Catching Up--This Weekend

I haven't posted for a little while because, as is typical for this time of year, things have been nuts. I hope to have some serious down time this weekend to catch everyone up on the multiple goings-on of our family. In the meantime, here's a pretty picture to look at. John shot this photo of waxwings in our blossoming apple trees in our backyard.



Will be back soon!

Visit with the Michael Clawson family

Tonight the planets aligned and schedules meshed in such a way to we were finally able to visit with Michael and his family (Pri, Robby and Gabe) up in Salt Lake. It was great to spend a couple of hours talking and laughing with them. They are getting ready to head back to Kansas City for a bit and then are making the leap to Brazil for, well, a while.

They are staying at their grandfather's condo. Griffin, after taking a tour, said, "Wow, this is a really nice hotel! Do they have drinking fountains here?" I pointed out to him that this is like a house and not a hotel. Michael added, "The room service is pretty slow. I asked for a cheesecake three weeks ago and it still hasn't shown up!" Pri was kind enough to then get Griffin a drink of water. But just as Griffin is want to do, he came in a few minutes later and said, "I knew there was a drinking fountain somewhere." He took me outside the door and found a water fountain out in the hall. He is nothing if not determined. I don't know if we ever did impress upon him that it wasn't a hotel.

I love having the chance to visit with my family. They make me smile and laugh and just feel at home. Our best wishes go with you!

Spring in Utah, Part 2

When you compare the weather in Utah day to day, it's the biggest roller coaster you've ever been on. For example, the same scene, two days apart:

The crab apple tree

The rose bushes

The front of the house

You certainly do get to experience all four seasons here, sometimes all in the same week! Shovels one day, the lawn mower the next.

Can't wait for tomorrow!

Spring in Utah

When I got up at 5 this morning to let out a dog we are "sitting," I was shocked to find this outside.


I told John that I was shocked to see over a foot of snow, to which he replied, "Are you meaning literally or figuratively?" I was sad to say, "Literally, over a foot!" As I left for work, I made sure to take some pictures along the way.

Our crab apple tree

Our neighbor's tree

The trees down Orem Boulevard. Every one had snapped, looking like this:

The damage to trees was significant. This was the heaviest snow I've ever seen (prime packing snow according to Maggie). By 5:00 pm, it was 50 degrees and the snow was melting. (Glad I didn't even touch a shovel.) It's supposed to be 72 degrees on Saturday. The weather here is really nuts.

PS: Ian continues to do really well through his recovery. Still not swollen or bruised, although he did say today that it hurts to smile.

Ian's Wisdom Teeth Come Out

When I think back to when I had my wisdom teeth removed, I think about not only having four teeth removed, but a frenectomy as well (removal of skin at the front of my mouth). I was living with roomates in Provo, Utah. The boy I liked stopped by a day or so after the surgery and I was unrecognizable. I couldn't eat or drink for several days because not only were my cheeks swollen, but the front of my mouth was as well. I didn't get up off the couch for a good five days.

Yesterday we went in to the oral surgeon's office, filled out some paperwork, received some instructions, and then Ian was taken back. I had planned on at least 45 minutes until he was in recovery, and then another 45 minutes in recovery. Maybe 15 minutes after he was taken back, I was called to the recovery room. Here he is.

He had posted on his Facebook page a couple hours later that he felt like Bob Marley. His cousin, Claire, was quick to correct that maybe he was thinking of Jacob Marley. In his somewhat dazed state, he had combined Bob Cratchit and Jacob Marley to form a completely different person. Ya, man!

His recovery has been miraculous. I checked on him this morning and he was fine. He's had some ibuprofen and takes an antibiotic, but nothing more than that. Here he is this afternoon. There's minor swelling but you don't see it unless he smiles. (Disregard the flower petals coming out of his head. I just had him stand in front of my closet door which has a two or three year old Mother's Day picture from Griffin taped to it.)

I hope it's this easy for everyone else!

Easter Weekend

Saturday morning started with setting up the annual RMMG's (my employer) Easter egg hunt for their clients and families. With over 10,000 filled eggs and hundreds of toys and gifts, hundreds of people converged at the Scera Park. I was to help with the 10-12 year old hunt (which really means caging the beasts until the horn sounds). Here's what it looked like from my vantage point.

But those are the easy hunts. After the under-18 groups are done, all the adults gather for the men's and women's races. These are nuts. In fact, even the partners of the company won't be in the middle for these. I was determined to get pictures of the coveted grand prize being snatched. This year it was a stuffed hippo from Madagascar. Here's what it looks like before the women's race.

Did I mention it was raining? Add that and the typical cool Utah temperatures to the mix. We had probably half of the usual number of people show up because of the weather. I came home to an already-cleaned bathroom and a hot shower. I changed out of my wet clothes and sat for a few minutes before getting ready for our own family egg hunt. We've made it so that the kids hide the eggs for each other. Ian always finds the most obscure places for eggs, so Maggie had the challenge this year of finding where he hid them. She did a good job, even though it took a while to find them.

Griffin hiding eggs for Ellie

Ellie finding the eggs

One of the eggs Ellie hid for Griffin.

This egg took a while for Griffin to find. Even with John pointing at it, he would look right past it.

Maggie starts her search...

...and fills her basket.

Ian searches throughout the room. Most of his eggs were tucked in
and around family (and pet) members.

Happy Easter to everyone!

Maggie found her wedding cake

I took Maggie to Magelby's restaurant to get a piece of their cake. It's known as the award winning cake (not exactly sure which awards it has won) and should be fantastic, but I really can't stand it. (I'll give you all a minute to compose yourselves; I'm sure you're stunned by the fact that there's a chocolate behemoth of a cake that I don't like. It's a Texas Sheet Cake recipe which I have never liked, just not chocolaty/fudgy enough for me.)

While we were waiting for our piece to go, she saw this one and decided that this was what she wanted for her wedding. I guess that gives Cherise and I plenty of time to plan it out! (But it won't be a Texas Sheet Cake! If I have to make it, I want it to be good to eat!)

For Your Viewing Pleasure

View and discuss.

Ellie's performance at the school-wide talent show

Ellie and her group were selected to perform in front of the school as part of Art Week. The performance was essentially the same, but here a couple of photographs. They aren't fantastic because I was still taping it (just in case).