Happy Birthday, My Love!

Another birthday has come and gone this year for My Love-- my one and only true love-- my love of my life-- can you feel the love?  I love this man!!!

On my "Before-my-oldest-leaves-to-college-bucket-list" was the dream to attend a broadway show as a family.

So back in May, my husband called and said "I am standing in line for something.  I think I am about number 20."

I had just heard that morning that ticket sales for Wicked started that day.  Could it be…. is he telling me my dream is finally coming true???

"Yea?…. in line for what?" I asked.

"I wanted to surprise you and give you tickets to Wicked for your birthday next month, and then the performance is near my birtday, and I was thinking it could be both of our birthday presents…. but I need help picking out seats.  What do you think?"

Yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeee is what I think.  You are a genious and thank you very much for making my dreams come true.  That is just the kind of guy you are.  In the words of Glenda the good witch "I think you're wonderful."

He went ahead and bought the tickets then on my birthday he sent me and the girls on a little riddle and rhyme to figure out what they were… and now the time has come to pass and we enjoyed our evening together recently.  It was wonderful and amazing and it was worth every penny.  

And have you ever been to the Orpheum?  

 Oh my.  It is magical!

So magical that it at least got a half-smile from my youngest teen.  By the end of the show, the smile was much bigger.  This picture is when we are walking in and she still isn't sure about the show.

Built in the 1920's, there is so much character in every detail.  The giant chandelier and the seats and walls are so ornate.

The only picture we could take of the actual production.  This is what you see before it starts: a gigantic dragon and map to Oz.

Recenty, on the anniversary of the day of his hatching, since we had done the big celebrating a few days earlier, we had a quiet evening at home playing games and football and eating his favorite foods.  We had Australian Meat Pie and Trifle (favorite foods of his after living there for 2 years).  I also had close friends and family each send 5 words that described him, then I made a Wordie.

Have you ever heard of a Wordie?  It is a word "cloud".  It takes all the words and then it makes them into a cloud, the biggest words are the words that showed up the most, the smallest showed up the least.  So if 5 people used "good sense of humor" to describe him, and 2 people said "organized," good sense of humor would be the bigger word.  You can make your own wordie here: http://www.wordle.net/

Happy Birthday, Hon- it was a great day for a great guy!!!

Summer Recap-- Part 3

A friend of ours is in a water ski show, so Mike and the girls hopped on over there to watch (while I stayed home with a headache- boo hoo) on the 4th of July.

We dog sat like crazy this summer.  It was fun times for Daisy with her pals.  

While out west, we visited Temple Square.  I hand delivered the history of the book I made about their visit to the Twin Cities.  It was neat to see the Tabernacle offices.  

Of course, Temple Square was beautiful.  It was a very hot day, though.  We took refuge at the Lion House Inn for dinner, and at the new City Creek Mall which is really quite amazing. 

 While visiting BYU, we enjoyed the art museum.  These are originals of some very famous and amazing paintings- they are huge, which you can't really tell from the picture.

 In the sculpture garden at the museum.  So silly.

 We were in awe with the sky during this storm on the way to Idaho in the Black Foot area.  It was at sunset, so it made for a stunning show of lights.

 My girls can make anything fun…. this is what happens after being cooped up too long as you drive across the country.

 Just practing dance and flexibility.

And we end with a temple trip to Nauvoo, Illinois for the older kids at church.  They got to do a little service, learn some history, and attend the pageant.

I thought it was cute the girls wanted to reinactment from 3 years ago when just these 2 came for a camp to Nauvoo when they were 14.  They've grown up so much!  Still just as fun and silly, though!

Then:

Now (how funny that there hair is the same length as eachother in both pictures):

 And with that, I did it- I got the major summer memories down for the record books!  I can say that we had our dose of sun and fun and lots of smiles along the way.  It seemed there was never a dull moments.  We were blessed with visits with friends and family and several vacations, and lots of time for other things, too.

Summer Recap- Part 2- Girls's Camp

Every summer the girls go stay in tents for a week (this was the first time they tried cabin-tents).  They learn outdoor skills and first-aid, take hikes, do service projects, and cook over a campfire.  They have firesides and skits every night.  It is great fun and brings out the sillies in the girls.  They work hard, laugh hard, and cry hard, too!

Pictures that my youngest took.

 Pictures that my oldest took (she was a Youth Counselor Leader this year, so he helped run the camp, teach classes, etc.).  Can't you tell she is a very serious teacher???

 Sisters!!!!

 I have no words for this one….

 Hahaha… pranksters!