Topics of Conversation

Christmas Eve my family had a nice sit-down dinner after the kiddos had all gone to bed.  Hey, if Bryce wants to eat chicken nuggets on a plate with ketchup on Christmas Eve, that's fine.  But the grown-ups are eating turkey and potatoes later on.

The meal was so (uncharacteristically) structured for our family that we even made a list of topics we would NOT be discussing on Christmas Eve.  For example, I wasn't allowed to talk about how much I hate Verizon because they don't want to sell me an iPhone.  Dad wasn't allowed to talk about how the NCAA must sell all college basketball tickets to Stub Hub so that good, law-abiding citizens of the United States of America are not able to purchase seats at reasonable prices.  Tay wasn't allowed to ask people about their celebrity crushes in general or Hugh Jackman in particular.  (Although, if you want to guess who my celebrity crush is... check out the otherwise unrelated picture at the top of this post.)  You get the idea.

So it was interesting to me what topics DID come up at dinner, when we weren't allowed to fall back on our stand-bys.  Here is a list.

• The 10 Plagues of Egypt (water turned to blood, frogs, lice, flies, diseased livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, death of the firstborn)
• Morgan Freeman - has he ever won the Oscar?  (Yes, one win - for Million Dollar Baby- and five nominations.)
• Heinz 57 Sauce.  What's the 57 for?  (Heinz 57 Sauce is the 57th Heinz product.)
• Hours of the LDS Church History Museum (9 am to 9 pm)

It was actually a lot like the holiday dinner scene in "While You Were Sleeping" where we learn such interesting facts as that Ricky Ricardo was Cuban and that the mashed potatoes are so creamy.

The Phone Call

The other day I was talking to Tyler on the phone.  We were reviewing the highlights of the day, mostly what we'd eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Then I asked Tyler if he'd been to PE at school that day and he replied, "Traymes, I don't know what to say to you right now" and walked away from the phone.  Conversation over.

I guess it was a touchy subject?  Little punk.

My other favorite thing about talking on the phone with the nephews right now is that Bryce will quite often ask if he's talking to Michael Jackson.  I know he doesn't know who Michael Jackson even is, but he loves the reaction he gets when he asks if he can talk to him.

Thoughts On Pants

There’s been a lot of talk this week about women wearing pants to church. Apparently next Sunday was selected as “wear pants to church” day by a group of women in the LDS Church who are encouraging acts of civil disobedience to foster change. Then the event was cancelled after the organizers became subjects of personal attacks.

I don’t know a lot about “wear pants to church” day. I know I wasn’t planning on wearing pants on Sunday because I don’t have a lot of complaints about being a female member of the LDS Church. I don’t want to be the bishop and it doesn’t bother me one bit that my male counterparts have to attend “priesthood leadership meetings” that I am not invited to.

But let me say this. As a graduate student, it crossed my mind on more than one occasion that I was pretty darn lucky to be sitting in a university library wearing jeans at “my table,” studying for classes I was enrolled in. When I vote in an election, I always marvel that women have had the right to vote in the United States for less than 100 years. As an unmarried woman of a certain age, I am always grateful that I am able to sign a lease, purchase health insurance, buy a car and pay my utility bill in my own name. It’s never occurred to me that I WOULDN’T have the right to an education, a career, a family and a home… privileges for which I am indebted to generations of grandmothers, aunts, mothers and sisters before me.

Among those privileges, I do value my membership in the Church. Sometimes I complain when I “have” to put on a bathrobe and pillowcase for the ward Christmas party. Not everything we do makes sense. But in my experiences as a member, I have been listened to, been asked to teach and pray, and been depended on for service. I feel my worth as a daughter of God most strongly in the temple. I believe everyone should feel included and welcomed within the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I feel saddened that the simple idea of women wearing pants to church stirred up controversy and hatred. I will be at church at my LDS ward on Sunday and if you are wearing pants… or if you are gay… or if you just smoked a cigarette in the parking lot – you are welcome to come sit by me. I will save you a seat and I hope we can be friends.

Open Letter to Five Teenage Boys

Dear Young Men of the Bountiful 15th Ward:

Wednesday night you were leaving the church after a scouting activity.  When you walked by the gym, you noticed a Relief Society Christmas Dinner was just winding down.  You nominated a buddy to find "the lady in charge" and asked if you could start putting away the tables and chairs.  And when the answer was a grateful yes, you quietly came into the gym and started putting away 15 round tables, 3 long tables, and chairs for 120. 

We didn't know you, don't go to church with you, had never seen you before.  But you saw an opportunity to be helpful and you took it.  You didn't know we had spent the past 3 days making casseroles, cutting fruit, curling ribbon for jingle bell favors, and decorating tables.  We'd been up early, stayed out late, and now that The Big Event was over... the sight of those tables and chairs (along with the kitchen full of dirty casserole dishes) was making us want to cry.

So thank you for cleaning up the gym.  Thank you for doing it without being asked.  I thought for sure you were wanting to play basketball and that you'd be dribbling up a storm the second the tables were put away.  But you didn't.  When the gym was swept up, you left.  And that made your kindness all the more meaningful.  I hope you enjoyed the leftover chocolate cake we begged you to take.  But mostly I hope you know how wonderful you are.

Love,
The Party Planner/RS Activity Chair/Homemaking Leader of the Bountiful 7th Ward

Cute Girls

Oh Come All Ye Faithful

Love this picture that my sister-in-law Jess sent me with this caption:  Bryce thought Noah and the animals would like to see baby Jesus too!

I think that's exactly right, Bryce.  Thanks for making my day.

Under The Streetlamp

What do I love more than four cheesy guys in shiny suits singing and dancing to rock-n-roll classics from the 50's and 60's?  Not much, as it turns out.

Tricia and Heather and I went to an Under The Streetlamp concert at Kingsbury Hall to celebrate Biz's birthday.  They're pretty popular with the Lawrence Welk crowd and I can certainly understand why.  There was lots of singing along and dancing in the aisles at the concert, along with a significant number of elderly people (as well as some younger ones) doing the step-and-slide like it was going out of style.  Which I hope it never does.  My favorite song of the night was Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer."  Enough said.

Moral Dilemma

If you buy Dove Chocolates to decorate someone's desk for their birthday... and then learn they are taking their birthday off...  do you get to eat the chocolate yourself?

When They Have Grown a Foot or Two

I have recently been informed that Bryce would like to serve his mission to Chuck E. Cheese, even though he's scared of some of the rides there.  I think it would be a good way for him to overcome his fears. 

And Tyler wants to go to the sand dunes, but he's worried that his Mission President will be mad because his mission clothes will get dirty.  It's a valid concern.

Is it weird that I'm already missing these future missionaries - and Tyler won't be old enough to leave for 13 (make that 12) years?  Probably a little bit.  But Aunt Traci will send some amazing missionary packages, I can promise you that.

I Don't Make This Stuff Up

So far this week.....

• Monday morning, 5:30 a.m.  I wake up to a car alarm going off outside my window.  I am so disturbed by this wake-up call after a long Thanksgiving weekend that  I may have thrown a sweatshirt at the wall in protest (keep in mind I was only half awake.)  It didn't solve the problem.  But I felt better.
• Tuesday morning, 9:00 a.m.  I am having a conversation with a co-worker who takes off his shoes and socks, waves his socks in front of my face, and then smells them in front of me because he knows it will gross me out.  This is the level of professionalism that I deal with in my office sometimes! 
• Tuesday evening, 5:30 p.m.  I stop at Dicks Bakery for the brownies I was asked to bring to work for birthdays tomorrow.  I don't want my Wednesday morning to be hectic, so I run this errand Tuesday night.  Because I'm on top of things like that.
• Tuesday evening, 6:30 p.m.  I order an enchilada with rice, NO BEANS, at a Mexican restaurant.  At 6:45 p.m., I am served a large platter of enchiladas with refried beans.  But I can't complain because my friend who ordered an omelet was given chicken tenders and french fries.  Our waitress explains that she messes up orders sometimes because she's from Canada and they don't speak Spanish there like we do.  WHAT?
• Wednesday morning, 7:45 a.m.  I remember that the brownies I need to take for work are still sitting on my kitchen counter.  I flip a U-turn in a busy intersection and drive back to my apartment for the brownies.  There goes my plan to be on top of things this morning.  I am 30 minutes late to work.

I'm afraid to ask - what next???

Thanksgiving 2012

Probably the best thing about my Thanksgiving this year is that I did NOT end up in the ER in Mountain Home with kidney stones.  In fact, no one in my family had kidney stones this Thanksgiving.  Now that is something to be grateful for.

My Dad and Tricia and I enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at the Grub Steak Restaurant in Park City.  So much food.  I got a little obsessed with the puzzle we started in our hotel room but I did make time for turkey and a post-feast dip in the hot tub.  I also introduced my Dad to the "House Hunters" tv show on HGTV.  It's a really good thing I don't have cable.  I can get sucked into watching some couple search for the perfect vacation home in Mexico just like that.  And don't even get me started on TLC's "What Not To Wear."  It really is good I only watch tv once or twice a year.   



We hit the moonlight madness sales at the outlet mall in Park City.  I wasn't super productive when we went at 10 pm... and we gave up shopping entirely after about an hour.  There was nothing I wanted badly enough to wait in those lines.  But I did much better when I went back at 8 the next morning.  The crazies had gone home (or to Walmart or wherever they all went) and I was able to do my shopping in peace.

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

You know that last few minutes of work right before a holiday, where you have to be at your desk to answer the phone JUST IN CASE someone has a last minute insurance emergency, but you'd rather be anywhere else?

I think it's safe to say I've gone a little crazy.  But the shelf above my desk that I just wrapped like a Christmas present is making me happy at the moment.  Seasons Greetings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The picture is not doing it justice.  But the turkey cupcakes we made last night were really cute.  Happy Thanksgiving!

The Birthday Boy

Tyler's 6th birthday was Friday.  Grandpa decided to surprise Tyler by making a trip to Mountain Home.  And I decided to surprise Grandpa by inviting myself along.

We met Tyler in the driveway when he got off the bus from school.  He was pretty excited.  Our first item of business was lunch, which was hamburgers and frostys at Wendy's.  We went home to watch "A Bug's Life" during Tanner's nap.  Which was followed by a trip to the candy store.  Grandpa does birthdays up right!

We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant and hurried home to be back for the arrival of a "special visitor."  You might be wondering who the special visitor might be, when Grandpa and Aunt Traci had already arrived.  The Easter Bunny?  No.  The Bishop?  Double no.

The special visitor was a fire engine!  And it stopped at the house!  And Tyler and Bryce got to put on plastic fire hats and get buckled into the front seat!  With their Mom and Dad, Grandpa, Tanner and Traci in the back of the cab.  The Birthday Boy even got to tell the driver when to turn right or left.  It was pretty awesome.  

The fire truck dropped us back off at the house for presents and Oreo cake.  What a day! 

Happenings

After nearly 10 years, I have enough seniority for an underground parking spot at work.  Which is great... except that our parking garage makes me feel claustrophobic.  I almost had to breathe into a paper bag after parking in my spot this morning.  I'll get used to it, right? 

In other news, I saw Cirque du Solei on Friday.  I still can't pronounce it - but I loved it!!!  The dancing, the acrobatics, the flying and the jump roping - it's fantastic.  I'm sure I was annoying to sit by because I kept saying things like "That's not possible" and "Don't they know you're not supposed to throw people across the room like that?"  But Tricia was good to put up with me!  It was an incredible show. 

Which Do You Hate Least?

I have to choose one of these photos for my "Hi, I'm Traci at American Insurance" picture.  So the question is, "Which do you hate least?"  I'm not a fan of pictures just of me.  I prefer to be chasing a niece or nephew around. 

I Believe in Miracles

So I need to complain more often.  Since my post on October 22nd, Excedrin is back on the shelves!!!  And my Dad found a grocery store that still had two packages of Grapefruit Crystal Light for sale.  I now am in possession of both of the things I wanted that I couldn't find in stores anywhere.

My next wish, for those who are wondering, is for a nice, cute, funny boy who also thinks I am nice, cute and funny.  After the miracle that is Excedrin and Grapefruit Crystal Light, I now believe anything is possible.

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle

All right people.  I know you read this blog, you just don't post comments.  And 99% of the time, that is ok.  But today I am asking for your help.

The question is - what was your favorite book when you were 10 years old?  What did you check out from the library time and time again?

I just read a children's book called "Oddfellows Orphanage" by Emily Winfield Martin.  Then I jumped right into "Dancing Shoes" by Noel Streatfield.  It's snowing this morning and I can see myself curled up on the couch, under a blanket, reading children's literature for much of the winter.  I loved the Shoe Books when I was little (me and Kathleen Kelly, bonus points for you if you can quote the scene from You've Got Mail where she talks about Noel Streatfield) and now I want to know what favorite books you remember.  What kids books should I put on my list for this winter?

I loved Anne of Green Gables, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankwiler, The Westing Game, and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.  So that should get us started.  Ready...set...post.

Please Come Back

There are two things that have been taken off the market that I really want to see come back.

#1)  Excederin.  Since the product recall, I have tried every other pain reliever out there to help with my migraines.  Nothing compares to Excederin.  I really need them to bring this back.

#2)  Ruby Red Grapefruit Crystal Light.  This was the best Crystal Light flavor ever.  And now it has disappeared.  This is only slightly less important to me than the Excederin is. 

Cupcake Carly

If I didn't want to eat Carly up before, this picture has definitely sealed the deal.



Adventures in Reno

Don't be fooled by this peaceful and serene photo of the Reno Temple.  My stay in Reno this weekend was anything but peaceful.

Let's start with my rental car, a brand new Chevy Aveo.  I hop in the car at the airport, head for the freeway, and find myself thinking "Wow, this car has NO get up and go."  Twenty seconds later (and I am already on the freeway at this point) I realize the car will not go over 30 miles an hour.  Will.  Not.  Go.  I am fiddling with the gear shifter, examining the parking brake, searching madly for warning lights on the dashboard, all while crawling down an unfamiliar freeway at 30 miles an hour.

After the longest half mile of my life, I pull off the freeway and into a parking lot.  I do the only thing I know how to do at this point, which is turn the car off and back on and hope that it works right.  Which it did!  I drive around on side streets for a few minutes hoping I don't have to explain to a Nevada State Trooper why I am driving 50 in a 25 mph zone, and then make my way back to the freeway.

Arrive at the hotel.  Phew.  I check in (along with every college baseball team in the western United States) and head up to my room to drop my suitcase.  My room was upgraded to a suite and I have seating for 10, a dining room table, a full size bar and a bathroom that is bigger than my apartment.  That'll do for the night.

I head to the Reno Temple (the purpose of my trip) and enjoy a session.  As I am leaving the temple, the real fun begins.  Reno was hit with a major power outage.  Let me tell you some of the things that don't work in a power outage - traffic lights, my GPS, debit cards and gas pumps.  All the things I was kind of counting on for the evening!  After an eternity of four-way stops at every intersection, a gas station with bars on the windows, and a scenic tour of the homeless population of downtown Reno, I arrive back at the hotel.  I will not be going out again tonight!

As I sort of suspected, the majority of the slot machines at the hotel were still working.  Who needs traffic lights when your city generators can keep Wheel of Fortune slots running?  I couldn't get a sandwich at Port of Subs, but I could have played poker all night long.

Which I did not choose to do.  I went back to my room, locked the door and watched a movie in my suite.  It was wonderful.  I got up early the next morning.  I still couldn't use my credit card to get gas, as all the networks were down from the night before.  But I didn't care.  My only concern at this point was that I not miss my flight!  I was ready to leave Reno far, far behind.

Voice Mail I Left My Dad

Hi Dad, this is Traci, your oldest, smartest child.  So they're doing some work at my apartment and they needed to open my garage during the day so I had to pull the red thing so it would be on manual.  How do I reset it so I can push the button again?  I knew how to pull the red thing but I doubt that I have to push the red thing to get it back working.  Anyway, will you call me?  Thanks.

Fall Fun

Last week I took a couple of days off work as a treat for getting my website up.  (Check out www.american-ins.com for the new and improved American Insurance website that I have been working on like crazy for the past few months.)  I went to Idaho so I could maximize the amount of fun I could have in a few short days.

Thursday morning Tyler and Bryce took me shopping for M&M's, juice boxes and white bread.  We needed M&M's for the cookies we were going to make and juice boxes and Wonder Bread for a picnic with our friends from Boise.  Ashlee and Jaimie + kids came up to Mountain Home and we went to the Pumpkin Patch and the Bruneau Sand Dunes.  We climbed sky high on bales of hay, went for a tractor ride, and ate a lot of Oreos.  Perfect.

That night Ashlee and Sara introduced me to the Flatbread Community Pizza Oven.  So, so good.  I always feel like we should call ahead and warn the restaurant to expect a party of 3 with exceptionally loud and raucous laughter.  They figure it out pretty quickly though. 

I spent Friday with Tyler, Bryce and Tanner.  We made cookies at like 7:00 in the morning (because that's how long the boys could wait to get going) and had Unhappy Meals at the airplane park.  I say Unhappy Meals because the cheeseburgers I ordered didn't end up being PLAIN and 3 of the 4 of us had meltdowns over it.  Good thing Tanner is a good sport.  Thanks buddy!

Saturday I got to watch Tyler and Bryce play soccer.  This is their first season on a soccer team and I was very excited to watch the kiddos follow the ball in a slow-motion clump of kids.  I loved watching them try to do jumping jacks during warm-ups.  And, let's be honest, Bryce is just there for the oranges at half time and granola bars at the end of the game.  Probably the highlight of the game was when Tyler came over to the sidelines and started emptying the pockets of his coat of the 29 action hero toys he had stuffed in there.  The kid is a great runner though.  You would never had known he had half of the playroom weighing him down.

It was a great weekend.  Thanks to my Idaho friends and family for always making me feel welcome.

Red Letter Day

I joined Costco today.  I've always been opposed to the idea of paying money to a company just for the privilege of walking into their store to spend more money.  But I'm in charge of my ward's Relief Society activities... and I don't see how I'm going to make it through the holiday season without a Costco card.  So there you go.  The things we do in the name of church service...

Let's Run Away

I'm a control freak.  And it's been an out-of-control day at work, so the overzealous English Major in me is ready to run around the office with a red pen stabbing people's eyes out.  It may be time for me to consider a change of career  away from the world of insurance.

In fact, just last night I was thinking that I would love to lead a water aerobics class for old people.  Random, I know.  Hear me out.  Heather and I went to our first water zumba class last night and I was watching the instructor cheese it up and thinking "I could do that."  So maybe I should quit my job, dye my hair so I look a little more Latin, and start doing choreography.  Does anyone know of a local senior center that would like to hire me to lead water aerobics?  Please. 

Homecoming

On Saturday I walked into my hair salon - and into another world.  It was Homecoming for the local high schools and the hair salon had been taken over by teenage girls with ringlets and fancy up-dos.  I felt so glad not to be 17 anymore. 

Now that I'm not in high school, I know....

* Redheads don't tan.  And it's ok.  People are pretty in a lot of different ways.  Play to your strengths. 

* Some people are just mean.  Avoid them if you can.  Be nice to them, but from a distance, if avoiding them is not an option.

* On days you feel fat, the best solution is to go for a walk.  Then come back and have a cookie.  The walk will clear your mind and the cookie will taste that much better because you "earned" it first.

* That I don't have to be afraid of phone calls anymore.  Texting is a great invention.

* You should volunteer to play the piano, even if Brooke Torgeson (who I love) plays better than you.  Life is an experience and not a competition.  Play for the love of the game.

* To follow Sheri Dew's advice, "The only assumption you should ever make about anyone is that they're probably doing the best they can."  Don't judge.  Give love where you can.  Show up.

Ok, that's it for me being philosophical.  What have YOU learned since high school?

Vocabulary Lesson

Synthetic Oil = "You know, the kind you can put in a Honda and it will go longer."

You learn something new every day!  They love me at auto shops.  They really do.

Weekend Roadtrip in Pictures

Me and my friend Steve from work outside the Art Museum at BYU.  We took a Friday off to road trip to Cedar City to see Les Miz.  (Yes, it was my second time seeing it.  Don't hate me.)  We were also excited to walk through the "Beauty and Belief" exhibit featuring Islamic Art.  I have to say, the "People in a Hard Land" exhibit was a letdown after the "Beauty and Belief" exhibit, which was exceptional.

So you can't take pictures inside the exhibit.  But here is me just outside the exhibit.

 Love this shot of me in downtown Provo.  WELCOME HOME!  And don't you love that my shirt matches the sign?  What are the odds? 

For whatever reason, I cannot get this photo to download right side up.  However, it's a picture of an ex-Mormon standing in front of a sign reading "Black Sheep" in Provo.  So it seems appropriate that it's upside down.  And I mean that as a compliment. 

 All the world's a stage....  Don't I look like I OWN this stage?  Maybe next summer I should perform in the Shakespeare Festival instead of just going down to watch the plays every month.  Or not.
 

Outside the Adams Memorial Theater in Cedar.  There was not a play going on that night in this particular theater, so it was a great time to get pictures around and on the stage.

Are you kidding me?

I had the following conversation with the receptionist at my eye doctor's office when I called to set up an appointment.

Me:  I was calling to schedule an appointment.  I just got a reminder postcard in the mail.

Receptionist: Ok, what was the date and time on the postcard?

Me:  Monday the 17th at 5:15.

Receptionist:  So you must be Traci.  Does that time work for you?

Me:  Yes.

Receptionist:  I'm sorry.  We don't have a doctor in the office that day.  Is there another day that works for you?

Me:  Sure, ok.  I could pretty much come any evening that week after about 5:00.

Receptionist:  We have Tuesday at 11:30 or 3:00.

Me:  Is there anything in the evening?

Receptionist:  How about Monday the 17th at 5:30?

Me:  I thought the doctor wasn't in that day.

Receptionist:  He will be in that day actually.

Me:  Ok??? That would be fine.

Receptionist: Ok, Stacy, I've got you down for Monday the 17th at 5:30.

I'm not holding my breath that the doctor will be there on Monday, or if he is there, that I will have an appointment set up to see him.  It will certainly be interesting to see.

A Shout Out

Tyler got to pick something from the Treasure Box in his kindergarten class last week.  And guess what he picked?  A bracelet for his cousin Lauren, who was about to turn 2.  Way to be selfless Mr. Man.  Aunt Traci is really proud of you!

Dreams

Last night I had a dream that I was getting ready for work and I couldn't find my brown pants.  It was one of those dreams where you're really anxious and you NEED to find those pants or life as you know it will cease to exist.  In the same dream, I ended up in Florida and I was attacked by a crocodile.  When I woke up, I was much more upset about losing my brown pants than I was about potentially losing my arm.  I do love those  pants, but I'm afraid to think about what the interpretation of this dream might mean for me...

(If anyone is wondering, I am wearing my brown pants and a purple cardigan today.  And I have not been bitten by a crocodile so far this afternoon.)

Down in Sugarland

Rainy summer night.

Outdoor concert.

Good friends, good music.

SUGARLAND

ABC's of Summer

At the beginning of the summer, I was in charge of a Relief Society activity where we talked about the "ABC's of Summer."  We gave everyone a sand pail and encouraged the sisters to make a bucket list of activity ideas for summer that corresponded with each letter of the alphabet.  Of course I didn't make my list in advance; I filled in my letters as the summer progressed.  (Remember I can't handle the pressure of making New Years Resolutions!)  Here is my bucket list. 

A      Aladdin at Tuacahn

Tricia and I had a delightful trip to St. George over the 24th of July.  Aladdin was wonderful and the Tuacahn Theater is fun.  It always makes me happy to see palm trees... and the beautiful St. George Temple as well.

B      Bountiful Handcart Days Parade
This year's parade was complete with 2,000 Stripling Warriors.  A truly historic event for Davis County.

C       City Creek
There's a new mall in Salt Lake City, and Heather and I spent a morning wandering through Tiffany's and toy stores.  We also shared treats from Kneaders, a fruit tart and a berry pastry.  Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

D    Dates with Lauren
To further cement my status of being a cool aunt, I had some play-dates with Lauren this summer.  We learned that Lauren loves Bountiful Park and could spend hours going up one set of stairs and down a particular slide.  I also learned that Lauren doesn't like it when store employees at Cutler's Cookies give her stickers.  She wanted a cookie, dang it.  What's the deal?

E     Ensign Peak

This was the most challenging of my alphabet activities.  Hiking and I don't exactly get along very well and I am 99.9% sure that hiking triggers migraines.  Along the trail, I kept motivating myself with sayings such as "If Cub Scouts can do it, I can do it too."  Which isn't true, because there are  a lot of things Cub Scouts can do that I can't do.  (Tie knots, cook pork and beans over a buddy burner, etc.)  But I did climb Ensign Peak.  And I was rewarded with this lovely view of air pollution in the Salt Lake Valley.

F     First Stitches Ever

My dinner at Texas Roadhouse with some friends turned into an adventure at Urgent Care when I sliced my finger with a steak knife.  Don't try this one at home.  I ended up with 3 stitches, a tetanus shot, and a neon green bandage that would have been perfect for a 4 year-old boy.  Semi-graphic picture to follow of my finger five days after the accident.  I can't believe how well it healed up.

G     Grandpa Moments


Carly's blessing in July. She was pretty angelic in her white dress and strawberry blond hair. I think her Grandpa likes her.


H      Happy Birthday Celebration for President Monson
I celebrated President Thomas S. Monson's 85th Birthday at the Conference Center with 19,999 other people.  It was a night of Broadway performers and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.  It doesn't get much better than that.

I     I Love My Look-Alike Nephew
Despite the fact that he looks shockingly like Aunt Traci, Tanner is super cute.  It was so fun to see him take off walking and talking this summer.

J     Javier and Jean Valjean in LES MIZ

I would be hard pressed to say I have a favorite musical.  You can't compare "Wicked" to "White Christmas."  It just can't be done.  With that said, however, the Shakespeare Festival's production of Les Miz was incredible. 

K     Kimball Arts Festival in Park City

I got a postcard in the mail about the Arts Festival in Park City.  I texted my friend Sara in Boise that she should come.  And she did!  It was like magic.  We had a fantastic weekend, eating cinnamon scones at Granny Annie's, wandering through the upscale booths at the festival, being jealous of the 12 year-old singer we saw who was amazing, sharing onion rings at Training Table, and watching Christian Bale in "The Dark Knight Rises."  So good to have My Sara in town.

L     Las Vegas Temple

I have a goal to attend one new temple each year.  This summer I visited temple #22, the Las Vegas Temple. 

M     "Merry Wives of Windsor"

The outdoor theater in Cedar City is how Shakespeare ought to be done.  The play was hilarious.  Tricia and I had a marvelous time.  The Shakespeare Festival is one of my favorite summer traditions.  (Two years in a row now... that's a tradition, right?)

N     New Swimsuit

Once every decade, I buy a new swimsuit.  2012 was my year.  Thank you Lands End.  I'll see you again in 2022.

O     Open House for the Brigham City Temple

My family went to the Open House for the Brigham City Temple.  We completed our Brigham City experience with dinner at Maddox and peaches on Fruit Way.

P     Patsy's 60th Birthday Celebration

How excited were we that Aunt Patsy wanted to celebrate her 60th birthday in Mountain Home, Idaho? VERY EXCITED. And Patsy and Hal got to meet Carly too, which is a great birthday present at any age.

Q     Quiet Time Reading Anna Quindlen's "A Short Guide to a Happy Life."

And "Being Perfect."  And "Black and Blue."  And "Blessings."  And "Rise and Shine."  Some fiction and some non-fiction.  But this summer, it was pretty much all Anna Quindlen for me...all the time.

R     Red Barn in Santaquin

No offence to the city of Santaquin, but you never feel like stopping there on a road trip.  You've just past Provo, so you really haven't been on the road long enough to justify stopping.  You want to keep going to Nephi at least.  And on the way back, Santaquin is about the point where if you got out of the car, you might not get back in.  You're just ready to be home.  So I have glanced longingly at the Red Barn just off the freeway in Santaquin many a time.  On the way home from St. George this summer, I finally made the effort to stop.  And was rewarded with all the fudge, ice cream, and jams you can eat.  It's my kind of place.  My first stop at the Red Barn won't be my last.

S     Snowcone.  With Cream.

All last year I meant to stop at a snow cone shack near my house.  I never did.  So this year I made a special point to stop there.  No Regrets!  I had strawberry with cream (ok, it's evaporated milk) and I felt like I had really accomplished something.  Go Me!

T     Tyler and Bryce - First Trip to Lagoon

They've been doing their jobs and saving their pennies.  And finally the big day was here.  We went to Lagoon!  The boys loved it.  I wonder how many summers we'll get before they learn what "season passes" to Lagoon would mean for them.

U     Utah Landmark - Cove Fort
I've passed the billboards for Cove Fort in the Middle of Nowhere a million times and never stopped. But when Biz and I drove home from St. George on the 24th of July, it seemed wrong to pass this landmark honoring the pioneers. Really, the only obstacle was that my sister had a kidney stone, and if you time the Lortab just right, that's not as big of an obstacle as one might think. She had a great time, trust me.

V     Violinist Jenny Oaks Baker
I went to a fireside where Jenny Oaks Baker performed.  She plays the violin and she has great hair.  I want to be her when I grow up.

W     Waterslides at Lava Hot Springs
My family spent a great weekend at Lava Hot Springs.  We liked the hot pools (of course) and the water slides.  It's just so fun to have everyone together!

X     eXperimental Recipes

I experimented with some new recipes.  Loved the cinnamon baked apples, strawberry jam and peach jam.  Liked the butterscotch potato chip cookies.  Will not attempt cinnamon rolls again without a specific measurement for flour.  It's kind of an important ingredient.

Y     Yogurt - Dannon's Light and Fit Greek Yogurt With Strawberries

This is a new product and I would like to be their spokesperson if they will let me.  It's 80 calories, 7 grams of sugar, and so rich tasting and yummy good, I can't always finish one serving.  Try it, people.

Z     Zoo

For Fathers Day, we decided to take my Dad to Hogle Zoo with all the grandkids.  (A plan he effectively spoiled by buying tickets for all of us online in advance so we "didn't have to wait in line."  Happy Fathers Day?)  But we had a great time at the zoo.  I love the new polar bear exhibit.  And I had the best job of waving at the kids as they rode by on the carousel. 

So there you have it.  My Summer Alphabet.  And now I believe it is time for a nap.