just when you thought I'd forgotten about Blogger

Never mind that it has been three months since my last post. Never mind that I don't even know where to start to "catch up" so I don't think I'll even try. Never mind that this summer passed in a blur more quickly than any other in recent memory. Never mind that I should be folding laundry right now. Just never mind a lot of things.

Here are a few random highlights from the past three months, in no particular order.

For those of you who follow me on Pinterest, I finally chose a dress pattern to make for my 30th high school reunion in June:

And speaking of my reunion, I had a great time spending time with my best high school buds (and our beautiful daughters) shown here at InTea, a way-cool tea shop owned and operated by my friend Carole:

We spent a number of summer evenings watching Sarah's team, the Mustangs, play softball.

We loved having Josh and Charlotte come over the Fourth of July weekend!

We love hiding stupid things around the house for each other to find, the latest of which is a creepy plastic lobster that John managed to sneak home from youth conference. You never know where that thing will turn up next!

Mark gave us a scare when re-lighting the pilot light on our dinosaur-aged furnace. A mild explosion left him with bad burns on his hand, a hairline 1/2" shorter, and little-to-no eyebrows. (This photo was taken after his hand had healed considerably.) Hooray for hot showers, though!

Participated in my first-ever graffiti mission (or perhaps I should say anti-graffiti), spraying over an obscene gesture that Emily and I found distasteful on a dumpster in our neighborhood. It just goes to show you that matte black spray paint isn't just for old lamps and picture frames.

I finally got around to defrosting my dinosaur-aged 2nd (garage) refrigerator freezer.

We ate numerous times at Senor Burrito, our favorite local Mexican spot, for dinner--courtesy of my Dad.

I loved having Emily home for the summer and was sad when it was time for her return to Provo. We had a fun trip together, though, in her new car (I flew home after a brief day-and-a-half stay).

Loved seeing Michelle!

I completed my mormon.org profile.

I cut my hair, working toward some sort of bob 'do (see another one of my Pinterest boards). A work in progress.

I took John to have his senior pictures taken (sorry--no link available; I'll post them after I purchase the copyright to the ones I like best). I'm still wondering how John can possibly be a senior in high school already.

And how is it that Sarah skipped the gawky seventh grade phase altogether? This is her first-day-of-school picture, as an official seventh grader:

And there you have it:  my (mostly) complete, and (somewhat) comprehensive review of Summer 2011. Here's to better blogging in the Fall. . . .

family milestone

Today was not just the last day of school for the year, but the end of an era for our family at Prospect Valley Elementary--the end of 17 continuous years as parents of children attending the school. I snagged this photo from the school's website, hence the grainy quality.

I wanted to make something for the teachers before the year ended to show my appreciation for the years they have spent teaching my children. And really, what says love more than a basketful of homemade cookies (Ranger and Quadruple Chocolate)?

Sarah's 6th Grade Continuation was held in the morning and lasted nearly two hours (about 45 minutes too long in my estimation). We were sitting too far back to get very good pictures, but I managed to hold my camera up high enough above the heads in the crowd to snap this one of her getting her certificate. I will not miss the ambiance of the cafeteria/gym that doubles as an auditorium.

Afterwards there was a reception on the front lawn, where I snapped a few photos. Sadly, Sarah was one of the few girls in the sixth grade who was not dressed like a sleazy cocktail waitress.

I cajoled John into coming along despite the fact that he was suffering from extreme fatigue, having been "kidnapped" at 3:30 a.m. by graduating seniors from his show choir as a deranged sort of "welcome" into the group (never mind that next year will be his third year in the group).

We made one last trip into Sarah's classroom to pick up her report card and to say goodbye to her teacher Miss Rutledge.

It cracked me up that Sarah had to rip open the envelope containing her report card the minute we walked outside of the classroom. I think she wanted to check to make sure that her assigned grade for next year really is the seventh.

Thankfully, any concerns were quickly assuaged.

While I can honestly say that I have had my fill of carnivals, field days, sock hops, homeroom parties--and I certainly will not miss the snarled morning and afternoon traffic--I nevertheless must confess to having a slight catch in my throat as we walked away from the school grounds for the last time, knowing that next Fall we won't be coming back.

Thanks, Prospect Valley, for being a constant in our family's life for the past 17 years. You've been good to us.

stop this train

It's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that nearly three weeks have passed since Charlotte's wedding day. We planned, shopped, cooked, and sewed--anticipating the event for so long (well, six months)--and suddenly it's over.

I loved every minute of Wedding Week. There is very little, if anything, I would change or do differently. Thanks in large measure to the generosity and kindness of so many good friends and dear family members, my daughter's wedding was everything I had dreamed it would be. And Charlotte herself was the most easy-going, easy-to-please bride you could ever hope to meet. The entire experience was everything a wedding should be, and for that I am grateful.

I felt initially overwhelmed at the thought of blogging about it all. But now that both Charlotte and Michelle have done such fantastic jobs of summarizing the event, I'll just link to their blogs and you'll get a great overall feel for the occasion. I'll use my blog to try to record my feelings as a first-time MoB.

First off, I simply must state the obvious and somewhat trite sentiment (though so, so real): it just doesn't seem that long ago that Charlotte was the little girl in this picture, dressed to match her younger sister Emily.

Wood family, circa 1995 (Photos by Karen Rubin)

Thankfully, we did change somewhat after this first official Wood family portrait taken in the early '90's. Denim shirt buttoned all the way to the top--fuchsia striped jumpsuit buttoned all the way up? What was I thinking?!

Wood family, circa 1992 (photo by Karen Rubin)

Somehow, you think that--once you have all your kids--it's like, Ta-dum! This is my family--this is how it will always be. Wood family, circa 1998 (Photo by Barbie Jarvis)

And for a while, it is. School milestones, birthdays, holidays and the like come and go in a rather comfortable, cyclical sort of way.

Wood family, circa 2000 (Photo by Paula Woellhaf)

Yes, hairstyles and clothing trends change along the way, but this is our family: four kids--three girls and a boy. My family will always be this way.

Wood family, circa 2004 (Photo by Paula Woellhaf)

And then, before you're even aware of what is happening, the milestones start getting bigger--graduation from high school, acceptance into college, graduation from college. And before you know it, your little girl in the plaid taffeta jumper is wearing high heels and falling in love.

And here's the thing: I wouldn't want it any other way. She has done everything in the right order--she has a fantastically bright future ahead with limitless possibilities. It's what I really want for her, and yet--just for a moment--I wish I could "Stop This Train, I want to get off and go home again."

Wood family, redefined, October 22, 2010 (photo by Michelle Olivier)

I guess it really is all about defining a new "normal." And, as John Mayer so aptly states, "Don't stop this train, don't for a minute change the place you're in." I wouldn't change a thing.

every mother crow

My mother used to say, "Every mother crow thinks her baby is blackest."

Well, I think I'm that mother crow now. After graduating from BYU last April, Charlotte spent the summer interning with LDS Church Magazines in Salt Lake City, working for The New Era (magazine for youth ages 12 - 18). Beginning this month with "A String of Good Examples," her articles will appear in the magazine through February or March of next year.

The internship was a great experience for her; she was able to implement some of her own ideas and was given real writing assignments--not just your typical intern-who-makes-the-copies stuff. I'm so proud of her and have become the overbearing mother who shows the magazine to any captive audience.

Look--her name is in the magazine's masthead!

Yes, I think my baby is blackest.