BEFUDDLED

I LOVE So You Think You Can Dance.

Love it. Want to marry it.
Am willing to skip just about anything else in life just to watch it.

But who in the world is Lil' C
and why does he keep showing up on my favorite dance show????!

Beyond that, once he's there,
why do they let him talk?

Lil' C: "Uh, yeah...Uh, when you come to a new, uh, new genre, then you are, uh, in a place that represents darkness. Yeah, it represents darkness and what's unfamiyah..."

Dancers stare at Lil C' uncomprehendingly.

Lil' C: "So, yeah, you are where it's unfamiyah and you have to see. You have to see with your ears."

Dancers continue to stare blankly.

Lil' C: "Until you, yeah, see with your ears, and when you see with your ears in a new genre that's when you're in that place that's darkness. That's unfamiyah."

Cat Deeley: "Okay, then. Mary, was it a dark place for you?"

Mary: Screams.

Later...

Lil' C: You guys were amazing. Yeah, amazing, but I needed more.

Dancers attempt to nod as though understanding.

Lil' C: So, uh, you got synchronicity. You got sameness and yeah, but you gotta' show you're different. The stage is that empty place. Like a bowl. Yeah, uh, the stage is your bowl and you still gotta' eat. Yeah, cuz' you're different, but you gotta' eat.

Dancers stare in dazed stupor.

And then, my favorite part of the evening...

Cat Deeley: I'm not quite sure what you just said, but I think I'm starting to get hungry.

That was uh, yeah, awesome, Cat Deeley. You and your silky tresses ROCK ON!
And please, someone vote Lil' C off the show! The rest of the dancers CAN STAY!

REJECTED

Ouch.

I wasn't cast in the latest show I auditioned for.
It hurts my heart to tell you that.
It hurts my heart to tell myself that.

Why wouldn't they want me?!

I can't help but wonder...
was it my singing?
was it my dancing?
was it my reading?
was it me?
didn't I smile enough?
did I smile too much?
didn't I comb my hair?
didn't I wear deodorant?
am I too old?
am I too fat?
am I too tall?
am I too short?
am I too me?

Why wouldn't they want me???!!!

(And then the mean side of me asks...
why would they want her? or her? or her?)

Now you know (some more of) how rotten I am.
And that they didn't want me.

Was it because I'm rotten?

Okay. As long as I'm telling all,
I should also let you know that I think that this is a good thing for me, too.

It helps me
not get too complacent or cocky,
not let the theater become quite so all-encompassing,
remember to wear deodorant,
to go to the gym,
and to be happy for her, and her, and her, whoever she may be.
She is going to have a great time doing a show.

And, really, this is not the worst thing that could happen in life.
(After all, my husband could bring home another puppy.)

Besides all that,
I am now freed up to be super soccer mom of the season.
It's a good thing.


Kinda' like that saying,

when a door closes, a window opens...

(But let's be real: why would anyone prefer the window to the door?)

INFESTED

While making lunches for the working men of this family, I found two boxes of granola bars,

empty;

one cracker box,

empty;

and the chip bag,

empty.

Not one of these empty things did I find in the garbage can, where empty things belong.

What sort of insanity made me ask who was responsible?!

Isn't it obvious? Pesky old "Not Me" has made residence in our residence.
My poor parents tried to kick Not Me out of their house years ago. They must have finally met with success.

It's either that, or rats.
That's what Evan suggested when we asked all three boys about the cleanly opened, nearly empty graham cracker box hidden in the storage room. Yes. It could be rats. Very smart, very dexterous rats.
I'm not sure that's better.

Ah, well. That's

.

Not quite empty.

MOVING ON. MAYBE.

The 24th of July is a big deal around these here parts. There's a parade. There are picnics. There are sales at places like RC Willey.
And it's all to remember the pioneers who made their entrance into the Salt Lake Valley some 150 years ago.

Thank you, Pioneers. There would be no life on Renoir Circle without you.
Or even any RC Willey stores.

And there wouldn't have been the Children's Parade a week earlier.
Joshua was invited to participate, which he did, only slightly in cognito.



No joke. He marched the whole parade path like that.


Oh so very Joshua.

I also enjoyed seeing

the colorful chain links around the temple representing forever families,

the television sets honoring Philo T. Farnsworth (all sets tuned to General Conference),

and
the float inspired by the movie "Up." Ingenious reminder that temples "lift us UP where we belong."

I couldn't help but laugh at the entry entreating us all to catch the reading bug.

It showed any Mormon's perfect reading selection: "The Book of Mormon" and "Twilight." Ha!

Certainly my favorite part of the parade was the one done by our Stake Primary. Their theme was "Never Give Up," and they depicted the hardships endured by the handcart pioneers on their trek across Wyoming.



I also like the person I watched the parade with.
He is kind of nice.

UNDONE

This is what I came home to Saturday night.



This is how it made me feel.
(Although this was taken Saturday at the parade, even before the peace offering...)

All day Sunday, my husband was forgiven,
and the dog was allowed to live.



This is what I woke up to Monday morning.

Sadly, I admit, that red couch really does mean more to me than just about anything else.

And I'm not sure I'm ready to re-prioritize. So, here we go again.

Monday I came home to more Sees candy.
(Thank you, Michael.)

That dog is gonna' make me fat.

BEYOND DONE

Berber Carpet Incident #4



There are. no. words.

VERY DONE

Remember Berber Carpet Incident #1? The saga continues.

Berber Carpet Incident #2


Berber Carpet Incident #3


Close to what Keri looked like upon
spying said incidents.
(My mouth was opened much larger,
and I believe there was smoke
coming out of my eyes...
My hair was probably that cute, though...)

P.S. Honey, if you are reading this...just a note to you that when I say, "Flowers and Chocolate," I really do mean flowers and chocolate. For reals. Huge bouquet. Big box (preferably Sees). I'm still waiting. $20 flip flops are not going to cut it.

P.P.S. Mom, are you sure we're still invited for that visit?

DONE

Can I tell you just how much I DON'T enjoy having a dog?
No, I cannot. There are no words.

Moving on...

I went to another funeral today.
What a difference a (long and well-lived) life makes.

I attended the funeral service for a lovely lady who lived in our neighborhood. Geniel Hanson lived to be 92 beautiful years old. Now that's a lot of life!

I got to know Geniel from the few months that I thought I would enjoy attending "Daughters of Utah Pioneers" meetings. I didn't much like the meetings, but I sure did like her. It turned out that she didn't live too far away from us, so I got to see her from time to time, mostly when she was out in her yard. This lady sure did like to be out in her yard. Crazy.

This lady also liked to smile. She was always smiling. And I do mean always. I don't think she was crazy, just a little over-come with sun-stroke, I suppose. And happy. It's a good way to be.

Yet another person worthy of emulation. I'm smiling right now in honor of Geniel.
And because the dog is somewhere away from me at the moment.

TEARY

I just attended a funeral for a boy I've never met.
It made me teary.

The Thomas family flew to Utah from Maine to celebrate their daughter's wedding. The next day, their 16-year-old son Clayton died from carbon monoxide poisoning at the family cabin.

Certainly their family will never be the same again.

And, if this young man's funeral means anything, I hope the same can be said of me.

I went to the funeral as a "representative" of my sister Dana and the Ft. Collins family Slade. You see, before moving to Falmouth, Maine the Thomas family lived in Ft. Collins and were members of the same ward (church congregation) my family attends. Nancy, the mom, was my sister's Young Women's leader, and although I was long gone by this time, I still heard many a story and effusive chorus of praise about Dana's Young Women's leader. She played an awesome part in my sister's life.

So, when Dana called me yesterday and told me the situation, I knew I had to be there. For Dana and Rob. They'd do the same for me anywhere, anytime.

May I just say, I was honored to be present at this young man's funeral. I am touched by his goodness, even greatness. His family was blessed to have him. I am lucky to have heard about him.

Beyond that, I am lucky and blessed by the tender reminder today of God's love and plan for each of us. There are times that life seems so very unfair and so utterly chaotic that it's difficult to believe there is a purpose and plan in the inevitable pain we all suffer at some point (many points), and to some degree.

But,

There is. I feel it inside.

Paraphrasing some of the speakers, here's what I was reminded of today:
Before we were born, each of us was taught about the coming life we would experience if we chose to accept God's plan and, with it, mortality. We knew that on Earth we would feel joy, and sorrow. Success, and disappointment. Happiness, and heartache. We knew that this life would be a trial, a test of sorts, to help us to grow and reach our personal potential. This is God's great plan, a plan of happiness. A plan of progress. We fall, we get up. We stretch, and we grow.

We also make mistakes. Sometimes painful ones. Sometimes things hurt us. Sometimes we hurt ourselves. But always, there is a way through the pain. Always, that way can be through our Savior, Jesus Christ. We can be better despite our pain, and because of His. God's plan is a plan of redemption. God's plan makes us more than we would be by ourselves.

Today we gathered with a family in pain. We gathered, with hugs and tears, to bear each other up under the burden of things that happen in life. We were there, we are here, because of God's plan. And it was the right place to be.

An aunt said it well. "Today we are here because of that plan. We accepted it, knowing full well what it would bring us. Now it is our duty to accept, with faith, the consequences that are beyond our control."

I've never met this boy, Clayton Thomas. I'm not even sure if I've ever met the Thomas parents, although I did do a brief stint of floor staining in Maine with Whitney and Dallin last summer. However, in consequence of this boy's great life I was moved to tears; not just tears of sadness and pain for the family, but tears of the deepest tenderness and love. I do know that Jesus Christ lives and loves me. I do know that God has a plan for us all. I do know that we are not left alone. Clayton knew that too, and lived a life full of zest, kindness, and radiance because of it. He modeled his life after the Savior, Jesus Christ, and I would like to try to do that, too.

Thank you, Clayton. You will be missed. Hopefully, you will be emulated.

WELL-EDUCATED

While on the way home from Joshua's morning soccer practice today, the young son made some comment about how he hated "versing" one of the other boys.

"Versing?" I laughed. "That's a great word, Joshua. Versing."
"What?" he exclaimed, "What's wrong with it?"

Apparently, and according to Joshua, if you look in any dictionary you will find "versing" right there on the same page as "verse," "versus," and "versatility."

"It's a real word, Mom. You just have to know how to use it."

I lie not. These are all direct quotes.

"And," he went on to inform me, "When you get stuck versing with someone you hate to be with, you have 'verstipation.' It's kinda' like when you have to go to the bathroom and (well, you know the rest)... I was totally verstipated today."

May all your children be as well versed as mine.