Crazy, Crazy Week!

We have had one crazy week since last Friday. I started a post about it on Monday of THIS week, but it did not get finished and ended up being my Shakespearean Festival post. SO, without further ado....CRAZY! We returned home from Cedar on Wednesday. While we were gone, our home started undergoing a 'remodel' of sorts. We planned this summer to finally get a new roof and air conditioning unit, and decided to redo our family room as well. ALL the work started while we were gone, so Wayne had to make sure it went smoothly. It is still pretty dusty everywhere as I refuse to do a thorough cleaning until this room is DONE! Our family room - new sheet rock, painted, waiting for tile (that happens tomorrow) and baseboard. And next week, we are getting all new windows in our house. Note the dog, Cody. He has been laying on the dusty concrete as if he is waiting for something to happen and wondering where the old furniture went that he spent so many hours on napping. 4 ton air conditioning unit - now, if we can just figure out the new fangled thermostat.... New roof - good bye wood shake roof, hello shingles! (next to happen outside is a new, red front door!) Friday 8/20 we went to bed late,as usual,...looking forward to a busy Saturday when at 1:15 am, we awoke from our slumber to hear a loud CRASH! and to find the following.... An 'allegedly' drunk driver plowed in to the back of Wayne's car, which pushed it into my car, and then he continued on down the street, hitting our neighbor's 2 cars before jumping out of his car and running home to hide in his yard. Our other neighbor saw the guy take off and followed him in her car until the police showed up to arrest him. Now, this is a surreal thing to have happen during a deep sleep. Once we realized our cars had been hit by 'something,' as we could not see the other car, the only thought I had was, "The police are coming, I need to get out of my shorts and put on pants." If that isn't logical thinking, I don't know what is. Wayne's car is a total loss, which sucks as it is an older car, paid off and worth more to us than it is on paper. My newly paid off car will be fixed, thankfully and returned in a week or so. CRAZY! (Anyone know a good lawyer and a place to buy a good used car? I'm not kidding....) The next morning, Saturday, Grant had to be at an audition for Rainbow Company, so we had to rush around and get rentals set up, which ended up being easy, but a hassle nonetheless. CRAZY! Saturday - continued - for Grant's birthday, my parents gave him a crisp, new $100 dollar bill with strict instructions to use it to purchase a ticket to a show or a play or something 'theatrical' that he wanted to see. He chose LOVE at the Mirage. So, we decided to splurge and take the whole family to LOVE - the Beatles inspired Cirque du Soleil show at The Mirage. So, here we are, exhausted from no sleep, rushing Grant to his audition and then, trying to nap enough so we could go to the show that night.....CRAZY!! The LOVE marque Devin and Grant pose with THE BEATLES! (cool screen at entrance of the theatre) Inside the LOVE theatre. AMAZING. We have had the opportunity to see all the Vegas Cirque shows, except KA, and for me, LOVE is the most euphoric, natural high inducing, amazing show yet. I have always loved the Beatles' music and this show really does the music justice. If you can GO SEE LOVE! It will not disappoint - great for all ages. Wayne and Devin Grant and Janet at LOVE! Wayne and Janet near the Mirage pool. I worked at The Mirage for 10 years and loved it - lots of happy memories for me. Also, we stayed in a suite at the Mirage on our wedding night...so we always enjoy visiting. SUNDAY - August 26th GRANT CAST IN THE PLAY AND GOT THE PART HE REALLY WANTED! (I'll post the details later on....he is THRILLED!) Last, but not least, Monday August 27, 2007

BACK - TO - SCHOOL! (insert doom music and thunder claps) Grant - early morning seminary pre-breakfast and traditional "funny" shirt for the first day of school - 11th grade Bonanza High School. Devin is 'so happy' to be heading back to school. Note wonderfully beige uniform shirt for 8th grade at Garside Junior High.

Utah Shakespearian Festival

Boys in Cedar City Park - next to Hermies - home of the worlds best burger!

I have been meaning to post now for a few days (eh...a week) about the crazy week we are still recovering from, but because of the craziness...the blog had to wait. (see above post regarding craziness...Will Shakespeare deserved his own post!)

8/20/07 - Grant, Devin and I took off to Cedar City, Utah for the Shakespearian Festival - on Monday, we saw Twelth Night in the outdoor Adams Theatre. This is one of my most favorite summer activities. Long ago when I was about 10, my parents introduced me to Shakespeare in So. Utah, and I have been hooked ever since. It is fun to share this favoirte get away with my boys who enjoy it with me. Wayne had to work, so we had a mom and boys get away.

Grant remembering 12th Night

8/21/07 - saw a 2 pm showing of Lend Me a Tenor - which was exceptional and hysterical. This is a new version that the Festival wrote and hope to take to Boradway. We then saw an 8 pm showing of Candida by G.B. Shaw and it was so so - none of us really even enjoyed the play. This is also the day we met LaRae for lunch and chatting. (see previous post)

8/22/07 - saw Matchmaker at 2 pm - it was wonderful, as expected. This is the play that Hello Dolly! is based on...so it is a favorite of mine. Full belly laughter!

We headed home after this play .... we enjoyed our time in Cedar.

Here are a few pictures:

Nordine boy's Swordplay

Devin was chosen as part of the Greenshow - he was the "king of fools," talk about type casting!

"Best Donut Ever"

On the beautiful campus of Southern Utah University

Look Who I Found In Cedar City, UT!!

UPDATED Does this woman look familiar?

I was on a brief 3 day vacation in Cedar City with my boys last week and on the first evening there, was reading my e-mail through my cell phone when, low and behold, I received an e-mail from LaRae Hilton-Lemich. She had responded to an e-mail I shared about Pres. Faust's funeral. In her e-mail she said, "Did you know we moved to Cedar City last week?" Well, I sure did not know she moved and about fell down on the street of Cedar City when I realized, "HEY, I'm here, too!" So, I called Cedar City 411 and asked for any Lemich phone numbers, and, yep, I got the right number WITH an address text messaged to me. (Gotta love technology)

So, after going on and on about this exciting thing to my boys, who, by the way, got excited with me, I think as a courtesy. Next morning, Tuesday, I called LaRae, but she was not home at 9 am! "Where could she be?" I wondered. So, I called at 10 am...she had been out running - silly girl! So, we planned to meet at her new home and then go to lunch. They have moved to Cedar as her husband has "semi-retired" and they wanted to leave Wyoming. Their oldest is 21 and in college, their next boy is going on a mission soon, and the next one after that is heading to BYU. They have 2 more at home still. I had to laugh when she said they moved from "Wyoming to the 'big city' of Cedar"

It was so great to see her. I had not seen her since Grant was 3 and Devin was a baby - so it was fun to visit for a little while.

For me, LaRae represents a coming out of myself time in my life. A time when I needed a friend that I could trust and talk to. To me, LaRae was my best friend during my Junior year in High School and beyond. She accepted me even though I was so scared to be who I wanted to be - she just loved me anyway in spite of my flaws. I often wondered why she accepted me and was by best friend, but I know that God placed her in my life at that time to show me that someone of (what I perceived) her caliber could be a friend. After High School and when LaRae got married, we still stayed in touch. She wrote to me on my mission - even sent a cassette tape of her singing happy birthday to me, which if you recall, she has an excellent singing voice. We were in each other's weddings and then, over time, as is often the case, we sent Christmas cards, called on occasion...but never kept up really well. It is nice to know that even after 25 years, we can still see each other and have that spark of friendship one with another. I hope now that she is closer to Vegas that we might see each other sometimes.

There you have the full story. My kids kept saying to me, "What are the odds she would e-mail you when we were right her in the same town?" But I know, once again, God placed her in my life. I know why and I thank Him for being aware of my heart's needs.

AND, I thank LaRae for asking me if I am happy....perfect question.

PS - I am very happy.

Grant is Somewhere Over The Rainbow

http://www.rainbowcompany.info/index.html

The Rainbow Company is a children's theatre company here in Las Vegas that has been around for the past 30 years. Students who have studied acting here have gone on to receive college scholarships and enjoy success in the field. Every year the company has open auditions for their ensemble group. The competition is pretty serious and this year was no exception. They have a group of about 40 talented kids in the company and for this year's audition they had about 15 open spots to fill. Grant auditioned for plays and for the ensemble group last year, but was not chosen. This year, Devin decided to go and try out, too, just for fun and for the experience. There were about 60-70 hopefuls, and it took hours to complete the process. Grant did receive a call back with about 30 other kids. Devin, sadly did not, but he was happy for Grant.

The call was to come today "sometime after 1 pm...." well, about 2 pm, I thought to myself that the call would not be coming and went to have my favorite Sunday afternoon nap. Then, at about 3:15, the phone rang, waking me and Wayne from our slumber. I did not have my glasses on and could not see who it was, so I did not answer the phone. Grant did not recognize the name, and he did not answer as it had gotten so late in the day. Then, after the recorder picked the call up, Grant burst into our room and said, "I GOT IT!" After he started to breath again, he called the director back and got the official invitation. We could not be more happy for him. This is something that will help him hone his acting skills and really could help him get a college scholarship. We are so happy and excited for him. My only concern is the amount of time the Company will take. He has school, church, seminary, scouts, school clubs and oh yes, the very important budding social life to tend to, and adding Rainbow Company 2-3 nights per week will really test his ability to stay on top of life. I think he is up for the challenge and will really build a lifetime of memories through this experience.

As his parents, we are so proud of his accomplishment and his sticking with this even though he had felt rejection in the past. I know that I would not have had the gumption at his age to even try to get into such a prestigious acting company. This really is a big deal and I admire his desire to follow his dream!

YEA FOR GRANT!

My Anthem

Thanks to Judy.....I have found MIKA!!! I love, love, love this song and video! ENJOY

Funny, Funny, Funny (well, to me)

This Starbucks ad came to my inbox today.... I laughed out loud. Since I am 1 year away from being a therapist and I love Starbucks, and my friends always tell me they need me to "therapy-ize" them...I thought this was hysterical. Now, if I can only get these same friends to meet me at Starbucks, my ethical dilemma friends asking me for free therapy will be solved! (Being a friend's therapist is a big no-no to the Therapist Gods) Maybe no one else will find this fun, but for me and my brain, it was enjoyable!!