two down

We finished Emily's dress today. She was very patient. I started it right after finishing Nora's, but hit a frustrating snag in the petticoat and it sat, un-worked on for DAYS! Here is the lovely bride with Nora and Emily.



Speaking of N and E, they have played marvelously the last two afternoons - so nice. I poked my head into the family room today and found this:



Isaac, on the other hand, continues to be a wild man, trying my patience, strength, and Mommy love. He is EVERYWHERE and into EVERYTHING! I'm going to have to tie him up when I feed the baby or life will fall apart. He sure is cute though.

at least we can pretend it's autumn

Talking to Mumsy today, she mentioned it was downright chilly in Idaho; Dad even turned the heater on in the studio. Oh I long for cool weather. As Emily says, "I am tired of all this hotness!".

Despite the continuing triple digits (104 today), we persist in pretending it is Fall. We had play group at the park today, we are having soup at our "additional relief society meeting" tonight, etc, etc.

I do realize, of course, I am especially hot with baby girl growing away, but it would be nice to have some "coolness".

and more

Today we did bridal portraits at Brandt's and they went super well. We get to preview next Saturday. But for your viewing pleasure, here is Aunt Di all dressed up in the dressing room.

and you wonder why they call it GRAND

This photo was taken at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon; way over on the other side is the South Rim. On Saturday, Ryan and 5 friends hiked from the North to the South Rim. Here is a bit of data:
-5500 ft down over 14 miles to get to the Colorado River at the bottom
-45 minute lunch break
-Temperature at the bottom: 94 degrees - HOT for hiking (it was cooler the higher up the canyon walls they went
-4500 ft over 10 miles to get back up the other side
-That would be a total of 24 miles
-11+ hours of hiking

All the downhill at the beginning trashed Ryan's left hip (incidentally, the same hip that bothers me when pregnant), so he was hiking in pain for a lot of it, and learning empathy for his wife. His hip is feeling better now and muscle soreness is taking over. He and one of the guys were on the phone last night planning the next big adventure to motivate them to stay in shape. I think they are all a little crazy, but I am grateful Ryan and his friends motivate each other to stay healthy and I can't think of better people for my boy to hang out with (except me, of course, but I don't want to hike the G.C. in a day - ikk - having babies is my extreme sport and I take drugs for that).

dress #1

Weddings, weddings, weddings. We are up to our ears. The next project on the list: dresses for little girls, since they own nothing in red or purple, Diana and Nora look dreadful in black and it will be cool if not cold in November. Lastly, I just cannot resist a sewing project (in theory - sometimes the reality becomes daunting).

Anyhow, we finished Nora's dress yesterday. I say we because Nora is the big helper; she hands me pins. It is red velvet with an attached petticoat, full skirt, 3 rosettes on the neck and beading on the bodice - lots of firsts for me, but we made it. Hopefully Diana and Emily's will come together even more smoothly. Nora LOVES her dress.

I am taking a little sewing break for a few days. This weekend Ryan and some insane friends are hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim in ONE DAY - over 20 miles, crazy climbs, hot hot on the bottom etc, etc. I repeat, they are crazy, but it does provide a weekend to paint the kids' room since the kids can sleep in my room while he is gone. I think I will sleep on the couch. Farewell for now. Isaac just went down for a nap in my room, so Nora and I are going to wash the walls and tape.

indisputable

It is a fact, universally acknowledged (thank you Jane Austin) that within 15 minutes (usually less) of my putting in the last load of laundry, someone will have an "accident". At least our lives have structure and predictability.

On the wedding front, Di and I spent a bit of time last night working on wedding hair. Poor Ryan did not understand our behaviour in the least and Matt (the fiance on the cell phone) was whining he did not get to see. The top of the head up-do looked terrible, the to the side low chignon was very pretty but not accommodating to the veil which Di wants, so it looks like we will be going with the low, loose, centered chignon with jewels on the top and the veil on the bottom.

On a side note, I would kill for Aunt Di's hair. I don't think I've played with it since she was 8 and I was in charge of braids every day at the Hill Cumorah Pageant. Her hair is amazing - fine texture but lots of it, silky, obedient, takes curl like a dream, etc. . . Although, I want to strangle the stylist who razor cut Di's layers - so hard to do boingy curls (ringlets) on razored edges - grrrrrrrr.

happiness

Sorry for the general down tone of the last few posts. We are on elevated stress level here and I have allowed to to affect my attitude.

However, we have had good things happening too. The wedding dress alterations are almost complete. We altered the chiffon on the sleeves and took up all 3 layers of the hem. Thankfully, I was able to get my hem rolling foot to work - hiphiphooray! I am also scheduled to go fabric shopping this afternoon for little girl wedding party dresses. I like fabric shopping.




Also, for those wondering what I'm looking like these days - here you go. I am 33 weeks today. I think Emily took this picture.

the list

So, Brother Brigham and I have a bone of contention - you know, the "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." We try hard to be obedient but what does one do, when it all gets used up or worn out and one simply cannot do without all at the same time? Or in our case, we just GROW?? I think our biggest mistake was never registering for the stuff we really wanted because we already had OK stuff from single days, but as of right now, lots needs to be replaced. So, here is my list and reasons for needing it.

TOWELS - 10 bath and 6 hand
We have been living with Ryan's bachelor towels for 7 years and the hooded towels Grammy gave the kids. They have all passed into the smelly after one or two days stage - ikkkkkkola!

SILVERWARE - at least 12 of each piece
Again, living with Ryan's bachelor set, inherited from Grammy. We run out of forks almost every day and knives by the time we have made a PBJ and a few pieces of toast.

SHEETS - 2 new crib (2 or 3 of the current stash are ripped and have ripped through repairs)
2 new twin (for the second set of bunk beds coming on Thursday)
2 new waterproof mattress pads
4 new blankets so the very crowded room looks put together and a little thought out
(not to mention bunk beds themselves and mattresses)

FABRIC - 4 new dresses for Aunt Di's wedding, plus fabric to make the back of the actual wedding dress high enough, also fabric for a cape for the bride (she wants red)

CURLING IRON - small - mine is ancient and no longer grips. We need it for Sunday little girl hair and Aunt Di's wedding hair

PAINT - yellow (lemon souffle, to be precise) for the bedroom - pink just will not do for a co-educational bed room.

I am feeling OVERWHELMED!

weekend

On Saturday we had a fine downpour while I was grocery shopping - it wasn't long, but the streets were full of water, I got quite wet and it was altogether splendid. When I got home, this is how I found the girls! They were "freezing!" Whatever!!



Isobel's Princess Party was beyond anything imagined! Snow White, the REAL Snow White, mind you, was in attendance and taught them all sorts of princess things - WOW! We were at the temple when it started, so Jen got them dressed and beautiful before hand. It's a good thing Jen knows ALL about Princesses.



Since Friday and Saturday were pure party (the temple was great by the way), we did life on Monday. We went to our ghetto furniture store ACTION JACK's to see if they still have the bunk bed we bought 3 years ago in stock, since we need another set. They don't but he said he would order us one - bless the man. Then, we went to Home Depot to buy a ceiling fan and pick up paint chips to re-paint the pink room. We are going yellow since it looks like Isaac will be a long term resident.

Isaac was a BIG helper with the fan installation (although, I must say Uncle Ern gets the biggest helper award). The fan makes a huge difference - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh - cool air!

big change

Marie wanted to know what the big change in 8 weeks was. No, I'm not going to home school (I would DIE!!!!!); baby is due in 8 weeks, and we all know that new baby always changes things up a little.

little buddies

These two have become my little buds. I forgot how "easy" it is to handle two kids. I have two hands to hold when we go out, I have two sides where they can sit when we read, and two kids fit perfectly on the stool when they help me cook. We miss Diana and Emily when they are at school, but we are enjoying the time too. We will have to enjoy it while it lasts for in 8 weeks it will ALL change - dum dum DUUUUUUMMMMMMM (that's ominous music, if you were wondering).

whirlwind

As hurricane Jimena does it's thing in Baja, we are ramping up for our own whirlwind weekend. Tomorrow night "Uncle" Matt drives into town to spend a last weekend with Aunt Di; on Friday afternoon Grandma flies into town; on Saturday we, and the entire clan McKay, will take the Temple by storm for Aunt Di's endowment; after which Diana, Emily, and Nora will attend Isobel's Princess Academy birthday extravaganza, followed at 5 by a cousin party at Uncle Cam's! Sunday will be Sunday - need I say more and Monday I REALLY want to install a ceiling fan in the family room - I am SOOOO tired of being hot. Maybe Jimena will drop some rain on us this weekend to cool us all off.

Before all this, I have hopes and plans to dust and vacuum and do the pile of ironing on my drying rack (poor Ryan is out of shirts - not a word of complaint however from the good man). The bathrooms must be scrubbed and clean sheets put on beds.

It should be a great weekend. We are excited.