Dad's 60th!

I always feel like I've got grand ideas for posts-- but no time to get around to them... so it's either delay delay delay... with great potential-- or I'll just post my photos and say this:

He turned 60. What a handsome 60-year-old eh?

His friend Paul and his wife hosted the party and it was the real deal. We got to celebrate at their gorgeous home out here in the desert, eat tons of yummy food, listen to his Frank-Sinatra-impersonating friend sing, swim, and just eat up the good company. Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Because I'm always looking for a way to squeeze in more of their gorgeous framed faces in my house...

But honestly just because we were doing a frame project in her room and she was playing with the frame just like so... so I had to run and grab the camera. Never in a million years would she actually do this on cue. If she's smiling in a photo-- it's because she's having FUN. What you see is what you get. Gotta respect her a little for it. But it makes it IMPOSSIBLE to get a cute family photo. Of course we could get creative and be like... in action, so she'd be happy. But mommy's don't always look so good in action. So I've noticed. Tough combination.

Some Tibbitts

That's their last name. I got to take some family photos

for a friend the other day... thought it might be fun to see some new faces on my blog. :)

Live Oak Pumpkin Patch 2008

This year we went with the Lamms. I wanted SO badly to be in sweaters and jeans...just to really make it feel like Fall.

I was pushing it with the jeans.

But it was still pretty close to perfect. There were pumpkins, a green wooden wagon, slides, kettle corn, a monkey who could stick dollars in his pocket (a little creepy and slave slash freak-show- like), and hay. I've always wanted bales of hay for my porch. So we bought some. Ross said "NEVER AGAIN" since apparently there will be little pieces of hay in our car for the rest of our lives. But whatever. I have hay on my porch. It's soooo Fall in the 98 degree desert.

Just because I don't want it to be COMPLETELY back to blonde by the time you see a photo... and then you'll never believe I thing I say...

(Taken on Ross' blackberry--- hence, that professional feel. I'm going to make sure and get one from the side or back so you can see more of the original dark.)

We ate Miso Salmon and Slider Burgers at Cheesecake Factory, then saw Fireproof, with Lizzie and Shad. Heard of it? Either had I. Lizzie had heard it was good from someone at church. :) Which makes sense. It was CRAZY at first that it was in a real theatre and that we paid REAL money, since it felt exactly like a seminary video only a little less Mormon and a little more Born-Again. (Kurt Cameron is the main character if that explains something). But it turns out--- we liked it. Kind of a lot. I mean once we looked at it as more of a "Charlie", or "God's Army" or some other super-cheesy but surprisingly touching semi-religious film, and less of a "Backdraft (edited of course :)) or other actual Fireman movie. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I saw a movie that really honors marriage. Like a real marriage, not just a comically bad one or a happily-ever-after one. And really teaches that it's worth working your tail off, that it's not all about you and looking out for yourself even if that IS what the whole world preaches, and that as much as we want to think love is enough, we need that Divine help in the mix. While I cringed a little at the terrible acting etc... I left reminded of how important it is to think of the other, to serve him, to surprise and be kind and thoughtful and understanding. We left holding hands and talking fast and furious, both with so much to say, so little time, eating up the precious minutes before our heads hit the pillows and our sweet children awoke us in the morning filling most of our brain cells with them. :)...sigh.... that is why date nights are OH so important..... until the next one...

TGIF

Going on a real live date tonight. Babysitter, hair done, and all. Date nights just feel so rare these days. So do hair-out-of-pony days. All in all it's a big night. Might even see a movie. Maybe we'll take a picture and I'll actually post one of my hair. Speaking of.... I like it now-- hooray! -- It faded a bunch and I've figured out where I can part it so the highlights are more subtle. By the time I get a picture of it, it will have faded so much you'll never believe my hair saga. But it was true. Bright and dark and red and true.

Happy Friday!

Dilemmas of a Mommy

I saw a ladybug costume in Martha Stewart Living last year and have thought since then that I would make one for Sophia for this year. Well it's getting awfully close and who am I kidding? Haven't taken up that craft yet.--- Making things. Especially things that involve fabric of any kind, even if it is just tying or gluing.... or whatever it is. So I started my search, fell in love with lots of ladybugs and bumblebees (oh yeah, I figured Mila would match her with a yellow tutu as a b.bee), and then I saw this gorgeous petti-skirt:



And thought... I really want that for photos, and this website has them for a little less money than most, maybe she could be like a ....mermaid?

And then there was this... a fairy for the second year in a row? But it's so cute--- and can you really ever go wrong with a fairy??

There were lots more. Enough to take up FAR too much time today while Sophia was at preschool. I'll spare you the EXTENT of the dilemma. But really--- there are SOOOO many cute things you can do with a tutu (or petti). I think I'm officially a mommy-of-girlies now. Because I officially want to own EVERY tutu and I want lots of excuses to dress them up and really.... I mean really... is there any rule that says they can't just wear tutus instead of (---insert word for staple clothing to cover your little ones bum here) every day???

I am obsessed with the poofs.

Can we just take a moment?.....

To celebrate my 2 year blogger anniversary!

October 11, 2006---- that's when Missy's encouragement finally got to me and I started with no promise of upkeep. Sophia was barely a year, and Mila a distant glimmer in Ross' eye (or my eye? how does that go?) And now two years later?...... who'd have known I'd be a total junkie who shares too much (and so gets hate comments from random strangers on first political blog in 2 years) and posts too many pictures (but thank goodness I do because I just got my BLURB BOOK in the mail and it is PURE GOLD to me, since I've completely stopped printing pictures unless they're being framed.) So I guess it's all worth it to me. It's really become a wonderful outlet and hobby for me. It makes everything a little more fun, knowing I've got a great place to document it later. Not to mention I get to learn from, be inspired by, and feel UNDERSTOOD by so many great friends I might not otherwise be in touch with. Which reminds me, I sure hope nobody ever feels obligated to read my blog, like you're committed through precedant... we are all SO busy, it's hard enough to keep your own up. Skip or stop whenever you want, but at the same time I need to confess that I absolutely LOVE your comments, your thoughts, your blogs. I love it all. Thanks for reading sometimes. And thanks for sharing your lives right back.

So I just thought I should squeeze in a post tonight in honor of 2 YEARS and as a shout out to the blog! Hooray for technology right?

So on a different note-- my official Oct. 11 post is this--- Heath is here while Mel and Mike get one last hoorah in Palm Springs before their new little baby girl is born in December. So the weather decided to cooperate and we had a GORGEOUS 70-something degree day (first one since the Spring) and got to soak it up at the Living Desert. We actually just happened to run into Lizzie and Shad, so Sophia got to enjoy some Tanner- time too--- crucial to my little one's happiness.

my hair

(The pictures are pretty unrelated, but illustrates our WONDERFUL last weekend.... a lot of pajamas, egg sandwiches, a lot of killer talks at Conference, and Ross' living-room workout during Conference. Anytime he does push-ups, Sophia jumps on his back.... he welcomes a challenge... that's the kind of man he is.... :)... or that's what we're trying to tell ourselves as the financial industry faces.... JUST a few...)

Is it really already Friday? This week has been crazy. Like CRA-zeee (first syllable said in falsetto). Why? Mostly because I was beyond excited to get my hair done, you know the usual, maybe a little more dark for winter, but fresh blond on top.... It's been a long time so my roots were horrendous and when I finally did it, after arranging babysitting which is no easy task, I spent like my life's savings and walked out with dark. red. hair. rrrrrrrr--- (now that you've growled and should really feel silly about it, reread that as the sound of a record scratching)... ahem-- that's right. Dark red hair. Well.... and bright red hair. Somehow both. Lizzie, Kodi, Shannon, Ross... you can all attest, not exaggerating. I had dark, bright red hair. Solid red hair. Blond gone. Lillie gone. I wanted to crawl into a corner and cry... but the worst part was that I couldn't! I have kids who still need me, and Ross is a little busy, what the with economy of our country crashing all around him, burying him a little more each day at work, (apparently the hundreds of thousands of dollars being lost left and right by clients every day....... is more important than my hair... even if it it DOES look cherry flavored.

So I had promised the girl I would give it a few days to get used to it before I decided if I needed more highlights (she knew I was scared to death when I walked out.) Well I could barely sleep that night, and woke up to the realization that it wasn't a nightmare and I did indeed, still look like Raggedy Anne. I couldn't wait another day, so I waited for 8am, went downstairs and paced while Ross stayed upstairs with the girls, took a deep breath,and called back. That dreaded phone call : "Can I come take advantage of another friend for babysitting, drive the 30 minutes to and from, and sit in that chair for three more hours and wonder if every hair stylist there is mentally putting me on their black-list for

A: Being a non-hair-changing, boring, blond mama that's hard to please and

B: One of those clients who tries to hide their BULGING eyes when given the bill like she's probably been buying her own kit at Rite Aid. Puh-lease.

But I spit it all out anyway (like verbally, not literally) --- and long story short, they got me in that day (yesterday), and loaded me up on some highlights. They were actually super nice and grateful I called back and all of that. (I did bring cookies as a peace offering... because NO, I was not prepared to pay any more) And the crazy thing is, I think the stylist was amazing. She asked me so many questions, was so thorough (I was there for five hours the first day but it WOULD have been worth it if I'd loved it.) We started with pictures of dark- "honey" blonds as I call them, and decided to be daring and ended on a picture of Rebecca Gayheart (the wife of McSteamy) with her brunette hair COVERED in golden highlights. She has hints of red in her hair so the stylist showed me all the colors she was thinking and of course I said "looks great!" I was so excited, as you can imagine, to look EXACTLY like Rebecca Gayheart.

Let me remind you, Rebecca is the one on the right. The one WITH the highlights. And this picture doesn't accentuate them as much as the one in the magazine I brought in. It's sort of ironic actually, that she's standing next to Kate Walsh since that is really the color I came out with . Pretty right? On Kate Walsh. Put that hair on my fair skin and rosy cheeks and NON-chiseled jawbones or shoulders and NON-tiny forehead..... not really the same effect. A little less Hollywood glam, a little more pasty-teenage girl who dyed her head with KoolAid at Girl's camp.

Anyway--- I said long story short a little ways back. Got more highlights yesterday. Still going to take a lot of getting used to but after being solid red? I'm back. And it's a change. Which is fun.

And I've got to wrap up with a little more, 'in her defense', since I got the name of the stylist from a friend who ALWAYS has the-bomb hair. Who's gone to her for a while and totally trusts her. And I really did feel like she KNEW what she was doing and was SUPER professional about it. I think she just thought I was a little more daring than I was and focused on the new look part, while I focused on the safe 'highlights in front part'... so when five hours had passed and the highlights didn't come through like she thought they would... she sent me off with "your eyes look amazing!" and I left feeling like I was ready for Halloween.

No pictures yet-- I'm sweaty and stinky since I couldn't find my keys this morning and had to run Sophia to preschool in the jogger-- I WISH I'd taken one before the highlights, but forgot, and so tried to get one on my crappier than crappy phone in the car on the way to my appt. If I ever figure out how to upload that, maybe I will. In the mean time, just wish me luck with my 'more edgy' new look.

If only I could sew...

So my friend Michelle posted a picture of her little girl in this darling little HANDMADE dress she whipped up a couple of weeks ago. I commented on how INCREDIBLY cute it was, of course, and how my order was in, were she to start making them for profit. And I get a phone call all of, what like 2 days later Michelle? Saying... "so I need your address to send Mila's dress!"

A few days later, my squishy little almost-11-month-old was cruising around in this tiered work of art.

Thank you Michelle! It fits perfect-- I love it.

On a lighter note...

I've got cute kids. This one's not up for debate. :)

Yes on Proposition 8

I realize this is just a state law, so many of you who live outside of California might not have heard of it. But Proposition 8 is the "Protect Marriage act", keeping marriage between only a man and a woman. Back in 2000, we fought for Prop. 22, for the same thing, and it passed with 61% of the vote. Recently, four California judges found a loop-hole in California's constitution and decided to overturn it, making marriage open to same-sex couples.

Proposition 8 says "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." It does not take away any rights or benefits from gay or lesbian domestic partners. Under California law, they "shall have the same rights, protections and benefits" as married spouses. Prop. 8 won't change this. It just won't be called marriage. And MOST importantly (to me), public school teachers won't have the option of teaching it to our children without our consent.

The First Presidency of our church has written statements about Prop. 8, urging us as members of the LDS church, to get involved by knocking doors, making phone calls, and donating. Their letters have been read in church several times over the past couple of months. Before all of this, I'm not sure I would have felt the severity of it all. Like most of us, I've known gay people and seen lots of good. It's not a character debate or a matter of passing judgement. It's about protecting the family, protecting the most precious institution of marriage, protecting religion, and protecting our children from what would be a horribly confusing perspective.

Come November, VOTE. and Vote Yes on Prop. 8.