Legacy of Superheroes - Call Reunion 2015.

AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHH!

Can I just tell you how frustrating it is to use a computer on the brink?!

I've tried multiple times to upload movies to youtube, and even trying to add pictures to this post has resulted in multiple "Chrome quit unexpectedly" AND "Safari quit unexpectedly," of which either does a complete auto shut-down. Who has time for such things?! So, I'm going with what I have. I will most likely add videos and additional pics when my computer decides to cooperate! (After a few more shut-downs, my computer is apparently ready to accept my youtube requests, so videos are included. Yay!)

This past weekend we attended the Call Family Reunion in Afton, Wyoming.

My mom was on the planning committee, so we had the awesome benefit of being able to stay in the Barn (vs. a tent or old, yucky motel). Bill, Mar and I traveled up a day early to assist with set-up and anything else that was needed. Friday morning we helped make these cool balloon decorations.

My mom and dad had seen the idea at Home Depot (hah), and we tried to execute it per their instructions. After some debate on exactly how to do it, we figured it out. It was super simple and they turned out amazing. I am doing this for future celebratory events!

(Basics: blow up balloons and tie as normal. Starting at the top of a pvc pipe, loop the tied balloon around the pipe and tuck the end through the loop - like the beginning of tying a shoe. One tuck was sufficient to keep the balloon on the pipe, but if you need to adjust the balloon in any way, hold on to the tucked end while you move it. Then you just keep adding balloons. The original Home Depot example had the finished balloon poles stabilized in a bucket, but Billy-my-hero suggested we use rebar to hold them up. PERFECT. And of course there is rebar in a shed on a farm.)

The sign-hanging, rebar-finding, problem-solving set-up crew.

Then it was time for the reunion to begin.

Superhero capes to be decorated...

...bubbles to be made...

...pictures to be taken...

...superhero glasses to be etched...

...wieners to be roasted...

...family movies and pioneer stories to be shared...

...mountains to climb (Bill and Mar conquered Flattop... AGAIN! This was the crew doing the hike early Saturday morning)...

...horses to be ridden...

...a "DairyAir" water slide to be enjoyed...

...and memories to be made.

On our way out of town we had to stop and snap a few pics of the Star Valley LDS Temple.

We are excited to watch it's progress!

It was so fun for me to catch up with some of my cousins, and to meet new members of this very large extended family. Let it be said that it was worth every effort to attend! A couple of my cousins had a huge part in planning and prep (along with mi madre) and I want to thank them again (Joyce and Minde) for helping make the reunion so fun!

Optimistic.

I hate leaving a "down" post up too long without adding something more positive, but it's been hard finding a snippet of time to redirect my thoughts (and written text) to the "up" side of things. I'm stealing a few moments tonight before we head off to the Call Family Reunion early tomorrow morning.

This morning as I was getting ready for work, I randomly chose a conference talk to listen to. I can't tell you how many times I have done that and heard exactly what I needed to hear. Today was no exception. 

"The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience." 

(Elder Orson F. Whitney, quoted by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland)

"Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly... Yes, life has it's problems, and yes, there are negative things to face, but please accept one of Elder Holland's maxims for living -- no misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse." 

(Elder Holland's complete message here.)

A quick rundown of "the rest of the story" (since I left you hanging in my "down" post):

Mar DID get to swim at the All-star meet (which we learned via text message at 5:45 the morning of).

Lane 8 both events, and with the boys for the 100.

We'll take what we can get.

She did not let it throw her, swam well, and placed 12th in the 200Free, 14th in the 100Free. She was just supa happy to have placed well enough to get ribbons.

And guess who was helping pass out medals and ribbons??
Some awesome Castle Rock elders.

I thought it was so cool I had to take their picture, and of course tell them my daughter was serving a mission, too.
I love missionaries!


Bill was here for the better part of last week:

I am glad he had the opportunity to spend some quality time with some great young men in such a beautiful place. {Even though I really really missed him.}


Lolo is really in London as of today! (Well, yesterday in London time.)
She was traveling to the mission home today to get her first assignment. I have thought of her all day, and can't wait for her next email, which I think is coming Monday. So long to wait!


Little Mama has kept the snapchats comin'.
I was able to successfully screenshot one of them (I am pathetic at screen shots on my phone and usually end up losing the snapchat FOREVER, so I take a huge risk every time I try).

Love this baby girl!

Whelp, it's taken me a lot longer than needed to finish this post thanks to my stingy computer (but I'll try not to whine). I'm looking forward to our BIG family reunion, even if mi madre has requested that I portray an ancestor... by acting like I'm her... I'm not a fan of acting, but I'll do it for my mama. I have told Mar on several occasions that I hope she internalizes my example and is willing to do whatever her mamita requests in the far distant future, just because I asked and she loves me.

Down.

I'm feeling blue.

It's been a good day, and I can check a lot o' things off my long list of stuff to get done, but I can't shake feeling BLEH.

It doesn't help that Billy-my-hero (who "raises me up" - think Josh Groban) has been pretty much MIA since Lolo left. He's had a boatload of church stuff to attend to, and is currently on the high adventure activity with the scouts in our ward until tomorrow... sometime. I've tried to help him out this past week by taking out the garbage, mowing the lawn, dropping off and picking up vehicles from the tire store, balancing the checkbooks, paying the bills... in addition to working a few long days (10+ hours on Wednesday) at the salon, trying to do some side work for his company, trying to get the house back in order from our crazy summer, doing laundry, and taking care of my lone child left at home (which, btw, I think I'm flailing at). I've also decided that I have a severe case of plantar fasciitis - the reason for my constant hobbling around like a 90 year old lady. I have been doing foot exercises, icing my feet, and purchasing expensive shoes that feel pretty much like the shoes I already have. Next step - Dr. Scholls for every pair of shoes I own. (Interesting fact found on the www: even if left untreated, plantar fasciitis usually goes away within a year. Just a year.)

It also doesn't help that I've been missing Wonderful Sweet Scarlett. Little Mama (who I'm sure is pretty darn busy, too) hasn't sent me a pic... an insta... or even a snapchat for a few days, so I'm having withdrawals. And feeling a little lonely. And thinking that if I only lived closer, Wonderful Sweet Scarlett (and all of my beloved Utah children), would cheer me up.

And I'm missing Sister Syddall. I tell you, it's been the longest week + 2 days of my life.

To top things off, as I was printing out the meet schedule (at 9pm) for Mar's All-star meet tomorrow (which we were going to leave for at 6:20am), I noticed that she is NOT on it. I've sent emails and texts, and we still don't know if she'll be able to swim. Partly my fault, partly the coaches fault, partly the team's fault. I could bore you with the details, but I won't. I've shed a few tears about it tonight because, like I mentioned, I only have one child to rear at the present, and I'm apparently not doing a great job at making sure she's covered. AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!

Maybe I should just put some panties on my head to brighten things up a bit.

I pinned this today on Pinterest:

Things always seem worse at night. I think I'll go hit the hay... the sun will come out tomorrow, right?

(Unless it's a no-go for Mar to swim, then I'll be back-peddling all day to make it right... at least as right as I can.) We have the sister missionaries coming for dinner... hopefully Bill will be home in time. The good thing is they won't have to wait on the front step for him to arrive if he's NOT home yet.

Tomorrow there'll be sun.

Success.

This has been a long, long week. As I sit here, I can't believe it was less than a week ago that we put Lolo on plane and said cheerio. I think her p-day in the MTC is Wednesday, so I'm anxiously awaiting her first "official" email. I hope she sends some pics!

On Saturday, Mar had her division swim championships.

Oh, yes. I remember this pool (reminder here). Not a fan.

 Another crowded, hot day, with a 30+ minute delay to start us off.

But it was a good meet.

Mar was hoping to get an All-star time in her 200 and 50 free... check to the 200, .35 away from the 50Free qualifying time. I'm still supa proud of that girl - qualifying in two events for All-stars is still quite a feat!

 Here is her relay team for both the 200Medley and 200Free. They placed second in both events.

That evening was the swim team party... 

Mar and Tori had plans for a movie night with friends, so they bowed out a little early. The coach had told Mar she wasn't winning the high point award for her age group (I think they're a little scared of me since the fiasco back here, so wanted to let me her know in advance that she was "1 point away because she missed two meets"), so Mar collected her awards, ate some dinner, snapped a few pictures, then she and Tori headed off to the movie night.

 Coach Johnson will be Mar's high school swim coach, too. She's told me several times throughout the summer swim season that she is supa happy Mar will be on the team so she (and the team) can have more of my funeral sandwiches at team functions. Great {cheesy smile}. Good thing they are pretty simple to make - although it usually means hosting a team event. That would entail cleaning house. Ugh.

After the movie night I made Mar do the "Missy Franklin pose" with her medals - although I forgot to have her put both hands on her hips. Duh.  Don't look at my dying plant in the background... it just needed a little drink.

Swim success: 

2nd place in her two relays, and individually in the 200Free and 100Free. 

3rd place in the 50Free. Not too shabby!

This upcoming Saturday will find us at the All-star meet where Mar will swim the 200F and 100F. 

Good luck, baby!

Did I mention how long this week has been? Mar is updating this mission chart while Lolo serves. I snapped this a few days ago... she's actually on day 6 (really, day 7 in London time).

A friend of mine spotted this on fb and sent the link to me... can you see Sister Syddall?

I'm dying to hear from her and hoping that things are going swimmingly at the lovely England MTC.

That's all I have today.
Tomorrow is a long, long work day, which makes me highly anxious.
I'm tightly scheduled. My feet {already} hurt. Busy is good, right?