Celebrations all around!

Well!  If every week of 2014 had been like this one, we were remiss indeed in not recording them!

The week did not start off well for anyone.  In fact, the "low" of everyone's dinner-time ritual "High-Low-Service" report was almost unanimous.  What tragic occurrence had ruined almost the entire family's day?  Nothing less than the dinner before them.  And that dinner--if dinner it can be called--was nothing less than......SALMON!!!!!   I assure you from the outset it was not the preparation of said salmon, nor that every family member had to gut their own as I hear is the wont of unfortunate children in Alaska.  In fact, I was assured by my recipe source that salmon marinated in enough soy sauce mixed with brown sugar would please any child's palate.  Apparently it is only Australian children with palates amenable to such mixtures; the noxious concoction of salmon, soy sauce and brown sugar made my children's skin turn red, their faces contort into hideous expressions, their voices emit devilish sounds, and their eyes pour forth inexplicable quantities of salt water.   I was sure I was witnessing a medical anomaly, so I snapped a picture of the worst case.

 Luckily, FHE treats were weighing in the balance, and ice cream with a choice of three from many topping options was a good enough incentive for other members of the family to choke down their swimmies.

 Wednesday morning Justin phoned from work to report two things.  First, he had forgotten his reading glasses--without which the day was shot--so would I mind very much bringing them to him?  Second, he had received word from Oxford University Press that the delegates had joined voices of assent to the rave recommendations of the reviewers that Oxford publish his book.  In short, Justin is under contract for his very first book with the OUP!  Woot-woot!  I was more than glad to take both reading glasses and drinking glasses and a bottle of Martinelli's besides right down to campus to celebrate the occasion.  ("Alcohol this early in the morning?" quipped two of his colleagues, separately.  "I feel like I'm in a law firm again!")  We had a steak dinner that night to seal the deal before rushing Julia and Katharine off to Irish Dance.

It was a good thing we made it to that last rehearsal before their first Feis, which happened on Saturday.  That may have been the deal-breaker that helped both Julia and Katharine place in every single one of their dances!  Julia received two third places and a first place, while Katharine received two first places and a second.  (One first place was by default since she was the only child in her age group who had mastered the slip jig well enough to compete.  A feat in and of itself!)  Both grandmas and two of my sisters came to support the girls; thanks Family!

Other things of note that happened this week: Nin brought lots of fun things to do and made a general Play Day out of the two days she came up to spend with the grandkids.  They watched movies, went skating, played in bouncie houses, made chocolate covered pretzels and dipped chocolates for Valentine's, read stories, drew pictures, played with cousins and aunts and uncles, and had a general heyday.

Justin and I went with our friends the Lloyds to hear our friend Tammy Mumford sing Mahler's Third with the Utah Symphony and then met up afterward to hear how life is progressing in CT for all our favorite people.  We haven't had as enjoyable (or as late) a night in a long time!