65% Chance of Scattered Stories

Today was such a simple day.

No crazy running around or deadlines to make.

It was nice.

I even had time to sit down and watch the first half of the first ever episode of Wonder Woman with Brother today.

Some of my childhood memories of sitting in front of our 20 inch analog TV on the orange carpet in our living room came flooding back to me.

The girls started summer camp on Monday and it gives a chance for me to spend much needed one on one time with Brother. Yesterday was our library day.

I loved sitting in the library watching Brother look through books and pick out interesting ones based on their cover art. He had quite a pile he brought to me while I was reading "Sleepy Hollow." He was proud of them, but didn't want to take them home. That would be too much pressure on him to actually read them, or really in his case, listen to me read them.

He put them all back and we headed down to the basement to pick out a movie for us to watch together. I saw the old Linda Carter "Wonder Woman" series and thought that Brother would get a kick out of watching it with me. We got the first season and headed home. There's just something a little magical about watching old campy TV shows with your kids... they were just so ... I don't know... fun.

In the evening we all went on a little walk as a family to take Brother to his Young Men's activity just a few blocks away at the church.

I didn't have a performance tonight so I was able to spend precious time with my family and I was relishing in every moment of it.

Baby had to keep stopping along the way to smell the flowers and try to pick them.

She loves flowers and she makes them come to life.

That was my big UP today watching her play with the flowers.

It was one of those times that I was in no rush to hurry her along so I sat on the sidewalk by her and just took pictures of her making the flower blossoms talk to each other.

I've been trying to teach her not to pick other people's flowers so she is carefully keeping them on their stems as she plays.

I think this is where they were singing to each other.

She eventually decided to bring her friends home:

As I was walking by her I was laughing at our long-cast shadows that, ironically, remind me now of my Mary Poppin's character costume. (Look at our long legs!)

On Monday night Marc and my mom and dad were able to come see me in the play. It was so much fun to see them afterward and to hear all the praise they had for me! It's always nice to get compliments, right?

Marc was such a good sport about letting this goofy-looking gigantic character hug him for photos!

The wig is the kicker...

My proud parents!

And of course I had to get a pic with Mary and Bert. 

I don't even know if I have the right words to express the love I have for the people in this cast!

It was especially nice to see the cast Monday night because our Saturday night show was rained out... really, really, really rained out. It was a torrential downpour that included lightening, thunder and hail.

We were all eager and pleased to see each other again and that was expressed with hugs, jokes, laughter and "Break A Leg" wishes.

Yesterday I had a group of 30 girls and Young Women leaders there to watch me! My sister and her family came too.

I danced as much as I could in my heavy stilts and had a great time doing it.

It was fun to be rushed afterwards by my family and Young Women, I felt like a movie star.

I don't have pictures of me with the Young Women Group—hopefully someone will send me a few of those.

I do have the ones with my family last night:

I was even able to hold up Lil MissB so we could get a cool picture!

Then the fantastic night was topped off when I found this letter in my purse. I had to take a picture of it because it made me so happy.

Tonight, while Brother was still at the activity, I received a text from a friend to show me that she could see Brother from her backyard... so cute.

Also, yesterday, Brother and I took Ranger for a walk up the Prove Canyon Trail.

That hour-long time span was memorable and priceless because of the care and concern his friend, Cece has for him. This pictures says a lot.

We even spotted a butterfly that kept our interest for a while and I tried to get a decent shot of it on my phone.

Monday was great but I want to show you the moment that I had to capture:

She loves lipstick... she usually will watch me and then want to try too. She's concentrating very hard...

I had to take a picture of my half eaten dinner I was snarfing on the way to the play because I was so happy that I actually took the time to make pizza.

OK, I think all that about covers the last few days.

Days 157, 158, 159, 160 and 161 of 365 Days of Up!!

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

Because that's how high I feel right now!

Don't worry, I haven't neglected blogging because there have been no UPs.

I have had so many UPs that I haven't taken the time to blog about it.

I should.

And I will.

Just not today.

I just didn't want you to think I had forgotten to think of my UPs every day. I still am. I just haven't been really good about putting it here.

So here are a couple pictures of what's to come in my catch-up post, which, I hope, will be tomorrow!

Time to Share

Rehearsals for this play have been long and hard.

This is the third play I have been in and it hasn't changed the way I feel during rehearsals. I love the people I am with, I love having something of my own and I love how close Marc and the kids get each time, BUT I always question if I am doing the right thing being gone so much from my family when there are times of just getting dinner ready as I have to leave so I am not able to sit down and eat with them or being the one to read them stories at night, or sitting with my husband in bed talking about the day.

Then comes opening night.

I LOVE to be part of something that can brighten a person's day, inspire them to be better or just get them to laugh when they haven't for a while.

Last night's audience was so responsive and so involved! I could hardly handle the adrenaline and excitement that was coming from all of us as we fed off of their reactions.

It was beautiful!

I was reminded, again, as I am every time, that I love to bring joy to peoples lives.

Growing up I sang and performed with my mom and siblings. My mom wrote the songs and we performed them alongside her.

This is one of the younger pictures I could find but my brothers aren't in here. I really need search through my parents stuff and get some actual performance pictures from when we were young. We were just so cute!

When I got older (junior high age—you know, when you know everything) I would get upset with her because we looked unprofessional by not singing on the stage that was at the venue.

She always wanted to be down at the level of the audience so she could laugh with them and see them smile. She would get more intimidated if she had to be above them and not looking right into their faces while we sang. She loves and still does enjoy bringing people joy.

She paints furniture as a business and always sells her things for way too cheap just because she wants everyone, even if they don't have a lot of money, to find joy in the things she paints.

She loves making people happy!

She came over yesterday because she knew I'd been sick and decided that instead of flowers she would bring me popsicles for my sore throat and cough. She even stayed and cleaned my kitchen.

It was good to have her there.

My kids couldn't stop telling her about the play and how great it was and how much they loved it and the different things that I did.

She's coming to the show on Monday.

I know she is going to be so proud of me.

Not because I have a big part in the play or anything, because I don't really, but she'll be so proud that I am following in her footsteps and bringing joy to other's lives by sharing my talents.

Just like she does.

And after seeing the joy our kids expressed to her about the play yesterday during her visit I realized they were proud of my too.

It's moments like that that I think maybe I am giving them enough love and attention that they are OK to let me have my time to share with others and do something that brings me my own joy.

I even did a chalk drawing to commemorate our opening night.

Even after a little rain it is still there and my kids are so proud of it because Sister sat alongside me and did her own art and Brother helped me color in Mary's dress and even helped draw Bert's face. He is still so proud of his artwork that he has gone out 3 times already to admire his artwork.

Maybe he want to share his talents to bring joy to others.

I'll try to be a good example.

Life is a Stage

First, before I get into my post, I HAVE to show you another UP from yesterday:

This is Sister's light saber she created! She is such a kick!
Give her tape and glue and she is one happy creator/builder/artist/sculpter!
And, yes, I did tell her that I need my beaters back eventually...

OK, now onto today:

I went to the doctor today.

That is not my UP.

But, I went to the doctor today to make sure my nasty cold hadn't turned into something else.

I waited for what seemed like hours...

I stared at the patterns on my dress for so long that I started picking out shapes like you do when you stare at the clouds... do you see the Parrot? I might be a little Mary Poppins obsessed...

I think it may have been 45 minutes, when a student came in.

A medical student.

He asked if he could talk with me before the doctor came in so he could practice.

I obliged.

I was sitting there talking about my symptoms and all that stuff and threw in there that I was worried that maybe it was just a cold I haven't been able to kick because of long, late nights rehearsing for a play.

I've had lots of different reactions from people when I mention I am in a play, but today's comment takes the cake.

This student/doctor-in-training opened his eyes wide, slapped his hands on the examination table and exclaimed, "Oh! OK. So that's why you're wearing that make-up. You're in a play, I was wondering!"

... flashback 2 hours before that comment...

Me: "I'm feeling a little better today and I'm being brave and I'm just going to go out with my eyelashes and red lips today... classic look. OK, feeling good, here I go..."

... flash forward to student/doctor-in-training's comment...

All I could say was , "Umm. Ya," because I wasn't quite sure if I should laugh or cry and decided not to embarrass him for being an outspoken idiot so I just moved on as if he was right.

Anyway, I called my sister on the way back home so that we could laugh about it.

Soon after I got home, I made dinner for the family, went and put my real stage make-up on and did my hair for the play. I was nervously excited because tonight was a preview night for all the volunteers and I had special permission for my kids to come see it when the crowd was small (The Scera Shell holds 5000 people... so a crowd of 100 seemed like a better option.)

Just before the show started I was setting one of my props and Brother spotted me from so far away that I was surprised he knew it was me. He kept waving and giving me a "thumbs down" signal, which is his way of teasing me. Lindsey and her sister Kenna had come with the kids and I was just crossing my fingers that they would watch the whole show and not have to leave from over-stimulation at intermission.

Our kids are really sensitive to atmosphere and attitudes and spirits of people they are around.

I have known for quite some time that this cast I am working with is pretty darned phenomenal and seems to carry the feelings that radiate from this cast right up on to the stage.

I know that is one of the many reasons our kids sat through the entire play. They could feel the good feeling that our cast exudes from the stage.

They watched the whole thing.

It didn't end until 10:30 pm.

They even lasted long enough to come get a picture with me afterward.

Yep, that's me on stilts!

So you see that smile on my face? I'm so happy they made it through the whole thing and even enjoyed it! I hope that I'm not in trouble with my director for posting this picture... I might be... but I hope he understands that I was just so happy to have them take a picture with me, that I had to show it off!

Life is a stage! We may not always know what the set looks like or what our lines are in each scene, but it is up to us to make it a show worth smiling about.

I'm doing my best to set up my stage so that I can revel in every scene change, pace each moment and be ready for the big finale!

Because, by dang! I will deserve a finale of epic proportions when I have lived my life to the fullest and ad-libbed where I had to or added flair where it may have been a little slow.

So, I guess if I look like I am wearing stage make-up everyday... whelp... I guess I'm just prepared for my big spotlight!

Just keep smiling until the lights dim.

Day 155 of 365 Days of Up

Garbage Can UP

I feel so bad that I haven't posted for the last few days, and only once in the last 5...

Really, I am amazed at how therapeutic it is to write in my blog every day. Not only to documents my UPs but just what I feel. I'm realizing that blogging is therapy for me.

I have to start with some pictures that Marc sent me from his phone on Monday. I wanted so badly to share them all with you because they were totally and completely my reason for giggling on Monday and were my UP!

Yep. That's Sister. With big old ski goggles on to help her read through her new yearbook... I can't stop smiling. I love this girl! She is such a gem! I just LOVE that Marc captures these kinds of moments! She was unsuspecting at this point.

I can't breathe! She's a hoot!

She finally caught on to him shooting pictures, but was happy to pose for him.

How could those pictures not make a mom smile/laugh/giggle/snort?

Then he sent me these precious moments:

He's such a thoughtful dad to capture moments of his daughter with her little "friend" Pinkie Pie
and a freshly picked dandelion.

In this picture I have to giggle/wince a little because I am not sure if she has just picked a petal from the dandelion or if she just picked her nose and is observing her find... I know... but that's the stage she's in now-a-days...

Also, with Baby having gotten so sick last week, I neglected to post some of the little things that went on so I'll give you a few.

Like the time my mom met me in Spanish Fork after getting Baby's second antibiotic shot. Baby was screaming and cursing me in the car until we pulled into view of Grandma Judy. She immediately started smiling again and the treats grandma had for her weren't bad either.

Baby happily playing with the blocks at the doctors office before the shot...

What really got me laughing though was my mom's outfit... I love my mom and all, but sometimes she gets so busy and painting her furniture she forgets that she has paint all over her and her clothes. She started laughing so, of course, we had to take pictures.

She was trying to look lost... I think it worked

You can't even see all the paint on her, but I'm still laughing

I let her wear my sunglasses to see if they helped her look cooler...

I think it worked...

Last Friday, the morning of the kids' last day of school, Sister was in her room, doing her thing of making her "artwork" and when I walked in I just loved the way the light was hitting so I just had to take a picture.

I don't know how to arrange flowers but I love to try anyway and just make pretty displays for my kitchen table with flowers from our yard. The lavendar, roses, and Queen Anne's lace were all in bloom. The kitchen smelled so good.

I picked those on Monday.

I was feeling really sick that day and thought that being out in the sun for a little bit and bringing some spring inside would help me feel better... it brought up my spirits but not my health.

We had our first dress rehearsal that night and I made it through. Mostly because of all the excitement of seeing everyone's costumes. They look so amazing!

My big UP on Monday was the video I already shared with you. That continues to be my up as I feel like even in my business, and my neglect in being a good leader our Utah Fragile X Association that I, at least, can help by sharing my story.

Yesterday I was so sick that the fact that my kids were good all day and I slept most of it was quite a miracle.

Today, so far, my UP was when my mother and father-in-law came to surprise visit us with our lawn mower repaired and an inspiration to help clean my kitchen when they saw how sick I was when they came. I was even able to hop in the shower while they were with the kids and cleaning.

I just had to get a picture of the girls helping grandma clean out the kitchen garbage cans in the back yard. I loved hearing them through the open window telling grandma things and being so eager to turn the water on for her and take the cans to try in the sun.

It's a good day!

Days 153-154 of 365 Days of Up

The 3-minute Documentary

It is late and I am tired after our first full dress rehearsal of Mary Poppins...

BUT!!!


I have to share this with you! You just have to watch it!

Our friend and neighbor did this documentary to share his talents and to help spread awareness about Fragile X Syndrome.

I want to write so much more about it and the last couple of days, but, I'm tired!

You can watch Coray's video documentary he put together by clicking HERE

Trust me, he really knows how to make a good film! So proud to be the subject of his film that he entered into this competition!

Oh! Make sure you watch the behind the scenes too so you can see more.

And vote!

And share!

Help us get the word out there about It Affects Families: Fragile X

So excited, yet so tired! Must sleep!