This is what 13 looks like...

As one of her birthday "gifts", Emily was treated to a new haircut (Emily and Miriam must be on the same wavelength - no pun intended). I guess I should explain... hair cuts aren't actually viewed as gifts - but hair cuts at the salon I go to are :) I usually send the rest of the family to Hair Cuttery and treat myself to something else (read more expensive). However, if they are going for something other than a trim (a new look) I usually take them to Raquel (she is the genius behind Cara's frequent color changes)


Emily was disappointed and nervous at first. The girl who swept up her hair kept saying, "Wow that's a lot of hair, that really is a lot of hair." Raquel quickly realized that was freaking Em out and did her best to cover. The top picture is how is was done at the salon - Em really didn't like it. That night she performed in a band concert and a couple of friends(?) said they didn't like it at all. We had a long teary conversation afterward.

The next morning we flipped it out and she felt better but was still nervous - "Do I have to go to school today?" After school she jumped in the car gave me a huge smile and said, "I owned it, Mom, just like you said and everyone LOVES it!" The only drawback is I'm still curling it every morning and our am time is tight - makes the mad dash from Seminary back home a little more exciting.

SPT - A 25th Hour

First an admission, I don't like calling people on the telephone - I will do just about anything to avoid responsibilities that involve calling a list of people. I am also a fairly ruthless screener when it comes to incoming calls - don't worry, I always call back - sometimes I just need that extra time that screening and listening to a message provides. I have also been known to call when I purposely know that I will get someone's voice mail - my bad. That said, I love to talk on the phone to a select number of individuals - **and you know who you are! So what does all of this have to do with today's SPT - A 25th Hour?? If I had an extra hour (that couldn't be used for napping) I would use it to catch up on the phone with family or friends!
**My DH has often promised that one day he is going to have a goldsmith make a small gold yak charm that he can send to the family and friends that I love to talk to on the telephone. He has suggested that we should all be initiated into the Benevolent Society of Yaks!

Guess Who is Turning 21 Today?

She is artistic.

She is creative.
She is a fashionista.
She is a great conversationalist.

She is a conscientious student.
She is sensitive.
She is an Alpha Phi.
She is a shopper.
She is a good cook.


She is organized.
She is a blogger.
She is determined.
She is spiritual.
She is young at heart.
She is sweet.
She is a planner.


She is kind.
She is successful.
She is a photographer.
She is a good friend.
She is a scrapbooker.
She is delightful.

She is our Alicia!
Happy Birthday!

We Thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet

We received a phone call last night telling us of the death of President Hinckley. Although not a surprise - so many different feelings. Earlier in the day I had spent time preparing for seminary. I had planned to talk about Samuel this morning. For once, the fact that I am about a week (or so) behind with regard to the official seminary calendar wasn't a problem. In fact, it was a perfect segue to talk about the life of President Hinckley and our need to truly hear and heed (not just listen to) the prophet. I am grateful for his life of service, faith, and example and his encouragement to always try to do more and to do better.

May our faith shine forth as the sunlight of the morning.
May we walk in obedience to His divine commandments.
May He smile with favor upon us.
And as we go forward, may we bless humanity with an outreach to all,
lifting those who are downtrodden and oppressed,
feeding and clothing the hungry and the needy,
extending love and neighborliness to those about us
who may not be part of this Church.
The Lord has shown us the way.
He has given us His word, His counsel, His guidance, yea, His commandments.
We have done well.
We have much to be grateful for and much to be proud of.
But we can do better, so much better.
Pres. Hinckley

Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

I love this book - I may have even posted about it before. I read it as a young mother and thought it had been written for me. I still remember being amazed that it had been written in 1955. I try to reread it every year and generally nag any book group I am involved with to read it as well. It continues to speak to me regardless of my changing circumstances or current challenges. It is indeed timeless...

Imagine my delight to hear an entire hour dedicated to discussing it. You can find a link here, scroll down and you can find real audio or windows media feeds. It was part of Diane Rehm's Readers Review (generally very good - helps you create a great reading list). Guests include the author's daughter, Reeve Lindbergh, as well as Kate Lehrer, an author and Lisa Page another author and creative writing instructor at GWU.

LUCKY #13

Happy Birthday Wishes to our Emily
who is now an official

Teenager!

While buying candles to go on her fruit tart (birthday cake is being saved for a party later in the week with friends), I realized that H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-D-A-Y has exactly 13 letters - so here go birthday wishes to Emily...

She always Has a smile for everyone.
She has an Amazing voice.
She has a Perpetual grin.
She has Personality plus.
She loves to Yak (phone, in-person, texting, etc.).

The girls got Brains and is a great student.
She is Independent
She Radiates goodness.
She is willing to Try new things
She is Helpful especially in the kitchen
She loves being in the middle of any kind of Drama (drama club, middle school drama, etc.)
She is a great Actress.
We hope 13 is her best Year ever...

Our Family from A to Z!

I'm delinquent in posting these pictures. The photo album was a Christmas gift that Alicia gave the us. Each page is a different letter of the alphabet and it is full of wonderful memories, including vacations, friends, places we have lived, things that we have done, and unique and funny things about us as individuals and as a family. I will treasure it always. The pictures don't do it justice - it is sitting on the table in the family room - drop by and take a peek!

The end papers of the book are these fantastic collages that span the past 21 years...

Every page is amazing and covered with ribbon and embellishments...

When you look at your life,
the greatest happinesses
are family happinesses.
~Joyce Brothers

Thanks, Alicia!

Get Your Head in the Game

We have Emily back!
She returned home from the land of High School Musical after:

tech week
late nights (at the theater until 11pm sometimes later)
long hours (see above)
much singing
much dancing
five performances
production party

The ever-present laundry basket is how all of the kids keep track of their personal belongings once they move into the theater. This is why several of our laundry baskets have faded versions of Cara's and Emily's names written on them in magic marker.

Each production brings with it new faces and new friends - as well as the chance to see old friends again. After the production party at the end of the run there is always a lot of hugging, sometimes a few tears, the exchanging of cell numbers and email addresses, and the inevitable knowledge that the coming week will bring a let-down of sorts. This picture is Emily's "Brainiac" costume. It also included a dark blue plaid skirt.

This is Emily's costume for the finale - "We're All in this Together". Everyone was in something red. I always enjoy being part of the back stage crew. I'm an amazing set mover! Unfortunately for this production the director didn't want us hidden and dressed in all black - he had us dress as janitors and they left the lights up for most of the scene changes. This link has a great article about the production from a local community newspaper.

Happy Birthday Vanessa!

Happy Birthday

Vanessa!

Enjoy your day today
and your party tomorrow!

Wish we could be there :(

Blogging as a Life Analogy or Late-Catch-up Christmas Post

Sitting here on the 1st of January, I find myself with a handful of photos that semi-document our month of December. Here are some highlights: Written in reverse chronological order?


Happy New Year:
Craig and Emily in their excitement to ring in the New Year with our annual pot/pan clanging in the front yard, went a bit overboard and broke a wooden spoon and a plastic pasta spoon - I'm not sure what that bodes for the New Year?


Pink Christmas:
I received a delightful tea towel and "notelets" from Amanda who lives in the UK - I'm afraid the pictures don't do them justice. It was a fun surprise. She has a great website, also check out the Emma Bridgewater site (tea towel artist). Who knows, you may just receive a notelet from me!

Christmas:
Our Christmas was just what Christmas should be - full of surprises, delightful, rest and relaxation, gifts, phone calls, movies, games and family time.


Christmas Eve:
Found us at our annual Janes Family bowling extravaganza! We have been bowling every year - since before we were married (with one exception while in Houston). This became a Janes tradition after their original tradition of sledding was stymied by a few lean snow years when Craig was growing up. We have recently found out that we are the only ones that have continued to spend Christmas Eve bowling :( - but our girls assure us that they will continue the tradition.
We love the duckpin bowling - check it out here. It is mostly an east coast thing - but so worth finding!


Zatinya's:
This is one of our favorite restaurants and it has played host to graduation celebrations, Christmas celebrations, out-of-town company, etc. (Of course Craig also eats an occasional routine working lunch there as well - he generally neglects to notify us of these lunches however.) It is wonderful Eastern Mediterranean food (Turkish, Greek, Lebanese- served Mezze style). MMmmm...

Our major reason to celebrate was Cara's acceptance at her top college choices

Fordham - in NYC
Hofstra in NY
Washington College in MD
Drexel in Philadelphia

Earlier Dec:
Emily had a major role in her school play - she was Miss Broom/Deprava in the comedy May the Farce be With You by David Rogers. It was very funny (a group of evil aliens plan to take over the world). The action takes place at Old McDonald's Farm (a health spa) and the world is saved by the EIEIO (Elite-Idealistic-Earth-Individuals-Organization) a group of superheros. Emily played the stern housekeeper Miss Broom (complete with riding crop) with an amazingly accurate German accent (Craig's mission experiences finally pay off). Her evil alien alter ego was a Southern Bell (think Scarlett O'Hara). I'm always amazed at her ability to mimic accents and voices.

Unfortunately, the school play was the same weekend as her huge Children's Chorus of Washington performances that included a small solo part on Sat/Sun during Ora Filium (we ended up trying to keep everyone happy - and in the end succeeded by making both directors only slightly unhappy). Fortunately she had an understudy for the Sat. matinee.



Her CCW concerts are a wonderful way to enjoy the holiday - the music and settings are fabulous. It is always fun to read the Washington Post reviews of their performances (scroll down to the CCW entry). Sat. was at the National City Christian Church and Sunday with the Thomas Circle Singers at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.