"May"be We're Back?

A new camera and a new sense of blogging motivation means I'm going to try, once again, to resurrect this blog from the dust of the Internet.   Ahem, I will definitely try.

Each year Everett's elementary school puts on a May Day performance.  Each grade level learns a dance, the 5th grade chorus sings, there are May poles, May Day princesses, etc.  The music teacher puts the entire thing together and all the parents descend on the back playground to watch.  The kids are asked to dress in Sunday best clothing.

This year's May Day was spectacular!  It was fun to watch the kids really get into their dancing.  But what I found the most humorous part of being there was watching Everett's reaction to sitting FACING the sun.  I don't know why, but the boy simply couldn't handle it.  I don't know if he's happened upon me watching The Vampire Diaries on my computer one too many times (Shhh, don't tell.  Yes, I know.  Vampire Diaries.  Don't tell!) or what, but the kid could. not. handle. the. sun.  It was especially funny since all the kids around him acted like they were just fine.  And then, there's Everett...

The other kids seem to have mastered "the squint", but Everett wasn't having it.

Sixteen other people in this picture and not one of them is "pulling an Everett".

Regardless of Everett's inability to sit outside comfortably in the sunshine, the kid has, thankfully, taken a page or two out of Will's rhythm handbook and danced well.

A few days after May Day, I got the awesome opportunity to attend Mother's Tea at Juliana's preschool.  I left Giselle with my neighbor, so I was able to attend all by myself.  Solo!  Alone!  That in and of itself was pretty glorious. And when I arrived, I was showered with a bevy of handmade items.  A placemat!  A wooden spoon!  A card! A paper flower!  A pink visor!  M&M's in a plastic baggie!  Grapes AND Fritos!  This is the good life, folks.

Juliana performed a rousing repertoire of songs including, "Mothers Are the Flowers in the Garden of Life", "I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee" and "I Made a Gift for Mommy".  Each song including lots of hand motions and Juliana was in performance heaven.

It was nice to finally see the culmination of weeks on end of singing around the house.  Juliana loves to sing!

My little ladybug/flower in post-performance (read: sweaty.  It was hot in there!) glory:

Me and the daughter who doesn't look like me - May 2013.

Ode to Provo

In February of 1998, I was a senior in high school waiting to hear back from the one and only college I applied to - BYU.  As a Southern gal, and one with no familial ties to BYU, my choice was a bit of an odd one.  Thankfully, I was accepted and in the fall of that year, off I went to Provo, Utah, the land of mountains, snow and BYU campus.  

Living far away from home and with complete strangers was an experience. And I loved it!  Freshman year rocked and every year thereafter was just as rockin'.  School was awesome, the people were great and the experiences I had were outstanding.  Every single thing about my four years at BYU was pretty exceptional (both the good and the not-so-good).

When I moved after graduation, I was both sad and happy to go.  Sad that my time at BYU was over and happy and excited to see what life held in store for me.

Flash forward 10 years and now, as one of the co-chairs of the St. Louis Chapter of the BYU Alumni Association (Will's the other chair), I got to attend the annual BYU Alumni Conference at Aspen Grove.  I have to admit, it was a toss up as to whether I was more excited about attending the conference or simply taking a trip by myself while Will stayed home with the kiddos.  Love my kids, but the thought of flying by myself again had me giddy.

In the Emerald Lodge at Aspen Grove - where most of our informational meetings took place.  There's half of my brother-in-law, Logan's, head. (And Paula's cheek)

I'm not sure what I was expecting from the conference, but I was overwhelmed by the reminder of the wonderful feelings I still have for BYU.  It is such a special place!  I don't say this sarcastically or facetiously, but BYU is one of the neatest places on the planet.  Is it perfect?  No.  Are the people who go there all nice?  Nope.  Is there a BYU culture that can be odd and sometimes a little stifling?  You betcha.  But BYU campus and the things that attending BYU can teach are exceptional.  As I told a friend, I fell more in love with BYU than I already was!  I really do feel honored that I was chosen to spend four years of my life at that university.  

Making a "Y" outside the Wilk. Or WSC as it is now called.  No more ELWC for this place! Note my snazzy BYU Alumni shirt.  I'm screaming "cool".

So...the conference.  It was informative and I came away with lots of ideas to implement here in St. Louis.  But the perk was definitely meeting alumni chairs from all over the country.  It was interesting to hear about when they graduated and their major and their most memorable BYU experience.  It seems that no matter when you attend or what you major in, everyone experiences the same kinds of things at BYU and feels that same spirit.  I swear, I'm not trying to be cheesy, I just can't help but go on and on about my experience there this time around.

Of course, it wasn't all meetings and no play.  I was so excited to see some of my old haunts.  Seriously, most of this is only going to make sense to about 10 readers, but here it goes:

The Women's Shop of the BYU Bookstore.  Ahh, many a minute (or hour) was spent in the BYU Bookstore.  Heaven on earth, that place.  The Women's Shop is especially meaningful since I usually tried to bug Heidi there whenever possible.

Aspen Grove is just up the road from Sundance Ski Resort.  I attended a couple of different leadership conferences at Aspen Grove while at BYU and believe it or not, it's changed in the last 10 years.  

I think Fall is the best time to be in Provo.  The leaves were starting to change, the weather was crisp and the sky was so blue and beautiful.

As I cruised around Provo (seriously, what's cooler than a 32 year old mom of three in a rented Ford Focus cruising around Provo before eight o'clock on a Saturday morning? Not much, I tell you.  Not much.), I snapped a shot of the new Heritage Halls buildings.  WOW!

Here's what the new buildings look like when finished:

For all my Rogers Hall ladies, I'm on 9th East taking this picture of where Robinson used to be.  Where Rogers use to be is behind this building to the right.  Sad!

Creamery on Ninth.  Although when I was a Freshman it was what again?  Something Market, right?

This is where Joaquin Elementary used to be.  It's called The Village at South Campus and I literally gasped when I saw it.  Kids these days and their fancy Provo apartments!  What happened to slum living?  Compare this...

With this.  420 North 670 East.  South campus living at it's finest (read: dumpiest).  What is not entirely clear in this picture is the fact that the roof is bowing in slightly above the front door.  Other than that, this place looks exactly. the. same.  Maybe a little less grass.

I know you other alums are dying to know this, but this gem:

now has this:

Free wi-fi at The Wash Hut.  Well, I never!

This is where I called home my Senior year.  Yeah...It's about as nice as you think it would be judging from the outside.  That was our living room window right there on the end, in the middle.  Crown #5.  Memories!

Our Saturday meetings finished up at the Alumni Center, which I had never seen in person before.  GORGEOUS!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.  Here I am, happy as a clam.  

And maybe one day, BYU WILL be a family thing.  A gal can hope, right? :-)  Go Cougars!

Easter Festivities

Easter somehow managed to sneak up on me this year.  I have no idea how since it was on the calendar for awhile.  But you know, that first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal equinox is a tricky one.  Regardless, we managed a celebration or two.

Our family was lucky enough to be invited to an Easter egg hunt on the Saturday before Easter.  All the families that were there go to the same elementary school Everett attends, so he was super excited to see friends from school, especially his classmate, Brendan.  And Juliana is smiling with our next-door neighbor, Kate.  Juliana and Kate play together almost every. single. day.

All the kids there were extremely anxious to get the hunt started.  And our wonderful hostess with the mostess was so organized that she had different parts of the park sectioned off for different age groups.  It worked out well not to have 5th graders hunting in the same area as Giselle.

The weather was so crazy that weekend, hence Juliana in long sleeves and pants and Kate in shorts with a sweater.  Juliana came straight home and changed after the hunt.

Fussy Face did a pretty good job, thanks to Daddy's help.  Will was patient enough to allow Giselle to go at a snail's pace.

Pay no attention to that boy in the University of Utah hat.  That was a Will purchase, I think (we all know I didn't buy it!) and unfortunately, Everett loves to wear it.  We were all over the map with college teams at this Easter egg hunt.  Will had a Georgia Tech hat, I had a BYU sweatshirt and Everett was supporting the Utes.  All we needed was some Mizzou gear and we would've been set!

Juliana's friend from church, Preston, was not a happy camper. 

Whenever I hear that phrase "happy camper", I inevitably think of this clip by comedian Jim Gaffigan.  The part I'm referring to starts at about 1:43, but the entire four minute clip is hilarious.  If you're looking to waste even more Internet time, have at it:

Ahh, Everett.  That is a Natalie face if I've ever seen one.

The kids loved it, they had fun, they were with friends - yeah, this Easter egg hunt rocked.

Easter Sunday was pretty sweet.  The kids were completely stoked to find their baskets and gasp with surprise.  If there's anything these three are consistent about, it's gasping.  They are master gaspers.  

It seem like a lot of the little boys at church wear bow ties and Everett wanted to join the party.  I think he looks beyond precious, but I understand that he and I are related, so I could be biased.  And Juliana. Oh, sweet, sweet Juliana.  I wonder if she'll ever let me pull her hair back for church?

I tried to get a picture of all three kids before church, but someone under the age of two wouldn't cooperate.  The next few are the best I got...

Seriously, this one was the best.  It's official - I stink at picture taking.

After church we dyed eggs and I made a killer Easter dinner.  Seriously awesome.  Homemade rolls, ham, some kind of potatoes, but the piece de resistance was a homemade coconut cream pie.  It ruled!

Everett helped me with dinner, hence the apron.

Man, I love these people!

What's that you say?  You weren't sure I was still around?  Well, it's true - there's actually a picture of me.  On the blog. With the kids.  It's an Easter miracle!