I {heart} these little girls

Just showing off my nieces :) I get to see them in T-minus 3 days and counting!!











As for SYTYCD.. I was really really bummed that Rayven left the show. I was so excited to see what a contemporary ballerina could do in the format of this show. Oh well :( I liked her and Jamie's dance, but it wasn't awesome. Most of the others really were awesome. Keep dancin' Rayven!! You're amazing!!

While we're on the subject of cool TV shows... Did anyone watch the CBS show JERICHO? I caught a bit of one episode when it was on, but didn't discover my love for it until a few weeks ago. If you like "End of the World" Scifi.. check out this series. CBS booted it after just 2 seasons! I don't know what they were thinking! CBS- Jericho

I'll be absent for a couple of weeks on a much needed vacation! I feel like I've run a marathon today getting ready for it. I could sleep like a rock on a metal bench at a Aerosmith concert- I'm soooo tired!

SYTYCD

Fellow SYTYCD fans-


We have a top 20!

What do you think?

Here's my two bits:


I think the coverage of Auditions and Vegas was excruciating to watch. The producers and judges created way too much drama and it took away from these people's talents. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching people make fools of themselves as much as anyone else, but I can't stand watching someone ridicule and belittle another person. I thought both Nigel and Mary were a little high on their horses. I think they gave the kids a REALLY hard time and expected them to know when to have personality and when to keep their mouths shut and when to jump up and down and giggle, and when to bow down at their feet and so on. Nigel tries too hard to be clever and I think Mary is on the verge of a psychotic break between her screams, tears, and tyrades! Mia Michaels is brilliant, but so artsy that I wonder if she's in touch with reality.

Having said that, all those things are part of the reason I love the show! These new judges- Tab and Napolean... cooooool- can't wait to see! Can't wait for the group dances- LOVE those. LOVE it all!

Here are a few of my favs of the top 20:



She's an obvious favorite- (cute little Mormon girl from Utah) but really, she has truck loads of talent- can't wait to see her ballroom stuff, but where is the sexy Russian ballroom guy?? :(



His name sounds Russian, but this guy is from SLC too! However, he was born in Khazakstan. (sp?) Close enough? We'll see. Here's the kicker- HE'S A BREAKER!!! It's a bit like maybe a Tongan ballroom dancer, but it actually works! And the sexy part, well, he's no Pascha. Oi.



This girl got my attention at first b/c of her wierd haircut, but she is an amazing dancer. I can't wait to see what Mia does with HER!



I am glad Twitch made it through. I think he's fun to watch and has all the "personality" stuff that makes the show so cool. I'm not sure how he'll do on the other styles...



This girl- HOT. I cannot tell you how excited I am about a ballet dancer on the show. Her pointe is incredible- her solos are going to be untouchable. Go RAYVEN!

NOT SO HOT:



I don't know what it is, but watching her takes me back to 7th grade PE and I can just picture her doing "herky's" in the corner with her posse and me hoping that at any minute someone will de-pants her......... She bugs me. (I should probably stop now and go to bed)




What did you think about the whole drama with this girl and her best friend? Kind of over the top, but I felt SO BAD for the friend who was cut at the end. I Katee is going to get some flack for all that and it will probably affect how long she stays in the competition.

I also think they let some phenomenal dancers slip through the cracks. I guess its time to get over that and focus on all the fun stuff to come!! BRING IT ON!

Memorial Day

There is this song by ABBA called "The Visitors." Its kind of creepy, but it talks about how her doorbell rings and these "visitors" come and take over her life. Well, I can't get the song out of my head! Maybe its because we've had so much company lately?!? If anyone knows how to get that song embedded into this post, please share! I can't seem to figure it out!!

This last week we had my mom, my sister, James's brother and sister in law and of course, my brother Nate staying with us. As luck would have it, the first day our company was here, we found out that both of the boys had strep! We started the Amoxicillin and the next afternoon they felt quite a bit better, soooo we crammed an entire weekend of activities into one day- Memorial day!

First, the men did a bike ride to the beach and back. Then a fabulous home-made crepe breakfast, then the beach, the movies and finally, my brother watched the boys while James, his brother Shawn and sister in law Kathy, Annabelle and I went out to dinner at Vigilucci's in Carlsbad. Uh Maze ING! Lobster, crab, Alaskan Halibat, Shrimp, Salmon all Italian style- UUUUUUUnbelievable and finish it off with chocolate lava cake and gelato- UUUuuuunforgetable. Man, it was a good day.

Photos:


It was really much to cold to be at the beach, but do you think that stopped us?






We love it when these guys come to visit! We always have so much fun! We miss them so much!!




Haley had been going through severe Annabelle withdrawals!





At California adventure last week, Dillon went on the "Tower of Terror" ride for the first time- here's the photo... I think he's less scared than Haley and Nate!?!!





Charlie played it cool and hung out with Pluto while we waited for Dillon. He wouldn't leave Pluto alone! He wanted to pet his tail, touch his ears, give him Eskimo kisses and at one point (about his 5th turn with Pluto) he broke out singing "It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!" Pluto was dancing and there was a whole group gathered around laughing and clapping! I tried to get it on video...but couldn't get the camera out and ready in time through my hysterical laughing and tears!



Does this kid look sick to you?




The boys finished their course of antibiotics Friday night. Saturday afternoon, I noticed Charlie had what looked like irritation around his waistband. I didn't think much of it until the next morning. It looked like hives all over his body! He insisted that it wasn't itching or bothering him, but Monday morning it was worse so we took him in. Look at this crazy rash! Looks painful, huh?




He decided that he had turned into a speckled frog. Now that its getting better, he says, "Mom- I'm going to be Charlie again soon!"



The pediatrician thought it was a delayed allergic reaction, but to be sure we went to the Dermatologist upstairs (James had just begun his rotation in Derm that morning- ironic?). The second he sees Charlie he grabs his camera! After getting the history he says, "Thanks Dr. Mathews! You've brought me the coolest case all month!" He thinks Charlie had Epstein Bar virus- or mononeucleosis and the antibiotic treatment caused him to break out in this crazy rash. Its rare, so it totally made his day! Glad we could be of service! lol

Anyway, the test results are still out and we get funny looks when we take him out, so even though its looking better today, for now he's housebound.

Random cuteness:

Tribute to Anna

A long time ago, a woman named Jenny died, leaving her husband and son devastated. This woman's sister, Anna, stepped in to take care of the child and later married his father. Anna and her new husband had five more children, one who's name was Jenny, and many many happy years together. About 30 years ago Anna made a beautiful wedding cake for a young man and his new wife- elaborately decorated with tiny pink and blue flowers. 20 years later, on her 87th birthday, the daughter of this nice young man, also named Jenny, married Anna's grandson James. 8 years after that, James and Jenny named their first daughter Annabelle.

On Sunday, at the age of 96, this wonderful woman, our grandma Anna Malmberg Mathews passed away. She was a strong and kind woman with a heart of gold. She spent many years working as a nurse at the old hospital in Logan, Utah on the labor and delivery floor. She now joins her sister Jenny, daughter Jenny, son Dean and husband Grant in paradise. She is loved dearly and will be missed.