October Happies

It has been a full, lovely week, and I have another full, but more relaxing (heaven sent...) week staring me in the face. I am grateful.

A few little tidbits on life:

- My son does not particularly love flying.  He squirms and wonders what in the world is going on as we ascend and descend to/from the sky.

- I spent a day with my friend Belle on Friday. Apparently she has gained a little more weight than she realized because five minutes before show,  she was frantically working to stuff like a sausage into her costumes. Thanks to some fabulous costumers and a size larger top on her two pieced ballgown, Belle completed her two shows feeling humorously elephant-like. See you in several months, Belle.

- As of the last couple days, I can no longer stand up straight and "suck in" my tummy. He is obviously there...

- Names? I've been asked this a lot: Davis or Hayden. We also made up a list a few months ago that included these solid names, "Gaylord Wolfcastle,"  "Westington Armetri,"and "Renegade Rambo."

- A sign we need a REAL child in our lives? Maybe this is what we do with our baby gifts... < Cough... >

- My six day trip to Orlando was filled with wonderful friends, good food, and LOTS of time in the Walt Disney World parks. Next? I'll be on the other side of the country at Disneyland. Phew. And then I get a big boat ride. And THEN we will be on hiatus from vacays for a good chunk of time. Yippity skippity.

Letting the Cat Out

Wellllllllllll hello.  So once upon a time I was awesome and had fun stories to tell on this blog and I spent each Sunday night blogging away about the sunshine in my life.  I still want to do that. I've been a slacker... but in my defense, I have been on a month long social media/blogging fast upon request from our bishop.  He offered the challenge a few weeks back- and I am cheating a little by making this post. Oh well! :-) (This "fast", by the way, has been quite revealing and REALLY awesome... so I will tell y'all about that later...)

So on September 12, Chuck and I celebrated four years together... so here is our "Book #4".  I love how the cover turned out this year.

So because I make a book every year, and because pretty much everyone in both of our families browse through it, we used it as the vehicle for making this announcement (for most of our family members...) : 

Want to see the reactions?

Announcement x5 from Chuck Keeler on Vimeo.

So there ya go.  I know there are people out there who thought that the Keelers would never have babies and spend the rest of their lives traveling and frittering away their time (What is WRONG with them? They are getting so OLD!) - but we again, just like when we "FINALLY" got married, are proving you all wrong.  And we are STILL going on vacays.  :-)  (We may not have furniture still, but we are thoroughly enjoying our time out and about!) 

In fact... this is part of our agenda in the next two weeks! Hooray! 

And now, back to my Blogging fast for one more week... More soon.

Hap-Hap-Happies

Yeah- remember me? The girl who inspired many of your "Sunday Sunshine" posts? Uh hem- I'm back. For an evening anyway...

Let's discuss my life right now: I loved summer. I ache to have it back. We went to Bear Lake. We went to Yellowstone. We had many nights of BBQing and sparklers and fireworks in our front yard. I relished in evenings of summer rain. I worked a little bit. I read. I sang a bit. I took naps. I went to Orlando. We planned another cruise (something to look forward to this fall!). We ate Otter Pops. We had Sunday dinners with the Robinsons outside on the patio. I turned 30 and had a fantastic little party in Park City. I had about a dozen sno cones. I spent a day at Education Week with my mom and sister... The list goes on.

And now we are back into the full swing of AUTUMN. I love fall. I love the crisp air and the excuse to eat anything pumpkin related.

While I am on the pumpkin topic, MAKE THIS:

1 large can pre-spiced pumpkin

1 can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 sticks butter

1 box yellow cake mix

Mix the above ingredients (except butter and cake mix) and pour into 9x13 inch cake pan. Sprinkle cake mix (dry) over the top. Add 1/2 cup chopped nut if desired. Pour 2 squares melted butter over the top. Do not mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Trust me on this, folks. It is divinity. And totally worth your time before a pot luck event this season.

Continuing on:

I finished the last book of "The Hunger Games" series last night. Waaaa waaa. Didn't love it. I'm like all of you- couldn't put the first book down, but the deeper I got into the series the more angry it made me. It took me over two months to get myself to finish "Mockingjay." But I did it. And yes, I will see the movies. But grrrrr... it just made me angry the whole time.

Next on my reading list? "The Help." I will get through it fast so I can go see the movie with my family members who have already read it!

I have developed an unhealthy obsession with macaroni and cheese. This health freak has gone from almonds and fruit to good ol' Kraft Mac and Cheese. Oh dear...

Last weekend I was able to spend a night singing and dancing for the Hale at a Tahitian Noni company party.

Loved it. And these people.

The return of fall also means the return of some of my favorite shows. Hooray! Modern Family, Survivor... Oh, I love having a few shows to watch each season.

What else? Oh! This one is GOOD!

FOUR YEARS

As of next Monday, Chuck and I have been together for four years. I am plugging away at our "4th Year Book" and remembering this past year in all its glory. Hard to believe that we're starting our "5th" of everything this fall. Fifth Halloween together, fifth Thanksgiving, fifth Christmas... Are we getting old yet? :-)

I'm starting to look at pictures of us "back then" and thinking, "We look so young!" Awwww.

Perfection

I spent Friday night with two of my favorite ladies, Laurel and Hilly, attending the concert of this RIDICULOUS woman at BYU.

I have no words, Lea Salonga.

OK, maybe a FEW words, but what I felt throughout that concert could never be described via keyboard. I sobbed throughout the entire hour and a half +. (For heaven's sake- she sang Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" and I blubbered like a baby... imagine my state as she perfectly belted out "I'd Give My Life For You." The emotional journey of the evening was absolutely stunning. I am still in awe, three days later.

One of my favorites of the night? "A Quiet Thing" by Kander and Ebb.

When it all comes true

Just the way you planned

It's funny but the bells don't ring

It's a quiet thing

When you hold the world

In your trembling hand

You think you'd hear a choir singing

But it's a quiet thing

There are no exploding fire works

Where's the roaring of the crowd

Maybe it's the strange new atmosphere

Way up here among the clouds

Happiness comes in on tiptoe

Well, what do you know

It's a quiet thing

A very quiet thing...

She performs at BYU again on Wednesday night. I have never attended a concert where I left feeling like, "I would have gladly paid double what I did for that." It was THAT good. GO. If you have any way of getting there- DO. IT.

You might see me there.

Boycotting

I am boycotting the end of summer today by spending my entire morning/early afternoon in bed. If I stay here I won't have to face the fact that today marks the beginning of the school year, which means my return to THREE jobs.

I will milk this as long as I can.

Well, at least until 3:00 when I have to go to work...

PS: Yes. I am alive. I haven't posted in a month- what has happened to me?

A Night Out With Friends

I have a soap box to stand on this morning. Perhaps I may be a bit hypocritical in writing this, because I surely am not without guilt in this same area of discussion... but I have a pet peeve...

Last Saturday night a group of family members went to PF Changs in Salt Lake to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was a typical Saturday night at a restaurant- date nights, friends at dinner for one reason or another- ya know- the norm. But I made an observation that continues to disturb me.

As we were being seated I looked around at the groups of people surrounding us. Some young, some old - there were LOTS of people in the restaurant that night. I instantly noticed a distinct difference in the atmosphere at the tables of specific age groups. Any member of a table, and I am not exaggerating, under the age of thirty, sat in their seats glaring at their phones. Texting, playing games, checking email... whatever they were doing, they were DEFINITELY not paying attention to each other. From those tables there were no sounds of jabber or laughter- just clickclickclickclickclickclickclick. Oh, and occasionally someone would snicker over a received text message.

On the other hand, the groups of "older" (and I do use that term lightly...) people were smiling and laughing, and lo and behold, I saw not ONE cell phone!

The whole scenario just disturbed me, and it reminded me of a time, about two years ago, when a friend of mine called me out when I was having a "younger generation" moment:

She was visiting from Boston. There were three of us sitting around a table, laughing and reminiscing and having a great time, but for a few minutes, I got distracted by some text messages. I tuned out of the conversation going on at the table (though I pretended, of course, to still be listening with some "yeahs" and nods of the head and the occasional courtesy laugh...) when all of a sudden I noticed the silence. Chelsea simply said to me, "Really? I see you like once every few years now and the text on the phone is more important to you than the people in front of your face?"

Point taken. And I was grateful for it.

So, in conclusion, the other night I wanted to be like Chelsea and yell to all those PF Changs people, "HELLO!!!!! PAY ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE YOU ARE WITH!!!"

Why is reality never as exciting and engaging as the virtual in our world? It totally annoys me.

The end.

Summertime (And the Livin' is Easy...)

In Eden, Utah

(Where we spent my dad's birthday/Father's Day weekend)

Awwww. Remember when I used to be a really great blogger? Apparently those days are gone.

Sigh.

And then on days like today I get inspired to write again. I just read a friend's blog and she reminded me how much I love blogging and sharing my life (or even just for personal documentation purposes) with whoever is out there reading it.

Lets talk about my life right now...

It is simple. And I LOVE- nay, I ADORE it.

I have a project in mind that is kind of huge and I am still toying with the idea of diving in or not. It has great potential, but it sure would take a lot of work. I am trying to decide if it is something I could totally commit to, or if it's something that I would lose interest in after about, ya know, five days.

I am basically just working one job right now- and it is glorious. (Remember how I am a crazy person and have THREE jobs?? Yeah- thanks to summer that has turned into ONE- and I am a happy girl.) I am remembering what is it like to that time to, oh, BREATHE, and I, for the first time in a year, have time to ponder, reflect, read, nap, sit in front of the TV if I so choose, clean, etc. etc. etc.

I spent the first two weeks of June in Florida. It was the best trip I'd had back there in a long time. I had plenty of work, stayed with this great lady, and had the best time ever with this girl. Why in the world we only took one picture (and with me, in this getup- may I add,) I will never know. We must have been too distracted navigating our way through Gainesville, stuffing our faces, house hunting, or having late nights at the La Quinta Inn laughing and reflecting on life. It was wonderful. And I have a strong testimony of girlfriend trips.

Side note: When this trip to Gainesville was planned the goal was to find Andrea and Devin a house. That was her purpose in being there. Our husbands weren't too sure that the goal would be accomplished what with the way we ladies get distracted and enjoy one another's company...

Chuck put it best: "The sum of the parts doesn't equal a whole."

Well we showed them. Andrea found a house the first day there. HA!

Moving on...

Did you know that I am a water park junkie? I'll admit that I had forgotten this myself, but a few weeks ago when Biff approached me with a day at this place:

I quite hesitantly went along and ended up LOVING it. Sure, it isn't a thrilling death defying water slide park or anything, but gosh it was fun.

Downside? I put on 70 SPF sunblock three times and still got burnt. Oh, the curse of fair, freckly skin!

So there's life. I love summer. My favorite holiday is tomorrow. Life is simple. We are happy. It is fun.

My Roaring Twenties

... are coming to and end.

One month and counting...

I am getting sentimental.

31 and Other News

Perhaps I have not been the best of bloggers lately, I know. Life got busy and obviously that's the first thing that goes out the door.

Here's the fun stuff.

HAPPY 31st BIRTHDAY to THE BOY!

After insisting that he wouldn't be able to sleep unless he opened something, I allowed him one present the night before his birthday.

Happy boy. I found a fantastic series of art books that are right up his alley.

May 26

Pancake breakfast.

Presents at 7:30 a.m.

Dinner at The Italian Place and dessert at Coney's.

Little birthday cake from "Nothing Bundt Cakes." (Carrot cake... delish.)

May 27

Dinner at The Roof and a show!

May 28

One more party!

Cake and ice cream with Chuck Sr. Shirley, Travis, Myles, and Mayzie.

My rainbow cake... I was quite proud of it!

In other news...

My cousin Kallie got married.

We got new furniture... (No pics yet... not till things are finished... which could be awhile.)

I'm going to Orlando this week for some fantastic work and an exciting adventure with this lady in Gainesville!!! Kinda can't wait. Hooray.

Do Mi Mi, Mi So So, Re Fa Fa, La Ti Ti (Repeat...)

Temper Tantrum

Family Room. Love. WANT.

REAL BAD.

I am now accepting Macy's gift card donations.

Making Progress

Soon, our front room will not look like a barren wasteland...

Paper

Have a Seat...

Ignoring the pillows...

And saying HELLO to these...

Bed. Staying There.

Don't think less of me, but it's noon and I am still in bed trying to find the motivation to get out and face the week. WAY TOO MUCH GOING ON.

It is also a rainy day and I have a cat to snuggle with. Can I come up with any more excuses?

Day 11

For a girl who is a big dreamer, I am also super practical. This list was difficult for me.

In no particular order:

- Hawaiian Islands cruise

- See Europe. Any and all of it. A must see is Swaffam, England, where my mom lived as a toddler.

- Learn to play the piano magnificently

- Take Chuck to Hong Kong

- Ride an elephant in Thailand

- Swim with a dolphin

- Take our teenagers (yes, people, I DO plan on having children at some point) to a third world country to let them see how good they've got it.

- Take a US history tour

- Go on a Church history tour

- Keep a consistent journal throughout my life

- Become a fantastic hostess for family/friend/etc. parties and occasions

- Go on a whale watch tour during migration season

- Take lots of pictures. Of everything

- Learn to play the violin decently. Lets be honest- all attempts at playing the piano have been thus far futile- I am not going to live in a fantasy that I will ever be able to play TWO instruments well. Ha.

- South Pacific islands cruise

- See a kangaroo in Australia

- Go to New Zealand (Australia/New Zealand cruise anyone?)

- Stay in a beach house on the New England coast

... my time is short. Must head out for the day. But there are a few of mu bucket list items.

Days 7, 8, 9 and 10

Day 7 :

This post has taken a little while not only because I have been busy, but because I really wanted to think about it a bit before I spat out a bunch of emotion all over my blog. The above picture is quite possibly the most random one ever- ha ha, but this is a woman who has had a significant impact on my life and who has influenced who I want to be. Sadly, I am not yet anywhere close to being as amazing as this lady, but hey, one can wish and aspire, right?

Kaye Woodworth and I met back in January of 2004 when we performed in "Jane Eyre" at the Hale in Orem. It was a strange time for me- I was trying to find my "place" in the big world of BYU and Provo and I didn't feel as if I really fit anywhere or had many friends. I knew I was supposed to be where I was, but it was rough. We quickly became friends and had a great four months together during the course of rehearsals and performances. I grew to love that lady.

A year and a half later, in fall of 2005, Kaye and I performed in "Beauty and the Beast" at the same theatre. Those were trying times for me. Situations in my family life were hard, and luckily Kaye was there to talk to and be a surrogate momma to me. I was so grateful. The show closed towards the end of November and I plugged away at school and finals.

That Christmas I wasn't allowed to go home. Long story- but I was stressed, emotionally drained, and basically a mess. And then something fun happened...

Each night I would come home to something on my doorstep. After about a week, I had a stash of gifts from a "Secret Santa."

On the final night, one of "Santa's Helpers" showed up on my door with a newly sewn blanket - the best and softest thing EVER - along with a matching pillow and big blue stuffed doggie. I still sleep with that blanket.

It all made my life happy, and I always suspected Kaye was behind it. (A friend later confirmed that...)

Continuing on: A few days before Christmas Kaye called me and left a voice mail that I still have saved on my phone. (Sure wish I could post it to this blog!) She remembered that I'd been having a rough time. She wanted to bring me dinner on Christmas day. The message made me cry. I still get emotional when I listen to it once a month as I have to sift through and re-save all my old messages.

The lady is a perfect example of service and love of just plain awesomeness. And I want to be like her. Plain, simple, and to the point: She's who I want to be "when I grow up."

Day 8: Short term goals for this month...

#1: Survive it.

#2: Find a kitchen table that both Chuck and I like. I love the glass topped table I posted a couple weeks ago, but Chuck doesn't dig the kid/glass idea. But the price is so lovely!

#3: Figure out what to do with the wall behind the new entertainment center we're getting on the 25th. I'd like to take care of that wall before we get a big piece of furniture on it.

Day 9: Something I've been proud of in the last few days...

My man. No explanation needed. He's cool.

Day 10: Songs I Listen To...

(Musical Theatre NERD Alert!)

* Happy: Tangled's "When Will My Life Begin - Reprise" (Track 4) :-) "You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray

* Hyped: "The Book Report" from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. Anything Barry Manilow. (Yes, what the???!?!)

* Mad: Madame Guillotine from The Scarlet Pimpernel or pretty much anything Avril Lavinge. She's a good mad day artist. (ex: "My Happy Ending." Also P!nk.

* Sad: Days of Plenty" from the musical Little Women

* Bored: Mmmmm... I don't know that I listen to music when I am bored... I just go to sleep. Or something.

* Nostalgic: High school: "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" College: N Sync's "It's Gonna Be Me"

* Romantical: "As Long As Your Mine" from Wicked and "Someone Like You" (Shawn Colvin version from the movie soundtrack)

Nothing But An Idiot

Tonight I am trying to get ahead on this week's meals. I have a lot going on and just need to have things we can pull from the fridge, heat up, and go. Some of you may remember this lovely of a meal that I made a few weeks ago. Tonight I was excited to make it and get it out of the way so that we can have a less hectic week.

All goes smoothly until I try to make the cheese sauce.

Attempt #1: Fail. Chunky watery nastiness. Down the sink it goes.

Attempt #2: Fail again. WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?!??! I AM WASTING PRECIOUS PEPPERJACK CHEESE HERE!!!!! Maybe it's the milk...

Attempt #3: Disastrous failure once again. By this point I want to shoot someone or just cry. GAH!!!!

I don't know what led me to discover that the flour in my canister was, in all actuality, POWDERED SUGAR.

Sometimes even I am an idiot.

Day 6

Superhero? Super lame...

Superman? Sure.

I did enjoy the TV smash "Lois and Clark" back in the mid-nineties. Yeah. Superman will do.

Day 5

Amy on

De Glate War of Chiner

Circa May 2005

Oh, the stories of that tour...

Day 4

A habit I wish I didn't have?

I bite my nails when I am anxious. When I get stressed out it's the first thing I do. It's annoying. And I already have ugly hands so chomping my nails short doesn't help the matter.

Practicality

Sometimes I am a nerd and get excited about deals on OIL CHANGES. Wow... the life of an adult...

$30 for THREE Oil Changes