I was recently asked to be a participant in an activity that our ward's Young Men and Young Women do annually called "Where's Waldo." The premise of the game is this: A number of ward members disguise themselves and hide-out in the mall while groups of youth search the stores to find them. I've been incognito before for this game as well as participated in locating the "Waldos" and I've learned a few things that work well (and some that don't work so well). The goal is to look different without looking abnormal. Wigs are a bit of a giveaway because, unless you invest a small fortune for a good one, they can be spotted from great distances. Hats and sunglasses also have a tendency to draw immediate suspicion. Being alone is another red flag, 'cause who wants to shop at the mall alone? (Unless, of course, my other option was to go shopping with all of my boys, in which case I would rather be alone)!
My solution to these concerns was to spray my hair to create a subtle color change and style it in a teased ponytail that covered my ears. I never do my hair like that (and will likely never again. It's painful to tease!), and by covering the ears I could hide facial features that might be familiar. Another facial feature alteration came in the form of cotton balls that had been stuffed up my nose, under my upper and lower lips, and in my cheek area. Add lots of makeup, false eyelashes, and a trendy outfit and, viola! I looked like I would actually be someone who would shop at the mall. To remedy being alone, I asked my darling sister-in-law to come "shopping" with me. I also was trying to avoid getting a babysitter so I brought Garrett along, disguised as "Gretta" in clothes borrowed from my other darling sister-in-law. Here is the final outcome:
And, no! I do not think that I have caused any long term gender identity crisis for Garrett. And, yes! I think he makes an adorable little girl! At any rate, it was entertaining for the youth, which is what it's all about anyway!
This post authored by Amber
We got a phenomenal deal to take our cub scout group cross-country skiing at the Olympic venue, Soldier Hollow. What a great workout! I think all the boys were beat by the time we got them home. At the very least, they had a new appreciation for people who cross-country ski on a competitive level!
When we realized we could get enough height out of Garrett's hair to form a curl for his cross-dress disguise, we decided it might be time to give him a more masculine look. Thanks to Brevin's assistance, we got the job done quickly and without much complaint on Garrett's part. Have a look at the final results.
After:
Now, it doesn't get much more boy than that!
I was recently asked to be a participant in an activity that our ward's Young Men and Young Women do annually called "Where's Waldo." The premise of the game is this: A number of ward members disguise themselves and hide-out in the mall while groups of youth search the stores to find them. I've been incognito before for this game as well as participated in locating the "Waldos" and I've learned a few things that work well (and some that don't work so well). The goal is to look different without looking abnormal. Wigs are a bit of a giveaway because, unless you invest a small fortune for a good one, they can be spotted from great distances. Hats and sunglasses also have a tendency to draw immediate suspicion. Being alone is another red flag, 'cause who wants to shop at the mall alone? (Unless, of course, my other option was to go shopping with all of my boys, in which case I would rather be alone)!
And, no! I do not think that I have caused any long term gender identity crisis for Garrett. And, yes! I think he makes an adorable little girl! At any rate, it was entertaining for the youth, which is what it's all about anyway!
I know I could easily say a thousand words about Garrett, especially now that he is eight months old (as of January 12th), but I'll let the pictures do the talking. I think you'll enjoy that much more!
I tell you, it was like pulling teeth to pull Brevin's tooth this time around! I thought I had gotten off a bit too easy with his first one. Our second experience was more like the traumatic episodes I remembered from my childhood. I knew exactly how frightened Brevin was to sit still while I tried to tie floss around the dangling tooth--a feat made nearly impossible with him thrashing, screaming, and crying. But this time, I experienced the same frustration that my mother must have felt as she tried to assure her crazed child that it wasn't going to hurt that much and it would only prolong the emotional suffering to put it off any longer.
Click on the picture to enlarge the last image and you'll see exactly what I mean! Oh, and don't you love the red, puffy eyes from all the crying! 
I love birthdays, especially as I get older. "Why?" you might ask. Well for one, there are more people in your life to join in on the celebration, and each year I figure out more about how to enjoy the passing of another year. For instance:
I know it may be difficult to believe, but we fit all of these people into our house for a Christmas party! As it turned out, our home was the most central location to accommodate everybody's holiday travel agendas. We met on the Saturday following Christmas (December 27th) for sledding, an assortment of foods and dips, gift exchanges, and the annual Grab Bag. Let me just say, it was a whirlwind of excitement! I suppose you wouldn't want your home to feel big and spacious at Christmastime. That was certainly not the case-ours never felt so small before! When everyone left, my house suddenly felt spacious and quiet (not to mention, a tad bit messy), and it seemed to all be over so soon. And just like that, Christmas had come and gone! Boy! I'm glad we took pictures to capture the moments.