Funky Kim

The Beginning

Kristi and Sarah were a bit overwhelmed at all the details a wedding has that need to be planned.  I printed off a couple of wedding checklists that I found online thanks to Google.  Didn't want to miss anything!  There was a lot of stuff that we just aren't going to do.  RSVPs aren't necessary as we're not serving dinner.  Stuff like that.

The date is almost firm.  The location is firm.  We just need to meet with the pastor Sunday to firm up the date with the church.  And reserve the place.  Then the date will be firm.

Colors are chosen.  Flowers were discussed.  Research is needed on rose colors.  Tuxedos need to be found, fitted for and rented.  Food is pretty set.  I'm making the wedding cake.

The biggest thing that was accomplished was the wording of the wedding invitation.  I'm putting it here to both share it and have it in a place I can find it when we need it!

Together with their families
Kristi
&
Sarah
invite you to share in the joyous beginning
of their new life together
as they pledge vows of love and faith
in a ceremony of commitment

Saturday, September 12, 2009
at three in the afternoon

Holladay United Church of Christ

reception to follow

Outvites and other things I've learned this week

My daughter, Sarah, got engaged Monday evening.  To her girlfriend, Kristi.  And we're thrilled!

On to planning the wedding/commitment ceremony/whatever-it-is.  Should be interesting here in beautiful Utah!  LOL

The bride's will be coming to my home for dinner tonight.  The feeling I'm getting is that the cost of this ceremony and celebration will be mostly ours.  But since I did Katie's wedding for less than $2,000 I feel up to the challenge of celebrating on a shoestring.  And both girls want it that way.

So fasten your seatbelts.  Because the only decisions that have been made so far is the date (September 12th), the place (Holladay United Church of Christ) and the colors (Oakland Raiders - black and silver).  Still a lot to figure out and budget for.

And the outvite thing?  Well, straights have invites.  Gays have outvites.  Hah!

ValueSpeak January 13, 2009

ValueSpeak
A Weekly Column
By Joseph Walker  <ValueSpeak@msn.com>

RUSTLING RASPBERRIES

            Stealing?  Well, yes – I guess we WERE stealing, if you want to get all technical about it.  But in our 13-year-old brains we were just using the raspberries as God intended them to be used.  The matter of ownership never occurred to us.  We just knew that the Jordans had the best raspberries in the neighborhood, and that their bushes were always heavy with fruit.  And suddenly that summer Friday night, a handful of freshly picked raspberries sounded good.

            Maybe TWO handfuls.

            So we snuck into the Jordans’ backyard – which, come to think of it, should have been our first clue that we were doing something wrong: we “snuck.”  Anytime sneaking is involved, it means you don’t want to get caught, which usually means you shouldn’t be doing it.  But we snuck into their backyard and positioned ourselves carefully around the bushes and started harvesting their sweet, juicy berries.

            Now, I’ve got to tell you, there isn’t anything that tastes better than vine-ripened raspberries, fresh off the bush.  I probably shouldn’t admit it, but they seem to taste even better if there is a little subterfuge involved.  And we were savoring every bite of ill-gotten berry when all of a sudden the Jordans’ backyard lights flicked on, and Mr. Jordan came charging outside.

            “What you boys doing out here?” he shouted as my friends scrambled off in all directions, uneaten raspberries flying every which way.  He made a valiant attempt to grab one or two as they dashed past him, but they were too quick for the older gentleman to catch, and within seconds the boys disappeared into the dark of the summer evening.

            All except one.

            Uh, that would be me.

            Speed was never my strength.  I was tall.  I was strong.  But I wasn’t very fast.  Fast was for the little quick guys. I was all about size and power, neither of which come into play when you’re trapped in a back yard, your lips red with juice from a neighbors’ precious raspberries.

            So I stood there, deer-in-the-headlights style, and quickly considered my options.  I could run, but I knew perfectly well that even as old as Mr. Jordan was, he could probably out-run me.  I could lie, but I couldn’t come up with a believable story that would explain why I was in their backyard wearing a t-shirt stained with fresh raspberry juice.  Or I could just stand there and accept whatever punishment would surely come my way from the Jordans and my parents.

            To be honest, I didn’t like that last option, but I didn’t really have a choice.  I took the tongue-lashing that Mr. Jordan gave me as he marched me down the block to my house, where my mother took over and escalated the harangue to new levels of righteous scolding.  My friends said they could hear every colorful word she uttered from the darkness of our back yard, where they had gathered to celebrate their escape – and to observe my capture.

            They teased me about it for days afterwards, while all I could do was complain about how unfair it was that I had to pay the full price for doing the exact same thing all of them had done without any noticeable consequences.  After about a week of this I complained to my father about the inequity of the situation (and in case any of the boys are reading this: no, I didn’t rat you out – I think the statute of limitations on raspberry rustling had already elapsed).

            “I don’t think it’s unfair at all,” Dad said. “You took raspberries without asking, and you got exactly the punishment you deserved.”

            “But what about the other guys?” I asked.  “They didn’t get punished at all!”

            “That’s not my concern, nor should it be yours,” Dad said.  “You can’t control what happens to other people.  You can only deal with what happens to you.  You made a bad choice that night, and you were punished for it.  To me, that is completely fair.”

            Back then I thought Dad just didn’t get it.  But through the years I come to realize that, as usual, he knew what he was talking about.  We didn’t come to earth with a guarantee that life would treat us fairly.  And it doesn’t.  That’s why we can’t get bogged down comparing the various vicissitudes of our lives with the lives of others.  Like Dad said, that isn’t our concern.  The only thing we can actually deal with is what happens to us.  How we choose to respond to what happens to us is truly the standard by which the quality of our lives will be measured.

            Whether or not we think it happens fairly.

This 'n that

This is the new plush bathrobe Dwaine got me for my birthday.  I chose blush.  It's a bombdiggity robe!

And for THAT, well, I've been praying for more motivation to keep my home in order.  I need to stop that prayer.  Vincent took a marker and colored on the front of the fridge and the dishwasher and all over the kitchen floor.  So I found the motivation to clean the fronts of my appliances and to really get down and scrub my floor. 

Who knew a 2 year old could be the answer to a prayer???

And that 2 year old is currently climbing on my back, so I'm outta here!

Historical Day

It's a great day in history.  46 years ago, I entered this world.  And it's not been the same world since!  Heh!

I took today off work.  I used my birthday as my excuse.  But truthfully, I'm watching all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the inauguration.  Very exciting stuff, this.  Watching power change hands peacefully.  Such a blessing.

Off to watch the oath.  Have a great day!

Inversion

Our weather is very close to perfect.  Clear blue skies.  High pressure overhead to keep the skies clear.  Only problem is I live in the Salt Lake Valley.  Where the high pressure creates a lid and keeps our pollution trapped in the valley.  They call this inversion.  The inverted part comes from the temperatures are warmer up in the mountains at the ski resorts than they are down here in the valley.

Oh, and the weather guys like to call this "thick air".  I don't like thick air.

Sunday Musings

Vincent returned home from his dad's this morning.  It looks like he and the dog had, um, fun.  He's scratched up on his face.  One of these days, Vincent will learn how to not put his face in the animal's world.  And how not to mess with the animals too much.  I know our cats are looking forward to that day!

Currently the television is playing Wow Wow Wubzzy .  We just finished up an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba .  Both of which are Vincent's favorite shows and our DVR faithfully records each one it finds.  We also have Thomas the Train episodes, but he's not been that interested in watching those lately.  I'm sure that if I tell the DVR not to bother with Thomas, Vincent will have a need for trains, so I'll leave the settings alone for now.

Dwaine and Jeff took off for the mountains to go ice fishing today.  Jeff cancelled other plans because he really likes to go fishing with his dad.  I find that a wonderful thing!  Vincent was pretty chapped not to be able to go fishing, but he's just not old enough for the cold.

I need to figure out what I want for my birthday.  Dwaine asked me last night and I'm pretty clueless.  I have lots of stuff I'd like to have, but nothing really pressing.  Maybe I'll ask for a garden tub for the bathroom.

Speaking of the bathroom, we're going to remodel both bathrooms next month!  We have some tile that we will use for the floors and for the tub surrounds.  I need to pick out a pedastal sink for the downstairs bathroom.  It's very small and a vanity base really crowds the room.  Then I'll get a mirror with storage behind and a cupboard for above the toilet.  There will be the same amount or a bit more of storage in the room and it will be more spacious.  Upstairs we'll do a new base with a new basin, a new medicine cabinet and the tile.  Both rooms will be so much prettier!  And probably a bit more functional too.

This summer's major project will be tearing out our single lane driveway, removing a couple of trees from the side of the driveway, and then pouring a new, double lane driveway.  We will pour the footings for a garage at the same time, but that garage is several years away from becoming real.  One thing at a time.

The project simmering for next year is a complete gutting of scary kitchen!!!  We've lived with it for six years now.  But doing a kitchen is a big fat hairy expensive deal.  And we're finally in position to do it in the next year.  Very exciting stuff!  I won't know what to do with myself in a kitchen where the cabinets aren't falling off the wall and the paint isn't falling off the cabinets everywhere but where the macaroni is painted into the cabinets.  *sigh*

I'm off to get my crochet hook and finish up Katie's last Christmas present.  

Praying for Harper

My world is more complete!

Big Mama has made a video on how to wear a scarf.  She gives FOUR different options!  I'm about giddy!  And she's got a cute southern accent to boot!  Woot!

7 Quick Takes Friday

Stolen from Conversion Diary

1.  The past week has been such a challenge for me.  I've been sick and couldn't skip work.  My kids have all made startling revelations.  I've shed tears on an almost daily basis for the past 4 or 5 days.  Not normal stuff for me at all!

2.  We're in the midst of refinancing our home.  We have a locked in rate of 5%.  Stunning!  The goal is to cut years off the mortgage so we're ready to retire in 15 or so years.

3.  I finished up a baby blanket for Heidi's boy, B, and mailed it off.  I love it when I finish something!

4.  The weather here is mild.  High pressure has moved in.  We're now in an inversion.  Which means that all the pollution in the air is stuck here and building more each day.  The weather report on the radio reported that our air is "thickening".  Breathing thick air is not on my list of things I enjoy doing.

5.  There is an entry level job open at my work.  And generally about 10-15 applications are turned in for this type of job.  My trick knee is telling me that the application count will be closer to 100 this time.  Scary times!  I'm very thankful that I'm employed.

6.  Getting to knitting class on Tuesday is challenging.  I miss the Sunday afternoon option for knitting, but I am glad that Jeanette and company are taking time for themselves.  I just need to start treating Tuesday evening as a time that I'm just not able to be at home.  And educating people in my life to treat Tuesday as a day to not expect anything from me.  It will happen.  Sooner or later.

7.  Seven things I'm thankful for:  1- indoor plumbing (I'm ALWAYS thankful for that!); 2 - my family; 3 - the internet and all that it's brought into my life; 4 - the inventor of Xanax; 5 - my home; 6 - my car for taking me to all the places I want to be; and 7 - my furnace.  Heh.