Faces of a Summer Picnic

I love August. I love neighborhood picnics with old friends and new faces. I love spending time with my family in the evening sun, laughing and making memories. I love August.

Here's something new and exciting:

Summer Love.

I am making home-made granola tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Day 14: Unproductive and an evening with the Johnson's

Do you ever feel distracted? Do you ever feel like you've wasted time on things that really don't matter?  If I could sum up this past week into one word, it would be: Unproductive.

Now, I did accompany my auntie to Lagoon with her 2 little girls as an extra "hand" for riding rides, holding bags, and calming little tears. I also finally pruned the trees in my backyard and picked some fresh blackberries from our bushes. I cleaned the church and practiced the piano for church choir today (much better experience this week). I went to THIS movie with my darling hubby and two cuties yesterday.

SIDE NOTE: "The Help" is one of the best movies I've seen in a long LONG time! I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. It is simply fantastic. *You may also want to bring some tissues if you have leaky eyes like me. I left the theatre so grateful for wonderful and strong women in my life and those who have gone before, courageously fighting for their families, their liberties, and their lives.

I've also been spending a lot of time working on a "project" (which involves cross stitching). I spent the last evening working on it and watching Star Wars "A New Hope" with the husby (he actually put the trilogy on our Netflix account so I can say I've actually watched all the Stars Wars movies. Cute.) I am quite proud of myself and will have to show it off when it's done...only if it turns out well.

So...maybe it wasn't really unproductive, but I still have a ton of things left undone on my list and I haven't been focusing on the big E's: Exercise and Eating. But, tomorrow's another day and I will start again.

Tonight was a traditional Sunday evening with the Johnson's- my favorite in-laws.

  (I really love her. I'm not just being cheesy, she is an angel.)

(I guess I love these guys too.)

(Especially this one.)

Favorite Quote for the week:

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

The Help

Day 7: Got goals?

I love Sundays. I love my ward. I also love it when the choir pianist comes up to me just before sacrament begins and asks if I could play the piano for choir today because she couldn't make it. Of course I couldn't turn her down (she's just too sweet and lovely), but I sat with anxiety in my chest and tried to practice the music in my "head" all through the meeting. Ever tried to practice music in your head,? It's not nearly as effective as practicing on the actual piano. But of course, you knew that. And I really knew that too.

So, choir begins and our cute choir director turns to me. I play all the wrong notes in the wrong key. I get the beats mixed up. I nervously laugh and ask everyone to please come back to choir next week when a "real" pianist is available. I know it's not going to be good when my hands start shaking and I have to ask the choir director to help me figure out the notes on the key change. (Okay, to be fair it is a massively ridiculous key change.)

After about 20 minutes into choir practice, the director turns to the choir and asks "Should we call it a day?" They all agree in unison and a sweet sister turns to me and says "Let's give Megan a hand. She did a good job." Then my choir director asks "Are you available to play next week?"

So, when my husby asks what my goals are for this week, it's very simple:

-PRACTICE THE PIANO!

um...

-PRACTICE THE PIANO!

and maybe...

-PRACTICE THE PIANO!

Oh, and...

-Thank You cards

and...of course...

-PRACTICE THE PIANO!

Happy start of the week! May you accomplish all your goals...or at least two or three. :)

Day 6: Take a hike!

Today B and I took a hike. We went up the canyon to Donut Falls. About half way in, I realized I forgot my SD card. Bummer. Then I led us through prickly and pokey bushes, convinced I was going the right way. Double Bummer. So, husband led us back on the right path and after about 15 minutes, we decided the trail was too packed with hikers, we were tired and hungry, and we were developing hives on our hands and legs from the prickly and pokey bushes. So...we went back down the mountain, jumped into our air conditioned car, and headed to the local grocery store for our weekly shopping trip.

Word of advice:
Husbands don't like to be led into prickly and pokey bushes. They also don't like hives on their hands or legs. But, most of all, they don't like it when their wife is upset because he may have given her a really REALLY annoyed look when she turned around and said "Um...I think we went the wrong way." So, he'll spend the rest of the hike down the mountain trying desperately to reassure her she's not dumb, he doesn't hate her, and the best place in the world is wherever she is...even if it's right in the middle of a stupid prickly and pokey bush.

Advice: Just follow the sign that says TRAIL, and you'll both be just fine. :)

Day 5: Cheap Date

B brought home a new toy today. It belongs to his company so he can work on his mobile project, but it came in handy as a date night "activity".  There's nothing like watching each other play Angry Birds to bring on the romance. Yeah baby!

Speaking of romance, I will use this as my quote tonight:

Any other ideas for good, cheap date night activities? 

Day 4: Finishing

So, today was all about...finishing. I finished my rocks in the front yard, with the help of an awesome brother-in-law (who was also willing to dance in the living room while I tried out my different shutter speeds, etc.).

I also finished my photography class. Even though it is through the University of Utah, I enjoyed it and I LOVED my instructor (Ann Torrence). Strongly considering taking another...

Quote for the day:

"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept."

Ansel Adams

Day 3: More practice...with camera and JOY

Favorite quote of the day:

"Did you find joy in your life? Did others find joy through your life?"

The Bucket List

Can you guess what B and I watched tonight?

(I was teaching B about aperture and shutter speed. Then we practiced.)

I am feeling motivation to take cookies to my neighbor Margo. 

And to my stake president, whom I adore with all my heart.