Family Reunion

After waiting ALL SUMMER we finally got to have our little family reunion.  When I say "little" I really do mean it.  There were only 12 of us.  There should have been 13, but Daughter #1's hubby had to work.  A few years ago The Mr. and I decided it would be fun to start having family reunions every other year with just our little family.  This year it was the Labour Day Weekend.

We rented a really cool two-story cabin overlooking the St. Mary's River.  Okay, it was really more like a house -- five bedrooms, three bathroooms.  Perfect for us!

My camera is on the fritz, so I wasn't able to get any pictures.  Thank goodness for Google.   I was able to find some very authentic representations of our reunion activities.

The cabin.

To make sure no one person got stuck in the kitchen, we made up a meal schedule with everyone helping out.  

                          

One evening was spent trying to crack open the pinata made by Daughter #1.  Considering it was the first one she ever made, I think she did a really good job.

 We had a couple of family movie nights.

The Mr. enjoyed his time fishing with the guys.  They were able to catch a few little fish.

He even taught the grandchildren to fish.

Daughter #2 organized the 2012 Family Olympics.  We were divided into four teams representing Canada, China, Russia and Australia.  Following in our footsteps of our 2010 Family Olympics, we try to keep it light and fun, downplaying any competitive nature.

Team Canada -- the winners!

We followed up the Olympics with some instructions from her husband on how to ride a quad.  It was even more fun than I expected it to be.

I was amazed at how quickly I caught on.

Son #1B planned an awesome evening of geocaching for us.

We played a few table games.

Tubing down the river was a big hit.

Son #1A put together an incredible treasure hunt for us.  

By Sunday those of us who were feeling well went to church.  

Unfortunately a few people had to stay home.

Monday Morning was check-out day.  In an effort to get back our deposit, we made sure the house was cleaned up before we left.  Here I am tackling one of the showers.

I left the easier job for Daughter #3.

We even tidied up the outside area.

Overall I'd say the reunion was a huge success.  We couldn't have been happier!

I'm really looking forward to the next one in 2014.

Dixie

Facebook

I have a love-hate relationship with facebook.  I love it because -- I'll be honest -- I enjoy stalking people.  I hate it because most of the time I just don't get it.

When a person's status says that they had a terrible night's sleep because they have a sore back, why do people press the "like" button?

Why would someone write "Only 3 more days!" and then never explain what that is supposed to mean?  I'm guessing that the majority of their 459 "friends" are just as clueless as I am.

And I just don't get it when someone writes to complain about how extremely busy they are.  I want to respond by telling them to get off the computer and get to work.

But of course I don't.  I don't say anything.  I just carry on with my stalking.

I decided I would try an experiment.  I would give up facebook for a week.  The first couple of days were tougher than I expected.  But after a week, when I had given myself permission to check back in, there really wasn't much of a pull.  Right now I could take it or leave it.  After all, it's mostly just a bunch of useless information.

Kind of like my blog.  =)

Dixie

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