Just Married

I absolutely loved the vinyl lettering that Heather

surprised us with for the newlyweds car.

It was perfect!

The father-of-the-bride - doesn't he look happy!

I particularly like the bride's maid's bouquet :)

Very happy grandfather-of-the-bride as well!

A little blurry - but one of the few pictures I actually took that day.

They make a beautiful couple - most importantly they are

so good to and for each other!

The temple sealer reminded them (and all of us) that love is a choice.

What a powerful reminder regarding all of our relationships!

Something Blue - The Shawl Story

Photos by Camilla Binks - amazing!

Dress by Melissa Blackburn (and Alicia) also amazing!

Anticipating a cold January wedding, Alicia asked if I would make her a lacy shawl that she could wear. She chose ice-blue as the color and I started looking at yarns and patterns. I was excited that she asked - we have joked about knitting or weaving a wedding dress for years. I finally settled on a beautiful lace pattern - just what I love to knit. I had finished about 5 inches when I had the stroke - although physically I recovered quickly I was left unable to concentrate on anything for very long (reading, knitting, everyday normal stuff). When I was able to force myself to knit, I repeatedly made mistakes and I found myself starting over again and again.

About the point where I was ready to give up - I found a simple stitch pattern - the same 3 stitches over and over and over again. I was disappointed that it wouldn't be what I had originally planned - but accepted that at least it was something I could finish and I started over for the last time.

Two things ended up happening. First, about half-way through knitting the shawl - towards the end of December, I realized that the simple 3-stitch pattern was too easy and was becoming boring. I realized that my ability to concentrate was increasing. I have never been so happy to be so bored! Second, as soon as I saw the shawl with the dress I realized that the more complicated pattern I had hoped to knit would have clashed with the lace of the dress - the simple pattern I ended up choosing seemed perfect.


True to form I was binding off and steam pressing the shawl in the hotel the night before the wedding. Some things never change!

Details

These Button Boutonnieres were perhaps one of my favorite details from the wedding. Alicia saw them highlighted in a Wedding Magazine - and knew that she "had to have them"! An etsy crafter in Baltimore took her colors and made it happen. I loved that they were easy to put on because they have badge-pins on the back (I'm horrible at pinning on boutonnieres and corsages). I also loved that they are a great take-home remembrance of the day.

Photo Booth vs Candy Buffet

I'm not sure which one would have won if guests were allowed to vote - needless to say, both were very popular. So many people helped with the Candy Buffet - Heather McD designed and made the vinyl lettering with her amazing vinyl cutting machine. Tam designed and printed the insert cards that went into the little bags. Cristin lent some of her apothecary jars. Shauna manned the buffet ALL NIGHT :) filling and refilling the jars and chasing down run-away sixlets. Definitely a group effort - oh and my dad graciously offered to taste test all of the candy for quality before the reception started!

Sweet Sixteen

She's an amazing young woman, with a beautiful smile, an engaging personality,

smart and talented, sensitive and kind

and now sixteen!

(Happy Birthday!)

What does the W stand for?

Lots of W's in my mind during the last few days!
Wonderful
Week
Wishes
Whirlwind

...and in the all-knowing words of my young niece trying to explain
the embroidered W on a set of pretty hand towels...
"Duh, it is for Wedding!
(Also Williams!)

Alicia's ability to plan, organize and dream all came

together in a beautiful way.

My Weekend Highlights:


Dinner for Family and Friends
Salt Lake Temple
Amazing Wedding Dress
(hidden sentimental touch)
Darling Button Boutonnieres - very Alicia
The Point
Candy Buffet
Suprise Mini-Cooper Groom's Cake
Photo Booth
Family and Friends


We left the photography to the professionals - but I will try to post a few!

Just Put One Foot In Front of the Other (Frosty T. Snowman)

You don't get very far - distance-wise - when you take steps on an elliptical trainer. However I traveled quite a ways today.

It was my first foray into the gym since having a stroke there in November. I had to sit in my car to gather my courage for a couple of minutes before going in... I think my heart rate was up before I even got started :)

Great welcome from my personal trainer when I walked in the door - she squealed in surprise and ran to give me a hug. I had just finished working out with her when the stroke began. Possibly scared her as much as it scared me. It felt much better feeling walking out to my car when I was finished - as opposed to being wheeled out to a waiting ambulance on a gurney.

Still feel so fortunate and so blessed.

Glad to be back working out - I've actually missed it

Glad to be conquering my fear of returning

and

Glad to be moving forward

(not literally of course -

what with the elliptical trainer

being stationary and all)!

Added Later: Love that if you look really closely you can still see a smidgen of red dust from our summer hikes in Zion's!

Beginnings

Isn't it interesting how endings are always followed by beginnings?

It has been quite a year

- on so many fronts -

personally

as a family

(nationally and internationally as well)

As 2010 ends and 2011 begins, I feel so blessed and am grateful to be looking forward. I know that it will not be challenge free -- but along with the challenges there will also be joy and opportunities for growth.

And so it begins...

A Sweater, A Rose and A Hamburger

If you have recently participated in a neurological exam you know just what test the title of this post refers to - I take it as a good sign that 15 days after returning home from my delightful 4-day stay at Hotel Holy Cross I can still remember those three words! Also, to whom it may concern, I was never very good at subtracting 7 from 100 - even on a good day. 100 - 93 - 86 -79 -72 ... you get the idea. Don't judge :)

Pocket Wish Fun!

So much excitement over our shout-out on Cathe Holden's blog. So many sweet comments from readers who really seemed to get what our little Pocket Wishes venture is all about! It was fun to read the comments, send the give-away packages and fill some orders as well!

We were also thrilled to have Jen at Tatertots and Jello (one of Cristin's college floormates) do a little give-away as well. Again sweet comments and wonderful readers -- so many stories and an overwhelming sense that wonderful things are happening in our world as people give, share and act on their innate sense of goodness and kindness. Thanks Jen!

My Post is to Link to Two Other Posts

(Photo by Cathe Holden & www.justsomethingimade.com)

Exciting things have been happening with our little creative venture - Wishes In My Pocket . The graphic designer that we worked with, Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made just wrote a post about our idea/website/dreams - she is amazing and really understood what we wanted to do with this idea!

Additionally, my sister - who I always allow to have the last word wrote a great post - seen here!

I95 Got the Best of Us

We were so excited to head to Philadelphia to see Cara perform in a class project at HPI. Unfortunately, we hit traffic (on a Friday night during rush hour) first in

Baltimore

then at the toll plaza in Delaware

in spite of my EZPass

then near Wilmington

the Philly bridge traffic was a foregone conclusion

I had to call and tell her that we weren't going to make it :( her group was performing first so there was no way it was going to happen - I thought we had added in enough time for rush hour, etc. but no - at that point it made the most sense to turn around and go back home. The only upside is that Cara is now home for the week for fall break!!

Bottom line: We drove 186 miles and didn't actually get anywhere....

Wishes in My Pocket Dot Com

My sister and I have a little project that we have been working on for a while!

It went down something like this:

We...

talked about some experiences

dared to dream

took a couple of ideas

spent some time googling

talked to some friends

played with some graphics

figured out how to create a website

connected with a great company

talked on the phone a lot

realized we make a pretty good partnership

laughed about our strengths/weaknesses

expressed gratitude for supportive spouses

Check it out...

Pocket Wishes

Blogging Consistency and The Lack Thereof...

I know I will not be receiving any blogging awards - certainly not for consistency! I still have a camera full of pictures of our summer on my camera as well as fun things to blog/remember. Here are just a few so I don't forget...



Cabin Time

50th Anniversary Party

Emily - YASE, EFY

Alicia and Tyler

Family Pics

Zion Hiking

Fun and Family at the Cabin

and more



...after that I should blog the beginning of school (Em), and moving Cara into an amazing little (actually very generously-sized) studio apt. in Philadelphia. Her building is an oasis in the middle of an "um, interesting neighborhood". A previous Philadelphia resident upon hearing her address commented..."hmm, a neighborhood in transition". Exactly!



... then I should blog about SPARK --- AMAZING :) so much fun with Cristin, Alicia, Elisa and Jen.



...then I should blog about seminary, Em (ccw, school play auditions/cast list (awesome part - more to follow)!



...then I should blog a little something about a project my sis and I have been working on (for quite awhile... maybe I will do that first :)

Mitchell - Monaco - Marvelous

You've gotta love a hotel that offers you a goldfish for the evening!

Cara named "her" fish Mitchell and quite enjoyed his visit!

Just another reason that we love staying at the SLC Monaco...

I Love Small Towns

Not every day you see a cow in the front yard! I love driving through small towns -
this year included:

Scipio

Salina

Joseph

Elsinore

Marysvale

Junction

Circleville

Panguitch

Hatch

Beaver

Fillmore

Glendale

Orderville

and more...

Lots and lots and lots of driving this year.

Too much driving?!

The reasons why there was so much driving to follow...

Murdock Movers

There is good news and bad news:

The bad news is there are constantly people moving out of our church congregation.

The good news is that the Murdocks will put 2 boxes of art work and 2 Turkish rugs in their truck and deliver it to points west.


The art is not yet hung but will be perfect at the cabin (great Jerry Fuhriman petroglyph pics and some cruise art Craig fell in love with...).

So happy to have the rugs here - although I will miss seeing them everyday...

The bonus was getting to visit with the Murdock's when we picked up the boxes/rugs. Craig and the girls had a bonus-bonus when they went out to dinner together a few days later. I was in the midst of Pre Anniversary Party Prepping and missed out on dinner :(

Gotta love those True Aggie friendships!

Thanks Paul, Natalie and girls :)

Back at the Cabin

I have yet to figure out my blogging personality...

hot/cold

happening/not happening

existent/non-existent

I know that much of my blogging/not blogging has to do with what else

is going on in my life - not so much how busy I am but my

general state of mind - not wanting to blog only the happy stuff

but not wanting to blog the unhappy/hard stuff?! And definitely not wanting

to blog happy stuff when I'm in the middle of the hard stuff...

Whoa, is this a blog or a therapist's couch? Ouch -haha

It is "Just a Glimpse" after all, right?

At the moment my Glimpse is

Heavenly...

Cabin Time

Beautiful Scenery

Amazing Sunsets

Highlights

Highlights:

The Governor's Palace

Revolutionary City

Beautiful Weather

The Randolph House

Craig being acquitted after being taken to court

for allowing a woman's tobacco crop to fall into the river

The Capitol Building

Costumed Reenactors

Shopping:

The Cheese Shop

General Browsing

Candied Apples

Biggest Surprise

Running into Friends from MD



HUZZAH!

Ghost Walk

After arriving, we took the shuttle bus into Colonial Williamsburg for dinner and a Ghost Tour. I know that the orbs in my picture are probably just Natural Enviromental Orbs (dust, pollen and humidity) but really, who knows! I'm pretty sure the ghost in the upper-left hand corner is for real :)

The tour was fun, informative and great overview of Colonial Williamsburg and it storied past.

Guess Where We Went?

Can you guess where else we spent time during Spring Break?

It was our first visit to Colonial Williamsburg!

We totally enjoyed ourselves - I think it was our first "vacation"

with only the three of us. I spent a lot of time watching families with small

children and had to stop myself from putting my arms around exasperated young

moms to tell them - love this time, it will pass too quickly. I realize that nobody

really wants to hear that when they are in the middle of a tour with a toddler who has

had more than enough but it is true!

Unsolicited Advice: Savor whatever stage you are in...