7 days.

In 7 days, you can fly 2 flights, see your parents, talk to your grandfather for the last time, see family you haven't seen since Christmas, see somebody slip from this life to the next, run errands and help arrange, travel to other towns, visit a cemetery you haven't been to in years, attend a viewing, rosary, funeral, graveside service, luncheon, and fly 2 flights and be back home.

How can such big things happen in 7 little days?

I'm glad Ellis and I got to go home, it was a good week, in spite of the sadness.  The thing that brings strength to me in times like this, is the gospel.  I couldn't survive life's trials without it.

I have a wonderful, strong family, that sticks together and triumphs during trial. I couldn't ask for a better family and I know that they are going to be able to keep going and know in their hearts that our Opa is happy, and that he had a wonderful life.

Some days, things are just hard. But because of the Savior, they will get better.

Distance makes the Heart grow fonder

Due to recent mishaps I am left alone at home again. Tara is down in the motherland of Texas visiting her grandpa who is not feeling the greatest these days. I have the wonderful opportunity of packing up the entire house and moving it to our non-mice infested condo. I will be able to all the noise in the world to my hearts content because I won't need to worry about waking up Ellis. It only takes five minutes of separation from Tara to miss her, and just a glimpse is enough to remind me how lucky I am. I love you Tara and I hope you and Ellis have fun for his 6 month birthday tomorrow.

Just a productive morning naptime

a practice cake... just for play.

          a spice cake cut in half, layered with organic apple butter

Marshmallow fondant (recipe on allrecipes.com) warming up- it had been in the fridge overnight

and a hobby lobby flower...

(i tried to paint it with some shimmering bronze cake powder i'd gotten, but i did it wet instead of dry thinking it would be easier- i think dry would have been better though. it also has a thin layer of a quick buttercream frosting- also on allrecipes.com, to help the fondant stick to the cake)

Derek and Stephany, sitting in a tree...

I got to go to gorgeous San Francisco this weekend for Derek's wedding... I'm sad I didn't get to be there longer, to get to know his sweet bride, Stephany better, but I left Ellis and Damon back in Iowa, and it was hard to be away from them!!

I had a great time, and loved getting to see so many old friends from home that I've missed so much.  The temple sealing was beautiful, and we ate some great food, had some fun dancing at the awesome reception, and just had a grand ol' time!

I didn't take a camera (I'm the most slacker photographer ever) so these are all from my phone, and therefore, not wonderful...

The little lovebirds

First Dance

It was the most perfect weather, and the Oakland temple is amazing!

Probably the best backyard I've ever seen...

The crazy dance party... this was the least amount of people on it the whole night- a party full of dancin' fools!

the dancing...

I'm so happy for and proud of Derek for finding such a lovely girl- I can't wait till I can hang out with them somewhere in Utah or Texas or California so I can get to know Stephany more.

(I have some video, but the internet is so slow, I'll try to keep working on it...)

((oh, and dad, i'll post some awesome pictures of ellis tomorrow morning when he naps, don't worry!))

if you didn't watch that video, i'm super disappointed in you. like a lot. it's only 3 minutes and twenty something seconds.

fall wishlist...

oh, how i love shopping online (you know, without actually buying stuff...), I have such a huge list in this little noggin... it's fun to dream.  Ellis is at the bottom of the post, but I know you really want to see all the clothes I'm in love with.

@Zara... why isn't there one anywhere near me??? at least let me shop online!!

yup. bell bottoms. @Zara

@Zara

Lace @Zara

@Zara

@Zara

@Zara

dreamy... @JCrew

@JCrew... it's time. time to own a pencil skirt.

both @JCrew

aaaahhh, the new pair of hudson baby boots I'm gonna buy when (when!?!?!?!) I finally get back to my wedding weight.  yeah, super pricey, but if I could pay $170 to instantly lose another 20 pounds, I'd for sure do that.  Actually I'd pay twice that. So maybe I should get 2 new pairs of jeans. Right Damon? 

oh, you came here to see Ellis?

 His Iowa pride shirt!

big ol' bottle of prune juice.  he's having a rough couple of days...

Sorry it's on its side...

I just can't ever remember which way to hold my phone to get the video right-side-up!
Untitled from tara demars on Vimeo.

Indianola's Balloon Classic

We went to this last year, but just in the morning, we heard about it and drove over and watched the pilots trying to throw bean bags onto ground targets... This year we planned on going in the evening, to see the night glow and watch the balloons try to tip over an outhouse.  It was so fun, and beautiful out there!  it was in the rolling fields and was a perfect evening.  The balloons all flew in and landed and then would blast their fire every little bit at dusk, and a band was playing... it was perfect!  Damon took pictures with his camera (I did too, but only with a 50 ml lens and not too many since Ellis wasn't interested in the photography aspect of the whole thing), so maybe I'll post some of those later, but here are the pictures from my phone...