Sharks vs. Jets

This morning Xanny asked for shark hair. It was his first day of school and the kid has already picked a side. I always hoped he would want to be a Shark and not a Jet. The Sharks were better dancers and the Jets just smoked too much. I was determined to send my homie off "con gusto".

Here's the breakie: 3 eggs, 2 pieces of toast, 4 plums, 1 tall glass of whole milk and a juicy peach off our tree -- picked this morning. I call it the Micheal Phelps special. You never know if a kid needs that extra power when he is out there all alone in the cold harsh world.

On the first day of school it is essential as a mother to mark your man, so to say. I admit, the shirt was my choice. But it's important for a kid (and the rest of the world, for that matter) to know just who's gang he really belongs too.

Xanny wasn't content with the traditional family tradition of holding up your years in fingers. This is his attempt at his more accurate age in fractions of 5 & 5/6ths. At least he didn't try to illustrate what all his chromosomes look like using his phalanges.

Here's the total package. The bike, the backpack, the shark hair all ready to go. And the bus ... look at that thing. The steel beast swooping down to drag my small child away. It's huge. FOR THE LOVE OF QUILTS, PEOPLE, HE'S JUST A BOY!

(Xan to 5th grader: "Did you know that I am really nearly six years old!")

Yes, I actually got on the bus to make sure he found a good seat ... and to tell him to stay away from nose-picking-boy. (A mother's work is never done.)

OK, I confess. I was the only mom there today with not one but 2 Canon 40Ds and a 70-200 on a ballhead tripod. I also confess that it took me most of Xanny's time away at kindergarten to edit, compose and publish this silly post about my ... uhh, I mean his ... first day of school. (Maybe there is a 12 step program someone can recommend.)

I am happy to report that I was very brave and didn't cry. After all, I still have home-girl, Rita, to keep me company.

"I like to live in America!"

Young Love

Do you remember being young and in love? I think Lauren will. She and her true love, Jex, were wed on Friday in the beautiful Pine Valley chapel north of St. George.

While the circumstances were slightly stressful for wedding party, the day was a photographic dream to shoot. What could be prettier than a couple of attractive teenage lovers, an historic wooden chapel and a gorgeous sunset?

These pictures are all works-in-progress, but I think we got a couple of keepers.

The dress ...
The bride ... (Look at this girl! The camera loves her -- that's for darn sure.)

The dad ...
The fuzzy sepia couple with color tinted flowers (sorry, I couldn't resist.) ...

Lisa and John were WONDERFUL, as always. There is a special spot in Heaven (with a capital H) for the nicest parents in the world.

Shauna's family was on hand. That baby William is absolutely delicious and Elianna was as tasty as her cupcake.


The other show stopper was Jessie. Look who is suddenly all grown up and a total beauty queen. (And I don't mean Ian.)


Ian was doing his American duty to look handsome and blow things up. I think this could turn into a regular gig. Weddings across America should hire Ian to show up in full military regalia and then he could blow-up something REALLY loud. Every wedding could be just as exciting as Lauren's special day!

Betty Jo came through with a classic nuptial limerick which included the words "Groovy" and "Juvie". Who knew she was so hip?

Everyone had a great time.
Ahh, to be young and in love.

No time to for details, but here's what dinner looked like last week when everyone was in town.








Now I feel like empty-nesters again. It is just too quiet around here without everyone in the kitchen. Come back!

If I had a million dollars ...

I would buy one of these. How much is a 12 foot by 10 foot going to run me? Any one want to give me their best guess? $25K? More?

BTW - It's titled "When to Stop." Ironic in a way.

Super-Duper-Obama

Tennessee's Maple Grove Inn

After the wedding, Marco and I headed down to Tennessee to see Katie and Sam. Unfortunately I inadvertently deleted any pictures I took of Katie and Sam (I'm so sorry guys) but I do have a few shots from the B&B we stayed in. The Maple Grove Inn is an old, old house hidden away on 20 or so acres of Tennessee forest. It is also home to "The Lady in Blue." That would be the ghost the charming inn keeper (think Hell's Angel gone bad -- real bad) reminded us occupied the room next to ours. (If you look closely, you can catch a glimpse of The Lady in Blue peeking through the shutters on the second floor of the house.) She was one of the first Mrs. McCoughans to inhabit the house. Maybe she died of a broken heart after her soldier never returned from the war?

The other thing the inn keeper mentioned was that we were the only guests at the Inn and that he would be just a 15 minute Harley ride away if we had any trouble. That's right, we slept in the haunted house ALONE.

Well, Marco, Katie and Sam decided to take off the next morning at 5:30 am, well before dawn, to see the sun rise over the Smokies. You know what that meant ...

I was completely and utterly alone in a haunted mansion, hidden in the Tennessee forest, 15 minutes away via Harley from anyone who would hear my screams. (This is a shot of the rattling bedroom window shudders from my bed at 5:45 am. I wasn't sticking around to meet The Lady in Blue in person.)

Where did I go, you ask? I, of course, walked alone down this haunted lane to the misty 200 year old CEMETERY!!! (Yes, Shauna would have wet her pants.)

It was this kind of cemetery. Until ...

I heard the roar of thunder and, of course, a HUGE storm came up from no where. I was trapped under the towering oak trees in the pouring rain when I looked down and saw this ...

It was the grave of Thomas M. McCaughan, the dearly departed husband of The Lady in Blue. She had lead me here, I know it. That is what I get for not watching the sunrise from the Smokies. You never know, folks, you just never know.

Now I just worry that TLiB has followed me home to Utah.

The Bride & the Mehndi

In a word, Susan as a bride is drama. The color, the eyes, the jewelry -- I love it all. The first part of the wedding was the Mehndi ceremony. The women all gather and eat samosas while getting henna tattoos on their hands and feet.

The bride also gets gifts of jewelry she will wear to her wedding. Susan had her hands done the day before because it takes hours to do, but had her feet done with the other women.



I think one of my favorite parts of any wedding -- especially this wedding -- is the little girls. You can practically see the wheels turning in her eyes as she thinks about being the real bride one day.


This is Susan and Sanjay's niece, Lena. She is an absolute vision with black hair and blue eyes. Get this girl an agent and start making money for college!
More Indian wedding pictures to come ...