25 on the 25th!

It's early in the morning on May 25th as I write this post. Today is our 25th wedding anniversary. Today I have been married for longer than I was single. Today.... I am not with Hubby, though, because he had a stinkin' work emergency. But that's ok - we planned ahead and celebrated by taking a trip away together last weekend (I'll post about that, too). I can deal.

We have spent a great deal of time, individually and together, reflecting on the last 25 years of our lives together. My main thoughts are simple-how very blessed I feel to have a solid marriage rooted in love and in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the knowledge that marriage IS eternal. As I approach the "second half" - or more likely, the last third of my life, appreciation and longing for an eternal marriage with this man I love have deepened greatly.Although I may had already been introduced to Richard, I first really noticed him in a Testimony Meeting during Spring Semester at BYU in 1983. He had just been through a very challenging time - the rawness of the situation was reflected in his words and his tears. I knew that man had an unwavering testimony. I was deeply touched. I looked forward to seeing him in Sunday School where he immediately found ways to tease me and to make me laugh. More opportunities to laugh, share testimony, dance, and to play Midnight Frisbee came over the next few months and it gradually became very clear that he was the one for me! I always cringe (only because I feel embarrassed) a little when he publicly "waxes mushy" so I won't go into that too much more. However, as is traditional in the blogging world to make lists, would it not be tragic if I did not make a TOP 25 THINGS I LOVE about HUBBY on this great day of days??

I must comply. Here it is.

Top 25 Reasons to Love Richie

1. Honors the Priesthood of God, which he holds

2. Complete unselfishness

3. Vast gospel knowledge and understanding

4. Daily Bed Head – photo-worthy, actually

5. Sparkly blue eyes

6. Complete support to me in anything I attempt, ever

7. Dedication to me and to the kids

8. Love of little children

9. Deep love for the Savior

10. For not driving in neutral when I’m in the car

11. Lack of guile

12. SOO smart!

13. Cute ski nose

14. Silver Fox hair

15. Hobby is family

16. Desires to get better at home improvement – and he is!

17. Trusts in my decisions

18. NOT a clean freak (I didn’t used to like this….. I do now)

19. Only took 7 years to get garbage night right

20. King of being flexible

21. Always values my opinion

22. Lets me hog the remote

23. Sense of humor – there, I admitted it.

24. Taste in music – except for Joe Jackson

25. Constant, dedicated and unconditional love, every day, for all these years

Here's to 25 more, Rich!

A little Shoppers Etiquette

After a fascinating trip to run some “quick” errands, I feel it necessary to speak to the local townspeople and share a few pearls of etiquette – just in case they are reading.

~~We (the collective “we”, those “around” YOU. Yes, YOU) do NOT want to hear your loud and obnoxious answers on your cell phone to your friends/co-workers while you enter Lowes. Please let us along our way.

~~Although I am not a fashionista, I am pretty sure that really low –cut jeans with short shirts and voluminous “muffin tops” are no longer in style (ok, so I am questioning whether and why they EVER were). Please, girls – large and small – COVER yourselves. I don’t want to see your ample hiney while you lean over the bananas. I do not show you mine. Perhaps you should save a few dollars and buy some pants that actually fit. I’m just sayin’.

~~To the TWO ladies in TWO different cars on TWO different phones who blocked me in the parking spot because you were not paying attention. – GET OFF the PHONE!

~~It is acceptable etiquette to move your shopping cart to the SIDE of the aisle so that people can actually negotiate AROUND you while you read the labels. Great job for reading those labels – just please move aside.

~~When someone is at the end of an aisle, against the wall, where there is no place to turn around, you should perhaps consider not ENTERING it until they make their quick ice cream selection and move out. Ponder please.

I guess it could simply be that today, when we finally have some nice warm weather, that our citizens’ brain cells were slightly…..warped. And just not thinking??

Maybe it’s just me, but I think it is more than likely a lack of manners, civility, and thinking of those around us.

I can say that now….. I am almost 50 and will be earning the run-off-at-the-mouth-opinion license.

I will not be afraid to use it.

Modern Day Mod Podging

Saturday night was an interesting evening for me. Hubby had to go offer some service with his church calling, and I was going to be home alone - the night before Mother's Day. While many thoughts of "what will I do with myself all evening?", and "how will I survive Mother's Day being away from my kids?" were rolling through my head, I decided to do something constructive and find a project.

Now, just so ya know, I am not a good "project" person. I let fear of messing up get in my way. I don't like learning things the hard way - I like to get it right the first time. Sad, I know. That is one of the things Les teases me about - and she is right, I have to change.

I am working on that.

I was way behind in my Google Reader blog stalking - had many posts to read from my favorite decorators and creative people. I worked to catch up - and I got an idea! Of course, I didn't MARK the blog I found with this idea, and if any of you know what I am talking about, send me the link.

What I found was a blogger/creative person who took an
Ikea wood box similar to these:

She Mod Podged it with scrapbook paper and it turned out very cute! Well, like the one above, I have SEVERAL of those wood boxes. When I bought them I intended on painting them to match the decor in my bedroom and craft area. You guessed it - I NEVER did because.....I couldn't decide what colors to paint them and I couldn't RISK messing up.

I have never "Mod Podged". I did "decoupage" back in the.......70's. I never liked the look - I thought it looked pretty tacky, actually.

Here is a wonderful example of one that Hubby made in the 70s at Scouts or something:

EWW. 'Nuf said.

So, fast forward to now - I have seen a lot of "decoupaging" or Mod Podging goin' on in the blog world. I got me some and read the instructions - yea, very few words on the "how-to's". But I thought,

"How hard can it be??"

Hmm....got lots of bubbles:

So, something I did NOT have in the 70s was....the internet! I looked up directions which told me how to do it better. I should have 1) lightly sanded the wood, 2) used THIN layers of Mod Podge on the box and then on the back of the paper being applied, 3) rubbed it all very carefully and then let it dry, 4) sanded the edges of the paper lightly - to make the paper and the box become "one", and 5) put another light layer of Mod Podge over the top to seal it. When I did all of that,

it worked -most of the time.

I remembered I also had little Ikea knobs to go with these, so I painted them - unfortunately, I chose a color similar to wood. Who knew?

And becuase I am impatient, I didn't screw the knobs on -
I just used craft glue.

The finished product:

I gotta say - I LOVE how they turned out!!

Will I take another risk anytime soon?
Not sure - we'll have to wait a little while and see.

I Submit That This is Truly Funny

On Saturday night, Hubby and I went to see the hysterical comedian, Brian Regan, in Baltimore at the Meyerhoff. We went with Diane and Ken - FAB companions for such an event. If you have never heard Brian's comedy, then you must check out his website and YouTube videos to get a taste for his hilarity.

I have never been to a comedy show like this. Sitting on about the sixth row, and five minutes into it, my mouth and cheeks hurt from cracking up every ten seconds.

Despite the laughing hyena lady (SERIOUSLY, this woman has issues - NON-stop guffaws, hooting, howling, cackling, and just exTREMEly loud belly laughs) who sat right behind Diane and me, and getting drinks spilled on our pants and shoes thanks to the two drunk girlie boys in front of us who got up THREE times to bring in two cups EACH of more adult beverages to consume, (MIND you, Diane and I are all about shoes for these types of events.... we were not happy), we had a wonderful evening enjoying CLEAN, satisfying, family comedy . Loved it loved it loved it.

If I were you, I would check out his tour dates at a city near you (he is in and out of Utah all the time - for all you Utah people). He will be in Lancaster, Pa, in June. Hmm....

Diane - perhaps we need to stalk him there - or is that when you will already BE in Hershey??? Dang - You are So smart!!