Here's what's been happening in the Rhoades household since the last time I posted.
Plenty of extended family milestones. My dad celebrated his 1st anniversary with his new wife, Dotty. Then a week later celebrated turning 78 years old. We had a fun extended family dinner and party with him, where he bragged about his recent conquests in the Senior Games down in Saint George. He had participated in two race walking events and taken a silver medal in both.
One niece, Amy Rappleye, was married in the Salt Lake Temple, Oct. 23rd. This is the youngest daughter of my twin sister, Cathy. I have managed to attend all the weddings for each of her married children so far. Her colors were orange & neon pink and she had a beautiful rose bouquet using the roses that are orange with pink tips. Georgeous.
Another niece, Kayla Bainbridge, oldest daughter of my brother, Kent, had her first baby, a boy, the next day, Oct. 24th. He is such a tiny thing! Very cute, and very well behaved. His baby blessing was today and boy was there a crowd since he is the first grandbaby on either side of their family. Can you say "spoiled"?
Halloween came and at the last minute I decided to dress up. My firm always does a party and has a costume contest. A friend of mine posted a photo of what she had dressed up as over the weekend before and I got inspired. I copied her idea and gave it some of my own touches.
This isn't the finished product, but I dressed as a picnic table for two. I got ahold of some KFC paper products and made it look like a meal had just been eaten. My head was a flower centerpiece. It was quick and easy to make, but difficult to move around in and work in. I wore it to work and to my ward trunk or treat party that evening. Everyone was quite impressed at how clever I was but I just know how to plagerize.
This year my birthday was a bit of a milestone - 55 years old. How can that be??? When Dave asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I told him I wanted a party. For most of my adult years, I've been throwing parties for kids and spouses, but I could not recall having a party thrown for me since I was single and in my 20's.
As my birthday neared, Dave stayed mum about a party. I began to think I wasn't going to get my wish, but I kept talking like I would. When I came home from work on Monday, my birthday, Dave was sitting at the kitchen table totally dirty from working on his projects. He had texted me and asked me when I would be home from work, something he never does, so I had expected to walk in to a house full of people yelling "Surprise!". But nothing. I asked him where my party was. He acted like he had forgotten today was my birthday. I wasn't buying it. Dave is such a tease and loves to pull tricks so I was sure he was teasing me about forgetting. He had to try a number of tactics before he convinced me that it really might be a possibility that he had forgotten it. I was still not 100% certain, but when he had me go see a neighbor who was having a difficult time and we were there for quite some time, I began to feel like my birthday was going to come and go, without any kind of celebration; no cake, no presents, no birthday dinner - nothing!! I had to keep telling myself not to be too upset with my husband. It was only a birthday, not the end of the world or anything like that. But Dave is usually so good to me, it was such a disappointment. I kept telling everyone at work when they asked me what I was doing for my birthday, that it wasn't like my husband to forget, so even though I didn't have anything planned I was sure HE had planned something for me.
We didn't get home until about 8 and as we walked in the kitchen the house was totally dark. I could smell popcorn and made a comment about it. The next thing I knew, the lights came up and people were yelling "Surprise!" and I was being hit with silly string! Well, Dave didn't forget and he did manage to surprise me.
They actually had 55 candles on a small cake and made me blow them out. Luckily they were all grouped tightly together which made it easy.
It was a fun time and I was so pleased with my husband for coming through, even if I had to allow him the satisfation of pulling the wool over my eyes.
But that wasn't the end of my birthday celebration. On Wednesday, I got to get a professional manicure & pedicure with Cathy. That was her gift to me. It was the first time in my life, getting one. they had chairs that gave you a massage while you sat there and it was fun to gab away about life the whole time we were there. I got to wear open toed shoes the next day to show off my painted toenails, because the weather was still warm, but now with the weather turned cold, I won't get to show them off any more.
Wednesday night we also took Donna out to dinner & a movie for her birthday, which was the day before, Nov. 6th. Since Kent was in town, he tagged along as well. Donna chose Chinese, so we took her to Dave's and mine favorite chinese restaurant, China Isle, in American Fork. Kent sprang for the dinner check, which was really nice of him. Then we went and saw the movie "Brave", an animated movie about a girl in Scotland, who doesn't appreciate what her mom is doing for her. She learns the hard way that she has been wrong and has to go through some hard times, but of course the movie has a happy ending. I could relate to the story line. Hopefully, my life will have a happy ending as well.
Today Spencer took off to start a new phase of his life in Missouri. He seems to feel it is the right thing to do. I am way worried about it. He flys by the seat of his pants and doesn't do much planning or preparation. I hope it goes well for him. He does have a tentative place to rent, but he doesn't have a job lined up. He sold the truck he bought from Grandpa, bought a 2001 Saturn cheap because the owner had hit a deer and didn't want to bother fixing up the windshield and roof. Dave's friend, Israel, who owns a body shop helped repair it and Spencer was able to still walk away with a chunk of money in his pocket. He is on his way en route as I type this entry up.
He just happens to be moving to a part of Missouri where our renters lived when they were back there. So they have given him a bunch of contacts. He also happens to know a family that he has become friends with and that is actually his motivation for moving out there. They have a beautiful, young lady as a daughter that Spencer is smitten with. I am beginning to learn that men will do just about anything once a girl/woman has captured their hearts. I hope she and her family will be a good influence on him. Any guesses what my prayers will focus on for the next little while?
