Wore a green outfit this morning to bible study - no one's pinching me, by jingo - then baked a cake and frosted it with green frosting I bought on sale after Christmas, and have a corned beef simmering on the stove.

Faith and begorrah, but it's a fine day to be Irish!

Which I partly am, and thanks to my mother, I'm celebrating St. Paddy's Day this year having stepped on the Old Sod last year.  

It was held at Dillard's then, but now seems to be sponsored by malls, not a particular department store.  Anyway, it's Brianna's turn to be in the spring fashion show.  Jessica was in the one at Ridgmar Mall when she was younger, but Brianna was at Northeast Mall, of course.

Picked up Jonathan and off we went.  It's been ages since I've gone to that mall, and goodness but it's grown!  Must say I like the ample covered parking.

Since Brianna was ill on Thursday, today was the first time Jonathan got to see Jessica and her girls.  Here they are with Bridgette:

While waiting for Brianna's turn on the runway, I snagged a photo of her in line, watching as one of the older boys had his hair, um, styled.  I saw more peculiar hair styles, on both boys and girls.  Often it was just messy looking.  What's attractive about messy?  

As I mentioned, there were some boys too (just a few, naturally...the overwhelming number of models were girls), including a couple of little guys who must have been, I dunno, five.  First one came out, working the crowd who chortled with delight at him, then as he returned to the screened area, another boy came out.  They met about five feet in front of the starting point, performed a complicated hand-slap/fist-pound routine, then the second boy, instead of continuing down the runway, turned around and went back with the first boy.  The audience was most amused, though likely the second boy's family wasn't...there went their photo op!  Well, a bit later here came the first little boy in a different outfit, he made his runway appearance, upon almost reaching the start here appeared the second boy, they repeated the hand-thing, and darned if the kid didn't again turn around and retreat!  The crowd really found that funny; much funnier than I'm sure his parents found it.  Paid all that money for their son to have two appearances (Jessica says one is included in the base price of the class, but additional moolah allows additional turns) and he never gets more than a few feet from the screen.  

Kids.

Brianna did very nicely indeed, BTW.  

Jonathan and I intended to see her in the "snake", as I believe she called it, when all the kids came out in a line, but misjudged how rapidly the remaining children would take, so missed her.  Boo.  Still, we were there for the main show! 

This afternoon I had the intense pleasure of picking up Jonathan from the airport.  It's his first time home in a year and a half!  

First I drove him through downtown on Belknap so he could check out the changes there, then headed down West 7th, which has seen tremendous change.  Not to mention, it has the SuperTarget I favor, and I was out of paper towels.  We both picked up some stuff, then it was off to Whataburger, a treat San Jose, CR doesn't have.  After a bit I took him to Mom's house, where he's staying as all three of our bedrooms are taken.  I suggested he bunk in with Dmitry, but he inexplicably preferred to have his own room and bathroom at his grandmother's home.  Go figure.  

Late in the afternoon Alex, Beth, and the girls drove over from Mesquite, Dmitry came home from work and visiting TCC, Mom and Jonathan arrived, and Charles too.  Brianna, sad to say, is ill so Jessica didn't get to come.  Mom generously provided the wherewithal for Railhead and I went to get it for us.  

After supper the guys were corralled for a photo:

Ta-da!  All four of my handsome sons:  Dmitry, Jonathan, Charles, and Alex.  

I wish I could get all six children together, but alas, Charles is off to Padre Island tomorrow morning and won't return until the day Jonathan leaves, i.e. Wednesday.  Oh well.  Next time!