All the Other May Things

In between big things, there are some little things worth mentioning that happened this month.

James had his 3rd grade track meet. He did track with the city last year so he was familiar with how these things go but he liked this even better because all of his friends were with him.

He's a speedy guy and loves running. He and Calvin would run up and down the street each morning before school the week leading up to the meet.

I found these beauties at the thrift store. I offered to buy them and give one to a sister so that they could share secrets between our houses but no one wanted one. I went back the next week and one was gone. Who would buy just one?

I did end up buying this beauty though. Sometimes DI is the best.

So I felt like a really bad mom when I found out James had never seen the Lion King. We fixed that one night when everyone else was at mutual. I got the disc from the library and we got drinks from the gas station and then watched it in my room. He liked it but I think he would have loooooved it when he was 4. 

Speaking of lions, Erica got to be the lion and pass out candy during her orchestra's concert's performance of The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

She has loved orchestra this year. Everyone loves orchestra in middle school because Mrs. Harmon is the best teacher in the school.

We have a mailbox on the sidewalk problem around town. I could make an entire album just of bad mailboxes. These are some of the typical offenders. What are people in wheelchairs or small kids on bikes to do? 

But this mailbox takes the cake for worst offender. What were they thinking? I'm getting irritated all over again looking at this. We reported it to the city on their "nuisance" form under "sidewalk obstruction." We'll see if anything is done about it. I might become a sidewalk crusader. It's a worthy cause.

Speaking of other people's property that annoys me (that could be an ongoing series on this blog), why why why would you pay premium money for a lot in Mapleton (a large lot, I might add) and put in a joke of a yard like this?

What even is the point? Grass island surrounded by rock river and a sea of bark?

My constant reminder of "don't do things people don't like" wasn't working and Justin and I were getting tired of hearing about who did what so Justin told the kids we would only consider reports in writing.

I finished my America's 250th birthday quilt. I could have finished it weeks ago but I kind of ran out of motivation when all I had was 3 feet left of the binding. I kind of didn't want it to be over and I also didn't want to sit under it when it is so warm. But I buckled down and did it.

I'm standing on a chair. It's big enough to fit a twin size bed. I'm not sure where it's going to go.

Henry got a job at a snow cone shack in the parking lot of Reams. All of his shifts are with his friend Tom so you know he's having a good time. "I did my job perfectly today except for when I messed up an order." Now if I can keep him from buying Little Debbie inside the grocery store on his bathroom breaks.

From our stake summer breakfast. "What, you don't make pancake batter in a Home Depot bucket?"

Later that day we had my dad's 80th birthday party. We had 23 or so of my family come. The food theme was cruise buffet so Justin cooked two kinds of chicken.

There was also French fries, salad, fruit slices, pizza, nachos, shrimp, rolls and mocktails. I was hoping it would be as random as a real cruise buffet and my family understood the assignment. 

We played a "who knows Grandpa the best" trivia game and then a game called "Wilford or Jerrol" where my family had 25 seconds to correctly identify which pictures were of Jerrol and not Wilford Brimley.

It was pretty funny. Even my dad was trying to figure out which pictures were of him. I was cracking myself up while I made it so I'm glad my family got a kick out of it too. 

My niece Allison won on a tie breaker and went home with a canister of Quaker Oats.

Seriously makes me do a double take.

Happy birthday, Dad! We didn't get to celebrate big on his 75th because of covid restrictions. He purposely went out of town on his actual birthday this year but we were determined.

Nearly two years ago Erica lost her most precious stuffed bear camping with Corey and Nadine. They searched everywhere. In the trailer, in the tent, in the truck, retraced their hiking steps and drove back to spots where they got out. It was gone. For weeks Erica cried every night missing Teddy and then after awhile she couldn't even talk about it without getting all choked up so she just stopped talking about it and tried not to think about it. She had this image in her head of Teddy sitting in the mud and snow deteriorating, or worse, torn apart by a real bear. Nothing could console her; I just had to tell her that she would always be sad about Teddy and that's okay. Some things always make us sad.

She got Teddy for Christmas from Nadine when she was 10 months old.

The second picture is the day we find a duplicate at DI. "Teddy Fresh" we call him."

(She's crying because I wouldn't let her take home "Bunster" from the little house but consoled her with a photo instead.) 

Corey and Nadine are living in their trailer for their mission at Heber Valley Camp. Well miracles of miracles, Corey was looking for his mission badge in the seat of the recliner in the trailer. He grabbed hold of something waaaay back there and thought it was cushion stuffing. He pulled out Teddy! He was shocked since he thought they looked thoroughly in all the furniture two years ago. He sent a picture to Justin and I right away but we didn't tell Erica so she could be surprised today when they came down for one of their p-days. 

She's all teary eyed. Although she has Teddy Fresh, she hasn't even wanted that one around since it's a reminder of the real beloved Teddy that she lost. Teddy and Teddy Fresh are now in the prime location on her bed during the day and perched on her bedframe at night.

A lovely happy way to end a lovely month of May.