Vingt et un.

Happy 21st Birthday to this beautiful girl:

I had some fun photo editing for a few minutes, then couldn't decide which one to post, so opted to post them all. There's no such thing as too much of a good thing, don't you think?

(Here's the original)
It can't get much better than the birthday girl AND Sweet Scarlett.

For you, Lex, I thought I would share a Jack-and-Ava video Mar and I shot this week. If I had more time I would put it to music, but.... I don't. I think you'll enjoy it anyway!

They like to eat bubbles! Kind of like you (remember?).

(circa 2010)

Happy HAPPY Birthday!

We love you!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO


Post post: I made this fun little fringe banner and put together a Birthday-in-a-Box to send to Lex for her b-day. It included a cake mix, frosting, candles, party favors, balloons, the banner, some candy, and a few other small items (mascara, chap stick, gum).
She loved it, which made me supa happy.

Life Lately + A Belly Laugh.

Last Friday (a week ago?? time FLIES) we attended the LHS Homecoming Game. I figured it was a great way to support some of the Laurels in my class who were participating in the festivities and a GREAT excuse for... going. I've mentioned before how I enjoy high school sporting events. 

Especially ones that are held on a beautiful evening such as this.

 Seriously, that sky was a-maz-ing.

 The halftime show was pretty amazing, too. The game was won. Who could ask for anything more.

Saturday evening Michaela headed out for her girls night Homecoming date.

The Melting Pot, no dance. Since she was driving, I missed getting a picture of her group.

Her comments: "a lot of fun and a lot of food." Sounds perfect to me.

I've been busy working on some secret projects. I would really love to share, but that might spoil the surprise for a couple folks. This picture gives two clues. That's all I can say.

 I can share one next week, the other one will need to stay under wraps for a bit lot longer.

(With how fast time is flying for me lately, more like a bit.)

On a random note: I'm kind of a sheet person. I like white sheets that are somewhat soft (however that is not my first criteria) and heavy-ish/thick-ish. Sheets with substance. For a lot of years I have just purchased the sets at Costco or Sam's Club, and, after making some adjustments to the too-wide pillowcases (I also like a snug pillowcase), have felt they have served their purpose just fine. However, the last couple sets I've purchased (one set from each big box store) wore out super fast. I don't know if Bill and I wiggle around more in our sleep as we have gotten older, but the fitted sheet on both sets ended up with holes within a year or two (I'm also a sucker for longevity) and had elastic that had lost any and all stretch (I HATE that).

A few months back when we were visiting my mom, I liked the sheets she had on her guest bed, so I checked the label. Vera Wang. I determined I would get my next desperately needed set at Kohls. I purchased the only white set of Vera Wang sheets available the following week with a sale + 30% coupon and still forked over $85. It would be worth it, I told myself. 

I like them, but not as much as I had hoped. This particular set is VERY heavy. I'm sure they will have longevity, and I will love them in the winter, but they are kind of a pain to wash & dry. They are that heavy. (Different from the ones my mom had.)

After a few weeks of having only one set of non-holy (unholy?) sheets for my bed, and having to wait to make the bed until the sheets were washed, I broke down and purchased a $50 set from Walmart. Although the elastic was different than any other set I've previously owned, I liked them. I still had to make adjustments to the pillowcases, but they were a great weight and easy to wash and dry.

Just this week one of my clients mentioned that she needed to purchase some sheets for her guest bed and asked if I knew if Target had decent ones. I told her I had purchased a set from Walmart a few months ago that I have been very happy with. The Better Homes and Gardens ones. She thanked me for the info and that was the end of our sheet conversation.

Fast forward to today. Mar and I were at Walmart very early this morning (for one of our surprise projects) and noticed the posted signs that all clearance was an additional 50% off. We quickly perused the clearance aisles covered with junk of all kinds. Then I came across these:

This is the very brand of sheet I had recommended, and this is the size I need for Mar's bed. Not more than a month or two ago, as I was organizing my linen closet, I thought how much I needed to get some new sheets for her bed. Could they be on clearance? Were they misplaced on the shelf? Could I be that lucky? Yes, I was THAT lucky. $17.50. And they were white. 

I only wished they had sets of king and queen sizes too.

My favorite bargain of the day.

I've also been sporting this around lately:

Bill says it makes me look "sporty."

The past few months I've had some terrible trouble with my elbow.

Call it what you want:

tennis elbow

golfer's elbow

housewives elbow

tendinitis

hairdresser's elbow (I made that one up)...

it's a bugger.

Tonight Bill and I are headed here:

I am not a red carpet person, and certainly do not own red carpet attire.

Should be interesting. I hope I can survive.

And for your entertainment and a good belly laugh for the day, here are the pictures Lex had been creating and splitting a gut over back here:

 Billiscarlett.

Scarlettwayne. 

Kriscarlett. 

Scarlettina.

Can't wait to head back to UT next week!

Lost and Found.

It's been a day.

Before I say more, I thought I would share some pictures that have been stuck on the "clipboard" of my point-and-shoot that I had previously determined "unretrievable," HOWEVER, after taking some shots of my favorite bean dip today, not realizing the setting on the camera was on "clipboard," I was bound and determined that I was going to figure out how to get ALL the pictures off and onto the memory card.

And I did.

It's a Little Red Hen moment.

The funny thing? There was a picture of EACH of my kids, so I'll take it from the top:

 I LOVE this picture of Lynnea and Tay... no longer stuck on the clipboard. Circa December 2011.

The lighting wasn't the best for the point-and-shoot, but can you believe that cake?? February 2012.

This is the oldest picture stuck in limbo. Circa April 2011. Run, Lex, run!

This is the most recent photo on the clipboard. June 2014.

And here's Mar - running 6th grade track. Circa May 2013.

What once was lost has now been found.

So back to a quick rundown of the near-catastrophic event of the day.

I was at a YW board meeting when my phone rang. It was Lex, so I excused myself to another room to take the call.

The job we had been so thankful and thrilled about was going to be gone, baby, gone if Lex didn't get her social security card (or passport, or birth certificate) to the HR office by 5pm. They had asked her to leave and not come back unless she had the required documents. And if she didn't have them by 5, don't bother coming back.

Ouch.

That feels like being fired.

I had sent Lex her SS card in the mail on Monday, making a special trip to our Parker post office to send it off in the first wave of mail out for the day. I figured she should get it by... today, at the latest. I hadn't realized that the job situation would be dire if she didn't get it by a certain day and time. She was only informed of the tremendous importance of having the actual documents TODAY when she was asked to leave. She told me on the phone that she had checked to see if there would be a problem back on Monday when she started the job - she had a scan of her card, and would be getting the actual card in the mail any day. At that time she was told it would "probably" be okay (that's what you get when you ask someone who doesn't really know - lesson learned).

I felt helpless.

I'll admit I had this tiny thought go through my mind...

I'm at a YW meeting, for goodness sake. I'm serving. I'm doing my best. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't Lex have gotten her card yesterday?

I could tell that Lex was very upset (as was I), but I told her I couldn't think of anything she could do other than drive back to Provo and wait for her mail to arrive. We could pray the card would be there in time for her to make the 30 minute drive back to work by 5pm.

I returned to my meeting, still feeling sick in the pit of my stomach. I texted Bill and Britt to inform them of the situation, hoping that perhaps Bill could call Lex's employer and do a miraculous intervention of some type, and Britt could help Lex with her feelings of devastation. I was discouraged at the probability of Lex losing her job. I certainly wasn't a focused and participatory member of the YW board for the rest of the meeting. I felt a little guilty at checking my texts frequently and responding as necessary.

After about 30 minutes I received this text from Billy-my-hero:
Got her taken care of. She is going 1.11 miles from her house to get a certified birth certificate from the vital records department in Provo. This will work along with her drivers license.

Tragedy averted, thanks to my Mr. Amazing.
I never would have thought of that.

The lost job... found just in the nick of time.
Hallelujah.
Feeling blessed (again).

New Friends.

Yesterday I took Mar to Costco with me.

She was a sweetheart to go immediately following a long day at school + play practice.

Usually she says no, but yesterday I was pleasantly surprised when she agreed to keep me company.

I remember the days when I looked forward to shopping alone... uninterrupted...

but I think I got so used to always having one... or two... or three companions, that it's been a long and difficult transition for me to shop by myself.

Anyway, I know an invitation to take Mar most likely means a few unintended purchases made along the way. Yesterday was no exception.

Meet Slim.

He is ready for the haunting season to begin.

Hopefully Mic doesn't get too freaked out - she doesn't like scary stuff.

Bill and I also chuckled at how Mar occasionally still comes into our room at night when her mind starts working overtime, psyching herself out that someone... or something... is out to get her. Slim just might start those wheels turning.

I feel happy of myself for the purchase. I like him.

Mar wanted to name him Slim Jim, but since I am the purchaser and prefer shortened names, I told her we would stick with "just Slim." (She said SHE would nickname him Slim Jim. Nice compromise.)

For dinner we had my favorite Costco rotisserie chicken, mashed reds, and these:

 Straight from our not-so-prolific-but-at-least-we-have-carrots-and-zucchini garden.

I cut them up and roasted them.

Since my camera battery died after this picture (AND because I simply forgot - we were all anxious to eat at 8pm), I neglected to snap one of the finished roasted carrots. 

Let it be written that they were yum-o.

For our late (late) FHE, we went with Mic to see the horses she is caring for.

Meet Buster.

Doesn't he look like such a sweet guy?

Scout is the tiny fat horse next to Buster.

And this is Charlie.

When we were talking to Buster and Scout, Charlie made sure his presence was known by stomping his hoof on the ground (and he might have relieved himself... loudly). He wanted some love and attention, too.

Then my phone battery died, so we snapped a few more with Bill's phone.

That means, of course, that they are... on Bill's phone. That doesn't help me much.

It was a great FHE.

This week is LHS's Homecoming week. Mar is looking for someone to attend the parade with, as I have a fully booked schedule at the salon, and Michaela has work that day too. Bill and I are hoping to attend the game Friday night, so that will have to do as far as festivity participation this year.

Here's a quick pic of Mic (that rhymes, btw) for tie-dye/toga Tuesday:

I'm super ticked that my quick pic of Mic is... blurry.
{pic gypped}

Lesson learned = take at least two pics
so you won't be ticked
at being pic gypped.

Homecoming Date.

The other day as we were sitting down for dinner, a knock came at the door.

(For fond memory's sake I must mention that we were trying have a blessing on the food. The knock at the door was the second interruption of that short-and-simple prayer that evening.)

It was Michaela's friend Haven.

I love this.

Haven had asked another friend, Anna, too.

She said she wanted to have a senior-girls-night and didn't want boys asking them to the dance to mess it up.

Best idea ever.

That Homecoming date stuff can be... messy... at least around here. (Reminder here and here.)

Details.

Just a quickie post today to count a few more blessings.

Taylor told us last night on our video chat that he got the new job he had hoped for.

In the accounting department of his current employer.

Good-bye call center and weekend shifts!

Britt told us on our video chat that she and Scarlett are coming for a visit in Oct.

Hello Grammy's house!

Mar found out yesterday that she made the cast of the school play The Princess King.
Head Servant.
I told her she would be great at that since she's had so much practice {wink}.
She was thrilled, since a boatload of students tried out for the small cast of 30.

I'm not sure if I posted pictures of Mar's Christmas gift last year - I probably have, but I'm posting again anyway. Her vintage typewriter has found a home on the desk in our kitchen.

Lately there have been inspiring messages left on it.

What a super fun way to leave love notes, don't you think?

I think we'll keep it there indefinitely.

I noticed, however, that there is not an exclamation point on the keyboard.

Can you imagine life without exclamation points?

I've decided that surely, back in the day, they must have created an exclamation point with an apostrophe-backspace-period. Perhaps somewhere back in the far recesses of my mind I recall a time when I did that on a typewriter once.

I have recently been informed by my children that exclamation points are more polite in texting than smiley faces. Smiley faces can seem.... sarcastic, they told me. I told them that when I use exclamation points in texting it makes me feel demanding or loud. I sometimes find the differences between generations fascinating. Perhaps back in the day (of the vintage typewriter), exclamation points were viewed as demanding or loud... and obviously more unnecessary than fractions or a cents symbol (not on our current-day keyboards). Nonetheless, I have made a concerted effort to use more exclamation points (or periods, if an exclamation point is too strong) and less smiley/winky faces.

I love this message:

(source)

Feeling grateful.

The Rest Of The Story.

I've posted a lot about what I've done the past few weeks, so I thought I would catch up on what everyone else around here has been doing. It's been pretty darn exciting, too.

Back on August 30th, Bill and Mar had the amazing opportunity to go...

Up, up and away

In [a] beautiful, [a] beautiful balloon

at the Colorado Balloon Classic in the Springs.

The Don Bates arm of Bill's company was a balloon sponsor, so he was given two tickets to ride Sunchaser.

Note: Bill and I had planned a hot air balloon ride for our 20th wedding anniversary, but received a call at 4am the morning of that the wind was not cooperating, therefore our scheduled flight was a no-go.

After hearing about Bill and Mar's landing adventures, I think I'm okay not taking ride... ever. I prefer to watch and admire.

So glad they made it down, safe and sound.

After going with the fram to a movie and lunch on Labor Day, Mic had a session for her senior pictures.

I asked if I could tag along to assist. Syd has done the pics for all my girls, so it was like old times (reminder here, here, and here - I must not have snapped pics during Britt's). 

This was even the same park Lex's first session was taken in.

After tagging along on many sessions with all my girls, I could tell instantly that Mic is a natural at posing.

I can't resist having a little fun with it, so here's a quick example from yesteryear:

These girls? Not so natural

Does this girl look like a natural, or what? Circa 2006

The park was absolutely beautiful.

As I watched a few families enjoying the holiday and celebrating the end-of-summer with picnics and games (croquet even), I determined that I would bring my family here. I was feeling nostalgic as I thought of the many holidays my family had spent at a park when I was growing up. I even craved the macaroni tuna salad my Grandma G. would always bring (I didn't love it when I was young - I thought the tuna ruined it). Good times.

Things I've Learned: Ketring Park on Labor Day in the afternoon = quiet, serene, uncrowded, and beautiful. Go there.

This past weekend was our ward's Father/Daughter campout at Lake Dillon.

This was where our ward campout had taken place a couple of weeks earlier.

The last ward campout of Bill's Bishopric, per the Ward Council, due to lack of interest.

The Father/Daughter campout was only slightly more successful.

{Sigh}

The adage "if you plan it, they will come" doesn't seem to ring true anymore.

I've decided that society is changing, plain and simple. We are just too busy. Ward activities are somewhere at the bottom of the list of things to do. Where once your ward family was your... family, social families, business families, sports team families, and dance/performing arts/any-other-interest-you-or-your-children-have families are taking over (using the term family as "a group of [people] united by significant shared characteristics"). And those families often don't have the same values, purposes, and eternal objectives you (and your children) do should have.

I've thought a lot this week about parents and their roles in their children's behavior, dress, actions, and religious observance. IT'S IMPORTANT. I appreciated this article, and have thought often about the following statement: "Sometimes [the] pressure to be able to brag about how well our children are doing in school or in other activities or awards they have received can blind us to what will actually help them learn and grow.... I hope we can all take the long view and help our children... become more than they imagine of themselves. I hope we help our children progress by adhering to righteous principles that are connected with the powers of heaven. We need the powers of heaven in this sacred work. It can't be done without them." (Elder Paul V. Johnson)

(source)

Sometimes, when I think it's a sorry sad world we live in, I am reminded that it's also a glorious, beautiful and awesome world we live in, as displayed in these pics of the Father/Daughter campout:

Bill and Mar had a great time.

It was a little cold, and only rained on the way up, but the company was good, the food was good, and the fishing was fun, if unproductive.

Bill took up a couple of girls from the ward whose dads couldn't make it to the campout - so glad they wanted to go. 

Mic didn't go because she had another senior picture session scheduled, but when it got canceled at the last minute due to weather I think she wished she was going. Instead she chilled with me, studied tirelessly for the ACT, and went horseback riding.

There you have it - the rest of the story.

A little before, in-between, and after of the past few weeks.

It's a great day for a great day!