One More Week!

Can you believe it?  Cassandra and Emerson are having a baby in one week from today.  I truly cannot belive it.  The fact that in one week I will be a grandma has definitely not sunk in yet.  I know that it will be so wonderful, and frankly I can't even imagine.  It did hit me a bit when I read the card my mom had made for Cassandra’s baby, and she signed it “Great Grandma Jenny.”  Wow, my mom a great grandma and me a grandma!  Not to mention Grandma Maxine and Grandma Patricia becoming great great grandmas!  But I digress.  The point here is that I will soon have a little grand daughter that Brian and I will love and cherish as much or more than we did our own kids.  Is that really possible?  I know it is because I already feel  some of that love and she’s not even here yet!

It's Pioneer Day!

Today is the 24 of July, the day we members of the LDS church celebrate the arrival of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.  In church we sang pioneer songs, and heard talks about the pioneers.  Later this evening, we traveled to the temple and walked around the grounds which I think is a great way to commemorate the day.

Walking More than a Mile in their Moccasins

Yesterday evening we watched a Mormon Tabernacle Choir pioneer day concert on television.  It was also a great way to celebrate pioneer day.  They sang pioneer songs and patriotic songs also.  Yesterday afternoon I definitely was feeling much sympathy for the pioneers because we walked and walked and walked and walked.  All day.  First Brian, Katrina, Thomas, and I walked from the laundry to Center, then to University and back to the laundry.  That was about 24 blocks.  Then, after we picked Miriam up from work, we went up the canyon and hiked along a stream to a spring which was another 2.6 miles.  I, who was in flip flops the whole time was not a happy pioneer by the end.  At the beginning I actually did sing as I walked and walked, but by the last “and walked,” I was not singing.  Or smiling.  Or talking.  

Shower Power

Wednesday was Cassandra’s shower.  It really turned out well.  I can think of tons of things I should have done differently, but it did go well.  We showered Cassandra long distance by utilizing Skype.  We had Cassandra; my mom along with my sister Julie and my nieces; and our group here at our house all on screen at the same time.  We played games and opened presents together.   We even ate the same food, for the most part.  I really appreciate the love and support we received from our family.  Both Kelly and Sarah had to drive more that an hour and a half to come, Julie missed a night of her family’s Grand Canyon trip to come, My mom did all the coordinating on her end, and Elizabeth sewed the crib skirt.   We gave Cassandra crib bedding for the shower.  Brian’s mom, sister, and niece pitched in generously for the bedding as did many other family members and friends, as I said, Elizabeth sewed the dust ruffle,  Katrina sewed the fitted sheet which turned out beautifully, and Miriam spent hours ironing the flower fairy squares for me to sew on to the bumper pads.  Miriam and Katrina also tied the quilt.  It was a wonderful group effort.  Cassandra loved her gifts and is so grateful to everyone.

Shower Day!

Wednesday was shower day.  That morning we got the house ready.  We scrubbed and vacuumed and dusted.  Thomas somehow got out of helping on the other days, but I really put him to work on Wednesday.  Matt and Katrina decorated with streamers and tissue paper flowers which ended up looking amazingly good, and we put out the food.  I should also mention that Matt was the technician for the whole thing and worked very hard to set everything up.  The shower started off without a bang at 1:00 that afternoon.  The guests were arriving, but Skype wasn’t working.  Everything was chaos for awhile, till we got Skype up and running.  Then it all settled down and went smoothly except when I had to stop the proceedings to ask everyone to dig in the couches for Matt’s lost wallet.  We found the wallet (somewhere else other than in the couch), and Matt took off to work.  After that we had a wonderful party.  All my sisters brought there daughters and so there were lots of little kids running around.  Sarah also brought her 14 year old son and her two year old son along since she didn’t want those two home alone together.   Thomas and Jonathan had a fun time hanging out with them.  We had the little girls open the bedding packages and show Cassandra. 

Anniversary of Brian and Marci's Very First Hot Date Ever

Tuesday was a very special day for me and Brian because it was the 25^th anniversary of our first date, so of course we had to go out that night.  We ate at the same restaurant as we did all those many years ago, and then we drove up the canyon just like we did way back then.  We didn’t go to the same spot as before, but we stopped at a wonderful place with a gorgeous green meadow and tons of flowers.  We hiked around in the mud and had a great time.  I love Brian so much!  He is such an amazing husband to remember our first date and to make sure we celebrated it.  If I was someone else’s wife, I’d be jealous!  As it is, I’m the luckiest, most blessed woman I know!

Shower Prep Marathon

Monday was shopping-for-the-shower day.  We bought the food, the decorations, and stuff to make the prizes for the games.  We also made prizes and decorations on Monday.  Tuesday was shower food prep day.  The shower food was build-your-own fruit pizzas and b-y-o veggie pizzas.  At first, it was simpler because I planned to have only the fruit pizzas and made it easy on myself by asking my sisters to bring the fruit, and Brian’s sister, Renee to bring  the fruit pizza spread.  I thought it was a great plan, but Miriam was appalled at such a lame spread.  She insisted that no shower she has ever been to in her life has served such meager fare.  That’s when the veggie pizza idea was born.   So while Miriam was at work,  Katrina and I chopped vegetables, baked cookies and crescent rolls, and mixed ranch cream cheese.  It was exhausting, but we were done by 3:00.  

Celeste Leaves and Katrina Arrives

It's Nice to have Katrina Home!

Katrina got home from EFY today wearing moose pajamas that she bought while she was away.  The shirt says "Don't Moose with Me!"  She’s been gone a whole week and seems to have had a blast being with her friends and other kids her age and hearing gospel-related talks.  I’m so glad she had a good time and I'm so glad she’s home!  While she was gone, my niece Celeste and her friend Kimber came to visit.  I use the term “visit” lightly since they never did sit and visit with us.  In fact, we hardly saw them.  Brian didn’t see them at all and insists that it was all an elaborate hoax and that they weren’t really here.  

Brian the Hero

Yesterday Brian, Thomas and I went on a 15 mile bike ride.  It’s really amazing that we were able to do this considering that we weren’t decked out in word-covered spandex or weird shoes you can’t walk in.  Heck, we didn’t even have padded butts.  I personally wore jeans and flip flops.  I didn’t even wear a tank top.  Ha ha.  The ride started at the trail head up in the canyon, went through the canyon past the falls, then through town and ended up at the lake.  We had a great time except when my handle bars got loose and kept getting looser.  Brian tried to fix them, but the bolts were the type that needed a hex wrench, so his attempts to tighten them and shim the bars didn't work.  I kept riding with them way loose until we got out of the canyon and to a convenience store where he bought a screw driver which was the closest thing they sold to a hex wrench. Unfortunately, the screwdriver was too big.  This didn't stop my resourceful husband from fixing my bike.  He rubbed the screwdriver down on some cement until it was the right size, and tightened the bars.  My hero!    They were fine for the rest of the ride.  We’d parked one car at Elizabeth’s house, so at the end of the trail we turned off and rode to her house which made the distance just about 15 miles.

Friday

Brian had Friday off and He and I drove to the resort town up north about an hour away.  We hiked a trail and ate at our favorite teriyaki restaurant.  It was lots of fun.  While we were gone, Miram got her hair done by her friend, Heather, at her beauty school, Matt worked, and Jon and Thomas barbecued.  That night Brian, Jonathan, Thomas and I went to a ward picnic.  The food was good and the boys had fun throwing a football around.

Getting Ready for Cassandra's Baby Shower

The fabric for Cassandra's baby's crib bedding

Well, I got Cassandra’s crib bedding all sewn this week.  My sister Elizabeth saved the day by volunteering to sew the bedskirt.  That saved me a days worth of sewing.  Now I need to iron, fold, and wrap everything.  Then the girls and I need to plan games and make prizes.  We also need to bake cookies for the build-your-own fruit pizzas.  The party is on Wednesday.  Cassandra can’t be there in person, but she will be there on Skype.  My mom, my niece Sarabeth, and my sister Julie and her girls will get together at my mom’s house and Skype with us also.

Sew, Sew, Stitch your Toe

Wow, it’s been too long since I’ve written!  The Fourth of July is past, and Cassandra’s baby shower is coming up!

On Saturday before the fourth, Brian and I worked concessions for the city’s Fourth of July event.  It was fun because we were done by 8:30 and got to watch the concert and the fireworks.  It was such a fun date and we ended up making money instead of spending money on tickets!  I discovered that the event is much more fun when I am not wondering if I got my money’s worth.  Ha ha.

Monday, the Fourth, was planned and perfectly carried out by Brian, the ultimate Fourth of July afficionado.  First we went to the good old neighborhood breakfast at the church pavilion.  Next we braved the parade.  You may think it’s almost impossible to find a spot to watch the parade without camping out the night before.  Well, it is almost impossible, but not for Brian.  He dropped us off near the end of the parade and drove off to Timbuktu to find a parking space.  We walked toward the beginning of the parade and Brian walked towards us.  Walking the parade is a great way to watch it.  Exercise and a show!  After meeting up with Brian and about half way through, we found a likely spot and stood and watched the rest.  Matt, Miriam, Katrina, and Thomas were with Brian and me.

 After the parade we went to the arts tents.  Katrina bought a bracelet with her name on it.  She collects personalized items, which is unfortunate with a name like Katrina.  Because of the Hurricane Katrina, there aren’t many items with that name out there. We also all got Snowies.  Then we went to the colonial festival thingy.  We learned how to make rag rugs, saw a guy with a foot-powered lathe, ate yummy food, and saw patriotic documents.  It was fun—my favorite part of the Fourth of July celebration.  At night, we were at home, but could see tons of fireworks in the air.

Well, the week after that is a blur.  Let’s see… Miriam and Katrina went to Youth Conference and Thomas went camping later in the week.  Brian worked at the laundry a lot.  Matt worked at the water park.  I started the sewing marathon for Cassandra’s shower which continues to this day.  I am sewing her crib bedding.  The only thing completely done is the bed sheet, and the shower is on the 20^th!  Yes, I’m stressed.

This week, Katrina is at EFY a couple of hours away, and Thomas is at a leadership conference because he is on next year’s student council.  Kat will be gone for a week, but Thom will be back Wed.  Mir and Matt are working and Jon got his bass guitar up and running, so he is making lots of noise.  Brian is teaching this week.  For me, it’s sew, sew, stitch your toe, all the way to Mexico.  Which reminds me, Brian and I are going on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera this fall.  Yay!  J

Petrified Banana

Thomas couldn't find his wallet, so he hunted all over his messy dresser.  He still didn't find it, but he did find this banana.  I really should make him eat it...

Petrified Banana, Yum!

Washing the Dishes

It all started Sunday when Brian asked his Sunday school class if they have ever done something that was hard to do, but that was worth it.  One of the kids mentioned how much they hate washing a mountain of dishes, but how good they feel when it's done.  That answer got me thinking about what my kids are missing, not having dishes to wash.  Growing up, our dish washing sink was the venue for our silliest sibling moments and some of our most epic fights.  I mourned for my kids who are missing all of that!

Well, it just so happens that awhile ago, our dishwasher broke.  Brian bought a new one and started to put it in last night, but the dumb thing required a certain part that was not included with the dishwasher.  How ridiculous is that?  Anyway, he couldn't get a part right then because Home Depot was closed.  Blah blah blah.  The point is, that this morning we had, "TA DA."  a big pile of dishes; the perfect opportunity to put my kids to work.  

Matt washed, I rinsed, and Katrina and Thomas dried and put away.  Although Matt wasn't impressed, I thought it was a joy to witness Katrina and Thomas arguing good naturedly and snapping at each other with damp towels.  When all the dishes were done, only two had been broken, and no one had sustained any injuries.  We cleaned up the rest of the kitchen and then Katrina and Thomas headed outside together.  Outside.  Together.  We're talking teenagers, here.  I had witnessed a miracle whose vehicle was a broken dishwasher.  You know, Brian's having a hard time putting in that new dishwasher.  Maybe I should tell him to forget it...

Jon's Madlibs Birthday

The other day was Utant’s birthday and he is 5 years old.  Today we are having tofurky and badger steak in celebration.  Jonathan has been busy slithering our femurs with his hip hop o potamus gun, messing up our outhouse with his intriguing knives, and getting Billy Joe Armstrong in trouble with fireworks.   Everyone will be here to tear today including Captain Geech, The Shrimp Shack Shooters, Dell Paxton, Spartacus, The Bass Player, and Ms. Edmonds  In addition to that, he got a brothel from Gordon Spalden and from Dr. Leo Marvin and Bob Wiley. 

Yesterday Harriet Tubman and I took Chad to lunch at Santaquin where we had a green time talking our faces with tons of rhymnacerouses.   Jonathan’s birthday gifts so far include money from me and Mr. Deeds, a light switch and Armageddon  from Jaques Cousteu, and a pre war colt national match government model pistol  gun and caps from Chef Boyardee. 

If we could give  Cookie Monster anything in the world, King DDD would insure that he would have enough shovels to go as far as he wants in college and a shuffle board.  Marth would give him whatever large guitar and rotund equipment he wanted and can openers for life.  Roy would give him all of his wishes except one so he would always have someone to launch for.  Thomas would give him a new rocket.  Justin Beiber would give him the sixth sick sheik’s sick sheep, and Marci Nagwell would give him annoyance and hearbreak.

Jonathan's Real Birthday

The other day, it was Jontathan’s birthday and he is 21 years old.  Today we are having cake and ice cream in celebration.  Jonathan has been busy hurting our ears with his cap gun, messing up our shed with his throwing knives, and getting Thomas in trouble with fireworks.  Ha ha. Everyone will be here to celebrate today including Brian, Matthew, Miriam, Katrina, Thomas, and me.  In addition to that, he got a card from his Grandma and from Cassandra and Emerson. 

Yesterday Brian and I took Jonathan to lunch at Braza Express where we had a fun time stuffing our faces with tons of meat.   Jonathan’s birthday gifts so far include money from me and Brian, fireworks and jerky from Thomas, and a cap gun and caps from Katrina. 

If we could give Jonathan anything in the world, Brian would insure that he would have enough money to go as far as he wants in college and a car.  Katrina would give him whatever bass guitar and high tech equipment he wanted and lessons for life.  Matthew would give him all of his wishes except one so he would always have someone to strive for.  Thomas would give him a new family.  Miriam would give him a wife, and I would give him happiness and peace.