Pages

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Family Bird Watching

I think our Indian Summer may be over. It has cooled down, the skies are overcast and the rains are suppose to arrive tomorrow. I think I am ready for fall.

For Family Night this week we headed down to Chapman School to watch the Vaux Swifts. We went to see them for the first time last fall with our friends the Jensens. Since Tessa had never seen them we thought it would be a fun family night activity. For the last 20 years or so about 30,000 vaux swifts have been stopping off in Portland on their way down to winter in Mexico.

At dusk each evening they all fly into the chimney of a local elementary school to spend the night. They attract quite the crowd each night (100's of people) to watch their show.

We stopped by for a slice of pizza on NW 23rd and then took our chairs and blanket to bird watch.



















It is a pretty amazing sight! Just glad I don't have to clean out that chimney!

Tessa started play practice this week - she has a part in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the high school's childrens musical. She plays the part of Violet's mother. When they lined up all the kids that were auditioning in order of height, she was the third tallest. It's hard to play a kid when you are taller than all the parents so she is a parent! Other than the one acts last year this is her first theatrical experience - she commented after the first day how nice everyone is.

Last night we had fun at a neighborhood BBQ to wish Hannah goodbye as she leaves for college tomorrow. Having Hannah home for this last 3 weeks since Cali has left has been a nice buffer for Tessa. I think the reality of now being the only child at home is going to really hit home. (Call your sister more Cali)


Each fall Jim get soccer withdrawals. He misses those years of coaching and watching our kids playing soccer and when he sees all the neighbor kids heading off to their games each Saturday it gets to him. So today he and I went to watch our cute little 5 year old neighbor Declan play in his soccer game. What a cutie!!

The College Kid Report:

Logan has been busy with work, school and rehearsal. I think he is enjoying the freedom of being "single" again and having some more time to himself. He does have a date tonight (saturday) to the World of Dance - the date is his sister, Cali! I am encouraging him to hang out at the School of Nursing - no more MDT!

Clark is in California for the wedding of his friend and former roommate Tyson. The wedding is today at the LA Temple with the reception in Arcadia. I bet he looks cute in his tux!
Friday they hung out at Venice Beach and had fun playing in the water.

While in the water they got quite far out - beyond the waves when all of a sudden they say rescue vehicles coming down the beach with their lights and sirens on as well as a coast guard or rescue boat pulling up near them. He made it sound like they were in the middle of a scene from Baywatch.

The only thing they didn't realize was that they were coming to rescue them! I guess it looked from the shore as if they may have been in trouble so the rescue squad showed up to save them - even though they didn't need saving. Clark graciously accepted the rescue board when it was thrown to him and allowed them to tow him in. Glad it wasn't for real!!

Cali (even though she rarely calls her mother:) seems to be doing fine except a bad head cold she has come down with. It didn't stop her from enjoying the football game today, going out for Indian food with friends and then to the dance show with her brother fortunately.

Her big news for the week was when she texted me (you could call me too Cali!) to tell me she had just received a calling in her ward - she is Enrichment Leader! She added to the text - and
" I don't even sew or cook! " I am sure there are lots of things you can do for Enrichment that don't include sewing or cooking Cali - you'll be great and oh yeah - call your mother a little more often, she misses you!

Monday, September 15, 2008

The Wilkes Weekly Dinner Plan


Week of September 14, 2008 Here's what's for dinner at our house this week! I'm back on the Meal Planning bandwagon again!!







Monday - Family Night Activity - Dinner out and Vaux Swift watching activity
Tuesday - Pasta Night - Pasta with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Jim's out of town so we can eat pasta!)
Wednesday - Asian Night - Beef & Broccoli
Thursday - Chicken Night - Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Friday - Pizza Night - Rosemary Chicken Pizza
Saturday - Date Night - Dinner Out
Sunday - Grill Night - Fast Fire Flank Steak (We grill on Sundays as long as the rain stays away!)

BYU Update

Well from the looks of Cali's Facebook page she is having a blast in college! Despite a little flooding this week in their dorm (3 inches on the 3rd floor that flowed down through light fixtures and walls to the other floors) all seems to be going well. (A broken toilet pipe)

Here are the girl's wringing out the some of the towels they used to mop up part of the mess.














We have also learned from her Facebook page that she went Body Surfing at a concert (So I had to ask her what this was!). It is when the crowd picks you up above their heads and passes you around!

She has made lots of friends in her dorm and seems to be having lots of fun with them - including some crazy dress up fashion shows!



We are missing our fun, energetic and loud Cali at our house. It is way too quiet around here. Tessa is adjusting to being an only child but disappears often to go hang out with Hannah - her other sister. Not sure what we'll do once Hannah goes away to school!

Tessa is back in ballet 3 days a week so that will keep her busy!

The boys are alive and well - Clark and Cali enjoyed the amazing BYU football game on Saturday! BYU vs. UCLA - 59 to nothing!! Cali kept her dad well informed during the game by texting him the score. At half time the score was 42 to nothing and Jim thought maybe Cali was just being dyslexic with her numbers but no - it really was 42 to nothing!!

Not sure what else Clark did this weekend as he didn't call his parents on Sunday to report in!!

Logan couldn't go to the game because of YA rehearsal! Poor Logan. Logan also called us last night to inform us that he and Becca had broken up. I am sure it is for the best but it made me sad. I have got to stop getting to know these girls and liking them. I feel like I'm breaking up too!

We know that all three kids were fed well on Sunday thanks to Emily and Wynn for having all the college kids over for dinner! We love you Emily and Wynn and are grateful for famiily that love us and care about us!

I'm not sure what is happening in this picture but I am thinking there may be some handicapped people around BYU missing something!


Point Shoe Home Decor


She said it again this week - those words that make me cringe every time I hear them..,

"Mom, I need a new pair of point shoes."

No one told me when I signed her up for ballet that not only did I need to add a line in the family budget for dance lessons but another one for point shoes!

At $75.00 bucks a pop point shoes don't come cheap! We are lucky though that Tessa doesn't seem to go through them as much as some dancers do - we can get 3 months out of a pair where some dancers get 6 weeks!

After dancing 6 hours a day, 6 days a week for part of the summer it was bound to happen -her shoes were trashed.

So Saturday off we went to Dance Togs for a new pair. Despite the cost - she looks so elegant and graceful in them - and SO TALL!!



















I don't understand the whole fit thing with point shoes but fortunately Tessa does and the women who work at the store!




















Well, I decided that with as much as I paid for these shoes they ought to have some other use! So we bought a distressed board with hooks at a vintage flea market and hung it in Tessa's room. It is now the home of all of Tessa's old point shoes - don't they look pretty!!!