Category: Uncategorized (Page 36 of 118)

One of my favorite pictures from our Yellowstone trip.

Cole couldn’t be bothered to turn around for the picture. At least he had the excuse that he was filming the eruption with the video camera.

And this dog. Doesn’t he look like Bolt?

Here’s one of the whole crew together.

Wednesday evening I was changing my clothes to get ready to go to my bell choir rehearsal. I glanced in the mirror and saw some weird marks on my back. What the WHAT? What is that on my back? I called my husband to come check it out. He looked at it, poked at it, and came to the conclusion that it wasn’t mosquito bites, and it wasn’t a rash. It was possibly bruises, but how in the heck did I get symmetrical bruises on my back like that?

Weird, isn’t it?

I wracked my brain trying to figure out what in the world I had done to get those bruises. Had Ryan been poking me in my sleep? In a symmetrical pattern? Do I have some sort of new shingles? What?

I finally figured it out. On Monday, I did some jogging/walking for an hour while Megan had a soccer practice. When I finished, I went over to the park playground to stretch out. I sat on one of the platforms, and then leaned back. I ended up on my back with my legs over my head like in a yoga plow pose.

I didn’t think it was enough pressure to BRUISE me, but it’s the only thing I can think of. The playground platform must have had raised dots on it. This is so weird, isn’t it? I don’t know why I would bruise like that, but I guess that’s what it was.

Yes, I bruise easily, but not THAT easily.

How about you? Have you had weird unexplained bruises or injuries that you can’t figure out?

I just had to post this. And yes, I stole it from a friend.

Have a wonderful day. Maybe tomorrow I’ll tell you the wonderful story of the weirdest bruises EVER.

A few weeks back, a friend asked if I’d like eyelash extensions as part of her training. Sure! We got a time worked out eventually, and I became one of her eyelash guinea pigs. She had to do a so many sets for practice before she took her certification test, and she wouldn’t charge me anything for the experience.

It’s ended up being a nice little experiment. Being blonde as I am, and not having long lush eyelashes, it was kind of nice to wake up with actual dark lashes. I could go out without mascara, even. The timing was perfect, as I had long lashes for the play. I would just apply mascara as usual and my lashes looked long and full, and I didn’t have to put on fake eyelashes like I did last year.

Since this wasn’t a real set of lashes (with the real glue), I was told they would only last two weeks or so. Well, it’s now been just short of three weeks and I still have some long lashes. I take note now whenever I lose an eyelash. Oh, there goes a nice long full eyelash, I think. Did you know that your eyelashes grow out completely and replace themselves in about 60-90 days? So, obviously, a set of eyelash extensions won’t last forever, even if they are glued on there with permanent glue.

I was funny when I went up to girls camp to do some activities with the girls. I was all clean and showered, and even though I hadn’t done much with my hair or makeup that day (since we had a dress rehearsal that night and I didn’t want to do all the hair and makeup AGAIN), the ladies there acted like I was just a picture of loveliness. “Look at you, you’re so clean! And did you get your eyelashes done?” Pretty soon all the girls are clamoring to get a look at my long and lush eyelashes. Wow.

Every once in a while I get a last that’s all skewampus, pointing East when it should be point west or some other such nonsense. I just give it a little swipe with the mascara wand and it goes back where it should.

Would I do this on a regular basis? Oh, heck no. I’ve been told it costs around $200 for a full set of lashes that last around four weeks. That’s roughly $50 a week, so I don’t think so. But for a fun experiment and to let my friend practice on me, you bet. Now I need to find someone in massage therapy school who also needs to practice on me, or someone who’s studying to be a personal chef who needs families to try out. Or an apprentice housekeeper? Anyone?

This week was girls’ camp for our YW. Since our Stake was doing Pioneer Trek this year, they wanted our girls camp to be a shorter affair. But since MOST of our YW are beehives, we couldn’t just NOT have camp. Back when I was in YW, I was privy to the planning of the camp, and when they released me, I told the camp director that I would really love to still help with camp in some way. Little did I realize at the time that it would be during the most hectic, rehearsal packed week of chaos when we also had visitors in town. Isn’t it always the way it is.

So, I didn’t end up doing a whole lot for camp, but I still got to be involved. Perfect. Yesterday, I went up for a couple of hours. They were busy crafting away, working on cute little scrapbooks made out of lunch sacks. When it was my turn, I gave them “skit kits”, which were paper bags filled with 5 different items, and then they had to come up with a skit around those items. They were things like…a stuffed monkey, a flying pig hat, a wisk broom and dust pan, a medal, a dora jumprope, a shower cap, etc. They had fun putting together silly skits with little prep time. It was fun.

Today, I was asked to plan game time for two hours. I took up the fun “truth or dare” game, and we made some flour balls (nylon stockings filled with flour and tied into a ball) that you throw at each other, and the water bottle rocket launcher that Ryan made. Totally fun. I felt like the cruise director, since I just breeze up there for some fun and games, and then go home. My friends, who have been up there camping for two days, look at my clean clothes with longing, and tell me how pretty I look. Well, thank you all! By comparison, I guess I do look pretty good.

As I was driving out of American Fork Canyon, I kind of forgot where I was. When I got to the ranger station at the entrance of the canyon, I was a little surprised. I was thinking for some reason that I was in Big Cottonwood canyon, the Canyon of my youth. When I realized that I was instead in American fork canyon I felt kind of weird. I guess being in the canyon just took me back to Big Cottonwood in my mind.

Even though it was busy and not convenient, I am so glad I took the time to go up to girls’ camp. I felt instantly more relaxed and less stressed. It was a nice break from the Rehearsal, rehearsal, rehearsal schedule.

I haven’t mentioned a whole lot about the play I’m in, have I? Well, it’s time to do something about that!

Jenna, Natalie and I are in the Alpine Community Theater’s production of Annie Get your Gun. I had so much fun in Seussical last year, that I wanted my kids to experience the fun with me this year. I hope it’s been fun. I’ve heard a lot of whining and complaining from them when we have to spend yet ANOTHER night at rehearsal. But we’re finally to the home stretch, the fun part, and I think they’ll have a great time.

This week is dress rehearsal week. That means we’ll have rehearsal every night, with costumes, hair and makeup. It also means we’ll have very LONG rehearsals while we iron everything out.

This year I don’t have a big part like I did as Mrs. Mayor in Seussical. I do have a small part as Queen Vicoria, but mostly I’m in the chorus. My girls are square dancers and spectators. So while the pressure’s off with learning lines and things, it also means there’s a lot more waiting around at rehearsals. But it’s all good. As usual, I’ve had a lot of fun connecting with people I met last year in the play, and I’ve met some fabulous new people this year.

Friday is our opening night! And I’d like to invite you ALL to come and see it.

Performance dates are:

Friday, July 10, 2009 7:00pm
Saturday, July 11, 2009 2:00pm Matinee
Saturday, July 11, 2009 7:00pm
Monday, July 13, 2009 7:00pm
Tuesday July 14, 2009 7:00pm
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 7:00pm
Friday, July 17, 2009 7:00pm
Monday, July 18, 2009 7:00pm

Tickets are now available for purchase at the following locations:
Kohler’s Grocery Store at 5353 W 11000 N Highland, Utah
The Little Art Cottage at 242 South Main Street in Alpine, Utah
www.tickets.alpinecommunitytheater.org
Tickets are also available at the door the night of the performance.

My Grandma died on Saturday night. She was a very hardworking lady and she lived a good long life. We just got together a couple weeks ago to celebrate her birthday. She wasn’t very much with us. Dementia had taken over.

When I was a kid, my brother Scott and I used to go and spend a week at my grandma’s house every summer. I’m not sure how my mom and dad were so lucky, but it was a great thing for everyone. I have an aunt who’s only about 7 years older than me, and only 5 years older than Scott, so she looked forward to having us come every summer. We didn’t have anything fancy or go anywhere special, we just played. I remember making zucchini boats, hiking up the hills of Springville to get clay and making clay creations. We would ride bikes to the fish hatchery, or even go to Park Ro-she. Lisa had a bike with two baskets on the back, and I remember riding on the back of her bike. We would camp out in the backyard, play with the fox (yes, my grandparents had a pet fox when I was little), and just be regular members of the family. Grandpa was grumpy and crotchety, but he still loved us. Grandma was fun and loving, although very busy.

When I was at BYU, I would visit my Grandparents often. My brother lived there for a bit while he went to school, and it was close. I even brought my roommates to pick cherries or rake leaves. My grandma made me a camping quilt that we lovingly refer to as “monster blanket”. It’s pieced polyester on the top, and inside it’s filled with not one, but two wool army blankets. As she was making the blanket, the story is that my grandpa said, “One blanket? That won’t be warm enough for Paige. You’d better put two in there.” Well, it’s warm enough all right, and it weighs about 50 pounds.

My grandpa died shortly before Cole was born, so none of my kids knew either of their great grandpas. In later years, I remember how Grandma ‘s home was always plastered with pictures. It seems every grandchild and great grandchild HAD to make pictures for Grandma, including my own kids. She didn’t like living alone, but she made the best of it, and bought all the books and dolls (or anything else that Grandpa would have considered frivolous) she wanted. Always wanting company, she would invite the grown grandkids to come and visit, and she’d take them out to dinner or lunch. My kids would LOVE to go visit Grandma and go to McDonald’s.

For the past few years, she hasn’t been with us mentally so much, which has been hard for all of us. But I’m glad my kids have memories of her when she still lived in her own house, and when she knew all their names. I’m sure she’s happy to have all her memories back.

Although I will miss my sweet grandma, I’m glad that she’s gone on to be with my grandpa again. It will be a nice day to connect with family and those that I love in remembering one that we love. I love you, Grandma. I’ll miss you.

Today I had to carry my screaming child BACK to the pool for swimming lessons. Oh, the embarrassment. Have you had similar experiences with reluctant swimmers? I remember when Jenna was little, I literally peeled her off my body and threw her in the pool. –To the teacher, not just randomly thrown in the pool–. Today it was John’s turn. He started out great, but after 10 minutes, he got up like he needed to use the bathroom, and came to me instead. I don’t EVER WANT to swim, MOM! He kept saying over and over. When I decided that tough love was in order and I took him back to the pool, he was kicking and screaming and biting and pinching. Then he cried in the pool. I could hear him loud and clear crying, “I just want to go and talk to my mom!”

Oh the joy.

I apologized to the teachers, but they assured me that they have seen much worse.

Sigh.

Tonight is a free night for us. And by Free, I mean no kids! The kids are going to be sleeping over at their aunt Julene’s house, and they are VERY excited about it. Hmmm. No kids, I thought. I went to Ryan and said, “I’ve got an idea.” I think he automatically tunes out when he hears those words, but I’m not sure. So, in my most seductive and romantic voice, I said, “Since the kids are going to be gone tonight, why don’t I…” maybe I was getting his attention at this point.
“…get some paint! We can paint the family room! Doesn’t that sound great?!”

Well, apparently, to him it does NOT sound great. He did not jump all over that idea, even when I explained to him that this might be the ONLY time we have for the next month to paint, since starting next week we’ll have visitors for most of the month, and then the play and all that. And we could paint all night and be done by tomorrow.
ahem.
Not going to happen.

Instead maybe we’ll go on a date or something. Isn’t there a Sandra Bullock moving playing now?

A while back, Ryan brought home a big old tv. For a grand total of about $40 bucks, he fixed it. Because he’s handy that way.

Then, in April, that tv broke. So we were forced to watch either a decent tv up in our bedroom, or a crappy tv in the basement. After a week or so of no tv, I let the kids move the Wii and the X-box downstairs to the crappy tv, so they could at least play. That turned out to be a good thing. Because now they can play rock band for hours without driving mom crazy.

Handy Ryan eventually took out the green tube from the tv, so that it actually worked, but there is just no green. Everything looks kind of pink. After a day or so, you get used to pink. Really. He should never have done that if he wanted to get a new tv. Because we can watch pink tv for a long time. Unless you are watching LOST or something where half of the screen is plants, having green is overrated. But, being the man that he is, Ryan was still pushing for a new tv. He brought home some kind of gadget from work, but couldn’t use it on our tv because…well, I don’t really know why. But we’ve actually been “shopping” for a new tv. But our visions of our perfect tv are a little varied. He, being a guy, thinks we need a BIGGG TV. Something you can see from down the street, preferably. And inputs? It’s got to have lots and lots of those, of course. Me? I’m ok with, well, whatever is the cheapest.

I broke down and told him that I was ok with him getting a tv for Father’s Day. How about this nice number from Costco? I suggested. Well, after some research, he came back and told me that the Costco TVs don’t have all the “stuff” he needs in a tv, and don’t react well with the whole home automation system. And since we are a beta test site for the home automation system, we must get the right tv, right? Hmmm. Sound like a ploy to get a bigger tv? Yeah, to me, too. BUT, he said, he had a dealer friend who could get us a tv at his price, or for a discount or something. A nicer tv. Plasma or something like that. With all the colors of the rainbow. Even green. I agreed and gave him the go ahead for the purchase of said tv. But you know what? If we get a new tv, we need a tv stand, or cabinet or something like that. And if there’s going to be furniture moving, there will have to be painting, right?

Yes, friends, it’s all in the spirit of the compromise.

Monday he actually brought the nice new tv home, and we set it up. It’s sitting on our lovely coffee table at the moment until I find a cabinet or stand that I like. Oh, yeah, and we paint.

The kids saw this very nice Expensive tv and said, “It’s kind of small, isn’t it?” SMALL? Are you kidding?

We’ve got to get this big old monster tv out of here.