Can I Take A Picture?  

Posted by Shannon & Lindsay

Since I neglected to mention a MAJOR change in my life I will let it now be known - I AM NO LONGER IN THE NURSERY!! If that isn't proof that God exists I don't know what is. Okay, so it wasn't THAT bad, but I'm very excited about my new calling: Young Women Personal Progress Advisor. All the girls in my ward are way fun, friendly, and excited to be there so so far it's been a lot of fun. Since tonight was YM/YW Lindsay and I walked down to the church and we all learned from Brother Yancy in our bishopric how to take a good picture. He has taken wedding pictures for over 25 years so he taught us some great tricks to taking a great pic.

We took some pictures of the Pinewood derby that was going on and then went outside to see what flowers, plants, and people we could take pictures of. Mine, however, seemed to just come out exactly like I normally take them, regardless of any extra instruction and advice. I guess that means I'm either a naturally good photographer, or hopeless even with help. Knowning my luck, it's the latter. Oh well, we had a lot of fun and I got to know each of the girls - and now it will be nice to know some girls who can babysit!



P.S. pics of my new floor are coming - it's still a work in progress :)

My Weeks in Review  

Posted by Shannon & Lindsay

Since I've been busy, and by busy I mean lazy, I've neglected to take the time to post about the uber exciting events that have happened to me. And by uber, I mean moderate.

My father in law and I took on the task of installing new wood floors in my living room, kitchen, and dining area. Alyshia had done hers a month or so ago and I was very jealous of it's easy clean up and how much better it looked than carpet. But boy was it a task! It took us a Saturday, a Tuesday, and half a Wednesday to get it done and and I wouldn't have been able to do it without his expert carpentry skills because there was a gigundo amount of cutting to be done. But it looks great and as soon as we get the baseboards put on tomorrow I will post some pictures. But it looks great! Also, thanks to Alyshia for watching Lindsay for a couple days so she didn't interfere. Linds sure likes to help, but her idea of helping is not equal to mine :)

Then last Tuesday, Lindsay and I drove up to Salt Lake to see Britney Spears lip synch live at the Energy Solutions Arena. And we almost didn't make it. Poor Tracy was nearly on her death bed, and we almost decided to sell our tickets, but she said "I AM GOING NO MATTER WHAT!" And she did, albeit painfully. We had bought our tickets early and got floors seats (our tickets said seat 234 and 235) but when we got there it was standing room only - and we're not vertically gifted if you know what I mean. And since Tracy was super sick and my back hurts after standing for long periods of time and we were quite upset that it said we had seats when we didn't we had to devise a plan involving a necessary lie in order to get our tickets changed. I made Tracy pretend she was pregnant and had preeclampsia and was under doctors orders not to stand for extended periods of time. We acted quite preturbed that we were told seats when there really were none and they exchanged them right away. I know, I know - it wasn't the truth but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Now, the concert was entertaining for sure. There were circus acts of all sorts and fireworks and smoke and crazy cool backup dancers; however, this was NOT a kids show. There was a little girl no more than 12 sitting in front of me and at times I felt like I should be covering her eyes! So if anyone asks you, "Hey do you think I should allow my teenage daughter to go to a Britney Spears concert?" I would say to you, No ma'am.. Because although she might come home with a t-shirt and a multicolored feather boa, she would also come home with a master's degree in sex education! Now, if your teenage son asks to go to a Britney Spears concert, you may have other issues to worry about :) As much as I love/am disgusted by Miss Spears and enjoy her crazy psycho escapades she is not - nor will she ever be - a role model for girls. We took pictures, but lets be honest, all you have to do is pick up the next issue of Celebrities Gone Crazy Magazine, and you wouldn't be missing a thing.

Today, I also had a cleaning company come and give my house a much needed Spring cleaning - and I'll tell you it was certainly worth what I paid for it. My house is sparkling from top to bottom and there's nothing more relaxing than watching TV while someone else cleans your house!

Anyway, that's my weeks in review and boring as it is....well that's my life. Not reality show worthy - unless someone out there is looking for show about a girl who chases a crazy child all day, screams at her dogs, and watches way too much VH1 - I'll let you know if one is ever in the works :) But chances are it would end up on E! and who really ever watches that? Sorry, Mr. Seacrest - the truth hurts.

Easter Family Fun!  

Posted by Shannon & Lindsay

Today we went to my family's annual Easter Egg Barbecue. This was the first one where Lindsay was old enough to play around with her little cousins and enjoy finding some fun, hidden treats. We all get together quite often at my Aunt Gayle's house for these fun barbecues and it's always fun to catch up with the cousins and see how fast and tall all the kids are growing.

We all ate til our stomachs could take no more - I partook of one of my all-time favorite foods: a severely blackened hot dog. My Uncle Arthur always knows that's how I like 'em. Then all the little kids ran like crazy to the backyard to search for eggs and treats. Lindsay was mostly content to play with a ball instead of hunt for eggs, but with a little coaching she found some foil covered chocolate eggs. She didn't mind the foil taste apparently because they went directly into her mouth. By the end of the day she was covered in dirt, chocolate, grass, and baked beans - the dirtier you are the better time you must be having. That's my philsophy.
The barbecue ended with I think a newly made up game of what I called Easter Basket Ball. Everyone was trying to throw a ball into an Easter basket full of treats. It doesn't take much to entertain us :) Give us some food and a ball and we always have a great time!
Here are some pics of the whole fam hanging out. I know there's a lot, but hey, we had a good time!

Praise Be!  

Posted by Shannon & Lindsay

I find it a bittersweet occasion that ER is now off the air. And by bittersweet, I mean BITTER because my Thursday night television is now occupied by a number a relentlessly redundant ER reruns whom are watched by way too many people, and SWEET because it is finally off the air and will now be occupied by Southland starring my freebie Ben McKenzie, formerly of the unnecessarily canceled The OC. I love my Ryan Atwood!

15 years? I mean, seriously? Was it really necessary to keep it on THAT long? I personally pride myself on never having watched a single full episode of it. I say, Good Night, and Good Riddance!