The Week Of Wrapping Things Up

We have had an incredibly busy week.

 Last weekend was stake conference and the Primary, YW and RS stake leaders were in charge of the Saturday evening meal. The Relief Society concentrated on the tables and recruitment of helpers for serving, setting up, and clean up.  How do you do tabletop decorations for 35 tables without breaking the bank?

One of my counselors suggested wheat bouquets in a jar. My secretary offered to harvest some wheat from her field and set it aside for us. I found some unused fabric in our closet, which one of my counselors cut into squares. Our only cost was the $7.49 I spend on the wire ribbon from Costco. Not bad for table decor for 300 people.

I also got a visit from my very favorite in town grandkids--Hailey, showing me the new dress she got from "other grandma",

And Makayla, who came to pick and eat as many tomatoes from my garden as she could hold. I'm pretty she has tomato paste for blood, given all the tomatoes she eats.

Megan and I spend $3.56 million this week, getting her ready for school. We had to replace pretty much every pair of jeans she owns, since BYU-I frowns on all of those destroyed jeans Megan owns.

Next we got a flu shot. We are tough and hardly screamed at all as we got stuck with that nasty needle.

Although to be completely honest, Megan was being so naughty while we waited that I will not be able to shop at that drug store again without a disguise.

Next Megan and I went to the local used furniture store to look for a nightstand for her dorm room.  We found this sturdy 70s beauty for $19.

We think it has potential.

Megan sanded it and spray painted it a soft, pretty gray, then distressed it to give it a shabby chic look, and sealed it.

It looks amazing.

To make it more interesting, I spray painted the old handles a spunky blue.

What a co-inky-dink! They match Megan's favorite throw.

Megan's $19 ugly used nightstand purchase is now

at least a $1500 work of art.

 This week I've also been finding piles of things Megan says "she doesn't need anymore".

 

 What are you saying, Megan? I don't get it--why wouldn't you need that cast of your teeth, pre-braces?

 And while I'm asking questions, why are you loading all of your nice clothes into cardboard boxes?

And why is your overstuffed closet suddenly half-empty?

Stay tuned for the answers to these and other questions.....

(Not) Back To School

Today was the first day of school in Billings. For the first time in 28 years, I didn't have to pull a reluctant child out of bed.

Hailey started Kindergarten this morning. Amy shared these pictures with me so that I could joyfully excitedly ecstatically nostalgically experience the first day of school without having do to any of the work.

Cute little Kindergartener Hailey, all spiffy for the first day of class.

Like younger sisters everywhere, Makayla was not excited to see Hailey go to school without her.

  

Apparently somebody was a bit weepy this morning. No, not me--I was too busy trying hard not to dance down the street for joy. 

When Amy picked Hailey up after school, Hailey asked "Mom, why were you crying this morning?"

 Amy: "Cause my little girls are all grown up and old enough for school. They aren't my little babies anymore."

Hailey: "But mom, I'm just the same girl that I was yesterday!"

Hailey's teacher, Mrs. Lohranz, who reported that Hailey was extra helpful and good. No Amy, she doesn't say that to all the parents.

Meanwhile, back at home, I found my tomatoes ripening like crazy on the vine, due to my "magical red plastic ripening sheets".

It took no time at all to pick 12 lbs of tasty, vine-ripened tomatoes,

a bunch of sweet peppers and onions fresh from the garden,

and bunches of homegrown basil.

After a little peeling and chopping and 45 minutes of simmering,

I have a start to our favorite garden product--Freezer Spaghetti Sauce.

 Somehow in all of that running from front to side to back garden, I managed to not latch the gate very firmly. It didn't take long for Bambi and Bucky to find my garden.

Here's Bucky, thinking about trying out the trampoline.

Bambi went straight for the swing set, and the neighbor's cat trotted over to offer a push.

In the 4 1/2 minutes it took for me to spot them, they munched through our garden, managing to trample the phlox and eat most of the squash blossoms off the vines. I take comfort in knowing there's not enough time left in the season for the blossoms to turn to squash and ripen anyway.

Jorden, we could use some help here! Wouldn't you love a freezer full of Bambi and Bucky???