Eleanor's Blessing Day

She wore a gown made with love by her Nana Niece -- while all I could contribute were her matching slippers. Michael gave her a beautiful blessing in our home ward up in Coeur d'Alene and we felt very privileged to have so many of our close family members and friends in the circle to welcome her with love. 

Happy Halloween

People need a passport to come down here...

First of all -- my sister is the new national representative for Distinguished Young Women (formerly known as America's Junior Miss)! Stories here, here, here, video here. (I can't help myself -- it's like a unstoppable rebel force of brag-i-ness that I know will only be eclipsed someday by my own children)

Congratulations Madison!

Needless to say, my family and I had a great time in Alabama last week -- despite the heat, the quasi-beach cleanup, and the US World Cup loss. We were so proud of Madison on the first day of competition - simply because she had gained so much from the experience by meeting new friends, stretching herself and generally benefiting from the best the program had to offer.

She would have been happy to come home with empty arms and two weeks full of memories - its a tribute to her that she was able to accept this honor and new adventure with as much enthusiasm and grace.

Here are some other pictures from fun stuff over the past few weeks. I have been flitting from Idaho to Utah and back for work and play. The only constant seems to be my ever growing belly and appetite.

Showing off my new skirt I made (I couldn't stomach paying $$ for a simple cotton skirt with an elastic waistband, I was just happy they're back in style).

Madi's graduation.

My beautiful backyard...Hayden Lake looks great in rain...

Or shine.

Dressing up like hippies for the farmers market. Don't you dress up for Saturday errands?

Amazing costumes from the Mardi Gras Costume Museum in Mobile, AL. They are insane. Especially when one considers that Mardi Gras usually connotes people taking off clothes...not doing a Quasimodo-like stagger to carry their massive jewel-encrusted weight across the floor.

Enjoying some HOT Alabama sun at our Mobile pool. The pool was more like a bidet than a Olympic regulation size, but I did get a few laps in -- that is until my swim cap flew off my giant noggin. This shouldn't come as a surprise, but I am not the only one in my family who struggles with a giant head -- or ill-fitting swim caps.

Here's to a great start to summer!

Mike's graduation

So I cajoled my husband into walking for graduation at the last minute, with photos here to prove it. Michael finished school in August, so it was a bit of a belated celebration. However, since our good friends Lexy and Jared were here graduating as well, we just had ourselves a whole bunch of commencement fun. They said their work phones, respectively, were the real markers of their "graduation" -- which is good considering Mike's ringtone is of an angry Irish man reciting a death-prayer.




Ok...fun might be a bit of a misstatement, because apparently the Marriott School is letting EVERYONE in these days and the convocation was bit long. However, Lex and I survived by playing on free rice and winning grains for the hungry with words like vallecula...don't get too excited...it means groove.

My end of the year was not as exciting (no cap and gown, or sweet-looking Jedi hood that I will be wearing next year), but instead included scary looking outlines like this:

And some super psyched study-group members. I tell myself we will laugh about these days later on, when the pain of finals and the 2-week hell of pre-final studying/stressing wears off...but I 'm not so sure....

Our inner tube water polo team did come quite close to winning the intramural championship, which at BYU is akin to the Superbowl. You don't understand how desperate zoobies are here for physical exertion and a chance to flirt in wholesome c0-ed recreation. Go Torts Illustrated!