selfie stick selfies (warning: images have not been altered!)

dave and i made a trip east with his parents and sister.  and with... a selfie stick!  thus, through the lens of the selfie stick, i bring you highlights of our trip.  (the selfie stick ended up being a high- maintanence, comical, and rather complicated travel companion!)  

The first stop on our 2600 mile tour was a very quick stop in Nauvoo.  The carriage ride was a poor choice for the novices, I learned something new at the browning shop (my personal favorite), remembered the lucy mack smith home, and toured carthage jail again.

Next up was Kirtland, ohio.  I won’t forget tears flowing as we sang the spirit of god in the temple.  I could feel the spirit there that I’ve always heard about and which must have prompted newspapers of earlier days to report the temple to be on fire but not consumed.  it was also unforgettable to witness the room in the newell K whitney store which housed the school of prophets.  I could picture the plume of fire that sparked a revelatory WOW and saw the fireplace that the men threw cracked pipes into immediately after receiving the revelation.     

we traveled on to Cleveland.  The rock n roll museum with the ticket taker’s crazy sunglasses, wild hair and big personality was fun.  We tried rambutan in the west market.  The Christmas story house was amusing.  We found ourselves in the middle of a disgruntled employee situation at bar louie’s after our waiter, Austin, went missing.  The architecture at the arcade was gorgeous.  The playhouse chandelier was a quirky beauty and the Garfield museum was surprisingly interesting.  Indulging at steak and shake was a reprieve from my weight watchers diet.  Dave and I enjoyed a date touring the USS Cod submarine. And we witnessed the colorful culture of Cleveland at the hessler festival.    

Palmyra was our next destination.  The original ink splattering in the printing press was very cool.  fun facts (the bom cost an average 2 days wage) were coupled with a broader perspective about why joseph smith began migrating west (he left palmyra to begin translating the bom- he’d been having to hide it so much that he couldn’t translate).

Walking through the sacred grove while listening to joseph smith’s first prayer was inspiring despite the nagging mosquitos. 

Next, we met Isaiah.  Featured on roadside America, this self-proclaimed prophet has painted his house as a beacon to the believers for the second coming.  nestled in a very shady neighborhood, we all remained relatively calm when the sound of a basketball popping mimicked a gunshot.

Riding under the Niagara falls really did seem like thunder and water for which it’s named.  I couldn’t hear the audio guide I’d begged to get.  And it felt like a hurricane.  Later, the fireworks were wonderful.

We crossed the border into Canada to visit Toronto.  The secret passageways in the casa loma were the stuff of childhood dreams.  And the height of the CN Tower was the stuff of childhood nightmares!   Before leaving town, we ate at tim hortons and got a donut as the obvious choice for a side to our sandwiches. 

Racing back home, we found time for a few more selfies on the Bridges of Madison County  

It was a fantastic trip!!!  ... a few more selfies from the road: 

what happens at anita's party stays at anita's party

we surprised grandma with a casino night for her 60th birthday.  since she's an absolute card shark, a 'queen of our hearts' night was perfectly fitting!

(and yes, i should have considered a second career in party and event planning!)

optical illusion dance

kindin has been dreaming about performing in the school talent show for over a year now.  her friends have thought up countless ideas and even a catchy acronym to identify themselves.  over the course of the year, the band fell apart as did the planned 'cup song' performance.  but she was still determined to do something...and something she did!  we opted for a zany, fun optical illusion dance.  and it was a wonderful experience- something i think she'll call upon for strength and self-confidence in her future.  she worked through her nerves, anticipated being giggled at, and challenged herself with synchronized dance moves.   she was beaming!  (we all were!)  

the many faces of she

dalia has always been a very expressive child.

the may blues 2015

every year in may, i get a little nervous as a mommy about the lack of social interaction i have with my friends in the upcoming summer.  (everyone is on summer vacations.  we all settle back into life catered to our kids sports and entertainment schedules.  and even if everyone is home, our kids have to want to see eachother as well.)  in anticipation, i hold a favorite things party and it always includes some of my favorite people!

Relator-Learner-Belief-Arranger-Individualization

jack's teacher is nice.  she is kind.  she cares about jack.  she encourages him. and she appreciates his humor.  she is probably exactly what he needed for first grade.  though i must say she is not your typical elementary teacher.  frankly, she is much more disorganized than you'd expect from an elementary teacher.  for instance, i remember being baffled by a major scheduling conflict to volunteer at the school; jack's work comes home with a variety of marks, sketches, and disorderly colors; and craziest of all, his math problems and spelling lists come home often with missed errors. based on the advertising of her gallup strengths test broadcast on the bottom of every email, i believe she's proud of her unique approach to elementary teaching.  and while i can't complain much, i do find myself hoping his second grade teacher's talents and teaching style are a little more structured.