also in July

Many moons ago I lived at the Riviera Apartments in Provo when I went to BYU and I met Linda, Leslie, and Linsee. We have been getting together for dinner dates through the years when we happen to all be in town. Linsee is the one who basically drives these dinners because after we all graduated, she and her family moved first to Detroit and then they've been in Mexico City for several years. We get together when they come to Utah for Christmas or Thanksgiving. 

This visit was thanks to the month they had in Utah before relocating from Mexico to China! She has quite the adventurous life with a husband who does expat work for OnBase. China would certainly be an adventure. I'm not sure that I would like to live overseas. I admire people like her and like Tom and April who seem to love and thrive in those circumstances. I for one like eating what I like and shopping at the stores I like and using the US measuring systems and paying in dollars. 

Our traditional meeting place is at The Mandarin, a Chinese restaurant in Bountiful. Linsee orders for us because she used to work there and knows all the good dishes. We sit around and catch up on what everyone has been doing, how our kids are, what our husbands are up to... The often drift around to talking about people from their mission (I forgot to mention they all served in the same mission, which is how they knew each other) and in those moments I simply eat and listen and enjoy watching my friends.

Great to still be friends and to catch up even after all these years.

In addition to seeing great theater like "The Minions" with Maddy, I also was given some tickets from a member of the Tab choir to go to the Pioneer Concert featuring Laura Osnes. I have read a blog for years called "Mormon in Manhatten" written by an Orem girl named Natalie Hill who moved to New York for school and then stayed to work as an actress. Through her blog I was introduced to Laura Osnes who played Cinderella in the Broadway revival.

When I found out she was coming to sing I was so excited to also be gifted some tickets! Mom and dad were also gifted tickets (we got them from Bonita at Day Murray Music when we were at a choral reading. Bonita is in the Tab choir and mentioned this lovely young lady who was featured and I was thrilled is was Laura Osnes and jumped when she said she had some free tickets for anyone who wanted them). (Phew that was a long aside!)

Mom and Dad and I got to sit on something like the 9th row but a little off to the side. We were interested to see that the choir and all the singers have a huge screen back at the back of the main floor just below the first tier balcony with the words to each song scrolling. What cheats! We spent a lot of time watching the words - kind of like when you have closed caption on the TV and can't help but read along even if they are speaking English.

Sarah and Julianne also had some tickets but they were up in the balcony so we didn't even see them. Sarah and I talked with each other on the phone and tried to pick one another out of the crowd but the conference center is simply too big. It was a wonderful concert with mostly show tunes. Laura Osnes is a lovely woman with a beautiful voice. And she's so darn cute. I found myself many times when the sopranos hit their lovely high notes thinking that I wish I could be one of those high note singers! Maybe some day. Bucket list item to be in the choir some day.

We got a call from Melinda saying that Zoe was flying to Utah to spend a week with her Krantz grandparent and would we mind meeting her and taking her to Payson for Sunday afternoon to visit her Bishop grandparents. Dad didn't know that she was coming so he was thrilled when we showed up and we had her in tow. As is usual, Cody and Hayley and Harper came also and we had a great afternoon having dinner and visiting and sitting in the hot tub before we delivered her back to her other grandparents.

Maddy mentioned that she had a piece of her gums sticking up in the back of her mouth so we took a look and lo and behold - new teeth! When I looked online and read about six year old molars it sounded vaguely familiar but I certainly didn't remember that molars would be coming in at this age. She still has no loose baby teeth but officially has two permanent teeth! Gotta get those sealants in and probably have to be better about getting her to brush twice daily.

Saturday the 24th of July we headed back to Payson to celebrate dad's birthday. We brought Italian soda flavors and had an Italian soda bar (thank you (or darn you) Katie for introducing us to this wonderful treat). We barbecued hamburgers and had corn on the cob from the garden and topped it all off with a cookie monster pinata filled with little toys and magic tricks and chocolate.

Friday of the 24th since I didn't have to work and since Maddy had a play date with her kindergarten friend Ava, I spent the day pulling sheet rock and  insulation from the basement walls. I was hoping that if I could get all that out then there would be no reason to keep us from starting to work on it. I'm hoping that once we get started it will move quickly. I've been very anxious to have it finished and to live in 2600 square feet instead of the 1300 we currently occupy. It will make our home feel positively spacious by comparison I just know it!

Maddy didn't mind my working because while I did, she got to swim at Ava's house and not only did she swim, she got to wear a mermaid tail. Where were these when I was a kid?!

We also found a day in July when Maddy could join me at the office. She has been begging all summer so I gave in and we were so excited to see that, without any coordinating, Yoko had also brought her six year old Leah that day and they were able to play together. These little girls have become good friends over the past few years as we've brought them in on bank holidays. When school and day cares require a day off but business is still going on.

They spent a lot of time writing in my windows with dry erase markers and coloring and then quite a while in the lobby making up plays and performances that I was required to watch and video tape. The lyrics to their songs were almost as hilarious as the actions that went with them. These girls are both creative and funny and it is always fun to watch them interact.

Maddy at one point rushed to the bathroom but unfortunately didn't make it and had an accident in the bathroom stall. Good thing was it was in the stall. Bad thing was she was now wet and far from home and spare clothing. What we learned is that the infinity scarf worn by mom (basically a big tube of fabric) can double as a skirt with a little help from a pony tail holder to keep it all up and tight around a little girl's waist.

And last but not least, I was recognized for my 10 years of service at XANGO. I can't believe I've worked in the same place since May 2005. It has been a pleasure and I wouldn't mind in the slightest if this is the last job I ever have. I'd be quite content to retire from XANGO 25 years from now. I hope they will be quite content to keep me until then.

Brad Belnap, TJ Schiess, Dave Webb, Yoko Little, Leslie Gallacher, Joe Morton, Mel, Aaron Garrity, Kent Wood, Beverly Hollister

a photo update





 Maddy has discovered the bicycle is way better than the tricycle. And don't worry, she normally does wear a helmet . . .!



 

Yes, a coat, dress, jean shorts and cowboy boots was her outfit of choice for our outing to Uncle Cody's - on a Sunday afternoon in August! 



 

 We ran into Maddy's long lost best friend Lyla at a birthday party. Lyla's mom isn't working anymore. We miss her at preschool.

Performed a concert "Up Close with Lex de  Azevedo" this past week. What a wonderful experience. 12 year performing with such a talented composer has truly been a blessing.
 



Yup. Countertops. Not a great picture so don't bother enlarging it - I'll have to blog a better photo later 

 

Maddy and the two boys from around the corner decided to have a punch fight. They went through a brand new package or two of Squeeze Its. Maddy must have had the "cool raspberry" or something since the boys were blue.

 



A selfie at the pool. Tyra would be impressed with me for practicing my "inhale"





Maddy's crazy hair from this morning. How in the world does she manage to do that in one night ?!!!?

 

Kitchen part 2

 . . .and the demolition continues.

By Thursday all the cabinets and appliances were ripped out.

 

Saturday the wall came down.

I'm thinking I might come home from Relief Society tonight and there will be no floor. Scott's going to put down new underlayment and shore up the floor joists so we may have a gaping hole for a bit.

 

Still exciting even while washing dishes in the bathroom sink, having Sunday dinner with my parents, and eating lots of take out and microwave dinners.

The Great Kitchen Remodel



The Kitchen when we moved in in 2006

Well, it has begun – The Great Kitchen Remodel. Over the past week I’ve been cleaning out and boxing up the kitchen, making piles for DI, throwing out junk, and generally getting ready for Scott to tear out the old 1970’s kitchen. While I will miss having a usable kitchen for an undetermined amount of time, I will not miss the yellow sink, the fake butcher block laminate counter tops or the cabinets that are mysteriously pulling away from the wall (are they sinking?).

We've done some work in the kitchen. As you may remember, we turned the laundry closet into a walk-in pantry and "mud room". We also built a bump out into the garage to house the refrigerator.

Yesterday I came home to no upper cabinets. I’m getting a bit excited. We’ve had the double ovens for about 5 years now, the new gas stove for 4, a new refrigerator for about a year, the dishwasher for a week and base cabinets arrive today. Scott’s got to lay some tile soon so the fun, yet difficult, task of choosing paint, tile, backsplash and the basic design-scheme begins.

All in August

We've lived in our home for 6 years now and Scott decided that it was time to do something about the backyard. It's been a mess since that very first fall when we let the grass die and it became a pile of dust and morning glory. The yard sloped a great deal from the back right into the house which has always worried us when it rains. So, when Scott rented a bobcat to do some front yard work, he graded the back yard as well so it sloped away from the house. Due to the hill though, It was necessary that we add in a retaining wall at the back of the yard.

We hired a local company to come put in the rocks and we are so pleased with how the work has turned out. I with the pictures would do it justice, they really don't. One of these days we'll have sprinklers and grass and then maybe we'll invite you over for a dinner party and you can see it then!

 They did all the work but they thanked us. Nice huh?

Also in August, we visited the pool at grandma scooter-rides new house with the Snow cousins.

And at the end of the month to celebrate our 10th anniversary, Scott and I visited Franck's. I had the Sous Vide Wagyu Sirloin Medallions with smoked strawberry sauce (Pretty huh?). As a special appetizer for Scott they made us a pork shank with fois gras ice cream. This chef is TALENTED. Did I ever tell you about the "cereal milk ice cream" I had? I laughed the whole time I ate it because it tasted just exactly like the milk at the bottom of the bowl after you've eaten your fruity pebbles. Too creative. I recommend it highly!

So, August went by quickly and as it turns out, September is now more than halfway gone too. Before I know it, it will be 2013.

a laundry becomes a pantry

When we bought our house, there was a little closet in the kitchen with hookups for the washer and dryer. There were no doors and I was anxious to have that closed off. Scott was anxious with ideas of floods ruining his wood floor he installed. So, we moved the laundry to the basement (I've mixed feelings about that) and I was thrilled with the idea of a pantry!!

for awhile we lived with a big opening but some shelves inside to hold food. It was also nice to have a place to hang our coats.

In the last year or so, Scott enclosed the space and created a built in "mud room" that juts into the pantry. We decided there was plenty of space inside and this would give us a landing zone when we came in from outside. Once it is all painted we will put hooks for coats and it has a nice bench that I envision Maddy sitting on while I put on her snow boots and hat and gloves.

In the past months, Scott fixed sheetrock, mudded and taped and then installed wonderful shelving. It was my job then to caulk, putty nail holes and get to the priming and painting.

Maddy so desperately wanted to help. I let her paint a bit of the wall figuring that is was all white and wouldn't be noticeable. However, the best solution I found was to invite Jackson over for Saturday afternoon so that Maddy had someone to entertain her. They had a wonderful time together two weekends in a row, once at my house and once at Katie's house. What a blessing that free time was for me!

I didn't want to paint my shelves with multiple coats and I was worried about them getting all scratched up so Scott suggested I line them. What a great idea. I wanted something fun so went with a bright green. of course, once you fill the shelves you can't see the liners as well. I got a few baskets and containers to help organize things.

And, after years of thinking and slowly working, we have a pantry and the shelves full of food are no longer sitting in the main kitchen eating area. I'm amazed at how much bigger the kitchen feels without the clutter for the eyes to land of.

My favorite part? Funny thing is, it's this little basket. There is a small wall just inside the door that where the "mud room" juts into the pantry. I had thought about putting up small wire baskets (like you'd use in your drawers to organize utensils. I found two of these little wire baskets that were supposed to be for recipe cards. I brought them home, held them on the wall, and didn't like how they didn't lay flush on the wall, they kind of tilt forward.

So, I put some napkins in them (hey, a perfect fit) and thought, well they can sit on the shelf. Then I thought "wouldn't it be nice to have it right close so in case I need a quick napkin I can get to it fast, and wouldn't it be nice if I could also then bring it to the table at meals?" I hung a command hook on the wall (took too much time preparing those walls, couldn't stomach putting a nail hole in them) and hung up the napkins. They are handy just inside the door if I just need one and are also removable to put on the table! I know, it's not that ingenious but  for some reason, it just really makes me happy.

So there you have it, progress in our house. I am so, so pleased having the food all put away behind the door. Sometimes I find myself standing in the doorway just to look at our work.