Glimpses

Here we have Callie's sketch for her Halloween costume from four years ago.  I had to preserve this to remember how meticulous she was about the details of her costumes.  I may have created this monster when she was little, but as the number of young children we've had has grown I have gone waaaay lax with costumes.  And my policy is that when you reach junior high you are on your own!

I found this nice little bookmark that Hannah made for me.  Talk about a blast from the past!

I'm guessing this was made in a Primary class because of the lovely picture of the temple on the front.  I can just picture it:  on Mother's Day the teacher asks the children to each pick something that they can do that is nice for their mothers.  Hannah's pick?  "I will be nice one hole day."  Talk about generosity!  And it's never expired!  Yes, there were days when being nice was a problem for this girl, but she has turned out marvelously and we love having her in our home.  Now we can just look back and laugh.

Another find:  a schedule for me on a day back in the fall of 2012.  I want to find the earlier me and say SKIP THE LIBRARY.  I hope I did!  

I know that all days were not like that.  I know that even now some of my days turn out like this - I had one just last week.  The victory is that they are rare.  I am getting a little smarter about scheduling. I am learning to balance really busy days with really relaxed ones.  I am learning that "no" is a beautiful word, as long as it enables me to be available (physically and emotionally) in the afternoons to chat with the teens about their day, offer a nutritious snack to the school kids, and be able to help with the elementary homework.  For awhile I was struggling with enjoying this very busy, very full stage of life.  I am so happy to say that I love it again, and love it even more.  It's because I know more than I ever did before that what I am doing is so vitally important.  It was a lengthy process.  It took thought and prayer and faith and study and time.  Did I stress that it took faith?  I had to really hold on to that through my searching and waiting.  Life is good again - no, better, because I am better and stronger.  "No" and "know" are powerful words that are helping me to become a better mother.

"Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all." 

Julie B. Beck

Homecoming/First Date!

It all began with a text that I received one day from Callie:

JUST GOT ASKED TO HOMECOMING!!!  

How She was Asked:

She was really hoping that her first date could be with one of her good friends so she was pretty happy that her good friend Ryan asked her.  She had four days in a row of driving range for her license, and on the second to last day a different voice came over the radio giving instructions for car 5 to honk their horn.  Callie & her partner realized it was them and she wondered who was giving instructions since it had been a woman talking.  She looked up at the tower and it was Ryan, who proceeded to ask her to Homecoming over the radio for everyone to hear.  

How She Replied:

We had a late night that night with not one but two runs out to the store to make him a dum dum bouquet to answer yes for the next day "I'd be a dum dum not to go with you".  Friend Ashlan spent four days at our house while her parents were away and she was asked within a couple hours of Callie so it made it doubly fun and exciting.  We have been busy looking over our selection of formal dresses and figuring out alterations.  I don't know who is more excited - Callie, Hannah, or me!

Notables Along the Journey:

We had quite a selection of dresses to choose from, between the ones that we scored second-hand last summer at an Ohio thrift store to the many hand-me-downs from cousin Christine.  She picked one and we priced out alterations - ouch.  I decided to give it a try myself.  There were three steps:  taking in the sides several inches, shortening the inner and outer skirt by several inches, and adding straps/sleeves.  My wonderful Pfaff sewing machine died after step one was successfully completed and I was able to borrow a great machine from a friend that finished the job up beautifully.  Thank goodness for youtube and inspiration to help me figure tricky things out.  It all turned out great!  We found cute flats at DI for $4 and a shrug online for $8 and felt very, very fortunate to have a great ensemble for a great price.

Getting Ready:

Aunt Mandi came down that afternoon to help Callie get ready, armed with jewelry and hair supplies.  Callie's hair turned out lovely and an hour before her date was coming to pick her up she realized that she hadn't gotten a clutch.  Mandi to the rescue!  She ran out to the store and brought back a handful to choose from, all within the price range that Callie gave her.  

Pictures of Homecoming Night:

I am not sure what is prettier - her spirit or her smile - but they definitely enhance each other.  Love this girl!

A glimpse at the pretty hair-do by Mandi

The full dress, and yes, each of those 8 ruffles had to be shortened individually before I could shorten the hem.  A labor of love, so we took a million and one pictures.

Tyler was the paparazzi when Ryan came to pick Callie up.  Nevermind that the pictures were blurry - I loved him for doing it.

I don't know if you can tell, but Ryan helped tuck Callie's dress into the car before he closed the door.  She was treated like the princess that she is the entire evening - nothing could make a mother happier!

Official Homecoming Pics:

The photographer tried to pose Callie and Ryan in a more formal position, with him standing behind her and them looking at each other.  Callie said they cracked up each time they looked at each other and the photographer said, "Can't you just smile?"  They had to resort to something else.

Callie was home at 12:00am on the nose.  We were watching a movie when we heard her on the doorstep and Tyler remembered that he had accidentally locked the door.  I didn't want to ruin the "doorstep scene" so I waited until I heard her try to come in before going to inconspicuously unlock the door.  So much for being inconspicuous - Ryan poked his head in the door, looked me straight in the eye, and thanked me for letting him take Callie out - "It was an awesome date" he said.  I think Callie felt the same way.  Hooray for an awesome first date!