Senior Prom

The day after the Sweethearts Dance Brandon got a call from his date, Navie. She sounded somewhat panicked as she told Brandon that rumor had it someone was planning to ask her to Prom the next day. Brandon failed to see what the problem was. He congratulated her on getting a date so early and told her it was okay if she went with someone else...especially seeing as they had just attended Sweethearts together.
BUT, she said...but she wanted to go to the dance with Brandon! It was the biggest, fanciest dance of the year and as they were more or less a couple, shouldn't they go together? Please, would he come ask her that very night before the other boy had a chance to? Brandon thought the whole thing was rather crazy seeing as Prom was still 2.5 months away. Why in the world were people already putting together dance asks this early? But he agreed and asked Jordan and Julianne to help him come up with a Prom ask and then also to assist in carrying it out.

So on that snowy Sunday evening with a huge box filled with balloons in the back of the truck, we stealthily pulled up to Navie's house. Brandon and Jordan hopped out, grabbed the box and once on the front porch Brandon crawled inside. Jordan affixed the lid, rang the doorbell and then ran (half slid) down the snow covered driveway back to the truck where we then took off down the street.
When Navie opened up the front door she found a package addressed to her. And though she obviously wasn't too surprised, she was reportedly rather delighted when Brandon popped out of the box with a PROM? sign after she took off the lid.

A couple weeks later Brandon came home and interrupted Navie mid-Prom Answer as she was saran wrapping his bed, desk, dresser and various other possessions in his bedroom. (And yes, I did lift these pictures off Navie's instastories...)

At first I was a little dismayed when I realized that I'd have to buy Brandon a full suit for Prom considering he didn't actually own one. Until I realized that this one suit that he'd be able to wear again, was so much less expensive than all the many formal dresses I'd bought and rented for his two older sisters throughout all their high school years. Brandon actually enjoyed suit shopping quite a bit, especially when he found one that looked nearly identical to one that Ryan Reynolds wears. Because as everyone knows, Ryan Reynolds is one attractive man, especially in a suit, and it never hurts to adopt his look, yes?  

Prom weekend arrived and there was a flurry of coordinating a tie to the dress, getting flowers, arranging for photography, planning and carrying out the day activity and then getting ready for the big dance. Don't they clean up nice?

A month's worth of Easter

Easter kind of felt like it encompassed the whole month of April, much to my deep satisfaction and joy. All four Sundays were a spiritual feast. Though the main Lamb of God performances had finished, I had been selected to perform the work at the MTC in Provo one Sunday evening, and then again at the Utah State Prison another Sunday. Both of these experiences left me humbled, emotional, and extremely thankful. They just added to the testimony building that had already happened the month before during the traditional Lamb of God concerts. But in addition to those two weekends, we also had General Conference at the beginning of the month...and then of course, Easter Sunday itself. My heart was just so full.

Easter Sunday was indeed lovely. I had filled my home with daffodils, tulips and lilies. All of my children, including our cute married couple who decided somewhat last minute to come down for the weekend, woke up to baskets filled with spring goodies. We dressed in our Easter finery and attended our church meetings which of course, being Easter, were wonderful. I was asked ahead of time to share an experience in Sunday School to do with feeling the Savior's love and had the opportunity to talk a bit about some of the insights I'd had while rehearsing and performing Lamb of God.

Because we were trying to accommodate three family's Easter celebrations (Croft, Braden and DiReda) it was decided to color Easter eggs immediately after church. Two years ago, before Rebekah and Tanner were even engaged and when Julianne and Jordan were dating before her mission, we colored Easter eggs together and took a picture of the event. We decided it would be fun to recreate that picture even down to Brandon in the background drinking out of a water bottle. 

2019

2017

After dying eggs Rebekah and Tanner left to join the Braden's for Easter dinner. Julianne and Jordan stayed for a bit longer but then headed over to the DiReda's extended family celebration already in progress. We made sure to take a picture of them all before they left. It's quickly become one of my all time favorites.

We weren't entirely sure who we'd get for dinner and were completely prepared for a smaller meal of four people or a bigger one of up to eight. By the time I finished cooking our Easter feast a few hours later, we sat down with Bryan, Lilian, Brandon and myself. And it really was a lovely, peaceful meal. (Julianne and Jordan came back and joined us for strawberry shortcake dessert later in the evening.) Truly, it was a beautiful day...a beautiful month full of Easter-like Sundays. What a treat for the month of April.

Spring Break staycation style

Every spring break I always talk big about doing a trip of some sort. And most every year when all is said and done, we end up doing a staycation. Lately it's due to the fact that between USU, UVU and Davis District, all of us have completely different weeks off for spring break! Makes it a bit difficult to plan anything that will involve all of us, as you can imagine. But hey, staycations are pretty fun and we enjoyed our little adventures around town.

Monday we drove up to Crystal Hot Springs...a place I had never been, believe it or not. It's completely bizarre to put on a swimsuit and venture outside in 40 degree weather, only to feel overheated shortly after climbing into those hot springs. Truth be told, Bryan was in his element. He is not a fan of cooler swimming pools, even if it's 100 degrees outside. He's pretty adamant that if he's going to take a dip in a pool, it really should be on the upside of 90 degrees always. (Well, unless he's chasing waves in the ocean. The waves makes the cooler temps worth it.) Brandon however could hardly stand the heat and spent much of his time only submerging the lower half of his body. It was nice that there were many pools, some not quite as hot as others so we could each find one that felt comfortable. I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't mind heading up there again sometime, even if on my own, just to soak for a few hours. Felt really good.

Another day we checked out the Last Course dessert restaurant that has recently opened nearby. Oh my, I'm conflicted about this new place. My taste buds are thrilled, but my waistline might object.

Lilian and I got fish pedicures at the Seaquest Aquarium one day. I have the most ticklish feet on the planet, but somehow this I can handle...barely. It's the strangest sensation, but oh, how soft our feet were afterwards!

Lilian and I did some mini-golfing one day, and then also took in a movie, some shopping and lunch at Marie Callendars.

And we bookended our spring break week with a couple of birthday celebrations for Tanner and Oscar at the beginning...

...and ended with General Conference. Julianne and Jordan even got to attend one of the sessions in the Conference Center downtown.
Overall, it was just the right balance between fun activities and plenty of relaxing time. Just what a spring break should be, yes?

Sweethearts

Brandon met Navie at the Fizz at Station Park where she worked this past summer. Over the course of the summer they became friends and he dropped by often to visit her at work or hang out with her after she finished her shift. He was happy to find that they both went to the same high school, but once school started, it became harder to find time together. For multiple reasons things kind of fizzled between them until one day in January when Navie texted Brandon and asked him to lunch. He was surprised but said yes and was pleased to find how easy it was to jump right back into comfortable conversation the way they had over the summer. The next day Navie asked Brandon to the Sweethearts Dance. Brandon was once again surprised but pleased. He answered yes, but also decided to ask why...especially after not having heard much from her the months previous. She admitted that she had missed him, that she realized belatedly she liked him much more than she had originally thought and she regretted ending things with him.

So the two started dating and Brandon began spending a lot more time at Navie's house as the dance got closer. Preparations for the dance included once again, a matching tie...but rather than flowers, they went shopping together for matching black Vans shoes. What a fun idea. And though am I of course, a huge fan of flowers despite the fact that they eventually die, Brandon is going to be wearing those shoes for many months to come.

If you look closely you can see Brandon's USAGW gymnastics bracelet on Navie's right wrist. Rumor has it she wears it daily...

Sweethearts was a happy success. What a cute couple.

Welcome, January

It's January.

A lot of people bemoan the very existence of this month. It's cold, it's dreary. The dreaded Utah valley inversion sets in which is distressing for many on various levels from heath issue concerns to just lack of sun being able to pierce through the gunk. Post holiday depression sets in as the merriment of Christmas festivities finishes up and all the Christmas lights come down. For one reason or another, I think January gets thought of as the worst month. The gum under your shoe, the math test you are dreading, the armpit of the year.

I like January.
There, I said it. Feel free to label me as crazy if you'd like.
Frankly, January is a relief.

I love the holidays. I throw my heart and soul into any and all things autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and snow. It is my favorite time of year.
But it's exhausting.
These months are busy for everyone, I know...especially December. So I don't want to set this up as an i-am-busier-than-you sort of contest. But for me personally, it was the craziest December I have ever had. And as wonderful as it was, I am heartily relieved to have it done.
Just for my own record:
December consisted of, beyond just the normal daily activities and house keeping chores...
* 7 hours of Willy Wonka auditions over 2 days
* 7 hours of deliberations as we cast the show
* multiple Willy Wonka meetings as a big committee at the school involving school administration and PTA, and smaller planning sessions with the director, stage manager, choreographer and me (the music director).
* Christmas gift planning, buying and wrapping
* prepping for Julianne's arrival home from her mission on the 19th
* loving on Julianne, unpacking, shopping, and in all ways trying to get her settled into RM status
* family Christmas parties (non of them hosted by me, thank goodness)
* performing in 4 Christmas concerts, as well as dress rehearsals
* Christmas Day!
* Julianne's missionary homecoming on the 30th in which we spent those 5 days between Christmas and the Homecoming baking and cleaning and then day of, feeding uncounted hordes of well wishers
* hosting a New Years Eve party for a small group of friends
* and then if you'll allow me to dip into the first week of January...packing, shopping and in all ways getting Julianne ready for college and then officially moving her into her new apartment in Provo

I am tired. Even still. So January for me, though still busy with my ever increasing involvement in rehearsals for Willy Wonka (I will continue to eat, sleep and breathe Willy Wonka until the end of February) I only have that. And it's a relief.

Other reasons I like January? It's cold and dreary. I don't mind it. In fact, and you may have heard me mention this before, I'm a firm believer that if we live in a state that boasts four distinct seasons, those seasons should act as they are meant to. I get a little irrationally grumpy when January is 60 degrees and sunny. (I'm looking at you, 2018.) And when it comes down to it, summer is my least favorite season. I know, another reason to label me as crazy. I deal with cold better than heat. I'd much rather shovel snow than mow my lawn. Dreary weather days make me feel cozy inside my house.

I like the fresh slate feel of a new year. Goals and plans and new beginnings.
And as sad as it can sometimes feel to take down my beloved Christmas decor, I like a house that suddenly feels less cluttered and much more clean and simple.

So, January...you are welcome. At least by me.