Sparkly Pals - dancing with trisomy 21

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you have been introduced to my 3 year old niece, Lacy, on this post and this post and this post.



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Last night on SYTYCD, Bret Banford from SLC tried out and this brought a tear to my eye.

It was perfect timing to get me ready for Lacy's first dance performance with the "Sparkly Pals." She had just as much fun off the stage dancing as she did on the stage. Sorry the filming is kinda bad and I didn't get her best number, "Sugar Sugar - you are my candy girl and you got me wanting you.



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So I have some good news...

First some background: I carry a bunch of canvas bags in my trunk for when I go to the grocery store. Well I haven't been using them lately for two reasons, #1 - I forget and #2 - I've had some bad experiences with more than one cashier who was more concerned about the inconvenience I was causing than my desire to conserve.

One of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received was this:

from Holly.

Today I decided I was going to take some of my "Colby Stead" canvas bags to Smiths. I was a bit nervous to ask the bag boy to use my canvas bags. He said sure like he did it all the time. The checker asked how many bags I brought. Then I looked up at the screen where they show you your total and I noticed that they had taken 20 cents off for my bags. I was stoked - they take off 5 cents for every bag.

Finally!

The Bean is going to get Bigger

These kids are related to me. Their names are Jack, Lucy and Max. They like the Bean Museum.

Do you have any suggestions or ideas for the Bean Museum's expansion?

Please comment and leave your feedback on this post or you can visit the Bean's blog and leave them there.

Dr. Pepper Museum

This is me in my "I'm a Pepper" T-shirt. Don't I look hot?

When I was in Denver at the American Association of Museums conference I attended a session where they showed us these video blogs. I feel it is time to share them. I've been to the Dr. Pepper Museum. In fact I went a couple of years ago when I was visiting Carrie Margaret in Austin and we drove two hours to get there. Here are some pictures from that trip. I wonder if the Bean could use some video blogs like these...

Show me the money!

Every day for the last couple of weeks, I've been anxiously checking my mail for that $600 check everyone has been getting. People say it has to do with the last two number of your SSN and not when you filed your taxes. Anyway, I finally did some searching around and I learned that I'm not getting mine until July cause I had to pay taxes this year. Check out this article.

So I guess I better stop spending the money like I already have it.

Eavesdropping

Today I ate lunch at my favorite Mexican restaurant in Provo - no, not Cafe Rio. I was by myself and so I had nothing else to do but listen in on the conversation at the next booth.

They were talking about the corner of 200 North and how Diegos and Subway are both gone but they didn't know why or what was going to be built there. Then they started talking about the Midtown Village in Orem and how it is empty and they've stopped building.

MORAL DILEMMA: Do I but in and tell them? Then they will know I've been listening to their conversation. What do I say, "I couldn't help but over hear..."

Well does it matter that these complete strangers don't know that Zion's Bank is going in on that corner and that Midtown village is not empty because in fact I eat at the P712 at least once a week? NO - I didn't tell them but if they read my blog they'll know. In fact that is the whole purpose of this post - in case they read it.

Then I thought about an English class at BYU that Ann Dee used to teach where she had her students go to the Cougareat and eavesdrop on conversations. They were to write down everything they heard for some kind of assignment about dialogue.

What about when people eavesdrop on you?

Ann Dee and Kathy used to make up stories and talk really loud and fake fights for the girl and the BYU Bookstore candy counter. They would do this on a daily basis just to watch the girl's reaction. They'd get such a kick about how she would try to hide her reaction. Sometimes when I'm out in public with Ann Dee she'll spontaneously try to make a scene to force someone else to eavesdrop on us but I usually cannot keep a straight face so it doesn't work out.

Butterflies, Linneaus, SWAMP

The FLMNH has a butterfly rain forest. I took these pictures all by myself - no one helped me.

These are my coworkers Patty and Randy. I don't know the names of their little shoulder friends. No butterflies landed on me.

Any biologists out there? You will think this book is cool. If I were still teaching, I'd show my kids these pictures every time I introduced binomial nomenclature. You know what I'm talking about - you silly Homo sapiens.

Then I got to go on a special tour of the THE SWAMP at the University of Florida. It's all about who you know - thanks Lindsey and Brian. It was totally cool and I really enjoyed spending time with Lindsey and her family.

OK so I must admit that I didn't know what the SWAMP was before this trip but maybe you don't know who Linneaus is - so chillax!

Red Hats and the FLNHM

Today I spent all day here learning about this awesome museum.

I saw these ladies who are members of the red hat society. They sure looked like they were having fun.

Guess where I am?

This is for Dan


This one is for Sam

Joe if you read my blog and feel left out, call me and I'll get you one too.

I've never been to Florida so this is my first trip. We're going to visit this place and learn all we can about how they do things. Friday I'm excited to spend time with Lindsey who warned me that this place was already hot and humid and she was right. Hey all you Utahnns, quit complaining about the nice, cool weather, aight?

Right now I'm addicted to ...

because I find old lost friends like this guy. I didn't even realize I missed him so much!
KT + Ary = TLA

I was addicted to this show. Oh how I LOVED this season of Survivor but again my favorite girl, Amanda, didn't win! Now that its over I gotta do some homework. Blah.

I'm no longer addicted to this:

Or this:

but I could have them if I wanted... I'm just not addicted anymore. Thank you very much.

Took these videos yesterday of Dan's kids. Lacy is hilarious - enjoy.

Food Storage

So now that I've stopped drinking as much soda, I have an automatic food storage.

I figure these will be worth a ton in times of food shortage. I'll just trade.

This is for Kari

Last night this niece called for the recipe to No-bake cookies.

No big deal except ...

#1 I was not dressed when she called so I had to put on some clothes before I got her recipe
#2 It was 10:30 PM - past my bedtime
#3 It was the 5th time she has called me for this very same recipe
#4 She only calls me when she needs this recipe

I told her that I'd post it on my blog so she can just bookmark it for the future. I'm kinda sad about it because I may never hear from her again.

NO BAKE COOKIES
2 cups sugar
3 Table spoons cocoa
1 cube of butter
1/2 cup milk

Put in a pan and boil for 1.5 minutes.
Add:
1/2 cup peanut butter
Dash of salt
3 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla

Layout on wax paper or tinfoil in teaspoons

Maybe some day I'll write about the time I gave these "poo" cookies to the biology 100 class I was a T. A. for. It was funny. I can't tell it now because it's almost my bedtime.

My bike ride

Todday I rode my bike to the BYU Bookstore to buy a gift for a friend. On my way I went by J Dawgs and suddenly wanted a polish dog. So I stopped.

As I pulled up so did two big fire trucks. Four firemen got out and jokingly told the line to get out of the road and make room for them in the front of the line. They of course were kidding. They got in line at the end and I was right behind them. After about 3-4 minutes, the firemen were just about to order when they got a call - I could hear it on their walkie talkies. They all got out of line and jumped in their trucks and turned on their lights and sirens and drove off. I felt bad for them because they didn't get their J Dawgs. Maybe there should be a rule that firemen can cut in line.

After my J Dawg, I rode my bike up to the WILK and passed the jousters. My attention shifted to this little girl who was probably six or seven. She was struggling as she followed her dad (I'm guessing he was her dad). I watched and smiled as she simply lifted up her dress and fixed her underwear.

I finished my bike ride with two more stops at a couple of good friend's homes. It was a bike ride to remember and that is why I just blogged about it.

Creative rain cover and the CONTAINER STORE

My co-worker used the shower cap in her hotel room as rain protection.

I finally got my trip to the container store. So the more people from Utah who either order online or shop in actual stores, the more "votes" our state gets for our very own store. Come on people, do it for all of us organized OCD people - or just do it for me.