The Big One

No, seriously, she does not even look near what she is going to be tomorrow. So young, so hip, so AWESOME! Happy birthday MOM! You are pretty much THEE coolest person on the planet.

My mom read Zane Grey practically before she could walk!
She was so into Native American stuff, in grade school she tried to wash her hair with a yucka plant.

My mom has perfect water skiing form! Lake Powell is her favorite place on earth.

My mom can sing the harmony to any tune. She and her sister still perform in the Stirland family show.

My mom is the most adventurous woman I know. She loves snakes and pigs.

My Mom could still fit into this outfit she wore in Japan (circa 1988).

In fact, I'm pretty sure this is the size she wore when she was 9 months pregnant.

Did you know my mom was the stand in for Jane Fonda? Yep! She's practically famous (and ten times more fabulous than Fonda might I add).

My mom had pigtails the day she was born...and her hair only got thicker.

My mom was the best Annie Oakley ever!

My mom was BWOC at Dixie College back in '79.

"I'm just a regular person with a Nikon."

I repeat: Though I wish I was, I am NOT a photographer; however, when word gets out that you have a nice camera, one tends to find themselves being requested to take pictures. So here is my first go at a real live shooting gig. I am convinced that this will probably be my last as I am inept when it comes to this stuff. I know the basics and I've taken several photography classes in college, but I never can seem to get the aperture and lighting to agree. I kept telling the team, "I'm just a regular person with a Nikon." I hope they weren't expecting Annie Leibovitz or Ansel Adams.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...and Mark is going to serve a mission in:

It's here!!! But we have to wait a day for dad to fly everyone in for the big opening!

Opening the envelope. Reading where he'll serve. The map of his area.

Friends and family listen to see where Mark is going. It could be virtually anywhere in the world!

DALLAS, TEXAS
English speaking
He reports to the MTC on August 26th, 2009
and will serve for two years in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas

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For those who are not members of our church, let me explain a bit about missions. Every boy is asked to serve a two-year mission at his own expense at age 19. He must be worthy to serve which includes abiding by the church guidelines of moral integrity, chastity, and the word of wisdom. Girls may serve at the age of 21. This is a great opportunity for young members of our faith to share our message with others. The Mormon faith is full of hope and truth and we want to share this joy with others so that they may find the happiness we have. We believe other religions have truth and believe that we can add to those truths. We are Christian and our religion is organized as Jesus' gospel was is his time on earth and is in heaven.

Our missionaries also provide opportunities for the world to learn of our beliefs and dispel some of the rumors and myths about LDS members. Even after years of friendship, I still find that many of my non-LDS friends do not understand my beliefs and have formed unfair and untrue judgments based on the media and unreliable sources. I love to talk about my beliefs, answer questions, and clarify misconceptions. So too do our missionaries...

Which is why we are so excited for our WILD BROTHER to have made the steps necessary to be able to represent our faith. It has been a long and trying road for him to be accepted and worthy to serve and we couldn't be prouder!

Devastating

I know devastating is a strong word, but that is really how I felt yesterday. Suffice it to say, after an anticipated meeting to assess our progress, the figures in my head and the ones in reality did not match. I'm just tired of this and that and some more...no details. I'm taking some cues from Jon Gosselin who must regurgitate, "It's a private matter and we're dealing with it privately" in his sleep he says it so much... and when you feel absolutely devastated, there is only one thing on the planet that can make it better (well, other than a magic fairy fixing the problem of your devastation)...

My long lost Ben and Jerry's hasn't tasted this good since Josh Orton dumped me my Junior year of college. You know things aren't good when the only resort left is to eat a pint of Mint Chocolate Cookie. At least when I was 20 I could eat as much of this depression aggression as I wanted and not weigh an ounce over 117. My one consolation in the event that I've eaten more of this stuff in the last 24 hours than I have in the last 24 months is that, heaven help me, it is on sale 2/$5 at Albertson's. I've been back twice in a day and plan on stocking up tonight again (wo nelly Cheesecake Brownie). And yes, while some pieces of my world are a bit devastating right now, Ben and Jerry's did take the edge off and I do feel marginally better.

***The irony is that I don't even really like ice cream.

...I guess that just goes to show the heeling power and perfection of this drug from Vermont. We even suspended our boycott of B and J's this week to indulge (it's an NRA thing). Didn't really solve the devastation, but so numbed the sting.

cry cry sniff sniff

Q was in the mood to BOWL

Monday:

So the cupcakes at 25 main are totally not the same! Can anyone second me on this??? They're just not as... delectable. Not as zippy, Something is aloof. Either I've eaten way too many that the effect has worn off- my sprouted grans pandemonium has rendered my taste buds impaired, or they are just plain and simple NOT THE SAME.
The cupcakes may have lost some zeal in my book but the Orchard Salad has remained on the top of my cravings list in full force. I've already had two fulls this week and it's only Wednesday! I'll just have to supply my own sprouted grain banana nut muffins (not a speck of sugar or flour) for later.
Grandma Polly, Mindi, Jane, Mom and I went out for lunch and had a grand ole time. GPo said we need to go out to lunch like this at least twice a month for her to feel satisfied. My only reply was, "at least."
P.S. Jane is a hoot! She also eats cupcakes the way they should be eaten: frosting first! And yes Jane, "Can we PuLease go to Lake Powell now?!?"

When Q wants to bowl, we bowl! Family night at the Sunset lanes proved a disappointment on my end. Much to my chagrin I walked away just shy of the 3-digit mark at 99 points. My aim was perfect but alas, despite my lifting regiment, these chicken arms pack no punch.

Stirland Swim

Kort rented the brand spankin' new Kanab city pool for the whole fam-dam-ly and might I say: It is so worth the drive! This thing has a lazy river, hydro tube, and children's playset built right into the pool! It was a bit breezy which called for some chills (anyone else notice how oddly cool the weather has been this June? So much for Global Warming). Sadly, we did not make it to Rewind (THE best diner in So. Ut.) but some highlights included:

• Meeting cousin Daniel (smiling on the red slide) who has spent the last two years on a mission in the guatamalan jungle. He spoke Mayan and lived in huts among maureding jungle tribesmen. Holy cow stories!!! We kept wanting to hear more. The tales of rat men kept me up last night.
• Hanging with Brent for the first time since he and Kari got engaged! Congrats to them and (BTW) Brent, you are totally cool and should hereby move to St. George to play Nerts w/ Q and I on a regular basis (Ashley not allowed. Sorry A, your shuffling skills make the rest of us look hideously wretched!!! {impressive}).
• Mom being determined to fit 8 of us in the burb so we didn't have to take two cars... Maybe that wasn't a highlight afterall.