4th of July!

I love the 4th of July! It's so goofy in our neck of the woods. (Just the way I love it!) We have a family in our area (I don't even know them) that put together a neighborhood parade every year. Kids decorate their bikes, mom and dad's pull their kids in wagons, and dogs walk with red, white, and blue bandannas around their neck. It's awesome! I love every minute of it. For some reason (and I kick myself in the butt for this) my kids never participated in the neighborhood parade. I guess we thought it would be stupid. We only found out about 7-8 years ago that it was the place to be at 10:00 on the morning of the 4th of July. It's one of the things that make our neighborhood special.

My mom and dad came over to watch, the neighbors sat on their curb on a blanket, and we sat on our front porch. My sweet boys are such good sports. They know it's a big deal to me, so FOS worked all night at his job, got home at 7:00 AM but stayed up until the 10:00 parade. FYS had just gotten home at 6:30 AM. (he was NOT working) but set his alarm so he could get up in time to come out and watch it.

I'm telling you - it's a real parade! Isn't this the sweetest thing you've ever seen?

This year was a little different as MOMD and my sister-in-law, Juanita, decided to be IN the parade. (Juanita is a good sport and supports MOMD with his weird ideas.) My grandpa and grandma had a pedal car that has been stored in my Aunt's garage for the last 14 years. This poor pedal car is about 40 years old (I'm not kidding) since I rode it when I was a kid. MOMD went and got the pedal car, took it to his brother's house (Juanita's husband) for a pedal car tune-up, and then we all decorated it for the parade. Juanita got candy to throw at the spectators along the parade route. What could be better? It was awesome! Here they are, and please notice how hot and trend-setting MOMD looks in his farmer outfit and old man hat. I've never loved him more.

This was one of my favorite entries as they return home from being in the parade - a riding lawn mower! Don't you love the 4th of July!

Latest Guilty Pleasure

On June 5th, my nephew graduated from Hunter High School (good job Justin!). After the graduation ceremony, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law took the whole family to dinner. The took us to a restaurant called the Mikado. I'm sure many of my more worldly readers have experienced the Mikado (in the Cottonwood area, not downtown) but this was our first time. It has become an addiction for our family. The boys love sushi and that's what they order, and MOMD and I just love food, so we order everything else. The thing about Mikado is that it's all about the presentation. All three of the dishes below are appetizers, and look how beautiful they look. It makes you feel like royalty to eat creations like this. And everything is yummers! Tonight was our third night going to Mikado since June 5. (See what I mean about an addiction?) If you have the chance, try it!

This was my cheesecake "to go". Look how pretty they made even that! Notice the fanned strawberries and the mint leaves along with fresh blueberries ...

By the way - Who takes pictures of food at restaurants?

Opportunity(?)

A few weeks ago in Relief Society we had a sign up sheet to work at the Welfare Square Cannery. "What the heck?," I thought. "I can do that." (I think I must have been under the influence of crack cocaine at the time.) Anyway ... last night a sweet 87 year old lady in my ward calls me and asks if I want to ride with her to the Cannery. "What? Is that tomorrow?," I think. CRAP! What did I get myself into? Since I couldn't come up with an excuse fast enough, I told her that I would LOVE to go with her and that I would drive. Let's pause here for a couple of interesting points. First - I DO NOT do things with people that are not my family or my scrapbook friends. Second - I cannot find my way out of a paper bag when I am driving or walking for that matter. Third - CRAP - it's the Cannery and I don't want to go!

I sucked it up and picked up my riders (which had grown to TWO now). The ladies gave me directions and we found the Cannery. The experience was AWESOME. I was so happy that I could be part of such a worthwhile operation (after it was over). It made me feel proud of my church AND myself. I know, I know - I need to read the lesson on pride. We did spaghetti sauce today and only four people (me and my two riders and one man in my ward) showed up. We handled it! We put lids on the hot bottles and then we boxed the bottles after they were sealed and labeled. I personally made about 10,000 boxes myself. (That may be an exaggeration ...) We then went back in and did the lid thing again before returning to the boxing again. We rocked the Cannery! There were so many cute little older missionaries working and helping us. It was a great experience. I would definitely do it again. I'm not saying it wasn't tiring, but it wasn't bad. Please remind me of this the next time I'm high and sign up for the Cannery ...

House Guests

Many of you (okay everyone who knows me) are familiar with my stress of having visitors in my home. I love my house, I love my stuff, and I'm not embarrassed or worried about people not liking my home, but to have someone come over totally stresses me out. I don't know why. I know it's irrational and if I were a good friend, daughter, daughter-in-law, family member, etc. I would have parties night and day at my home BUT I CAN'T. Too much stress.

Anyway - last week I had not one, but two, house guests. Minnie and Aurora (Princess Aurora to be precise) came and stayed with my family. It was quite pleasant. I wasn't worried about what to feed them or how to entertain them. Princess Aurora did not even ask for special royal treatment. They were the perfect guests! They are welcome back anytime. The only problem was that they really enjoyed my bed, which didn't bother me in the least, but MOMD had nowhere to sleep! Aurora enjoyed sleeping with her head on MOMD's pillow and Minnie preferred the bottom of the bed UNDER all the covers. (Aurora is the white and black guest and Minnie is the smaller black guest.) Did I also mention that they brought their OWN beds and at their houses they sleep in THEIR beds?

This is how Minnie even takes her naps. She covered herself up with my sweater.

Hooray for house guests!

Is This Really My "Good" Side?

FOS bought a new truck a month or so ago. Of course, we can't just have a nice new truck - we have to LIFT it. He has been asking me why I don't take it for a test drive. Okay, I think. What the heck? Why not?

Oooohhhhhh! This is why! Seriously ...