forgetful

I forget stuff all the time, but I had two big ones two nights in a row recently. I am stretched thin these days, I'll concede, so I guess I'll just blame it on that. Like butter scraped over too much bread--(one of my favorite "Lord of the Rings quotes-probably because I really identify with it!)

So we had our Young Women in Excellence this week, and the Beehives (the 12-13 year old girls) were in charge of the dinner. So in preparation, the girls came to my house and we made 6 pans of green chile enchiladas. Those poor girls were really crying when we chopped up the onions. We kept a box of kleenex on the table just to save time.

Chicken choppers:

I just love all these girls!

So the enchiladas were made, each girl took a pan home to cook and bring the night of, but due to some being unable to attend and one gal whose oven is broken I kept one to cook too. I spent Thursday morning baking 60 corn muffins, and two "tres leches cake," then I taught piano lessons until 5:30, changed my clothes in 5 minutes, loaded the car with Arthur's help, and realized, I had FORGOTTEN to put my pan of enchiladas in the oven!

So I got to the church with my cold enchiladas, and realized I'd also forgotten the huge container of Lemonade mix, and the chopped cucumbers for the salad!

I was so annoyed at myself.

Luckily, by the time the fifth pan of enchiladas was running out, my 6th pan had been sufficiently warmed, and Sister Miller and I got to dish ourselves some from the pan fresh out of the oven. I guess nobody missed the cucumbers and lemonade since they didn't know we were supposed to have them anyway. But I'm pretty sure my Beehives must think I am out to lunch.

The next night, a young woman in our ward was putting on a "Modest is Hottest" fashion show for one of her Personal Progress projects. She had asked me to model my wedding dress. I told her I would, assuming I could get it to zip up. To my happy surprise, 10 years later I still fit into it!

Here's Daphne and her friend Kirra sitting on the front row, waiting for the fashion show to start.

When I went back to the dressing room to change, I realized I had forgotten something VERY IMPORTANT! I did not have my slip! Now, a lot of wedding dresses are poofy and have lots of layers under them and don't really require a slip. Mine is not poofy, and with those lights shining on me I was worried people could see right through my dress! I asked all the prom dress girls and anyone who wore a dress that night if they had a slip I could borrow, but none of them did! Well, I was the last dress of the whole fashion show, so I put on a smile, went out and walked (kind of quickly and self-consciously) down the cat-walk and I don't think it was too bad, but maybe people were just being nice.

I had nightmares that night that the whole ward could see right through my dress, and how could I ever go to church again!!!???

Here we are in our wedding dresses. My mother made mine, and I will always, always treasure it. And if I ever have occasion to wear it again, (and if by some miracle it still fits,) I will definitely NOT FORGET my slip.

Mass Happiness

Balloon Fiesta 2009

One of my favorite things about Albuquerque is the annual Balloon Fiesta--the largest ballooning event, and the most photographed event, in the world. I love that the name of the fiesta this year was "Mass Happiness" because it's hard to feel anything else when you're out there on the field as the sun peaks over the Sandia Mountains illuminating all the bright colors and shapes as they float upward. For a crowd of people who have gotten up before the sun and endured the traffic trying to get into the park, you won't find a happier bunch of early-risers, and all with their cameras pointed toward the sky. It's just so fun.

Here are pictures from our visit to the Saturday morning Mass Ascension.

The balloon being inflated here is named "Northern Lights" and comes from Canada, and the kids even got a collectors card from the pilot.

This balloon is called Firefly, and with the flames going, I think it looks like stained glass.

Arthur couldn't resist this shot. The moon framed by two balloons.

The ever-popular Darth Vader Balloon from Brazil. (It, along with several other special-shape balloons got stuck for DAYS at customs in China and missed the first weekend of the Fiesta. I bet they won't be going back to China any time soon.)

We ran into our good friends, the Schmutz's at the Fiesta. Here are Bobby & Dallin laughing at something hilarious. I always think it's miraculous when we run into people we know there because there are just so many people!

Hayden taking a bite out of a tasty breakfast burrito. Breakfast burritos, hot chocolate and an occasional funnel cake are all just part of the experience. And after freezing our buns off out there, the hot chocolate and green chili sure do warm you up. Gotta love it.

We love to share this event with friends and family, so mark your calendars for the 2010 Balloon Fiesta. It's always the first 2 weekends in October, so you have 365 days to plan your "Land of Enchantment Get-Away" and you won't find better priced lodging than our house! Come visit next year and experience "mass happiness" for yourself!!!

(I don't think I can be any more obvious than that.)

4th of July Colors

The kids had Friday off from school for Fall Break, so Arthur planned a fun hike for us at a canyon called 4th of July. When we got there, I realized that they must have named it because of the bright fall colors that look like fire. It was still really beautiful even though we missed the peak, and lots of the colors had already fallen to the ground. We loved hiking through the crunchy leaves and spotting the bright spots on the trees that hadn't fallen yet.

The kids had a fun Halloween party to go to in the morning, we headed out to the canyon after lunch for an afternoon hike. It took us about 90 minutes to get out there, but the drive was very scenic, and the little boys napped on the way. I didn't know how many different colors oak trees can turn. We saw oaks in shades of yellow, gold, bronze, copper, and brown. But we didn't see any red maples until we got to our destination.

Hiking is one of my favorite things to do with our family. The kids are getting really good not complaining, and just having a fun time. We hiked for 2.3 miles round trip. The kids collected leaves, and were delighted with the "fuzzy" backside of the red maples leaves. Daphne made up a song to sing as she collected leaves, the lyrics consisting entirely of the word, "FUZZY!"

By coincidence, we met some friends from our old ward on the trail. So we asked them to take a picture of all of us by one of the few maples still dressed in red.

Arthur planned our dinner and everything. We brought up the coleman stove, and heated up some beef and vegetable stew, and ate it with homemade wheat bread and honey.

And I think this is the point where the kids got the camera. They just pass it around and go crazy taking pictures. I have to say, I actually like a lot of their pictures. I guess it's in the genes--after all, their Grandpa Gariety was a photographer.

Please enjoy the photography of Dallin, Daphne & Sean.

Happy Autumn!

Roller Coaster

I've had an emotionally volatile weekend. I wrote pages and pages about it in my journal, and even though this is the fast version, it's still quite long. So unless you really care about me you might just want to skip to the end to see what happened.

Friday night:

Audition for Secret Garden produced by Musical Theatre Southwest, here in Albuquerque. Excited, nervous, anxious, can't wait to get it over so we can make some definite holiday plans. Receive a callback, but not for Lilly, or Martha, (the two parts I said I'd be willing to do.) I get called back for Alice. Never heard of Alice? Me neither, and I'm familiar with the show.

Come home. Brood about not getting a call-back for Lilly. (Not surprised about no call-back for Martha, because I sang a Lilly song to audition with and Lilly & Martha are totally different styles.) Talk to Arthur & my Dad about whether or not I can justify turning our lives upside down for a couple months for the part of Alice. Ultimately decide I can't.

Saturday Morning:

Cry (not gonna lie--I cried in the shower- a great place for a good cry,) because I realize what this means: I'll never get to participate in community musical theater since apparently, you can't skip the totem pole process of taking the smaller roles to get a bigger role. I don't have time for that. For me, it's go big or go home.

It's hard, but I decide, that essentially, I'm choosing to shelf that dream. I have found that when you choose to be a mother, some dreams get shelved. At the time it doesn't seem okay, but it always turns out worth it. As I'm in the shower, I remember this quote from the 2003 film Peter Pan.

Mrs. Darling: There are many different kinds of bravery. There's the bravery of thinking of others before one's self. Now, your father has never brandished a sword nor fired a pistol, thank heavens. But he has made many sacrifices for his family, and put away many dreams.

Michael: Where did he put them?
Mrs. Darling: He put them in a drawer. And sometimes, late at night, we take them out and admire them. And when it gets harder and harder to close the drawer... He does. And that is why he is brave.

I cry some more as I think about how brave I'm being. And also because I don't feel brave at all. Just selfish that I'm so disappointed about it and disappointed in myself for being selfish.

Saturday throughout the day:

Watch the semi-annual General Conference for our church where we hear modern day prophets and apostles speak and give counsel for our times. Very uplifting and inspiring. I have a testimony that those men are called of God. I feel validated in my choice, because I've chosen what's more important.

Have moments where the kids are crying and whining and hanging on my legs, and complaining and fighting, and making messes. Think about how unglamorous it all is. Feel sorry for myself.

Make sugar cookies with the kids, watch them play together, listen to their laughter, look at how beautiful they are. Think about how blessed I am to be a mother and how I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Go to bed resolved to attend the call-backs, explain why if I don't get a more substantial part, I won't be able to participate, & ask for another shot at Lilly--with no hope for success. It's just for me to know that I didn't roll over and give up.

Sunday:

Watch conference again, of course, have lunch with friends, watch more conference, and then head down to the call-backs. I dress in jeans and t-shirt because I don't care anymore.

Execute my aforementioned plan. To my surprise, the director says, "Sure, I understand. You can try for Lilly again."

I can?

I thought he'd tell me "Well then go home, you Diva. Don't waste any more of our time." (Or something like that.) Now I wish I'd worn a skirt, like the other Lillys, (who were both tall, graceful, beautiful, ethereal, AND both had done the role before.) So I sing & read for Lilly & Alice too, (just so I can get more exposure). Vocally, I am competitive with the other Lillys but they win in the stage presence department. It's hard to be short and ethereal.

Then another surprise.

The director consults with the music director and after a minute, pulls me aside and asks if I'd be willing to stay after and read & sing for Martha. (She's a fun and quirky major supporting role who is actually my favorite character in the play.) I say I'd love to. Fast forward to that part: They ask me, "How is your belt voice?" I laugh (because I've had no belt training at all) and say "I'll give it a shot." They seem satisfied with my imitation belt voice. I nail the reading and go home feeling pleased that auditions went better than I'd anticipated.

An hour later I get a phone call saying they'd like me to be Martha!

I calmly and happily accept, hang up the phone, and then hop around squealing and giggling like a little girl while Arthur laughs with/at me, and hugs me.

Monday 5:00 a.m.

Wake up early because I am so excited, I can't sleep. Start laundry and blog. Figure out how to best organize my time to make sure I really pull my weight around here since Arthur is being so supportive in taking responsibility with the kids while I'll be at lots of rehearsals.

I'm not feeling sorry for myself today. Slightly guilty though. Because now I wonder if maybe it's kind of selfish of me to do this? But mostly just excited, grateful for my heroic husband, and glad that I had decided I was willing to give it up if it came down to it.

For those of you in the area, mark your calendars for a really great family show. The story and music are beautiful! The performances are December 11-13, 18-20, and 26 & 27. It's a busy time of year, but you won't want to miss it. Info for purchasing tickets can be found at www.musicaltheatresw.com.

let the craziness begin.

Cheese Balls

I was at the store yesterday with Dallin when we walked by this pallet of Cheese Balls. Does anybody else remember eating cheese balls as a kid? I haven't seen them in a really long time--for years, it seems, and when I saw them, I couldn't resist. In fact, I had to restrained myself to limit my purchase to only one tub.

Here are Sean & Hayden having a little pre-breakfast snack of these tasty cheese balls. (Normally I wouldn't encourage a pre-breakfast snack by taking a picture of it, but you don't really get full from eating these--I think they might just be cheese-flavored air--and besides, who knows when I will buy a tub of cheese balls again?)

I remember when I was a kid, I would take two cheeseballs and twist them against each other until they had one flat side, and then I would eat them. Random, I know, but I just thought I'd share.

Dixon's Apple Farm

Today I took the kids to visit Dixon's Apple Farm, home of New Mexico's best mountain grown apples. We bought a 1/2 bushel of their famous Champagne apples, 1/2 bushel of the Sparkling Burgandy apples, and 1 gallon of apple cider. We also tasted some yummy apple fritters, and Sean and Daphne took a whole bunch of pictures--I included a few starting with the pumpkin and ending with Sean. They are very artistic.

tasting those delicious apples

pumpkin

Hayden's shoe

apples

"Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me."

(ever heard that old Andrew's Sister's song?)

On our way back to the car.