Monday, June 6, 2011

Gifts

Whether it's teachers to thank, birthdays to celebrate or new babies to welcome, we've had plenty of reasons recently to give gifts to some pretty important people!  Here are a few of the things we've come up with:

We made this sign for Sterling's teacher.  She's big on kindness!

Soren's teacher is remodeling a home and his new kitchen has a retro look.  We came up with four designs for a set of glasses to fit the theme.

I also had the kids write thank you notes to their teachers because I think personal notes from the kids mean more to teachers than anything else:

This one was for one of Sadie's little friends:

Savannah had several little gifts for her friend (i.e., lipgloss, nail polish, chocolate, necklace, etc.)  so we used an idea I learned from a friend and was reminded of on a website recently. (Wish I could find the link!)  We took a large can of pineapple slices (any can with a tab top would work as long as you can get the bottom off), opened the bottom of the can with a can opener, emptied the fruit, cleaned out and decorated the can then filled it with the gifts and hot glued the bottom back on.  The bottom looks pretty messy, but we covered it up with a circle of matching paper.  The recipient just pulls back the tab to open the can and retrieve the gifts.  Super cute and fun!  (We tried to use colors to match her room in case she wanted to save the can.)

And finally, a personalized sign for a sweet new baby girl.  Her mom and I collaborated to come up with something just right.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Every 13 Years

Our first 13-year cicada - about 1.5"

This is it, the year of the 13-year cicada.  We've lived here for 11 years so this is our first experience with the little critters.  I've heard some folks around town saying how bad they are.  I just saw my first one in our yard on Sunday (pictured above), and haven't seen any since, so I wasn't sure what they've been talking about. One friend said she hates mowing around her trees because they drop off and fly out at her.  Another friend is worried for his garden because there are so many cicadas!  I've heard that the last time they were out (1998) the ground was so thick with them that there were some places you couldn't walk without stepping on them.  I'm not a bug fan by any stretch of the imagination, but cicadas are harmless (ugly, but harmless) and I've been anxious to see just what all the hype is about. 

Yesterday I found out. 

I was driving Savannah to the park to meet some friends.  We took the MINI with the top down and, even though we had the radio on sort of loud, the rattle of the cicadas far exceeded any noise from the radio.  It came in waves - really loud, low hum, really loud...  Jeff had mentioned a few days before that they seem to be attracted to certain trees and those trees are crawling with them.  On campus, there are places where the sidewalk is covered with them.  Jeff can hear them in his office with the window closed.   Yesterday afternoon, while driving Sam to a friend's house, a cicada flew right into my seat in the MINI and then proceeded to try to right himself by rattling around on the floor.  These are the things that accidents are made of.  I had to keep telling myself that it was harmless.  Once we arrived to drop Sam off, we could hear their neighborhood rattling like crazy.  I got out to see for myself and there were dozens of cicadas crawling in the grass beneath one of the trees.  Their shells were abandoned all over the trunk of the tree.  There were several live ones crawling through the leaves of the tree and I realized I wouldn't want to mow around that tree, either! 

When we arrived back home, the first thing I noticed was the silence.  No rattle.  No hum.  Just a few birds chirping and the rustle of leaves in the breeze.  Ahhhh.  Apparently we don't have the trees they are attracted to.  Apparently our neighbors don't either.  These 13-year cicadas are a pretty cool phenomenon, but I'm quite happy to observe them away from home.  Thank you, creepy little bugs, for preferring life on the other side of the tracks!

{We still get regular cicadas every year, usually later in the summer.  They are much bigger (2" or more) and they look a lot different (green and wide), but still harmless.  See below.}

Friday, June 3, 2011

Friday Funny

One year in autumn, the Indians asked their Chief if the winter was going to be cold or not.  The chief replied that the winter was going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect wood to be prepared.

To be on the safe side, the Chief called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is this winter going to be cold?"

The man on the phone responded, "This winter is going to be quite cold indeed."  So the Chief went back to tell his people to collect even more wood to be prepared.

A week later he called the National Weather Service again, "Is it going to be a very cold winter?"

"Yes," the man replied, "it’s going to be a very cold winter."  So the Chief went back to his people and ordered them to go and find every scrap of wood they could find.

Two weeks later he called the National Weather Service again: "Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?"

"Absolutely," the man replies. "The Indians are collecting wood like crazy!"

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Lunch

Have you ever seen a Venus Flytrap in action?  Spencer invited me to watch as he fed his Venus Flytrap the other day.  I was surprised at how quickly the Flytrap closed on its victim lunch!  Very cool!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

How Did This Happen?

Sam starts Driver's Ed today.  Wasn't he three, like, yesterday?!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Jimmer Effect

I was reading an article last week that said that, according to the Social Security Administration, the most popular baby names in 2010 (and 2009) were Jacob and Isabella.  This is being called the Twilight Effect because those are characters in the popular Twilight books.  However, Utah and Idaho don't follow this trend.  For whatever reason, the most popular names in those states were William and Olivia. 

When my sister-in-law recently learned that she is having a boy, she sent an e-mail to the family asking for name suggestions.  I sent her a few, some serious and some not-so-serious.  She wrote back saying she was surprised that Jimmer wasn't at the top of my list.  I laughed and joked that I figured that would go without saying. 

Just like the Twilight gang has a strange effect on people (thankfully I'm not among them), I've seen my share of people completely taken with Jimmer.  We definitely had Jimmer fever here!  So, when we learn the most popular baby names for 2011, I won't be a bit surprised if - at least for Utah and Idaho - Jimmer is on the list! 

Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day Memories

When I was six, my family moved from Salt Lake City to Sandy, Utah.  The move put my dad much closer to his job as the manager of a local cemetery.  Cemeteries were never scary places for me.  Sometimes we would go visit my dad at work and my sister and I would roller skate all around the little roads going through the grounds.  Once we even slept overnight because, in my recollection, there was some concern that someone might try to steal or play a prank on the body that was being kept there for a funeral the next day.  My dad brought the hot air popper and a small television and we had a great time. 

Memorial Day weekend was always fun because my sister and I would dress up in our Sunday best and serve punch and cookies to all the visitors.  While that weekend must have been quite difficult for some, what I remember is a lot of happy people visiting with us as we served them their refreshments.  Maybe we brightened their day just a little.  It's a good memory.

ca. 1978
{This photo was taken on Easter - aren't we lovely!? - but knowing me, I probably wore the same yellow crocheted dress that year to serve on Memorial Day.}

Saturday, May 28, 2011

For Your Listening Enjoyment, part 2

Sterling's violin recital was last night. He played "Fiddle Faddle," by Leroy Anderson and did a great job.  He's worked really hard!  Savannah accompanied him (she also accompanied five other students) and also did really well. Jeff wasn't quite ready with the camera when Sterling started so he missed the first few notes. Enjoy this fun piece!

Friday, May 27, 2011

For Your Listening Enjoyment

You'd really be better off to close your eyes for this one.

Savannah performed "Perfect" at her middle school talent show earlier this week.  She really did a great job and I'm anxious for you to hear her.  Be warned, however, that the obviously amateur video is horrid.  Seriously.  I was sitting in exactly the wrong spot.  I tried to move at the beginning to get the microphone stand out of her face, but all I managed to do was video everything but Savannah.  It does get better, but then you have a nice view of a trash can in the background for the rest of it.  Live and learn.  I hope you enjoy this anyway...



In other news, the kids' last day of school was today. There has been much rejoicing at our house. Yippee!! :)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

16 Years Ago Today

Jeff and I were married on May 26, 1995.  It was a rainy day, much like today.  We were both students at BYU at the time, Jeff had a year left on his Master's Degree and I was finally finishing up my Bachelor's.  Ever practical, we chose Memorial Day weekend so we would only miss one day of school.  We spent the weekend at his grandparents cabin near Sun Valley.

For a quick version of our engagement story, head over here

I'm missing Jeff today.  He flew to Washington DC this morning for a one day whirlwind trip.  He's presenting at a conference then he'll catch another plane and make it home around midnight. 

At Ricks College shortly after we first met - November 1988
Happy Anniversary, babe.  We've had some great adventures in 16 years.  I can't wait to see what the next 16 hold.  Love you.