, Nate, and Taylor, and then later a game of badminton with Cody, Jer, and Dana. Mom told me how to make her cheesecake, only to discover she left out an ingredient so it was disgusting while I was mixing it. It turned out all right by the end though.

Cody's pucker-up.

Date with Grandma

I saw a preview for a horse movie which I knew grandma would like to see. None of us really knew anything about the movie, but we just went anyway. Cowgirls N' Angels. Turns out it is about the sweethearts of the rodeo, girls who do trick horseback riding. Grandma loved it. I know this because she said it many times afterwards. We had to stop to grab a bite to eat of course after the movie and it was a fun time out. Mom came with us too. Of course, the family isn't going to let me take grandma out anymore if I keep making her cry while she's with me! She went to sit down in her theater seat and sat funny which bent her knee too much. Wasn't good, but fortunately, it didn't hurt her afterward.

Double Trouble

Amy and Amanda came up tonight for dinner at Sawadee's (love the Orange Chickens! (and that's not a misspelling)) and to see the Avenger's movie. There was a Hatch's run too of course, but I don't participate in that. I've turned into an old lady because I didn't like the Avenger's because it was too much fighting and not enough storyline. I'm pretty sure I've heard my mom use that excuse before. Ugh!

Peregrine Falcons

We've all been watching and keeping track of the Peregrine Falcons on the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building again this year. Three eggs have hatched so far and there is one more to go...but we think it's not going to. I don't know why there is such a fascination, but we all get excited when the momma bird feeds them.

The falcon staring at the camera.

For some reason, I loved my screensaver today.



Starting Up Again

Yesterday was a solar eclipse. Everyone said not to look directly at it because you can't see it, but I didn't seem to have a problem. In fact, I'm still able to see it everytime I close my eyes! In all seriousness though, it was pretty cool and my little camera was able to capture it a bit. It even caught a bird doing loops in the air in front of it.

I've started walking again and have even added pilates to the mix. It helps to listen to Audiobooks while walking and watching old TV episodes on my laptop while doing pilates. I'm now on book 3 of the Suzanne Collins series of the Hunger Games.



Monthly Hoorah

For the family birthday parties this month, mom and dad wanted to do something special since we were celebrating Jenny's 40th and Lori's 30th. They had me play the guitar while they sang Turn Around by the Kingston Trio. They cried all the way through it of course so we did it for them again later so Jenny could understand the words w/out all the crying.

The party was a picnic outside w/a six foot long sandwich. Lisa was in town and made it to the party. I also played the guitar for grandma. Her favorite song is In the Garden which I learned for her. Maybe I'll try learning it for her on the cello next.

Cody's present-the Beardski. His ski mask
for when he goes snowboarding.

Jer trying it on too.



Amazon Lover

Have I mentioned before how much I love Amazon.com? That is how I do all of my Christmas and bday shopping if at all possible. (Yes Lori, that is where your present is coming from this year for your bday AND Cody's.) I also use it to do my own shopping as well. My purchase that arrived this week? Cameo earrings that now match my necklace and ring. My purchase that is arriving next week? One for the Money DVD.

Happy Mother's Day!

I went to the Spanish ward w/mom and dad for Mother's Day. There was a collaberation dinner effort afterward. Dad even had gotten shrimp for mom to enjoy. It was pretty gross, for me anyway as mom loved it. There were LOTS of desserts for when the rest of the family stopped by to see mom. Jenny and Brett even came down from Heber so we got to play with the kids. I played my guitar for Jenny and she liked the song so much she made me go play it for Brett too. There may have been a line in the song about buying the guy Rogaine when he starts losing his hair...  A little Tetris downstairs after the party with Lori and Cody completed my weekend at home.

There is an old picture board that was found this past week and I loved the old pictures of mom and dad that were on it! Now I know where I get my dazzling looks from. =D



Groundbreaking Party

Last night I went with mom to another Spanish ward dinner. We just circulated and said hello to everyone and then headed out for a quick bite to eat at Burger King before hitting the movies. Mom wanted to see the new Johnny Depp movie. About vampires. She did not like it. Enough said.

This morning, I got up early and picked Jodie up from her house so we could go to the Provo City Center Temple Groundbreaking. A co-worker had some family members not show up so he gave us his two extra tickets so we ended up with a closer seat than we expected. There was a hot-air balloon that came and hovered over the Tabernacle ruins quite close for the first part of the groundbreaking. While Elder Walker was speaking, we kept hearing the dragon's breath sound that was made by the balloon. Elder Jeffery R. Holland was the one who gave the prayer and we were also quite close to Governor Gary R. Herbert and Jason Chaffetz the U.S. Representative. Jodie made sure she spoke to Chaffetz which was pretty funny considering she didn't know who he was until I told her. When I dropped her off at her house afterward, she gave me a shell necklace that she had made. I. Love. It!

Mom, Cody, Lori, and I went to the Mount Timpanogos Temple in the afternoon so we could hit dad's session. He is so cute! He keeps this slight smile on his face while standing there so that he doesn't look so solemn. Then he is all in white, with his white hair, but he has these dark, dark brown eyes that you can see darting around the room while he takes in everything that is going on around him. I really like going to his sessions.

Afterward, I took mom out to dinner for Mother's Day, with dad too of course. We enjoyed Los Hermanos and then watching some shows together when we got back home. Have I mentioned how much I'm enjoying staying at mom and dad's house this weekend? It feels like such a relief to have the house back with Cody and Lori.

Chaffetz is shaking hands w/Sister Reynolds,
matron of the Mt. Timp Utah Temple.

Sleep Tight?

I have a scheduled lunch every two weeks w/a friend from Church who also works at the Church Office Building. Normally I wouldn't mention this here, but we had the best lunch yesterday that was so fun! Two other acquaintances joined us and the time passed too quickly.

When I got home from work yesterday, I sat down on my bed to remove my nylons and then I vaguely recall lying down, and then TWO HOURS later I woke up, with my blanket covering me. Not only do I not remember falling asleep, but I also must have pulled the blanket over me while lying there. I don't remember either thing. It was very strange.

Today I went over to the JSMB with Mary (no space) Ann for lunch (inside joke thanks to Rich). Sister Stevens, one of the senior missionaries in the Temple Department, plays the piano there every Friday with a violinist. She invited me over to listen and it was so beautiful!

Jazz Playoff Finals

Brittany Pacini is in town from Alaska so we went out to lunch at our favorite place, Winger's of course. She's going to be moving back to the continental 48 again sometime this year and then will be applying to Ashley's same school and film program. Big change but sounds fun!

My work was given lots of tickets again for the final Jazz game of the season. It was the playoffs so I took 14 tickets and went with Jenny's family, Dana, Taylor, Bailey, Lori, Cody, and Dad. Brett said this was his first playoff game so he was pretty excited to be there. Of course, we did lose TJ briefly during half-time. Jenny and I had taken TJ and Chris to the restrooms and TJ left while Jenny was in a stall and I was washing Chris' hands. We were on the other side of the concourse from our seats so Jen and I split up to look for him. Turns out he walked right back to the correct entry and sat down in his seat. Meanwhile, Jenny had contacted security and they were out looking for him too. It all turned out okay though, and who knew he could figure out how to get back to his own seat?!!

Chris got one of the balls that was tossed into the crowd.

I got to see the TV announcers commenting on the game.

Heber Leisure Time

I spent Friday night in Heber after Jenny's party (as did Lori and Cody). We went to Micah's soccer game first thing in the morning to cheer him on. He got a lot of foot time in, but it didn't do any good as his team lost. After, Lori and Cody left from there and I went with Jenny to go see Jeremy play his saxophone in a school concert.

I'd promised to take the older boys to the store to buy their mom a bday present AND mother's day present so we headed to Walmart after Jer's concert. They didn't know what to get their mom and were leaning towards a new collar for their cat until I gave the suggestion of a new shirt. They were emphatic that they didn't know what size she was and were pretty happy when I said I could help with that. We ended up getting her a dress and two shirts, necklace, body wash and loofa, gardening hat, etc. for the two events. She hasn't gotten all of those presents yet though, so shhh! She called me tonight though to say she loved the dress and that it fit perfectly. She and Brett were both shocked that the boys went the clothes route because even Brett is scared to buy her clothes in case they don't fit. Turned out well!

After shopping, Chris was waiting for me to take a nap with him so I got some reading in while laying down in his room. He's so cute and snuggly when he wakes up! He also woke up singing "I love candy". I had to ask him if he was really awake because I couldn't tell if he was doing that in his sleep or not!

Chris showing me he knows how to raise one eyebrow.

Jer playing the sax at his school concert.

Bday Bash

After spending the past week planning for Jenny's big 40th birthday bash, it finally arrived! Brett had a detailed list of the things he needed to take care of for the party and Jenny did a good job of preparing everything on that list. We knew the party was a success when Jenny got the dance that she wanted and a kiss from a handsome man. Jeremy and Nate weren't afraid to get out on the dance floor. Nate was especially cute when he came up to ask me to dance and threw his arms out toward me with a little sway. I got dad laughing pretty hard while dancing because I commented on what Brett's reward was going to be for the successful party. He laughed and laughed, then realized Jodie was filming us and so he got pretty embarrassed thinking she caught the whole conversation on camera.

Batman to the rescue! With a little chocolate slime...

Big laughs while dancing with Jer

Dana/Bailey, Jenny/Jer, and mom/dad dancing

Dad's big laughs while dancing

Mom and Dad dancing w/a big smooch at the end