Pics of the Week

In case you haven't noticed by now, I rather like my camera.  Much to the chagrin of a couple of my kids, I keep it slung over my shoulder (or tucked surreptitiously into my purse) almost everywhere I go.   And for those of you who have seen my camera know that it's not of a size to be easily "tuckable" or "slingable". 

So what do I do with all these pictures?

I used to print them all and try to scrapbook them, but I would invariably get overwhelmed with the mess scrapbooking always created and it always seemed like I was a year or two behind the times trying to keep up with the pictures.  Then in 2007 I started blogging, which I instantly loved because it was mess- and cost-free and was so easily shared with family and friends.  Shortly after beginning to blog I not only stopped scrapbooking, but also stopped printing up pictures altogether.  Now once or twice a year I'll print all of my posts into a hardcover blog book, which have become our new scrapbooks for our family.  I'll often walk into a room and find one of my kids curled up with a blog book and laughing about some funny story (this classic called, "Princesses Don't Toot" is their very favorite). 

The only problem with this method is that there are often great pictures that don't fit perfectly into a blogpost, which means that these great pictures often get lost in the archives of my iPhoto never to be seen again.  I'm going to try to remedy this problem by occasionally (possibly weekly) posting a blogpost just dedicated to my favorite pics.  They may or may not have a cool story to go with them, but mostly I just want them to be remembered. 

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I love how you can see the water droplets zipping onto Ellie in this picture as she hunkers down while a sibling sprays her with the hose.... 

I wish I could take credit for this amazing photo of a butterfly and bumblebee resting on our neighbor's flowers, but it was actually my sister, Heather, who took the photo.  Adam and Emma were the ones that had noticed the butterfly in the first place and demanded that I go get my camera immediately. 

My sister, Kristina, and I made some hairbows this week which required burning the edges of polyester circles with a candle.  By the time we were done, the candle looked like this and I couldn't help but take a picture of it.  My family thought I was certifiably weird when I pulled out my camera, but I was just so enamored with how charming and old-fashioned it looked that I couldn't help myself.

Don't know the story behind this photo, but I found it downloaded onto my computer and couldn't stop laughing.  Apparently it was taken by Cami very late one night. 

Here is a picture of Senator Mike Lee (from Utah) eating one of Cami's cupcakes. We have a friend who works in his office who had ordered Cami's cupcakes for a co-worker's birthday.  Cami called me super excited after receiving this picture. 

Cami really, really missed her big brother while he was in the hospital all those months and I LOVE seeing Spence and Cami hanging out together again. This is them at Chinatown (in DC) today. 

So Proud...

...of my entrepreneurial almost-fifteen-year-old daughter who is making her cupcake business into a great success!  She had 3 separate orders for a total of 8-dozen cupcakes all due today and she still managed to make them perfectly coordinated for the baby shower...

perfectly patriotic for the senator's office...

and perfectly delicious for all of them....of course!  (see here for her flyer)

Also proud....

...of my ever-improving super swimmer, Emma, who just won third place in the backstroke!

...and of my hard-working all-A super student!

...and of my sister for saving us about $55 by helping us do our passport photos ourselves (we used a sheet hanging from the railing and this website).  We're still waiting to hear about Spencer's Make-A-Wish trip, but we are hopeful that it will be cool since they told us to go ahead and get our passports!  :)

Moustache Monday

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I "moustache" you all a very important question...

...but since "eyebrows" the computer right now, I'll "shave" it for later. 



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Ode to the 'Stache
by  Derek Berry

Oh, glorious hairs, sprouting from face!
With warmth and a style no razor could erase,
 Hairs grow like weeds, sturdy lip prongs,
Which are worshiped and are subjects of songs,

It sits as a comrade, a furry, lippy friend,
That you can twist, style, twirl, whorl, and bend,
You are the captain, and it your first mate,
With it you have a bond to which no other bodily hair—can relate,

You might prefer the Belvedere, or perhaps the Dali,
You may sport yours like Frank Zappa and grow a goatee,
It can be a handlebar, or you can let it droop,
One end can be a basketball, the other end a hoop,

You can look like Einstein and look like Ringo too,
You could grow it very long until you need ‘stache shampoo,
It may be a pencil one, or a Fu Manchu,
A moustache is a moustache, and any one will do,

Some look pretty menacing, some look kind of cute,
Some make you look professional, some just like a brute,
You can wear it with a beard, goatee, or mutton chops,
It looks right on cowboys, Hitler, and even cops,

This is a little ode about a little droop,
A single curve of hair that can sop up all the soup,
Some are rather sparse; some look worth a lot of cash,
But never forget the power and coolness of the ‘stache

Spencer's High Adventure in the Florida Keys

The first few moments after telling Spencer that he had leukemia were among the most horrible of our lives.  We had no idea what his reaction to the news would be and so we just sat there, with prayers in our hearts, waiting as Spencer digested the news that life as he knew it would never be quite the same.    In our naivete on carrying out these types of conversations, we had braced ourselves for dramatics on Spencer's end.   Truer to his personality though,  instead we were met with several minutes of stunned, yet restless silence as he processed what we'd just told him.

He laid on our bed.  Got up again.  Paced.  Laid back down.  Paced some more.  All without saying a word.   

When he finally spoke, he immediately started grilling us with questions.   How long will I be in the hospital?  When do we leave?  What should I pack?  What about school?  Shortly after these practical questions, he  started asking about his summer plans, particularly about whether he'd still be able to participate with his boy scout troop's scheduled trip to the Florida Keys for a high adventure scuba diving at Sea Base. 

Our answer to almost all of his questions was that we had no idea. 

 He continued asking about the Sea Base trip frequently during his treatment, but even once we knew more information about his  expected course of treatment, we still had no idea about whether he'd be well enough to go.   It wasn't really until we had decided not to proceed with the bone marrow transplant that going on the trip became a very likely possibility and from that point forward I believe that his desire to go on this trip became one of the lights at the end of the tunnel that he clung to during his darkest days.  

When we got to the end of his treatment a mere three weeks before they were going to leave we were a tad nervous that he might not be strong enough to go.  We were thrilled, however, when his doctors gave him the go-ahead for the trip, albeit with the caveats to stay away from sick people, use tons of sunblock, and absolutely no scuba diving.   (They were worried about how the pressure changes of scuba diving would affect his possibly chemo-weakened heart).  Even with the caveats though, there was no lack of enthusiasm on Spencer's part as they departed early in the morning on June 26th.    There were 23 scouts and leaders that went along for the adventure, most of whom did a whole lot of snoozing for most of the trip (not Glen though, since he was driving).    They drove right through the torrents of rain that accompanied Tropical Storm Debbie on their way down, but luckily it had already passed through the Keys before they'd arrived. 

Here is Spence with Glen and his best friend, Ryan, in  Homestead, Florida where they'd stopped for lunch at a Golden Corral.  Apparently he was a tad hungry when he got there, because he  bragged about he and his friends were going to put this Golden Corral out of business.    (In case you're wondering, he's been gaining weight at a steady pace ever since he's been home). 

After arriving at their final destination, a condo in Islamorada in the Keys, it didn't take long before the boys were busy with their activities.  Since Spence couldn't scuba dive, he and Glen usually ended up fishing while the other boys were scubaing.  Here is Spencer with his one and only fish from their first day of fishing. It was a redfish, which Glen proclaims to be a very beautiful fish, personally I think it just looks a little slimy.  The guide said that the fishing was very poor that day because of Tropical Storm Debbie which had just passed there shortly before the boys' arrival. 

One of their nightly rituals during their 10-day trip was watching the sun set over the Islamorada. 

They spent one afternoon in Key West (about 70 miles from Sea Base), where they saw some street performers (an acrobat using hula hoops).  Despite their unimpressed demeanors, Glen said that they were actually pretty entertaining. 

One of the days while the other boys were scuba diving, Spence and Glen rented some jet skis for the day.  They jet skied out to 3 different reefs, where they snorkeled and saw some awesome sea life, including sting rays, coral, sea conchs, urchins, and tons of different fishes.   Spencer proclaimed jet skiing to be "the single most fun thing he'd ever done in his entire life."

On Sunday all 23 of them attended  church at the very tiny Marathon Branch in Marathon, Florida where their presence more than doubled the size of the congregation.  Glen and Spencer taught the combined Priesthood and Relief Society meeting during which they shared about some of their experiences over the last several months. 

Later on they performed a desperately needed service project at Bahia Honda State Park where they cleaned up the beach and adjacent wooded area. 

They got up at the crack of dawn this day and got to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean, while they went out for another day of deep sea fishing. 

The effects of the Tropical Storm seemed to have passed and this day turned out to be a much more successful day of fishing than the first day had been.  Here they are with one of many fish they caught that that day (both of these are yellow tail snappers, which later were eaten for dinner). 



The captain let Spencer take a turn at the wheel of the 52-foot fishing boat. Since everyone lived to tell the tale,  we will call his first foray into boat captaincy a success.   

Glen was very proud of this mahi mahi he caught.

After they returned to shore they posed for this picture in front of the fishing boat with a sampling of the fish they caught hanging behind them.  In case you couldn't tell based on the numbers of pictures they took, I have to say that they were pretty darn proud of their fishing exploits! 

And they were even prouder when they discovered that they caught enough fish to feed 15 people at Lazy Days Restaurant where you bring the fish and they cook it up right there for you!   Glen and Spencer liked it crusted in coconut and declared it the darn tastiest fish they'd ever eaten in their lives. 

*Okay this post is getting realllllllllllllllllllllly long and I'm tired, so I'm going to take a little lesson brevity from the great William Shakespeare and you're getting the abbreviated version of this trip from here on out.*

On way to Doughnut Hole Reef to snorkel. yay.

Spencer  and snorkeling gear

Snorkeling in Alligator Reef...

barracuda...yikes! 

sergeant majors...pretty! 

gray angelfish...boring!

Parrot fish...HUGE!

peaceful moment

10 days long time.  Missed my boys.  Happy they're home.  Spencer happy.  Had great time. 

Now I do lots and lots of laundry. 

The end. 

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"...since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief{er next time}."
~William Shakespeare / Lara

Lemonade Stand Grand Total

After a sweltering, but busy second afternoon of selling lemonade and cupcakes...

to a few friends and neighbors,

but mostly to cute little relatives who came not only eager to help, but also adorably decked out in red, white, and blue garb for Independence Day.....

They were a little mad about me taking too many pictures of them,

but when we counted up the grand total Emma and Elena earned to give to childhood cancer research...

everyone was all smiles...

especially Emma! 

Grand total:  $355

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"...and a little child shall lead them." 
Isaiah 11:6

The Best Lemonade Stand in Town

With a forecast looking like this lately...

100°

there's no two ways around the fact that
it's about as hot as hot gets.

It's the kind of weather that makes you want to hang out all day at the pool,
Or stay indoors where the AC is cool,
Or just lay around all day while you do nothing but fan yourself and eat bonbons.
(haha!  wouldn't that be nice?)

But if you're 11-year-old Emma and her friend, Elena,
Instead you'll beg to go outside and sit in the hot sun
for hours at a time

While you sell cold, refreshing drinks to other people...
and then not even keep any of the money for yourself. 

They spent hours and hours in preparation,
baking and decorating cupcakes,
buying supplies with their own money,
making a tri-fold brochure telling about their cause,
and lovingly creating signs...

Emma put her sister to work
and paid her in all the cold lemonade she could drink...

If you notice that their lemonade stand

seems to be lacking in some of the more traditional supplies,

Let it be known that a couple of years ago,

Emma and Elena came up with the most revolutionary idea

to hit lemonade stands in the 21st century.

Instead of pitchers of lemonade

that you have to protect from bugs and leaves

And replacing cups that tend to blow away in the wind,

they use water bottles that stay cold in the cooler

and add little packets of Crystal Light

in whatever flavor their customers choose. 

Their customers love the no-mess, car-friendly lemonade
and I love the fact that there's no waste.
We just take the leftover bottles home
and use them when the water-treatment plants lose power
in a giant storm (that we got a little too up close and personal with).

They learned to make up a bunch of the plain lemonade in advance
so they could hand them quickly to all the people who drove by in their cars
and didn't want to park.

They were a little shier about yelling to passing cars
than they had been in past years
but it did not stop them from making the afternoon
a smashing success!

So how did they do?

$270
all to CureSearch
one of the best childhood cancer research charities out there. 

All to honor her brother, Spencer.


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And now she wants to do it all again tomorrow.

Lemonade Stand at our house
Ice cold crystal light lemonade-- $1
Fresh, homemade cupcakes (by Cami and Emma)-- $2
July 4, 2012
3-6pm