Last day of touring Nauvoo. Funny story - my mom recognized the director of the Nauvoo Brass Band as someone she and dad knew at BYU 40 years ago - and he recognized dad! He asked dad to rehearse the band on some jazz numbers so he’s doing that now. But I am sitting in the car while the kids eat lunch and watch Blues Clues because the Dude has had his walking privileges revoked. All he wants to do is run in the middle of the street and the scream bloody murder if he is not allowed to do so. Oh, and he wants to eat rocks too. Although for now he’s placated with a corn dog… Anywho, I’ve had a blast, but this vacationing is for older folks who don’t have a cherub in tow who inserts goldfish crackers into antique vases. I’m heading to Iowa City now because that’s the coolest place on earth. Or at least 3 hours closer to Clown Town from here

One t-shirt + one dress + one nutjob with a sewing machine = this awesomeness that I’ve been bragging about incessantly to Heidi for weeks. Whee!!!

Postcards from a Nauvoo vacation:

Dear Shade and Breezes,
Wish you were here! At least the Dude has to nap so WonderGirl and I can hide out in the hotel and soak up the sweet, sweet A/C, scratch all those bug bites we got yesterday and watch Phineas and Ferb. I’ve never seen it before, it’s surprisingly not awful.
Hope to see you soon!! Like, in 2 hours!
Reva

OHYESISAWHARRYPOTTER

AND IT WAS FANTASTIC AND AMAZING AND AWESOME AND INCREDIBLE AND GREAT.

Seriously, it was just right.  I totally loved it.  But this one moment did kind of mess with my head… as we were driving to the theater, I tried recapping the last movie for husband so he wouldn’t be lost.  And somewhere between “Harry and Co. are trying to find pieces of the evil wizard’s soul that he trapped in objects and destroy them so they can kill him - and they can kill those things with the magic sword impregnated with this evil snake juice that they found at the bottom of a river when this ghost-like doe thing led them to it” and “then the poor house elf who saved the people and the wandmaker and the gobblin DIED” the look on husband’s face made me realize he thinks I’m a total nerd.  I mean, something about mentioning goblins and and elves and wizards and the like… at least this time it isn’t hott teenage vampires.

t-minus 4 hours...

A few weeks ago, we had some friends over for dinner when WonderGirl came running to us, screaming bloody murder.  It sounded like she’d cut an appendage off - it was a terrifyingly honest scream.  My reaction?  I turned around and yelled at the husband and our guest to tell me what was bleeding.  I couldn’t look - I just couldn’t.  Once someone got it out of her that she was hysterical because she’d swallowed a penny, only then could I look.  It’s not insensitivity - it’s just how I’m wired.

That’s pretty much why I was dreading July 15th and the last premiere of a Harry Potter movie.  Yes, I’m a grown woman, but I’ve had something Potter-related to look forward to for over 10 years.  Heck, I went to the midnight showing of the first movie and a few others after that.  This has been a constant.  And now a not??  How on earth can I handle that??

So, I waited… the 15th came and went… the world didn’t end.  And I relaxed.  I’m not hysterical anymore - and great thing about it is, we finally get to see a movie and NOT have it left unresolved - after all these years, resolution!!  Woohoo!!  So I reread it the other day and I’m ready.  I’m going to bawl my face off, but I’m ready.  

Okay, I LOVE the intrawebs for great ideas that make me look like I’m a way cooler mom than I am.  So I’ll put my one idea out there that I declare does not stink.

Smoothies.  It’s hot, so smoothies are a fantastic breakfast and you can stick tons of healthy stuff into.  I personally throw a ton of flax seed in.  We drink ‘em for breakfast - and then  - here’s my SUPERDUPERSCHMOOPER BIG IDEA - I freeze the rest in popsicle containers.  When the heat index is above 100 like it is this week - smoothie pops for breakfast!  Or lunch, or whatever.  But it’s super nice to not have to fix a meal and just send them outside to get messy.

You’re welcome.  And if you thought of it first, congrats.

I spend far too much time bracing myself for death. There, I said it. I am constantly aware of how fragile life is, and how easily people I love could be gone tomorrow. I’m not morbid about it, or neurotic, it’s just always there. So this Regina Spektor song REALLY speaks to me. It sums things up quite nicely.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnd this is why I’m going to have to put off seeing Harry Potter for a wee bit.  I’m going to be a MESS.  Although if I had some super cool friends who were the kind of people to dress up in costume and go at midnight… I’d make an exception.  But I DO have those kinds of friends!!  Just not in my time zone.  So I’ll just cry now.  And then.  GAH.

So I made myself a jumper/mumu.  See, I’m going to Nauvoo in a few weeks and I know I’m going to MELT.  I got myself some cheapo fabric and made myself something I think I might possible survive in.  Husband hates this style, but he’s not going, so I kindly only wear this when we are several hours from each other.  I’m going to be in the hottest plane on earth for a week - a girl has to be prepared.  And this puppy makes me feel like I wearing nothing at all.  Nothing at all.  Nothing at all.  (If you just yelled “Stupid sexy Flanders!!” you are awesome.)

I’m wearing a tee that I chopped off the bottom half of so my middle will be nice and coool.  Or as cool as you can get next to the Mississippi River.  This is what I’ll look like most of the time, while screaming “NOOOO, DUDE!!! Don’t touch that!!!!!”

Looking at the guidebook and pontificating for the kids.

Being a fearless touring leader.

This is what WonderGirl and I usually look like.  You could just imagine us in any clothing, this is the end result almost all the time. So this is what we’ll look like in Nauvoo.

Maybe we won’t look so creepy?  If that happened, we’d both be shocked.

Imagine what I could do if I could actually sew and read patterns.

Dude is sick… I am sick… and also sick of being a human jungle gym today. Husband just handed me 4 dollars and sent me to get myself ice cream. I’m sitting in the historical society’s parking lot, listening to NPR.

I couldn’t have asked for a better Friday night. Love that man.

I was talking with a girlfriend from college who had been visiting mutual college friends of ours.  None of us have seen each other since at least 2002, and they have never met my husband.  As they pondered about that fact, one friend reportedly mused - “I would love to spend half an hour in a room with the man that got Reva K. to marry him.”

When my friend told me this, I laughed.  Then I told them that they’d probably be disappointed.  Husband is such a Gemini - such different people at different times - that it’s very easy to spend a substantial amount of time and never really get to know who he is, or that chewer center that I adore so much.

Unless you were at the 4th of July picnic and were standing near the face paint table around 7:30pm.  Then you’d have gotten some kind of idea as to why I’m kind of gaga over him.  But not around 8pm, as the face paint gets kind of burn-y on an adult male’s face.

 I made these skirts out of 2 tee shirts (plus a bit from one of daddy’s old work shirts for the ruffle) because when I was in a foul mood Saturday, husband suggested I try a sewing project to give me something to do other than grumpy around the house. Wise man. I have to spend our big 4th of July partay chasing kiddos, so I’ll have to wear practical mom clothes for the rest of the day to lower the risk of exposing myself. You alone get to bask in our twintastic escapades.  Happy America day!

Okay, I have to add another post to cleanse the palate from the last one.  I swear I’m not that much of a grump.  But For the love of all that is holy, do I really have only one tee shirt that is long enough for my Amazonian torso??  And it’s a random one from Charlotte Russe I found alll by its lonesome in the clearance racks years ago.  It put me in a foul mood for a few hours. Also the mom butt I have acquired that I think might be a result of either doughnuts or unattractive capri pants. Lucky husband.

But look what we managed to do!  I used Sussy’s tutorial on how to do sparkler pictures for the 4th, and messed around with the settings on the fancy schmancy camera until we got this gem.  Husband grabbed 2 cell phones and made this heart/butterfly wings thing.  And I captured it.  Sweet, we’re all ready for the fireworks tonight!!

my name is Reva, and I am a frump.

Stylewise, I’m giving up.  It’s hot, but I only own winter clothing.  I can’t shop for new clothes because I never find anything that fits me just right, and it takes WAY more attention to find those 2 things that might fit than I can give if I’m shopping with my almost 2 year old Dude.  And those 2 things are never on sale.  Plus my hair has hit the “holy snap I need to see a professional stage,” but who has the time?  So I officially give up.  I’m not bitter, I’m just giving myself permission to look like this.  Acceptance is the first step.

Dear Pinterest,

I heart you.  I found this ditty on you.  That makes you wonderful.  In addition, my computer just died and I have to decorate the Young Womens room today.  Am I lost because I saved all my ideas as bookmarks?  No.  Because you exist.  You are so hot.

Sincerely,

Reva

P.S.  No, really, follow me.  It is plumb addicting!!