Holy Cow.
I am SO far behind.
I have decided to do a quick Iphone wrap up, because that’s where I snap a lot of random pictures that need to be share. It’s the crazy ins and outs of our regular days that make up “our stories”. Trips are great, and taking pictures with my cannon rebel is so much fun but not always realistic. I am on the go, and always have my phone.
Thank you Apple.
First off, I can’t miss posting about my brother Dave. He graduated with his MBA recently and I am so proud of him! I was talking in class. Dave was studying. I was passing notes. Dave was taking notes. I was sneaking out windows in school. Dave was building for his future windows of opportunity.
When Dave started each year in school, he would have to combat the frivolous (in my opinion) notions of the teachers, such as.
“YOU are JANAE’S BROTHER?!”
“Yes.”
“I expect you to pay attention you know… (blah blah blah)…
Those teachers must not have known that all of that talking would eventually pay off when I wrote on my blog someday! I wrote in my journal and practiced my writing skills at home, not in English. The teachers didn’t -not- like me, they just didn’t think much was getting through. I had to pull at 3.2 g.p.a. to stay on the Drill team, so I made sure I did. That was my only bench mark.
Shoot…I am rambling and I have so many pictures to share!!!
ok ok, here is the first set.
I couldn’t be more proud of my little bro.
Love ya DAVE!
Next:
We been a boatin’
We been boatin’ with family…..
This is Bella, my niece.
There is none other with such unconditional love and hugs!
and we been boatin’ with our kids friends.
Kinley’s 15 year old birthday was spent on the boat. YES 15.
Wowza.
But first, we had to visit Walmart to get sacks (and a new battery for the boat)
They had a blast!
Next we took Whitney’s school class. I know that sounds weird, but she only has 13 kids in the whole junior high. She goes to a private school, so it is possible to fit them all. 12 kids came, plus Jon and I. They were darling!
But first, Whit had to get her braces on…
What a trooper!
And this trip was perfect.
The water was NUMBER ONE favorite day of the summer, other than skiing on Palisades with my parents over Labor Day. I didn’t plan on water skiing, I really didn’t. I wore a long flowing skirt and explained to Jon that there wouldn’t be time for me to get in with all the kids.
And then we set out onto the water and the man next to us said,
“Hey, did you bring your ski? It’s the flattest water I have ever seen!”
and by golly, that angel of a man was right. I about lost my lunch when I set my eyes on the lake. The whole lake was flat. You could see reflection on the water of the clouds, mountains…everything. I probably could have used it for a mirror to clean my teeth.
an then it was just too much.
I combed the boat with my eyes for something I could ski in.
“WHIT! Can I use your shorts?”
“MOM, NO MOM>>>”
“ummm ok.”
Whit was half entertained and more than half embarrassed at the thought of her mother jumping into the water in her clothes to ski in front of all her peers.
“ABY, can I use your shorts?”
Whit covered her face with her towel.
“Sure!”
I ripped those puppies off of her so fast, luckily she had a swimsuit on under and pulled them on under my skirt. Yes, with my underwear on and my stripped t-shirt and bra. And before Jon could get out all the gear, I was on the back of that boat ready to jump in. He reminded me of my glasses and rings just before I made my entrance into heaven. ok, Utah Lake doesn’t look like heave, but it felt like heaven! The moss in the water had warmed up nicely and my water was a flat as a pancake, and I don’t even like pancakes, but I like water as flat as pancakes!
And I skied.
and I was happy.
So happy, I still get giddy thinking of it.
and Whitney smiled.
Especially when all the kids told her how cool I was.
We dance and sang and played and laughed.
fun! yes!?
moving right along…
and then at some point in time
(it’s all a blur now)
I made rainbows!
It was so much stinkin’ fun *and work*
I made 3 rainbows to act as entrances to to play areas in the United Way Help me Grow event. United Way hosts a “Day of Caring” every year when businesses take off work and serve in many areas in the community in different ways. Our area was the “Head Start” Building in Provo where lots of little kids that are at high risk for various reasons go and get pre-school help. The program is invaluable and I couldn’t think of anything more fun than making their day imaginative and fun!
Our friend Sarah, walked in right in the middle of the project. We love Sarah and can’t decide if we are so happy for her that she just left to BYU Hawaii, or sad that we will cry ourselves to sleep every night without her. This was the last time they saw her..for now.
and this is the horribly inadequate picture of my rainbow. It was much prettier in real life. I used tulle and tied it all over the rainbow. Originally it was going to be all out of balloons, but I wanted to be able to use them over and over again. There are sparkly butterflies hanging from the top and all through the rainbow, and the colors were so vibrant. People kept offering to buy them, but the hours spent doing it was for Help Me Grow. All the kids helped me with them and it turned out to be a fun project! *until 3 in the morning*
and you just should have seen me in my big box truck…
hahaha, still laughing about that one! Driving it was completely funny, but Jon was out of town and it needed to be done. So, I drove it over and helped load it all in the truck. You should have seen those old men wondering who I was and why I was jumping in and out of the truck
*in my high heel sandals*
When I backed up, it beeped and I couldn’t stop laughing. I stayed on the most least used roads I could, but I still had guys yelling things at me.
Whatever it takes I guess!
Jon was pretty proud that I could drive the big “Double Take” carpet truck. I think he wanted to remarry me again after that one. It’s a close second to being in his fish tank dressed as a mermaid. Maybe for his birthday next year.
…………….
and with that, I gotta go!
I’m off to do bills, and clean the house. I am finally getting my carpets cleaned on Friday after a long summer of muddy shoes, sandy swimsuits, and spilled tippy cups!