The First Prom

 This weekend was the stake prom, a church-sponsored dinner dance (with dates) for teens in the area.  I didn't have these where I grew up but here they're a big deal and, for many of the kids, the only proms they attend.

For the grandparents to see:

 There's a saga about the dress: She ordered it online but, since it was strapless, she knew she'd have to modify it for the church prom. The long story includes delays at the tailor, a frumpy result, unpicking the modifications and, a few hours before the dance, an emergency trip to the mall without her to find a cover up. Whew. 

A nice cute boy in our congregation asked Lauren back in early February by drawing his invitation on the sidewalk with colored chalk outside the church. It was his first date ever and they had a good time getting to know each other better. One prom fail: we left the boutonniere at home in the fridge. She brought it to him the next day at church but it just wasn't quite the same. Plus what 16-year-old wants to wear a boutonniere at church? 

They met up with other friends for a big photo shoot before the dance. Halfway through the group shot we realized it looked like a wedding photo, with the white dress in the middle :).

 G was one of the chaperones and drove L & her date to the dinner-dance.  He did this quick, warm-up spin with her before they left. I heart this photo.

. . .

In the meantime, Maddy met up with all of her friends (too young for prom) for an "anti-prom" party. I went on a Sam date--we ate Mexican food and watched the pilot episode of Lost. (He has started watching the current season with G and me and has been dying to see the beginning.)

All in all, a lovely evening for all and in spite of the Cinderella looking getup, Lauren came home with both slippers in tact on her feet.

. . .

Do you have memories of your first prom?

Marched

Whoops, did I say I was going to post monthly family photos and summaries of our doings?  Don't look too hard for February's entry.  But then again, that's February for you: Good intentions, dreary execution.

But here is today's March entry, with a photo taken in the two minutes before Sam ran out the door to piano lessons.  Louie came up to the camera to check things out (maybe bomb-sniffing dog potential? he can earn his retainer reimbursement money! [see below]) just as the shutter clicked.  Classic.  For the record, none of us liked this photo: Lauren didn't like her hair, Sam was goofy, my bangs never cooperate and I swear that double chin is no longer welcome here, Maddy is blurry, and G is nowhere to be seen.  Perfect, I say (except the G missing part). Real.

So what to say about us this month?

Sam got his braces off, then 6 days later Louie delighted in finding his retainer case and chomped it, snapping the retainer cleanly in half.  I think we now hold the record for fastest return to the orthodontist for a new retainer.  Go, W family pride!

I have not exercised once this month.  And I have quit eating sugar 6 times this month but the mini Cadbury eggs have gotten the better of me every single time. My house is too close to a neighborhood grocery store that stocks Cadbury for me to exercise self control.  And I don't walk there, I drive.  Still, I am inspired by all my marathon training, vegan eating friends out there. I'm living vicariously through them for now, but inspired.

After a long hiatus we have started reading a book out loud together when we can.  I just may have been inspired in part by this article about a dad and daughter who read aloud together every night until she left for college.  Fantastic.  So, what are your suggestions for read-alouds with kids (ages 11-16)? Over the years we've done Harry Potters, Under Sea Over Stone, Hunger Games, Little Women, King in the Window, The Wheel on the School, a bunch of EB Whites... How about you?

Speaking of good articles, do you use Delicious?  I have started bookmarking articles there that I find interesting and I'd love to know what you're reading, too. Drop me a comment or an email if you have a delicious account so I can check out your favorite articles, too.

Yesterday, we watched the old musical Carousel.  I had forgotten about all that talk of Billy beating and hitting Julie Jordan. Billy! It's not okay. Still, that scene at the end when he comes back to earth to make everything all right for his daughter...Sigh. I think it's ripe for a revival. I'm picturing Hugh Jackman as Billy Bigelow, maybe Katie Clark as Julie Jordan. 

Lauren took the SATs this month; I think she finds out tomorrow how she did.  I'm finding myself to be in complete denial about this whole college idea. Right now she's looking into USU, BYU, Westminster, Washington University in St. Louis (hey Christie!), and Emory. But it changes weekly. Trying to strike the balance of being supportive/interested without falling into the zone of over-controlling on one side and complete denial on the other is a challenge.

Maddy delights us with her jaunty zesty fashion sense.  She puts scarves and layers and sparkly shoes and leggings together like nobody's business.  

She's been dreading violin lessons lately and we had a long tearful talk in the parking lot for 15 minutes before she went in. Oh the pressure she puts on herself, that girl.  I basically gave her a license to fail gloriously, here's your license to mess up, Maddy.  To make mistakes and slop your way through something and not be the best.  Just be the one who has fun doing it. Don't worry about the recital and measuring up. Just flail your arms around and make music for you.  My two girls could give each other lessons: one has extra doses of laidbackness, the other has conscientiousness to spare. It's too bad they can't just ladle a little into the other's cup.

Finally, it has been brought to my attention that I do not post very many pictures of myself.  Here ya go, circa today, proof that I do indeed exist: 

                      beyond here there be thighs...

Sunday dinner @ 135

Just a little love letter to my grandparents' house (fondly known as 135):

Taken from flip video I took last weekend on a whim, shaky camera work and all. It's part of my personal geography, that house.  I love everything about it and the people therein.

Music: To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra

5 people x January

Taking a cue from Tara, I'm going to try to do a monthly round-up of what's going around in our house, complete with a family photo (except January, when it appears I didn't get the camera out at all so I'm borrowing a photo of the MFA instead) 

[edited to add: January is a month to convince yourself into enjoying things, don't you think?  So if this recap seems on the rosy side to you, you're right.  Be assured that there are many dismal and frustrating things I'm leaving out in order to spruce up the month a bit (or read some of them in my comment below).]

One highlight this month was attending the John and Abigail Adams Benefit Ball at the Museum of Fine Arts with G this past weekend. It was refreshing to get all fancied up and enjoy the art + music + food + people watching. It felt very Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler-ish to be drifting around the galleries after hours by ourselves.  I should have taken pictures (and didn't) but I did find a dress I loved (hence the mall trip in Sam's postcard below) and G looked very dashing.  I'm even getting better at cocktail party small talk and being brave about introducing myself to complete strangers.

In other news, I handed in my first qualifying paper, hosted the Young Women's New Beginnings last night, and am deliberating about my hair (again) and exercise regime (still) and house projects.

Lauren just finished midyears, a week-long exam week in her high school where they hold 3-hour exams in place of classes for a week, college style. Makes me glad I did high school the easier way, not the quasi-college way.

Also, she's taking an SAT prep class on Saturdays and is still fencing her heart out.  We hardly ever see her, really.

Lauren and I played a flute duet for stake conference + it was a pleasure to play together like that (I was so proud of her).  She has a robust social life and, recently, there's a certain favorite boy (and that's where the blogging boundaries end, I believe). 

Maddy keeps growing taller and taller, which has made her legs and ankles ache regularly.  

In typical Maddy style, she dives into many after school activities with gusto--model UN, student leaders, yearbook, helping a friend with stage design for the musical. She's transitioned to staying behind her closed bedroom door more often, texting, and littering her floor with clothes--full blown teenager but without much attitude (knock on wood).

I love that she wears an Audrey Hepburn pendant every day.

Sam went on a klondike derby campout with G (6 measly degrees! Brrr) and they were both great sports.  

Sam goes through wide piano swings, on one end of the spectrum flopping around and avoiding practicing and on the other end practicing up a storm and composing like crazy.  Guess when he likes his lessons more??  Yeah, it's a tough lesson to learn...over and over.  

He also plays basketball and still says "I love you" out loud when I drop him off at school in the mornings. It makes my morning and I consider each one a gift since I don't know how much longer it will last.

G had a great birthday this month--it's so nice to have something to celebrate in January. We surprised him by planning and booking a boys' ski trip to Utah this weekend for him and 7 high school friends who will be flying in from all over the country.  

G's also been coaching Maddy's basketball team, getting involved in some non-profits in Boston,  and working hard at his day job.

Also memorable: Blueberry pie for G's birthday from PetsiPies. The smell of snow in the morning. The taste of sixth grade spaghetti and the smell of sixth graders dancing. A few good fires in the fireplace. Watching the stars with Sam for his science project. Snow tubing at Nashoba. Mike's Pastries + italian food with Christin in the North End.

OooOoo...This was Halloween

Sam wanted to be something cool--this year he was going to his first school Halloween dance.  He considered going as a color (blue--inspired by Matt's Blue Man Group last year?) but never really settled on anything despite long brainstorm sessions.  Then on Thursday night when I went in to say good night he had his whole costume assembled and lying on his floor, including the FBI i.d. and earpiece.  With no help whatsoever! Awesome. 

Lauren's friend Lucy is a ballerina so she brought over her tutus and they put together a good/evil ballerina duo for consecutive dances last weekend.  (This weekend Lauren went with her old queen costume from a couple of years ago for party-going on Halloween.)

Maddy and friends wanted to dress up in a theme together and decided on Snap, Crackle, and Pop of Rice Krispy fame (Maddy's coat and hat are from Target and will be well used long after Halloween).

We just squeaked in a pumpkin carving session on Halloween at 4 p.m. before everyone dispersed for trick-or-treating & celebrating with their own groups of friends.

We did a row of orange illuminarias leading up to our house but it was so windy that they were blown out and knocked over by 6 (plus it was freakily warm: 69 degrees). Some of my favorite trick-or-treater costumes this year: the Empire State Building (stacked boxes...so clever), a neon sign, the Constitution, and two little witches in a cardboard car.  Failing grade to the teenage "golfer" (wearing a golf shirt and glove).

Finally, a note:

Dear Teen Girl Trick-or-treaters, In my opinion, you must choose between sk@nky and candy.  If you are old enough to wear a sk@nky costume, you are too old to trick-or-treat with the little kids.  If you want candy, please cover up and be a sweet witch, not a sexy one.

Thank you,

The reluctant candy-givers at no. 22.