"Jack-o-lanterns" and "Tomorrows" in August

We got a call from one of the bishopric members while I had two kids at youth conference.  That's like getting a call from the principal when you're not on a committee.  Never good.  Hi, how you doing, yada, yada, yada, give me the news I know this isn't social.  Well, Sister Savage, your boy was tubing and...

He chipped two teeth and broke another one along the gum line.  Oh.  So, can I talk to him?  I asked how bad it hurt and if he wanted to come home.  What was done was done and it wouldn't make a difference if it was fixed that day or in a week.  He chose to stay and when I hung up I imagined a Jack-o-lantern coming home in three days.  He ended up with a root canal and we'll know soon if it worked or if he'll lose the tooth and get an implant.  We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Then it was off to the orthodontist for Brooke.  She has had two sets of braces already.  Her teeth came in like spider mandibles.  Seriously.  The front teeth were sideways.  Now her teeth are beautifully straight and awkwardly buck.  In the old days they used to correct it with head gear, now they use what's called a "mara".  It looks like a medieval torture device.  She has been dreading it for months.  Last night we kept saying, Brooke, you're getting  your mara tomarra!  She didn't think it was funny.

She was a little nervous when we got there.

If her eyes look teary in this picture, it's because they are.  They had to laser her gums off to get the device around her teeth.  Poor little thing.

Now she can speak to the mothership with this baby.  The doctor told her it was better than looking like Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Head gear just isn't cool.  One year of the mara, one year of braces and she'll have beautiful teeth.  Just like Conner.  So she can go tubing and knock them out.

Hang in there Brookie!

Savage Lagoon Day

Every year Savage Industries invites us to Lagoon day.  They're very generous!  They order matching shirts, give us parking passes, tickets to get in, and a 5:00 barbecue.  The kids love it.  I go once a year.  How can you say no when they make it so easy?  This year was actually kind of nice with some cloud cover.  I am now officially old though.  I was perfectly content to sit on the shady benches sipping my ice water while the kids went on the twisty turns, jolting their backs and sometimes getting wet.   I used to think it was so fun getting jarred around on the wild mouse and having my head crushed at the speed of sound into the headrest designed to keep my neck from breaking off.  What has happened to me? Terrence was in Sweden all week and came straight to Lagoon from the airport.  Can you say, good sport?  We were all eating our dip'n'dots when he got there.  Good timing!

         

Thanksgiving Point Gardens

Thanksgiving Point has $2 Tuesdays in August where most every venue is $2 so you can blow your cash on a fancy...

golfcart!  Totally the way to go!!

 Aren't the waterfalls amazing? (especially when you're not all sweaty schlepping it WITHOUT a golf cart)

 You see this pretty gross display if you...

 feed the fish.

 It's pretty incredible the work that goes into these gardens.  I can't even keep all of the weeds out of my little corner of the world.  I so appreciated all of the beauty that surrounded us.  I especially appreciated that my eyeballs didn't sting from sweat because of the sweet golf cart. 

There was a new garden I hadn't seen before called the "Living Christ".  The spirit was so strong there.  As we studied each sculpture my kids would ask me the story behind them and I could barely speak I was so filled with emotion.  They were so life-like and detailed.  It was truly a holy place.

This little guy was in front of us for most of our tour of the gardens.  I love where he is placed in this picture.  I thought it was the perfect last picture for a perfect day.

Kacey's Mission Papers

Kacey filled out her mission papers the other day and needed a picture to submit with them.  We went in the backyard and snapped a few and then downloaded them to the computer.  We were busy looking through the Lake Powell pictures that same day.

After she pushed submit I told her I accidentally sent in this picture with it and I was so sorry!  

I'm not much of a tease and she took me seriously!  I couldn't believe it!  I got her good.  That might not go over so well at the church headquarters.

This was her real picture:

Ahhhh... Much better.

Tubing the Provo River

I've always wanted to tube the Provo River so one day... we did!  I packed up whoever was home that day and my friend Kristen, and we floated the Provo River.  It was one of the best days ever!  Why haven't I done that before?  It will for sure be on the yearly summer traditions list from now on.  It was a blast!!!!!