My Fair Lady

When I brought up the idea of going to the local production of My Fair Lady and told Mark that I thought he would like it, he looked at me very seriously and asked, "did you think I would like the Nutcracker?" He was still unconvinced but took me to see it last night with Tricia and Dustin. We had a great time. I had forgotten how long the show is (3 and 1/2 hours) but I was impressed. The cast and crew did a great job (it was fun, too, to recognize our neighbor as one of the cast). I especially loved hearing Mark laughing and enjoying it. I'm excited to see what they are putting on next season. (Have I mentioned that my dear husband can't make normal faces on camera?)

Party

A couple weeks ago, we went to a birthday party at Mark co-worker's home. She was very nice and welcoming and quickly invited us to fill our plates with her authentic African cooking. The spices just about killed me, but there were a few dishes that were more mild. It was really fun after dinner to watch a group dancing. I like traditional African dancing a lot. So that was fun.
After the party we went over to the Kemah Boardwalk and just walked around for a while. The breeze was wonderful and it was just very pleasant. Sometimes though, Mark doesn't really want to look normal in photos. We actually were having a good time.

Camping Out

Last week was our Stake Girls Camp and last minute I was asked to be a counselor. While I didn't really feel like I knew what was going on at all, I had a great time with the girl's and with the other leaders. The girl's camp was so different from the ones I went to in Utah. We were at a Boy Scout Camp in Louisiana. It was hot and their were lots of activities like archery,
C.O.P.E. course, and swimming (I swam a mile one morning). It was also a lot more centered on the certifications. I don't remember any certifications that I did. I am sure that we did them, but I just have no memory of it.

It was really sweet to hear the testimonies of the young women. I am really glad that they asked me to go, but I was also really glad to go home after and throw all my clothes into the new washer and dryer that Mark surprised me with!

Studio Space

I am loving my studio. My new easel is wonderful and having a soft chair with wheels also is a plus. Pretty much every aspect is an improvement and it makes painting so much more enjoyable.

Spot On

My old roommate, Stacy, came down from Dallas and spent a couple days with us. It was so fun but we didn't take a lot of pictures (probably because Erika and Nat weren't there...). But when we got all dressed up as cows for free meals at Chick-a-Filet we finally got out the camera. If anyone is looking for the next movie night selection, I recommend Some Like it Hot. I forgot how much I like that movie (and Mark liked it, too, so you know it is a good one).
The only damper on the weekend was the windows leaking and being attacked by SWARMS of mosquitoes trying to fix it.

BBQ?

We had a great 4th of July weekend, and fitting to the holiday it was full of BBQs, grilling, games, family and friends.
Saturday's BBQ is lacking pictures. We had a great evening making new friends and telling stories. It was really laid back and casual. Even though we didn't know anybody at first, it was really comfortable and suddenly 4 hours had passed. On Sunday, we had a family BBQ at our house. Christina, Charlotte and Olivia were in town and it was really good to see them. It was our first time to actually meet Olivia; the last time we saw the Erickson's was about a week before she was born. Charlotte liked to walk out on the golf course and find the ducks and whisper so she didn't scare them away. (Interjection: I love our back yard).
Monday night we got together with 3 other couples from our ward. After more BBQ we played various indoor and outdoor games. We were pretty much laughing the whole night, even though Mark and I lost just about every game.
What a great weekend.

Wet

It has been a very wet week here. We were well out of the way of Hurricane Alex but she brought a lot of water into Texas. Fine with me, I don't have to water my plants.