Tales of a Shoebox Princess

I have come to realize that even though I keep reading Les Miserables , I will NEVER finish! It's like that non-real-world math problem of the person trying to get across the room by taking steps that are half as long as the step he previously took and technically would never reach the other side of the room, only approaching infinitely close to the opposite side. (Read this next part to the Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop theme, "This is the Song That Never Ends) This is the book that never ends, it just goes on and on my friends. V Hugo starting writing it, not knowing what it was, And he'll continue adding words EVEN THOUGH HE'S TOTALLY DEAD. Really, book. Stop already! Everyone is falling over themselves crowing about how wonderful the movie is. I've seen the musical once a while ago and boy, did the musical people cut a lot out of the book stuff out and rearranged and condensed the story. BIG TIME. Maybe if Victor had envisioned the musical first, he woul...

Paul finished his application to serve a mission today! The last thing he needs is an interview with the Stake President, which he hopes to do tomorrow. And then the wait for the letter will begin. His friend Tommy just got his mission call. His wait was nearly a month from submission to letter in hand. I wonder if Paul will have to wait that long. EJ waited about 2 weeks. Let the guessing begin! Where do you think Paul will go? Stateside or foreign?

(Alternately titled "If I Only Had a Bassoon") Hayley participated in another band concert last Monday and I've been told by a certain husband that I should post a certain video I took of a certain daughter playing a solo in a certain medley from a certain movie "The Wizard of Oz," in the interest of showing it to a certain mother-in-law.  And that I should stop typing "a certain." I can't post the video directly on the blog because it's too long, but I uploaded it to my dropbox account, which allows me to share a link to it with you and the certain mother-in-law. This is the link to that video. Enjoy. Here is a picture of Hayley during the concert for those of you who don't like pictures to move: Yes those are, in fact, skulls on her knees. Skulls with heart-shaped eye sockets.

Last night Jim and I lay in bed watching a movie (and because I love parentheticals, I will now digress)(Yes, we have a TV in the bedroom,, which means we have 2 TVs! We are now living in the 1980s! Matt once came home from school with news of a group activity he participated in where he found out he was the ONLY kid in the classroom who had 1 TV in the house; more often than not there were 4 or 5 in his classmates' households. Woe was us, he was convinced). Anyway, it was a dumb movie from the 80s (I'm going with an 80s theme perhaps?) called Peggy Sue Got Married which starred some fake teeth and a very silly voice (both via Nicolas Cage) and featured lots of gray and pastel yellow costuming and 80s-style 50s big hair (see if you can work that one out). I wouldn't even mention having watched the movie but for one thing. There is a scene where Peggy Sue and her boyfriend are in his car parked by a body of water and they are talking about having sex. As they get furth...

A short story: Mother sat on her rumpled bed, doing a crossword puzzle. Such was her favorite mid-Sunday afternoon relaxation activity. In the middle of contemplating 66 down, Mother heard a noise. A musical noise. Someone was playing the piano. Not terribly well, but the tune was recognizable. Mother listened to a bar or two and finally the name of the song popped out of her mouth. "Martha My Dear" by the Beatles. She bobbed her head to the music, until it occurred to her that she was the only piano player in the family. Foot-tapping turned to spine tingling; peppy but flawed live music to ominous tinkle, each wrong note emphasizing the burgeoning terror. Who was playing? The bed was now the only refuge from whatever was in the living room at the black instrument. With a weak voice, mother squeaked, "Who is playing the piano?" The end. Yes it needs work. In real life, the mother is, of course, not the only piano player in the family, but no one but I ...

So I'll have to encapsulate in a Ten Things format. It's the only way I can organize my thoughts. Ten Things that threatened to blow up my brain while also making me happy: 1. I turned 45. Mind blowing, but happy too. I lived to see another year and what a year it was. And barring any major changes (such as my demise), I will live to see another year. 2. Paul came home from college. He is applying for jobs and a mission. Dental exam yielded a few cavities that need repair, and Uncle Dentist has a few buildings that need repair so a trade might be enacted between the two needy people. 3. Christmas. Little tiny Legos, regular-sized Legos, headphones, photo books, a suit, a wool coat, chocolate, books, gift cards, and other goodies made their way into the house and into the possession of three good little children in our household. 4. THE PHONE CALL, or should I say the Skype call? We got to chat with our Elder Evans for a 1 1/2 hours. He showed off his Spanish skill (girls ...