I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD

i became acutely aware

that in grandma's passing

the home on devonshire

would soon be a memory in my mind.

i felt desperation to quickly

capture a few

signature items

on sunday

march 9, 2014

i paid a visit

to 2975 devonshire circle.

for one more moment

i was

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

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LOVELY LADY

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WOODEN ROSES

from the archives and files of the mixed UP granddaughter rebecca

 

FIFTY WAYS TO DO FIFTY

FIFTY ways to do FIFTY

1.  hit the snooze at least three times...maybe four

2.  put a screen shield on your brand spanking nifty FIFTY i phone 5s

3.  take my morning “walk”and feast upon the word of christ

    (the one thing I missed 11 years ago...exercise on the stationary bike)

 4.  sing happy birthday to noah and record it on the old cam...

5.  make noah a birthday breakfast of french toast and stick a candle in it

6.  pass on the black and white granny sweater for a more hip purple one

7.  don the princess sparkle crown earrings...treat me like royalty, 

why? i am ½ century young

8.  blast it ! remember i forgot to charge and activate the phone

    (say out loud “get out of your head and into your heart...no raptors allowed”

    make sure noah’s favorite pants are washed and what only semi dry???)

9.  take a birthday photo of the birthday boy as he hurries out the door in his semi dry pants

    with his little debbie birthday treats (also celebrating FIFTY years) and

    be thrilled the house is a mess...it is actively lived in

10. bask in the fact that last year’s snow has melted into a balmy 45 degrees at 8:55 a.m.

11. make plans for a “triple double” birthday party at grandma garffs

grandma hart-double digit birthday (3/4 century plus one)

moi double-digit birthday (1/2 century)

noah double-digit birthday (1/10 century plus one)

12. thank the ela angels for acknowledging my special day,

     put on the birthday crown and try not blush as the birthday song is sung

     and have someone take a picture.

 13. accept the uncompliment with a smile from my new besty “i love to poke your arms

     because they are so jiggly”

14. take my calcium, my vitamins, my probiotic

15. break time...check out all the FIFTY nifty FIFTY plus FIFTY more

iphone cases

16. disrupt Mrs. O’s class...nice deflection “let’s all sing to Mrs. G !”

17. sit in a corner with multiple students writing essays on the movie verses book “the outsiders”

    (perfect, a chance to reconnect with the crushes of my younger years...matt dillon,

     ralph maccio, patrick swayze... and tom cruise???? who knew?)

18. hang out in the pride class and discover what  “a BEAUTIFUL Person is!!!!!”

19. attend a department meeting sweetened with deliciously delectable homemade

     chocolate cupcakes

20. receive and open a gift of sunshine--”PRICE”less...especially the wound bandages

     (savor a sunshiney card from little miss sunshine)

21. relish in a sweet email and birthday wish from a childhood friend

22. delve into "ersperanza rising" accompanied with a documentary on “surviving the dust

     bowl” someone knew I am an active wannabe storm chaser.

23. a birthday wish from kjar plastic surgery...am i the new target audience FIFTY and

older? are they trying to recruit me?

24. hear about the short awaited proposal...congratulations friend

25. hit the floor for a code black with 8 students

26. review area and perimeter and then apply it to a dining table...what do i know about that?

     very little.

27. google 11  11’s to commemorate noah’s special day

28. activate my nifty FIFTY iphone with the tutelage of the techno savvy

29. remind students of the appropriate use for a measuring stick

30. quality time with noah during traffic over memories of his birth

31. pause a moment to capture a beautiful sky and sunset on film

32. battery exhausted...no not now...we’ve just arrived

33. remember the nifty FIFTY gifty i received has a camera...i am safe

34. oops i guess i only set up the iphone (  allow rick the grand opportunity of activating mine)

35. celebrate the news of nathaniel’s acceptance to BYU as well as the eagle scout   

     announcement that arrived, andrew’s win of the pinewood derby and all the cars bryan helped

     with... placed, and a week of birthday bashes (grams, paul, peter, stephen, noah, mallory and

     moi)

36. lovely ladies present a little compact mirror with words reminding me

    i was born to be queen

37. show and tell my new crown of candles and sing a little ditty

38. let noah have a chance to look like lady liberty

39. have the traditionally annual mother son birthday photo

40. now the grandparents birthday person photo

41. visit with grandma garff

42. hug and kiss grandma garff

43. tell her things we used to do together...remember to read “a place far away”

44. climb up in her bed and massage her head and listen to her breathe

45. dine on moochies and meatballs thanks to my handsome hubby

46. sing happy birthday to the “triple double”

47. open cards from mom and dad… "MMMooommm DDDaaaddd...the computer is my gift”

48. one last memorable moment as a family with grandma garff

49. open presents from chelle…”WICKED !” Are you kidding me?

 50. be grateful for a happy day

BIRTHDAY FOR ELDER HART

 i do not know what it is about my nieces and nephew

but they bring out the

T.T.B.F .in me

(Trying To Be Funny)

that is what earned me the

ca ca caching drum roll from mads

the "crazy aunt" title

from stephen

birthdays and holidays

are simply invitations for me

to present my best

as i searched the world over for just the right card

i was most disappointed...

cheesier than kraft macaroni

dirtier than pigs rollin' in mud

dumber than dumb, dumber, and dumbest

until

wait for it

wait for it

press play

p.s. i am the "crazy aunt"

and not the singing
fat lady

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
 ELDER HART

BLESSINGS IN DESPAIR

does my name say "MURPHY?"
i think not.
have i invented any "LAWS?"
heck no.

and yet
2014...
i did not purchase a calendar
or planner for the year...
business conducted on technology devices
hard drive needs to be replaced
my smile box collection has disappeared
my iPhoto is unaccessible
i have only one contact lens
(talk about throw me off balance)
my camera has a lens error
and so there is no zoom
i misplaced my phone
then found it in the church library
wet and damaged
contract does not expire until march
also wet and damaged
was the gift santa gave me
"walk with Christ"
book and journal
and i tried doing laundry again
noah now is the only boy
with this color of skinny jeans
the dog and christmas tree
gouged me and so i have additional
wounds to fret over
the light on my vehicle needs to be fixed
and an officer pulled us over to tell us about it
i wanted to cry
i wanted to scream
but mr. positive zig ziglar silver fox of idaho

reminded me to count my blessings
he also suggested a second opinion on my computer

and that was blessing number 1.
1. photo library was rebuilt and downloaded to a separate hard drive.
2. i had christmas money to repair the hard drive and battery.
3. because dad was there, he was a witness to my inept hard drive storage.
4. with rick, they decided a perfect half century birthday gift would be an upgrade

5. noah could then have his own computer (my old updated model) to use.
6. i have a legitimate reason to not answer my phone or return calls until march.
7. i purchased a new journal and now i have one i can cart around and one i can keep clean at home
8. the officer will not make us pay if the light is fixed within 14 days.
9. until repairs were completed, i had time to complete a few projects that were weighing on me.
10. rewrite MURPHY'S LAW

BIRTHDAY FOR A SILVER FOX

decisions. decisions. decisions.

all my best boys:

noah's basketball game

qt with my hubby

exhibit of my very bff

birthday of a silver fox, my dad

decision made.

noah and hubby attend the game and meet up later

i opt to sally forth to provo

for "SACRED GIFTS"

GIFT:

chelle made arrangements for family members

to experience an event of a lifetime.

GIFT:

howard and lisa

jordan and liz

andrew and maddie

chelle

the barrett family

mom and dad

awaiting at the door

GIFT:

headphones attached to an iPad

an app

with the altar pieces

information on the artwork

music to accompany

testimonies of others

activities for children

GIFT:

moment alone with my thoughts

beautiful music

surrounded by life size paintings 

of

Christ

GIFT:

the bookstore

thanks dad!

heart earrings to symbolize

this occasion

interactive books

and cards with the art pieces just viewed

GIFT:

fantabulous conversation

a wonderful dinner

at a unique restaurant downtown provo

called the

COMMUNAL

GIFT:

words from the birthday boy

my dad

funny how it was his birthday

and i was a receiver of so manyGIFTS