more side jobs

Here's something awesome about living in a small town - you never know what you might get asked to do.  Set up and maintain a city website? Teach a small group of homeschooled 8th graders? Volunteer on the Housing Authority Board?  Buy the equipment for and take high school dance pictures?

We finally got the studio stuff last week (great, more debt), and Slice immediately set some of it up in our front room and started snapping photos.  I have freaking adorable children, even with messy hair and clothes and more attitude than I know what to do with. I should stop looking at these pictures and start looking at the growing pile of laundry behind me.  But come on! That face!  

Slice is back to work, and working more than ever.  Last hitch on he worked for 10 days in a row. We need a cheap but faraway (and long and child-free) vacation.  Preferably before December.  Any ideas that don't include Disneyland? Anyone??

Summer of Love

How many people do you know who got married last weekend?  If it's more than seven, you got me beat.  If not, well....

The only wedding that I attended was that of my good friend from high school.  If you have ever wondered how your really amazing brother will find a girl that is amazing enough for him, you know how I've (pretty much always) felt about Jer.  It's a special honor.

He found the girl, and I'm sure she is deserving of his affection, and I was really pleased to be present for the ceremony.  Pleased enough that I didn't snap a single picture of the occasion.  Slice was unable to come (work) but my parents and younger siblings (who were already in Salt Lake) took the offspring and gave them a jolly good time at Liberty Park.

He's still talking about that Batman car.

Meanwhile, I was gallivanting around downtown, feeling like a real person - not just a mom but a REAL PERSON! - for a few joyful hours.  Thinking about my own wedding day in the Salt Lake temple over five years ago.  Still waiting to see who the rest of the Brotherhood decide to wed...

Dog Days

We're seven days into my favorite month!  Happy August, everyone!

We finished up July with another Roosevelt family reunion, Woodruff side this time.

Missing a bunch of people, even several who were AT the reunion earlier...

Dopp, Battistone, Morgan kids

Dorian took three days off work to be there, and we played hard for those three days.  By the end we all looked like this.

I tried to train for the UBIC 5k, but the day after the reunion ended, my kids woke up sick.  They were barfing by evening and I was trying not to.  I felt sick for maybe two days, then got hit with a nasty cold the week I was planning to do my 3-mile runs.  UGH.

Still I did it.  Last Saturday was the 5k, 10k and triathlon.  None of my sisters were there but Lisa ran most of the way with me, until I had to stop and walk for a couple blocks.  I finished four minutes faster than last year even with my cold, so that's an accomplishment, right?

Red face.  Always.

The rest of UBIC was pretty much nuts, with Slice playing three tennis matches and being in the parade twice and me trying to keep the kids hydrated and happy, and not sunstroked.  They both took 4-hour naps Saturday.  Hallelujah! 

Good thing, because we had a pretty late night with the Spin Doctors and the awesome fireworks afterward.

 All in all, it's been a good couple weeks. Have I mentioned how much I love summer??