Countdown to Graduation

Only one week of high school left for Cali! We are knee deep in graduation celebration/preparation at our house.

The kitchen table is covered in party invites (100 people next Saturday), graduation announcements, special scrapbooking projects, grad night decorations to finish up (I'm in charge of the photo booth).

We spent Saturday shopping for the perfect graduation dress - Jim can't figure out why she can't just wear something that is in her closet. I told him, that if after being married to me for 27 years he hasn't figured that one out yet - he never will!!

We found a darling dress - at least I think it's darling, Cali isn't convinced yet so another shopping trip might be on the horizon....and then there are the perfect shoes to find.

It will be a busy final week of school for Cali -on top of finals there will be a choir concert on Wednesday with "A Little Night Music" afterwards. Cali is doing a solo and a duet with Jameson., there is a senior reception on Thursday, Senior Assembly/Breakfast on Friday along with two invites to grad parties that night. Saturday is Cali's grad party from 1-4 and then invites to 3 more after hers and then the Theater Department Academy Awards - which surprise - I'm in charge of the food for. This will be a few hours after I fed 100 people at our house!!! Someone slap me please!!!

This past week was busy with One Acts. Cali and her friend Bianca directed one (the seniors all direct them) and Tessa made her debut on the Westview Stage as Bonnie, the alcoholic, trophy wife. She did a great job and had a good time. Cali has a new appreciation for what her theater director goes through with each production - she has decided it is a very stressful job.

In between the One Act activities we managed to squeeze in Young Women's Senior Quilt Night - the moms put the quilts together and then the Young Women, their mother's and sisters from Relief Society join in tying them for the girls. Each girl had a table display and they did a slide show with pictures of each of the girl's growing up put to music. Dinner and dessert were served and guess who was in charge of that!!! Yes, yours truly. We serve penne rustica pasta, roasted garlic bread, strawberry spinach salad and Lemonade Pie (recipes are on my other blog).

My mom was a huge help and made all the pies plus helped me serve and clean up that night.

Cali's quilt turned out great - we used green minky fabric so it is really warm and cozy.

Jim's vertigo episodes (due to Meiner's Disease) have dramatically escalated in the last few months - several a month instead of several a year. He had one on Mother's Day and is having another mild one today. We finally (after a little threatening) got him to go see a Meiner's specialist here in Portland. He had a two hour appointment with the doctor and his nurse and goes back for another 3 hour appointment in a few weeks and then another 2 hour appointment. We are hoping they can do something to help him!

Boy Update:

World traveler Logan couldn't handle staying in one place for more than a week so decided to make a trip to LA for the weekend. He, Becca, Becca's brother and sister and her sister's friend headed to LA on Friday. They went to Knott's Berry Farm on Saturday and then went to see Wicked which Logan absolutely loved of course! They are staying at the home of one of the other Young Ambassadors. They went to church with them today and are having a bonfire on the beach tonight. They head home on Monday with a stop in Las Vegas for an In n Out Burger and a walk down the strip. Logan is living at Wynn and Emily's this summer - thank you Wynn and Emily!!! He is liking having "little brother's and sisters" around again! He won't be in Provo long though because he is coming home next Friday for graduation - we can't wait to see him!!!

Clark had a date Friday night - went out to dinner and to see the new Indiana Jones' movie which he said was "stupid". He played racquetball with another girl Saturday and then just "hung out" Saturday night.

Oops - Haven't done that in a while!

The girl's had an annual cleaning with the dentist this week and Tessa was due for x-rays. That afternoon the dentist's office called to say the doctor had seen something on the x-ray that she wanted a better look at and could we come back in for a full panel x-ray.

Back we went the next day - after the x-ray the doctor called us in and put the x-ray up - and there it was - a tooth. Now not a strange thing to find in a mouth but it is strange when 3 months ago, in February Tessa had her wisdom removed - at least we thought she did! Yes, still there - in full view in the x-ray was 2/3's of a wisdom tooth!!


The dentist's assistant got on the phone to the oral surgeon, had them pull the records and they assured her that they had removed FOUR wisdom teeth. The next day Jim, Tessa and the x-rays headed downtown to the oral surgeons office where after waiting for AN HOUR in the waiting room the oral surgeon announced "Oops, haven't done that in a while!" Yes, he had only removed 3 1/3 wisdom teeth.


The teeth had all been impacted so he had to remove them in pieces - guess he got distracted or something! So in July, once again Tessa will have her wisdom teeth removed or rather wisdom tooth. I thought since I had four children I would only have to go through this wisdom tooth removal thing 4 times - I was wrong!



The girl's kept busy this week with school (only 2 weeks left for Cali), dance and play practice. Cali is directing a one act and Tessa is in it.

We had a fun family night when we attended our little 5 year old neighbor, Jim's buddy, Declan's t-ball game. It was fun to cheer him on but Jim was a bit dismayed to discover not only did they NOT count runs they didn't count outs either! Don't want to hurt anyones feelings I guess.


Friday I took the day off and headed out the Gorge with a group of ladies from church where we climbed Coyote Ridge. It is on the Washington side and has a gorgeous view of the gorge. It is a beautiful and very uphill walk through meadows of wildflowers.





That's my friend Marsha and I hanging over Coyote Ridge. It was a beautiful day - despite the 96 degree weather there was a slight overcast and a gentle breeze blowing. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to keep up with some of the woman who are very experienced hikers but I did pretty good. I didn't have a problem until I woke up Saturday morning and couldn't move!! Thanks to a handful of Advil I was able to get up and moving because I had to cook lunch for 80 people!

I did the luncheon for the American Mother's State Convention. I got lunch fixed, served and then headed home for some more Advil!

Boy Update:
Logan is USA bound and should arrive in Salt Lake Monday evening. We have spoken to him several times and they have had an amazing experience. After a week in Tasmania they flew back to Australia for a visit to Melbourne. We can't wait to hear all the details and see the pictures. He will be home for a short visit the first of June for Cali's graduation.

Clark is enjoying his Spring term and has been busy working on his tan and his golf game. He has joined a bowling league and an intramural golf team. Yesterday he was excited when he shot a 42 and hit a 322 yard drive. His golfing buddy had a GPS unit that measured the length of it! Clark was excited and called his Grandpa Best to let him know!



Jim made a quick overnight trip to Salt Lake and will probably head to Seattle this week. This trip was so quick he didn't get a chance to see Clark or take him out to eat!

Happy Mother's Day

I hope all you mother's are enjoying a wonderful day!

Jim woke up with a vertigo attack this morning so that pretty much puts him out of commission for the day. The girl's got up and pitched in and served me a pretty and yummy breakfast - pancakes with cinnamon syrup, whip cream and strawberries, bacon, strawberries romanoff and juice. They did a nice job setting a pretty table too

Tessa made a collage for me with pictures of her and me and Cali bought me a movie I really enjoyed. I got an email from Logan and am hoping for a Mother's Day phone call.

Clark sent a fun musical card and some money for Grandma and I to go to dinner. Jim bought a couple of large, glazed pots for the patio - now I just need to fill them with plants!

The girl's and I are busy getting dinner ready - pork tenderloin, potatoes, broccoli salad, challah bread and boccone dolce for dessert - my favorite dessert. (I'll put the recipe on my other blog later this week) Grandma and Grandpa Best will join us.

I spent a good part of the week with "graduation preparation" I put a quilt together for Senior Quilt night, a nice ward tradition. The YW and RS tie quilts for all of the graduating seniors. The mother provides the quilt and everyone joins in to help tie it. I am in charge of the dinner that night too. They also put together a slide show to music so I had to pull out and scan in the pictures I wanted them to use for Cali. We worked on invites for a joint graduation party for Cali and Hannah and need to get her announcements out. I am still trying to get her scrapbook updated!

This was also the week to sign up for housing at BYU. After waiting on hold on the computer for an hour and 20 minutes (the server went down) I finally got through and there was no housing left at Helaman or Heritage Halls - only at Wyview Park (former Wyview Terrace, married housing). The problem with that is it is far from campus and there is no cafeteria, they have a kitchen in the apartment. I knew that Cali would not cook for herself so was not real comfortable with her living there. A few days later I got a call from BYU acknowledging there had been problems with the server and they asked me if I had gotten the housing I wanted - I told them I had not and they asked me where Cali wanted to live - I told them Helaman Halls (they have a cafeteria) and they they asked me which hall - they got her a room in the exact hall we wanted!

There are only 3 weeks of school left for Cali - she took the AP Lit test last week and has the AP Psychology one this week. She is also directing a One Act Play so has rehearsal for that. With a little bribing and encouragement Tessa tried out for the One Acts and got a part in Cali's show - she plays a trophy wife, beautiful, plastic surgery addict. Should be interesting!

Jim was in Las Vegas Sunday - Tuesday and then went to Seattle on Wednesday - Thursday so it was a girl's week at home.

Cali and I made a trip to the Washington County courthouse this week to apply for an official name change. Her current official name is "Calista Wilkes" but as of June 5th it will be "Calista Mary Wilkes" She is named after my grandmother Mary Calista - not sure why we didn't add the Mary when she was born but now it will be official. We have to go before the judge on the 5th. So if anyone out there opposes her name change you can show up at the Washington county courthouse on June 5th to protest!

Boy Update: We got a quick email from Logan - they are off to Tasmania. He hoped to be able to call from the airport but not sure.

Clark stays busy with school and work - not sure what else he is up too???? We look forward to having him home after Spring term!