Happy-making!

Have you seen these?

These were actually done - no computer generated images

Check out sony bravia ads the making of on you tube to see how they were done!

What I saw at the airport

I was in the airport the other day returning home from my sisters shower. While I was waiting for my flight to board, I sat in a chair across from my gate and therefore had an excellent view of all my fellow passengers. But really I was only watching one. And so was everyone else. He was a marine. He was very tall and he was standing very straight and carrying his hat in the strangest way. His left arm was bent at a 90 degree angle and the hat was perched on top of his perfectly flat hand. He walked all around the gate area this way for at least 30 minutes. At first I scoffed - why didn't he just put his hat down. Or if he was afraid of smashing it, put it on his head. I mean his arm must have been getting tired. But then I started noticing other things. Like his shoes. They were the shiniest black shoes I have ever seen (and both of my girls have black patent leather mary janes). Clearly those black shoes had recently been polished within an inch of their life. Did you know that there are people that still polish their shoes? And his shirt. Immaculately pressed. Sure people iron their shirts every day ... but 20 year old boys? And he stood so straight as if at attention even though there was no one else from the military around.

Then we boarded the plane. My seat was next to a young man with a missionary name tag. Although I had spent the whole day putting my foot in my mouth, apparantly I just can't get enough of the taste of shoe leather so I opened my mouth once again and said. " Elder, where are you headed?" "Home to Boise." he said. "Home to Boise!! How exciting!!" I said "Where are you coming from?" "The MTC." He told me that he had a few things at home that he needed to work through. So I took a vow of silence and decided that I will never speak again. --When I told Nate this story he explained that the spirit at the MTC is so strong that it is difficult for those who are there trying to fake it. The spirit makes you want to tell the truth; to be really worthy. I wished the missionary good luck. I felt a little sorry for him as he looked out the plane window at the black sky.

But as we walked toward baggage claim, I had reason to believe that perhaps I was mistaken. For there was a huge family gathered outside of security with welcome home signs and balloons. And I thought that perhaps this was a happy homecoming after all. So instead of heading right down the escalator, I lingered for just a moment and turned around to see what would happen. But the missionary walked past the balloons and signs and into the arms of one woman that had come to meet him. I saw both of their faces crumple with pain. I saw them hold each other and sob in the middle of the Boise airport. And then I saw the marine. He walked into the middle of the huge family with banners and balloons and received hug after hug with smile after smile. The image of those side by side homecomings has haunted me for the past few days.

I think it's because at the end of the day we all have a homecoming in our future. And I imagine that the spirit there is so strong that you will want to tell the truth and want to be really worthy. So I have been checking my soul to find the dull spots and examining my conduct for the wrinkles, because when it comes right down to it crying makes my face puffy and red and I have always had a thing for balloons.

What happens when your two year old decides to get dressed for the day while you are in the shower...

Ava's 6th...

... birthday was a royal tea party. And we had so much fun. What cute girls!

The sincerest form

I think that blogs are so inspiring. We have so much to learn from each other and so many people are sharing their points of view all across the country and world. Sometimes I take my inspiration to copy cat levels (remember this). But I hope that it is in an "immitation is the sincerest form of flattery" way. I would never copy someone elses idea and sell it but I would use someones idea to make my life better or more beautiful. And blogs have LOTS of good ideas. You probably know that nienie has a back to school feast. I'm sure that I'm not the first or last to scoop up that little idea and use it in my own home. NieNie's feast this year was beyond beautiful - anthropologie linens and homemade crowns - eclectic tablesettings. Love it. I decided I wanted to do a back to school feast last year and did it again this year. But ours is less a work of art and more of a last minute affair. Our linens were the one tablecloth that we have that fits our ginormous table, our placesettings were our everyday plates on top of the christmas chargers. But we have a theme for the year and we light the tall candles and the kids think that it is so special. Traditions are part of what binds a family - shared memories that string the six of us together. So I am so happy to have a new tradition. And in the spirit of sharing here are three blogs that give me great ideas:

for recipes try smitten kitchen

for books try booklook

for graphic design ideas try good look cookbook

And the recipe for the yummy punch we had at our back to school feast.

1 cup cranberry juice

1 can frozen lime juice (minute maid)

1- 2 liter bottle ginger ale

1/2 cucumber sliced thin

lots and lots of ice (important)