Season Tickets

Our season tickets came in the mail this week. Ahhhh the opera and symphony! I love it. Janelle and her husband split the subscription with us so we each get to see two performances.

This year we get to do a special ladies night. Two years ago all the ladies in my family went to see Madame Butterfly. This year my mom, my sisters, a sister in law and I will all go see La Boheme in October. Janelle, Tiffani and I all saw La Boheme together at the Capital Theatre about 10 years ago, so it will be fun to see it again with them.

Monday was the first day we could order additional opera tickets for the 7 of us. (It is a nice perk, they open ticket sales to season ticket holders 2 weeks before they go on sale to the general public.) I called only a few minutes after they were open and was on hold for 20 min. The seats were going fast! When I finally got through I was able to get our tickets. I was also able to switch around some of our other tickets.

This season Dave and I will see two symphony performances. We usually see one opera and one symphony but since I am seeing the opera this year with my peeps, Dave and I will see "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" (The "Somewhere in Time" music) this fall. And for our anniversary we have tickets to Stravinsky's Pulcinella. I am so excited for both. We really love the venue, Abravanel Hall. It has lots of leg room and the acoustics are quite lovely. Dave took me there on our third date, so it is sentimental to me too.



So now I will get to maul and love and look at my tickets every day until the big evenings! (Hee Hee. . . Dave knows I am not kidding. . )

If any of my local friends/family are interested, I have a 20% off certificate to any opera or symphony performance this year (good for two tickets.) I would love to pass it along. . . let me know.

There's news. . . and then there's NEWS

I talked with our Kaz adoption coordinator today, she had news (not NEWS.)

As you all know, Kaz has stopped new adoption applications. We are hoping that we will be grandfathered into the current process (since our paperwork has been there over a year. . . sheesh.)

Anyway there is some encouraging news. Uralsk has invited families this month to come and complete their adoptions. Our coordinator has also heard that the local powers-that-be intend to send additional invitations to travel for families next month and September. Of course no one knows if families for our agency will be invited or not. . .

Let's hope our invitation is on its way.

More Photos!

How could I pick just one. . . or ten?

Our Day

Today Spencer and I saw Toy Story 3.



This did not go as expected :( I thought Spencer would love it. . . nope. He asked to go home half way through the movie. This is the first time he has ever gone to the movies and he kept saying "I didn't like that," on the way home. So, now I guess I will have to wait to see how it ends. I think it might have been too loud and some of the movie takes place at night and it was dark. At any rate I guess we do not have to worry about Spencer always asking to go to the movies.

The reason he got to go to the movies is because he has a sticker chart. When he does a chore (like pick up his toys at night) he gets a sticker. Once the chart is filled he gets a special treat (going to see Buzz). Yesterday he got the last sticker to for his chart.

We have started a new chart, and once this one is filled I think we will change the reward. He will be able to go to the dollar store and pick out a toy or puzzle.

But the whole day was not a bummer. Today we got Spencer's 3 year old photos. Oh my gosh, they turned out so cute. I might have ordered a few more then we really need, but they turned out great! What mom can stop herself?

Picnic Fun

Tonight we went to Dave's company picnic. . . Spencer had a ball.

Three is a magic number

I am already in two book groups. One is in my neighborhood and the other is across town with some ladies I met through a friend. It keeps me busy (thank goodness that they both take July off!) I love that I get to read new books that I never would have picked up on my own.

Dave's sister (and mine too) is part of an online book group! How convenient is that? She invited me to read their book this month. . . and I love reading new books so what the heck. . . Three is a magic number.

The book (or rather the series of books) is a Japanese comic book, called manga. The series we are reading is called Fruits Basket, it has 23 volumes (each volume at about 200 pages). I just finished volume 1, I have never read a book like this. Twenty-three books is a big commitment and I will read 1-4 for sure and then we will see what time I have for the rest. I might just have to put that off until I have more spare time. I am just excited to be part of another book group and try a new type of book.

New Calling

Last month I got a new calling in our church. For the last 3 years I have been in Primary (teaching children's Sunday School). For a year I taught 8 year olds, then for a year I taught nursery (18 months- 3 year olds) then for the last year I have been teaching the 7 year olds.

So, last month I get called into the bishop's office and the he extends a new calling. I have been called to teach Relief Society once a month. This is a big change and today was my first day. To go from teaching children to teaching women is a bit of a jolt.

I had butterflys in my stomach all day. I read the lesson earlier this week, it is on The Priesthood and it has been on my mind constantly. I had 30 minutes for the lesson and it went well. The ladies were so great about sharing their experiences and I really felt the spirit there. I even got choked up a couple of time with emotion.

I am just so excited for my new calling. It is great to feel a sisterhood and a closeness with my neighbors that is hard to replicate in a way other then attending a Sunday Relief Society meeting together.

So, in a nutshell. . . Today was a great day.

The Dad Life

This video is so funny! I saw this and instantly thought of my husband and brothers. . . So. . to all the dads out there (and the people who love them). . . ENJOY!



"Keep your peanut butter hands off my 50in Vizio." (snicker. . . snicker. . . this one's for you Uncle Spencer.)

Independence Weekend

We had a great weekend with family, birthdays and celebrations.

Our holiday weekend kicked off with a birthday party for my sister, Tiffani. My sister Janelle hosted and we had a fabulous time! Lots of food, great conversations and a relaxing evening. My parents came from Colorado and we had a ball. Janelle did a post on her blog with pictures you and see.

I was in charge of the Birthday Cake. Tiffani's favorite cake has a theme, strawberry-short-cake-ish. I found a recipe for "Strawberry Angel Cake." It was pretty darn good!

Strawberry Angel Cake

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

4  cups  sliced strawberries
3/4  cup  sugar, divided
2  tablespoons  evaporated skim milk
1  (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1  (10-inch) round angel food cake
3  tablespoons orange juice, divided
1  (8-ounce) tub frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
2  tablespoons  sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

Combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl; cover and let stand 1 hour. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, milk, and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until smooth.

Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers using a serrated knife; place bottom layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with 1 tablespoon OJ, and spread half of cream cheese mixture over cake. Spoon one-third of strawberries over cream cheese mixture using a slotted spoon. Repeat layers, ending with cake and OJ. Spread whipped topping over top and sides of cake. Cover; chill 30 minutes. Arrange remaining strawberries on top of cake before serving; sprinkle with almonds.


Nutritional Information

Calories: 203 (26% from fat)
Fat: 5.8g (sat 4g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.3g)
Protein: 4.1g
Carbohydrate: 33.5g
Fiber: 1.1g




We also got to celebrate my Father-in-law's birthday too. Dave's sister and her family were in town for the weekend and all the cousins got some good play time. Here is a great shot of the boys together:



This last picture pretty much sums up the weekend, pooped and happy.



. . . .

On a different note. I applied for a slot at a leadership conference that Western Wyoming is holding. It is called "Adjunct Leadership Academy." There were 10 openings and I got a letter this weekend that opened, "Thank you for applying. . . we relieved my qualified applications. . . " Hmm I have heard those words before. But then they said I was one of the selected applicants! I am really excited.

The "academy" is one two-day training session in the fall on campus and one two-day training session in the spring on campus with an online component during the year with additional exercises and training. I really am looking forward to additional training and adding to my education.

New Art

I just got a new painting for the living room. I am really excited about it. It is a reproduction of an original oil painting called "Harmony of Color II," I was really taken by it. It is 30 x 30 and fits nicely in our living room. I got it at local "close-out" retailer that does mostly high-end merchandise. It is an actual oil painting and I love the texture. I also love that it was a fraction of the cost.

One day I would love a painting by my cousin (who does amazing work), Albin Veselka. I am thinking about commissioning a Kazakh landscape for our home. . . We shall see, until then I am content with my new painting :)

The Puzzler

Our boy is a puzzle maniac!

Spencer got some puzzles for his birthday and has been doing puzzles non-stop for a week now. He will do 6-10 puzzles. . . a day! He has a few 28 piece puzzles and a few 50 piece puzzles and he can do them all by himself. On the package it says for children 5+ and he just goes to town on them. Mr. Smartie.



He also loves playing outside in his new pool. With Puzzles, Pools and Playdates how can he go wrong? He is poised to have "The Summer of George!"

Want to make your blog a book?

I like to make a hard copy of my blog every year, it's like a journal. I also like to save money. . .

I just got a 20% off Blurb coupon in my inbox that can be used this month so I thought I would share. I have posted about Blurb before, they make your blog into a hard copy book. I have been using them for 3 years now and love what they do and it is easy to do. If you would like try them out, why not save some $$$. Here are the details:

Order your book by July 31 and we’ll kick in with a 20% savings off your product total.*

Simply type in the appropriate promo code at checkout, and you’re set.

*coupon code: LIBERATION

Need help getting started? Check out the new Blurb BookSmart® how-to video or get inspired at our bookstore. Better yet, just jump in and start.

Happy bookmaking,

The Blurberati

* Offer valid through July 31, 2010 (11:59 p.m. PDT). A 20% discount is applied toward one order for books that you make. Maximum discount is USD $38.00, GBP £21.00, EUR €30,00, AUD $48.00, or CAD $40.00 off product totals. This offer is good for one-time use, and cannot be combined with other promotional codes, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders.