Sisters, sister, there never were such devoted sisters...

So I thought that hanging 10 mirrors couldn't take THAT long.  Well, maybe not if they are all at eye level.  My sweet devoted Lys spent the good part of a day on her short visit to hang mirrors 15 feet up.  I love you, Lys!  (btw, if any other of my devoted sisters want to stop by, I've got few more projects on the list ;)

Sadly, but not surprisingly, this is only one of 2 pics I got of Alyssa on her visit.  And here I PROBABLY should have been holding the ladder...

We determined that it would be safer and more effective to first hang paper cutouts of the mirrors in order to locate places to drill.  Actually went more smoothly than I expected.

Saturday night we got last minute tickets to a family friendly murder mystery dinner and got put at a table up front.  Catherine was chosen to help announce the winners of the scavenger hunt.  And Alyssa was awesome doing the 'Chicken Dance'.

Here is Sean sharing one of the 'clues' with the audience.  As expected, he was a little bit of a ham and added to the humor of the evening.  And because I know you are wondering: the German did it with the cherry chocolate in the dining room.

 Out on a Sunday walk, Rin and Thomas tagged along on their bikes.  At one rocky waterfall area, the kids spotted a pretty large snake sunning itself (maybe baseball thickness).  After the initial freak out, it occurred to us to take a picture.  But by then the snake decided to take refuge under the rocks and so I only caught the very tip of his tail.  We had taken note of the markings, however, and (thankfully) the lack of a rattle.  After a few google searches at home, we determined it was a common Gopher Snake.  Yea for learning something new!  And yea for sisters!  I so enjoyed your visit, Lys!

Critisism

Why is it that we can be so hard on others?  Despite our own personal stuggles in life, we somehow often fail to recognize that others probably have unique but equally difficult struggles of their own.

You all know that I'm not a big facebooker as the anxiety of putting posts up for all to see is just too much for me.  However, I do still read on occasion. If you think that facebook is for only quick bantering, you haven't seen Spencer's page! I spent a good HOUR or more of my time the other day (thanks a lot, Spen ;)  reading his recent posts and the lengthy responses of other family members.  How grateful I am for my family (extended included) that can relate varying opinions with respect and the desire for understanding.

One of my favorite scriptures that I come to again and again is Proverbs 14:6
"A scorner seeketh wisdom and findeth it not; but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth"

Critisism never leads to increased light and progression, in my opinion.  It blinds the eyes and distorts the truth.  Only by approaching others with the desire to understand will bring us unity.  Are we not all children of the same God?  For all the diversity in the world, do we not all, in the end, just want to be loved, be accepted and be understood by those around us?







Okay.  With that said, what do y'all think of my new 'do?

Guess who...

Just passed her driving permit test!

What's with the tornadoes?

So I realize that we do live at the edge of Tornado Alley, but, really.  This is getting ridiculous.

The kids last week of school had three days of tornado sirens blazing, late releases because of tornado watches, work lock downs with everyone in the basement, crazy hail that was reeking havoc on my poor plants.  Several touch downs (but no big damage).  Brandon did, however, view some pretty strangely acting clouds from his office at work.

Closest one was today, though. After Sunday School some nasty hail started up and then everyones phones started going crazy with tornado watch notices.  We all gathered in the gym for the next 20 minutes until things calmed a little, at which time the Bishop cancelled the rest of church.  Apparently a twister had touched down at a golf course 6 miles away, turning a trailer and a golf cart holding 2 boys, one of which sustained injuries (not sure why they were outside in said golf cart...).

Anyhow.  Global warming?  More fun to come, I'm sure.

Girls Day Out

So what does a mom, 9 yr old, and a 15 yr old do when they have an afternoon to themselves?  In our house that included McDonald's (to appease the 9 yr old who NEVER gets to go anymore), 2nd and Charles (our favorite used bookstore), and the antiques market.

It is becoming our annual tradition on Father/Son ward campout weekend  to NOT go on the campout but rather to have the 3 boys and the 3 girls separate and do our own thing.  It works for us, anyhow.

Brandon and I have been to our little antiques mall a few times, but have never bought anything.  Apparently mom was in a spending mood, as this trip was a little more fruitful.  First pick: new (old) rolling pin with red wood handles...so cute!  This was because ever since Henry made a series of teeth marks 4 years back in our current rolling pin, Brandon says it is pretty disgusting to roll anything out with it.  Mind you it HAS been well washed ;)  Anyhow, this ones for you, love.

Second (and third) find: a sweet summer dress for Catherine.  The ladies at the market were sooo excited that this dress was going to sweet Catherine.  She had also looked at some butterfly pins with interest.  After we got out of the dressing room to try on the dress, one of the vendors excitedly called Catherine over to look at some more butterfly pins that she had found.  'And don't look at the price, dear, I'll make it work for you.' And she did.  Voluntarily slashing the marked price 60 percent so it was in Catherines $10 range.  Catherine picked out a set of two red butterfly pins, but when we went to the front to pay, the lady said she had found another that would match her dress even better...a gold necklace with 'diamonds' a little purple gem.  Catherine readily agreed and a switch was made.

Our $12 find

Fourth find: A necklace for Milla.  No pic, but it was more organic... beads/flowers and such, choker length.

Last find: for mom, an amber glass float that reminded me of the floats Gma and Gpa Clark had on their fireplace mantle.  Plus, I just have a thing for colored glass.  Mmmm.  So pretty.

Along with some singing in the car, which ofcourse, included a rendition of 'Doe a Deer', it was a good  time.  The boys seemed equally happy with pizza and Monster Mini-Golf.

Memorial Day

It's been a pleasant week.  One can tell that summer is near. 80 degree temps, warm winds, antsy children, pool swim on a week night.  Ahhh.  I can feel my blood pressure dropping already.  Less than a week 'til school is out!

Memorial Day was spent spent putting up 18 American flags with Milla who is getting pretty darn competent at wielding a sledgehammer (YW camp fundraiser), leveling a platform for and putting in a small shed in the backyard, swimming with the family, shopping for flowers with the girls, potting said flowers with the girls, attending a BBQ with a bunch of church friends, playing volleyball for the first time in ...hmmmm...many, many years (20?) at the BBQ (Brandon showed much more coordination, but I don't think that I completely embarrassed myself ;) , taking down 18 American flags and noticing that one home we passed had a flag up, I think red? that looks like two triangles put together.  I recognized it but couldn't remember what country it was from.  Anyone?

I always did love a working/playing day home with the family.

I finally got to wear my floppy hat!

My pretty girls creating their art

Compulsion

So, it has come to my attention lately that I may have a LITTLE bit of an obsessive/compulsive personality.  Hmm.  So what that while having this discussion with my sweetie, I was both tapping my foot and and knocking my thumb and middle finger together repetitively.   Or that every time I get into the car or sit anywhere really, my left ear itches and I have to immediately find someway to scratch it deep down.  (don't worry mom, I've quit the q-tip habit....bobby pins work much better!).  Or that after getting the idea of redesigning  the second tier of our backyard into my head yesterday, I woke up at 5 am in order to pace out my entire backyard so that I could accurately graph out the plans that were swimming around in my head.  Overhead plans and 3-D, mind you.

Maybe I am a little bit crazy.  But then, all the brilliant ones are, yah?  ;)