Look-alike?

The one on the right is not me! Ha

Ireland found that pic and asked Megan why I was on Pinterest. 

Megan called me with the same question, then texted me the pic. 

"Nope," I said.

"Are you sure?" she said.

Rob was convinced it was me and said the giveaway was my/her neck.

Even the back of her hand looks like my hand twin.

I showed Getty. He said, 

"But... how do you know it's not you?"

"Well first off, I don't have a sea-green collared shirt or those boots..."

He said, "Mom, I'm pretty sure it's you." 

Britt and Craig said:

 MK (aka Kunkihauna) said: 

This is my own less glamorous pic:

I guess I've found my stunt double. Think she'd be interested in
doing laundry by day and carpooling by night?

Composite

Yesterday Rob showed me a banner his company had manufactured of a female runner. She wore black leggings and a long-sleeved runner's jacket. In discussing the ad artwork, the designer mentioned that the photo of the runner's body was a composite of 8 other photos and another woman's backside.

Interesting, don't you think?

This Is My Life

(Thought I'd throw in one of my more attractive pics ;)
I remember that Sunday morning last year. It was one of my lowest. On top of nearing the dreaded one-year mark of Elle's death, I had gotten some bad news the day before that I was trying desperately to shake off. Oblivious to it all, Cy was having fun snapping pictures with my phone.


Ever since Elle died, I have wondered and even insisted on thinking along these lines: "But—this isn't my life! How could this be my life?"

The other night as I talked to a friend who had lost her little boy, I wondered at the strange state our lives are in. As I drove home, I asked myself, "Whose life am I living?"

And suddenly I knew.

I'm living the life of Elle's mom.






Elle is mine, and I am hers. Anything she endures must be endured by me, because we are eternally linked.

 [Elle's hospital stay with RSV at age 2]

And, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I actually felt my paradigm shift.


After nearly two years, I can finally claim this life as my own.

Mom's Advice

"And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours." —Doctrine and Covenants 78:18

"The scriptures counsel us to 'be of good cheer.' Don't think of it so much as a directive, but as good counsel for how to endure well. Being of good cheer will actually help you cope."

Just that morning, I had read, "Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid." [John 14:27] I was struck by the word "let." Don't allow your heart to be troubled. Worry and fear seem to be the defaults during hard times, so maybe the message is to be active in pushing back with faith and hope.

Instead of forcing myself to look at the harsher realities of life, maybe it's time now to be more gentle. I've always been one to delve into problems searching for understanding and solutions. I've figured it's best to confront the worst and thus diffuse it instead of letting it fester and magnify with neglect or escapism. But, I've realized that focusing too much on problems can backfire. Sometimes it's not necessary to dig so deep or for so long. It can be disheartening and cause undue focus on the worst of life. It can superimpose a negative filter on an otherwise happy, healthy life. It can warp my hope in and sense of the future.

"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." —Doctrine and Covenants 123:17

Thanks, Mom

Da Boyz

Getty got his Life award and made a point of pulling an awkward face for the photo. 

"When I get my Eagle, I'm burning this shirt!" (My dad would be so proud ;)

Pinewood Derby. Cam's car was Slugterra's "Tazerling." He got an award for 

most original. Rob gets an award for figuring out how to pull off that design 

with no such tools in the neighborhood.  

 The race was pretty fun, and I about fell off my chair watching Cam joyfully
skipping and leaping to and from the start gate. 

The overall winner got to wear the coveted pink helmet [back, center]. 

The boy next to him was thrilled with 2nd place, haha.

Rob decided to make Cy's dreams come true and took him to Jazz vs. Cavaliers. 

Cy even got to smack hands with his hero, Kyrie Irving!

Next up, Rob took Getty and Cole to Nitro Circus.

The maniacs who run this show took two people out of the audience, sat them down on the front of a BMX bike, sat a driver behind them, and the three of them took off down that 50 ft ramp, jumped a 45 ft gap and did a back flip with those two hanging on for dear life!

Pretty sure I would've been unconscious by the time we left the ramp.

"I'd rather go to Nitro Circus again than any NFL or NBA game—even the championship!!"

And that is why Rob is the hero around here.

"I barely even socialized!"

What every girl does for Christmas break? Shoot with the guys... 

80's Night downtown

Sledding with Besser

New Year's road trip to Vegas

Bree [right] flew in from her native Hawaii and met up with MK and friends in Vegas. After New Year's, she drove to Utah with them and stayed with us for a couple of days. She had never seen snow in her life. "It looks like there's shave ice everywhere!"

MK and Bree and 3 RM's. Sin city must be a shock.

Toward the end of her 3-plus week Christmas break, MK told me, "I barely even socialized!"

Let's see now... didn't you:

Have Hannah over within 30 minutes of your arrival to Utah and hang out with her and Tina
Have lunch with Maddy at Zupa's
Go shooting with Brady and Brody
Go shooting with Nick, Riley, Josh, and Beth
Play basement games and ping pong with Nick, Sara, Blake, Tyler, Josh, Riley, etc.
Go to Matt's cabin and watch "Insidious 2" with Cory, Steve, Matt, etc.
Play board games with Sara, Steve, and all those boys
Hang out with Sara several more times
Do crossfit with Maddy
Go sledding with Besser
Play video games at Mason's
Meet up with Maddy in Provo to approve of her new boyfriend
Spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Dad and I and all your brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandpa's, and granny
Go bowling with a bunch of high school friends
Play futsal with Besser several times
Celebrate Besser's birthday downtown w/ Courtney, Louie, Skylar, Brady, Brody, Besser, Bree
Meet all the new Utah recruits at BYU-H winter soccer camp
Drive to Vegas for New Year's and play on the Strip with six of your friends for three days
Have a couple more slumber parties with Bree
Go to Emma's wedding and Brooklyn's farewell
Play FIFA with Besser and his buddy til 4:30 a.m.

?

That, my friends, is MK's idea of socializing at a bare minimum.

I read this post to her over the phone before I published it, and this was her response:

"That's only like six things. I did not socialize a lot."

[me laughing]

"Well, I definitely did not do as much as I did last Christmas break."

I'll give her that ;)

Mia's Pref Day and Night

Asking to Pref for the sushi lover...

In keeping with the sushi theme, Mia got her answer...

Pre-day date photos in our graffiti room. 

See Rob's behind-the-back move? Of course his shot was good—that's just how he rolls. 

"Day" date at Classic skating from midnight to 2 a.m. 80's theme

The whole party

Preference Pre-dance pics

Dinner at Tucanos Brazilian Grill, the dance at UVU,
and then Hannah's after to watch "Iron Man."

"Pref was the most fun I've had in my entire life!!"