Tales of a Shoebox Princess

I can. These were all taken by Jen of hawleyfocus (with the possible exception of the very last one). We like her photography skillz. We also like her. Under the olive tree bouquets Bride and bridesmaids Boys don't like to watch kissing The wedding party male contingent looking very manly He couldn't stop kissing her--and right in front of her parents! And his! Very happy! A bunch of people who showed up

This is a story from the wedding. It is 100% true. Most of you have probably heard the story, but I'm going to tell it anyway. Sunday morning of our Utah trip was spent slowly getting ready for church. Daylight Savings had kicked in so we were up early with plenty of time to spare before we had to head over to the Tanner Building on BYU campus for Paul's ordination in his priesthood class.  As we were getting ready, Jim grabbed the suit bag for the suit he brought, which he was going to wear both to church and to the wedding and reception. He bought the suit a few months before and had the pants tailored to fit. He unzipped the suitbag and eased the suit coat out. Then he reached in for the suit pants. But he couldn't find them.  "I think I left my pants in Minnesota," he said with a perplexed look on his face. He was so sure he had packed them.  No suit pants anywhere. All he could find were jeans. We still had an hour before we had to be at the church

I just watched my baby get married.  I got to hover over her all morning, while everyone else had to wait in the waiting room for her to get ready. I got to hover afterwards while everyone waited outside for her and her new husband to exit the building. I was the first one to see what she looked like in her bridal finery.  She was a beautiful bride.  I'll post pictures as soon as I get some.  She picked a good young man. He picked a precious young lady. *Sniff*

Except we aren't old. Our friendship might be getting up there in years, but we aren't. Certainly not my friend, who does not look as old as we technically are. I knew Beth from my early years. We went to the same church and she was my age. She might younger than I in years, but I felt she was older and wiser, mostly because she had all older siblings and "knew" things that I didn't, I having been the oldest of my set of sibs with no one to tell me about how boys operated, what music is cool, or how to avoid being a dork. Even during the high school years (Beth went to a different school), in my eyes, Beth exuded cool. She would not agree with me, I'm fairly sure, but I didn't know that then. Teenagers are not known for effective communication skills, are they? How was Beth cool? Her hair. She had a wicked mane of blond hair that she could get to look really big. She laughs about her hairstyle then, but I still secretly love 80s big hair. She had aweso

I have a good friend Pam who loves to have parties. (I suggest you all get yourself a friend who likes to have parties) I was feeling a little down and out a few months ago when I realized that Kate would be having bridal showers without me. I was not despondent, but the corners of my mouth were turned down just a hair more than normal. But this good friend of mine, sensing in herself the opportunity to host a party, approached me and asked if she could plan and throw Katie a Skype bridal shower. (Y'all know what Skype is, right?) I thought what a fun idea! I could be a part of a bridal shower for my daughter using the wonders of technology!  And my good friend did not disappoint! She goes all out to decorate. We'll start off the picture fest with one of ME. Because you all need a little more me in your life, right? The table. On the right are candies that are either purple (who knew that purple Twizzlers existed?) or wrapped in purple foil Macaroons--YUMMY!

Although not so much obligatory as "for posterity's sake." As in so I can remember what costumes the kids wore each year. Because I like to keep track of those things. Hayley had been working on her costume since summer time. She sewed stuff for it, but in her own way; without a pattern, without instructions, willy-nilly, making a mess, hounding me for help with a collar. She likes to create things, but doesn't want too much structure telling her how to do it. And she got a hat and a Pikachu backpack free from some website (she is always getting packages in the mail. It's a bit worrisome, but she claims they are all freebies). But here she is: yes, she sewed the gloves. "Ash Ketchum" from Pokemon series.  Matt had no clue what he wanted to be for Halloween, which was kind of hard to believe since he was the one who went as Dirt and as Fire and one year as "an explosion of Mario" and last year as Jake the Dog. But when kids from th