we so sneaky

I flew home to California this weekend and surprised my little sister! All of it was worth the expression on her face when I walked in the house Thursday night.

How my parents actually kept it a secret is quite the miracle. But what an eventful weekend to be home...the Oakland Temple, Mother's Day, visiting relatives, my early birthday celebration, and Miranda's Senior Ball!

10:00 a.m.
The day started off with the idea that my domesticity would empower me to make a little shrug/crop top thingy for Miranda to wear with her prom dress. She had already borrowed a black one to wear over her yellow dress, but NO SISTER OF MINE would attend a formal looking like a bumblebee.

12:00 p.m.
Walked out of Joann's like a champ, bearing a Simplicity pattern and 1 yard of freshly cut, off-white special occasion fabric.

12:30 p.m.
Greeted my adorable grandparents, gorged myself on some scrumptious Dim Sum (Chinese snacks or stuff you buy in SF bakeries), and sat down to work...

2:30 p.m.
Almost done with the attempt at de-bumblebee-izing my sister... Just have to stitch some loose ends and right-side it out...

2:35 p.m.
What the?! Premature rejoicing...I have NO IDEA what I created!!!


It looked the right shape when it was inside-out, but when we reversed it, something was very wrong. My uncle said that it looked like a pair of pants for a very fat dwarf.

Needless to say, I was embarrassed. So much for being a domestic goddess. But I remembered the words of the late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin:

"Learn to laugh!"

3:30 p.m.
Gave up on the shrug and started on my next project...hair and makeup!

6:00 p.m.
Finished curling Miranda's hair and doing her makeup, but I was still determined to get the shrug to work! Miranda was already half an hour late to meet up with her friends, but like I said, I was determined.

6:30 p.m.
A miracle and ten prayers later, I literally had some divine intervention and inspiration to get the sleeves to work. Ahh...finished!

The exchange...


The adorable couple. High school love. : )


All the girls. With pretty bouquets made by one girl's mom.All the couples!