It is Primary Program Season

I really enjoy the fall for several reasons, but the very best part of fall are the Primary Programs. This week was Mom's program, and I went up to help out.

We had all kinds of fun during practice. I got the kids a little more rowdy than some people thought was terrible appropriate. I never said I was totally reverent. What is the point of having primary if you can't have a little fun. I had them really going good for Called to Serve. I have heard pep bands at college football games who were not as enthused.

Here is the gang. It is a pretty small group, but they are an amazing group of kids. Mom has loved teaching them music. Next month she is switching to playing the piano. She is excited to stay in Primary, but I am afraid that she will miss teaching them. I will miss being able to help out with the teaching - we had lots of fun! My favorite part was when the little girl in pink in front was holding her picture of Jesus during the final song - and she dropped it three times. The last time I ran up to the podium to hand her the picture I said - Jude hold on tight!

Not exactly as we had planned

For weeks and weeks, I have been planning our visit to the new California Academy of Sciences. Mom and Dad drove down from Auburn, picked me and and we were on our way. I live 15 min from the park. We left my house at 9:30am - a little later than we had planned - and we arrived at the museum at 12 noon. Yes, 2 1/2 hours later. Notice the long lines of people. We were finally able to ascertain that they had given out all of the free passes and we were not getting in. (Just a moment to grumble. I had researched this opening thoroughly. There was no explanation of how it was going to work. If I had known that they would hand out passes and then let people in through out the day, I would have run over at the crack of dawn and gotten the passes for my party, but there was absolutely no communication about how this would be done. Also, if i had known that the parking overflow was at the beach and taking a shuttle into the park, I would have gone straight to the beach - oh well!)
So here it is - the beautiful new Academy of Sciences. I visited this museum many times when I was a child. There was a part of the aquarium where you walked up a circular ramp and there were sharks in a tank in the walls. Now, if you recall, when you go to SLC and see the visitors center on temple square you go up a circular ramp and at the top you see the Christs. It was a confusing childhood - sharks or Christ?

Mom and Dad were very good sports. There was tons going on all over the plaza and we had a great view of the DeYoung (which was also sold out).

There were free concerts (this is the sippycups). Food, exhibits, rock climbing, etc.

Dad said at one point, this has been quite an extraordinary day!We walked across the street to the arboretum, which is never full or sold out. Mom loves the flowers and Dad loves the squirrels.
We fed this little guy an almond. I tried to fix his read eye - but was not successful. He looks a little possessed.
After we fed him and his friend a nut or two, they chased us. Quickly they seemed more like rodents with tails than cute little chipmunks.We left the party at the park and decided to head over to an alternate museum. The Legion of Honor. I have to say that this is one of my favorite museums, and I have not been inside since before I moved back to the city.

Any visit to the Legion of Honor starts with the Thinker. Don't I look like I am thinking hard?

Here is an old photo of the Walkers at the Thinker. You can see that it is a family tradition.

A new edition to the courtyard is this Chihuly sculpture. Isn't it amazing? I really enjoy Chihuly - see my earlier post with my nieces at the full exhibit.

Now, isn't this a cool and artistic picture - it is just the courtyard - but I thought it looked nifty.

The Legion of Honor has numerous Rodin's. It is the largest collection outside of the the Muse Rodin in Paris. The Kiss is part of the collection in San Francisco, but it is a small version in bronze. It did however remind me of the large marble version at the Tate in London. It was in the middle of a large gallery as you entered the museum. As college students, we were mesmerized by this beautiful (and inspiring) statute. It is still a favorite.

After the museum, we went back to my place and ordered Chinese and watched the RS broadcast. We had a little technical difficulty, so we only saw the first 2/3rds, but really I would have been surprised if it had gone completely as planned! It was a very fun (yet extraordinary) day. Thanks to Mom and Dad for coming down and being so flexible!

More thoughts on my past

I had fun with my stab at memories on my last post, so I decided why not do a little more.



1975 - I was starting Kindergarten without my best friend who had just moved to Germany. Tragic! However, I did find my true love Dougie. I chased him around the playground and begged him to marry me, but he declined.



1978 - I was baptized the same month as Dougie and we sat on the front row of the chapel while Sister Hunter gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. How did Dougie not know that he loved me?



1980 - Casting off the comfort of suburban life, we moved up to the foothills, five acres, and a trailer not a house to live in. The first summer I slept on a mattress on the gravel driveway, and Dad and my brothers taught me how to swing a hammer. We had rattlesnakes, star thistle, ticks and everything. Two years later the house was done - well done enough to move in. Who needs doors?

1983 - Valedictorian of my 8th grade class. OK - there were only 20 of us, but I did get to speak and wear a big fluffy dress.



1985 - My Aunt Not died just a few months before I turned 16. It was not the first loss of my life (grandpa died when I was 8), but it effected me differently. I still miss her.



1986 - I got a Mercury Comet for my 16th birthday. Wood paneling and a leather roof. It was literally my Grandmother's car, but it had a V-8 engine. So, it did not look good, but I won every race!



1987 - Ditched mutual with my two friends to go to the other ward's mutual and steal a boy's skate board. (Clearly the right way to express your feelings to a boy). Then as the get away driver I drove off a little too fast knocked my friend over and ran over her hand.



1988 - Since I had displayed so much maturity as a teenager, I got to start my college experience with a study abroad to Israel. The shopkeepers would yell out "Mormon Girl Mormon Girl, I have special deal for you! 100% Cotton - never shrink". And the man in Cairo putting us on the camel ride told me "Don't be a chicken!" when I tried to ride with my sister because I was afraid to ride alone. And the first day in Jerusalem I got on the bus and sat across from a soldier and said "Cathy he has a gun!"



1990 - So much more mature now, I went on a second study abroad to London. Favorite things from London....late night poker games with crap food, rush tickets at the theater, running in Hyde Park, meeting my best friend Alyson (really the first thing I remember her saying to me) in the girls bathroom as I left to go running - "Full on Lycra at 6am?!", bribing Dr. Jackson for an A with a yorkie bar, Shakespeare, Shakespeare, Shakespeare, fish and chips, hobnobs, Sunday lunch garlic bread, Isle of White camping out in the bush, "gofigure", an unbelievable 6 months.



1991 - Riv chicks. Best year for roommates at BYU. Patrea, Cathy, Longnecker, Sherise and the blanket queen Karen. It was the year of Roxanne, Kenny Loggins and Dollar movies. If I had not had all of the fun, applying for law school would have been unbearable.



1992 - Hale House. Rivals Riv chicks for the best year. 9 girls, two fridges, three bathrooms, 5 bedrooms and a lot of really old Brady Bunch furniture. It was the year or practical jokes. Took all of Tricia's food out of her cupboards. Tricia moved mine and Cathy's beds into a T in the middle of the room with a note - T for Tricia. Hid a dollar worth of pennies in the pockets (just a few in each!) of one roommates clothes. And the first annual fort weekend - we built a huge fort in the front room and held all of our weekend activities in the fort.



1995 - After finishing law school I stayed in Provo to study for the bar. Tricia, JJ and I stayed in Steve and Shalyna's apartment while they were gone for the summer. We watched Little House on the Prairie religiously, and went to water aerobics at Seven Peaks. The local PBS station did not air the wedding episode of Laura and Mannely, so I had to find a video for a special party. It was an odd obsession...



1997 - Heber City resort. It started during law school, but we would head up to Aunt Dixie's pace for the weekend. It was a more than a home a way from home. More of a resort getaway. hot tubing, movies, great food, cousins, cousins, cousins. Family just makes me happy.

1998 - Easter break trip to Hawaii . First time snorkeling, and when I got under the water I screamed through my snorkel tube and then stood up and yelled - there are fish down there!

2000 - Girl party at Cathy's for my 30th birthday. Cathy and Laurie and cousins JJ and Jennifer all came. They met me at the airport with a banner, and we had my favorite meal in the tri-cities - arros con pollo. I just love birthdays! Mom gave me Grandma's ring - and I always think of Grandma when I wear it. We had rub on tattoos and Laurie Put her's on her face.

2002 - Best birthday ever - volunteering at the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Fireworks and Harry Conick Jr. Finally someone figured out the level of celebration needed for my birthday.

2003 - Cruise to the Caribbean with Mom and Dad and Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Jerry. At dinner Uncle Jerry could not read the menu (of melon and permescuto - you know that fancy ham stuff) and asked what are promiscuous melons? We went swimming with the sting rays, but Aunt Marilyn and I were smart enough not to touch them!

2006 - Living in the Avenues and walking to work, I looked up and there was Elder Perry in the cross walk. General Authority citing! Every General Conference I had tons of visitors. It is amazing how many people want to stop by when you are in walking distance of the conference center.

2007 - Back to Hawaii with Mom and Dad, and had the best plate lunch at the fish place across from Wal-Mart.

I guess if you keep a good journal as you go, you don't just have bits and pieces of a personal history. Hummmm.....

What were you doing....

I got this idea from my friend Hillary. Maybe it will count for a personal history?

20 Years Ago I was ...
1. Getting back from BYU study abroad to Israel with my sister Cathy
2. Being dropped off for my Freshman year at DT S-210 (I think they have pulled that building down...how sad!
3. Taking my first Political Science class at BYU from Dr. Magelby
4. Staying in Provo for my first Thanksgiving as a college student - waiting for my Nephew Scott to be born. (Scott was a week late - but Laurie made a great dinner)

15 Years Ago I was ...
1. Starting my second year of Law School
2. Running up the Canyon every night with my roommates, and listening to Brown Eyed Girl while getting ready to run. (I used to say whenever I heard that song I felt like taking my clothes off).
3. Sharing a room with my cousin Tricia
4. Hearing that my darling niece was born - but we were waiting to hear if her name was Camille Nicole or Nicole Camille.

10 Years Ago I was ...
1. Working at my first real job as Corporate Counsel for a risk management firm
2. Looking at houses in Spanish Fork and about to make an offer on my first home
3. Called to be the Young Womens President (maybe 9 years ago)
4. Driving a green Jetta

5 Years Ago I was ...
1. Still reveling in the fun of volunteering for the SLC Winter Olympics
2. Moving to Seattle after being promoted at Lexis (but it turned out I did not like that new job and only stayed a year)
3. Going to Disneyland with Craig, Susan and kids
4. Moving back to Utah for my first law library job

3 Years Ago I was ...
1. being sick ... lots. That was a yucky year.

1 Year Ago I was ...
1. Finishing my first year in San Francisco at my new job at Littler and loving my studio apartment
2. Loving my summer vacation - cousin Amber's wedding, the family home to Fawnhill for water skiing, donkeys, IKEA and lots of fun
3. Starting to host book club
4. Leading singing time in the nursery

1 Month Ago I was ...
1. At nephew Tyler's wedding with the entire family - awesome
2. Hiking in Tahoe with Mark
3. Kicking back at Lake Clementine as much as possible
4. Remembering how much fun it was to go back to Girls Camp this year

1 Week Ago I was ...
1. House sitting at Fawnhill
2. Writing up legislative summaries at work
3. Reading a great Agatha Christie book - After the Funeral
4. Walking my dog every morning

Today I ...
1. Walked to work and almost got run over!
2. Worked late - but got lots done
3. Made soup for dinner
4. Downloaded the rest of the Book of Mormon to my ipod

Tomorrow I will ...
1. Write up the summary for the three states that have paid family leave - at work
2. Be excited for Matt who is going into the MTC
3. Walk to work and try not to get hit this time
4. Get back on track with my scripture study

Time to pay the Piper

Mom and Dad came home and it was time for a landscaping project. There was a strip out by the infamous 'bank' where they had pulled out dead plants and weeds and now they wanted rocks spread out to keep the weeds down and match the rest of the rocks along the front yard.

Here is the before picture. Notice - no rocks.

Here is Mom spraying the weeds. She started spreading this poison around and mentions - hey Cyndi - you had better get down wind. I hid in the car while she killed the weeds. Do you really think that the mask is going to save her? And Dad has no protection at all. If the hard work does not do these two in - the chemicals will.

Dad and I rented the trailer and went to the rock quarry to get our lovely rock. We were in charge of shoveling. Just in case you have not tried it....shoveling rock is hard work!

This was our supervisor. She sat on top of the little hill and watched us work. I really wanted this job, but I was passed over.

And here it is the after shot. It might not look like much, but believe me it took all day!

House Sitting at Fawnhill

Mom and Dad went down to Craig's to watch the kids for a week, so I am in Auburn watching the house and the dog. I came up Wednesday night and I will stay through next week. It is funny how it feels so much different from my regular week. I am still working everyday just in a different office and I drive to work instead of walking. I guess the change of scenery is more powerful than one would think. Or maybe there is something magical about Fawnhill. I have had my suspicions for a long time.

I start the day here by taking the dog for a walk. She needs a walk, and I figure that I have to get some exercise this week or I will be in trouble. We walk up the steep hill to the irrigation ditch, down the path and then back down the hill. It is a pretty serious walk and is a good way to start the day. I think I get a better work out here than I do walking to work in the city.

For some reason I have fallen out of the habit of packing a lunch to take to work, but when I am here it seems sacrilegious to waste money on buying lunch. Somethings from your childhood just don't go away. How do I have more time here to make my lunch in the morning than I do in the city?

The commute is not terribly fun, it seems to be taking between 40-45 mins. There are worse things that could happen to me, but I don't love commuting. I did it for so long, I think all those miles just build up and I still feel the stressful effects. What a baby! I feel like I am wasting time, so I am going to burn some Book of Mormon chapters off of the LDS website today so I can at least get a little scripture study done while I am in the car. I am trying to out smart the traffic, so I go in late and don't leave until 6pm. I don't mind those hours, but getting home so close to 7pm is hard to get used to.

Work is great! It is so quiet and no one knows me in this office, so I get so much done. I could really get used to this! It has been a busy and more stressful time at work, so it has been very advantageous to be more efficient and productive. Plus, this office has mini dark milky way bars in the break room. However, tragedy of tragedies, on Friday they did not have breakfast at the office. I can't imagine what they are thinking, I had no pastries on payday and I am a little bitter about it. I can assure you that I had an extra Milky Way to make up for it.

It never occurred to me that I might be scared being here alone. Fawnhill is close to paradise, so what could be scary? Well Friday night I was reading a little mystery book. Nothing too scary, because as I have said Wizard of Oz, too scary. I woke up very early on Saturday because I heard the dog barking (in the house) at something. I suddenly thought, hey is someone trying to get in here and hack me up with a hatchet (as in the Agatha Christie book). I quickly realized that was absurd and that the dog was barking at some animal, but I was unimpressed by the fact that it was not even light outside and I was awake! I guess I used up all of my fear because I have not been nervous about being alone since. I blame it all on that dog!

I have a long list of chores here. I said to Mom, it is hard getting all of this work done! She was glad that I appreciated how hard it was for them. I did not mention that they are here all day and have plenty of time to get their work done. I guess I did not mention it because I know full well that my Mother works way harder than I do and can put me to shame when it comes to how much you can fit into a day. I have learned how to clean the irrigation filters - which is amazing since Dad has created the most confusing watering system known to man. Mom is certain if Dad dies she will just have to sell up because no one knows how the water works. At least now I know how to do one part of the mystery. Dad assured me that everything else was automatic, but then Mom pulled me aside and said that she clandestinely gives the vegetable garden and the flowers by the back door more water. Then she mentioned putting water in the pool and in the the little pond. Do they really think they are fooling each other?

A great perk of house sitting is the produce. The peaches are on the tree (although I think the ones I cut up yesterday were a little under ripe!) and the tomatoes in the garden are so yummy. I think I am supposed to get a ladder out and get the peaches off of the top branches, but I am a little doubtful that I will get that done. If I pick them, don't I have to do something with them?

It has been a nice few days here, if I could figure out how to get the boat to the lake and water ski myself, it would be perfect! But alas the weather is cooling off and I have not even been in the pool yet. Don't tell Mom, she would be too sad that her pool is going to waste.

The Dawn Has Broken

I host the book club for my ward, and after a lot of encouragement my friends convinced me that we should have Breaking Dawn for our Summer reading. In case you are not familiar with the Twilight series, a Young LDS woman wrote four books about a girl who falls in love with a Vampire. The fourth and final book came out in August, and we just had the book club on Tuesday. It was the biggest turn out that we have had since I started hosting over a year ago! Thanks to Mary and Hillary who brought (and created) a trivia game for the discussion part of the evening.

I also had a really funny email that I got from my sister who got it from a friend of a friend. It was from a woman who had written to Deseret Book complaining that they were selling this outrageously inappropriate book! Some people get so bent out of shape. She was horribly offended that the characters in the book joked about the honeymoon and the newlyweds. Apparently she says that "We" don't joke or talk about such things. Uh, I don't think I or my family are part of this ladies "We". When I saw the email and the response from Deseret Book I was sure it was a hoax. So, I researched the man who responded and contacted him at DB. He really did receive the complaint and wrote the response. I thought the funniest part was that in his response to me he addressed the email to Sister Brown. Odd company policy if you ask me - and who lets DB decide what books they will read. Use a little of that common sense and good judgement and make your own decisions!

Now, I have to admit that I am not ga ga over the books. I read them - they are an easy read - but not my favorite. Mostly I thought Bella was a dippy girl - and I don't like dippy girls. I also did not fall for the instant love story built on nothing more than Edward's good looks. I did think the writing improved as she went along and the 4th book was the best one. A lot of people dislike the 2nd book - but I thought it was good - less Edward - more interesting characters. There were several things throughout the books that I just did not like - Edward is a 100 year old man chasing a 17 year old girl. Yuck. And that imprinting thing with a baby...too weird for me.

Oh and in the trivia game Mary reminded us what Edward and Bella were wearing in the meadow scene. I had totally missed this - apparently Edward had on a button down shirt (unbuttoned) that was sleeveless. Do they really make those? I can't get it out of my head - how dumb would that look? Was he a cross between Fonzy and Schroder? If I had caught it when I was reading...I am not sure I could have continued! Way too cheesy for me!

This was my hostess gift - Now I get to be a vampire for Halloween!

It was a fun night, and I have to say that I am glad I read the books so I could be a part of the party. Thanks to everyone who came - it was a great book club- and you were all right - we did get a great turnout. Next month - a slightly different genre - My Antonia by Willa Cather.

The rest of the weekend at Fawnhill

Besides cleaning the garage I had all kinds of fun this weekend. I decided to go up for the weekend because it would likely be the last water skiing weekend of the summer.

I have posted so many pictures of the lake, I thought I would find something new. This is the damn - it is pretty impressive eh?

So there is a little story about our trip to the lake. It is always crowded on Saturday but we were thinking that since school had started it would not be so bad this week. Unfortunately it was also 100 degrees on Saturday, so the lake was plenty full. They only allow 25 boats, and there is a sign at the top of the hill that says if there is parking available or not. We got the green light, so we headed down the hill. After we launched the boat we found out that there was not a parking place. Dad skied me (with out an observer!) and Mom stayed in the car with the trailer waiting on the ramp. I came back and Mom went out with Dad for a ride on the boat. While I was sitting with the car, the ranger came. I did not want to get in trouble so I casually said - oh yes, I am leaving. Just waiting for the boat to come in. Then after we load the boat someone is launching after us. We boldly tell them - oh no you can't stay - there is no parking. They inform us that the ranger opened up one spot and since we said we were leaving they got it. All because I did not want to get in trouble. Oh that honesty is so much better than the alternative! Since we got home early, we had plenty of time to clean the garage.


Of course the pool at Fawnhill is always fun, and after cleaning the garage in 100 degree weather we jumped in and cooled off. Isn't my Daddy cute?

Now just in case you did not think that our Saturday was full enough yet, we went down to the Sacramento Temple for a session. I love the Sacramento temple, it is so beautiful and I really enjoying going with Mom and Dad. There is another story here too. We did a sealing session after the endowment and the Sealer was from Magrath - who isn't right? He was one of Aunt Dixie's old boyfriend's. In the middle of the session he stops and asks me how old I am. I am wondering if I have forgotten something about the process (had it been that long since I did sealings...no). He wanted to set me up with his son. I was so surprised that I did not even have the presence of mind to say No Thanks, I am dating someone. Oh well, I will just have to pass on the sealer son to one of my lovely cousins.

Dad took us to dinner after the temple, and then Mom and I went swiming again when we got home.

Sunday morning was lovey. Relax relax relax. This picture is of the irrigation ditch above Mom and Dad's place. We drive up to the top of the road and walk the dog down the ditch. Isn't it a pretty place? After sleeping in and laying in bed reading, we went up to the ditch for a nice walk.

And this is my cute puppy Rilla. I don't really take pictures of her, but I thought she rated a posting on the blog. Rilla is the excuse for taking a walk on the ditch - but it is really to exercise the people. Mom and Dad have been so great to take care of her since San Francisco is not the best place for her. Rilla actually loves Fawnhill - in fact Dad spoils her so much she likes living with them more than me.

After a nice day at church and a huge Sunday dinner, I had to drive back to the city. Weekends at Fawnhill are so wonderful! It doesn't matter if we clean the garage, go to the lake, or watch political shows all weekend - I always love being at home.

Cleaning the Garage

I was up at Mom and Dad this weekend, and Mom finally talked me into cleaning the garage. It seems only fair since they have been storing my stuff for 2 years now. Mom has barely been able to get out of her car with all of my stuff stacked around her in the garage.

So here is my smiley face ready to work with a good attitude. I thought I should document this in case I was complaining about the job later. Which I am sure I will.

Here is the mess. You can see the car and notice that there is no way really to get in or out of the car.

Look how neat and clean it all is now. The funny thing is that after everything was cleaned up all that was in the garage of mine were these boxes and the tubs on the shelves. I looked at Dad and said - hey remember when I moved back and we had a big ol' moving van totally full from my three bedroom house? So where is all that stuff now? Hummmmm ....it is a mystery. I do have to say that occasionally I see an item or two of mine up in Mom's house. I think my free storage might come at a high price. I am glad that the work got done and very glad that Mom can get in and out of her car now. And I am very very grateful for Mom and Dad and their willingness to store all of my junk. (Which I have spread liberally through the entire house).

Now, don't tell anyone, but as I was putting a few odds and ends from the garage cleaning into my car - a little bit of food storage found its way to the car too. Since I never mooched off of my folks when I was 20 I figure I had better get a little in now. I never did find the toothpaste, darn!