jerks

I still have my loaner car 

(for a few more days)

because my Fit is fixed!

Frank actually texted me to tell me.  Here is a copy of the text:

Haha 

He has enjoyed having the Civic

with its bells and whistles and leg room and non-girly color.

So my loaner car is black.

As we all know, black cars get kind of dusty and show the dirt more than other colors.

My black car isn't currently super dirty but the hood of the car looks dusty

like it has a mixture of dirt, rain and pollen on it.

Not too bad but it's there.

Today as I was unloading my groceries I walked past the car to the trunk

and noticed that some person had written on the hood of the car

(just with their finger in the dust)

I H8T U

Sweet, huh?

It has been bugging me ever since.

So some jerk face thought it would be funny to write on a strangers car that they hate them?

They thought it would be funny to leave this message with, say, a tired middle aged woman who had to work  today and then go after work to the grocery store because there was no milk left in her house when all she wanted to do was take a nap?

Did they think it would make me laugh?

Make my day brighter?

I'm sure it gave them a little giggle with their friends.

I hope it was worth it.

jerks

I can't decide

Lately, after work, when I'm tired, I watch the show Fixer Upper on Netflix.

I watch them tear out walls and redo kitchen and it looks so darn easy.

Then I imagine my house with new wood floors and a wonderful kitchen.

I picture a more "open concept"

(seriously, that's what everyone wants apparently)

I wonder if this wall or that wall should have shiplap.

I look at headboards and lovely bedding for my master bedroom.

I become discontent.

Other times, I think about how my kitchen works just fine as it is.

I realize that we like having some rooms that aren't all open to each other so we can have some alone time if we want it.

I think about how much work it would actually be to tear out tile and put in wood floors.

(Because Chip and Joanna Gaines aren't coming to Utah to redo my house anytime soon so I would have to do that myself)

I know that the quilt made by my aunt for us as a wedding gift that we still use on our bed is actually just the perfect size and is worn in enough to be super soft and comfy.  It doesn't matter that it was made in the 1980's and is now completely and utterly out of style.

I like to think of myself as a content person

I am a frugal do-it-myselfer

I can and garden

(ok, that's a lie.  I mostly watch my husband garden...but I do pick the veggies)

I like to recycle and I use my dryer lint to make fire starters for pete's sake!

I'm a "make do" person.

Aren't I?

I can't decide.

One day I am needy and want changes now.

The next day I am realistic and know that none of this stuff matters.

I encourage my husband as he buys solar panels on KSL and puts them on the roof by himself.

I nod and agree when he says he wants to make things more earthquake proof.

I buy chicken in bulk and can it at home.

I try to think of new and interesting ways to preserve our mountains of tomatoes every year.

I also whine about the ugly carpet in my living room.

I wonder why the man who lived here before felt the need to install 37 different light fixtures in every room.

I imagine gutting the kids bathroom.

I either want to be a rugged pioneer/tree hugger type who is tough and doesn't care about aesthetics.

Who makes her own jerky and never uses the microwave.

or

I want to be a girl who gets whatever she wants and lives in an adorable bungalow with pinterest worthy (but not fattening) snacks on a cute cake stand in my fantastic new white kitchen with a farmhouse sink.

I just can't decide.

Looking back a bit: Prom!

Carter went to his senior prom this last week.

April 16th, to be precise.

We went out and bought his first mission suit the week before prom so that he could wear it to the dance as well as take it on his mission.

Of course he looked very handsome,

because he always does.

Then he went and met up with a group of kids from school where they took pictures.

They ate dinner at the home of one of the other kids

and then went to the dance.

When I asked about the dance, I got:

"It was fun"

So that's all I've got in the way of details.

One of my favorites.

I think this is Blue Steel but might be Magnum.

Haaa!

I really like the pictures of Carter being goofy, because this is really him.

He's a jokester and a tease.

Harley looks beautiful!

Not surprising, because she's a beautiful and sweet girl.

And she puts up with a lot of teasing from Carter!

So she is obviously also a saint.

I can't believe how fast time is passing.

The next big thing will be graduation!

Eagle Court of Honor

The story of Carter's Eagle Court of Honor begins some months ago when he passed his Board of Review and became, officially, an Eagle Scout.

I asked the Scout leaders in our troop what I should do to set up the Court of Honor.

They responded, "You can do anything you want."

To which Frank responded, "We should have a barbecue!"

The scout leader responded, "That's a great idea!"

Well, it was December, so a barbecue seemed like a bad idea to me.

But every time I brought it up, Frank would repeat that we should have a barbecue.

So we waited until Spring and planned a backyard barbecue/Court of Honor/party.

The weather all week was gorgeous!  

The flowers have bloomed, the trees are also in bloom...I mean, it just couldn't be better.

Except for Saturday.

Saturday, the day of the barbecue, was showing a possibility of scattered thunderstorms.

Of course.

Everyday when I would check the weather it looked worse...so I stopped looking.

Seemed like the best way to handle it.

So, in the end we had a barbecue and Court of Honor, as planned.

But the barbecue grills were set up on the front covered porch (yes, right by my front door)

and the Court of Honor took place inside my house.

While I was at work Frank moved the table out of our little dining room.

And after I got back we rearranged everything, moved out the side tables, lamps and other small pieces of furniture and set up the chairs.

It was tight but we made it work.

It was rainy and chilly outside but people still sat out back under the covered porch while they ate their burgers and cake.

Carter's preference would have been to have his Eagle award handed to him straight from the bag from the scout store without any kind of ceremony.

I nixed that grand idea of his though, so he seemed to come around to the idea of the barbecue since it would be less formal.

But as it became clear that not only would we have to have it inside the house but there would also probably be quite a few people here, he got less and less enthused about the idea.

Until, the day of the event, he was pretty much totally not into it.

It added to my stress, I will not lie.

He mostly pulled it together for the actual ceremony.

But I don't think you'll see too many other Eagle Scouts getting their award in jeans and no shoes.

 I planned for the ceremony to be very short and pretty informal.

(I do know my family, even if I fight against them and their antisocial ways sometimes.)

 The local scouts did a flag ceremony and recited the Scout Oath and Law.

Following that, the award was given by a man from our congregation who is an Eagle Scout and that used to teach Carter's Sunday School class.  Carter also likes this man a lot so that seemed like a good choice.

He did a nice job and also kept it short.

Win!

 Frank pinned the Eagle Award.

After that, Carter pinned the Mother's Pin on me.

He forgot to do the Father's Pin.

oops.

Carter presented the Mentor pin to one of his leaders in Massachusetts

(we will mail it to him later)

and thanked everyone for their support and help.

He did a nice job.

Another short talk about Carter (including some good natured ribbing) and about Eagle Scouts...

and the meeting was over.

 I did a good job planning the shortest, least formal Eagle Court of Honor ever, if I do say so myself!

After that it was time for congratulations, food and hanging out.

We really had a nice turnout and it was a fun afternoon.

I'm really grateful for all the people who showed up to support Carter.

I'm thankful for the people who brought food

and for my perfect sister who came early to help me get the food/house ready

and even ironed the scout shirt and neckerchief

because I was a little stressed.

I'm thankful for the awesome scout leaders here who were so supportive of Carter.

So many people came to help with his Eagle project.

And they are just always so kind to Carter and say nice things to me about him.

I even had cute decorations outside, just in case it didn't rain.

That didn't work out.

And Costco came through with this awesome Eagle cake.

Today, the day after the planned back yard barbecue, the weather was back to nice and sunny.

Of course.

_____

I made a little video of Carter through the years in scouting.

I showed it on our tv during the party/barbecue portion of the evening.

I didn't ask Carter's permission or get his opinion.

And I also didn't get his permission to share it here...

So without further ado I give you: 

Carter's Road to Eagle.

Congratulation Carter!

I'm very proud of you.