Labor Day weekend was a busy one. Usually I don't have so much go on, but I guess this weekend was special.
Saturday was my 28th birthday. Eric made me a great breakfast and presented me with a couple of lovely gifts. Like last year, my mom took me out to afternoon tea. When we finished with that I stayed at her house to continue working on the baby's blessing dress.
Sunday was the baby's blessing. I was actually more excited for that than for my birthday. We had several people come for the meeting and stay through to come to lunch at my parents' house. Ours is way too small.
Monday was supposed to just be a relaxed day with nothing planned other than a trip to the store to get a few things. My parents invited us to a barbecue at their house with my brother and his wife, as well as my grandparents. I love invitations to things that mean I don't have to cook. We brought the Wii with us and that went over well. The best part of the evening was when my 70-some-year-old grandma declare she and grandpa were going to "go home and make love." She was completely oblivious to the meaning, but the rest of us were not. Grandpa turned a gorgeous shade of scarlet before Grandma caught on.
Grandma is the inspiration for this week's video, the difference being she needs to be careful how she uses her English.
Showing posts with label family togetherness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family togetherness. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
My Little Bro's Wedding
Thursday was the big day. All my plans for the last couple of weeks have revolved around my brother Andrew's wedding. Now that it's over I still feel a little brain dead. It was a wonderful day. I don't think I've ever had that much to laugh about at somebody else's wedding.
Everything in the temple was, of course, beautiful and wonderful. Our laughs came in with the game of Musical Chairs for the mothers. My mom took a seat next to the couch the bride and groom sit on before the sealing. Then someone thought she was supposed to sit on the other side of the couch, so she switched. Charlotte's mom came in and was directed to a seat on the couch. Everyone thought that was strange, didn't say anything. She finally concluded that she was supposed to be in a chair on the other side of the couch and moved there. Eric and I thought back to when we were married there and remembered the seating arrangement (not that it matters) was different when we were there. Then the bride and groom came in and were directed to specific sides of the couch and the mothers had to change seats again so they were sitting by their child. Everyone got a pretty good laugh out of all the arranging.
The sealer did a great job (as they all do) and gave wonderful advice. It was fantastic to see my little brother looking so happy and so ready to be married. I never thought I'd see the day. After the ceremony was over we all went downstairs into the waiting room. We were supposed to go to the foyer to keep the inside of the temple as reverent as possible, but Eric and I were the first ones out and wanted to go out with people we knew. We didn't quite make it to the foyer and all the rest of my family just stayed there, too. Oops. We finally did make it out to the foyer after we waited for what seemed an eternity. Out in the foyer we met up with others from my family that had followed instructions. I ended up talking to my aunt Jan while Eric talked to my older brother and Andrew's friend, Chris. After waiting for a second eternity I saw Charlotte's mom come out the doors with the bouquet. I walked over to my husband and put my hand on his back while I said we should go outside to be ready to take pictures. Then I looked up and saw that the man whose back I was caressing was not my husband, but my brother's friend. I don't think red adequately describes the color of my face.
Outside the temple it was windy and cold. It wasn't as windy as my wedding day (see slide show at right), but it was much colder.
Pictures were taken through chattering teeth and skirts were tamed as much as possible. There weren't a lot of group shots before people were mercifully allowed to get into their warm cars. Once again, the mistake about my husband's identity was made, but at least this time it was the photographer who made the faux pas.
On the way off the temple grounds my mom gave me some quick instruction on what to do with the meat for the luncheon. We had planned on buying a wedding present for the happy couple, but that had to be put off. I didn't take any pictures at the luncheon, but we all had a great time eating, talking, eating, listening to cute stories, eating, watching the slide show, and eating. I cried more than I had planned, but less than I had feared. My husband and my not-husband were also both there and it irked me how careful I had to be that I only cuddled with the real husband. They thought it was hilarious. At the luncheon I also found out that both my aunt Elizabeth and my grandmother had been previously unaware that I'm pregnant. I thought my parents had told them weeks ago. Boy, am I in the dog house.
After the wedding we went home to take a much-needed nap. However, two boxes of Usborne books had arrived on my doorstep and I couldn't resist going through them. Once I did that I changed out of my clothes to take a nap. In a stroke of brilliance I decided to call and find out when we were wanted at the church for pictures before the reception. I had to leave a message on my dad's phone. I then laid down and the phone immediately rang. We were to be there at 5:30. I looked at my watch and saw that it said 5:30. Grumble.
I changed into my reception clothes and we went over to the church for pictures. The one thing Andrew had time to ask me before being dragged away was how Eric and I had made it through our own wedding day without dying of fatigue. We didn't have a luncheon and got married at 3 in the afternoon, that's how. When pictures started my husband was once again mistaken for someone else. This time a friend of the bride's father thought he was Andrew's brother. It happened again later that evening with someone else.
The remainder of the evening was spent sitting on my duff at one of the tables. I was sooo glad I didn't have to stand in that wretched line. Doing it once as the bride was quite enough. However, our table seemed to be the hot spot for guests, so I decided that was my contribution to the line. Usually those table have eight chairs around them. I think we were up to 12 or so at one point, along with other people standing around it. I've never felt so popular.
As a dutiful sister I stayed until the reception was over. At that point I pulled the pregnancy card and went home rather than help clean up. The fact that I was ready to die from tiredness salved my conscience. However, that didn't put a stop to the fun. At the close of the evening, when my parents finally had a chance to get off his feet and sit with us, some old lady came up to talk to us. I missed the first part of the conversation she had with my mom, but when she was done she came to talk to us. She smiled at us, congratulated us, and said, "It's been hard up to this point but it will be easier from now on." Then she gave me a hug, kissed me on the forehead, and thanked me for inviting her. I told her it was a pleasure to have her and we all waited until she was out of earshot before we started giggling. At least my bulging belly (which was the tip-off for another relative who didn't know I'm pregnant) was concealed under the table. That could have been awkward.
Everything in the temple was, of course, beautiful and wonderful. Our laughs came in with the game of Musical Chairs for the mothers. My mom took a seat next to the couch the bride and groom sit on before the sealing. Then someone thought she was supposed to sit on the other side of the couch, so she switched. Charlotte's mom came in and was directed to a seat on the couch. Everyone thought that was strange, didn't say anything. She finally concluded that she was supposed to be in a chair on the other side of the couch and moved there. Eric and I thought back to when we were married there and remembered the seating arrangement (not that it matters) was different when we were there. Then the bride and groom came in and were directed to specific sides of the couch and the mothers had to change seats again so they were sitting by their child. Everyone got a pretty good laugh out of all the arranging.
The sealer did a great job (as they all do) and gave wonderful advice. It was fantastic to see my little brother looking so happy and so ready to be married. I never thought I'd see the day. After the ceremony was over we all went downstairs into the waiting room. We were supposed to go to the foyer to keep the inside of the temple as reverent as possible, but Eric and I were the first ones out and wanted to go out with people we knew. We didn't quite make it to the foyer and all the rest of my family just stayed there, too. Oops. We finally did make it out to the foyer after we waited for what seemed an eternity. Out in the foyer we met up with others from my family that had followed instructions. I ended up talking to my aunt Jan while Eric talked to my older brother and Andrew's friend, Chris. After waiting for a second eternity I saw Charlotte's mom come out the doors with the bouquet. I walked over to my husband and put my hand on his back while I said we should go outside to be ready to take pictures. Then I looked up and saw that the man whose back I was caressing was not my husband, but my brother's friend. I don't think red adequately describes the color of my face.
Outside the temple it was windy and cold. It wasn't as windy as my wedding day (see slide show at right), but it was much colder.
Pictures were taken through chattering teeth and skirts were tamed as much as possible. There weren't a lot of group shots before people were mercifully allowed to get into their warm cars. Once again, the mistake about my husband's identity was made, but at least this time it was the photographer who made the faux pas.On the way off the temple grounds my mom gave me some quick instruction on what to do with the meat for the luncheon. We had planned on buying a wedding present for the happy couple, but that had to be put off. I didn't take any pictures at the luncheon, but we all had a great time eating, talking, eating, listening to cute stories, eating, watching the slide show, and eating. I cried more than I had planned, but less than I had feared. My husband and my not-husband were also both there and it irked me how careful I had to be that I only cuddled with the real husband. They thought it was hilarious. At the luncheon I also found out that both my aunt Elizabeth and my grandmother had been previously unaware that I'm pregnant. I thought my parents had told them weeks ago. Boy, am I in the dog house.
After the wedding we went home to take a much-needed nap. However, two boxes of Usborne books had arrived on my doorstep and I couldn't resist going through them. Once I did that I changed out of my clothes to take a nap. In a stroke of brilliance I decided to call and find out when we were wanted at the church for pictures before the reception. I had to leave a message on my dad's phone. I then laid down and the phone immediately rang. We were to be there at 5:30. I looked at my watch and saw that it said 5:30. Grumble.
I changed into my reception clothes and we went over to the church for pictures. The one thing Andrew had time to ask me before being dragged away was how Eric and I had made it through our own wedding day without dying of fatigue. We didn't have a luncheon and got married at 3 in the afternoon, that's how. When pictures started my husband was once again mistaken for someone else. This time a friend of the bride's father thought he was Andrew's brother. It happened again later that evening with someone else.
The remainder of the evening was spent sitting on my duff at one of the tables. I was sooo glad I didn't have to stand in that wretched line. Doing it once as the bride was quite enough. However, our table seemed to be the hot spot for guests, so I decided that was my contribution to the line. Usually those table have eight chairs around them. I think we were up to 12 or so at one point, along with other people standing around it. I've never felt so popular.
As a dutiful sister I stayed until the reception was over. At that point I pulled the pregnancy card and went home rather than help clean up. The fact that I was ready to die from tiredness salved my conscience. However, that didn't put a stop to the fun. At the close of the evening, when my parents finally had a chance to get off his feet and sit with us, some old lady came up to talk to us. I missed the first part of the conversation she had with my mom, but when she was done she came to talk to us. She smiled at us, congratulated us, and said, "It's been hard up to this point but it will be easier from now on." Then she gave me a hug, kissed me on the forehead, and thanked me for inviting her. I told her it was a pleasure to have her and we all waited until she was out of earshot before we started giggling. At least my bulging belly (which was the tip-off for another relative who didn't know I'm pregnant) was concealed under the table. That could have been awkward.
Congratulations, Andrew and Charlotte. We love you.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Bridal Shower
My brother is getting married in exactly one week. About 10-14 days ago my mom and I realized that we had not put together a shower for my future sister-in-law. Oops. So she assigned me to find a date, guest list, and things to do at the shower. We decided on a tea party idea, much the same as a shower my mom gave a month or two ago. Then I forgot for a while to ask the bride-to-be what day worked for her. Oops. Last Wednesday I called to ask about a for sure date and emailed all my family that I have in my address book to tell them to reserve the date. I also bought invitations and worked on getting addresses for them the next day. Then I forgot to mail them. For two days. Oops. I chalk everything up to pregnesia and hope people forgive me for my loss of brain power. So the invitations finally got into the mail on either Friday or Saturday. Most of the guests received the invites on Monday, but some didn't get them until the day before the event. However, the turnout was about what I expected and everything went over well. We had loaned our camera, so I didn't have anything to take pictures with. I knew my aunt Jan would have a camera, so I didn't sweat it. Thankfully she did. She'll email them to me and I'll post a couple of pictures for everyone to see.
It's a good thing there were other people involved in this other than me. Aside from the responsibilities already mentioned, it was also my job to pick up the tea packs, choose any activities, and help with other menu items. My friend Carrie offered to make a cake and sent me a list of romantic (mostly) quotes from movies to use as a game. Mom and I spent about 90 seconds deciding on a menu for the shower. I then assigned my aunt Chris to bring fruit and dip for it, while my mom took over making the English scones and the spreads for them. She also bought sugar cubes to put in the tea and cleaned and prepared her house for guests. All I ended up doing was delivering the beautiful cake to my parent's house, then going home to pick up the tea and the game. But, of course, I forgot the game. Oops. Thankfully, we live in a digital age and Eric was able to email it to me so I could print it at my parents' house. I also got prizes for the winners from the girl section of the store I work at and those went over well. I did act as the emcee, but that's not too hard. My mom had to leave early to go to a choir practice (she plays the piano and couldn't get out of it) and arrived back just as the last of the guests were leaving.
Anyway, things actually turned out quite nicely and a good time was had by all. Everyone was able to get to know Charlotte a little bit better and everyone liked the tea party. Even my Granny enjoyed herself and the chance to get out of the house. Charlotte got good stuff and that batch of ladies always have a great time chatting. So it really was a success even though party preparation is sort of beyond me. We all had fun and got to welcome Charlotte to the family. Now there's just one more party and all the wedding craziness will be behind us. It's a good thing that all I'm in charge of for the luncheon is showing up the day before and doing what my mom tells me. I have 27 years of experience in that arena and feel quite competent.
It's a good thing there were other people involved in this other than me. Aside from the responsibilities already mentioned, it was also my job to pick up the tea packs, choose any activities, and help with other menu items. My friend Carrie offered to make a cake and sent me a list of romantic (mostly) quotes from movies to use as a game. Mom and I spent about 90 seconds deciding on a menu for the shower. I then assigned my aunt Chris to bring fruit and dip for it, while my mom took over making the English scones and the spreads for them. She also bought sugar cubes to put in the tea and cleaned and prepared her house for guests. All I ended up doing was delivering the beautiful cake to my parent's house, then going home to pick up the tea and the game. But, of course, I forgot the game. Oops. Thankfully, we live in a digital age and Eric was able to email it to me so I could print it at my parents' house. I also got prizes for the winners from the girl section of the store I work at and those went over well. I did act as the emcee, but that's not too hard. My mom had to leave early to go to a choir practice (she plays the piano and couldn't get out of it) and arrived back just as the last of the guests were leaving.
Anyway, things actually turned out quite nicely and a good time was had by all. Everyone was able to get to know Charlotte a little bit better and everyone liked the tea party. Even my Granny enjoyed herself and the chance to get out of the house. Charlotte got good stuff and that batch of ladies always have a great time chatting. So it really was a success even though party preparation is sort of beyond me. We all had fun and got to welcome Charlotte to the family. Now there's just one more party and all the wedding craziness will be behind us. It's a good thing that all I'm in charge of for the luncheon is showing up the day before and doing what my mom tells me. I have 27 years of experience in that arena and feel quite competent.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thanksgiving Thankfulness
Well, it ran for almost a full week with us, but Thanksgiving has come to an end. On Sunday we spent the evening with Parental Set 1 and had a lovely dinner of chicken cordon bleu. It was great to chat with them and hear Eric's grandma talk about how curly Aaron's (Eric's brother) hair is.
Aren't we cute?
Thanksgiving with Parental Set 2 was on Thursday. We had all the traditional things except dark meat and were treated to a show by the cat. Halfway through dinner Amber (Eric's sister) called out sharply to the cat. I was the only one confused about what evil the cat could be doing in the middle of dinner and turned around. The cat was preparing to evacuate her bowels on the rug. I didn't take a picture of that. Then she followed feline instinct by trying to kick pieces of rug over the top of it. The litter box gives much better burying results than the rug. We also took our Wii and enjoyed playing, as well as watching others play. The video is dark, but you get the idea.
Parental Set 3 got two very brief visits (we're making it up to them on Sunday) on Thursday and Friday. We went to Enchanted together and had a lot of fun. It was predictable, but it is a fairy tale. I enjoyed the clean-up song that included choreography by pigeons, rats and cockroaches. The words were a little difficult to make out, but I did catch the line about "even though you're vermin". I laughed at that.Thanksgiving would not be complete without a list of some of the things I'm thankful for. I will list them in no particular order.
1. I am thankful for my loving and supportive husband, family and friends. Without them the last 7 months would have been impossible to bear.
2. I am thankful Monday nights on NBC. Chuck, Heroes, and Journeyman play all in a row and it's a wonderful thing.
3. I am thankful for a testimony of the gospel that makes my life complete and joyful.
4. I am thankful for Ann Taylor Loft sale prices. They allow me to buy pants I love at reasonable prices.
5. I am thankful for a job that is basically low stress and that I don't have to take home with me. Teaching didn't allow that.
6. I am thankful for European chocolate.
7. I am thankful for the necessities of life and that we have the means to provide them for ourselves.
8. I am thankful to be slowly but surely losing weight. Slowly means one pound every two to three weeks, but at least it's coming off.
9. I am thankful for Danskos. And for employee discounts.
10. I am thankful for hot showers, especially on cold mornings. What I'm not so thankful for is stepping into the cold air in the bathroom after the hot shower.
As a final send-off for this post, I have been thinking that Eric and I have not properly documented our married life. We have wedding pictures, then pictures from our cruise, 3 years after we were married and when we were both looking particularly fat. So, here is a picture of our first (photographically documented) Thanksgiving together.
Aren't we cute?Sunday, November 04, 2007
Catch Up
The week has been busy. Marathon training took us to 20 min jogging, 5 fast walking, then repeat that set once. It was a killer, but after completing it on all four days I feel strong. Next week will be easier, as it is jogging for 25 minutes and not having to repeat it. 
Wednesday was, of course, Halloween and all the guys at work keep bugging me to show them photos of the costumes I made for myself and Eric. We went as Aragorn and Arwen from Lord of the Rings. Eric is especially pleased with his cloak.
My dress was a nightmare to make because the fabric did weird things to the size. I also thought I was fatter than I really was when I was making it. My picture is an attempt to look melancholy, as Arwen is starting to die when she's wearing this dress. The effect is closer to confused, but trying not to let anyone know. I guess I just wasn't meant to be an actress.
My sister in law, Amber, is a Halloween baby, so we did her birthday more than we did Halloween. I thought my birthday had been done really well, so I recreated part of it
with my mother in law, Stephanie. We went to the Salt Lake temple and did a session before heading to the Grand America Hotel for afternoon tea. We had a little extra time and went to Modern Display. The goal was not to buy anything, but Stephanie ended up buying all of us wassail mix and a witch doll for Amber's next birthday (it's a tradition). We enjoyed the tea, although I was sad there was no opera cake this time. We ended our afternoon with me taking a couple of bad pictures. Thanks to the magic of Picasa, they don't look as bad as they did.
Saturday was a big day for my extended family, meaning that Eric had to be at drill. I got a fantastic deal on a dress from the Ann Taylor Loft website that I was determined to wear, so my mom took me shopping to find a shirt to go under it. It didn't look so low cut in the picture, but it certainly was on me. It also goes down to mid calf at the hem. I chose one I thought would be okay and, surprisingly, it turned out really well.
The occasion was a combination baptism/mission farewell/birthday. My cousin, Benson, and second cousin, Dillon, were baptized, my cousin, Anna, had a birthday, and my grandparents will be leaving on a mission on Monday. My dad has been taking family pictures for my grandparents to take with them to Mexico and Saturday was my family's turn. Eric will have to be Photoshopped in. 
Hyrum baptized Benson and Grandpa baptized Dillon. Then we all went over to Carolyn and Hyrum's house for lunch and enjoyed a good visiting time. My grandparents forgot their camera, so I got to take pictures. I have nefarious reasons for keeping my camera in my purse at all times. It all worked out so that they have a disc of pictures they can develop and give to whoever they choose. They will be going to the MTC to prepare for mission number five. This time it is to the Mexico Merida temple. They were set to go the first week in December but, surprise(!), they were asked a week or two ago to leave a month early. So they are. I think that about covers everything. Now I can get ready for Stake Conference. It's at the tabernacle and, because Eric is at drill, I get to walk. Hopefully it's cool enough outside that I won't be sweaty when I get there.
Wednesday was, of course, Halloween and all the guys at work keep bugging me to show them photos of the costumes I made for myself and Eric. We went as Aragorn and Arwen from Lord of the Rings. Eric is especially pleased with his cloak.
My dress was a nightmare to make because the fabric did weird things to the size. I also thought I was fatter than I really was when I was making it. My picture is an attempt to look melancholy, as Arwen is starting to die when she's wearing this dress. The effect is closer to confused, but trying not to let anyone know. I guess I just wasn't meant to be an actress.My sister in law, Amber, is a Halloween baby, so we did her birthday more than we did Halloween. I thought my birthday had been done really well, so I recreated part of it
with my mother in law, Stephanie. We went to the Salt Lake temple and did a session before heading to the Grand America Hotel for afternoon tea. We had a little extra time and went to Modern Display. The goal was not to buy anything, but Stephanie ended up buying all of us wassail mix and a witch doll for Amber's next birthday (it's a tradition). We enjoyed the tea, although I was sad there was no opera cake this time. We ended our afternoon with me taking a couple of bad pictures. Thanks to the magic of Picasa, they don't look as bad as they did.
Saturday was a big day for my extended family, meaning that Eric had to be at drill. I got a fantastic deal on a dress from the Ann Taylor Loft website that I was determined to wear, so my mom took me shopping to find a shirt to go under it. It didn't look so low cut in the picture, but it certainly was on me. It also goes down to mid calf at the hem. I chose one I thought would be okay and, surprisingly, it turned out really well.
The occasion was a combination baptism/mission farewell/birthday. My cousin, Benson, and second cousin, Dillon, were baptized, my cousin, Anna, had a birthday, and my grandparents will be leaving on a mission on Monday. My dad has been taking family pictures for my grandparents to take with them to Mexico and Saturday was my family's turn. Eric will have to be Photoshopped in. 
Hyrum baptized Benson and Grandpa baptized Dillon. Then we all went over to Carolyn and Hyrum's house for lunch and enjoyed a good visiting time. My grandparents forgot their camera, so I got to take pictures. I have nefarious reasons for keeping my camera in my purse at all times. It all worked out so that they have a disc of pictures they can develop and give to whoever they choose. They will be going to the MTC to prepare for mission number five. This time it is to the Mexico Merida temple. They were set to go the first week in December but, surprise(!), they were asked a week or two ago to leave a month early. So they are. I think that about covers everything. Now I can get ready for Stake Conference. It's at the tabernacle and, because Eric is at drill, I get to walk. Hopefully it's cool enough outside that I won't be sweaty when I get there.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Happy 'Versary to Us
When I got married one of my aunts told me something that an Institute teacher had told her when she got married. It's the Moniversay. You have one every month to celebrate the day you got married. It doesn't have to be big, but it's kind of sweet to acknowledge it. When we remember we usually say "Happy ___ months" and give each other a big kiss. Yesterday was 40 months, so we pulled out all the stops and went to (drum roll please...) Sonic for dinner. Just thought you'd like to know.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
A Very Scientific Experiment
I have weird toes. Eric gets no end of enjoyment out of making fun of them. The first three are totally normal. The last two toes are the toes that get teased so mercilessly. For ease in reference we will call them "Had None" and "Wee" (think This Little Piggy Went to Market). Had None is a shy toe that curls up and hides behind "Roast Beef". The one on the right foot is particularly shy. Wee, on the other hand, is more outgoing and takes advantage of Had None's tendency to hide by overlapping it. Either that or Wee thinks the ground is yucky and won't touch it. Really. You should see my 4-toed footprint.You may ask what all this information has to with a very scientific experiment. A few nights ago Eric decided it was time to make fun of my feet again. What followed was the official Very Scientific Experiment to see if you have weird toes.
Take a longish piece of paper (in my case a Mentos wrapper folded into quarters) and stick it between Had None and Wee. Using only the movement of the toes on that foot, see if you can release the paper from its fleshy confinement. If you can get the paper out easily by spreading and wiggling your toes, you will have what we call "normal" toes. If the paper won't move at all, you have "weird" toes.
After a bit of struggling I can do it with my left toes, but no amount of effort makes it possible for my right toes. I am embarrassed to admit that I tried it again several nights later. But it gives solid, scientific evidence that I have weird toes. Maybe other people have better luck than I do.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Bee Love
Yesterday we helped my in-laws extract honey from the two hives they keep. This was our first experience. Before I go any further I must state that my grandfather is violently and deathly allergic to bees. This affects me because I have never been stung and have no desire to find out if I take after my grandfather in this respect. I even had a dream a few nights before that one of the nasty little insects stung me and we had to race to the hospital before I died. 
That being said, I wished to have been decked out in a bee suit all day, as modelled by my brother-in-law. When we got there the suits were taken. Dang.
The bees generally leave you alone if you leave them alone. Stealing their honey is not leaving them alone. They were mad. Eric and I watched from the garage as brother and father-in-law removed sections of the hive.
The process went about like this: Hive sections are brought into the garage for honey extraction. I run and hide in the house while the last few bees are shooed out by Eric and mother-in-law. I open the door a millimeter and ask if it's safe to come in. I go back into the garage and try to be helpful, but stand around because the work was done while I was hiding. I run back into the house and hide again when we find a few more stowaway bees still clinging to the frames. About this time more sections of the hive come in and I just stay in the house to save myself the trouble of running in and out.
I was interested in getting pictures of the whole thing. Eric is much more willing to hang around the bees, so he took pictures of the outside for me.
Brother and father-in-law collecting the frames from the hive.
See all that brown stuff on the side of the hive? That's bees! Both pictures deserve to be in there because a dear price was paid for them. 
My sweet darling was stung on the back of his head while trying to take the pictures I wanted. The picture of the stinger doesn't do justice to how much pain it caused. I felt really bad and almost cried until he told me not to. I picked the stinger out of his hair, instead. He says he did a little dance called the Crouch, Hop, Swat just before he was stung, but I was too concerned to notice it. My only comfort is that the vile insect had no choice but to die after stinging my husband. Rotten insect. I like the honey it made, though.
After all the bees were out of the garage we began the extraction process.
That being said, I wished to have been decked out in a bee suit all day, as modelled by my brother-in-law. When we got there the suits were taken. Dang.The bees generally leave you alone if you leave them alone. Stealing their honey is not leaving them alone. They were mad. Eric and I watched from the garage as brother and father-in-law removed sections of the hive.
The process went about like this: Hive sections are brought into the garage for honey extraction. I run and hide in the house while the last few bees are shooed out by Eric and mother-in-law. I open the door a millimeter and ask if it's safe to come in. I go back into the garage and try to be helpful, but stand around because the work was done while I was hiding. I run back into the house and hide again when we find a few more stowaway bees still clinging to the frames. About this time more sections of the hive come in and I just stay in the house to save myself the trouble of running in and out.
I was interested in getting pictures of the whole thing. Eric is much more willing to hang around the bees, so he took pictures of the outside for me.
Brother and father-in-law collecting the frames from the hive.
See all that brown stuff on the side of the hive? That's bees! Both pictures deserve to be in there because a dear price was paid for them. 
My sweet darling was stung on the back of his head while trying to take the pictures I wanted. The picture of the stinger doesn't do justice to how much pain it caused. I felt really bad and almost cried until he told me not to. I picked the stinger out of his hair, instead. He says he did a little dance called the Crouch, Hop, Swat just before he was stung, but I was too concerned to notice it. My only comfort is that the vile insect had no choice but to die after stinging my husband. Rotten insect. I like the honey it made, though.
After all the bees were out of the garage we began the extraction process.
The frames are filled with honeycomb and many of the cells are capped. These caps must be removed. To do that one must use an electric knife that heats up and allows you to shear off the caps. The frames are then put in a big metal barrel with a crank at the top. The crank is turned for 5 minutes and the frames inside spin. Centripetal force moves the honey to the side of the barrel. When there is enough honey in the bottom that the wheel becomes difficult to move, the honey must be emptied through a hole at the bottom. 
It goes through a strainer to get all the excess wax and bee guts (delicious, huh?) out before it's put in a container. Then you put more frames in and start the process again. In the end we came away with about 120 lbs. of honey.
It goes through a strainer to get all the excess wax and bee guts (delicious, huh?) out before it's put in a container. Then you put more frames in and start the process again. In the end we came away with about 120 lbs. of honey.
In the end Eric was the only one stung. We did not find out if I was allergic. I had my first chance to eat honey right from the comb and it was good. So, the next time you pick up a bear of honey you'll have an idea of what a process it is to collect it. Just make sure you have a good bee suit.
Friday, August 31, 2007
My Fun Birthday
The day began shortly after we got up to exercise. My in-laws called at about 6:15 to sing me Happy Birthday. After nearly killing myself on the treadmill I took a leisurely morning getting ready before Mom picked me up. We first went to the local beauty school to have a manicure and pedicure each. 
My manicure didn't turn out so well, but the pedicure was great. That's one of my favorite ways to pamper myself. Mom had a book in her purse that she read to me between treatments. The chapter she read me was about the need of men (it was written by a man) to pull out their tools during a home improvement project and use their tools. Then other men get in on the act and before you know it there are seven men in the house and 12 cantaloupe-sized holes in the wall. Eventually they had to hire professionals to fix what they had done. She thought it pertinent when I showed her the pictures on my camera of a dividing wall coming down in the store remodel. That wall, however, came down just fine. Maybe it's because there were only three men involved rather than seven. I digress.
After our fingers and toes were made lovely we went up to Salt Lake to have afternoon tea at the Grand America hotel. It was divine. Our first stop was the bathroom. Everything was automatic (a fetish of mine) and even the stalls were luxurious. The stall doors reach from floor to ceiling, the walls are marble, and every stall has its own chandelier. After you wash your hands you dry then on cloth hand towels. I don't get to do that very often.
When we reached the reservation desk we were escorted to a lovely couch with a coffee table in front.
One of the most noticeable things on the table is the goblet with the pellet in it. Mom had told me about it before. It is actually a flower. Steaming water is poured into the goblet and the flower blooms.
I thought it was pretty cool. Mom ordered the Spiced Plum and I had the French Verveine tea. We enjoyed the music from the harpist as they brought out the food.
There are a lot of things on the plate I can't name, but my favorite was the salmon patte (middle row on the right). The cranberry scone (top left) was to be eaten with any of three different condiments: raspberry jam, lemon custard, or clotted cream. My favorite was the combination of raspberry jam and clotted cream. SO good! We ate slowly enough to savor every bite. Then it was time for dessert.
The options were cheesecake (I am one of three people on the planet who think cheesecake is an abomination), chocolate mousse cake, or a choice of three small desserts. I went with that one. There were several things on the tray to choose from and I opted for the eclair, fruit tart, and opera cake. All the desserts come with amazing strawberries and cream. I thought the opera cake would be my least favorite of the three, so I started to eat that first. Opera cake should be eaten in moderation, lest one should become used to ecstasy for the mouth. I took very small bites to make it last a very long time. The name Divinity should be used for this cake, not for the treat that already has that name. The rest of the desserts were about what you would expect, but a little bit better.
After we ate our dessert we went outside and walked around the garden. We took a few pictures (one is on my profile now) and then waddled to the car. We next went to see Becoming Jane at the American Fork theater. I enjoyed the movie, but disagreed with some of the choices she made. As my writing attests, I am not Jane Austen. Different decisions for different people. I did, however, agree with her big decision at the end.
Mom took me home after that and Eric made me a lovely dinner. It was a fabulous day. Thanks, Mom.
My manicure didn't turn out so well, but the pedicure was great. That's one of my favorite ways to pamper myself. Mom had a book in her purse that she read to me between treatments. The chapter she read me was about the need of men (it was written by a man) to pull out their tools during a home improvement project and use their tools. Then other men get in on the act and before you know it there are seven men in the house and 12 cantaloupe-sized holes in the wall. Eventually they had to hire professionals to fix what they had done. She thought it pertinent when I showed her the pictures on my camera of a dividing wall coming down in the store remodel. That wall, however, came down just fine. Maybe it's because there were only three men involved rather than seven. I digress.After our fingers and toes were made lovely we went up to Salt Lake to have afternoon tea at the Grand America hotel. It was divine. Our first stop was the bathroom. Everything was automatic (a fetish of mine) and even the stalls were luxurious. The stall doors reach from floor to ceiling, the walls are marble, and every stall has its own chandelier. After you wash your hands you dry then on cloth hand towels. I don't get to do that very often.
When we reached the reservation desk we were escorted to a lovely couch with a coffee table in front.
One of the most noticeable things on the table is the goblet with the pellet in it. Mom had told me about it before. It is actually a flower. Steaming water is poured into the goblet and the flower blooms.
I thought it was pretty cool. Mom ordered the Spiced Plum and I had the French Verveine tea. We enjoyed the music from the harpist as they brought out the food.
There are a lot of things on the plate I can't name, but my favorite was the salmon patte (middle row on the right). The cranberry scone (top left) was to be eaten with any of three different condiments: raspberry jam, lemon custard, or clotted cream. My favorite was the combination of raspberry jam and clotted cream. SO good! We ate slowly enough to savor every bite. Then it was time for dessert.
The options were cheesecake (I am one of three people on the planet who think cheesecake is an abomination), chocolate mousse cake, or a choice of three small desserts. I went with that one. There were several things on the tray to choose from and I opted for the eclair, fruit tart, and opera cake. All the desserts come with amazing strawberries and cream. I thought the opera cake would be my least favorite of the three, so I started to eat that first. Opera cake should be eaten in moderation, lest one should become used to ecstasy for the mouth. I took very small bites to make it last a very long time. The name Divinity should be used for this cake, not for the treat that already has that name. The rest of the desserts were about what you would expect, but a little bit better.After we ate our dessert we went outside and walked around the garden. We took a few pictures (one is on my profile now) and then waddled to the car. We next went to see Becoming Jane at the American Fork theater. I enjoyed the movie, but disagreed with some of the choices she made. As my writing attests, I am not Jane Austen. Different decisions for different people. I did, however, agree with her big decision at the end.
Mom took me home after that and Eric made me a lovely dinner. It was a fabulous day. Thanks, Mom.
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