Back to School and more Birthday!

We are back in the swing of things. Jim is back in his "man cave", Tessa is back in school and I am enjoying a little peace and quiet around here as well as some bargain shopping!! Thanks to Grandma Wilkes and the Christmas and birthday money I've been having a good time!

Tessa found out on Tuesday that she will be in the school's Spring Musical - Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat. She is the featured dancer and in the company. If you haven't seen the show you can rent it on DVD or get it for free from the library like we did. Donny Osmond plays Joseph. There is a lot of fun music in the show and it is a bit eclectic! Pharaoh does an Elvis impersonation and in one number they wear Go-Go girl dresses with boots!

Watch for the french dancer in the Nights of Canaan number - that is Tessa and yes the dance will be toned down a bit and so will the costumes!!!

She started rehearsal after school every day this week and we have started sewing costumes. The girls and I worked on the skirts for all the brother's wives over the break and now I have a can-can dancer outfit to make! Tessa just can't get away from being a can-can dancer. Must be those long legs!

I celebrated my birthday on Wednesday with lunch out with girlfriends at my favorite Mexican restaurant - Mazatlan. I enjoyed my favorite food too - cheese enchiladas!

But I enjoyed the fun time with my friends even more!

I even got a free dessert - fried ice cream and my picture taken with this crazy hat on - it was heavy!!

I am packing up and heading to FREEZING COLD Minnesota tomorrow for a CM top leader meeting. The high is going to be MINUS FOUR!!! And the low is going to be MINUS SIXTEEN.

I know I grew up in Wisconsin but come on - that is COLD!!

College Kid Update:

All is well in Provo. They all seem to have recovered from the flu and seem to like their new classes.

Cali went 80's dancing in her new gold lame stretch pants she got over Christmas - and yes her mother bought them for her - I can hardly believe it myself. They were on the clearance rack at Target .

Logan had a date Friday night and Clark called to say he was going to the movies with some roommates. Any other updates boys? You'll have to leave a comment and let us know.

Just had to Brag

O.K. so this isn't the type of stuff I usually post on our family blog but I am so proud of myself!!! I bet you all didn't know I was an expert bargain shopper - o.k. you knew I was an expert shopper but by necessity and not wanting to give up my shopping I have become quite the bargain shopper.

Look what I got today.


The original price on this coat was $179.00 Guess how much I paid - just guess!!!

The coat had been marked down numerous times. part of the problem was that it was missing the belt but given how short waisted I am I would have taken the belt off anyway.

O.k. - so the price on the coat today was $4.88 - yes that is 4.88!! But wait, they were having 25% off the entire store so I only paid $3.66!!

Now do you think I could convince Jim that now I can spend the other $175.00 I saved!!!!

NOT!

Birthday Bowling and the Flu

Since the kids were heading back to Provo today, Sunday, we decided to celebrate my birthday a little early.

We started out at the Bowling Alley - I'm not much of a bowler but it is something we can all do together and that was the goal!

Here is the Birthday Bowler!

And of course the girls were the most stylishly dressed bowlers there!

Clark showed off his "I'm in a bowling league!" form.

Tessa was the top girl bowler with a combined score of 210 -even tying with her dad!! I was the big loser - seems like since it was my birthday they should have let me win!!

But the very best part of bowling - I get to wear velcro shoes!! Yes, my feet are so small I have to wear a children's size 4!

After bowling we went to dinner at one of our favorite little locally owned Italian restaurants. We returned home for a Samba rematch between the boys and girls - we were 1- 1 and had to break the tie. I am happy to report that the girls won!!

The evening started going downhill from there when Logan starting throwing up and a bad case of diarrhea (sorry if that is too much info) Initially we thought maybe that cream based red pepper sauce was the problem but early this morning Cali also came down with the same symptoms.

We looked into delaying their flight out but she thought she would be o.k. The family "barf" bowl accompanied them in the car and was used! Sorry to whomever parks next to the curb at the airport where Jim dumped the contents!!

The garbage can near the gate was also conveniently located and Cali took advantage of it.

Fortunately she slept on the flight to Boise and the connection to Salt Lake.

She and Logan are safely tucked away in their beds in Provo hopefully sleeping this off. Clark seems to be doing fine.

In addition to a pair of snow boots the college students left something else behind -their germs!

Tessa was up and almost ready for church when she began throwing up so off to bed she went. Jim made it through church and teaching his lesson and is now in bed upstairs. I am fine - so far!.