30-1-30

Remember when we stole our firstborn child's first birthday to celebrate our own? It was too good to pass up: in the span of three weeks, I turned 30, Kenna turned 1, and Spencer turned 30, in that order. This, of course, called for JDawgs and kickball.

The finest little league field you've ever seen is on my block, the J.C. ballpark. I convinced the good city of American Fork to open up J.C.'s snack shack so we could serve food out of it. The fare: JDawgs, of course, peanuts, popcorn, Whoosh Cecil BYU Creamery ice cream, and bottled sodas. We provided sweatbands for all, different colors for the 30 and overs, the 30 and unders, and the 30 and holdings. And then we played ball with our favorite music blaring.

Somewhere between Europe's "The Final Countdown" and the Temptations' "My Girl," singing to my baby in her sweet hot pink Pumas and her baby blue sweat band, a bit JDawg sauce still stuck to my chin, surrounded by friends and family, I thought, "Life is good."

The Big Day

Niels and Audrey were sealed for time and eternity May 17 in the Oakland Temple. We are so happy for them, happy to visit California, happy to win the airport merit badge for traveling with a cranky baby and Grandma Tana, happy to dress Kenna in a puffball of purple, and happy to play hotel sport court with Breckon and Madison and Brynne. Weddings are the best.

First Mothers Day

With my sweet little Kenna, I have officially joined the rank of mama, at last earning sacrament-meeting Mothers Day carnations and/or chocolate. A lot of work for a small token if you asked me. :) We donned our new dresses today for the occasion, K and me.

She is opinionated and cheeky, brave and silly, stubborn and vivacious as all get out. I like to think that she was meant for me.

In just eight months she has taught me things I never knew about myself, about life, about womanhood, and about my Father and Mother in Heaven. And of course, about my own mother, who I could not love and admire more than I do now.

It has been a humbling new world.

Striking Charts, Spence

Spencer now works for what I like to call the Goldman Sachs newspaper. He and a team of economists have to publish research every week.

His colleague was thrilled with the "beautiful charts" he made to show her research. And then the Financial Times did a piece on the research and called Spence's charts "striking." Which explains why we have hanging on our fridge the graphic depiction of the increase in the number of macro-prudential policies used by OECD countries. Naturally.

Lady of Leisure

"How does it feel to be a lady of leisure?" Grandma Tana asks. I'm just two days into my six-month leave, but so far, it feels great.

I've been kicking it with this little tulip.

More shots taken by the lovely Audrey Leifson at the Tulip Festival: