Catch Up

I haven't been a great blogger lately, and I really don't have a good excuse.  So for now, I'm just quickly posting a few pictures from July:

1)  Happy Anniversary!

Our anniversary fell on a Monday this year, so The Mr. took the day off work so we could be together.  The plan was to go for a dinner (lunch?) cruise on the River Queen.  Sadly, we discovered it does not run on Mondays, so we opted to spend the day at Fort Edmonton Park.  I've always loved this place, and it was a lot of fun to just take everything in at a leisurely pace. 

The Mr. was getting ideas on how to organize his tools in the garage.   =)

Wow!  Pleasantly surprised by the Capitol Theatre.

Tossed in the slammer!

Writing on my slate in the one-room school house.

Up close.

2)  Daughter #2 came to visit with her children.

Always love spending time with her. . .

and them.

3)  My trip to Idaho to pick up Daughter #3

Oh, how I've missed this girl!  

My only sister drove up from Utah to hang out with us for a few days.

What a fun weekend - shopping, eating, shopping, eating...

While I was away, The Mr. spent his time doing this:

It's been a pretty relaxing summer so far.  The weather seems to alternate between extremely hot and thundershowers.  So that means lots of weeds and mosquitos.  I won't be showing any pictures of them.

Dixie

Practically Perfect in Every Way

On Friday night The Mr. and I and our three youngest children went out for supper -- great food and super nice server -- and then attended the  Broadway Across Canada production of "Mary Poppins".  LOVED IT!!  The sets(!!), the singing and acting, the costumes, the choreography -- everything about it was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

I actually can't think of a more enjoyable way to spend a Friday night:

          Family.    
          Food.
          Musical Theatre.

It was "Practically Perfect in Every Way".

Dixie

This Week in Review

A collage of thoughts from my otherwise boring week:

• The Mr. and I showed up to church in a different ward to attend the blessing of our nephew and niece's sweet little baby boy.  Apparently the event was postponed, but we never got the memo.  I hoped this idea of showing up for events that aren't happening (see last post) will not become a habit.
• I sat behind a cute young couple in that same ward -- obviously very newly-wed -- and watched with embarrassment as they gazed into one another's eye's for EXTREMELY long periods of time without moving.  I couldn't help but wonder a few things:  1)  What were they looking at?  2)  How much longer could they possibly keep it up?  3)  Would the first person to blink be declared the loser?  
• I observed with sadness the actions of a controlling mother swearing at her child repeatedly, and offered a silent prayed for that child to be okay.  I wondered about the things that I might have done to make my own children feel worthless, and hoped that wasn't the case.  I then gave thanks for my own mother who, although not perfect, always made me feel loved.
• While attending the temple, I found the perfect girl for Son #1A to marry.  Okay, he'd need to actually date her first.  But she seemed perfect for him.  She had the looks and mannerisms that I knew he would love.  I memorized her name tag, and had already formulated my plan to come home and stalk her on facebook.  When I mentioned this to The Mr., he informed me that she was already married.  I wished she had've been wearing her wedding ring so I could've saved myself a lot of disappointment.  
• While in someone else's home I noticed a Christmas wreath still hanging on a closet door, apparently forgotten.  I wondered how many things there were in my house that have been there way too long.  I remembered the binder on the floor of the family room that has been there for the past month, and decided I need to take a walk around my house to see what else has taken up permanent residence without my realizing it.
• The Mr. and I attended the Street Performer's Festival last night.  Some of the performer's really struggled to get any kind of appreciation, while others had the audience eating out of their hands. I wondered what made the difference and discovered that, in general, the ones who did a lot of talking - trying too hard to be funny -- were not as well received as the ones who either didn't talk or spoke a whole lot less and just kept the action rolling.  Regardless, I came to the conclusion that I'm grateful I don't have to make a living that way.  
• For the past couple of Saturdays, The Mr. and I have put together two storage sheds, and a huge tool chest.  Today The Mr. is trying to get organized, and make some sense of the garage.  I'm hoping he wants to do it by himself, and lets me do something a little more "girly".  I don't know what that is exactly, but I know it doesn't involve power tools.

Dixie

Can You Say "Embarrassing"?

The Mr. and I -- along with several other people -- were invited to a going away party for some friends.   The invitation said it would have a western theme, asking everyone to dress in western clothes and bring a snack to share.  

I whipped up a large batch  of quiches to take (with compliments to Costco's frozen foods department), put on a plaid shirt, and grabbed a cowboy hat from my costume room.  The Mr. did a little better as he is now the proud owner of his very own cowboy boots and snap-button shirt.  When we arrived, we only saw a couple of vehicles and figured we might be one of the first to arrive.

As we got out of the car, the man of the house came around the corner from the back yard carrying a broom.  He was in his shorts and bare-chested.  (He apparently didn't get the memo to dress western.)  I asked him if we were a little early.  He replied, "Yeah, by about a day."

I felt like the biggest idiot.  All dressed up and no place to go.  So, nothing to do but come home and hang up my plaid shirt so it will be wrinkle-free for tomorrow.

I think I'll purposely show up a little late tomorrow night.

Dixie

  Son #1B graduated from University! 



The Mr. and I are pretty proud of him.  (And he looked so cute in that cap and gown.)  Here are a few pictures of the fun:

Yay!!

The preferred spot for picture-taking.  (Each graduate was

allotted about 15 seconds to accommodate the line-up.)

With Mom and Dad and twin brother - #1A.

The second most popular picture-taking spot -- 20 seconds.

Striking that trendy "over the shoulder" pose.

And the obligatory "thumbs-up" pose.

If Swanee had been there, she would have made sure

that I was wearing the cap at a "jaunty angle".

With the proof.

The first two cap tosses being swept away by the wind,

#1B decided a slightly gentler toss 

would make a little more sense for the picture.

We're sure happy for him.  Now if anyone has a job to offer him.......

Dixie

Catching Up

Because of my lack of blog posts the past while, it would probably appear that I haven't done anything worth mentioning.  That would be a lie.  The truth is.....I'm a SLACKER!  So, in an effort to catch up, I'm going to include a few pictures of some of the things that have kept us on the road.


 1)  OUR FIRST TRIP TO HAWAII

Obviously kinda breezy that day.

 At The Polynesian Cultural Center -- my favorite part of the trip!

The Mr. cracking open some nuts at a Macadamia Nut Farm.

Even the church we attended was gorgeous!

The changing of the guards before 

the opening of...... a farmer's market??

I always wondered what had become of the Invisible Man.

2)  EASTER WEEKEND

Our first grandchild's baptism.

 Is it wrong to admit that the whole time I was wondering 

howI could get my hands on one of those jumpsuits
and turn it into an Elvis Presley costume?

How cute are these four?

Reading the clues to find their Easter baskets.

Success!

3)  MY NEPHEW'S WEDDING

 The bride and groom.

Sons 1A and 1B were asked to be the emcees. 

My cute -- albeit blurry -- nieces.

 The groomsmen -- my nephew is on the right.

Parents of the Groom.

1)  VISITING DAUGHTER #3 IN IDAHO

Just one of the fun places we ate.

(How I could resist?)

Complete with a jukebox located at every vinyl booth!

 In an effort to fit in with the theme,
 we made sure to order root beer floats.

After finding out we were from Canada,

and at the conclusion of our temple session,

 they let us take a self guided tour of all three floors! 

So that's where we've travelled the last couple of months.  And although we saw and did many other things on these trips, this is what I happened to get pictures of.  Some day I'm hoping to do better at taking pictures.  I hope.

Dixie

Thoughts on Mother's Day

This is the first Mother's Day since my mom passed away, and I'm feeling a little extra melancholy today.  I sure miss her!  I've written about her in the past, but usually in a bit of a joking manner.  She was, after all, a very funny person.  She appreciated a good story -- even if it meant being told at her own expense.

Before her death, my brother and I were appointed as executors of her will.  Since that time, a lot of our focus has been on getting her physical assets distributed, and her financial assets freed up.  Along with a few other things, I was lucky enough to inherit a large selection of costumes.  They are beautiful old-fashioned dresses, hats and bustles -- all of them homemade.  I love every piece!  As nice as that is to have a physical inheritance from her, I'm even more appreciative that I've inherited her love of musical theatre.  It's brought me SO much joy over the years.  THANKS MOM!

I also wanted to spend a few minutes thanking my children for the opportunity to be their mom.  What a wonderful gift!

Daughter #1 -- Thanks for letting me "learn" on you.  I've heard it said that first children deserve a medal for having to put up with all of their parents' parenting mistakes.  You've certainly done your share of putting up.  I admire your strong work ethic and your love of learning, two things that I'm trying harder lately to emulate.  And thanks, too, for sharing your off-beat funny sense of humor with us.

Daughter #2 -- Even at a very young age, you've had the ability to be a good friend.  Your kind and generous heart draws others to you, and your determined efforts to sustain and strengthen those relationships, has always been an example to me.  Your love of nature and the outdoors -- not to mention your willingness to be seen in a plaid redneck coat -- is inspiring (if not a little baffling!)

Son #1A -- By a mere two minutes, you are our oldest son, but for some reason I always put your name second when referring to you and your brother.  That's not really fair is it?  I'll try to do better.  I want to thank you for being so helpful.  You always seem to know just what needs to be done, and start doing it, before I even have to ask.  I see this same thoughtfulness carry over to other people and projects you're involved with.  Thanks, too, for sharing your creative musical talents with us.  They have brought me so much joy!

Son #1B -- (Who from now on will be referred to second when linked with your brother -- just kidding!)  Although you've never enjoyed school, I'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who does as well at it as you do.  To quote Westley from The Princess Bride, "Truly you have a dizzying intellect."  I've always admired your hard work and diligence in the many extra-curricular pursuits you've been involved with, even when it seemed you were working alone sometimes.

Daughter #3 -- Right from the beginning you've exhibited a peaceful spirit which has been a real blessing to our family.  You will probably never know how much that has meant to me over the years.  I also want to thank you for your great example in your efforts to strengthen your faith.  You have always been spiritually mature beyond your years.  It's been a pleasure watching you grow up!

I love these kids!  Who aren't really kids anymore.  But to me they'll always be my kids.  And I'm so grateful to always be their mom.

Happy Mother's Day!

Dixie

Crazy Busy

Crazy and busy!  That's how I would describe my life these past several weeks.

It all started when I realized I had probably gotten a little overzealous in my plans for the Showbiz Kids' year-end show.  But can you blame me?  After all, those kids came into my classes back in September with such enthusiasm and talent that I just kept thinking of more fun songs to put into the program.

About one month before the big day, it started to dawn on me just how much work this was going to entail:

                  27 children x 42 songs = a whole lot of costumes, props, scenery, and confusion!

My sewing machine has become a permanent fixture at my kitchen table.  So has a complete assortment of thread, elastic, velcro, pins, and fabric.  Every spare area in my house had piles of costumes, props and painted cardboard scenery.  Fortunately The Mr. has been very patient.

The past five days were especially tough.  However, with help from some of the moms, Sons 1A and 1B, and 27 confused (albeit enthusiastic) children, we were able to pull off an extremely difficult production to an appreciative crowd.

Last night, as I watched the kids on stage, I was reminded again how much I love doing this.  It makes all the "Crazy Busy" worth it.

I was once told by Daughter #3 that I probably had five good years left in me.  That was five years ago.  I've decided to prove her wrong!

Dixie

Missing in Action

Like a lot of people, I put pictures of people I love on my fridge. Since our extended family has gotten so big, we don't all fit on the fridge anymore. So I've had to put everyone into an album.

Everyone except my grandchildren. I still keep them on the fridge, 'cause I love to look at their cute little faces every day. Since there are only the three pictures, it's easy for me to memorize every little detail:

• Daughter #1's two little boys sitting back to back with their stylish sweaters, hands on their knees, and cute smiles.
• Daughter #2's little girl with the adorable Valentine headband and holding her hand out with a real heart-shaped sucker hole-punched into the picture. (I know we were supposed to eat the suckers, but they looked so cute, we've purposely left them in.)
• Daughter #2's little boy wearing the shark t-shirt, and also holding out his hand with a real heart-shaped...........Wait A Minute!!

I swear that sucker was there this morning. Who took it? The only people in my house were 14 adorable Showbiz Kids. Hmmm?!?

Dixie

It's Not Fair!

The other day The Mr. went to the doctor for his annual physical. After reviewing the results of his blood work, the doctor informed him that his blood sugar levels were low. Apparently this was the cause of his fatigue during the day. He came home quite excited about the prescription the doctor gave him..........A chocolate bar every afternoon!

At MY last doctor's appointment, my blood work also indicated there was a cause for my fatigue, and I was also given a prescription..........stomach-wrenching iron pills!

Now I ask you, "Where's the justice in that?"

And as if that's not bad enough, I even caught him pouring CHOCOLATE milk over his cereal!

I think I'm going to demand a second opinion.

Dixie

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage...

WHO: The Bride and Groom

WHAT: A Wedding

WHERE: Cardston Alberta Temple

WHEN: Saturday, March 3rd

WHY: Because they're in love

Wishing this cute couple all the best!

Dixie

Deletions and Dreams

Okay, let me first say that I didn't PURPOSELY delete from my blog the list of blogs that I follow. But somehow they got deleted. And try as I might to get them back up there, I'm not succeeding. I don't know if it's my computer or my stupidity. I'm banking on the latter. In the meantime, don't be offended it your name doesn't appear for awhile. I'm working on it!

And now, onto another concern. Recurring dreams. Specifically my recurring dreams.

For many years I've had the same two dreams over and over again. The first involves me losing my teeth -- slowly, one by one, until I only have a couple left. I'm left with a feeling of complete hopelessness.

The second, and I have to say, this one disturbs me even more, is where I'm looking for a public washroom. The only ones I can seem to find are ones that are overflowing, disgustingly dirty, or they don't have a door on them. After searching for a suitable one with no luck, I opt for an out-of-the-way stall with no door thinking I can finish up before anyone sees me. I quickly find out that the stall I'm in is actually in some VERY public place and I find myself in a rather embarrassing situation with everyone watching me.

Now if these aren't disconcerting enough, I've recently added another dream to the repertoire. In these I'm just going about my regular activities when I "remember" that I have a dog (and in one case a baby) and that I had forgotten all about feeding them or taking care of them for two weeks -- it's always two weeks -- and I feel terrible that I could totally forget about being responsible for them.

I really would like to know why I keep having these same dreams over and over again. I asked The Mr. if he ever has recurring dreams. His reply: "Not really."

Is this a common thing?

Does anyone else experience this?

What do they mean?

Why do I keep having them?

I could really use a chat with Joseph (and his amazing technicolor dream coat) right about now.

Dixie

Shrek-cellent

Yesterday we celebrated "Family Day" here in Alberta. Sons 1A and 1B suggested that we attend an interactive screening of Shrek. I have never done anything like that before, but I LOVED it!

Since the guys had been to one of these events before, they came equipped with crowns, swords and kazoos. But for those of us who didn't, we could select something at the door to help get us in the mood. I chose a lovely purple tiara. When we entered the theatre we were handed a program of what we were expected to do once the movie started.

Once we took our seats we quickly folded paper airplanes and made confetti from the scrap paper they gave us. And then the fun began: Cheering for the good guys, booing and hissing the bad guys, making kissing noises in the romantic parts, singing along with the songs, and of course throwing confetti at the wedding.

It was so Junior High -- and SO MUCH FUN! You are actually expected to say and do the first thing that pops into your head. How could that not be fun?

Dixie

Easy to Draw, Hard to Spell

Has anyone out there ever lived in Saskatchewan? Can anyone spell it?

Many years ago The Mr. and I spent 11 years in Saskatchewan, living in 3 different cities. I suppose that was the pre-requisite we needed to get an invite to a "Saskatchewan or Bust" party by these two cool cats:

The party was tons of fun. We played "Jeopardy" with Saskatchewan-themed categories, ate food that reminded us of Saskatchewan, and reminisced and joked about people, places, tv shows, and catch-phrases that reminded us of Saskatchewan. Here are a few of the things that came up that made me smile:

1. Mount Black Strap -- a man-made mountain, turning an old garbage dump into a ski hill. You've gotta give them props for thinking outside the box.
2. Scramble Corner -- an intersection in downtown Saskatoon where all the traffic is stopped at the same time, and the pedestrians can "scramble" whichever direction they want.
3. The Great Sand Hills -- if you drive far enough down a gravelled country road, in the middle of nowhere, you will come upon humongous sand dunes that are perfect for sliding down on pieces of cardboard.
4. Population 1,000,000 -- In 1982 the locals were thrilled to discover their province had reached one million people. That number steadily decreased until just a few years ago when Saskatchewan once again reached a million people.
5. Vi-Co -- a brand of chocolate milk introduced in the 1950's. It became so popular that no one ever referred to it as "chocolate milk". It was always "Vi-Co".
6. "Size Small" -- a children's tv show produced in Saskatoon featuring "Miss Helen" and her two teenage/adult (?) children.
7. Saskatchewan sayings -- as if the locals were trying to defend any criticism pointed toward their province.

• "Saskatchewan's not THAT flat!"
• "Yeah, but it's a dry kind of cold."
• "It's easy to draw, but hard to spell"

Notice the saying on my friend's shirt?

The party has gotten me thinking about our years spent in that wonderful province. We met wonderful people who were hard-working, friendly and down-to-earth. We had wonderful experiences including going to Law School, serving in various leadership positions in our church, and the birth of our last four children. I was able to get to know many relatives with whom I would otherwise have probably lost contact had I not lived there. I'm so grateful for my time spent there.

So, for anyone who dares, feel free to take this short trivia quiz about Saskatchewan (answers located in the comments section).

1. Which of the following first names is NOT a town in Saskatchewan: Bruno, Denzil, Ebenezer, Gerald, Kendal, Robert, Scott?
2. Name two Saskatchewan towns that have the same name as a body part.
3. How many times has Queen Elizabeth visited Saskatchewan?
4. Where was our family living when the Queen visited our children's elementary school?
5. Which city has underground tunnels that were used by smugglers and gangsters in the late 1800's?

I'd love to hear about your favorite Saskatchewan moments.

Dixie

What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor?

A few days ago The Mr. woke up and was surprised to discover that the room was spinning around. After a few hours of dizziness and stumbling around the house, he asked me to drive him to the doctor. There he was informed that he had an inner ear condition affecting his balance.

The kind that can't be healed with medication.

The kind that lasts anywhere from a week to a month.

The kind where you have to be driven everywhere you want to go.

By the time we left the doctor's office, he was feeling worse than ever. The tests the doctor had performed on him had left him feeling dizzy, weak and nauseas. He could hardly stand up without tipping over, so I had to help him walk to the car. He was holding my hand trying to look casual, but his balance was so off, that he was kinda pulling on me and making me stagger as well. To the casual observer, I'm sure we appeared more like two drunken sailors.

Once home, I became his nursemaid helping him every time he needed to change locations in the house. I often would have to ask him where he was headed, because his head was facing one way, but his body was leaning the other. As we stumbled around the house hand in hand we started giggling realizing that this is probably how we're gonna be when we get elderly.

And that's when it dawned on me:

Those elderly couples who we see holding hands and we think, "Aren't they cute? Still in love after all these years." Well, love has nothing to do with it. They're just keeping each other from tipping over!"

They're still kinda cute though, right? And probably still in love.

With a Corn Cob Pipe and a Button Nose....

A few days ago I was pulling out of the parking lot at Superstore. I happened to notice a car two spots over with a snowman buckled in the front seat. It made me laugh right out loud.

"What kind of a funny person would even think of doing that? I love it!"

I thought it would be fun to take a picture of it, but just as I was pulling out my camera, another car pulled in between us, obstructing my view, so I never got the picture.

I never really gave it another thought until just this morning when I went visiting teaching. As my partner and I pulled into our friend's yard I saw the very same car - with the very same snowman - parked beside me.

I should have known. The car belongs to Daughter #3's good friend. Who else? That kid is a riot!

The Concert-Goer

Last night I went to a Jim Cuddy concert. The two tickets were a Christmas gift from The Mr. so I figured I better take him with me. ;)

As I was mulling over the thought of going to a concert -- especially one that we knew nothing about -- it made me smile. It seems to be a pattern for me. Let me preface this by first saying that I have rarely been to a concert in my life. As I reflected on this matter, I could only count five. But not one single one of them was attended because I loved their music and could hardly wait to see them in concert. They all had different reasons..........

TROOPER (1978 - Lethbridge - 16 years old) I had just broken up with my boyfriend and heard through the grapevine that he was already moving on and taking a date to this concert. So I did what any sensible girl would do..... I bought a ticket and went to a concert I didn't have any desire to see. I'm really not sure why I went. Maybe I was trying to prove that I had also moved on with my life and wasn't sitting at home pining over him. Or maybe I was secretly wanting to spy on him.

AIR SUPPLY (1981 - Lethbridge) I was getting ready for work one morning with the radio on. The deejay announced that the 10th caller would win two tickets to Air Supply's concert. I was right beside the phone so I gave it a try. I WON!! At this same time, The Mr. (who I was engaged to at the time) heard this on the radio in his car on his way to work. He was pretty excited seeing as that would be one more date idea. That wouldn't cost him a cent.

HAGOOD HARDY (circa 1989 - Kindersley, Sask.) As the newest member of the Arts Council (not to mention the poorest), I felt pressured to purchase tickets to at least one show during the year. We were a small town with a small budget, so the only name on the performers roster that sounded remotely familiar was Hagood Hardy. (Is anyone out there old enough to remember "The Homecoming"?)

FAITH HILL & TIM MCGRAW (2007 - Edmonton) My sister-in-law who lives six hours away was coming to Edmonton for this concert with a group of women. They had some extra tickets, and she wanted to know if I wanted to go. I didn't know any of Tim's songs and only one of Faith's, but the promise of spending a few hours with my fun sister-in-law sounded pretty good. So I plunked down big bucks for some performers I knew nothing about.

JIM CUDDY (2012 - Edmonton) We aren't what you call Jim Cuddy fans. (In fact I didn't even know what he looked like until last night.) I had heard his voice a couple of times on the radio, however, and commented that I thought he had a really cool-sounding voice. So The Mr. surprised me with the tickets for Christmas.

(As you can tell by the empty seats behind us, we got there a little early.)

Last night's concert was actually really enjoyable. We may have to do that sort of thing more often. Truthfully, though, I'm pretty sure I prefer to spend my ticket money on musical theatre. Now there's a whole other blog post!

Dixie

Goal Setting and Record Keeping

Tonight I attended our ward's Relief Society meeting at the church. The theme was "Project Life". One woman first spoke to us about goal setting -- evaluating, planning, acting, reporting, re-evaluating, etc. It was so motivational for me!

Even though it's a new year, and traditionally we all make New Year's resolutions, prior to this evening I hadn't really given it too much thought. I knew I wanted to dejunk my house and start eating healthy again, but I hadn't really looked past that. But now that I've made some progress in those areas, I feel like I can move on to other things. Things that will be a blessing in my life, and my family member's lives.

The next two women talked about their experiences in journalling and record-keeping (Project Life). The scrapbooks they have kept were fantastic! And even though I know that's not the way I will do it, I do want to make a better effort at keeping a record of my life. Again, I'm hoping that this record will be a blessing to our family.

One of the girls quoted from Bob Dylan: "If you want to keep your memories, you first have to live them." That statement really resonated with me -- I felt like it combined both ideas of goal setting and record keeping. I came away feeling blessed with great ideas and impressions. And I'm feeling empowered.

Here's to an amazing 2012!

Dixie