Worth a Thousand Words

Sociology...so hot right now...

There's nothing quite as romantic as spending a weekend away...together...alone...in one of the world's most sociologically-fascinating spots.

Don't read the bumper-stickers too closely, there are some bad bad words. But please do read what is painted on the window: "Fall In Love With Everything..." This was the most gorgeous camper-trailer I've ever seen.

Ever been to Venice Beach, CA? Venice Beach is located right next to Santa Monica. It's actually a little city called Venice, which is named because it was designed to be "California's little Venice", in the 1940's, I think, when a series of canals were built and classy neighborhoods to go with them. In the 70's those classy neighborhoods had turned to--what else but--hippy communes and artist's pads. Today the canal neighborhoods are returning to their roots--upscale snobbish types, as all the hippies and artists have moved to the beach.

The Cadillac Hotel, one of two hotels on VB. We're pretty sure, by the way, that a homeless guy slept in our (actually trevor's) car the first night. We had to give the keys to the security guy...who probably made a buck or two off of the comfortable flat-back of the Pathfinder.

The thing I love about VB is that while on one side of the street you have regular beach boardwalk stores, on the other side, the beach side, you have street vendor after street vendor, as well as some amazing street performers. Many of the vendors live right there on the beach. They roll out of their "beds" on the beach or the grass in the morning and set up shop. They are all really happy to talk to you, share their stories with you, give you their political views and religious beliefs, as well as those of some of the other vendors around.



There was this one guy who had a little booth set up, similar to the "tarot card and palm reading" booths, only he was the "handwriting guru". Now, I know that the science of handwriting analysis exists, and I was really interested in how legit this guy was, but was too cheap/scared of getting bamboozled to confront him. He yelled out to us, "I analyze pregnant women for free!" My lucky day! I copied the sentence he asked me to, and he began a 30 minute analysis of me, which was 99% hogwash. He told me things like, "You procrastinate." and, "you are hormonal." and a bunch of other stuff that you can say about 95% of the population (the hormonal thing, i mean the pregnant population). Regardless of how much crap he was telling us, we stood there fascinated by his stories and his life. Spencer and I soaked it in. My generous husband gave him a dollar, and we moved on to the "Venice Beach Freak Show", where we saw a two-headed turtle, a two-headed snake (both live), and a white-tailed deer's bottom turned upside down and decorated like a monkey face (it was titled, "Swamp Monkey"). Classy joint. A great way to spend $3.



Later we talked to a woman who told us all about this poem she had written which had a lot to do with strength of women and that the "fathers need to return to the seed". She wanted to tell me the very deep meaning to it because I was pregnant and she thought it might touch me. I actually really liked the poem. That was right before we got FREE HAIRCUTS from a Paul Mitchell trailor that was promoting the movie "You Don't Mess With the Zohan".

After that we met up with our good friends who live in Santa Monica, Chris and Kristen, who were also celebrating an anniversary (happy 6 months!). With Chris and Kristin across the way from our hotel entrance. Isn't the mosaic mural great?

We had dinner together and Chris asked in a slightly puzzled way why I would choose Venice Beach for a romantic getaway. A good question. Are you all wondering? It never occurred to me before he asked, that it wasn't the most romantic spot. All Spencer and I need is strawberries and chocolate for dipping (which I brought), an ocean to look at (he gets in, I don't), and lot's of good people-watching. Sunday morning we sat on the roof-top of our hotel and watched the VB scene unfold. We watched the homeless folks roll out of bed and walk the 20 steps to the boardwalk.

The morning scene just in front of our hotel.

Some got set up, others sang made-up songs quite loudly, some started yelling political protests against "corporate america" (the one who chiefly was doing this, it turns out, is rumored to have won a couple of court cases against the city and is doing very well for himself), another guy stood in one spot, rocking heel-to-toe rather cooly as he took pictures of passers-by with a cell phone. We observed for who knows how long. I'm sure many people would have people-watched with me, but not with the fascination and appreciation that Spencer did. That morning I was reminded how perfect he is for me.

Thanks for the wonderful weekend, Spencer. And thanks for being my best-sociology-friend. Oh yeah, and thanks for surprising me with the amazing jewelry that I don't deserve but gladly accept. That's a Carolyn Clive Classics original, with a 10.5 ct Amethyst and the setting is hand-designed by his Grandmother, who sells to Saks 5th Ave. Now I have to get new clothes to match it! :)



PS, and thanks Mom and Dad Clive for the hotel and for taking care of Cadence for us that weekend. You made it possible!

COUSINS!

Last month we went to Chicago to see Clifford, Gina, and Reese. I was still pretty sick at the time, so I wasn't much fun, but the girls had a blast together. For those of you who don't know, Reese is Cadence's only Clive cousin and they are only a month and 1/2 apart. I finally downloaded my pictures and they are so cute. These girls really entertain eachother, and Cadence still asks to go to Chicago to see Reese. It is going to be so much fun to live near them for the next couple of years. Just look at what friends they are:

Cadence has never looked forward to bathtime as much as she did at Reese's house. Fun!

A lot of macaroni and cheese was consumed that week. They loved to sit next to eachother and make silly sounds to laugh at together.

Sitting down to discuss the political satire and underlying social commentary of Dr. Suess. They honestly just wandered off together with their books and sat down like this. No pose.

Thanks, Clifford, Gina, and Reese for all the fun and for making us feel so welcome!

Mother's Day Got Me Thinking...

It seems obvious, but isn't it amazing the way becoming a mother makes you appreciate your own mother in a whole new way? And then becoming a mother of a toddler makes you appreciate and suspect super-human powers in your own mother. How did my mom do it?

Reasons I suspect super-human powers in my mother:

1. Mom had terrible pregnancies. My parents laugh and joke about the many times Dad had to support her over the toilet because she didn't even have the energy to throw-up without help. In spite of this, she had six children. I thought that was amazing, but now I'm wondering who could do that while she's got other kids to take care of and a husband who has always worked more hours than should be legal...nobody without special powers...

2. Mom was a nurse and studied dentist-assisting things for a while, but has no high credentials. In spite of that, she is a total genius with people. She reads people like the back of a cereal box and she instinctively adapts her parenting style to the needs of each individual kid. She's always tried to teach us girls to "keep our emotions out of it" and as her kids get married off she makes it her policy to stay out of things. She tells us that she only wants to hear the good things about our husbands, because she wants to keep thinking they are perfect. (The exception is if they are hitting us.) She's too smart for somebody without something super-human going on...

Mom with all her girls except Mer, who was probably off being married and adult-like.

3. Mom is hilarious. I remember when I was about 16 and realized my mom had a personality...an adorable and spunky one. She's very proper and all that, but she's SO cute and funny! I didn't know mom's could be so serious about their job (of motherhood) and yet so fun-loving at the same time. Example: Even though she's really kind and never gossips, she'll say things like, "You girls think you can eat anything you want because you're going to look like me the rest of your lives, but you can't, you don't have my body!" I guess it's not a super-power, but it's great.

Isn't she cute? That's my cardigan she's wearing.

4. ALWAYS right. Mom is right even when she shouldn't be. When I was in school, my mom would watch me walk to the door in flip flops and then say to me, "you'd better put real shoes on, it's going to rain." No matter how gorgeous the weather, no matter what teh meteorologists said, it would then be FORCED to rain. She always did this to me. A more recent example was when Cadence was born the perfect child--she slept when she should, played when she should... calm as ever... and mom said, "Just wait till she turns 18 months-you'll have a little fireball on you." Well, thanks a lot, mom. You did it again. How does she do it? I hope I learn that one as the years go on.

5. Mom is a mom for all. She is so kind and sweet. She doesn't try to be a mom to all. She just makes her home so inviting and comfortable, and is always so welcoming and encouraging, all our friends that have come to visit us, esp. those who came because they were at college and away from their homes, just think of her as their mom-away-from-mom.

6. Mom's house is SO clean and comfortable. How she keeps it that way and does everything else...and she's never had a cleaning lady or any help (other than me, and I am a great vacuumer.)

7. Mom has hearing that would impress the animal kingdom. One time I whispered, ever-so-quietly, so quietly I could barely hear myself, "I know you kissed a boy" to my younger sister who was standing RIGHT next to me. Mom--standing across the kitchen--whipped around and looked shocked... And Mel looked at me like she was going to kill me. All witnesses agree it was impossible... but she heard exactly what I said. This happened often. She could hear us from three stories away in the middle of the night...I promise. Uncanny.

8. Mom is a tireless Grandma. She is great with Cadence and my other nieces. She is helpful in every way, including not being overbearing or trying to tell you everything she already knows. She waits until the right time to give mothering advice, and if it seems that we already have our own system, she keeps it to herself, even if its not the way she would do it. That's hard even for me, and I don't have much under my belt yet!

When Mom came out to help us with newborn Cadence.

Mom, you are amazing. I am trying so hard to give my child(ren) the great childhood and little pearls of wisdom, and good attitude that you and Dad gave to us. It's already harder than you made it seem. I love you.

Mom, I can't be you. Let's move on to April.

Spencer's mom is also super-human. Do you know the pressure of being married to a guy who grew up with a mother who had six boys, one girl, moved every two years--mostly overseas, travelled extensively WITH all of her children and never shied away from ANY adventure? The pressure of being the daughter-in-law of a woman who is trained to be a concert pianist, who took wind-surfing lessons in Puerto Rico when she was 8 months pregnant with her 4th, went bungee-jumping in New Zealand with her ALMOST 12-year-old son? She's climbed Kilimanjaro (when she was old enough for Spencer to be 18). She's flown with seven young children and no husband (she has one, he just was working at the time) from singapore to California multiple times.

Spencer and April climbing ruins in Cambodia.

Oh, and this woman can afford a lot of things, but she is a great bargain hunter, and frugality is a virtue to her...one that she is REALLY good at. That makes being married to her son a little hard sometimes :) (I honestly thought I was frugal...). This is a woman who's calendar is so packed with things that it looks like...uh, it looks extremely overwhelming. I"m not kidding. Her calendar looks like a joke, it's so packed. But she does it....every month! I'm under the pressure of living up to the expectations of a mother who's children know that on the grading scale, "B is for Bad".

Cadence with Ma-maw Clive in a hostel in Mexico.

By the way, she instantly memorizes a phone number as soon as she sees it. She remembers zip codes, too. She knows SO much. Her memory is sharp as a tack (a sharper than average tack), her ability to juggle a million things is super-human, and yet, she is such a sweet woman. Always considerate of others. Always unassuming and never snooty or hoity-toity (she deserves to be). She treats me just like her daughter, and is extremely loving to her grand-daughters. It's a lot of pressure to be married to her son, but THANK GOODNESS to her for raising such an amazing man--in my eyes, the closest thing to perfect that there is. Thanks, Mom. I owe so much to you. In spite of the pressure I feel of living up to your standard (Ne-e-e-ver gonna happen), you've raised a son who is smart enough to know it's impossible...so it's not so bad to be your daughter-in-law.

Mom O and Mom C, I love you both.

Finding a Photographer

An attempt at our own family pictures from a year and a half ago.

I've only done professional pictures of Cadence once, and we went to JC Penney's. After that, I swore I would never pay somebody to steal her soul again. I just felt like I paid them almost 100 bucks to put her on a white sheet and make her look personality-less, which seems impossible. So, I've put it off. But I really should get some pics done of her, and soon. Also, we've never had a family picture professionally taken and I think we should before we have another.
So my question is this: does anybody have recommendations of creative/interesting photographers that wouldn't cost us a billion dollars? I don't know what I'm willing to spend (ok, I'm willing to spend anything, but I'm not sure what I could convince my husband to agree to). I just don't want to come away with a pic that seems like I should have only paid 20 bucks for and shouldn't have spent two weeks preparing for, you know what I mean?

The Bay Area would be best, of course, but we could also do it in Tacoma/Seattle area, or the LA area, depending if there are openings at the times we'll be there.

Thanks!

This One's for You, Daddy.

Yesterday:

This morning:

What are little Clives made of?

(sorry it's sideways. I'm not very "up-tech", as my mom would say.)

Oh the Craftiness of Me!

If you know me, you know that's a joke. Until now.

My last several sewing projects: pillowcase made of John Deere material for a missionary, an Apron that is still 1/2 done, and manly pajama pants that I never even started.

Enter Edda (my fellow weekday-widow, we keep each other company while our husbands work the weeks in Tacoma), who was like, "Oh, Mardee, you should just make your own dress for the Ball!" I searched and searched for a suitable ball gown, but it was much harder finding one that would fit a basketball inside. So, I accepted Edda's challenge, and with her patient direction (she had to help me with EVERYTHING, including what to do with all that tissue paper in the pattern envelope) and with my mom's patient help in finishing, came up with this:

Edda and I at the Ball. Edda also made her own shrug to go over that gorgeous red dress.

I must say that I am very proud of myself. That fabric isn't just an amazing color. It's stretchy and slippy and really thin. Not the easiest stuff to sew with. Yay!

Now, I know you are all wondering about this so-called Ball. Well, it's simply the most premiere event of the year. The Northern California branch of Spencer's company puts on this really extravagant party each spring (I believe it was called the 'Spring Gala'). It's really formal with endless tables of h'ordervouireiruslkdjs (it's a fancy french word for party food) and drinks. After an hour the little LDS crowd is the only thing not drunk in the whole place. Dancing, fine dresses, Spencer in a three-piece suit... it's a dream come true. And this year's took place at the Exploratorium, which is a really fun hands-on science museum in SF.

Mimi and I were pretty proud of smuggling watermelons into the ball.

Also, we had just returned from Elisabeth and Tyler's wedding.

A most beautiful bride and her handsomely deserving prince. What a perfect couple.

Their receptions was also a dreamy evening with old friends, family, dancing, and strawberry shortcake all in one gorgeous greenhouse. Cadence had so much fun being with my family this last week.