Fun at Festival of Colors (Sat) 24 March, 2012

Some would look at this festival and scratch their heads and ask, why? But maybe because I am sorta 'in-the-loop' with at least some of the college aged kids (who not only attended this event, but traveled a distance, and were excited about going) I can add a bit of perspective for the fuddy-duddy in some.

Remember, that most of these college age kids are coming from Utah, Idaho, and surrounding areas and have been snow blasted, frozen, sleeted upon, finger/toe/nose/ears numbed, booger dripping, weather bearing for months. This festival is a fun way to celebrate spring, (thus all the colors of the chalk) different foods, and a different culture, and yes, dance, get chalky & have fun. Some of the kids in attendance were on Spring Break (though not all) and were there for just that...a break. Here is what the Daily Herald had to say about it: 

"Close to 80,000 people from throughout the western United States turned out for the Festival of Colors at the Lotus Temple in Spanish Fork on Saturday.

The Festival of Colors, also known as Holi, is two days of thousands of people gathered on the hill of the Krishna temple throwing brightly colored powder, participating in holy mantra and dancing to live music and bands like Jai Uttal and the Queen of Hearts Orchestra, The Mayapuris and The Kirtaniya Vibrations. Holi, the largest Indian festival, is held on the first weekend of spring to celebrate the beginning of the season.

There also was at least one comparison to Woodstock.Most come to throw colored powder into the air or at the crowd. Colors are scheduled to be thrown every two hours, but most toss the powder or wipe pink and orange chalk across the faces of passing attendees without so much as a hello first. However, the actions were welcomed -- and reciprocated -- by most.

Jennifer King, a mother of three from the Salt Lake area, brought her kids to the festival for the first time and intends to bring them to the Salt Lake event on April 14 as well.

"We came for the food and the atmosphere. I was here for the Festival of Lights, and the food was really good. The commute here was horrible, and the traffic was backed up to the Point of the Mountain," King said.

Indian food was another highlight of the event, and included vegetable curries, Basmati rice, Dahl -- spiced bean soups, papadams and mango juice. That was one of the draws for Sarah Rueckert, a mother of two, who came to the festival with her sister and children.

"We had samosas, veggie fritters, mango lawsee. They were really good," Rueckert said. "I had no idea that there would be this many people. When you pull up there is a sea of people. We should've brought a stroller for the 2-year-old, though it might've gotten in the way. My kids think this is a riot. It's great. I think we'll do it every year."

Krishnas in the area expected the traditional Indian holiday to draw a larger crowd than last year, which according to their website had 50,000 attendees, and made arrangements to host a larger event. However, after witnessing delays in the shuttle system and wall-to-wall traffic for miles, some of the participants weren't sure they'd planned for quite large enough of a crowd.

This Indian holiday was intended to be a time to spread ideals of unity, love of nature and an expression of religious convictions.

Read more: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/south/spanish-fork/nearly-turn-out-for-annual-festival-of-colors/article_105182fc-fff9-5902-8e47-caea58f168ab.html#ixzz1qCdwyVBs

Cassi drove down from Rexburg with a bunch of her friends and she went to the festival with her cousin and some other friends as well. From a girl who is presently pulling straight A's...I think a little fun is just the ticket.  Here is the 'before' picture she texted to me as they got there.

Lindsay E, Cassi D, and Andrea H

All nice & clean with WHITE t-shirts on.

Cassi texted me this pic from the parking lot.

 

Cousin Lindsay E. and Cassi after their celebration.

Cassi on the shuttle ride back to their car...

even has chalk in her braces...ew.

Well, the kids had fun. There was no alcohol, drugs, nudity, or PDA's like Woodstock so I think that comparison is a stretch for those wanting to put a spin on it. And let's face it...it had to be a pretty uncomfortable ride home. Hehehe. Ahhhhhh youth, oh to be young again and have this much energy and enthusiasm for life.

This was her favorite pic...the after shower pic.

I love this face!

Momma D

BYUI Combined Choirs sing at SLC Tabernacle (Sat) 10 Mar, 2012

I know I have mentioned a few times how glad I am that Cassi is attending college at Brigham Young University Idaho but I need to say it yet again. I am thankful. This last weekend she was able to travel with the choirs to do a concert with the symphony in the Salt Lake City Temple Square Historic Tabernacle.

The Salt Lake City Tabernacle

To learn more about the Tabernacle click here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Lake_Tabernacle

To say the least this a very historical place for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So it is an amazing experience to get to sing here. Cassi put out some invitations via FB to friends and family in the area. The concert was free but tickets were reserved. Grandpa & Marilyn, and also Lindsay & Andrea came up to Salt Lake for the concert. Grandpa & Marilyn drove all the way from St. George. But in speaking to my Dad afterward he cried at the wonderful experience it was for him to be there when one of his 'babies' was singing in that incredible place. He said the concert was so worth the drive and they were so glad they went. Here are a few pictures they emailed me.

Toby & Marilyn at the Orem house picking up the girls.

The magnificent pipe organ & choir seating.

Outside the Tabernacle with

Lindsay, Marilyn, Cassi & Grandpa Beaujeu

Besties- Cousin Lindsay E (18) & Cassi D (19)

Andrea H, Lindsay E, & Cassi D on Temple Square

10 March, 2012

My heart is full to overflowing. Yay Cassi! Go YOU!

Momma D

CES Devotional for YSA- BYUI Center- Cassi Sings (Sun) 04 March, 2012

Again this semester Cassi gets to sing at meetings that uplift, inspire, and change the course of young people's lives. I am so thankful that she had this opportunity to again sing with the combined Young Men's, Young Women's, and Collegiate Singer chiors at this devotional featuring Elder Quentin L Cook.

She sent me this pic before she left for the devotional.

The BYUI Center which seats 15,000.

Inside the BYUI Center

Another view inside the BYUI Center. Huge.

The combined choirs sing 'Guide Us O Thou

Great Jehovah' in the BYUI Center.

Cassi singing in the choir.

Elder Quentin L Cook spoke at the CES

devotional, Sun, 4 March, 2012

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/languages/ces-devotionals/2012/03?lang=eng

The choir closed with

'Faith In Every Footstep'

It was lovely.

You can see this CES Devotional in it's entirety at LDS.org under the CES Devotional heading. You can better get an idea of this meeting and feel  the Spirit as the music is sung and the messages are given to these beautiful young people. I am so pleased that Cassi is having such amazing experiences while attending BYUI.

Momma D

Mason, Kristi & Harley

Mason, Kristi & Harley..so happy.

Harley is kinda a snuggler.

"Get down!"......"Make me!"...LOL

Yay, for Sunday dinner and time together.

Harley chillin in his 'spot'. That's his

monkey on the floor. :)

I told them I was going to post their cute faces on my blog. But I also promised to behave and not DTR. Bummer.

Promise keeper,

Momma D

A Thoughtful Valentine

Valentines Day kind of snuck-up on me this year. Then Cami walked in and announced she needed everyone's presence in the living room asap. So, we gathered around and she presented everyone with thoughtful sweet gifts and cards. This was the night before Valentines since she has school in Paris early Valentines morning and has to leave before the crack of dawn...she gave us our gifts early. Here's mine.

A bouquet of gorgeous flowers,

and a long stem chocolate rose. Awww.

I loved her gift. In fact that evening when everyone had gone to bed and I was folding laundry I began to notice how many different kinds of blossoms were in this arrangement. Each flower is so unique and beautiful, just like my children. To look at the whole arrangement at once is nice...but to really get the full effect I began to take a closer look, at each lovely blossom individually. I wanted to capture what I saw, felt, and was experiencing in my heart, so I took out my camera and started using the cool darkened room & my OTT-light to snap some more pictures of my flowers.

Looking at these flowers reminded me of one of my favorite poems (author unkown):

It is only a tiny rosebud
A flower of God’s design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly,
Then, in my hands, they die

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
The flower of God’s design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So, I’ll trust in Him for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the Pilgrim’s way.

The pathway that lies before me
Only my Heavenly Father knows.
I’ll trust him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose



Thank you for the reminder dear Cami- I love you

Momma



Christmas 2011

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, but Kristi & Cami weren't home so, though it was nice, low key, and my cooking was delish, inwardly I was pining for Christmas dinner when ALL of us would be home together. The fact that my efforts were appreciated by my darlings at home helped, but inside my heart I was glad to see Thanksgiving pass so I could move on to the next big thing which was packing all the Fall/Thanksgiving decorations up so I could dare to unleash the beast held at bay for far too long. I had spend so many lonesome teary Monday's with flat screen emails. With Kristi serving her Mission in Raleigh, North Carolina I had spent the last 18 months with thoughts of Christmas 2011 dangling in front of my minds-eye like a carrot in front of the weary horse plodding along it's well worn path. Now it was here. It was time.

Cut loose the beast. LOL!

There was joy in the flurry of planning, cleaning, scrubbing, and decorating. Jerry & I have been married for over 30 years so you can imagine how many Christmas decorations we have accumulated over the years. When it's time to pulled the bins and tubs of decorations out of the garage my kids roll their eyes and tell me it's going to look like Christmas 'puked' in our house. I tell them, "No it won't! Because most of the tubs are filled with paper since I pack so carefully. In case I ever wanna turn and RUN!"... Hahahah! Decorating for me was both exilerating, and excruciating because I could hear in my head our little Kristi as she'd sing as we decorated... (from 'Little Mermaid') "I have gadgets and gizmo's a-plenty, I've got Hooz-it's and whats-it's galore, you want thing-a-ma-bob's?...I've got 20. But who cares, no big deal...I want MORE!" Then I'd unwrap an ornament she made when she was in kindergarden. Oh...my.

My family kept asking me what I wanted for Christmas. I felt like I was in a state of perpetual thanks and gratitude to Heavenly Father. I was continually thanking Him for one blessing received after another. There I was standing there as my valiant daughter walked through the airport doors and into my waiting arms. Visits by family, friends, and hearing my daughters reports, testimony, and songs. Parties, good food, shopping, wrapping, laughing, loving, and HUGGING (lots of hugging). But there was also tears, adjustment, confusion, as our wonderful full-time Missionary came home from her busy, scheduled, intense, Spirit filled days of service....to...well...us. :) By the time we went from Thanksgiving to these pictures in our living room on Christmas morning...Christmas was sweet, and calm, and wonderful. I just wanted to absorb them all. To inhale my sweethearts and hold them close. I could picture a mother hen gathering her little chicks under her wings. That would be me. If you see me and I am beaming..it is most likely that it's because my Jerry and my kids must be close by.

Kristi handing out the gifts. We slept til

around 10am. It was so nice.

Jered is over there grinning because he finally gets to use his new hard drive for his Xbox 360. And his new Batman game. He had opened the sides of the packages to 'Make sure I'd gotten the right ones.' He didn't want to be disappointed on Christmas morning. He wasn't LOL!

Cassi and Jerry. He got an Iowa

Hawkeye hat. He LIKES it..a LOT!

Cassi & Kristi got clothes, clothes,

oh...and did I mention more clothes?

I got Jerry an autographed copy of

Dan Gable's autobiography which is

completely out of print. It was one of

'those' finds. Also a brand new retro

Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling Hoodie.

Momma got a new toy. Jerry is a KEEPER!

 I didn't have time to do my annual Christmas letter this year. I may do an Easter one. I really do enjoy making one each year. So much has happened and I love reading the ones from our other friends and family. This year was kinda wild though and since I am not Linda Carter (Super Woman), or Zena (Warrior Princess), or Jeanie (well...you know)...I just ran out of time. I love y'all though. Trully!

I feel so blessed to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I have experienced the wonder of having one of my children serve the Lord on a full-time basis. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is amazing. He changes lives. His message is also an invitation to Come Unto Him...for His burden is easy, and His yoke is light. Following His teachings will bring us closer to Him, because as we follow Him we become like Him. How can we know and profess to love Him if we don't, won't, and have never done what He asks us to do over and over in the scriptures? And that is..."If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) No-where in the scriptures does our Lord tell us..."Tell me you love me." He does not. But the scriptures are filled with the Lord telling us the way to show Him we love Him is to 'Keep His Commandments'. My prayer for myself and my family this year is that we take the Lord at His word. That we keep His commandments and in so doing we honor our Savior, and show Him of our love for Him.

Merry Christmas!

Sandi

14th of Dec. Picking up our Missionary...FINALLY! :)

Well, indeed our daughter Sister Dodge came home from the Raleigh North Carolina Mission on Dec 14th. We'd planned our morning and was thwarted by a frenzied call from Ulta (Cassi's workplace) saying they needed her ASAP and so with a promise that they'd let her go by 12:30...she left. But not without getting a little teary first.

We had to wait for Cassi to get off work before heading to the airport. Kristi's flight was to arrive at 12:50pm. I was so nervous. I just wanted to get there. Like...GO! When we got to the terminal we were able to get an excellent parking place right near the baggage claim area. So in we ran, to wait....

Jered standing by the revolving doors

determined to be the first to get a hug.

Cassi told me to not worry about getting video, or pictures, that she would do all the recording of her arrival. I have been waiting for her to forward me those pictures, but so far all I've gotten is... a wait. LOL. So I am going ahead with my blog and showing you the pics I took of Kristi's with Jered & Cassi.

Finally...here comes Sister Dodge!

Home again, home again, fiddle-dee-dee!

Kristi marveling about Jered's growth!

Cassi sharing the love. There were tears.

She wore a red shirt because it's my favorite

color. Her humor is very much in tact.

Laughing at Daddy. It was wonderful!

The carriers of the bags. Two medium

size bags that aren't even bulging at the

seams. That's because she had to leave

about 30lbs of it at the Mission Home. LOL

The ride home. I can't believe we've got her.

Straight to Anamia's for Tex-Mex!

Our Cassi-girl! She leaves in a couple

weeks to head back to BYUI. {Sniff sniff}

Seeing Alexa for the first time in a LONG time.

Sister Dodge & BFF Alexa Stucki

Waiting to see Stake Pres. Blake to be

officially released 14 Dec, 2011

Proud & Happy Daddy

Well I am trying to play catch up since so much has been happening since Kristi came home. So much more to come. So visit often. I cannot tell you how much I love having her home. My hubby & children are my favorite people on the planet. Not to say there aren't challenges, and hitches in our giddy-up...but aren't the whoopdy-doo's the funnest part of a rollar coaster? Love+work=Happiness.

Momma D



Five More Days!

Sister Maria C Dodge

Yup, our beautiful Missionary comes home in '5' days. I am so excited. I just want to sit by her and have her talk, laugh, sing, talk, laugh, sing! There is so much to talk about and do together. But mostly I just want to hug her long and tight.

The preparations have been a little stressful, and it's been hard NOT to make everyone around me cray, cray, crayzzzeeee in the process. AS things stand right now there are a few things that HAVE to get finished...but other than those...everything else I know will fall into place. Can I help it if I want her homecoming to be PERF?

Meanwhile we are being blessed with a visit from Elder Russell M Nelson from the Quorum of the 12 Apostles this Sunday at our very own Stake Conference. Cassi and I are singing in the choir so we will be up close and personal with him. I have been listening to his Conference messages in preparation for hearing him & I feel so blessed to have this opportunity. What a cool way to get grounded, focused, and put things in their proper perspective before the flurry of Kristi's homecoming? It's a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. He knows me so well.

Elder Russell M Nelson

I'm also really, REALLY excited that my Dad is coming and bringing a couple of my darling nieces. That makes me so happy. Kristi will be so pleased. They come in on her Birthday (the 15th). Yay!

My Dad= Best Dad- Moe Beaujeu

OK- Just a reminder: Kristi will be reporting on her Mission in the Carrollton 4th Ward on Dec 18th at 1pm. If you need directions or more info please contact me. She will also be singing with her sister Cassi. They haven't been able to sing together for a very long time and I am thrilled to hear them.

We are also having a get-together so people can touch base with Kristi & re-connect, share contact info, plan fun things, etc on the evening of the 18th at our home, from 7-9pm. Come on by.

One Happy Missionary Momma

Sandi

She's Almost Home!

Hi Everyone!

Well, Kristi comes home in ‘9’ days…and counting. I already have ‘Christmas Eve’-syndrome, where I cannot sleep more than a couple of hours before opening an eye to look at the clock and see what time it is so I can check off another day. Do all Missionary Moms do this? J

Here is the information you may be interested in:

Kristi arrives home on Dec the 14th. Whehoo! (Doing Steve Martin's Happy Dance)

Kristi's
 Birthday is Dec 15^th but she has requested no party. J I believe we usually call December ‘Kristi Month’ anyways so what-evs. Fun WILL be had.

She reports on her Mission in the Carrollton 4^th Ward Dec 18^th at 1pm. The address there is

4000 Nazarene Rd, Carrollton, TX 75010

. ALL are invited to attend. She will also be singing with her younger sister Cassi, 'O Holy Night'. What a treat. Please come.

Then that evening at our home we are hosting a little get-together for her from 7-9pm. You ALL are invited. It's a very casual come & go as-you-please event that will help everyone come touch base, trade contact info, and enjoy each other after her long absence. For our address & phone number please email me at jsdodge@verizon.net -or- leave me a comment here and I will get in touch with you.

This is such a wonderful, joyous time of year, and to have our Missionary come home is just overwhelming. My heart is full to over-flowing. Please come and share our joy. Hope to see you.

Jerry & Sandi Dodge