They were to arrive on Pioneer Day Sunday July 24th.
I wasn’t sure what time they would be in so I had an easy dinner prepared,
Hawaiian Haystacks. The toppings were chopped, the rice was measured into the
pot (all I had: 13 cups!) I was just waiting for her text as to when they were
at the base of Parley’s Canyon. When she did, I decided to get the rice cooking
and the sauce made. At about the time the water should have been boiling, I
peeked into the pot. I HADN’T ADDED THE WATER. The scorched smell filled the
room as soon as I lifted the lid of my ginormous silver pot. Even the rice that wasn’t black and stuck to
the bottom of the pan had an odor to it. It was UNUSABLE and I had to feed 20
people in the next half hour. The rice isn’t a ‘side’ when you are having
haystacks, it’s the ENTIRE meal. I got on the phone and rounded up a couple of
pots and rice. My friend Pam had an entire Costco size box of Minute Rice. I
cooked the whole thing and it was miraculously ready for the Poulson’s.
The Poulson’s didn’t exactly have a quiet entrance what with a 26 foot moving
truck followed by a 12 passenger van pulling up to the house. The kids across
the street ran inside and peeked through their blinds. Ava made me laugh as she hollered, "Move that BUS!" As Missy and the kids
unloaded I knew right away which one of her kids was Abby. She was the one
grinning at me sheepishly on the lawn. When Matt asked her name later she said,
“It should be easy, I’m named after your wife!” The kids match up pretty well with a lot of
mine and were all playing together in no time. Katrina gave up her room to 14-year-old
Alex, without being asked. Mallerie gave up her bedroom for Missy and Owen, with being asked. I made a hodge podge honeymoon
suit for the newlyweds, Nephew John and wife Ashley in the toy room using the
futons. The rest of them had to make due with a pile of blankets and a family room,
and the smell of burnt rice.
John and Ashley reminded us so much of Kei and Ademir. She is
from Hawaii, he is from Northern CA just as they are. Also they were married in
May in the Laie Temple where Kei and Ademir will be in August. And they both
love games! The last night they were here the kids stayed up till past midnight
hooting and hollering with them in the basement. I know because I was up talking to Missy and
LAUGHING. The first night the four of us
with the hubby’s talked till late. I’m glad Matt gets along with Owen so well.
He said, “I have a lot to learn from someone like that.” We really wish them well in their new Kansas
adventures. Owen and Matt heard some stories that they had heard before and some new ones; like that I was the one who broke Missy's tailbone. Owen seemed a little skitterish around me after that;)
I was glad I had the cake made and had the gifts
wrapped for Katrina’s fifteenth birthday the next morning, July 25th. Course
the next morning I also realized that since Katrina sleeps in so long I would
have had ample time to wrap then as well.
We decided on a park day since we had such a large group.
However, this didn’t interest Katrina so she and Alex stayed behind. A friend
and her mom picked them up later for some shopping in Park City.
The park was so hot! It took forever to get warm this
summer, and then wham! I
took a big bag of sandwiches and Missy contributed snacks from her car for
lunch. The kids were all making requests as I made the sandwiches till finally
I said, “I’m making them ALL THE SAME.” In other words, ‘like it or leave it’. Least the Poulson’s weren’t afraid to make
themselves up at home. When I told Missy we were having Manwich that night for
dinner she turned up her nose as well, “Yuck.” Owen contributed Pizza’s and we
had both. This was a good thing because she introduced me to Papa Murphy’s vegetarian
and… I’m in love.
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| I was wishing someone would 'accidentally' dump that Gatorade jug on ME. |
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| We rounded up people as best we could for a group shot. |
During our park adventure one of Missy’s kids let their flip flop loose in the river and it started floating far out into the pond. There were some dogs swimming and the owner somehow gave instructions to the DOG to swim out and get the flip flop. The dog brought the shoe back to much cheering from the banks. Afterwards the dog was running around, Sydney I think it was named. I leaned in quietly, “We should call Animal Control for that dog being off its leash.” Course I was kidding!
On the way home I stopped at Midway’s new Dairy for Raw Milk. This had somehow come up in conversation the night before and Owen, being raised on a farm, was anxious to have some. Missy and I decided an ice-cream stop would be perfect right about then and we all went to The Store in Midway, where I’m sure the employee was TICKLED to scoop 18 cones. She started out sorta grumpy about it but Matt visited with her and she was smiling by the end. I swear it’s the same tactic he uses on me
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Katrina didn’t have to worry about choosing between Manwich or Pizza. Or should I say, Mom or Missy?
She went with Alex and another friend, Hazel, to Canton City for a very
sophisticated evening. She’s all growd
up now you know.
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After dinner the kids played outside and rode bikes. Since the Poulson’s had ALL their possessions with them it was easy for them to pull out a rip stick if needed. When they were loading up the next day Raegan said, “I don’t want to leave, these people are…AWESOME!”
What can I say.
