Hey! Dan (my little bro)'s band Imagine Dragon's song is in the promo ad for the next season of American Idol!

http://www.eonline.com/videos/exclusive-american-idol-peek-122/174750

Tried with riches

The worst fear that I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and his people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty and all manner of persecution, and be true. My greater fear for them is that they cannot stand wealth; and yet they have to be tried with riches, for they will become the richest people on this earth.

• Preston Nibley, Brigham Young, the Man and His Work, 128.

Hopefully my family can stand wealth, and not kick ourselves out of the church.  We've been rich for over 3 years, Paul tells me we're doing ok.  As my keeper, if you see me going off course, call me on the carpet.  I LOVE being called on the carpet.  Really.  That's why I love Brigham Young.

No rest for the seamstress

I had a dream that I was sewing.  As if I don't do that enough when I'm awake.  Why wasn't I dreaming about swimming in crystal water, or of getting a massage, or even of using my table saw?

Another weird thing: the dream was exactly like real life.  I wasn't above myself watching myself.  I didn't fast forward.  I didn't watch double speed.  I didn't have super human skills.  I just sewed.  The only thing different than real life, was that there were no children needing my constant attention.  They were in bed asleep.  Actually nocturnal sewing happens a lot too.

I laid out the fabric perfectly square and smooth.
I found my pattern pieces.
I laid out the pieces so as to use the least amount of fabric.
I pinned all the pieces about 6 inches apart around all edges.
I cut.
I unpinnned.
I refolded the pattern pieces exactly in their original fold pattern, and put them in the envelope.
I pinned pieces together.
Sewed them together.
Serged the seams.
Ironed the seams.
pinned those pieces together.
sewed new seams.....

Then the dream ended, like a slow fade.  To show that the work continued even after you were done watching.  The dream seemed to take FOREVER.  It was like I wasn't in bed sleeping, I was pulling an all-nighter to get a project done.  I think that's why I was so disheartened upon waking.  It's like I was doing my jobs in my sleep when I should be using the time to live out fantasies.  


What does this say about my character?

Craigslist

I was wasting some time on Las Vegas Craigslist, looking for house rentals.  Testing the waters.  And I wondered if Vegas has any antiques on craigslist, because I haven't found/heard of any antique stores.  And look what I found!



  A brass bed made in the 1890's

walnut wood, gold inlay, early 1900's



A treasure trove!


And this...
Wow.

I can move now.

Thank you Angie Miller Photography

Update, phone camera, sorry

Lots of yardwork.  Boone's my helper.




my pumpkins are doing great!  I planted three kinds.

Jarrahdale

Valenciano

Jack Be Little

I hope they make it.  The packages say they'll take 3-3.5 months, so hopefully we'll get pumpkins before Halloween.  Or if not, I think I can keep the frost away until Thanksgiving.  This is what the pumpkins looked like August 8th.  The pumpkins are the plants in the ground.  The herbs in pots have been moved because...

 

the pumpkins have gone huge.

You can see they're in the shade, and every day they get less and less sun.  And this year I've learned the hard way that plants producing food from flowers need 8-12 hours of sun to really produce.  These get 2-4!!!! 

But I still have hope.

Lou turned 3.


We had a whale party, inspired by the excellent outfit Gramma Tena sent.


Boone is still cute.

So is Lou.


The Farm food is still coming.  We love it.


We went fishing.  Paul has a summer assignment to catch one fish.  The first trip we didn't catch anything.  But the second trip we used real worms and caught a little tiny fish.  But it was enough to count.


Axel participated in a study and earned $25!  His adult teeth are coming in just like mine did.


We visited the Reynolds clan.


We visited the Durtschi clan and Temple square,


where I became enchanted by this flower, new to me: Lisianthus.  Looks like a rose and loves heat.  Perfect.


But my still favorite flower is zinnias, for their excellent color and ease of growing.  I love bringing them in the house.


The girls always insist we get the car cart at Kroger (it's the Southern Smith's for you Westerners).  This time they fell asleep.


I made an apron for a bridal shower gift.  It was paired with Reddi whip and chocolate sauce.

Oh ya, I chopped my hair.  And am not good about cleaning the bathroom.

Picked and bottled all these peaches.  Note to self: white peaches are not good for canning.  Choose the red havens.


Boone is still REALLY cute.


Made this dress for a baby shower.  It was so cute, I had to try it on Boone.  It fit.  But he was so mad in it, which made made Paul proud and he refused to let me photo Boone in it. Too bad, you would've like to see it.


Paul is not abusing Anesthesia drugs; this is how happy he is to be 10 months away from finishing residency.


School has started.

Girls are doing 'mom school'.

YMCA membership is being used again.  (I completed my summer assignment of running 4 miles in 32 minutes)

Schedule has been resumed.

I love schedules.

But the most exciting thing, is I'm finally being ok with living in Las Vegas.  Which is a major event, because I've been trying to be ok with it for the entire 8 years of our marriage.  Mainly its ok because my husband is so perfect for me.  It always amazes me that when I'm really upset, he can make me feel better.  You'd think I'd be used to it now, after 8 years, but it still surprises me.  I think I'm so upset, there's no way out of it.  And somehow there's a way out of it, and he knows what it is.  Amazing.

Maybe in not too much time Vegas will feel like my home.

In high school my sister started saying 'shedule' instead of 'skedule'.  Like the British version.  It was one of many many funny sayings she had in high school.  I thought it was so great I started saying it in college.  And have continued.  Well now it's become a habit, but it still makes me smirk and laugh to myself.  The funny thing, is that my kids don't know that's the silly way to say it.

Axel:  Mom, can you shedule in going to the park today?

I tried to explain to him that he should smirk when he says shedule or people will think he's a ninny.  He didn't get it.  So I smirk for him and it's even funnier than when I say it.