Long-winded Confession Wednesday

Just a few things I've been enjoying lately:

Fiddler on the Roof

This is one of my very favorite movies. Does anybody else remember life before VCRs? Every so often, my mom would say something like, "Hey guys, this movie called 'The Sound of Music' is going to be on channel 10 this Friday, and you can stay up to watch it! You're going to love it!" We'd pop a yellow-tupperware-bowl-full of popcorn and spread out the blue bedsheet (no buttery popcorn off the sheet, please). It felt like Christmas. My kids, on the other hand, have been exposed to these movies since they were knee-high to Jane & Michael Banks. While pushing a grocery cart with a 3-year-old belting out, "SOOOOO! A NEEDLE PULLING FRED!" is a hoot, I still wish they could experience seeing the classics for the first time on magical Friday nights like I did.

That's how I first saw "Fiddler." It's fantastic. If I made a list of my favorite movies, it would be in the top 3. I watched it with the kids the other night, and it gets better every time.

My new Peru Hat (do they have another name?)

A birthday gift to accessorize my typical outfit of my orange top, green jacket, and orange Ecuadorian purse. (I do believe I've warned you that I'm fashion-stunted, and my favorite clothes are those that fit well, don't wrinkle, and are already in my closet. That the shirt and purse match is purely coincidental.) It's unbelievably toasty. Totally worth the hat hair afterwards.

(See me YONFing myself by voluntarily posting pictures of moi?)

Camille Fronk Olson

She's a Professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU (Yonf was in her class back in the day!), and was a speaker at Time Out for Women in Portland last weekend. TOFW is a mini-Women's Conference put on by Deseret Book, with several speakers and a few musicians. We were invited to submit questions for a post-lunch Q&A session with the presenters. The program has this picture of Camille Fronk Olson:

It caught my attention because it seemed a little dated. It was. She looks quite a bit different now - very stylish, and wearing an ORANGE top! After pointing it out to the friends I was with, and in an attempt to get a laugh out of them (the sentiment was sincere, however), I submitted the following on my Q&A card: "Sister Olson: Your bio pic doesn't do your fabulous good looks enough justice. Can I take a new one for you?"

We missed the Q&A session (we were at the Saturday Market in downtown Portland, acquiring Peru Hats), but when I got back, I was informed that they had indeed read my card. Out loud. To Camille herself, along with 1800 women in attendance. I immediately broke into a sweat glisten. Her reply was that she was waiting on a new cut and color first. Somebody (I can't remember who now) suggested that since it was break time, I should work my way to the front to meet her. The thought did not help my composure, but YONF required that I comply. Of course she was lovely and, lucky for me, laughed at my audacity, and then probably noticed the painful irony that it took 2 cameras and 4 shots to get a decent picture of the moment. But don't we look lovely in our orange duet? (See my peru-hat hair?)

Mary Ellen Edmunds

Another presenter from TOFW. Witty, fun, laughed heartily at her own jokes . . . I enjoyed her immensely, and jotted down in my notes that she seemed to be channeling this woman, who I also enjoy:

Pumpkin Carving

I perpetually procrastinate purchasing pumpkins, so I was thrilled when we were offered the surplus from my aunt's preschool pumpkin patch!

The day we had planned to carve pumpkins was a down-to-the-minute marathon from sunup to sundown, and by the time I had dragged my gang to the church to carve with other families, I was beyond fried and feeling a little bitter about my day. As I walked away from the van, a pumpkin under each arm, a full bag over my shoulder, and a shoeless 3-year-old clinging to my back like a spider monkey, I realized I hadn't locked the van. In the 2+ months I've owned the van, the keyless remote has only successfully locked the doors once, and I wasn't in any position to put anything down and get back into the van. Sending a vague plea heavenward, I hit the button on the remote dangling from one pinkie.

Clunk: The doors locked. Would you believe me if I told you it was downright uplifting?

Then, within seconds of our grand entrance, this good man abandoned his own pumpkin, plonked my barefoot son down next to him, and helped him carve his pumpkin without a bit of effort from me.


The evening was a delight. The only that would have improved it would have been in if LW's pumpkin had actually fit over his head. So close, but he chickened out when it became clear that his nose would go in, but likely not come back out.

This little guy

On the list of things I'm NOT enjoying: Cilantro. Blech. But here's a cilantro salad (gah) for Jill to feast her eyes on:

And because I was tagged by the inimitable Savannah, here are some blogs I've been enjoying as well:

Tidbits from the Tremaynes

Mandi has a fantastic knack for chronicling her life through stunning pictures and clever commentary. I understand she also keeps a lively tempo when she plays hymns on the organ - who doesn't love that? She also recently calculated how much it cost to feed her family for a day ($13.47), including "Candy yoinked from the bag for trick-or-treaters: .19."

Laura's Blog

Laura is a night charge nurse at a children's hospital, and she goes to work in a cape and tiara! Remember the part in "It Could Happen to You" where Rosie Perez and Bridget Fonda have both won the lottery, and Rosie goes on a shopping spree, but Bridget only buys herself a jar of roasted peanuts and she looks like she could die happy? That's Laura - she revels in the little things. She's also one of my favorite cousins, and it appears that my daughter has a little thing for her husband.

Tag rules here, since this post approaching epic length.

What have you been enjoying lately?