Final Tree Burning

For many, many weeks, we have had numerous dead Christmas trees lying by the side of the house. Brandt found several as he walked home from school and hauled them back, we had our own tree which was puny but which we were saving, the Fickers (neighbors) had a tall tree they cut fresh but never decorated, and there were a couple more. It was ridiculous. We burned a couple a few weeks ago, but still had three left and decided tonight we would burn the last of them in a final hoorah and clean up the side of the house. I'm sure the Nelsons were grateful.

Brandt and Blythe were both keen on inviting lots of people to watch and made calls and visits to our fellow culdesac dwellers. They also invited school friends. It was going to be quite the watch party. Kent rigged together the last three trees, placing one on the metal umbrella stand, and wiring the other two to that one. They were tall, wide, and dry, promising a terrific show.

Mikayla and her kids came over, a couple of Bradfords, Oylers, and Stovalls, as did Brandt’s school chum Ray and Blythe’s school chum David. The burning did not disappoint. It was high, hot, and went up quickly. The kids ran wildly around the pyre, whopping and screeching. Freya threw her arms in the air and said, “Yay!” and Kal wanted to touch it. It was a terrific final tree burning.

We Start a Garden

We planted some cool weather veg today, perhaps the earliest we’ve ever gotten the garden started. We put in several rows of peas, some carrots, radishes, and several types of lettuces. Brick and Cora were over and helped. It’s exciting to get seeds in the ground and think of their potential. I sang several Primary songs as we planted including “Faith” and “The Prophet Said to Plant a Garden.” We’ve followed the prophet and will hope our seeds, like our faith, grows and flourishes.

Mini Missionaries

It is neither Throwback Thursday or Flashback Friday, but I got this darling picture from Jennifer Hainsworth in my email today and knew I needed to post it here. Look at those darling children! Those beautiful little faces. They look so pure and good. The wonderful thing about these six pictured people, even all these years later (picture taken in July 2013; Brandt was seven), they are still pure and good.

Britton Helquist, Brigham Richards, Paul Moreland, Brandt, a girl whose name I can't remember, Ashlyn Elder

The World of High Finance

I started a new job today. After many months of applying for work and being summarily rejected, I have been hired to work for Zions Bank as a Retail Support Specialist. That's just a fancy way of saying I'm going to be a roving teller. I will service branches from Santaquin to Saratoga Springs and Heber, filling in when needed. While it doesn't pay brilliantly, I am grateful to have finally found employment that will help tide us over until Kent's business picks up, which it's doing. If I am available to work at least 20 hours a week, I can qualify for benefits, it will be much less physically demanding than my last job with UPS, and the hours can be flexible. Sharae has worked this same job for years now, and suggested I apply. She's liked it and I think I will too. I'll have two weeks of training before really starting to work, and then will work full-time until school gets out. Here's to entering the world of high finance.

The Park

I start work on Monday (boo hoo!). Today was beautiful and I told Mikayla I wanted to take her kids to the park and run around before I’m busy all day every day and can’t do anything with anyone. Brandt came along as did Grandma Sue and we chased kids around for over an hour. Brandt and Brick did parkour all over the play equipment, setting a bad example for all the other kids in the park. Brandt spun little kids (ours and others) around on the merry-go-round, and Kal stole cookies from a mom who left them unattended on a picnic table. I watched him from afar, knowing I couldn’t make it to him in time to stop him. He was very stealthy. A good time was had by all.

Brandt at Work

 

A picture of Brandt, hard at work on his computer.

Or maybe he's just playing on the computer while listening to music.

Or maybe he's watching Dry Bar Comedy.

I hope he's hard at work, doing homework.

Happy Pi(e) Day!

 In honor of that most wonderful of mathematical constants pi, we made and ate round pie in three varieties: buttermilk, jumbleberry, and key lime. So delicious! I took no pictures of anyone actually eating pie, because we were all too busy shoving the delicious stuff in our mouths. But lest you think the anyones were just the four of us, I will say that niece Brianne, Grandma Sue, and all the Johnsens came over to help us enjoy these yummy round treats.

National pi(crust) day too!

Jumbleberry pi

See what I did there?

Another Round of Hair

Today I took Blythe in for a second round of hair bleaching. When she had it done the first time six weeks ago, the woman who helped her (Bailey) didn't do enough hair, so it was hard to tell that Blythe even had two different colors of hair. So when we went today, Blythe requested that a lot more hair be bleached so that it was more obvious. 

Although it still is not the white Blythe would really like, she is excessively pleased with the final outcome of today's efforts. She was delighted with the cute side braid Alisa (today's stylist) put into her hair so that the contrasting color is obvious, and fairly bounced all the way to the car. 

I'm so glad her hair visions/goals are being realized. I wasn't thrilled with the price, but she paid me half, which is entirely appropriate as she has a job and can afford to pay.

Post edit: Blythe has had very positive reactions to her new hair. Janie Rasmussen was so surprised she took the Lord's name in vain, which is entirely out of character for her. She said, "Is this how you spend the money I pay you?" Why yes, yes it is.

Emma Bradford didn't recognize her on Sunday at church, and Mikayla said it looked like Cruella de Vil. A boy in one of her classes asked if she had bleached her hair, and when she said yes, he said, "Oh good. I thought I was going crazy." 

So fun!

 

Murder Mystery Dinner

Mikayla wanted to have an adult-only Murder Mystery Dinner for her birthday, but we only got around to doing it this evening. We were each given a character description and had to come costumed and in character. I was Simone Quatella, a famous chef and Kent was Louis Armsweak, a jazz musician. His description was "Louis is a top performer on Bourbon Street. He is never seen without a brass instrument (Kent brought Brandt's trombone), his bowtie, and the large handkerchief in his shirt pocket." My description was "Quite the expert in French cuisine, Simone proudly dons her chef hat and apron, to let everyone know of her accomplished skills. She always carries a little tea towel on her arm." 

We put together a delicious meal with a charcuterie board, tri-tip, salad, asparagus, and chocolate pavlova for dessert. We introduced ourselves, had a course, read some more of the mystery and formed ideas, had our main course, read some more, had dessert, and revealed the murderer. 

So whodunit?

It was me. I was angry with the victim who had not given me money I felt I deserved. I feigned innocence, blamed others, tried not to look guilty. In the end, I couldn’t convince anyone (including myself) I wasn’t the murderer. It was great fun, silly dressing up, nice to be together, good to talk.

Simone Quatella and Louis Armsweak

Mia Cheri (exotic dancer), Rufus Reme (plumber), Dooley "The Dealer" Slicke (gambler),

Selma Page (reporter), Alligator Dundee (swamp hunter), Louis Armsweak,

Mama Carriba (fortune-teller), Simone Quatella, Grace Fulle (debutante), and Beau Monde (playboy)

Relief Society Service Project

We had a really terrific Relief Society meeting today. A woman named Sondra Hudgens came and did a presentation about a non-profit organization that makes feminine hygiene kits for girls in Africa, Asia, and South America. It’s called Days For Girls. It was organized by a woman who was doing charity work in Africa, and one night was awakened from sleep with a vision of how to make feminine hygiene more accessible to young women in third world countries so they can continue to go to school. Sondra is a representative/agent/worker for the organization and told us all about their work. It's really terrific. She brought thirty kits for us to assemble, and we donated washcloths and panties. I was delighted to be at an in-person activity, too.

Marianne Davis and me

Kim Eastman, Sondra, me, and Linda Wilson

We're folding up cotton pads.

Kim, me, Sondra, and Jill Connelly assembling kits.

Ice Skating with the Nortons

The Nortons were gathering today for ice skating, birthday celebrating fun. Dawn invited us to join them, but Blythe is the only one who went. I still have a very sore knee from my fall in December (getting physical therapy), Brandt doesn’t like skating (either ice or rolling), and Kent didn’t want to go. So I drove Blythe over so she could skate and party. Dawn is always so good to send pictures which seem to indicate that Blythe had a great time.