As luck would have it

Both David and Louis are gone from their wifes today. David has been
in Houston all week and louis just left today. To help my week along
I've spent some time with Krista each day. If her kids aren't
entertaining enough, they now have kittens at their house. It really
is a good way to distract me. We canned pears on two days and we met
for lunch today.
All I have to say is good thing Louis and David didn't marry
shoppers... Just dutiful Mormon girls that stay home and "put up" fruit

Pears

We made salsa

Today I met up with my Mom and sister Krista to make salsa. We got some fine tomatoes for 7 bucks a box. We had two boxes. Actually my Dad found them for us. We ended up with 23 pints of yummy salsa. Krista made up some "chips and cheese and salsa" for her girls and we all had some and the salsa was awesome. Some of my strongest memories of fall time are of coming home from school and having salsa or chili sauce cooking or being canned. I don't know that any other Mom I knew did that, but it is a strong connection with my Mom. She was a big tease today while we did the salsa.. what a woman.

Joseph the chef

Joseph offered to make dinner tonight. He made up the recipe. I don't
know it all, but I did purchase steak, bacon, provalone cheese and
buns. He cooked all the meat on the grill. (in the rain) He made us
some yummy sandwiches. He has been known to say he wants to be a chef
when he is older, maybe own an establishment as well.

*Must come from his first weeks of life when he almost starved to death*

Awesome I say, I'm happy to let him work on it in my kitchen. Or my
grill

Remember this bad boy?

Well I just finished the tree appliqué. It was a daunting task, anda
little awkward, but I got her done. Next, all the leaves go on. On
the leaves are written names from our family tree.. Walden Pennock
Powell Hostick Langman
Cluff McConahay Davis Williams ... I could go on and on. I guess I
will go on and on stitching on the leaves. It will take a long time,
but I trust it will be much easier. I'll let ya know ;)

We're going to the home games this year

and for the record, we are not going for the football game

he's been taking lessons

Joseph is in the purcussion class at the high school. As a result, he is also in the pep band. We caught him on video this last weekend. HE IS AWESOME!! watch for the oh- man-my-mom-is-taping-me look he throws me. I know its not where he wants to be, hed rather be with his friends, but he does a great job.

Our Labor Day was awesome

I've been so scared

I signed up for another block of the month club last January. I do
love stitching while watching, or listening to, t.v. at night. This
block with the tree was our February block and I've been putting it
off till now. Ahh look at all those gangely branches. Can I do this
one? I'm giving it a shot. I'll let you know how it turns out.

He did it!

Joseph had his last board of review tonight as a scout. My own history with boy scouts has not been that great and it was soley Joseph and
David that pushed this goal through. He went alone tonight and said it went ok. He has warmed up to attending a ward court of honor, so there may be more ceremony to come. For along time he didn't want any fanfare or recognition. So here he is!! Joseph is AWESOME- and not just cause he attained the rank of Eagle scout

She did it!

Kim met one of her long time goals yesterday! I was driving back home with my two teenage sons when Jacob read a text that had come to my phone. (I love having extra eyes and ears in the car so I can still text, using them, while I drive) he read "I made theater ballet". I had to pull over because I got so emotional over it. I knew she had the audition, and had wondered and worried for her. Most of you know the tough road she's been on with her feet, plus her taking a year off ballet classes. Her attaining this goal is HUGE!! Theater ballet is BYUs best performing ballet company. There will be a few perks for her in being involved and she had her first practice this morning. Her first show is the second week in September. I think it is maybe homecoming spectacular, held in the Marriot Center. Kinda cool!!! I am so happy for her, because I know this makes her happy. We went out for subzero ice cream to celebrate. Only Jacob and I were able to meet her but all three of us totally celebrated!!Congratulations Kimmie girl!!

What I've been sewing

Awhile ago I offered to make Aubrey a new bag for her books this year. Her old bag kinda fell apart. It was a simple canvas bag. She said I could make her one if I wanted and I really did want to. The pattern I bought was from an independant gal- not from a pattern company. Trying to making those little independant jobs is always risky. Sometimes the instructions are hard to understand. (like the Amy Butler everything bag) I made a bag for me so I could try out the pattern before starting AJs bag. Here are the two finished bags. They each have two zippered packets -one on the inside one on the outside- and a sectioned pocket inside, plus a magnet closer. Kinda fun. you can try to guess which is mine and which is Aubreys

Got him

Today I got to meet Laura for a quick exchange of things I had for her and a chance for me to cuddle Jack. Good thing I lipsticked up on the way there. Hahahahahahahahahaa in exchange for indulging his grandma he will be rewarded as the days come. I will get him all sorts of fun stuff his own mom will have no patience for. Maybe it's time to go shoppin...

The patents

My dh is great at many things. One of his little known skills is writing patents. Over the years he has had to go to the awards meeting
in Texas. He brings home a plaque for the recent patents he has helped write and push through. He has all 18 or so in a storage container in our bedroom. I tell him to hang them in our hall, or in the manly garage. No no- I think they will stay in the storage box so I can put my laundry basket on it. I'm so amazed I ended up with such a smart man.

again, I turn to the ice

after a few weeks of some stress, disappointment and sadness I kinda crashed recently. Heartache in the lives of those around me and a run in with "bells palsy" and some powerful contention in my life finally caught up with me. I think the thing that really pushed it over the edge was a meeting we went to. We had done alot of arranging to make it to the meeting, only to have it be mostly a waste of time and a headache/stomach-ache inducer. So I woke up with the same headache. My remedy? good ice of course- and good happy music played loudly, and taking cookies to Dave at work. As I was headed south on I-15 listening to "sugar sugar you are my candy girl I you got me wanting you" I wondered what other happy songs are out there. I thought about asking my sibs and whole big family about their happy songs. I figured I could make a playlist of everyones songs to help me out when I am activly 'fighting the good fight'. So what do you got? so far I have
If I had a million dollars
accidentally in love
here comes the sun
earl had to die
just to see you smile, though that one really brought out my tears today
girls just wanna have fun
my girl
a few more- I think I like ones with awesome drums
so help me out. What do you think? What songs make you happy?

from Sylvia

The ABC Info about me!

A - Age: 45- I'm just thankful to have lived this long ;)
C - Chore you hate: cleaning the wood floor, it just takes a long time.
D - Dog: Ziggy was my dog when I was younger
E - Essential start your day item: a goodbye kiss from Dave even if I'm kinda asleep
F - Favorite color(s): pink and purple
G - Gold or Silver: yes!
H - Height: 5' 6"
I - Instruments you play: a little guitar
K - Kids: 5! or 6! or 7 depending on how you count, plus lots call me "mama connie"
L - Living arrangements: house is emptying, kinda sad
M - Mom's name: Marge, I liked it when her sisters would call her Margie
N - Nicknames: none I want to record here ;0 it was from my brother, not feminine at all
O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: not as the patient ;)
P - Pet Peeve: cruel and or immature people
Q - Quote from a movie: "Oh my afternoon is spoiled. I won't have a moments peace until i know what that man is up to"
R - Right or left handed: right
S - Siblings: 6 - 4 sisters, 2 brother Im so lucky!! besides David they are my best friends
T - Time you wake up: about 8
U - Underwear: oh yes- everyday
V - Vegetable you dislike: mushrooms, sorry
W - Workout style: walking- I would lazer tag for hours if I could
X - X-rays you've had: lower leg, ankle
Y - Yesterday's best moment: my date with Dave-yummy steak, then a cuddle time with a movie
Z - Zoo favorite: the big very casual cool monkeys that swing from branch to branch without even smiling

I tag.. well I'm not sure who will read this, but I'll try Laura and Nikelle- maybe Edee! I totally read her blog all the time :)

new songs

I started a new playlist for my blog. I started doing show tune songs. Dave and I had gone to the Hale Center Theater and we saw Singing In the Rain. It was awesome. They had a sprinkler system up in the ceiling for the "singing in the rain" song. THAT was amazing. They gave out ponchos to the first row of the audience for the water factor. They young man playing the Gene Kelly "Don" was fabulous. After the water had fallen for a bit while he sang, he started messing with the audience kicking water and splashing all over. It was very cool. Dave and I were on the top row so we missed that part of the show. The person who played Don was actually Brother Johnson's son in law- I never have met him but I knew who he was. After the show, I saw Bro Johnson's daughter Jylare. I introduced myself to her and she was very very sweet giving me a hug. She told me her uncle was at the show that night. I was thinking could it be the one uncle I know? and yep it was. Craig Johnson was there and I got to say hi and introduce him to Dave. Craig Johnson was just enough older than me back in the day that I wasn't really in his crowd, but we were friends. It was really cool to see him again. He definitely still had his signature smile.

so back to the play list, I started with singing in the rain, and did a few others, but eventually I started with the Disney cartoon songs. I got a little melancholy as I remembered my littles watching those shows day in and day out.
I particularly remembered one day when I had 3 little girls and I had to take Laura and Aubrey somewhere. Kimmie wanted to stay home. Looking back I can say she was really too young, about 7 to be left alone, but we were in a duplex at the time and the upstairs neighbor was there.... what ever.. anyway we came home and Kimmie told me to sit down and watch her. She had choreographed several songs from Aladdin. I vividly remember her dancing to Arabian nights in her jasmine jammies, very authentic. It was a sign of things to come in her dancing life.. So there ya go, hope you find the songs fun

Last Saturday

Last Saturday my dear husband faithfully attended his great great great (etc) grandfathers family reunion. He asked me a few times to come with him, and though it was not on my top ten things to do on a Saturday, I went with him. There were only about 25 people there, 6 or 7 being primary aged children. It was awkward and conversation was slow, but we got through it. At the end we went on a tour of a early 1900s home. I did enjoy that part, saying that makes me sound old. On the way home Dave asked if he owed me a big favor and I answered, I think I'll go get a pedicure on Monday. He agreed that that would be a great idea. So I cashed in on that perk thanking Robert Pixton the whole time.
Here's a few photos from the house. Its in Taylorsville in case you were wondering. And Taylorsville is named for John Taylor fyi

hanging with friend Kate

I had the chance to have my bud Kate stay with us for a few days. It was very fun to have a 6 year old at our house. I found myself planning fun stuff to do like go to the pool,the park, and other 6 year old friendly activities. It was so cute to see my big boys, and Dave look after her. When we would get in the car they would help her in her booster seat, and always want to know what she was doing. The girls were cute with her too. I have a weekly lunch outing with one of my "bff" Michelle. While I was gone, Aub played with Kate. When I came home I had one more place to go, so I asked Kate if she wanted to come with me. Nope, she was playing ball with Aubrey.

I'm afraid we were far too boring here at our house, but she was a really good sport about it. I did make points by having a stash of Polly pockets of my own to show her. Those Polly pocket clothes are torture to put on. One thing that made me so happy inside, was when she was playing Polly pockets in my room, while I was reading on my bed. She had one male Polly pocket guy in the little bed, and the girl princess was with the horse and carriage. She had the other male dude walk up to the bed, and for some reason I thought- oh no a fight or "What are you doing here" or, "Cinderella is MY girl" kind of conversation between the two manly Polly pocket guys. Nope, the one walked over to the guy laying on the bed and all he said was "hello".. sheesh... I stopped watching soaps loooong ago. It was so awesome and sweet and innocent. I loved it.

The last morning she was with me, I had a lot of bad news in a few areas of my life hit me. (Laura's car accident to name one) Nothing horrid, just kinda worrisome. Having Kate with me kept my head up and was really a good thing.

I REALLY hope Miss Kate becomes a permanent part of my life--- forever!! If not, I will do my best to keep her in my life as long as I can anyway. She's great