out with the old, ring in the new

What better way to welcome the new year than by (finally) replacing the leaping elk towel bar?

Happy New Year, all!

it seemed like a good idea

Me (at 6 p.m., after a full day's work and day that required me to get up at 4:45 this morning): "Let's go to Taco Bell/Pizza Hut for dinner. Sarah, we can use the coupons you got from school for reading to get two free Personal Pan pizzas."

Sarah: "But I really want tacos instead."

Me (after a small moment's pause): "Okay, John can have both pizzas and I'll buy you some tacos." That will hardly cost a thing--and it will be worth it because it will be really quick, allowing me to get down to the basement sooner to start the sewing night shift.

Cut to drive-through at Taco Bell/Pizza Hut.

Me: "I'd like three tacos and two Personal Pan pizzas--"

Sarah (interrupting): "Can I have a root beer?"

Me: "--and a root beer, please. I have coupons for the pizzas."

Fast Food Attendant: "We're out of root beer. And my manager says we don't take those coupons."

Me: "Oh."

John (from the back seat): "Don't forget I have Mutual tonight, Mom, and it starts in less than an hour. Can I have a Baja Blast with my pizza?"

Me (eying the lineup of cars behind me): "Make that one pizza combo, two drinks, and three tacos. Wait--" (throwing caution to the wind) "--add a medium Diet Pepsi, please." Maybe that will help me make it through the night shift.

Fast Food Attendant: "Okay, that will be $12.72. And we're out of bread sticks. Can you wait for seven minutes?"

Me (weighing the pros and cons of waiting vs. leaving without the bread sticks): "Sure, I guess we can wait a few minutes."

Fast Food Attendant: "Just pull around to the front and I'll bring them out."

Cut to parking lot, fifteen minutes later.

Me (falling asleep in the driver's seat while John and Sarah eat pizza and tacos respectively): "John, why don't you go in and check the progress of those *%^@!&! bread sticks!"

Another ten minutes pass.

Me (upon seeing John finally emerge from the restaurant): "Finally!" I'll bet they gave him a few extra to compensate for our interminable wait. "Did they give you any extra?"

John: "No. They forgot about us."

Me: "Good grief." I shouldn't have changed into my lounging clothes before leaving--I totally could have worked it to get some extra bread sticks. Oh, but I forgot, my feet were killing me and I was going for ultimate comfort, and I really just want to get home and start sewing.

Home, at last. Kids have already eaten.

Me (relishing the fact that I at least have some of my favorite salad in the fridge to have for dinner--and the fact that I finally have a moment to sit and relax): "John, are you ready for Mutual? It will be time to go soon. Sarah--you'd better get started on your homework."

Sarah (with enthusiasm--apparently bolstered by her nutritious taco meal): "Can I play you the recorder song we learned today in Music? It has CD accompaniment to go with it!"

Me (steeling my nerves and feigning enthusiasm for her musical suggestion): "That would be great, honey." *sigh*

even if I could afford to remodel my kitchen I would never hire this man

No custom countertop is worth such "hideous copy editing."

recognizing God's kindness

In a General Conference talk given by Henry B. Eyring in October 2007, he admonished us to reflect upon, recognize, and remember evidence of God's kindness in our everyday lives. I love this talk, especially in light of my word for 2009, and before I go to bed want to record His kindness shown to me today.

I've had a very busy day, leaving the house shortly after 8 a.m. to go to the high school to measure the choir kids for musical costumes. After a couple of hours there, I ran home to pick up a set of plans needed at a jobsite (I work for a custom home builder), then picked up my mom and left for the construction site to deliver said plans. From there we went approximately 20 miles north for a slew of errands, stopping at Marshalls, Homegoods, Capabilities (a store with aids for the blind), Penneys, Lamps Plus, and Hobby Lobby. (Good thing my 82-year-old mother still has shopping stamina!)

I arrived home at 4:30 p.m., just in time to take the kids to their piano lessons, stopping at another store on my way home from dropping them off to make a quick return. After preparing, eating, and cleaning up dinner (by this time about 8:30 p.m.) I ran over to my friend Paula's house (nearby) to borrow a tool needed for framing pictures. We chatted for over an hour (so fun, as we haven't done this for a while) and when I got in my car to leave at 10:15 p.m. it wouldn't start. Would. Not. Start.

I tried the Wiggling-Wire-Trick that had worked for me previously in the parking lot of Sam's Club when my car had not started. I tried swearing at the car under my breath. I finally called Mark (who was already ready for bed) and I said a prayer that--if my car was going to die--please let it die a peaceful death at home, rather than behind my friend's car in her driveway.

Upon Mark's arrival, and with the help of Paula's handy husband--who used a broom handle to prod some contraption connected to the starter--my car started and I drove it home.

The hand of God, you ask? Think of all of the places my car might have died today, leaving my mom and me stranded far from home. Of all the stopping and starting my car did today, it gave out in the nearby driveway of a very dear friend with a very helpful husband. For this I am very grateful.

Guess I'd better look for an old broom to throw in the back of my car.

'tis the season!

Wow. Two weeks ago I was just getting home from PA and it was Mark's birthday. Fourteen days, three programs, two parties, one concert, our first big snow storm, and eight rolls of wrapping paper later, it's four days before Christmas and all I've posted about is my one very lovely and long-awaited nap.

So, lest I neglect to document the events of the season, here's a not-so-brief synopsis:

• December 10th: Relief Society Christmas party. Martissa, April, and I put together a program of stories and songs--about 50 minutes worth--that we performed for our ward's sisters. I love singing with these two because they can both read music and hold their own parts. It's so much fun to sing harmony!

Three divas, with our accompanist Julia.

• December 11th: Sarah's Fourth Grade Holiday Program. I bought Sarah a pretty Christmas dress that I found at Macy's in Pennsylvania, but it was too big. We squeezed in a trip to the local Macy's in the afternoon to exchange it. Even though we couldn't find the identical dress, we found another that we liked and Sarah wore it to her elementary school program that night. With her hair done in hot rollers and in her new dress, she was definitely the cutest one in the recorder ensemble! I enjoyed her program, even though the gym was full and I had to stand the entire time.

• December 12th: John's high school choir concert. This was a delightful evening--the best concert at WRHS since my favorite choir teacher left seven or eight years ago.
  

You know, I just don't get tired of seeing that boy in a tux! (Shown here with his friend Devin.)

• December 13th: Ward Christmas Party. I was on the committee for this one, so it took up large part of my day. We had a chili supper and program which I was again a part of (due to the fact that my mother was also on the planning committee). No photos of this event, which is just as well, as the program is best left a memory.

• December 14th: Major snow storm blows into town! (Thankfully, after my car was unloaded from the previous night's party.) I talked Sarah and John into shoveling the driveway and walk after church--not their favorite task, to say the least.
  

• December 15th-20th: Power shopping to the max! My feet are eternally grateful for early Christmas present of new Dansko clogs. Lots of late-night wrapping.

• December 16th: After an early-morning stop at my parents' house to help my Dad upload the Christmas card photo I took the day before, I find that my car won't start. Will. Not. Start. Bad start to a long day. Their photo turned out cute, though.

• December 18th: Charlotte and Emily catch an early flight from SLC! Home for 2+ weeks!

• December 20th: BYU bowl game. Our friends, the Buehler's came over to watch (sad outcome for Cougar fans). We had enchiladas for dinner, and we all enjoyed playing with their darling one-year-old baby girl.

• December 21st: Christmas Sunday. I love the Sunday before Christmas! Today's Sacrament Meeting was especially meaningful to me because my parents were the speakers and Charlotte and Emily played a beautiful violin/piano duet. I was reminded that the real reason we celebrate Christmas has very little--if anything--to do with concerts, parties, shopping, or wrapping. I am so grateful for the birth of the Savior and for His love for me. I feel more motivated to reach out to others, to be more loving at home, and to drop the stress that so often accompanies the holiday season.

And I even managed to get our neighbor Nick to get this family photo before everyone changed out of their Sunday clothes!

Life is good.

over the river and through the woods

After a fun-filled holiday week with the girls at home and my brother and his family for Thanksgiving, I hastily packed and fly off to Pennsylvania to help Susan with Christmas set-ups for her wealthy interior design clients. I arrived in the City of Brotherly Love late Sunday night. Poor Susan and Fred had been driving all day in heavy traffic, returning from Jessie's house in North Carolina. As they pulled into the airport to pick me up, however, Fred's car--which had just had a new battery installed last week--died. Wouldn't move. Couldn't roll up the window. Made everyone behind him in the parking garage irritated and inclined to use lewd gestures.

It was 11 p.m. and we were stranded at the airport. This is our sad-airport-face picture.

Approximately three-and-a-half hours later we made it to Susan's house--she and I via taxi, and poor Fred with the tow-truck driver for whom he had waited three hours. Great start to a very busy week.

For a recap of our daily adventures, see Susan's blog. We're attempting to post about our decorating adventures, but thus far have been so exhausted every night that we fall into bed for our 4-5 hours of sleep with nary a moment to post.

Stay tuned.

Like Jill said. . .

"What the?. . ." This is what is going on directly outside of my house today:

Yes, that is my driveway. And this is the view from my kitchen window:

It's a good thing Mark has a four-wheel drive vehicle, as that four foot wall of dirt blocking the driveway could pose a problem in getting into the garage. Hmm. And tonight would be the night I've got the missionaries and my parents coming for dinner.