Only 7 Shows Left and My Love for the Empress.

Well I can't believe it, but we only have 7 shows left until Seven Brides for Seven Brothers ends. Ticket sales are going well and we have been enjoying playing to full houses. If you haven't seen us yet we'd love to have you join us! Go to http://www.empresstheatre.com/ and click on the buy tickets online link.

It really has been a fun show for all of us. It has been the most challenging show that I've ever done. I have learned a lot and have been humbled. I think I am gaining confidence as time goes by. It has been wonderful to have all of us involved. Wes does great in his part. One day I really hope he can enjoy a larger role. I think he is just getting better as time goes by.

The girls have smaller roles in the show but it is so cute to see them dancing on the stairs during the challenge dance. The other night Adelle said "I kicked so high I almost kicked the audience". I think our girls have a lot of maturity for their ages. We haven't had any problems with Adelle trying to talk to audience members or run off. She seems to have a pretty good grasp of what a play is all about. I hope all of this will be a good experience for them. I wish I had been exposed to theatre when I was their age.

Thank you to everyone who has come and seen the show. It is so wonderful to have people that we know there. Some of you have even come more than one and we can't thank you enough for your support! We really love the Empress Theatre and the full houses really helps them out in their goals and helps keep the theatre running. I would be so sad if it ever had to close its doors. I hope she will be around for a long time for many people to enjoy.

It is so neat when people greet the cast at the end of the night and they say "This is my first time at the Empress. I will come back and see another show for sure!". I want to thank all of the people who donate so much time, energy and money to making the theatre a success! Thank you!!! Some people have made great personal sacrifices and we will never be able to say thank you enough for everything that you do!

Summer Fun with my Girls

So Saturday I decided to have a summer fun day with my girls. I started the day of by going to the temple which helped put me in a wonderful mood. The girls and I then played at the park for a little while, came home and had lunch and then we made snow cones and enjoyed eating them on the porch. I then had a fun idea! I figured since you can use chalk on the sidewalk, why not water colors! It ended up being a really fun activity.

Lydia tracing her hand.
Adelle's "clues" (blue's clues) that she made on the sidewalk.

Ahhh.... I love summer!

Camping at Rock Cliff

On Tuesday we loaded up our car and headed up to the Rock Cliff campground. It is just East of the Jordanelle. We really had to LOAD up our car. I think the girls hardly had room to breath and I was just praying that our trunk wouldn't pop open. Of course we had the canoe on the top of the car too. You can see why they call it Rock Cliff. This was our view from the campground.

When we got there it was too late to do too many activities so we set up our site and started dinner.

We cooked all of our dinners over the camp fire. These hobo dinners were super easy. We used hamburger patties and tater tots instead of the traditional meat and potatos. It made the cooking process so much quicker.
After dinner we enjoyed marvelous SMORES! I don't know if there is anything better than yummy smores around a campfire.
Lydia with her sticky smile!

I love Wes' face here! Priceless! There were a lot of animals were we stayed. I have never seen so many wild animals in my life in such a short period of time. We saw three deer, a beaver, potguts, chipmunks, hummingbirds, swallows, and two raccoons.
This little raccoon was quite a menace to us. He is very cute, but very mischievous. The ranger warned us before we came up that we would need to put our food in totes and secure them with cords so the raccoons wouldn't get into them. No problem we thought.
The first night we were there Wes and I were peacefully sleeping when we suddenly hear this really loud noise. It was 2:00 AM! This little baby raccoon had decided that he wanted our food so badly that he pushed it off the bench onto the concrete pad. I don't know if he was hoping to break it open. Well you would think that such a loud noise would scare him away, but no, he just kept hanging around trying to scratch his way into our food. He would get pretty close to us as well. We ended up having to drive our car up to our site, which is completely against the rules and loading up all of the food totes so we could sleep. After everything was put in the car we could hear something roaming around Wes' side of the tent. It was a little creepy. This little guy ended up being a little bit of a nuisance the whole time. Wes ending up pushing him away with his foot which seemed to frighten this little creature, but we sill found him roaming around even in the broad daylight.


Our first night there we explored the site and went on a walk.

The camp was located right near the Jordanelle. I really like this picture that Wes took of the girls and I.

That first night we even stayed up a little late to look at all of the stars. We even saw a few satellites and one shooting star. We all made a wish!
The second day we went canoeing and fishing on the Jordanelle for a few hours during the heat of the day. We even bought some worms at a little local store. Putting worms on a hook is a very interesting experience. I actually felt a little bad for the worms. Perhaps it is because I have always liked bugs. They actually tense up and start thrashing about when you stick them. I'm sure you've always want to know that!
We unfortunately didn't catch a thing! Lydia says she got a few bites, but I am not sure about that. Maybe it is a good thing that we didn't catch anything because we just would have had to gut the fish too. You know though, I have always wanted to try really FRESH fish. Maybe someday! At least we had some great views on the lake.
Even though we didn't have any luck fishing on the lake we thought we might try to do a little bit of fishing in the Provo river with lures. The river was probably too shallow and when we were casting we ended up catching some interesting things. My line got stock under a rock, in a buried stick and I cast once and caught the bridge. Yes that is right...a bridge!! Lydia helped unhook me. Lydia and Wes also caught the other side of the shore. Aren't we fancy fishers!
Thank heavens that Wes knew how to quickly get our poles ready to go again.

We decided to come home a day early so we wouldn't be too tired to do the show on Friday night. I think it was a really good decision. Lydia actually woke up at 2:00 AM on our last night (it appears to be our witching hour) and she was was very sick. She was throwing up. We got things cleaned up and went back to bed. The next morning we had to lug stuff all the way to the parking lot to get our car loaded up. The campsite doesn't allow you to drive to your site. Instead you are allowed to use carts to transport your things. There was a cart available when we arrived, but we never saw a single cart the whole rest of our stay. It made us pretty tired.

What is it about camping that can wear you out so much? It is great to be in nature, but nature can sure take a beating out of you. We were great food to the mosquitos and at times we still find ourselves itching. We even used bug spray. I also ended up being really allergic to something there and my nose was just sneezing and running like crazy.

Despite everything, I am glad that we went. It is something we will always have to remember and besides it just helped me appreciate home even more!

Grandpa Gandy's Birthday Party!

Saturday, July 19th we headed over to my Dad's house to celebrate his birthday! He shipped in crabs all the way from Maryland. There is nothing like crab from the coast. We had a lot of fun eating and visiting with one another. Dad and Julie steaming the crabs and cooking up some really yummy corn on the cob.
They prepared quite a spread for everyone! They are great hosts!
Here is Dad showing Phil how to clean a crab and get to the meat!

Wes and Adelle enjoying their yummy meals. Adelle had Wes and I share our crab meat with her. It is a lot of work to get that meat out. I hope she appreciated it.

Lydia ventured out this year and decided to get her own crab meat out! Way to go! She said that her lips burned because the crabs were all covered in "Old Bay" seasoning. That is how they come shipped.

Sarah and Matt. Don't you hate it when you are blinking in a picture. Sorry Matt!
Grandma Julie with her sweet little Cedric. She just loves him so much. Sarah and Matt should be proud of this little guy. He is quite the cutie.
I decided to help out and do the dishes. I roped Sarah into helping me a bit. Here she is harassing me! Isn't that what big sisters are for? I think Grandma Walter is wondering what in heavens name we are doing.

We had such a wonderful time with the family! Dad I hope your day was great! We love you!

Real Random Thoughts - Our Connections to Music

Have you ever noticed how as human beings we can connect certain memories or ideas with a certain song? I was listening to Pandora Radio today and a song by Aimee Mann came onto the radio. Immediately when I heard the song I was flooded with so many memories of working at Weisman Design Group in Seattle. Aimee Mann was a personal favorite of Jennifer Martinez, one of my co-workers. Our office actually had a sound system and we were allowed to put on what we wanted. Jen loved to put on Aimee Mann A LOT!

I can suddenly see the unique office and all of its quirky inhabitants. I was always asked to go on Starbuck coffee runs, even though of course I never drank coffee. I would usually end up getting myself some “organic” juice which tasted horrible, but come on, the boss was paying. I was once asked to go on a beer run on a Friday afternoon. Now that was weird! Here I am in some little grocery store with bottles of expensive beer having to show my ID.

I don’t think I will ever see an office like that again. One of the partners brought his dog everyday (a rescued greyhound) who would hang around the office. She was quite sweet. She actually had to have her leg amputated due to an accident and you would hear Cleo hopping down the stairs. Shoes were often optional. There was a dishwasher in our little break area and a cupboard full of dishes. I always wondered who would do the dishes. One of the partners would send me work to do on a little string that was rigged from the upper floor.

My cork board by my desk was covered in pictures including ones of Wes. We were dating and I loved the pictures we had taken at the Japanese Garden. We ended up eloping while I was living in Seattle. I even came into the office the day I got married wearing my wedding dress so I could pick up my paycheck. My coworkers decided to attack my car with lipstick phrases.

It is amazing to me that our brain can take a song and attach so many memories and emotions to it. Maybe that is why I love music so much. You can feel it. If it is a really good song it can evoke feelings that are almost indescribable. I love music with beautiful harmonies and movements. I seem to gravitate a lot to minor chords. I am not sure why. Even the songs that I have written are usually just packed with Minor Chords. The only way I have ever been able to write a song though is on the spot. It just comes to me, usually at times when I am emotionally charged.

I came up “Candy Hill” when my family was really going through some upheavals and life just seemed upside down. I was driving in my 1980 Datson Car. I think I had just finished rehearsal for Fiddler on the Roof at High School and I just began singing in the car after I dropped one of my friends off.

I created “Wes’ song” when we were dating. We where hanging out in my apartment and I was just so overcome with my love for him. I rarely got to see him with it being a long distance relationship. I made the song up right there while I was looking at him. You know that is probably the last song I have made, well except of my really silly songs that I make once in a while.

I really need to try to “create” once in a while. Sometimes I get into my routines and I forget that humans have been given the ability to create beautiful things. We can create something all our own. Something that no one has ever heard or seen before.

Perhaps we all need awakenings in our lives once in awhile. Something to jolt our souls and remind us how uniquely wonderful each one of is. We don’t need the world to tell us who we are. We need to find it out for ourselves without fear or regret.

New Addition to the Family

So I have been hankering these past few days for a vacation. I just wanted a little get away of some sort. We like camping, but we also like showers so we really didn't want to go camping unless we had access to showers. I remembered a girls camp that I had attended 3 years ago and remembered that they had showers. It is the Rock Creek Campground near the Jordanelle Reservoir. Wes and I discussed it and we decided that it would be a lot of fun to go camping next week. The Jordanelle is also one of Wes' favorite places to go nearby because he likes to rent a boat and zoom around on the water.

Well thinking of camping by the Jordanelle got us discussing canoes. We did some research and found out that a new canoe for our family really is quite affordable. Who would have guessed. We had looked at the KSL classifieds and they actually were about the same price or even more expensive. So Wes and the girls went down to Dick's Sporting Goods Store and picked up this Pelican Colorado Family Canoe.

Isn't she a beauty!! We are boat people. When I started dating Wes he was building a LARGE sailboat from scratch. It didn't get finished though because when we got married our funds were pretty much gone. One of our favorite dates was paddling a little dingy around Seattle. We also really enjoyed Johnson's Mill Bed and Breakfast for one of our anniversaries because it had a pond and little boats you could use.

The boat is 15 feet 6 inches long and weighs 76 pounds. We don't have a way to tow a canoe or a rack on top of our car, but we researched the problem before we bought the boat and found out that you can mount the boat safely on your car with special foam blocks and rigging.

This is what it looks like secure and ready to go on the top of our car. Honestly I think it looks a little funny, but amazingly it is super secure. We figured we better test our girl so we decided to take her out onto the Great Salt Lake. I know what you are thinking "The stinky Great Salt Lake". Yes, we took her there where the air is salty and the brine flies are PLENTIFUL. It was great practice though and besides it was fun.

We got practice securing the boat, taking her back down and then securing it back up on the car again. Actually it is pretty quick and easy. It is heavy though. 76 pounds is nothing to sneeze at! I am a tough girl though right? Right? Anyway, I was able to help carry the boat to the dock and heave it back onto the top of the car.

Wes bought the basic life jackets for everyone that are United States Coast Guard Approved. Here are the girls ready to go onto the boat. You know what is hilarious? The girls actually cleaned the kitchen and the living room before I got home from work because they thought I would be more likely to say yes to us going to the lake tonight. I can't complain. I love a clean house.
So once we got ourselves shoved off of the concrete dock we paddled out into the lake. We had to get used to working our paddles and turning ourselves the right way. I seemed to have the most control over direction. Perhaps it was because I was sitting at the rear of the boat. Boy, the water is salty though! My legs are now crusted with salt crystals.

It was a lot of fun though! It is also a lot of exercise. I just may have some pretty strong arms before the summer is up!

I thought this was a cute picture! Adelle with her Daddy! We couldn't be more excited for our new addition!

So we will be camping at the Jordanelle Rock Creek Campground next Tuesday until Friday Morning. I am really looking forward to it. We have decided to try another new hobby as well. Fishing! I know, what has come over us? Wes and the girls picked up fishing poles, bait, and a fillet knife. The ranger at the campground said that the fishing up there is really good right now. Who knows if we will really catch anything. Wes says there is an Oates' curse when it comes to fishing and he thinks it is highly unlikely that we will catch anything. I, on the other hand, am more optimistic. I think I am going to have to research how to gut a fish though. Ewwww! I can do it though right? I'm a tough girl! Fresh fish does sound super good. Perhaps we will have good luck! Besides when we went Crab Fishing in Oregon we caught A LOT of crab!

Our new canoe actually has rod holders! Woo Hoo! Our campsite has a dock just for canoes that puts you into the Provo river which then takes you into the Jordanelle. Hopefully it isn't too far. My arms are already a little sore from our little adventure. Exercise is good though!

We will be tenting it, enjoying campfires, smores, canoeing, fishing and the great outdoors! I can't wait!!!!

Opening Night!

So the Empress is stating that last night was the strongest opening that they have ever had! The show actually sold out and we got a standing ovation! I couldn't believe it! The audience was so receptive and giving. They laughed so much and cheered so freely. It really brought a wonderful energy into the show! There has also been some talk about adding some Thursday Night Performances. Wonderful, Wonderful Day!
The brothers all spiffed up and ready for the social.
Sobbin' Women!
The Mass Wedding at the end of the show.

It actually has been a very humbling experience and I am really enjoying being in the show! I am so glad my family is in the show with me as well. We are still trying to work out with Adelle no to go places she shouldn't, but I think she will get it as time goes by. Wes' grandmother, Aunt and Cousin were there last night as well as some of our neighbors. It was great to talk to them after the show was over. It is a pretty fast paced show and everything goes by quickly. It will be fun to do it again tonight!

It is great to have Lydia back from Mill Hollow! She was pretty worn out when she came home, but she said she had a great time. She took her camera, but she forgot to take pictures. Cute girl!

Well everyone take care!