so far so good

2014 has been busy. I do not pretend that busy-ness is a badge of honor. It's not. The "stuff" that fills our busy days is often meaningless and forgettable. So it's nice when that "stuff" is worthwhile and memorable. In looking back on the short few weeks of 2014, at least some of our busy-filled-days fall under the latter category. That's a nice feeling. 'Cause certainly, we have our share of fluff around here. Examples of both below.

The Gilbert Temple open house is in full swing.  It is my favorite place and it is stunning. If you are in Arizona, take the free public tour, which ends this week. 

Mark and I were ushers at the temple one day last week. It was so great! Our job was to stand at the front doors and open them for each new group. It wasn't a very busy day, so the tour guides had time to stand at the doors and give a little instruction to each group before they went in. That was nice to listen to. We also got to count everyone that came through. (See those little clickers on our wrists.) On that slow day, there were about 1000 people every hour. (FYI, yesterday a new world record was set with 21,000 people visiting the temple in one day.)

No more braces for this 12 year old! Man, he was so happy.

The missionaries indulged our kids with a game Telestrations while I finished up making dinner. I don't think they know how much it helped me. I think they all enjoyed themselves. My sister gave us the game for Christmas - it's a good one!

First place (in social & behavioral science) at the high school science fair? What? She was shocked and thrilled.

Nana and Papa came out to watch the kids play tennis and then we ate at Joe's Farm Grill. That was a good day.

Grace is a champ on her new unicycle! It's so fun to watch her. I think ten years ago, I would have attempted to learn, but now I'm just too old to risk injury to wrist/ankle/skull/pride.

This is definitely fluff: I captured my Sunday outfit, and a peak into our soon-to-be-changing bedroom. That's our new blue bed in the background, and our giveaway junk pile most everywhere else. Talk about injuring my pride.

Hank made a rainbow out of wooden men and told me it was a monster disguise, not a rainbow.

Mark helped me put up these acrylic shelves in Hank and George's room. I love them. (The books on the bottoms two shelves are some of their faves. The Rabbit Problem has been recently rediscovered and it's now in the daily rotation too.)

Busy doesn't mean better. But so far, my "busy" has been pretty good.