Grandma Margaret's Art Work

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Catch up

Man, it's been a while. There's a ton I could talk about, and about a kazillion photos I want to show, but it's all been piling up worse than my dishes. Well actually, I've been really busy. Seriously. So let me just sum up.
We went to Aberdeen Idaho with Allan's family for a family reunion. It really was a lot of fun. I mean, that family knows how to have a reunion. You name it, we did it. BESIDES the tiny little two hour episodes BOTH nights that woke everyone and their dogs and their neighbor's dogs AND their relatives' neigbor's dogs up, it was a rockin' good time.

Allan's bro David

Melissa

the beach really does take it out of you

And also you should know that I just finished sewing my cousin Laura's wedding dress. Yep, that's right--her wedding dress. Didn't know I had it in me? Me neither. Of course I can't show you pictures of it just yet just in case that sneaky fiance of hers might take a peeky. And also it would ruin the general razzle dazzle of the day if everyone (or everyone who reads my blog) has already seen the beautiful bride in her beautiful dress. I will say this: it is gggggorgeous, and Laura looks ssssssssssmokin' in it. (Stuttering for emphasis). So look forward to those photos. For now you'll have to be satisfied with our (prize winning) paper dress that we (Eirene, Shauna, Marseille and I) created at her bridal shower. Marseille was our beautiful model--note her lovely girlish figure! I would show you the lingerie I made Laura too, but unfortunately, I couldn't get her to model it;)
This summer Eirene and I have both been in charge of several reading programs at the library, and I finished my last one this past week. It really was so much fun, but I'm SOOOO glad it's over. I spent WAY too much time making this puppet for a puppet-show we did.


We also had a little baby shower for Eirene on Saturday. Instead of playing games, we had a bit of a crafternoon. We had all the supplies and pre-made templates to make some pretty amazing aplique clothing. Check out these handsome little numbers:



As far as our little family goes, Jos and I have been having a super time. When I say super, I mean, super-fun-and-frustrating. I had that first "I must be doing something really wrong" moment today in Sacrament meeting when she threw a huge, FAT tantrum in the foyer. In my same line-of-view was another baby that was born within a month or so of Josie, and as my child screamed and kicked and writhed about, this little girl just sat there playing with her little cheerios like a perfect angel. I wanted to punch her. Who? The perfect angel, or Josie? Everyone. Ok, ok, not really. But the more personality she gets, and the more capable she gets, the funner it is, but also the more difficult it is to deal with the FLIP side of personality and capability if you know what I mean.

We went to the park last night, and it was a dream. She LOVED it. She's a really into the park scene lately, my Joe. She really digs all those slidy, swingy, tunnely sort of things. And I think having her Poppy there just made it ten times funner. Anyway, as I carried her back to the car, she slowly went in for a long and juicy kiss. And then she leaned over to give Allan one too. And then, she sweetly nuzzled her little head into my shoulder. It was like she was saying thank you in so many words. Touch my heart why don't you. I LIVE for little moments like that.

Can you tell I hi-lighted my hair? Nope, not really in this photo...

Ok, so I had to put in these fellows. They provided a LOT of quality entertainment for us. What a treasure, right?
Well, on that note, see you soon:)

Lopsided and lamenting...

Timmy: "It's history."
Tommy: "It's history."
Timmy: "Kiss it good bye."
Tommy: "Kiss it--"
Timmy: "Shut up, Tommy."
"It's gone, man. Gone."

Ever heard of "phasing out"? My friend Haley, back when she was single and dating a different guy every three weeks, used the term "phasing out" to describe the process of giving someone the boot. She would start picking up their calls a little less the first day, maybe not respond to their texts the next, and from thereafter the broken-up-with would slowly clue in to the status of the fizzled relationship without the drama of "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

Josie's phasing me out, man. At first it was just mild distraction during feedings; we were still cool, right? I didn't suspect any real danger. Eventually distraction just turned into diversion--I knew she wasn't serious when she started giving me fatties instead of sucking. Diversion quickly turned into disinterest, and from there, disgust. It's gotten to the point where I pop it out, and she immediately gives me an emphatic "No!" with a condescending shake of the head. She's like "are you kidding me, Mom? Seriously. I'm so done with that whole scene." I feel like an old shoe tossed aside and forgotten.
This morning I timidly and nonchalantly got ready for her, playing like I didn't remember that she had moved on without me. If I acted like it was still protocol, maybe so would she, right? To my surprise, she humored me. I played it cool, trying not to turn her off with my over-eagerness. It took her about three minutes to realize that not only was this whole nursing business just overrated, but too much work now to make it worth her time. She pushed away, without another look back. I calmly encouraged her to take the other side. Nope. I whined. Nope. I pleaded. Not a chance. She only gave a look that said, "This isn't my problem anymore, Mom." Way to leave me hanging, Jos--well, at least the one side.
Isn't this supposed to happen the other way around?! Don't Moms typically do all the phasing out?? Sure, I know it's time. True, at least we had a good thirteen months. But contrary to everyone I talk to, I'm not ready! I miss her needing me, and I miss our special time together. I know I should be eager to ween her....but I'm just not, okay?
So this morning, I'm feeling a little heartsick. And also unbalanced.

My passion

A couple years ago I realized that what I'm really passionate about isn't necessarily music, or dance, or sewing, or art or whatever, it's the act of expressing. I love to express. Myself. To create something unique, and call it me. I love to identify myself with something beautiful. So music is a medium I'm passionate about, because music moves you. Everyone can connect to a song. We've all heard a song at one point in our life that either changed us, or marked a moment, or even carried us. Or maybe even just pumped us up---made a good time, a great time. A song can help us identify our emotions, which so often are so hard to make sense of...when we hear a song...sometimes...it's like, that's it. Yeah. That's how I feel. Right there. Like when you're in love---or more often in my single life---lonely. Who hasn't heard that U2 ballad and been so depressed that we relished wallowing in our pathetic loneliness. Mmmm. Can't beat that.
Now dancing is all that, but...more. Dancing is music and movement together. And that's why it calls to me---beckons me, if you will.... because it is full body expressing, at it's height. It's everything you've got exploding in that leap and that song and that story. And it moves me.

I watched So You Think You Can Dance tonight. I realize by giving you the background of my musings, I run the risk of making it sound very trite. Alright, fine. Yeah, it's a tv show. But watching all that talent and art (choreography and dancing is such a beautiful form of art) it makes me pretty nostalgic. Nostalgic? Is that it? I don't know...romantic? Dreamy? Musing? Makes we want to write poetry? Or something like that. I know that may not make sense, but it probably does.

Sometimes when I'm driving or cleaning I imagine the songs I would sing on American Idol, and think of how Simon would really dig my creative arrangement and soul. Or I hear a song and choreograph a piece in my head that would win the respect of Mia Michaels. And I think I could do it, too. Yeah, you know...I could do it.

The Sweet (and Sticky) Ones

The Birthday Cake

The Free-for-All

The Triplets

The Nomad

Taking care of our needs, one graham cracker at a time.

She is screaming. It's early...maybe 7:00 am? She usually doesn't stir before 8:00. Dad-nabbit, I think. What's the deal? I groggily stumble out of bed to grab her, and find her standing in the corner of the crib in frustration. I notice that she's got a real dirty face. Huh. You need a bath, baby. When I pick her up, I realize that dirty isn't the best way to describe her. It's more...crumby. I rub my eyes. What I then discover is she is standing in a small mountain of graham cracker crumbs. Huh?! Why the crap is there a huge pile of graham cracker crumbs in her crib?!
Fast forward a couple of hours.
Allan strolls through the door an hour before church. "Hey Babe?" I inquire, "Why was Joe wallowing in graham cracker crumbs this morning?" "She was hungry. I just tossed some in before I left for my meetings." Oh. Of course.
She was hungry.

Happy Father's Day.

And ps. If you're wondering if she went to church with that 'do, the answer is no.
It was a whole lot worse.

NEW! Sort of...

You'll be thrilled to know that I reupholstered this couch! Many of you know that I've been pining for a new couch, and a few of you also know that I have set my cap at re-upholstering one. Well, the opportunity just came, and I seized it. My friend Trine's brother (I think?) gave her this couch, which she then very generously passed on to me. It was comfy, and a nice style, but really really really...not white anymore. Well, anyhow--now it's green. What do you think???



P.S. Stay tuned for Josie's birthday pics and other family treasures!