With summer around the corner, we are approaching reunion season and what a season it is going to be. This summer, Kent and I will attend 3 reunions: West, Hatch and Sommer. Luckily, the West and Hatch reunions run perfectly into each other and they're both in Utah. They're actually both in Provo Canyon which simplifies things even more. The Sommer reunion is the following week, so we are booked solid with family for two weeks.
The West reunion includes my immediate family and will be at Aspen Grove. We've been there a couple of times and it's great. Being my year to plan and coordinate things (it rotates from one sibling to the next each year), I originally wanted to do a big house boating trip to Lake Powell. We used to go there every other year when I was growing up and I LOVED that vacation, but the family insisted on Aspen Grove. Why? While Aspen Grove is beautiful and fun, I think the main reason for the insisting is because they offer babysitting for children and infants 6 weeks old and up. Plus, the kids get split into groups according to age and go off with their group leader all day leaving the parents kid and fancy-free. It really is a vacation. Well, a vacation with 60 other people. It's also easy for me as the coordinator. I just had to put our name in a lottery to reserve our spot. Aspen Grove takes care of everything else: food, lodging, activities, etc. Looking forward to the mountain air and family fun.
That reunion will finish up and that very same day we'll be on to the Hatch reunion, my mom's family. It has been a few years since we've had a Hatch reunion so Kent is going to meet a lot of people, and I mean a lot. My mom has 6 siblings and they've all multiplied and replenished. To put things into perspective, my mom had 10 children and my Aunt Netta had 11 children and that's just two of the six siblings. Almost all of my cousins are married and have kids of their own and some of their kids of kids of their own, so it will be a full, crazy couple of days with a fun bunch of people. Here's the reminder flyer:
That's Grandma & Grandpa Hatch. They are no longer alive, but they were great people. They lived most of their lives in Mexico and have some good stories. Good old Colonia Juarez. I'm excited to take Kent there someday.
After the Hatch weekend, Kent and I will go to the Sommer reunion in San Diego. We can't stay for the entire week, but I can't wait to relax on the beach for a few days and spend time with the Sommer crew. Those beach house vacations are great. I'm looking forward to hearing more Sommer family stories, especially about Kent and his "cool" junior high years.
I'm glad summer is almost here and that Kent and I get to spend so much time with our families. We are so blessed to be part of wonderful families who have good values and who love and care for each other. Family time is always a great time.
Growing up, I was always the sister with the "perky" bottom. We all got a little something from my mom, but I got a little more. To add to the pad, I did gymnastics. With all that arching and "stick it!" posing I was bound to look kind of like this. (This photo doesn't do the swoop back and accentuated bottom protrusion justice, but you get the idea.)
Admittedly, my back side isn't huge, but it definitely has some shape, especially for a white girl. I haven't gone down the Apple Bottoms road although maybe I should...who knows.
That being said, I have found a use for my "perky" bottom: Hula. "Hot Hula" to be exact. Last night I went to 24 Hour Fitness and did the hula class for the first time and thought, "This is why I have the bottom I do, to do Hula." I discovered I can't shake my hips very well, I am not coordinated like that, but I've got the bootie for hula so I'm determined to learn how. Maybe next summer I'll be good enough try out for the Polynesian Cultural Center or to at least dazzle everyone at a family Fourth of July picnic. We'll see.
Last weekend my sisters and I got together to attend Women's Conference at the BYU (that's right, the BYU...I caught myself saying that a few times while I was there and thought, "Am I old enough to be saying that?"). I've been to Women's Conference the last few years and I can't miss it, it is tradition now. So much a tradition that unless a sister is about to give birth or nursing a wee babe, she will be at Women's Conference. Unfortunately, a few sister-in-laws, a sister who just gave birth and my mom were unable to make it this year, but the sistertime and spiritual uplift were still unbeatable.
We end up doing a lot of chatting and laughing while trying to make decisions about where to eat, what to do next, etc., but we do get things done, like shopping at the bookstore.
Reasons I love to visit BYU: Staying in the dorms (makes me feel like a Freshman again), BYU chocolate milk and pizza bagels, walking around the beautiful, familiar campus, hearing the bell tower chimes ringing "Come, Come Ye Saints" and shopping at the bookstore. I don't know if Kent understands or appreciates the bookstore expenditures as much as I do, but what is a girl to do when you can get all sorts of Mormon-y things? It's not everyday that you can find DownEast shirts, books written by your study abroad teacher and chocolate covered cinnamon bears all under one roof. I take advantage while I can.
The campus was as lovely as ever. Bright tulips, perfectly manicured grass, new blossoms, lightly powdered mountains in the distance, happy, young students, but not everything was picture-perfect, it was cold. There were snow flurries everyday while we were there, but that's a Utah spring for you. It doesn't know if it should stay winter or just go for summer.
Here we are at the end of a wonderful two days, tired from the late nights, but rejuvenated in spirit. I am a happier person when I get back from this conference every year. It allows me to reprioritize my life and put the gospel and family first, two things that bring me the most happiness.
Is there anyone who doesn't like ABBA? Is that even possible? A couple of weeks ago Kent and I caught a few minutes of an A&E ABBA biography and it made me realize how much I don't know about the band, but it also made me realize how much I love, and always will love, their music. Someone referred to their style as "timeless pop" and I couldn't agree more-upbeat (even when they're singing about sad themes), harmonic, fresh, catchy, unique-you just don't find that type of pop these days. I really think I could have been happy during the Disco era.
I also love that the band was composed of married couples: Bjorn and Agnetha (blonde) and Benny and Anni-Frid "Frida" (brunette). It doesn't get more idyllic, although unfortunately, they both divorced later in life. Such a shame.
What's interesting about them as well is when they were done, they were done. They never said the band "broke up" or anything, they just let themselves disappear and went their separate ways. I'm curious if they're even friends still. There's definitely an air of mystery surrounding the Swedish band.
Here's one of my favorite ABBA songs, "One of Us", which is probably one of the best pop break up songs ever written. The video is a rare combination of late 70s / early 80s styling (hair, clothes, use of mirrors, profile shots, etc.) and Northern European simplicity.
And here's one of Kent's favorites, "Super Trouper". Keep an eye out for the classic Disco pointer finger pose. I can't go into analyzing the video because there is too much to say and I might make fun of ABBA, but I would never want to do that because I love them too much. I might mock a Britney Spears video, but ABBA is special.
Someday in the future, our kids are going to get the ABBA Gold albums in their Christmas stockings and wonder who on earth ABBA is, but they need to learn what good, happy pop is all about. Kent will probably throw in Michael Jackson's Thriller and Bad albums as well which I'll be 100% on board with, but ABBA is a must too.
Anyway, here's to ABBA. May you live forever loved in the pop world.
Spa Week? $50 treatments? How come I never knew about this until now? I don't know about you, but I'm taking advantage of this heavenly event. Click here to learn more. Relaxation at a reduced rate; not much can top that.
I love good advertising. It doesn't matter what medium it comes through (even the back of a city bus) as long as it's clever, simple and I get it. My view as I waited at a stoplight last week:
I apologize for the dirty windshield and camera phone picture quality, but I couldn't miss a chance to capture this:
How awesome is that? Definitely made me chuckle, and I might want a pair of red glitter Converse high tops now.
Waiting to board this plane...
To take us to these countries...
I really loved that trip. Who knows when we'll get to go to Europe again, but today I am content to reminisce via the Holga.
A street in Madrid
The Madrid Temple
A Spanish ruin
Grapevines and poppies in Provence
Fields of red
Normandy
Cannes
The happy travelers
Foxy.
Last weekend my sisters and I got together to attend Women's Conference at the BYU (that's right, the BYU...I caught myself saying that a few times while I was there and thought, "Am I old enough to be saying that?"). I've been to Women's Conference the last few years and I can't miss it, it is tradition now. So much a tradition that unless a sister is about to give birth or nursing a wee babe, she will be at Women's Conference. Unfortunately, a few sister-in-laws, a sister who just gave birth and my mom were unable to make it this year, but the sistertime and spiritual uplift were still unbeatable.
We end up doing a lot of chatting and laughing while trying to make decisions about where to eat, what to do next, etc., but we do get things done, like shopping at the bookstore.
Reasons I love to visit BYU: Staying in the dorms (makes me feel like a Freshman again), BYU chocolate milk and pizza bagels, walking around the beautiful, familiar campus, hearing the bell tower chimes ringing "Come, Come Ye Saints" and shopping at the bookstore. I don't know if Kent understands or appreciates the bookstore expenditures as much as I do, but what is a girl to do when you can get all sorts of Mormon-y things? It's not everyday that you can find DownEast shirts, books written by your study abroad teacher and chocolate covered cinnamon bears all under one roof. I take advantage while I can.
The campus was as lovely as ever. Bright tulips, perfectly manicured grass, new blossoms, lightly powdered mountains in the distance, happy, young students, but not everything was picture-perfect, it was cold. There were snow flurries everyday while we were there, but that's a Utah spring for you. It doesn't know if it should stay winter or just go for summer.
Here we are at the end of a wonderful two days, tired from the late nights, but rejuvenated in spirit. I am a happier person when I get back from this conference every year. It allows me to reprioritize my life and put the gospel and family first, two things that bring me the most happiness.
Spa Week? $50 treatments? How come I never knew about this until now?
I apologize for the dirty windshield and camera phone picture quality, but I couldn't miss a chance to capture this:
How awesome is that? Definitely made me chuckle, and I might want a pair of red glitter Converse high tops now.
