Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Tradition!

Another Salazar Family Tradition: The Utah Arts Festival. We go every year and we usually skip church and go on a Sunday. This year we met Grammie Annie there and hung around with her.
First Aaron went over the rules with the kids; No talking to strangers, you always have a partner, if you get lost find someone in a uniform etc....






There were a lot of really great booths this year, I especially love the jewelry booths. Every jewelry booth we stopped at Piper would ask if they had any Amber(because her daddy was telling her about Amber on the way to the festival). Again, our friend Marla wasn't there, she wasn't at Living Traditions either, so we are hoping she will be at the Park City Arts Festival.

However.....NO FIRED PICKLES! I was so bitter, you don't understand how much I love fried pickles. So I got french fries. The kids got a slice of pizza from The Pie booth and Aaron got a Garlic Hamburger.



After we ate our lunch, we listened to this guy play an instrument that is sort of like a guitar, I can't remember the name of it, but it has 12 strings, and there are only 2,000 in the USA. Annie actually ended up buying two of the guys CD's. Piper really wanted one. She can just listen to Grammies.





I didn't get anything this year, I usually get something, and neither did Aaron. Teague didn't want anything (that worked out) and Piper got a tied eyed tank top. Grammie bought it for her. Piper and I were in the booth and she decided that was what she wanted and I told her that I didn't have any money (meaning Aaron had the cash in his wallet), so Piper went up to Grammie and said, "My mom needs some money." So Grammie came and bought it for her.



I am so proud of myself! I usually give in and let the kids get their faces painted, but I didn't this year, they always end up looking really crappy.



Unfortunately I wasn't feeling very good, so we didn't stay as long as we usually do. When we decided to go, Teague and I took a rest on the lawn while Aaron and Piper went and filled the water bottles.

It was a really good day.

I am sorry that I have all these posts on one day, but I have a really crappy sinus infection, I actually haven't got much of anything done. Except relaxing. My poor house!

Like Mother....Like Daughter



These are just some cute pictures we got of me and Piper on closing night.

Closing Night

Again, I am such a nerd! During Piper's last curtain call, I started crying!! No, really I did. I just know that feeling of working so hard for so long, then it's all over and you say goodbye and you don't know if you will ever see these people again etc...

I am so proud of Piper. I am so proud of her for working so hard and so proud that she did such an incredible job. I am so happy that she has such a love for performing. She has made so many good friends and had such a great experience. It is really exciting.

I tried to get a picture of her in her froglet costume, but it was really hard, this is the best I could do:
Each one of the 28 cast members got a poster to take home and they all signed each others. I am going to get Piper's framed.



We got a bunch of cute pictures of Piper with her friends, but I just chose a couple to post on the blog. I chose one with her and "the boys" and one with her and Theresa. Piper loves Theresa.



After all was said and done, I had Lyn (a mom) take a picture of our little family.



Cast Party


The cast party was simple yet fun. They served hot dogs, chips, salads and popsicles. Erin (the stage manager) had made some really cute Duckling cookies. It was outside on the terrace at the West Institute, but everyone ended up sitting on the lawn in the shade. Everyone just sat around and ate and talked.

Matinee


Saturday was the last day of Honk. We started off the day with a Matinee. Since Piper slept at Isabel's (which by the way was a success), her mom just dropped both of them off at their call time. Aaron, Teague and I met Piper up there, so we could go to her cast party. As we were sitting in the foyer waiting, Uncle Kent came out. We told him he had to wait for Piper so she could see him. Unfortunately Aunt Mia had to work, so she was unable to come. Piper was very excited to see yet another family member come to her show.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Grandparents are cool

Last night was a very good night for Piper, not only did three grandparents come to the show, but so did Aaron's Aunt and Uncle who are in town from Washington.

When Piper finally came upstairs (she is always the last one...always). She saw Grandpa John (Aaron's dad) and went running to him and gave him a huge hug. It was so sweet. I'm sure she would have done the same with my parents, but she sees my parents nearly everyday, she hardly ever see Grandpa John, so it was a real treat for her. Then she gave Danny and Esther a hug, and my parents a hug. Then we took some pictures.



After we said goodbye to the grandparents, it was time for my to say goodbye to Piper.

She was going to have her very first friend sleepover. She had been so excited ALL DAY long, it was all she could talk about. But....when it was time to say goodbye to Daddy earlier (Only I took her up to the U) she lost it, absolutely lost it. She bawled and bawled, even on the whole car ride up to her show. I finally had to tell her that she needed to stop crying so she wouldn't look silly on stage with swollen eyes.

I tried to say goodbye to Piper, but she was so excited, she didn't seem to care that I was trying to say goodbye, she just wanted to go to her sleepover. Finally, she did the "I love you, but I rock!" sign to me, and that was good enough for me.

It is so cute that she is such a "daddy's girl."

Here is a picture of her and Isabel, they are so ecstatic for their sleepover!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Best teacher EVER!

I have been thinking ever since Piper's show tonight. I don't think that any of my teachers ever came to see me in anything that I did. RUDE!

Tonight I was sitting in the foyer of the Babcock waiting for Piper to come upstairs from the dressing room when Ms. Jessica came walking out of the Theatre! I was so happy to see her. I told her to wait for Piper, because I knew that Piper would want to see her, so she did, and she and her hubby were kind enough to pose for a picture.

When we got in the car Piper said, "I was wondering when Ms. Jessica would come, I wanted her to come most of anyone!" I was so happy for Piper.

Unfortunately Ms. Jessica is not going to be at Sandcastle Academy next year, but luckily she is still going to be teaching.


As I was sitting in the foyer waiting for the show to end and reading #3 in "A series of Unfortunate Events" I suddenly heard, "Hi Momma!" I looked up and there was my little Piper with a froglet friend running to the restroom. So, of course I made them stop for a quick picture.

Monday, June 18, 2007

FREAKING OUT

Okay, I know that I am a little bit nerdy, but this takes the cake. Why is it that spiders are so scary?
Since our lawn mower is still busted, I was outside attempting to make our yard look a little better, I was trimming the forest in the front yard (we have an aspen tree that sprouts miniature aspens all over the yard) And pulling the weeds. I also decided to spray off the house, we have mosquitoes like crazy, so we have to spray the house every once in awhile, especially in the summer. As I was doing all this, the kidlets were in their swimsuits playing in the yard. Piper came up to me and said, "Momma, the spider that likes our front door is back!" There is this Huge spider that hangs out on and around our porch, we just let it be. So, I went to look and sure enough, there he was, so I got the camera and took some pictures.










After I took some pictures, I told Piper that I was going to kill the spider and she started freaking out, so I didn't. I put the camera away and I came back to the front porch to do a little more weeding. THE SPIDER WAS GONE! HOLY CRAP! So I immediately started spraying the house with hopes of drowning the spider. I don't know where he went, but I'm hoping he is no longer. I am still getting the creeps while typing this entry.

When I was all done with the yard I came inside and did a search on the Internet to see if I could find any info on this peculiar spider. and I did find out what kind of spider it is and that he is harmless, however on the site it says that they are as far west as Colorado, I'm in Utah. The spider is called a Phidippus Audax, a Jumping Spider of the family Salticidae.

While I was searching, I found another spider that we have in our basement and around our house, they too freak me out mostly because they look freakin' psycho. They too are harmless. They are called a Sow Bug Killer Spider.

Here are the links:
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/spiders.html
Sow Bug Killer is about 3/4 of the way down the page.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/spiders2.html
The Phidippus Audax Jumping Spider of the family Salticidae has two pictures, one is about 1/2 down the page, and the other is about 3/4 of the way down the page.

You MAY just get the heebie jeebies while looking at this site, but it is very interesting.

Matinee

Saturday afternoon Piper had a matinee. Aaron's side of the family came, and apparently, they loved it. After the show we all met at Sizzler and had a late lunch, then we had to drop Piper off again for her evening performance. A busy, but good day.

In the picture:
Top row: Aaron, Teague, Grandpa Paul (Aaron's grandpa), Gina (Aaron's sister) Grandma Wilma (Aaron's grandma) Aunt Val (Aaron's Aunt) and Grammie Annie (Aaron's mom).
Bottom row: Josh (cousin), Zac (cousin), Piper & Morgan (cousin).
These cousins are Aaron's sister Gina's kids.

Do I look like this guy?

Saturday morning, Aaron and I were downstairs watching a movie, and the kidlets were upstairs playing. We kept telling them not to bother us, but they did come down a few times. One time Teague came down with this happy meal toy and said, "Do I look like this guy?" and then did his lips like the toys. We were laughing so hard, we told him to stay put so we could get a picture. How could we get mad at him for bothering us?



Friday, June 15, 2007

Cherry Hill




Every year we get season passports to Cherry Hill, even though it is the middle of June, today was our first day to go. The kids were ecstatic, they couldn't wait to get there. Of course, the first thing we did when we got there was spray sunscreen like crazy all over us, then I took some pictures before we got in the water.
We always get in the "Lazy River" first, we stayed in for awhile because we have to wait for Claude and Clyde to blow up "Grant's Gulch," this is when the water comes out of buckets and spickets, it happens about once an hour. After Lazy River we went over to "Pirates Cove Activity Pool" which my kids call the "The Big Pirates Cove," which is just a swimming pool, but this year a great thing happened...Teague could touch the bottom and stay above water! YIPPEE. Since Teague could touch, we stayed for awhile and swam. Then we went over to "Pirates cove," or as my kids call it, "Little Pirates Cove," Which is just an over sized kiddie pool. Then we went to the "Mat Slides." When I was a kid, all that Cherry Hill had was the "Mat Slides." But another great thing happened at the slides, Piper went down ALL BY HERSELF. Again...YIPPEE. We did the slide 3 times. Then we went back to Lazy River until it was time to go home. And of course, I took more pictures when it was all over.



It was a really fun day. We usually end up going to Cherry Hill 2-3 times a week. Two years ago, we literally went Monday-Friday. So, we'll see what happens this year.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Break a Leg!












Last night was opening night for HONK! Piper did such a good job, and it is such a fun show I was thoroughly entertained the entire hour and 15 minutes. Piper has been looking forward to this for what seems like forever, so she was a little hyper. When she and her little froglet co-stars came out, you couldn't help but smile, they were so cute, they definitely stole the show. And Piper sang her solo SO well.
We got four comp ticket to the show, so Aaron, Teague, Amanda (our babysitter) and I went. Teague was cracking us up because toward the beginning the Father Duck (Drake) said, "Ahh, I've created a monster!" So Teague kept saying that until toward the end when Drake said, "Hello Penny!" Then Teague wouldn't stop saying that. Luckily he wasn't saying it loudly.
After the show we went to Hires to get something to eat, it was so yummy. We were all laughing and having a good time.
It was a very good night.
The pictures are as follows:
Piper signing in.
Piper with the Stage Manager, Erin (after the show).
Piper with the Director, Penny (after the show).
Piper with the Musical Director, Darren (after the show).
Piper and a fellow froglet with their boss, "The Toad", Steve (after the show).
Piper with The Ugly Duckling, Eb (after the show).
Piper standing in front of the Babcock Theatre sign.

Just a side note: No, this is not the only outfit Piper has, it just seems to be the one she wears whenever we take pictures.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

The Gnome Mobile


I remember when my dad brought home our very first VCR! What a day in the Hyde household, fighting over which movie we were going to watch first. I was probably about 8 years old (give or take). You know what's funny, I think that exact VCR is under my house.
Anyway, I don't remember which movie we ended up watching, I do however remember renting Disney's "The Gnome Mobile" ALL THE TIME. I loved it so much. In December of 2006, I remembered this movie, so I searched High and Low to find a copy to purchase. I finally found one at Music to the Maxx In Layton, UT. I bought it thinking that my kids would also love it. Unfortunately they never wanted to watch it, I guess it didn't LOOK good. However, last week they wanted to watch a movie, but they wanted it to be a surprise, so I put it on and guess what!?!? They LOVE it. I am so excited.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Cedar City #2

Again, I know that this will probably mean nothing to most of you and probably won't make any sense, but they are great memories nonetheless. Probably a little embarrassing, not only to me, that I am putting them on our blog, but.....o'well:

Okay.....

1. Remember when Camille's dad came down to Cedar for a funeral and we all piled in the back of the hearse and he took us to dinner at Shoney's?
2. That Ridiculous Elmo voice that we all did, but from some reason, Ali couldn't do it.
3. Demaree doing the Blossom dance in the Family area.
4. Ch Ch Ch Charlie (because of his fast growing curly hair)
5. Becky writing a history report for Charlie at my kitchen table. Charlie offending Becky, Becky grabbing the salt shaker and saying something like, "I am going to take this salt shaker and shove it up your A%*!" Then proceeding to tear up the report. Charlie was so pleased with the report he wrote himself, he bragged to Becky, "I got an A- on the report that you didn't write for me." Becky saying, "Oh, that's unfortunate, I could've gotten you an A!"
6. Writing letters to Phillip and his roommates up at the Y.
7. When me and Camille went to the jewelry store on main street and got the top of our ears pierced.
8. Helen farting in my car and my car reeking for a week.
9. My PEZ dispensers.
10. Me, Camille, Adrian, Alison and Becky in my Hyundai driving home for the weekend. Ali looking at my speedometer and noticing that I was going 110 mph and saying "HOLY SH%*!"
11. Camille borrowing my car to go tanning. On her way to tanning, she saw a dude having a heart attack, so she pulled over to help, while she was giving him mouth to mouth some dude said to her, "Um, your car's on fire."
12. I got a Migraine headache. I had to go to the wellness clinic to get a shot in my butt. Luckily Camille was with me, because I barely made it back home.
13. Getting pulled over on the way home. Camille and Dem were with me. When the officer ask me what was going on, I said, "Oh, nothing, we are just on our way home for the weekend from SUU, listening to Michael McClean."I BAWLED my way out of the ticket. The police officer actually ask me to come and sit in his car with him, I was so scared, but hey, I didn't get the ticket.
14. Driving back to Cedar City in a Major Storm. I broke out in a cold sweat! Demaree was bugging the hell out of me so I told her , "Shut the hell up!" Sorry about that Dem.
15. When we went Roller Skating, and we wore burger king crowns.
16. Camille trying to make Broccoli soup for home-making.
17. Me being obsessed with the Student Body President (what was his name?) and hanging pictures of him all over my room. And Jaime being obsessed with the VP. "Let's Rock the house man!"
18. Demaree being able to do any impersonation of anybody.
19. When we got our Christmas card pictures taken and when we got our other pictures taken. Does anyone have a copy of any of them. If so, I want one, I can't find mine.
20. Me and Camille walking (because my car blew up) to Albertsons to buy some groceries, passing Dairy Queen and decided to just eat there instead, then calling Adrian to come pick us up. We were so lazy.
21. Driving along on Main Street with Camille and I can't remember who else, Camille threw my little guy (that was hugging my rear view mirror) out the window. I stopped in the middle of the street and made her go get him.
22. Putting Ramen Noodles in Jaime's bed. That was mean.
23. Hanging up Condom Instructions on the main entrance to our building. And highlighting a particular word or two!
24. When we went bowling and every time Camille would bowl, she would do this funny little jump with her foot in the air.
25.
26. Betting each other that when we came back from Christmas Break that Theresa would have an engagement ring from Travis. We lost.
27. Camille sitting in the hallway right up against the full length mirror to put her make-up on.
28. Camille sitting on the bathroom counter curling her hair (why?) and dropping the hot curling iron on her leg, and not realizing she dropped it for like five seconds. She had a huge burn.
29. Quizzing Demaree on American League and Major League baseball teams. She really knew her stuff.
30. Camille and Tom having a one on one basketball tournament because Camille was convinced she could be him. Did she? I can't remember.
31. Becky, Helen, Jaime and I going to Vegas and tipping the Valet guys $2.00 for parking my car. At every casino that we went to.
32. Hanging out at Donuts Plus (Sally place of employment) just talking and eating donuts.
33. Making Sugar cookies in our kitchen, but getting flour everywhere.
34. Going Christmas Shopping at the Mall in St. George, and on our way home (I think it was just Camille and I) almost hitting a dog! What the crap is a dog doing on I-15 in the boonies?
35. Wendy: "Are you leavin' us Dodd?" in her cute wiggly voice.
36. Kristie hanging a picture of a "fat" bride in her closet, so she would have motivation to loose weight! What the crap, she didn't need to loose weight, I think Dem took it down.
37. Why, why was Cedar city so freakin' windy?
38. Waking up early once to watch "Little house on the prairie" with Becky.
39. Setting the fire alarm off because I burnt some toast.
40. Becky and her peach smelling stuff to put on the lights. What?
41. The Achey Breaky heart dance at every freakin' dance that we went to!
42. Tying my hair in a knot on top of my head.
43. Demaree teaching me how to pull that ugly face, the one where you roll you lips in and lift your eyebrows and nose.
44. Me and Camille taking pictures of all you guys while you were sleeping. I am seriously laughing right now thinking of the one we got of Dem.
45. Sally's Apple IIe computer.
46. Theresa's brother's green levis that she cut off into some great shorts that I wore all the time. Thanks T.
47. I had to drop out of algebra because I sucked at it. I think I got one point on a test for putting my name on the paper that is 1 point out of 100.
48. I LOVED Kristie's laugh.
49. Camille and I in the bathroom. Camille on the toilet (pooping). Me on the counter (talking with Camille). As you all remember, we had tons of matches (even though we weren't suppose to). Camille was playing with them, she accidentally lit the toilet paper roll on fire. She threw it to me to put out in the sink. However, I was laughing SO hard, I couldn't turn the water on, so I was holding it under the drippy faucet. Camille was screaming at me to "turn the damn water on!" I finally got it on, and got the fire out.
50. Again, Camille and I in the bathroom. Camille in the shower (showering). Me on the counter (talking with Camille). Dodd came in, went to the bathroom and then washed his hands. As he was leaving, he said, "Toodles!" Camille responded, "Toodles!"
51. Sitting under the stairs spying on people.
52. Camille and I were gone one night, and you guys stringed our room, we couldn't even get in it. It looked really cool.
53. Camille and I only going to our theatre class on the day of a test. C'mon, it was at 9:00 a.m. that is really early.
54. After a long night of dancing I would wear my body suits on the outside of my pants.
55. Giving Valentines to each other. I dared Adrian to tell someone to go to hell in the one I gave her, and she did, me.
56. Curling Ali's hair for her first date with Kip.
57. Sally wanting SO bad to be bad. She decided to start swearing...it didn't work.
58. Demaree, Adrian, Allison and I going to JB's with Charlie and Stafford at like 11:00 p.m.
59. Becky being in love with Stafford.
60. Becky being obsessed with Snoopy(the dog from peanuts). She even took my snoopy PEZ dispenser hostage.

You guys, I don't know what is wrong with me. I don't know why all of these memories are flooding my brain. But I hope you have fun reading them. And I'm sorry, but I have a feeling that I am going to remember more too!

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Ahhh, the sound of.........silence!

It was a dreary day here in Utah. It rained all day. The kids and I were driving home from the University and it was suddenly silent. I looked in my rear view mirror to see what the problem was, and this is what I saw! They were so tired, they put the blanket over their heads and rode the whole way home like this. Every once in awhile I would hear Teague say, "I want to hold your hand Piper!"


As all you moms know, a silent car ride is very rare, this was heaven for me. I turned the radio to FM100 (I know, I know....nerdville) and sang along with all the songs.

I snapped this quick picture while we were at a stop light on 400 S. Piper is on the left and Teague is on the right.

Monday, June 4, 2007

Teague - ism

"Mom, I'm pretty sure that birds are naked, because they don't have on shirts or socks or helmets or hoods, so I'm pretty sure they are naked!"

Hallelujah

Aaron graduated from Westminster College with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science on Saturday!!

The day started off with a brunch for all graduates. Aaron got four tickets, so he took me and his parents. It was really nice, it was held outside on campus. While we were there we talked to a couple of Aaron's professors - Greg Gagne and Helen Hu, and some of his computer science friends - Stu, Curtis, Marcel and Chad
(Stu & Curtis are in the picture). The brunch started at 10:00, and we stayed until about 12:15.

Aaron had to be to the E-Center by 1:00, so while he was getting ready I was finding seats for the few people that were going to be at the Commencement. I saved seats for the kids, my mom and Aaron's parents.

Okay, it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO long. It started at 2:00 and ended at about 4:45. Luckily the commencement speaker, Dr. Stephen R. Baar, was giving a darn good speech otherwise, I may have died right there in section 125 row 16 seat 6. Teague fell asleep (luckily) and Piper was getting antsy. And, of course, Aaron walked third to last!! Not that it would have mattered if he went first, we weren't going anywhere.

In the picture Aaron is on the back row the sixth one from the left
(you can kind of see is green collar).

When it was over, we met outside in the 100+ degree heat. Poor Teague had just woke up, unfortunately he is just like his mom when he wakes up, and the heat was killing him. Luckily we were able to get some pictures before we all passed out. There is a picture of Aaron with his parents, a picture of he and I and one of him and the kids
(Obviously Teague was DONE for the day).











And of course I thought it would be adorable if I got pictures of the kids in their Dad's cap with his diploma!











And to think that we are going to be doing this all over again in 2009!