And The Winner Is...

Okay, so a while back I promised to post the winner of Daughter #3's graduation dress shopping spree. I realize the picture's not great, but it just happened to be the only shot we got of her that showed the entire dress, from head to toe. What you can't really see from the picture is the tiny little flowers tucked into her Taylor Swift-style bun. Nonetheless, I think she made a great choice.

Here are a few other pictures from the day:

Overall, a very fun day, but........how can she possibly be old enough to be graduating from High School?

15 Minutes of Fame

Just a few minutes ago I was checking in on one of my favorite blogs -- catalogliving.net -- when I saw something that caught my eye. Off to the side, in the area where it shows a few people who "like" this website on facebook, was a picture of Daughter #1. The fact that she likes it wasn't surprising. The fact that out of the 26,046 people whose picture could have been there, hers just happened to be there when I was checking! Okay, that deserves even more emphasis. !!!!!!

I have to admit, I exited and entered the site a few more times in rapid succession to see if her picture would still be there. It was.... for just a few more minutes. And then just as quickly as she rose to fame, she vanished. Oh well, you know what they say. Everyone has their 15 minutes of fame.

I discovered that I also have been captured on the internet. While checking out google earth satellite maps one day, Son 1A found our town. Zooming in a little closer he found our street, then our house, then ........me! I was so excited to be famous. And I even looked pretty good. I was bent over the lawn mower filling it with gas. (I'm so glad I was caught doing something industrious, and not just lounging on a lawn chair eating bonbons.) But just now as I've been searching to find that same image, it's disappeared.

Oh well, you know what they say.

Dixie

The Resident Entertainer

I took a little drive this past week to visit my mom. Since I have last seen her, she has moved to a Senior's lodge. We used to call it "the old folks' home" but I suppose that's not politically correct anymore. Initially I was a little worried about her moving in there. I thought she'd be a little lonely, or missing her home, or whatever. Hah! She's loving it!

• While everyone else complains about the food, my mom thinks she's died and gone to heaven. No more meals to make.
• While everyone else misses their homes, mom's relieved she doesn't have a lawn to mow or sidewalks to shovel.
• While everyone else whines about their tiny living quarters, she's grateful she doesn't have very much to keep clean. And to top it off she gets maid service once a week!

So, her spirits are in pretty good shape. She's having a good time, and seems to have taken it upon herself to be the resident entertainer. She puts on musical programs and tells jokes about old people. The funniest thing, though, was her walker. At first glance it looks pretty normal.

But upon closer inspection.....

you will notice that the contents include:

1. one kleenex box (okay, so that's pretty reasonable)
2. one garbage bag (for the used kleenexes) taped to the handle bar
3. one bottle of multi-vitamins
4. one piano book of rag music
5. one tambourine
6. one set of maracas
7. two harmonicas
8. three kazoos
9. one wooden train whistle
10. one pint jar of Roger's Golden Syrup (in case they serve pancakes for breakfast)
11. one bottle of cinnamon (?)
12. one bar of Irish Spring soap (your guess is as good as mine)
13. one pair of sunglasses (perhaps to give a hint of "rock star" while playing the kazoo?)

I think she has every right to claim the title of "resident entertainer". I only hope the other people are laughing with her.

Dixie

Today

Today I am:

.....packing my suitcase with chips and salsa, games, strawberries, bananas, caramel popcorn, photo albums, chocolate (of course) and a couple of favorite movies. Oh, and a few clothes. I'm getting ready for a girls' weekend with my three daughters. We've never done this before, and I'm so excited about it!

.....trying to figure out how to arrange my Showbiz Kids classes for next year. I've had an unusually large number of registrants, so I need to make some adjustments to the class sizes and age divisions, and try to keep everyone happy. It's not proving to be too easy.

.....hoping that The Mr. can make it through the day. He's been sick for the past several days and having a hard time keeping up with everything. He needed to be out of town today for a long day of meetings, but he was up most of the night coughing, so didn't get much sleep. Hopefully, he can sleep on the plane. Hopefully his coughing won't stop others from sleeping on the plane!

.....making meals and doing laundry so The Mr. will be well taken care of in my absence. I think I should probably leave him something special while I'm away. Something just for him. Like maybe a package of cough drops.

Holding My Tongue

When I was a young mother, I thought it would be a good idea to buy a sewing machine and learn to sew. My first few disastrous attempts were so frustrating, that I found myself wanting to curse like a sailor! I decided maybe it would be a better idea to put the machine away until the kids were off to college.

That sewing machine has pretty much remained unused over the years -- until the past few weeks. I've been sewing like a maniac trying to create, repair, or alter a ZILLION costumes for my Showbiz Kids. My experience this time around wasn't much more successful than it was the first time. But, as long as the costumes were only viewed from a distance, they looked okay.

But now that it's over, I don't want to see that machine again for a loooooong time.

Dixie

Spring Break

Sixteen years ago we took our five children to Disneyland. It was a great trip, and we all have some fun memories. Everyone except Daughter #3. She was only a baby when we were there, so we always told her that we'd take her again sometime. Well, since she'll be graduating soon, we figured that we better follow through with our promise.

Yea! She finally made it!

Hanging out with the big guy.

The happiest place on earth!

She always knew she'd make it to Hollywood!

Checking out the stars.

This one's for Daughter #1.

Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum was amazing.

Life is like a box of chocolates.

Hangin' with my peeps.

The Hollywood Museum was great.

Unfortunately the "no flash photography" rule

once you went inside wasn't quite so great!

The Newport Beach Temple.

Chillaxin'

Legoland was incredible!

Everything is made out of lego except the car.

Oh, and the teenage daughter.

I gladly volunteered to be the one to take the picture.

San Diego Harbour Tour

Unknowingly getting burned to a crisp atop the third deck.

Getting outfitted for battle at the General Mercantile.

The Mormon Battalion Visitor's Center -- San Diego.

We finished off our trip by attending General Conference in Utah, which of course was wonderful. We also went graduation dress shopping while we were there. Here is a random sampling of some of the dresses Daughter #3 tried on. The winner won't be showcased for another two months.

The trip was so fun -- definitely worth the sixteen-year wait.

Somebody's Happy!

It's official -- she's been accepted!

Show Me a Sign

The sign in the store window said, "Spring has Arrived!" I wanted to march inside and ask the clerk if she could guarantee that, but decided against it. (I always feel obligated to buy something once I've engaged the clerk in small talk.)

Anyway, I hope somebody tells it to the completely white rabbit that ran in front of my car early this morning. And I hope the six-foot-high snow bank obstructing the view from my living room window also gets the memo.

Dixie

"She Doesn't Look Like an Axe Murderer"

The other day I was cruising the parking lot at Superstore trying to beat the other eight cars to a parking spot. Any parking spot. But apparently none were to be found. At one point I was stopped behind another waiting vehicle when a complete stranger -- a woman of about 60 -- knocked on my window. She didn't look crazy, so I rolled down my window to see what she wanted.

"I've looked everywhere and I can't find my car!", she said suspiciously. I wondered if she thought I had stolen it. There was an awkward pause while I waited for her to explain further. Then she finally added, "It's the coldest day of the year, and I'm freezing."

Catching her drift, I asked, "Oh, would you like to get in my car and I'll drive you around to look for it?"

"Yes, please." She ran around to the passenger door and hopped in.

It was at this point I wondered if I had made an unwise decision by allowing myself to be alone with a total stranger. I wondered if she was thinking the same thing.

We slowly drove up and down each aisle of the parking lot looking for her lost car. Nothing. So we circled back and looked again. I suggested she use the key fob to see if she could get her horn to honk so we could find it. Still nothing. Finally after about 10 minutes, I saw a car that fit the description and said, "I'll bet that's it, isn't it?"

"Oh, I could just kiss you!" she said enthusiastically. We both knew that was a bad idea. She quickly introduced herself as "Lorraine", jumped out of the car, thanked me again, and muttered something about her mother being worried.

I soon found a space to park, and went into the store. On my way in, I saw Lorraine getting out of her car, which was now parked right on the front sidewalk. I said "hi, again" to which she replied, "My 87-year-old mother's probably wondered what happened to me. If you see her in there, tell her she can come out now."

I walked into the store and saw an elderly woman and asked, "Are you Lorraine's mom?" She responded in the affirmative. After explaining the situation, she laughed and said, "That's my Lorrainey!"

Somehow I just knew that this wasn't the first time Lorraine had jumped in the car with a total stranger.

5:15

When The Mr. goes out of town for a few days, Daughter #3 and I go out for supper. Granted, most people call it "taste testing at Costco", but we've found a way to turn it into the full meal deal.

Here's the first thing you need to know: You need to enter Costco at 5:15. (Hint: If you want to appear that you're actually shopping, you should grab a shopping cart.) We casually make our way from table to table sampling the wares until we reach the end of the store. By that time it's about 5:30 -- and that's when the magic happens: Shift Change! Then we go back to the first table and start all over again. With a whole new line-up of taste test employees, no one's the wiser, and we get twice the amount of food. By the time we're done, we're pretty much filled up, and we've usually been able to get all the food groups. I used to feel obligated to make a small purchase while I was in the store, but I don't feel that way anymore. In fact I don't even grab a cart.

And I only feel slightly embarrassed.

Dixie

Tons-o-Fun

Recipe For a Fun Evening

Good food -- check

Hilarious games -- check

A handful of college-aged kids -- check

We haven't seen Santana since she was a cute little four-year-old, and now she's a cute (not so little) 21-year-old going to University here. She and her roommates, and one of their boyfriends, came for supper. Sons #1A and 1B also came.

All I can say is, "Ton's-o-Fun!"

Dixie

Getting Misty

For the past two weeks, Daughter #3 has been home from school because of semester-end exams. She actually spent a lot of time with me during her time off, and I loved it! We shopped, worked on a puzzle, shovelled snow, played card games, surfed you-tube, ate out, watched several old musicals (gotta love it!), and ate way too many tortilla chips with way too much salsa con queso. She just becomes more enjoyable all the time!

Yesterday she started a new semester -- her last one in high school. And I have to say, I'm a little sad. Her college plans for the fall will take her not only out of town, but out of the country. I'm getting misty just thinking about it!

I might have to console myself with some chips and salsa.

Dixie

A Few Flurries

For the pasts few days the weather report keeps calling for "a few flurries". To me that means light snow falling every now and then. Apparently the meteorologists and I have a very different understanding of that phrase. What they seem to mean by "a few flurries", I would interpret as enough snow to cause shovelling-induced heart attacks.

Does this look like "a few flurries" to you?

That snow blower that The Mr. has joked about all these years is looking better all the time!

Dixie

Ringing in the New Year

Another Year has come and gone, and our family welcomed in 2011 with what is becoming a bit of a tradition. A murder mystery. How could I not love this? It involves three of my favorite things -- food, family and costumes.

This year things were a little different than usual:

1) Daughter #2 and her Mr. Handsome Pants were not able to join us (sniff). We had to co-erce an innocent bystander to play a part to help us out. Thanks, Shawna for being a good sport!

2) We decided to make it a "gender bender" version. That means the girls acted out the men's parts, and vice versa. (I'm not sure I liked playing the part of man, but was it ever HILARIOUS watching Sons 1A and 1B playing Susanne Smythe and Madame Rosa respectively.)

Warning: These images are not for the faint of heart. Parents are strongly cautioned to safeguard their children.

Happy New Year!!

Dixie

A belated Christmas Present

So, we've been married over 29 years, and did something for the FIRST time. We bought ourselves a brand-new vehicle.

It's a Hyundai Santa Fe, and so far I'm loving it.

What I didn't love, however, was the price-dickering. I wish car dealerships would just put a price tag on their vehicles, and you either buy it or you don't -- just like any other store.

Now, if you have heard any bad things about this particular model, please don't let me know. I want to continue enjoying it as long as I can.

Dixie

While Visions of Sugar Plums Dance in My Head

Help! I can't quit eating!

The Mr. and I started out the month by doing a cleanse. After the cleanse I figured it would be easier to just keep eating well, and avoid sugar all together, instead of trying to pace myself with all the Christmas treats. Things were going really well, and I wasn't even missing the sugar.

I had told myself right from the beginning of the month that I would allow myself to have a piece of dessert on Christmas Eve, and then again on Christmas Day. But after that I'd go back to proper eating. Hah!!!

Once I tasted that first "forbidden fruit" I was hooked. It's as if I felt like since I'd been naughty once, I might as well keep it up. (I'm sure there's an analogy there somewhere!) One thing led to another:

Chocolates

Peanut Brittle

Shortbread

Caramel Popcorn

Fudge

It's like I've turned into my own Fat Booth picture.

Dixie

Ready for Christmas

"Are you ready for Christmas?" In the past couple of weeks I've been asked that question more times than I can count.

"Are you ready for Christmas?" What does that really mean? I assume it's supposed to mean, "Have you finished your Christmas shopping and baking?" If that's what is meant, then sadly I have to answer "no".

The past two evenings, however, have provided a different meaning:

• On Saturday night we attended our church Christmas party, where the cultural hall was perfectly decorated to resemble the ancient city of Bethlehem. Everyone came in biblical attire and participated in an open-air market, using pouches of gold to make our purchases. Later Mary and Joseph arrived to pay their taxes with the rest of us. Although they were not able to obtain lodging, they were told they could stay in the stable with the animals. There we witnessed Mary bring forth her first-born child, the Lord Jesus Christ. Music and narration was presented to retell the birth of our Saviour. Daughter #3 played the role of Mary, so it made it all the more special for me.
• On Sunday evening we attended our Stake Christmas concert. Although the choir selections were far from perfect, there was a sweet spirit that attended the performances and spoken word. It set the perfect tone for my Christmas celebrations.

Am I ready for Christmas? I am now.

Dixie

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Yesterday The Mr. and I attended a funeral for an elderly gentleman named Stan. Although we had seen him on a few occasions, we didn't really know him. Our attendance was meant to show support for his daughter, who we know through church.

Until the funeral, we had only known Stan to be a fragile senior with Alzheimer's. What a treat it was to learn more about him as the letters from his children were read aloud. We learned that Stan was a fun-loving man with a strong work ethic, positive parenting skills, and a love of nature, music and family. It felt right to be there.

There were a few things, however, that didn't feel right. Like the fact that so many people showed up in extremely casual clothing. Like the man seated in front of us who kept laughing obnoxiously loud at his own jokes. It seemed to me it would have been nicer to show more respect to Stan by dressing and acting a little more dignified. But I guess I shouldn't judge. Maybe Stan would have wanted it that way. In fact, I'm sure Stan is far more tolerant than I am.

But did that one person really have to clip their fingernails so loudly throughout the entire funeral service? I bet even Stan found that a little disgusting.

Dixie

Family

This past while my thoughts have been focused on my family. How much I love and appreciate them. How much I worry about them. How much I enjoy being with them, and miss them when they're not around. What a wonderful blessing to belong to a family!

Last week I was informed that my mom was taken to the hospital and not doing well. Of course I wanted to be there. Because she's my mom, and I love her.

So I hopped a plane, and Kim picked me up at the airport and chauffeured me the extra 45 minutes to the hospital. Because she's my sister-in-law and she's cool like that.

I was impressed to see the love and concern my brother and sister, and my grown daughters showed for my mom, although it wasn't really a surprise. Because that's what families do.

The Mr. and Daughter #3 arrived a few days later to check up on Mom. Later they took me with them to visit Daughter #2 and her family, as promised. What a fun time we had enjoying nature, playing games, visiting, and eating. Because those things are more fun when you have a family to do them with.

I loved practicing a song with my grandchildren on Saturday night, and then watching them sing in church (with the other children) the next day. It was especially fun to see them take their seats on the pew again, and then flash me a big "thumbs up". It warmed my heart. Because they're my grandchildren, and I love them.

I'm looking forward to Daughter #1 visiting with her children in four days. I can't wait to give them hugs and kisses and do fun things with them. Because that's what grandmas are good for.

Tonight Sons 1A and 1B called -- just to chat. Gotta love that! Because I miss them terribly since they moved out.

I love my family! What would I do without them? Because they're pretty much the only ones who read my blog :)

Dixie

Thirty-nine Years Ago...

Today I shed a tear of disappointment as I read the newspaper. David Cassidy was charged with a DUI in Florida.

What's become of David?

When did he go down hill?

How could he have changed his ways so quickly?

He was always such a nice wholesome young man.

Wait a minute. The newspaper just said that this "young man" was now 60 years old. Has it really been 39 years since he was making headlines as a teen idol? Has it really been 39 years since I called my first meeting as president of the fifth grade "David Cassidy Fan Club"?

I remember listening to one of his records over and over and over again in my bedroom. I'm sure my mom wished she would never have gotten it for me as a birthday gift. And how could anyone resist watching "The Partridge Family"? He was about the cutest thing I'd ever seen. While other girls were swooning over Donny Osmond and Michael Jackson (mere babies), I was interested in a more mature 21-year-old.

Okay, David, I'll forgive you this once, but don't let it ever happen again.

Dixie

Happy Halloween

Having decided years ago that she would never dress up as a princess, Daughter #3 broke her promise to herself this year and wore a Princess Leia costume to school on Friday. Okay, so not exactly your typical princess, but still a princess.

Later that night for the dance:

She apparently enjoyed dressing as a princess so much, that on the next night she dressed as Gwynnvere from Camelot. (Sorry, no picture.)

I, myself, have decided to opt out of Halloween this year. So, as a repellant to trick-or-treaters, I will be practicing my "Tap Dance Class" choreography in front of the open window.

Dixie

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Last week for my birthday, Daughter #3 presented me with a very unusual gift:

The 1974 Eaton's Fall and Winter catalog.

Wow -- did that ever bring back a lot of memories! I've had such fun perusing its pages this past week.

In the fall of 1974 I turned 13 years old. (Okay, I'll make it easy for you. I just turned 49.) I must have still been wearing children's sizes, because all the girls' outfits looked familiar to me, unlike the women's outfits. Even the young girl models seemed like old friends. My favorite girl was this one in the yellow shirt:

Doesn't she look like a fun girl? I use to imagine that she loved having fun in a natural and wholesome way, and that she and I would have been good friends if we knew each other. I always thought that the clothes she wore were the cutest, probably just because I liked her the most.

I never really cared for the girl with the blonde hair. She always seemed a little too "Cindy Brady"ish to me. I imagined she was terribly spoiled.

I don't remember ordering any of those particular outfits, but I do remember owning these exact same shoes. I have to admit, I still think they're kind of cute.

In the fall of 1974 I definitely remember thinking: "How cool are these guys?"

I may have still been wearing children's size clothing, but my tastes in mature men were clearly a little more developed!

Dixie

Really?

Yesterday while browsing the Halloween aisle at Walmart, I had only one thought: "What is this world coming to?"

Every costume for adult women was.....how do I say politely.....naughty. There was a naughty nurse, a naughty policewoman, a naughty Victorian woman, a naughty pirate, a naughty prisoner, several naughty fairy tale characters.... And the list goes on. Every single costume included fishnet stockings, stilettos, and a whole lot of cleavage. Really?

I wondered how the fishnet stockings would help a nurse perform her duties more effectively. Or how the high heels would help a policewoman to pursue a criminal more easily. And have they forgotten that a witch is supposed to have green skin, scraggly hair, and a wart on the end of her crooked nose?

And don't even get me started about Little Red Riding Hood. Something tells me her grandmother would roll over in her grave if she knew how Little Red was dressing these days.

Dixie

Tons O' Fun

So yesterday was Tuesday, and as I've said before, I love Tuesdays! That's the day I run my children's musical theatre class. I have another fun bunch of kids again this year:

• There's the girl who sings every song with so much facial expression I think she's going to burst.

• There's the girl who arrives early each week and follows me around giggling at everything I say.

• There's the boy who asks every week if I have a treat for the class, not really expecting it, but he knows that everyone expects him to ask, so he does.

• There's the girl who uses the bathroom twice each class... just to make sure she's getting her money's worth, I suppose.

• There's the other girl who once spent a total of 30 minutes in the bathroom, all the while assuring us she was fine. (I discovered later that she was just decorating her disposable drinking cup so it wouldn't get mixed up with the others.)

How could you not love these kids? Or this job?

Dixie

Spicing Things Up

I've decided my life is too boring. Too predictable.

Recently I've been talking to four different women who have told me the most fascinating details of their very recent lives. In some cases these stories have left me giggling uncontrollably, in others with my jaw hanging open in disbelief. I found myself almost resenting their riveting lives, wishing I had one of my own to tell about. I'll have to see what I can do to spice up my life.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm running late for my Nude Tap Dance class.

Dixie

The (Almost) Finished Product

So for those who care (mostly Daughters #1 and #2), here are a couple of pictures of our new backyard. Take particular note of the beautiful fence. The beautiful fence that The Mr. and I have slaved away on. For the past. three. months.

Okay, to be fair, we also recruited our kids to help out now and then. And, to be even more fair, the biggest change to our back yard is probably the work done by the landscaping crew. But that doesn't mean that I'm any less proud of the work I did on the fence.

It seems like it took FOREVER. With all the rain and the newly-acquired church responsibilities for The Mr., it's been a long, drawn-out process. But we are SO close to being finished that I can almost taste it!

I think the thing I'm looking forward to the most, is the opportunity to spend a date night with The Mr. that doesn't involve power tools.

Dixie

The Perfect Party Guest

The Mr. and I threw a little party the other day. It was a real casual affair -- potluck supper, games, and visiting. I was expecting 12 guests, so was a little surprised when one couple each brought a friend of their own. Normally I don't appreciate that kind of thing, but these particular guests weren't a bit of trouble. In fact they added quite a bit of fun to the party.

During supper they were very quiet -- we hardly knew they were there. Later as we were debating over the rules to a particular party game, one of these guests came to the rescue by providing a very detailed description of the exact way to play it. When the fun of the games died down, and we started visiting, both these guests had us laughing for the rest of the night. They shared their knowledge with us about all the current movies. All we had to do was mention a movie title, and they not only informed us when was the best time to leave, but EXACTLY how much time we had and what we would miss. Later they kept us in stitches as they showed us what all our friends would look like if they gained A LOT of weight.

"Who were these guests?" you ask. Well, I'll tell you. Or rather, show you.

The Mr. had a similar friend arrive by Fed Ex today. He's a happy boy.

Dixie

Too Funny

I love this. It's definitely worth watching. Maybe even twice.

Dixie

On A Mission

Lately I've been on a mission to purchase a dress. Nothing fancy. Nothing trendy. Just an all-purpose dress, with a bit of class, that I could wear to church. For the past few years I've been going the skirt route. In fact I have a black skirt that gets worn far more than any skirt deserves to be worn. I figured since dresses have made a comeback recently, it wouldn't be too hard to find something. What a laugh!

Too short, too tight, too revealing, too glitzy, too everything. But mostly too short. The dress designers all seem to be in cahoots rights now: "Let's make all our dresses the same length. You know that length that makes beautiful legs look even more beautiful, and ugly legs look even more ugly." Sadly my legs fall very definitively into the second group.

I, however, will not give up. I am on a mission and will not stop until I succeed!!

Dixie

Movin' Out

After several months of advance warning, I'm still having a hard time coming to grips with something: Sons 1A and 1B moved out! They found a cute little apartment in the city, packed their bags, and headed out. The nerve!

Well, the truth is, we've always told our kids that they shouldn't be hanging around the house for too long once they get to be young adults. (Somehow I've always felt that would stunt their social lives, not to mention our financial reserves!) But when the time actually came for them to go, it was a little harder than I anticipated.

Here's wishing them the best as they embark on this new phase in their lives!

(And boys, if you're reading this, please get a phone. I'm only prepared to cut the apron stings, not throw them away entirely!)

Dixie