The waiting...and waiting...and waiting game.

Blogging often takes longer then I anticipate - you know the bit where you have all these pictures and stories to write about but you keep putting it off until you have more time, and then you find yourself with time but it's not the right time because you're not feeling it...Well, no more excuses. I am officially out of work for the next few months (don't panic, I'm a teacher if you didn't know) and waiting for my vacation to start in a few days and the waiting is killing me - I can't even read a book with confidence! But if I leave the house I spend money = less money to spend on vacation. So here is some catch-up blogging, mostly to entertain myself, of things I've done to entertain myself!

QUINCEANERA- I attended one of these festivities at the beginning of May for a student who I taught and was advisor to this year. For those who aren't aware, it is a traditional Mexican/Latin American 15th birthday celebration for girls. It's basically a religious coming-out part which looks and feels a lot like a wedding for one - the Catholic service, carrying bouquets, attendants, the cake, the reception, the dresses, the toasting, changing the shoes (instead of a garter),special dances for the father and daughter and the attendants, the party until all hours of the morning...




SOUTHERN UTAH ENTERTAINMENT - When I first moved to Cedar City so many years ago to attend college, I had no idea what young people in small-town America did for entertainment. And now, all these years later (and after having participated in some of these activities myself) I feel like my high school days were cheated somehow. Shooting paint cans and food in cans, blowing stuff up, shooting at large items, and lighting large objects on fire are just a few of the things I have done since moving here. And when your friends have old furniture, you still light it up, even when you are way to old to know better.




ENTERTAINERS IN SOUTHERN UTAH - Brian Regan, a comedian, came to perform at Tuachan. Tuachan is this AMAZING outdoor amphitheater in St. George, and Brian Regan is an amazing - and clean! - comedian who is a favorite on David Letterman and Comedy Central.



REMINISCING WITH FRIENDS - I'm glad Megan and Chris bought a house(and had birthdays). It gave them a reason to have a party, cook good food, and have a night of music and entertainment. Their house is so perfect and in the cutest neighborhood that it actually, for the first time, has made me start thinking about getting a house of my own. A long LONG way off, but if I could find one as cute as theirs I might take the leap someday sooner then I've been thinking. But their house is filled with something that you can't buy and makes you want to be around for more than just a weekend...



...and these are just a few of many amazing chalk drawings from a festival in downtown Bountiful that Megan took me to see on our Sunday walk. I felt almost like I was in that scene from Mary Poppins!




THE BIRTHDAY OF ONE SO SWEET - My niece Rori turned one yesterday. She is such a sweet girl and though I've saved the blogging on the whole story for her mother, I couldn't resist a shout out to one of three reasons being an aunt brings me so much joy.

Three more days to go. And this is done. Now what?