HOCO Madness

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #9:

Full Circle 

Last night Scotty and I chaperoned the homecoming dance at our kids’ school. 

Some of us old folks. This photo now lives rent free in my mind, and I will look at it always because Brian in the background is my new favorite thing on earth. He looks like a ghost haunting our selfie.

We have a new milestone - having TWO kids at the high school and TWO kids going to the dance. It’s fun having TWO, but one thing that threw me off guard about this was the extra scheduling required when you have multiple kids going to the same homecoming events all week with with different friends and different groups. Saturday was a bit wild with the “who’s doing what, when, and where?” Fortunately one of those children can drive and get himself to where he needs to be. 

Kid #1: left at 7:30 am and ran hard all day. Came home at 1:30 am. Pictured here at Ensign Peak with date Jasmine. 

Kid #2: I was her personal assistant all day. Followed her around paparazzi style. Was it her first date? Technically, yes. Was it also her birthday? Technically, yes. Are Daisy and Leo the cutest kids on the planet? Technically, yes. Is Daisy a cougar because she is six weeks older than Leo? Technically, yes.

Rawrrr

With my chaperoning gig, a few things have come full circle. First of all, my kids go to MY high school. Over twenty years later, I’m guarding MY halls, standing atop MY commons area stairs, and keeping an eye on kids in MY courtyard… with MY friends and MY husband who went to the same school. 

I tell ya… this is not what I thought about during my lunch hour in Y2K. “Someday I will spend evenings in this building listening to Pitbull and keeping watch over a pile of abandoned strappy high heels while my 17-year-old son gets lost in a mosh pit.”

Actual footage of my son lost in a mosh pit

The other part that feels full circle is my sensitivity to the loud music and the darkness. I spent all night having to ask people to speak directly into my ear because I couldn’t hear a darn thing, and then for the last hour of the dance, they turned the lights off, and I was blind. How am I supposed to supervise the well-being of youths in the dark? Next time I’m bringing a headlamp. I was excited that the dance ended at 9:00 because this old lady needed to go home and experience silence and fresh air (by 8:00 the dance was a hot, BO swamp. The air was so thick and stale. I kept thinking “Y’all smell like you need to go home!”)

Despite the reminder that I’m officially old and come from an entirely different era than the homecoming attendees, this week was a lot of fun. Nicky and Daisy got to go to a lot of events and do dress up days. Nicky is super involved in everything and hardly had a wink of sleep. By Thursday morning he had totally hit his wall and I wasn’t sure if he was going to make it out the door. He was running on fumes, for sure, and probably needs to sleep for three days at this point.

Here are a few more fun photos from homecoming week (they won’t be in chronological order because I’m posting from my phone, and Blogger does what Blogger does):

On Wednesdays we wear pink

HOCO hair trial #36

Nicky trying on his bald cap and goggles for Despicable Tuesday 

Ring doorbell footage of Nicky at 6:30 am on Despicable Tuesday 

Jasmine and Nicky after I dragged them outside for a photo during the dance

Christie and me at the ticket table 

Laurel and me - professional chaperones

Nicky and Addie at the football game “white out”

Read a post about my last chaperoning gig here. Not much has changed. 

Four or Five

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #2:

Theatre 

Scotty and I are sometimes deemed “theatre people,” but I don’t know if we really are. We dabble. We go to some musicals and plays, but on a scale of 1-10, ten being ultimate “theatre people,” we are probably fours or fives. 

Growing up I wasn’t really involved in theatre, save for my one gig as Mama Bear in my preschool’s production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It seems like I might have also had a stint as Little Red Riding Hood, but my memory betrays me sometimes. 

I went to Pioneer Theatre Company regularly with my junior high gifted and talented program for three years, so I saw several plays that way, but the only one I remember was A Streetcar Named Desire (“Stellllaaaaaa”) for which we had to have parental permission. 

(Update: Now that I’ve had more time to think about it, I remember seeing The Crucible, The Miracle Worker, and The Diary of Anne Frank).

I saw a few plays and musicals at Hale Theatre as a teen, one being Jane Eyre, which I found torturesome and creepy (maybe I would like it now. I dunno. There’s a big difference from Britt at 16 to Britt at 40, and I do enjoy the BBC miniseries in my old age).

One thing about me in regard to musicals and plays is that I like to learn a lot about them before I see them. Normally I’m a NO SPOILERS person, but for theatre, I have to do some prep work. I have a hard time following the story if I go in uneducated, so I find that I enjoy them a lot more if I know the story and the music. I can only understand about 25% of the dialogue between the spoken parts and the song lyrics when I see something on stage because A) I can’t hear anything and B) I have delayed processing. 

(If captions are ever an option for theatre, sign me up!)

Here are the musicals/play that I have seen on stage in a (somewhat if not entirely) professional production:

A Christmas Carol

Meh. 

Bright Star

Love this one! Hope to see it again someday. I listen to the music all the time.

Come From Away

First row at Eccles Theatre. It was fantastic! Watch it on Apple+ if you can. Watch it during September. 

The Foreigner

This is just a good, old classic comedy! We say it at the Playmill in West Yellowstone in 2005 and just found out Nicky’s theatre teacher was in it! Then we saw it again at one of our local theatres a few years ago.

Freaky Friday

Not my favorite. But it’s okay.

Hamilton

I’ve now seen Hamilton four times on stage (in addition to numerous times on Disney+). I still love it, but I need a break.

In the Heights

Three times plus the movie several times (which is different from the stage).

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

I need to see it again. 

Legally Blonde

Just saw this one for the first time, and I loved it! I had never even been interested in it, but it was so funny!

Les Miserables

Always a classic. Always a fan. Very picky about my Javerts.

The Little Mermaid

Saw this one at Tuachan. 

Little Shop of Horrors

Not the biggest fan. But I love the dentist song.

Mary Poppins

Another one I saw at Tuachan.

Moulin Rouge

Saw this last year at Eccles. It was a non-stop party. So much fun, but kind of risqué.

Newsies

Always love Newsies. The choreography is always a lot of fun.

Seussical 

Sigh… I just don’t like Seussical that much, sadly.

School of Rock

Such a riot! And always cool to see kids playing live music!

Six

Another straight up party. We saw this at Eccles this year, and then a new, local theatre group did the teen edition, and it was fantastic!

Wicked

I love the story, but the music has never grown on me. We saw it at Eccles, and Scotty slept through most of it. Our seats were horrible. Excited to see the movie later this year. I’ve tried reading the book multiple times, and I just haven’t had much interest.

That’s really not a long or impressive list, but there are a lot of musicals I know really well but just haven’t ever seen on stage OR I’ve seen them in a children’s or school theatre. I’m grateful for movies that have allowed me access to musicals I wouldn’t have had the chance to see otherwise. 

So four or five on the theatre scale seems just about right. 

If You Know You Know

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #13:

Texture

From the time I was a small child, I’ve felt yucky looking at holey textures. We had a flower arrangement in our house with lotus pods in it, and they always bothered me. Other things like strawberries and sponges bothered me, too. When I was a teenager, Kraft started marketing Easy Mac, and when I tried it for the first time, I pulled the dish out of the microwave, and the noodles had all turned hole-side up. I was totally freaked out but couldn’t stop staring at them. 

Some strawberries are worse than others. This was an icky one. ((Shudder))

It wasn’t until about five years ago that I learned this has a name: trypophobia - an aversion or disgust response to clusters, bumps, or holes. Of course, social media is to thank for this information. I was excited to find that other people experience it too, and it’s not just some weird thing I, alone, have going on. Until then, I’d never heard of anyone else having this problem, and any time I tried to describe it to someone, they didn’t know what I was talking about. I’ve since found some kindred spirits (and yes, I text them trypophobia pictures to be mean, and they do the same to me). 

One thing that has been especially troublesome to me the last few years is balloon arches. 

Ones like this are fine:

These don’t bother me (other than their ludicrous cost).

But these ones? With the little warty looking clusters? They make me feel so yucky. 

How do people look at those and not think about diseases? Dermatological abnormalities? Sexually transmitted infections? Skin tags, blisters, and warts? 

How do you look at those clusters and not feel icky?

(Did I just ruin balloon arches for you? Possibly. Unless you, too, have trypophobia, and you already knew). 

So far I’m the only one in my family with trypophobia. I often show my kids photos or point to things in person (like a wasp nest or most recently, a holey speaker in the queue for Rattle Snake Rapids at Lagoon) and ask, “Does this bother you?” They just look at me weird. 

Gifts that Keep on Giving

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #8:

Hand-Me-Downs

I’m a consumer, like most people, and buy way too much stuff. However, I really like second-hand items and giving things a new purpose.

For that reason, I definitely want to be an organ donor and would even be okay with my body being donated to science (organ donation first, though. According to what I’ve researched, I likely won’t be useful for science after my organs have been donated, but if there’s anything they want, they can have it). What better way to honor me in death than providing my parts with usefulness after I’m done with them? 

Second-hand items are gifts that keep on giving. For most of our married life, Scotty and I have been very blessed by hand-me-downs, be it furniture, clothes, or tools and machinery. We used Scotty’s grandpa’s lawn mower for almost 20 years. Our kitchen table is Scotty’s other grandpa’s. We’ve cycled through several used couches from family and friends. We’ve all dressed in hand-me-down clothes from lots of different people who have been willing to share.

Kitchen table (but it has since been repainted)

In fact… funny story:

A few weeks ago my friend Lori asked if Daisy and I would like some clothes she was getting rid of. Heck yes, we did! (Lori has cute clothes and happens to also be a shopaholic, so her hand-me-downs are a gold mine). I picked out some clothes to try on and then Daisy picked out some clothes to try on. While Daisy was trying on jeans, she found a $100 bill in the pocket! I figured we better let Lori know (my conscience got the best of me while Daisy wanted to keep it and use it to buy more clothes!) I texted Lori and said “You’re never going to believe this!” (She didn’t - I had to convince her to take the money).

Lately we’ve also gotten a lot of hand-me-downs from my friend Laurel. I say that she is our family clothier because she has given clothes to almost all of us. I also joke that I have to stay active in the Church because I have to work my way through all of her dresses. 

Second-hand couch from my sister-in-law that we got many years out of

I’ve also been the recipient of pretty much an entire wardrobe from my friend Shannon. She has (more than once) brought me bins and bins of clothing. I’ve also helped my friend Trixie thin her closet. Heck, I've even worn my brother's old clothes!

Second-hand bed from my parents that we are still using (and it's over 30 years old)

When Daisy was born, hand-me-downs were a lifesaver because we didn’t find out what we were having, so we didn't have any clothes for a girl. As soon as Daisy was born, so many gracious friends rolled in with second-hand baby clothes. We got hooked up! And they continued bringing stuff for years and years. Since we had two more girls, we really got the best out of all those clothes (we didn't find out what we were having with Zoe, either, but we did find out with Eva).

So know, dear friends, that your hand-me-downs in all forms have always been put to good use and well-loved. I try to pay it forward by giving things to people when I can. Someday maybe it will be my lungs or my heart, but hopefully I get to use those for a really good while still.

Questions Answered

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #31:

Easy Peasy

For this prompt, I’m going to take the “easy” way out and do a questionnaire: 

1. If you could spend a day as someone else, who would it be?

I think it would be fascinating to spend a day as anyone else. What would it be like to taste food in someone else mouth or see colors through someone else’s eyes? What if their blue looks nothing like my blue, and their Cheetos taste nothing like my Cheetos?

And what is it like to have someone else’s mind? To think like they do? 

Ultimately it would probably be good for me to spend a day as someone completely different than me - someone that I have a hard time understanding. 

2. Which celebrity gets on your nerves the most?

Bill Murray. Vince Vaughn. Jojo Siwa. Megan Fox.

3. If you were going to bury a time capsule, what would you put in it?

iPhone, a receipt from a grocery store and a gas station, a list of predictions for the future, a photo book, a currently trendy outfit with accessories, a Loungefly backpack, and some Little People sets.

4. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A taxi driver

5. What’s the strangest place you’ve ever gone potty?

Do you really want to know? 

Brace yourself.

In my van. Into a diaper. In the carpool lane at the elementary school. With a sleeping baby in the car.

Twice.

6. How old were you when you had your first kiss?

Twelve.

7. Do you have any strange or unique phobias?

Do you mean like choking on carrots while driving?

8. If you could bring back one toy from your childhood, what would it be?

The original Littlest Pet Shop toys. I had tons of them, and my friend Christy and I spent hours and hours playing with them at sleepovers. This was before they had enlarged heads. 

I got rid of them when I was a teenager, and I have always regretted it. 

9. If you could be a Disney villain, which one would you be?

10. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Observant, annoyed, and punctual.

My Eras Tour

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #28:

Eras

2006-2009

Her: Debut Era

Me: New Mom Era

I had Nicky in 2006, and it was a bit of a rough start to motherhood. I had post-partum depression, and I was super hard on myself. I wanted to do everything perfectly, and I was constantly comparing myself to other moms. I read sign language books, made my own baby food, and cloth diapered. 

The day we came home from the hospital

During this time, Scotty started school, so I was alone with Nicky a lot. I babysat my nephew who is 12 days older than Nicky, and I was always taking the boys to play groups, reading time at the library, and a music class. 

I was a bit lost and bored after leaving my job. I craved friendship and connection. 

2009-2010

Her: Fearless Era

Me: Church Service Era

I had Daisy in 2009. Around that time, I was heavily involved in serving in my Church, and that’s where I found my validation. At one point I had four church callings. I was an activity days leader, an assistant stake sports director (which I still laugh about - the Lord called me to be an athlete!), and a Relief Society teacher. On top of that I was called to be on the ward emergency preparedness committee. 

The wild thing is that none of these assignments fazed me. I did them all without being overwhelmed, all while Scotty continued going to school everyday. I don’t know who that person was, but she’s long gone.

Centerpieces from a stake Relief Society event I was in charge of 

2010-2012

Her: Speak Now Era

Me: Speak to a Therapist Era

I can’t fit a description of this era in a tiny paragraph. I also can’t really go into detail about this era because it affects the privacy of other people. Suffice it to say, there were some big changes in my family, and some hard things happened. So I went to therapy. 

Then I had Zoe.

2012-2014

Her: Red Era

Me: Running Era

During these years I went through my running phase of life. I ran my first mile, and it was so hard and took me so long to build up the stamina to do it that when I finished, I fell over on my lawn and swore I was never going to do that again.

Running was never natural or easy for me. It doesn’t suit my body.

But I kept doing it. I ended up doing a bunch of running events. Interesting how in each era I have a different way of defining my value. In this era it was through running. I was physically healthy, but I was not mentally healthy. I overanalyzed every calorie I burned and every calorie I consumed during this time, and I was constantly comparing myself to other runners. In addition to that, I was always injured. 

This photo makes me look hardcore, but the real story is I'm very slow, and someone had just slapped my butt

Our Ragnar van - I was known to say choice words while running... because I hate it so much

Then I had another baby. 

The last one.

2014-2017

Her: 1989 Era

Me: Back to School Era

After Scotty graduated with his Bachelor’s, I thought we would enjoy some smooth sailing for a while, but then I got the prompting to go back to school myself. I found out I was pregnant with Eva the same week I was accepted into BYU-Idaho. We had tried for a pregnancy for a few months prior and didn’t have any success, so when I decided to go back to school, it apparently increased my fertility. Go figure. 

I scheduled an induction, took my finals, went and had the baby, and then started my next semester in the hospital. As with my Church Service Era, I don’t know who this version of Britt was. How did I have a baby and take care of it while doing online school? I’ve blocked it all out, but somehow I did it, and I graduated in 2017.

My kids and me at my graduation

2017-2018

Her: Reputation Era

Me: Speaking Era

During this time I did a lot of speaking engagements. While I was in school I wrote a workshop on happiness for a required practicum. After I presented the formal workshop, I had a lot of people ask if I would come speak in their wards. I did a lot of Relief Society activities and a few youth activities. 

Then one day I just had a feeling I was done. I got in my car after a speaking engagement, and I just had this thought, “You’re done now,” and I felt at peace about it. I haven't been asked to speak since. 

Presenting my practicum

2018-2020

Her: Lover Era

Me: Coasting Era

At this point we coasted for a while. Scotty and I were both done with school after 11 years. Scotty landed a nice, comfortable job. We did a bit of traveling as a family - lots of National Parks and quick weekend trips. Scotty went out of town for work a lot, and we had a few medical issues, but we got through it. I did some things for my personal growth such as earned a Young Women medallion and Honor Bee, taught a free summer dance class for girls in my community, and made and sold some wood crafts. With Eva in preschool, I started having a little more time for myself, so I was able to work on a few hobbies and feel like I was finding myself again.

My final years with good hair

2020-2022

Her: Folklore Era

Me: COVID Era

Virus. Lockdown. Remote learning. Remote working. Masks. Fear. Weirdness. Contention. Social distancing.

We all lived this era. 

Now my life’s memories are divided into pre-COVID, during COVID, and post-COVID eras. If I’m trying to recall when a certain event happened, I just think about whether we were wearing masks or whether we had that old, free, untainted feeling of naïveté or the feeling of recently being released from being under a heavy rock. 

Do we all agree that the COVID Era is the weirdest blip in the timeline of our lives? It was entirely wiggety wack, but it also messed with the space time continuum. 

Our family in front of an empty Disneyland during its 412-day closure

Taylor actually had two eras during this timeframe. Her second era (also marked as 2020-2022) was her Evermore Era. 

I had a second era during this time, too: my Bidet Era.

COVID changed my life… but not entirely in bad ways.

2022-2023

Her: Midnights Era

Me: Transition Era

These years were marked by slow and steady changes. We came out of COVID restrictions. Scotty changed jobs. All the kids were in all-day school. Nicky started high school, and got involved in new things like the golf team and theatre. Daisy started junior high. We had to change church congregations. We had some deaths in the family including the last of our grandparents.

My grandma was our final grandparent to pass away in January 2023

2024-Currently

Her: Tortured Poets Department Era

Me: TBD

I don’t dare slap a title on my current era because it’s still unfolding, but it’s definitely dominated by turning 40 and all the fun stuff that comes along with being an aging woman.  

When you hit the era where half your kids are taller than you

I'm in my raising teens and pre-teens era.

My era of selfishness where I'm doing more for myself than I used to. 

My sleep apnea era. 

My weird hair era (everything about my hair has changed in the last three years). 

My phone addiction era (oops).

And I am considering beginning my muumuu era. 

Something to Smile About

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #17:

Smile

While I was going through photos on my phone earlier this week, I found some things that made me smile:

(Headstone goals - just not Monopoly)

(This really was my childhood dream)

(I saved this to my phone two years ago and apparently jinxed myself)

(My mother-in-law to a T)

(Why is it true, though? I know what it’s like to bite through one)

(Other options include a cold sub or a hot dip)