Happy Birthday, Cole!

My baby boy turns 1 today.  This year has flown by - I can't believe it!  Cole is such a little Prince, we love having him in our family.  Cole has been such a great baby - he is always talking (my family calls it 'martian speak') and grunting, he will be walking ANY day now and he has the bluest eyes I've ever seen.  I love, love, LOVE my little son.  He is such a joy, we just adore him... 

None so much as Cache, however - they are like two peas in a pod.  Cache always wants to be with Cole, always asks where he is.  Cole in turn is doing all he can to keep up with his older brother - he is climbing on the furniture and follows Cache into every room.  They love to be together!

 Happy Birthday, Cole!  We love you!!

Savor the Summer

I realize that I just posted about my excitement that the Holidays are just around the corner (still am!), but I also realized that Summer is nearing it's end and I'm not sure I'm ready to see it go.  I was reading some old posts and I often expressed my anticipation for the sunny season.  I talked about loving the sound of lawn mowers, the smell of chlorine, backyard BBQ's, driving around with the windows down, the sun staying up until 9:30pm - Oh, how I ADORE Summer!  

It's flown by, but I have had a fantastic Summer.  I certainly intend on squeezing every sunny second out of it that I can!  Savor it.  Savor the Summer.  More BBQ's, more swimming, more popsicles...

To Whom It May Concern

Dear Mr. Conductor:

I understand that operating a huge piece of machinery like a train is a huge rush.  You must feel that you are on top of the world while driving a ginormous locomotive.  Why, my own Grandpa drove Santa Fe trains for a living, so I know the dedication you must have.

That being said, driving a train does not give you carte blanche to just blare your whistle at all hours of the night.  Over.  And over.  And over again.  For long periods of time.  Just because you wear striped overalls does not make it "Ok" to blow your horn as you zip past neighborhoods after midnight.  We get it - a train is coming - but enough, already!  What are you doing?  Who are you alerting?  "I'M A BIG TRAIN!!  AND HERE I COME!!  DO YOU SEE ME?  HUH?  HOW ABOUT NOW!?!?"  Is there a brick wall in your way?  A stubborn yak, maybe?  If so, I'm pretty sure that one short tug on the line will scare the hellfire out of any animal and if not?  Their loss.  But I, along with the other billions of people out there who have common sense, am begging you to give up your whistle obsession.  Take up scrabble or something, but give the cord a break, man.

Sincerely,

Julia Jolley 

Holiday Itch

My son is watching "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", the old claymation one from the 60's.  His favorite shows as of late are 'Heffalump Halloween' and 'Rudolph'.  With all this spookiness and Christmas cheer in the background, I am getting SO excited for the Holidays!  Well, I'm always excited for Halloween, but with it just around the corner it's taking everything I have not to start decorating already.  One of my favorite things is hauling out all the boxes and finding decorations that I've totally forgotten about.  I LOVE getting my house ready for the Holidays...and I have some great ideas this year!  

I also can't wait to bedeck my railings with garlands and hang mistletoe.  I love my house at Christmas - is there anything better than the glow of Christmas lights?  Ahhh, I'm stoked.  Is it just me?  Is anyone else feeling the push of the Holidays?  I fully intend to enjoy the rest of my Summer - vacationing, swimming, spending as many days outside as I possibly can....but in a few weeks I plan on having my home all dressed up for Halloween.

And!  I auditioned for a play this week and made it!  PG Players is putting on "Blithe Spirit" during the month of October - a perfect Halloween show!  I play 'Elvira', the lead character's first wife who has been dead for 10 years and comes back as a ghost after being conjured up during a seance'.  Yay!  You'll come see it, won't you?

Patches at Powell

What a trip!  Cody and I came home Sunday from my family's trip at Lake Powell.  I had the best time - it's so fun  being on the lake with my family.  We spent our Summer's there growing up, so it's always fun to go back with all of us!  Cody and I arrived Wednesday evening - check out that sunset!  We stowed our stuff on the boat and whipped out Guitar Hero - I will never go to Powell again without it.  Turns out I come from a family of closet rock stars.

The next morning we left the slip to go find a beach.  Jess was relaxing on the front deck during the ride...

Once we were beached, us girls got thick into planning for Halloween (we're Patches, don't look so surprised).  Rich sat and joined us for a bit and was willing show off his fierce temp. tat.  He's single ladies - call me.

The men enjoying a bit of badminton...

I don't know what it is, but for some reason my family feels compelled to do a puzzle on every trip to Powell.  They finished this one on one of the many lazy afternoons.  We were all hanging out up top - reading, sleeping, laying out, swearing over missing puzzle pieces...

My brothers love to dive off the top (and other various surfaces available) and Andrea wanted to try a back dive.  Um.  It didn't turn out so successful.  Here she is laughing at her attempts...she was a good sport!  As promised, I didn't include any pictures of her actual dives - but they were hilarious.  Love you, Andrea!

My Dad showing the young guys a thing or two about surfing.

We went in to the marina one afternoon and enjoyed some treats before heading back to the boat.

The Snowie!!  Thank you Scott and Andrea!!  They brought this lovely machine from home and we enjoyed many-a-snow cone.  Can life get better?

This was taken while we were enjoying our snow cones on the top of the boat.  That was probably my favorite time of the whole trip - we were all up top, listening to music and hanging out.  Talking, taking in the view...love the family, love the Lake.

We were having such a great time, we opted to stay an extra day!  (Thanks Susan, Steph and Hailey for taking care of stuff while I was gone!).  My parents had to get back, so they entrusted the boats to us kids.  We had a HUGE thunderstorm during the afternoon - I wish I had pictures!  I'll have to snag some and put them up here.  We drove through hail and rain from the marina after we dropped my parents off - it was quite the adventure.  Once the skies cleared, we took the ski boat over to Labyrinth Canyon.

If you listen carefully in Labyrinth canyon, you can hear "Dance Magic, Dance" faintly in the background...

We parked the boat at a beach and got out to hike.  Gorgeous view!

Marty was King of the Mountain.  Here he is - and he still hiked higher...

A view of the channel on our way back.

Thank you family for a wonderful trip!!  I can't wait until we go together next year.  Powell is such an amazing place, it's really special for my family.  I love that Cody feels the same way about it.  Lucky for us, we have one more trip before the season is over!  

I have other things to fill you in on, patient readers, but I shall end this lengthy post for now.  Stay tuned!  Lots of info and pictures to come in the next day or two...

Goings' On

The show last night was a total blast!!  The audience was great and the musical we performed was one of our best, hands down.  I think the crowning moment was when we held out the last note of our finale for about 12 seconds...at least. 

Maclain and I singing...

Matt taking me hostage until Maclain finds Matt's dog.  Serious stuff, people.

Taking our bows after the show!

So much fun!  I have another show tonight and one on Saturday.  I have finally put the information to our shows on my sidebar, so hopefully you can come out and see us!  

In healthier news, I am back at Crossfit.  Normally this little update would be on my fitness blog, but since I haven't updated that in forever, I thought I would mention it here.  I went on Saturday morning and Cody put me through a great work out - 95 lb. back squats.  In a word - OW.  But it felt SO great!  I'm still a bit sore, but I 'm excited to get back at it.  Ready, steady, fit!  And yes, one day I will be updating my fitness blog...

Friday afternoon I got to go to lunch with my dear friend, Rosey!  She worked with me at EWB and she is one of my favorite people.  She's moving up to Salt Lake this week, but hopefully we can get together sooner than later.  I love her!  That night Cody and I met up with his crew from the Fire Dept. for some pizza and work chat.  He has such great guys on his crew, I love it when we get together!

On Saturday we got quite a storm, so I took the boys out to the front porch to watch the rain.  Cache was curled up in my lap the whole time while Cole bravely crawled around and got soaked!    Cody and I have been addicted to the Olympics each night, marveling at the athletic prowess and skin-tight spandex.  All in all, a fabulous Jolley weekend.  It's been great having Cody home and just spending time with the kids.  Now we are getting ready to go to Lake Powell (yes, again) tomorrow with my family!  I'm SO excited - it's going to be a blast.  Viva La Summer!

Lemme esplain...no, there is too much

Let me sum up - so much has been going on this weekend!  But first things first - I have had quite a bit of interest in the Sundance show tonight, so let me give you the deets: The pre-show begins at 7:30 and the play begins at 8:00.  If you're planning on coming, I suggest getting there early for parking.  There is a tractor at the bottom of the ski run with a huge trailer that will give you a ride to the top!  I believe tickets are $15.00 or so...you can purchase them up there.  The show is outdoors so you'll want to bring a sweatshirt, and they do have seating but bring a blanket just in case!  I hope that helps...hopefully I'll see you after the show!  I'll get to posting all that other stuff later...

For Sooth!

"Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably..."

Hark!  A request hath been sent on the wings of sparrows this fine Summer morn, for I am to partake in a festival of arts!  Yea, upon a stage in the mountains that do saturate mine eyes with glorious shades of jade.  I shall play for my peers in the best of my ability, to be sure that I shalt not let them depart without their hearts feeling merry with joy and song.  

Doth my stomach turn in unsettlement?  Yea, quite profoundly.  You scoff to be sure, assuming that my uneasiness is caused by mine own unsurity of performance.  Indeed, doubt doth swirl in my gut and above mine eyes in wisps of fear.  Be gone!  I shall rise to the challenge and deliver my heart with much sincerity!    I shall play strong and play true, pouring my soul for all to see!  I will humbly partake in this grand adventure, for it is sure to bring me much joy!

Translation:  I've been asked to do a Shakespeare musical with the Thrillionaires tonight and next Monday night at the Sundance Summer Theater.  We are the pre-show for their running play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream".   Am I nervous?  Yeah.  Not horribly, but it is mixed in with the excitement of the whole thing.  You MUST come and see us in action!  We'll have music and some costumage.  'Tis sure to be a grand eve of entertainment.  Eth.  

Memory Lane

I have things to do.  I do - I promise.  My book arrived late so I still have to get to that, lunch must be made and my kids need to be dressed - I just don't really want to do them.  SO!  Instead I am taking a page from about 7 other friends' blogs and asking you to leave your favorite memory of you and me (Me!  It's all about ME!) in my comments.   Doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, any memory will do.  And because I am radical, I will return the favor on your blog.  Remember away!

Standstill

Shhh....do you hear that?  The deafening silence?  The book of the year comes out in a few hours.  Why am I not joining the masses with my nose pressed against the glass of my local bookstore?  Because I pre-ordered this little gem, dear friends.  Pre-ordered.  In February.  My glorious read will arrive tomorrow.  I am only too aware of the chaos that is currently going on - I have many friends awaiting their brand new copy hot off the press, still warm.

So what is this silence I speak of?  You see, once we all get this book in our  hands - the world will stop.  STOP.  The streets will become empty, the stores bare.  Phones will not ring (except to squeal and discuss a chapter or two...), meals will not be made.  We will all be tucked away in silence, feasting on the literary candy that is sure to be 'Breaking Dawn'.

So shhhh...I'm reading...