Sunday Sunshine

1. 13 - This little turkey is thirteen months old now. I can't believe how quickly the time flies and how all of a sudden he's a toddler and no longer my little baby. Little tidbits on this dude:

- He's been very into laundry this week. He loves to help me put clothes in the washer, turn the washer on, take things from the washer and put them into the dryer, push the dryer button, and he loves, most of all, when it's time to put everything away in the drawers.

- He's obsessed with TUMS bottles. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but this kid has a one track mind of "I need to find the TUMS bottle!"

- He's quite the wobbly runner and is starting to love to rough house.

- Going to the grocery store is great fun for him. I buckle him in, but he turns around in the seat, gets onto his knees, and bounces as he squawks hello to all the passers by. He gets lots and lots of smiles, and I love it.

2. Celebration- Chuck got a raise this week and we celebrated at Texas Roadhouse. We even got brave enough to take Davis along. He was delighted and spent the entire time flirting with the waitresses. But that's a tangent. Point is: I am do grateful for a husband who works hard and provides so well for our little family. We feel very blessed.

3. Forgotten - Yesterday at my Ragtime rehearsal we came to a part of the show that I'd forgotten about. I was overcome with emotion from the story and I had a happy little "I'm thrilled to be a part
of this" moment. What part was it? Tateh and his Little Girl. That's all I'm gonna say. Gotta come see it!!

4. Teenagers - Davis got to come to class with me this week. As the kiddos worked on their Mary Poppins medley, he was enthralled. He danced off to the side with them, and ate up the attention of those junior high kids. Also - I do not have a shy kid.



5. Practically Perfect - Got to do a fun photo shoot on Tuesday. When the photo is officially released, I'll post it.

6. Balance - I am finding that I manage my time better and am more balanced in my life when I am busy. The last year has been busy busy with a new baby/selling a house/moving and adjusting to being home all day, but because I was home all day and didn't have much else on my agenda, I would find myself not using my time as wisely. Now, with having rehearsals every night, I have to maximize my time and minimize my frittering, or I just won't get things done. My house stayed pretty clean this week because of that!

7. Learning to Say No - I had a call this week about a gig a REALLY wanted to do. The money was great, it was only a
four day commitment, and it was with people here in Utah that I have really wanted to work with. It was scheduled, however, for a crazy busy week I have in May. Chuck will be out of town, I have shows and class at the SCERA and Ragtime rehearsals, AND my mom is in training at JetBlue (free flights!!!!), so my most flexible sitter is out of commission, and there was just no way I could swing it without messing up a bunch of other obligations I had. The old me would have moved heaven and earth to do it, but I had to step back, look at the reality of it all, and make the sad phone call turning it down. Bummer. But I learned how to say "no," and sometimes that is a hard thing to do, but it's for the best.

8. Yard - Chuck and I are prepping our yard for sod and landscaping and everything. Lots of (too much) work. But I'm excited to complete it and be able
to enjoy!

9. Pond - We have some pretty ponds here in my neighborhood. Earlier this week hundreds of pelicans filled one of them, and the sight was stunning. I was driving when I took the picture and it in no way showcases how gorgeous the sight was. Happy that I live in a pretty place!



Happy Sabbath, my friends.

Sunday Sunshine

1. Tra La La : I spent a glorious three-and-a-half days in Rexburg fraternizing with old pals, eating whatever I felt like, pampering my poor, tired mommy body at the spa, and singing at three performances of a benefit concert. Hilly and I drove to Idaho on Thursday morning and returned around noon today.

It was wonderful.

I had such a happy time chilling with Hilly, spending time with people I haven't seen much, or at all, in the past ten years, and just taking some time for "me."

The three hour package deal at the spa wasn't so bad either.  ;-)  It was a happy, happy weekend.

2. Hubs : I have a wonderful hubby who stayed home with Davis while I was gone. He played with him and kept Davis happily alive, and I am grateful. He is the best. There's more where that came from, too . . . Davis and his daddy will be spending a lot of time together in the coming months while I am doing my show. Best Papa ever. 

3. Gardening : Rehearsals for "Ragtime" started last Monday. I've had two so far (I missed three due to my trip), and my blocking rehearsals started out with the scene where Mother finds Sarah's baby buried in the garden. I'll leave it at that . . . those of you who don't know this musical are in for a treat, eh? 

4. Dude : Even though this little turkey gave me NO reaction whatsoever when I reappeared this morning, I sure do love him and missed him like crazy. Can't wait to spend the day with him tomorrow! 

5. Purdy : I caved and bought myself a new dress for the concert this weekend. I haven't bought myself something in a long, long time. It was worth it to feel pretty and sparkly. I may have also bought some heels as well . . . 

6. Ahhhhhhh : I mentioned it before, but it was so great that I must mention it again : THREE HOURS AT THE SPA. Massage, facial, and pedicure. Seriously? It's the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. Yep. I always tell Chuck that if we ever have horrifying amounts of money that I will spend it gladly at a spa 3+ times per week. Better yet, I'll just build one in our house and hire my own staff. Yes. And let's remember, folks, that I am a super low maintenance girl - but geez I'm sucked in when something like this happens to me! :-)

7. There's No Place Like Home : I love my house. I'm grateful for it. I missed it while I was gone.

8. Memory Lane : I visited the Ricks College (to me) / BYU-I campus over the weekend and was blown away by what it has become. I found myself digging into the depths of my memory of what was now almost fourteen years ago, and was overcome with gratitude for the time I spent at that wonderful place. It is where I learned what "normal" was,  where I made friendships that have continued to this very day, and it is a place I still consider a "home." 

And geez- check out this photo of the BYU-I Center which houses devotionals now. (The plan is nearly identical to the Conference Center in Salt Lake - only 6k fewer seats) I couldn't get over it. Incredible! 

The People Called it Ragtime

Many of you have asked, and tonight I have the answer: I'm excited to be playing "Mother" in the MWF cast of "Ragtime" at Hale Centre Theatre this coming June and July. I will, however, be out June 20-23, so if you go then, you won't see me. :-) 

Also, for those of you Dallyn Bayles fans out there, you'll get to see him too.  

Yep, it's not to be missed! 

Go here for tickets! 

Easter's Sunday Sunshine

1. Sunday is Not Every Day :  I am trying to take a positive spin on the longest three hours of our lives each week. Let me refer you to this post. Particularly the picture the heads it. Things have only gotten . . . well, worse.

Sunday was once my favorite day of the week. I looked forward to each Sabbath and the wonderful calming effect it had on the beginning of my week. It was an opportunity to refocus and regroup, and I went to bed on Sunday nights feeling ready to go for the upcoming week.

And then we had a really awesome kid.

Now Sundays make me want to cry. The marathon three hours that we spend in that church building have become unbearable. None of the three of us getting anything out of the meetings except frustration. We teach a youth Sunday School class, and all he does is distract. He screams and destroys everything in sight, he licks windows, doors, floors and outlets, pokes at little babies and offers them Cheerios, and everything comes to a head when nap time has passed and he becomes the grumpy/sleepy/angry/nothingmakesmehappy baby that no one wants to be around. Between me and Chuck, we spend 98.9% of the meetings in the hallway. 

Let me remind, you, also, that I am very chill and it takes a lot to put me at my whits end . . . a lot.

Sure, things start out cute. Davis is decked out in his handsomest clothes and the ridiculousness of it all melts my tender little heart. We pull up to the building, I give him a happy lecture on where we are and how he needs to behave, we sit down in sacrament meeting, he makes friends with those around him, and then the greatness begins.

We used his infant carseat to restrain him during meetings until it became ridiculous for him to be seen in it. (On that note, this was a CUTE moment we had a few weeks back when he made buddies with the man on the pew in back of us).



So I need help. He's not even thirteen months old - which could be the exact problem... But how in the world do we make these three hours less horrible?

Yep. We need help. Otherwise I am quitting church until he goes to nursery in September.  :-)

Also - props to Chuck for keeping his cool and reminding me that this won't go on forever.

MOVING ON:

2.  Hunting : I attempted an Easter egg hunt with my little bunny, and he actually grasped the concept! Grated, his attention span for the event was short, but it was oh-so-cute to watch him waddle around and place the now-found eggs in a basket. Kiddos are fun!

3.  Normal : We're back to our "every-other-week with the Robinsons" Sunday dinners and I am thrilled about it. With Grandma and Grandpa Robinson back from their mission, we'll be seeing much more of the family again. Hooray! Davis will LOVE it. And I won't have to cook every other Sunday! ;-)

4.  Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers : It smells like spring this morning. Snnnniiiiiiffffffffffffffff. Yum.


5. Jumping In : A week from tonight I begin rehearsal for Ragtime. I thrilled, nervous, worried about my voice not working like it used to, and antsy about not being around every night to see my sweet baby to sleep. But really, more than anything, I am excited that it will be something that is good for me. I'll reconnect with a beloved part of me and be able to share that with others a few nights a week for a few months. That is a happy thing.



6. Retro : We pulled out some home videos the other day, and this is one of my favorites:

7. Stringy : Have any of you tried this place? (Gotta be in Northern Utah - sorry folks!) 

Go there. Now.

Run.

Now I'm hungry . . .