The Weekend

We take our date nights seriously. After years and years of not having the where withal to go out (or when did finally did get out, spending the first half hour saying, "What do you want to do?" "I don't know, what do you want to do?"), we came up with a way to make our dates more like they used to be. (You know, something fun that you look forward to.) We take turns planning it. That's it. When you're in charge, you essentially take the other person out, and leave them out of the decision making process. They get to be surprised. I love it. 

I tend to do more of the planning because 1) I like living like a tourist, and 2) I have more flexibility to figure out logistics and research stuff online. So last Saturday night I took Brandon to the free "Days of '47" pops concert at Abravenel Hall in Salt Lake City. (After trying a new Japanese restaurant of course--not the best.) It was part of the "Pioneer Day" celebrations in Utah that start after the 4th. 

I'm loving that the whole month of July is one big patriotic party around here. And I do find it ironically inspiring that the Mormon pioneers were such patriots when they were essentially denied the freedom of religion we take for granted today, being forced to leave the country and settle the west in order to exercise that religious freedom. (Of course, here we are over 150 years later with two Mormons running for President, a story and process that is fascinating to watch. It amazes me how much ignorance and bigotry still exist, but also how far we've come over the last few decades.) 

Wow. What a concert! And what a venue. Here's the view from outside during intermission:

Looking back at Abravenel Hall:

And from inside (all iphone pics--not too bad!):

 

On Sunday we went to Brandon's cousin's church to attend the blessing of their baby, and to their home afterward for a little get together with family and friends. From there we headed home to meet my sister, Elizabeth, and her family at our house for dinner. (The sister we stayed with in Iowa. Her husband's family all live here, so they were in town for a family reunion on his side, but squeezed in an evening with us.) 

I botched the uploading of the pictures so that the events are backwards, but there's no way I'm going to fix it tonight. 

Just to clarify--it's not all fun and games around here. This is Brandon grilling up 10 pounds of marinated chicken (in the rain--he eventually put on a rain coat) for me to take up to Kate's camp on Wednesday. (Another story entirely. I'm going up as one of the cooks and just barely finished cooking up 10 pounds of sausage tonight. . .)

Elizabeth and I going for the chin down, head to the side so your face will look skinny pose:

Do you think I could pull off a haircut like hers? It's so much cuter than my mine! (In a whiney voice.)

Da kids:

Water, earth, fire, and air bending:

These pictures are going to be even more hysterical in another ten years:

Random cuteness, not associated with the weekend at all:

Now we travel back in time . . . this is after the baby blessing, at The Cute Family's house. Yes, those are oreo truffles on that tray in the middle:

Cute Aunt Carol helping get the food ready. She's good at food:

In the backyard:

Super cool cherry tree with an awesome trunk and tree house to boot:

Uncle Brent (Brandon's mom's brother), who is duking it out with cancer right now. (Go Uncle Brent!!) I can't say enough good things about him:

Me and Amy--one of Uncle Brent and Aunt Carol's two adorable daughters:

I only had my dinky purse camera. Waaaaah:

The man of the day, baby Beck:

Taste testing the hair:

There are many reasons I love these three good women (and that's the proud mother, Cami, on the left), but one is that they make me look tall in this picture:

Glad we could celebrate with you, Beck!

 

Weekends are a beautiful thing.