more summer photos

summer photos

Summer that never got mentioned

This summer was full of so many fun and hard things. Since I am not the best at keeping up with this, it is happening at Christmas. We spent Pioneer Day in Nevada, at one of my most favorite places in the world. There is always a spirit of gladness, tons to do (if you like adventure and dirt), and family. A great memory for my kids is that we were able to follow some wild mustangs! Truly! My uncle knew just where to find them. My kids still talk about it. We also went to Antelope Island for the first time (that I can remember). It was really fun, we saw a bunch of Bison and got to talk to an artist who put one of his works on the island for people to enjoy. It was really cool. My kids called it a "gypsy boat". There were solar panels on it so it could power a freezer. If you were tenacious enough to go out in the field and look at the art, you would be rewarded because there were fudge pops in the freezer. It was really fun. Also, boating at Jordanelle, picnics at Silver Lake Flat (where we were too close to a mama moose), sisters day out, Lehi Round-up, and so much more. It was a great summer.

So, Who is your alter ego?

Wonder Woman is my alter ego and has been since I have memory of myself. My favorite thing to do was eat my lunch and watch WW on the TV after kindergarten. Of course my awesome "super" mom made me an awesome WW suit to go along with my fasination. I have a rather large collection of WW items. Most of these things are in storage, but someday, I will have a place to put them where I can admire them on a regular basis. So, who is your alter ego?

Hemihypertrophy

I recently found out that my little guy has a condition called hemihypertrophy. There isn't a lot of information about this out there. I have found a good website though. Right now, he seems to be doing great and I am hopeful that everything will continue to be great. We are scheduled to get MRI's done still. There is a lot I don't know. Besides getting an ultrasound every three months to check for tumors on his kidneys, and getting his shoe modified to help him not be uneven, I don't really know what else to do or even what to ask? If you have any suggestions or know anything that would be helpful, let me know. For now, we are just laughing it up watching him. He is a crazy social little guy.

Visiting a Public Bathroom

I got this from my friend's web page, and laughed out loud all by myself.

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it’s your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.

Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.

You get in to find the door won’t latch. It doesn’t matter the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern ’seat covers’ (invented by someone’s Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty or in some new, ’cost-efficiency’ bathrooms there isn’t one at all. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one but there isn’t - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume ‘ The Stance.’

In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You’d love to sit down, but you certainly hadn’t taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold ‘The Stance.’

To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother’s voice saying, ‘Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!’ Your thighs shake more.

You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose with yesterday - the one that’s still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It’s still smaller than your thumbnail.

Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn’t work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. ‘Occupied!!’ you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It’s wet of course. You bolt up knowing all too well that it’s too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew. Certainly her bare bottom never touched ! ! ! a public toilet seat because, frankly dear, ‘You just don’t KNOW what kind of diseases you could get.’
By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too. At this point, you give up. You’re soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You’re exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks.You can’t figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting.

You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman’s hand and tell her warmly, ‘Here, you just might need this.’

As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men’s restroom. Annoyed, he asks, ‘WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG, and WHY IS YOUR PURSE HANGING AROUND YOUR NECK??’ This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with public restrooms (rest??? you’ve GOT to be kidding!!).

It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It’s so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door!Women everywhere, have a good laugh AND don’t forget to have a mammogram!!!!!! It could save your life! A Friend Is Like A Good Bra…
Hard to Find
Supportive
Comfortable
Always Lifts You Up
Never Lets You Down or Leaves You Hanging
And Is Always Close To Your Heart!!!

He loves the Dogs!

Andrew is a puppy. Not a human boy. His best friends are dogs, they are the nicest friends a little boy puppy could ask for.

Harps on Ledges

Wow! It has been forever. Summer is over, kids are older, oh, I am older too, but will be 30 for the next few years still so no worries. I had a great time with my harpists on tour! What shall we do next? No, this took a lot out of me and my family. It will be at least a couple years till we do this again. Having said that, it was great. I need to post some better pics. These just don't do our concerts justice. I was working though, not frolicking around with my camera, so I don't have very many photos. Any of you who have more pictures are welcome to share! And we can be heard on the web at http://www.pluggd.tv/audio/channels/orchestra_of_southern_utah/episodes/4xf24?play=1

San Fran, California

I recently went to Cali with my sis in laws and mom in law. I had a blast. We had to stay over an extra night because we were flying stand by and our flight filled up, but it all worked out. Imagine, there were 8 ladies, all of us have kids. We all had to call our husbands and tell them to take an extra day off of work because we wouldn't be home from our party for another 24 hours. As badly as I felt, I didn't feel badly enough to find a different way home.

I hope we can do this kind of thing again. It was really great. I got to do things I had never done before- Alcatraz, China Town, Japan town, hang out with the in laws (without the threat of being ditched for a computer game!)

Thanks to Kaelynn who arranged all the flights and hotel. It was a blast!

Mike says "wat up yo?! how bout those David's?" (He's been watching too much American Idol). We just call it AI around here. Go David A!

New information, you should take note and be there or be square. Here is a list of our summer concerts Harps on a Ledge:
July 21st, 8pm- Thanksgiving Point Children's Garden Amphitheater
Aug 6th, SUU Music Hall
Aug 8th, Tanner Amphitheater in Zion National Park
Aug 9th, Tuacahn

I will post our great publicity photos soon!

Renee Flemming on O Mio . . .

You will need to copy and paste the link below this post in a new page to hear Renee Flemming's version of O Mio Babbino Caro. It is worth listening to.

O mio Babbino caro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD9RQ4QuS4w&feature=email

This is truly one of the most beautiful things that has happened; Puccini- aah, and Renee together, what a match. This is one of my most favorite songs. I hope this link works so you can enjoy it too.

Story Telling Festival

Emily has entered a story telling competition. Without my involvement, she entered, wrote a story, then said to me that she hopes I can come to her school to see her tell her story. I had to call the school to figure out what she was talking about. There were 12 kids from her grade that entered, she is one of 3 finalists. She is working on her story this week a little more to add some detail and length to it, (by recommendation of the judges). I am impressed with how she has taken the recommendations, and hopes she does well next week when K-3 grades compete against each other. The one finalist from that group will go on to the next level and compete against students from other schools. What a great experience this is for the kids who have participated.

Not too fancy and really cold

We recently discovered the children's books about Fancy Nancy (thank you to Becki and Eva). We now read about Nancy Clancy aka, Fancy Nancy everyday. She has a "posh puppy" and Sam really likes the sound of that. (We already have a high maintenance dog named Penny).

I love Wednesdays. They are all about my kids. Sam and Emily both have dance, then Emily has piano. I don't teach at all in the afternoon on Wed, and I get to chat with good friends while waiting for the girls in the dance classes. Today we made the mistake of walking to dance. Even though it is just a block or so away, it was so cold today, we were only half way there before the chill got to Samantha. She almost didn't make it she was so upset. We are looking forward to Saturday. Hopefully we will stay home, stay warm, get a lot accomplished, have a good time together, and not get sick (lately that is what weekends have been used for).

I recently joined an online book club called goodreads.com. I have enjoyed reading people's book reviews and seeing what my friends are reading/have read so much that I check the site several times a day just to see if anyone has added anything. I also love seeing what my nephews and nieces are reading. I feel like I understand them more when I see that we have read the same book and both enjoyed it.

Ahh Sunday

Sunday is a busy day. I am glad I don't shop and do other things on Sunday; it would be impossible to fit all of Sunday's activities in. I just got called to Senior Primary Chorister, that is on top of my other 3 callings. Today I subbed for Junior Primary, the little one's are really funny. It was hard for me to not bust up in laughter in front of everyone today. There was a little boy how was trying to fit his head through the sleeve of his coat, and a little girl who was poking her toes out of the holes in her tights, and the primary presidency was just kickin it in the back chatting (I am sure it was about primary stuff). What a funny day in primary. After church I went right to the computer to start working on one of my other callings, and Mike went to a scout meeting. I forgot to feed the kids so all the happiness we brought home from church erupted into fighting and ornery attitudes. All settled and was well after a snack. We went to my parents house this evening because I left my phone there yesterday. Now that I write it down it doesn't seem like that much, but it felt like ton, may be because we didn't go to bed till 2:30am. We had a great time visiting some good friends, the Williams family, last night in Brigham City. We were having too much fun and forgot to leave at a reasonable hour. Now it is the end of the day, we are making preparations for the new week. Here we go, starting a new week. It always flies by. I hope to savor the little moments that I will never get back, Samantha's hugs, Emily's jokes, and Andrew's babble. Good night. Sleep tight.

Little Man

Andrew is so silly. If he isn't sleeping, he is usually hamming it up. He loves Sammy's Dora chair, he fits in it perfectly. Luckily Sammy adores her little brother so she doesn't mind sharing the chair with him. He babbles and squaks, and his eyes twinkle when he looks at you.

What a Heart Breaker

She just melts me. My kids have me.