Old Girlfriends

I have a group of girlfriends who have been going out to lunch together consistently for many years - maybe 7-ish+ years?  We go out for all our birthdays, or in "someone needs cheering up" circumstances, or because some eating establishment is having a "freebie" deal.  Do we really need an excuse?  But, regrettable (and unacceptably), we don't have any photos of these occasions!

Well, most recently, we went to a restaurant for one of our friend's July birthdays and we got seated close by another table full of elderly ladies who caught my attention.  (As always, that's the observant, people-watcher in me!)

 

{Note: not the actual group, but very similar to this.}

I turned to my own group of ladies whom I was with, motioned my head in their direction, and said, "Look!  That will be us in 30 years!"

We all smiled, and chuckled, and stared at them for a moment. (I hope they didn't notice and think we were rude....ah, who am I kidding?  They were too involved with each other, gabbing away, having a delightful time!)

We all said, "I hope so!"  

At least none of them informed me, "Uh, Suzanne....that is a mirror!"  ;) haha.   

What are THESE?

The temperatures have DROPPED way low here in our neck of the woods.  Thanks to the November-that-feels-like-January we're having due to the Arctic Chill that has come from the North, affecting most of  the U.S.

(Yet, ANOTHER rude awakening in returning from our Eastern Caribbean cruise.  The Islands, high 80's.  Utah, 30's.)

So, Brookelle was complaining she didn't have any warm clothes to wear.  It's true - I hadn't done the official [season changing] closet/drawer clean out project, changing all the short sleeves/capris/shorts/lightweight fabrics and replacing them with the winter clothes - it was still in the 70's when I left!

So, I pulled the big Rubbermaid tote of "Size 6 Winter clothes" out of the basement that I'd been storing ever since Katelyn outgrew them 4 years ago (AND which had many hand-me-downs of Haylee's from before then, too!)

Usually this ritual is like "Christmas," opening up a plethora of  outfits to wear; an instant "new" wardrobe!  The girls & I get all sentimental, while gushing, "Oh, I loved this!  This is soooo cute!" remembering the clothes they used to wear, and what event they wore them for, etc.

THIS TIME when Brookelle started pulling out all the long pants (the main thing she was looking for), it was NOT like that.  She was NOT thrilled or impressed or even grateful.

Her response was more like......

What are THESE?!!?

When I answered, "pants," she started to giggle.

SHE SERIOUSLY THOUGHT I WAS JOKING/TEASING (like I frequently do, and she's become pretty good at discerning when I am, based on the absurdity of what I say)
so she responded, "No, they're not!"

To which I replied, "Yes. They ARE."

She retorted, "What's wrong with the bottoms???"

I said, "They're flare jeans."

Brookelle:  "Flare???  WHY would they make them FLARE?"

Me:  "Because they're cute!"

Brookelle:  (giggling, thinking I'm joking again) "No, they're not!"

They're not?????  

But, your sisters wore them!

They used to be!

And then I realized that sometime between the last 4-6 years and the modern day, flare jeans must have gone the way of the dust.  In Brookelle's [short!] lifetime, she has never been exposed to flare jeans and, therefore, has absolutely NO understanding/attraction to them.  In her opinion, they belong in the costume box, categorized under, "clown pants" MORE THAN they belong in a sane person's closet!!
Skinny jeans are acceptable, though!  ;)

(Weird to think that I'M living through style changes!  Isn't that just for old people?)

CRAP!  Now she still doesn't have any warm bottoms to wear!  

Is Christmas too far away to wait to get new clothes?!?

The First of Many More to Come and Thoughts on D-Land

I've been looking forward to and making plans for various Mother/Daughter outings that I will do with my girls [when they are old enough] for years.   Well, I think we officially started this past week.  We went on our FIRST "Girls Trip."

Matt actually had a work conference at the Grand Californian Disney Hotel - and we tagged along.  

Why not?  Hotel room paid for?  Check.  Per Diem money provided for Matt & I by his company?  Check.  Discount Disneyland tickets offered by the conference?  Check.  Private Dinner Party/Evening of Entertainment/Priority viewing of World of Color included for the entire family?  Check.  

Fly for FREE on jetBlue?  Check.

 Matt spent all day in classes - poor guy!  :)

This MAY have been a mistake to start out so BIG.  Will the girls be satisfied with "Chick Flick" night out at the movies in the future now?  ;)

Now, a list of my random thoughts:

1. If I were RICH, I would always opt to stay at a Disney property.  We were spoiled to be there by "riding on Matt's work conference coat tails."  Not only was it such a nice resort (inside & out) but it came with "privileges" like Early Entrance at 7:00 EVERY morning.  The best part, though, is that we literally walked out our hotel room door, turned two corners, and we were right IN Disney's California Adventure!  To get to Downtown Disney, we walked out the hotel the other way...with Disneyland just a bit further up the way.  SOOO convenient (but also expensive!)
2. I have to say that I have officially "graduated" from the Tea Cups ride.  No more.  I really can't handle it anymore - I lose my equilibrium.
3. I LOVE my Disney Dream Reward Dollars.  I have the Disney Visa and earned about $150 to use anywhere in the park - no need to worry about packing in food.  But, we DID use it ALL in 3 days!
4. August is NOT my favorite time to go to Disneyland.  I've been at several different times through the years, and August probably lands at the bottom of my list.  (The HEAT.  The lines.  The crowds.  Even the cast members are a bit less "on their [magical] game" having to deal with all of the above.)
5. I need to wear "hospital shoes" or some other kind of super-duper orthopedic-bionic shoes while there - my feet were KILLING ME!  Seriously, I COULD NOT WAIT to get off my feet at night.
6. Dole Whip and Frozen lemonades are like manna from heaven!  (See #3 & #4)
7. We Americans are INSANE!  The first day we were there, the line to see Elsa & Anna (from Frozen) was a three HOUR WAIT.  3 HOURS!  So, I told the girls we would come the next day for our Early Entrance.  We were lined up outside the entrance gate at 6:45 IN THE MORNING to go in - and we still weren't the first in line!  What is wrong with all of us?  Who does this?  Isn't this a vacation?  Once the gates were opened, we walked directly to the Elsa/Anna house.....and the line was already starting - we ended up waiting 1 hr. 40 min!
8. Times have CHANGED!  Now, every ride is posted with a sign stating that children under the age of 7 (Brookelle) must be accompanied with a person 14 or older (neither Haylee or Katelyn) or they couldn't ride.  And they enforced it - our girls were denied entrance once!  Which meant, if Miss B wanted to do ANYTHING & EVERYTHING, I was the ONE to go with her.  Now let's go back 34 years, when my dad took me (then age 10), my older sister (age 13) and my younger brother (age 4) to So. Cal with him once on a business trip and he just DROPPED US OFF at Disneyland for the whole day.  I'm not sure, but I think that would be grounds for getting Child Protective Services involved these days?!?  Just a hunch.  ;)  AND, on that trip, my older sister (the one in charge???) got separated from us (the 10 & 4 yr. old) for HOURS!  We spent all that time looking for her - we eventually found her later and learned that she had just kept on going on rides the whole time - after all, she didn't want to waste her day looking for us! 
9. My bum sure doesn't fit the same in some of those seats as it used to!  Dang it!
10. I think it's time Disneyland establishes a "modesty standard" of some kind.  There was WAY TOO MUCH boobage (a lot more than just cleavage), backs, bras & bum cheeks showing!  For that reason, I was glad my teenage boys were not with us to see that.  It was still a bad example for my girls, though.  If the guests don't have enough common sense to cover themselves adequately, they should be policed.  No, seriously, they could make rules.  When we were at Hershey Park last year, this "warning sign" was out in the parking lot:
    

The fact that they even have to put up a sign.....Really?!!?

It's Not All it's Cracked Up to Be

My son is now 18 years old.

That means he's officially an adult.
(at least that's what he's been telling me.)

So, he had a Dr. appointment the other day, and I just dropped him off at the building entrance while I went to park the car (since we don't have an extra car anymore, I had to drive) and I moseyed on in about 5 minutes later.  It didn't matter, because he's now an adult.

BECAUSE he's now an adult, he can check his own self in at the Dr. office.

BECAUSE he is now an adult, he also has to sign all "consent to treat" and other like papers himself.

BECAUSE he is now an adult, he can speak up for himself, he doesn't need his mom to answer for him.

BUT THEN, the moment I walked into the office, the two gals at the front desk asked, "Are you Ryan's mom?"

"Yes."

So, then they waved me on over to them and started going through the whole 9 yards with ME.

I reminded them, because I'm sure they already knew, that he is 18 yrs. old now. (after all, doctors always seem very interested in their patients' DOB - they ask it a few dozen times in the paperwork, over the phone for I.D. and in person, too.)

I found out later why.

Ryan told me the initial interaction went like this - he said he felt like an idiot:

Do you have a co-pay?

I don't know.

What insurance do you have?

I don't know

Do you have medical insurance?

I don't know.

When was the last time you were seen in our office?

I don't know.

Do you know your family medical history?

No.

Well, you'll have to fill out a new information chart.

OK.  

(And then he walked away, without the forms, and sat down in the waiting room - and that's where I found him when I walked in.)

They gave ME the stuff to fill out - and I promptly handed it over to him.
After he was done filling out the information - it's on an electronic tablet these days, with a stylus AND advertisements for drugs pop up when you're moving between screens.  What the what?!? - he signed his own name (he redid it about 5 times - to get his 1st official adult signature just right, ya know!)

I think he liked how it felt, doing such an "adult" thing, and he returned the tablet back to the front desk feeling good and less like an idiot than before.

AND THEN, they asked him for the money for the co-pay of the visit.

At which point, he had to call, "Mom!" (I looked up from my book, minding my own business in the waiting room), signal me to come up to the front desk, and have me open up my purse to take care of the transaction.

Man, being an adult means you actually have to do stuff - and know stuff - and pay for stuff!
Psfff!  It's for the birds!  ;)

**********
For the record, I did NOT go back into the exam room with him.  I let him field all the Dr.'s [awkward & personal] questions on his own, as well as show his back side to the Dr. in private.  ;)  And he got poked with various needles WITHOUT me holding his hand!
I had to let him regain his [adult] dignity somehow!  ;)

For Some Must Push and Some Must Pull

.....as we go marching up the hill. 

{Name that song}

Listen HERE for a hint.

On Saturday, we noticed we actually had a day with hardly anything on the calendar AND we've been having warmer than usual temps, so Kyle had suggested we hike to Flag Rock.

Sure!  Why not?!?

Except when we tried to drive to the starting point, the road was still closed for the winter.

So, we improvised and found another of Farmington's many trails:  the Davis Creek Trail.

It is in the mountains, so it would be quite an ACCENT!  Lots of UPHILL.  So, Matt & I wondered if our younger children would be able to make it....???  I just said, I could take them back to the car when they'd had enough and wait there for the others to finish.

{Ryan was absent, off doing his High School thing with friends, attending the State Bball tourney in SLC}

Well, it turns out, we shouldn't have even worried about them!  The children went up the trail like gazelles!

WE ARE THE ONES to worry about!

 We are the ones who were begging for rests and telling them to wait for us.  And holding each other up. 

(And when I say "we" - it's really like 70% me, 30% Matt!)  :)

My calves were ON FIRE!!!  The angle the hill was forcing my feet into were killing them.  I guess that's why we're suppose to stretch before beginning any physical activity?!?
The thought, How far I've digressed, went through my mind about 43 times.

I never wanted to be one of those moms who don't ever participate in activities (sports, boating, races, swimming, games) with the family - who just sit on the sidelines and watch - so I was making myself do it!

But, my calves!  Ouch!  My knee!  Oh!  My hips!  Ugh!

At one point, Haylee took my hand and pulled me along.  Matt tried pushing me from behind, but then decided if he went in front and I hooked onto his belt loops, he could kind of "drag" me.  ;)  But, his not-quite-a-year-post-surgery-knee was not handling it the best, either.

 (I was kind of disgusted with myself.)

We saw a sign post indicating that we still had 2/3 of the way to go to reach "Pretty Valley" and I thought, Where's the chair lift when you need it?!?

I got to a point where I could see this view of dear ol' Farmington, 

and I pronounced, This is "Pretty Valley" enough for me!

And I turned around and went back down the mountain and waited for the rest of the brood in the car.

(The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!)

I had already hiked for an hour, and they went another hour (they made much better time without me) - luckily I was prepared with a book!

I heard later that Matt kept trying to get our children to stop and go back [using me as his excuse] "because mom is waiting."  

To which they [correctly] countered back, "Mom is fine!  She has a book!"

They found an awesome rock - and had to get on top of it, of course!

Apparently, scaling the mountain was not enough effort for 5 yr. old Brookelle, so she thought she should weigh herself down a bit more by collecting rocks along the way and putting them in her front pockets!  What?!?

That was nothing!  

Easy Peasy!

(Way to show me up!)

When can we come back?!?

 (Whoa Nelly! Not so fast.)

Matt & I were both rubbing our knees on the car ride back, then zonked out on our bed when we got home.

Cougar Town OR Things I've Heard on the Job: #8

During one of my travels, I meandered into a cute little gift shop/boutique that had SO MANY signs with really clever/inspirational/delightful/relateable sayings on them.  I found numerous that tickled my fancy - that described me - and that I wanted to buy for myself.  Except I didn't, because then it would overpower everything else in my home.

One of my favorites was this one:

Because as you know (or don't know?) I am older than my husband!

By how much?  Well, that's debatable.

He says 8 months.

I say 9 months.

You decide.  

I was born Sept. 14th of one year, and he was born June 8th of the following year.

9 MONTHS.  No?

ANYWAY.  Our kids have a hay day with it....whenever we do things in "age order" there is always a big "discussion" whether Matt or I should go first.  The kids want to be all technical about it, Matt just thinks he should go first because.....he's the dad!  :)

But, the whole thing that got me thinking of "Cougars" again was a call I had recently while "On the phones @ jetBlue."

I was assisting an older couple (I know because they have to give my their DOB) from Southern California who were both on the phone with me while booking their flight reservations.  I'm not sure if they were married or not because they had different last names, but they were traveling together.  (If not, Friends?  Lovers?  Brother/Sister?)

She was a 76 yr. old woman named, Helga.

Me:  "Where on the plane would you like to sit?"

Helga:  "Make sure to seat me by a nice, YOUNG man.  And seat a good-looking one in front of me...and behind me, too.  A YOUNG one.  Ya got that?"

Me:  [giggle]

Him:  "You gotta watch out for these "Newport Cougars!"

Me:  [chuckle]

Helga:  "Hey, I'm a German Cougar!"

Me:  "Let's hope for the best."  ;)

(If she IS his wife/girlfriend, he was pretty liberal, accepting her extra-curricular relationship explorations, and all!)  ;)

Excuse Me While I Have a Little Freak Out

Guess where I went last night?

I still can't believe it myself.

I went to the Utah State University open house with my oldest to get some famous Aggie Ice Cream find out all about them, enter to win prizes..... 

AND TO APPLY FOR COLLEGE!

(But I DID enjoy me some Aggie ice cream, too.  

Sadly, the Aggie Blue Mint was all gone by the time we got there, though!)

AM I OLD ENOUGH to be sending my own offspring away to college?!?

Wasn't I just there myself?

 Along with my husband, too?

Didn't I just give birth to him?

 

Weren't we just spending our days on the couch in our apartment doing this?

 

Wait a minute!  He just started Kindergarten, didn't he?

And his Baptism was just the other day.

Didn't he just barely become a teenager?

Well, the fact that he went to the Homecoming Dance last Saturday,

most likely makes the answers to all those questions - a "NO!!"

But, I STILL can't believe it!  Only OLD people have college students, don't they?  I am a tad bit freaked out by this thought!!  It's already time to start making plans for his bedroom?  Hmmmm......A ladies workout room?  A music room?  A napping room?  A library?

There was one thing, a rude awakening,  that has really let us know that the years really HAVE  past by and things have changed.......back in my husband's day, he got the Presidential Scholarship (4 years tuition & fees all paid) at USU.  TODAY, with his same scores (GPA and ACT), he wouldn't even qualify!!  In fact, he would only be awarded the very lowest level of scholarship they give out for academics.  One that wouldn't even cover one semester!  You practically have to be perfect for the big scholarships these days.  

Otherwise, kids, get ready to pay out the BIG BUCKS!

Now Ryan's wishing he fought off his "brain-dead-teenage-boy-season-of-life" with MORE of a vengeance. 

All is not lost.  There are other scholarships he can go for - totally depending on how much work HE is willing to put in to applying/making a portfolio, etc.

He's still hangin' in there in his attempt to get the Regents Scholarship by taking AP Statistics, AP US Government, Biology, and Spanish 2 his Senior year (which aren't even required to graduate, but are required for this scholarship) instead of underwater basket weaving (or any frivolous classes) that his peers, who aren't trying for scholarships, get to take.

But, fortunately for him, because his AWESOME PARENTS are Utah State University ALUMNI, he can qualify for a small scholarship to attend there.

AND, there is even another [small] scholarship for VHS students who are children of Viewmont H.S. alumni!

Who knew there was actually a PRO to having a child of mine go to "Pee-yew"mont?!?  ;)

(my High School rival)

Simple Surprises

I went on a trip last week, and I had quite the streak of Good Luck.  Or maybe more than luck - just a bunch of happy things that happened.....which left me pleasantly surprised.  They weren't HUGE events, necessarily, so I'll call them "Simple Surprises."

1. Southwest Airlines has Diet Dr. Pepper as a drink choice on their flights!
2. There are GAMES like Connect 4 and Solitaire on the treadmill - it really HELPS the workout go by faster!
3. The "mystery guest artists" at The Grand Ol' Opry didn't end up being a mystery....it turns out Mark Wills sings "19 Somethin',"  "And the Crowd Goes Wild," and "Don't laugh at Me."   And Brett Eldridge sings, "Don't Ya"...all of which I knew!
4. The operator politely called me by name when I called to ask a question!
5. The factory outlet mall was actually pretty close to our hotel (within walking distance) instead of far away like we'd thought it looked from the taxi!
6. I didn't throw up the raw oyster I ate, right out of the shell, at THIS restaurant, in the presence of 5 people who were egging encouraging me on.
7. I was ID'd - that means the "bouncer" COULDN'T TELL IF I was over 21 or not, right?!?  And it has nothing to do with it being policy or anything.....  ;)
8. The Nashville airport provided foot covers (like the ones you'd wear in open houses) for us to go through security - I always think it is gross to walk on the floor in my bare feet when I have to take off my flip flops!
9. When I got done eating my Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory apple pie flavored apple, there were moist towelettes in the bottom of the bag - just what I needed!
10. There was Dish TV access on my iPad on one of the flights I took - I finally watched several of the episodes from season 8 of The Office for the first time.  I'm only 2 years being the times!
11. My girls GOT ON (standby) a "100% booked" flight....and we're able to sit by their Dad!
12. My Jamba Juice gift card money had NOT expired even after a couple years of non-use!
13. I came upon a "test" security checkpoint, where we didn't have to take off our shoes, remove our liquids from our bag, unload our laptops, or any of the usual things except pretty much walk through - that's as EXPEDITED as security can be!

Reality Bites

I was in an airport recently and I saw someone who looked familiar......but I couldn't immediately place the source of where I knew her from.

Was it College?  (one of the THREE I attended)

My Mission?

My job?

An old job?

My old neighborhood?

I couldn't quite come up with a name....but I kept seeing her.....and as a result I kept looking at her, too.

I first saw her when her group and my group (my daughter & I) were both converging onto the escalator.  And I took a double-take.

Then she was right behind me in the security line.  I looked at her again - and she saw me doing so, but she said nothing, so then I thought maybe I didn't know her.  Except I was pretty sure I did!

Then when I was standing in line at the airport Cafe Rio, I saw her enter the food court.  By this time, I was sneaking in more glances - pretty much staring - until our eyes would meet again while I was doing so.

Then when I had sat down to eat, it came to me!  It was a girl from High School.  Not just a girl, but a friend - like I had hung out at her house before!  We didn't do everything together, not like BEST FRIENDS, but we were "medium friends".....I think we might have group dated to a Girls' Dance?  (But, don't quote me on that - those years' activities are getting foggier and more distant!)  But, I don't think I have seen her since then.

So, THEN, having now recalled who she was, I decided to acknowledge and greet her.
So, when she & her husband started walking right towards my table, carrying their food tray, to get to their table, I kind of reached out my hand in a wave, to get her attention, and said, "You look familiar to me."

To which she reacted with an absolute. BLANK. look. on her face.
It was almost a skeptical look like why-the-heck-is-a-complete-[flipped-out]-stranger-making-advances-at-me? look.  (Her body Language: she stopped in her tracks and leaned back away from me.)

I then asked, "Are you (insert her name)?"

She seriously had NO sign of recognition on her face.

She said nothing.  She just stared back at me.

(I started to wonder if I had gotten it all wrong.  That she wasn't really who I had thought.)
When her facial expression did not change, I was about to say, "Nevermind." 

But, then her husband answered for her (since, apparently, my greeting had rendered her mute).  He said, "Yes.  Yes she is."

I could tell she still couldn't identify ME, so I said, "I'm Suzanne."

[Still no "A-ha" moment.]

So, I continued by saying my maiden name, too.

And then she [unconvincingly] said, "Oh.....yah...."
(and then we chit chatted for a few minutes.)


But, afterwards, as I reviewed the scenario in my mind, I knew what had happened.

What a slap in the face, but it was true.  She could not even tell a resemblance from my High School self that she had known to my Present day self  who'd "stalked" her at the airport.

It means I have changed too much!

And that is alarming!

It's stupefying what 25 years can do to a person.
{and depressing.}  

REALITY:  I can't pass as a 17 yr. old anymore!!! 

What d'ya think?  Would YOU have been able to even recognize me?

High School Senior

[feeling like a] Senior Citizen

It was probably just because I'm not using a tight curling iron and ratting my hair these days, right?!?

RIGHT?!?

Okay....good.

This Weekend:

* Started off with Brookelle swallowing a marble on accident.
It scared her pretty bad!
Weird that all of a sudden we're all interested 
and concerned with her pooping times & details.
As of today NO marble has been "recovered" yet!  
 
* I used a spa gift certificate I got for Christmas

for a 75 min. aromatherapy massage.  

I can tell I'm getting OLD

because it wasn't all nice & comfortable and relaxing 

like it has been in years past!

Sometimes I felt a bit of discomfort -- due to my

old tight, strained, stiff, stressed, spasming muscles!

* Went to Ryan's last regular season Basketball game.

Their opponent was last year's VHS Sophomore team.

Needless to say, they got SMOKED!  

The other team even started with one guy down, and they still led the entire game!

My hope was that they could just prevent a "total BLOW OUT."

 Meaning NOT letting the other team win by 30 points or more. 

They accomplished this!  yea!

* Watched "Love Story" on Netflix.  (Me, not Matt)

It is a 1970 romantic drama.

{the year of my birth}

Is it weird that I liked some of the clothes/coats

the actors wore?
  "Love means never having to say you're sorry" 
 is the famous line from the movie -- but I don't agree!

* Picked up my Bountiful Basket in the morning,

and Matt picked up one-fourth of a cow 

that we went in on.....except I think the meat packing co. 

neglected to give us about half our meat.  Aargh!

You'd think we're hoarding food, or something!  ;)

* Saturday jobs were supposed to be happening.

Instead there some sort of angry controversy that

climaxed with one [unnamed] child throwing a big-ish toy

at another child, who ducked, and instead

it hit the wall.  Our new house wall.

And caused a gash.  Lovely.

I called off the "Arctic Circle" reward run for

EVERYONE right then and there.

{Weeping & Wailing & Gnashing of teeth followed my announcement}

* Took an afternoon nap.

(I all of a sudden got super tired - probably because Ryan woke me up early

trying to figure out how to order tickets online to the 

Musical at his High School that he was planning on taking a date to.)

The fact that Ryan woke up early on his own proves he really wanted to go!  ;)

* Had some good laughs with this YouTube video that

Ryan went around showing the [older people in our] family:

* Went to the Bountiful Temple.

We decided to go this afternoon/evening since 

Matt's mom was working/volunteering in the

Temple at that time.  We [finally] ate dinner in the 

cafeteria downstairs.  We kept saying we should do

that sometime, but never had -- 'til now.

* I got all cozy & comfy in my jammies and got into bed

while Matt & I were reading/watching T.V./playing on our iPads,

when Ryan called and asked if he and his date and the other

couple could come "hang out" at our home.  

They must've been just out on the corner, because they

all walked in the house just a few minutes later....

and I was still hiding in my bedroom because of my lack of proper

state of being dressed.

Then I started to worry about what they could snack on, 

so I threw my clothes & bra back on, raided Matt's chocolate

stash and went down to deliver the treats & meet the kids.

{She was a very cute girl!}

* Sunday:  Daylight Savings Time Begins -

which made it hard for others to get up in

our family, so I got first dibs on the shower - 

and HOT water the whole time!  ;)

* We saw this video clip in Young Women's class at church.  

I had tears running down my face almost the whole time!

Only through the Power of the Atonement, literally

borrowing power from Christ, who already suffered for us,

could anyone of us go through something like this.

* Had two meetings after church....

didn't get home 'til late afternoon.

(No time for a Sunday nap - good thing I got it on Saturday!)

* Made Slow-Cooked Pork Roast 

w/ potatoes, onions, & carrots for dinner.
(Odd considering I have all that beef in my freezer?)

* Katelyn made [box] brownies for dessert.

* Started a good new John Grisham book.

(I can tell even though I'm only on pg. 55)

 

(I've read all his books.  I REALLY like them!)

Called to Serve

My neice opened her Mission call tonight.
We all went up to their house to witness this EXCITING event.
There was my family of 7 and about 100 other people there, too.  Really, maybe half that many.  Or a third.  I really don't know how many, but there were enough to make quite a ruckous with our cheering and clapping when she read aloud her mission she has been called to serve in.

MADRID, SPAIN

And the shouts continued when she read from her call that she will report directly to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in SPAIN - not the traditional one in Provo, Utah that everyone else in the family has gone to.

And the noise [of gladness & congratulations] burst out again when she read that she will start her mission on June 12, 2013.

I am thrilled for her!

With the new announcement from the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, at last October's General Conference that the new age for women to serve a full-time mission was changed to age 19 instead of 21,  she immediately was eligible since she was already 19 yrs. old!  There is now a SURGE of women submitting their missionary applications -- and I think IT. IS. WONDERFUL.  Sister Missionaries are SO effective and amazing.  They were THE BEST in my mission, but, unfortunately, we were in the minority......but things are changing now with the lower age!  Amongst some of my neice's other "fans" there to watch, there were three other girls who had their mission calls, too!!  It's so great.

Being there tonight, I couldn't help but recall receiving my OWN mission call.

Although, my experience 21 1/2 years ago was very, very different from hers today, it still brought back the EMOTION associated with it..  Tears filled my eyes as I listened to her read her call, just the same as they have the other few times I have been privileged to be a bystander when future missionaries have opened their calls.....BECAUSE I KNOW what it's like to open a Mission Call.  I have been there!  The tears were there when I opened my OWN call, too.  It is SO important and SO profound.  It is SO BIG - a call to serve from The Prophet.

After being a part of her "Mission Call Opening Party" with the masses, Matt asked me if it made me wish I would've done it like THAT.

No.

That may surprise some because I am very much a "social creature" by nature and a "People Person" who loves friends and being around others.  USUALLY.  But, opening my mission call was NOT a USUAL experience.
There is not a wrong way and a right way to do it.  The way I did it was just PERFECT FOR ME!

I chose to open my Mission Call all by myself, in private, out in nature, next to a river in the beautiful surroundings of Logan Canyon in Northern Utah back in the summer of 1991.

I wanted to have my own true, REAL initial reaction to the call - without having to "put on a show" for an audience.

So, when I learned of my call, FUKUOKA, JAPAN, there was no fanfare.  No deafening crowds whooping and hollering.  No eyes on me - at least not of the human kind.  But I felt very, very close to my Heavenly Father & Jesus at that moment - I KNEW They were with me.

(Signed by Ezra Taft Benson, the Prophet in 1991)

Even though I am "Geographically Deficient" and I didn't even know WHERE Japan was....North?  South?  East?  West of here?  Even though I had indicated on my application that I was NOT interested in learning a foreign language....  And even though I [might have] exclaimed, "Holy Cha!" when I read it, I immediately prayed - right then and there on that big boulder I was sitting on out in the open air.  I was surrounded with just the sound of the trickling water, the fluttering of leaves in the trees up above and the occasional chirping of a bird.  And as I did so, I felt The Spirit confirming to me that I was "up to the challenge!"

For DAYS afterwards, it still seemed like an "Out of body experience" to think about ME serving a mission in Japan.  I still can't believe that I did it sometimes, now!   But, that day will always be a tender memory for me.

I did go to my parents home the next day where the rest of my "groupies" had gathered and I "opened" my Mission Call (however I already knew where I was going) in front of them.  Then they were all made privy to the BIG NEWS for the first time -- and they shared in my joy and excitement, too.  So, I got BOTH - a private and a public opening - I've always been one to prolong the CELEBRATION as much as possible!  ;)  haha.

GO Sister Missionaries! 

(This plaque hung in the glass case at our church building the whole time I was gone.)

We Aim High Around Here (?)

I found THIS "New Year's Resolution" paper in Katelyn's stuff.....

I wonder just WHERE IS that best set in the shcool found?  In her classroom?  In the Principal's office?  In the cafeteria?  In the Computer Lab?

Is it HARD to "land" this best set in the shcool?  Is it a "First come, First served" type of a deal?  Is it a "reward" for good behavior?  Is it "off limits?"  Is it only considered "the best" by Katelyn?  Or is she just hoping she [luckily] gets assigned to it when her teachers make random seat changes?"

It's obviously a very HIGH "set" that also has magic powers to make your legs grow extremely long when seated in it!   

Maybe it's the orange color that makes it so attractive?

And I wonder why she didn't include SPELLING SKILLS as part of her "aspirations" for 2013!?!  ;) haha.

Whatever the details are, however lofty [or not] her goal is -- good for her.  She's written it down, so it's SERIOUS.  How does that saying go?  "A goal not written down is just a wish?"  Or something like that.

Soooooo, that means I better write MINE down, right?!?
And what better place than my blog!  :)

The first one I made was for me AND Matt.  Don't you love it when other people push their agenda goals onto you?!?  ;)  But, he agreed to it immediately, so it wasn't as bad as it sounds.

Here it is:
We're going to invite another couple* to go out to dinner with us EVERY MONTH.
Hey!  Who says New Year's Resolutions can't be FUN?!?  They don't have to be grueling, sweat inducing, miserable, time consuming, mentally taxing, deprivation type goals, right?!?  Those are coming!)
I'm excited for this; we'll get to know our friends better, and make new friends, too!  We're already 1 for 1 as it is just January still.  We ARE taking a "waiting list" of couples who who like to be invited, so mail in your applications!  Just kidding.  :)
*As in a different couple every month -- unless we get turned down for these dates, and then we'll just stick with the one who says, "yes.")

Here's another one:
I'm going to get ready IN THE MORNING.
As in, before I start cleaning up.  Or paying bills.  Or get on the computer.  Or making my shopping list.  Or planning our vacations.  Or working on Young Women stuff.  Or looking for my ever-elusive cell phone.
THIS is going to be HARD
 .....because if I go into any part of my home, I can always see so MANY projects or duties "calling my name" that I want to start tackling right away.

But, what is my mantra, again?

BUT, I'm sick of being "caught" looking like a rag-a-muffin still too late in the day.  I feel like such a loser when that happens!   

PLUS, it just really makes a difference in feeling "on my game" and being productive.  When I AM doing a dozen other tasks while still in my "morning glory" (PJ's, no bra, bedhead, yesterday's leftover make up and smells), there's always that cloud hanging over my head saying, You still have to get ready! and it makes me feel 'eeeck' -- almost like I haven't accomplished anything, even though I have!  Do you know what I mean?

And, YES, I will have you know, here at 10:45 in the morning as I am working on my blog, I am fully dressed, make up, hair brushed, with earrings in!  Woo HOO!! :)

Which brings me to another one:
I want to write more on my blog.
It seems like ever since we moved into our new home, my posts have been declining.
But, ya know, it wasn't just since then, it was the whole time we were building this house, too.
....AND the entire time we had the old home up for sale - which was entirely WAY TOO LONG!
And, if we want to be really honest, my blog hasn't been given proper attention since I turned 40!  And that was in 2010.
I don't know why that's so, but just because I'm OVER THE HILL, doesn't mean that my "Weekly Gratitude List" should only gets changed every 4 months!
So, my plan is.....well, I don't want to disclose it exactly, so y'all won't hold me accountable if I don't follow it flawlessly......but, in my head I have decided that on certain days every week that I am going to write - of course, while I am fully clothed & READY for the day - and "reactivate" my blog.
And feel free to "motivate" me by leaving comments, I love 'em, so I'm not all by myself in blog world.
I chose the blog goal BECAUSE I really like to write in it (or is it 'on it'?) and I love to have the RECORD and the MEMORIES especially since I'm LOSIN' IT these days seems as I'm getting "UP THERE" in years.  (I get these comments from my kids!  Seriously.)
BUT, FOR REAL, I proved them RIGHT recently....I left my purse in the shopping cart, in a parking lot, at Wal-mart this week.  I unloaded the cart into my car, pushed my cart back to the "cart corral" and then walked back to my car without getting my purse out and drove home.....and didn't even notice until the next morning!  I had no recollection of doing that!  I usually put my purse in the car along with my merchandise at the same time.  I looked all over the place at home FIRST for my purse.  Then Matt told me I should go back to the store, but as I thought about it, I didn't really recall not having it with me - so I thought it was a "long shot."  PLUS, I'm ashamed of my lack of faith, but I figured IF I had left it at Wal-mart, it probably would've been stolen.  I didn't think the "People of Wal-mart" would be the most honest.  Well.....I WAS WRONG, and what a blessing!!!  My purse had been discovered by one of the store's "cart pushers" and returned to the Customer Service desk and was locked up in a back room until I came to retrieve it -- EVERYTHING intact, even my pens, lip balm, and leftover Santa Snickers candy!!!  (the most important things, ya know!)  :)

OK.  End of Sidetrack.

Back to these New Year's Resolutions.
I am implementing a healthier lifestyle.
I wrote down all these things that I can do.  BUT, unfortunately, right now I can't find that paper!  (See above section about losing my mind!)
Here's the good part:  I'm only going to start one new thing a month and then BUILD on each month - so it's not so overwhelming all at once - but after several months, and the end of the year, I'll have MANY good habits going on!
So, this month I have been drinking water.  A lot of it, too.  As in HALF my body weight in ounces each day.  (So, a 100 lb. person drinks 50 oz. of water/day.  A 150 lb. person drinks 75 oz. water/day.  A 400 lb. person drinks 200 oz. water/day.  You get the idea?)  I fit somewhere in there.  :)
I find drinking all that water bearable if I utilized THIS product sometimes:

(Now, please don’t burst my bubble and tell me that adding Crystal Light occasionally to my water isn’t technically water because in my fragile state right now I’m just not ready for that!  I know some super-strict water drinking people are wondering, but I DO fill the bottle up WITH WATER first [with pride] so I’m going to feel good about it.)
The only problem is....here's Murphy's Law in action in my life again....I have ALSO been sick this month with a variety of symptoms, but one of them is a violent cough - the kind of cough that shakes your whole body - or contracts all your muscles & seizes it up, one of the two.  And THAT condition does not go well with a constantly FULL BLADDER, if you know what I mean!  Note to self:  add "Do more laundry" to list of goals.  :)
So I have a couple more weeks to find that "healthy lifestyle" paper of mine, so I can add on the next thing in February.  That will give me more things to blog about later, thus, helping the above mentioned goal, as well.  SCORE!

And, last, but not least:
We just got a new ward cookbook, and I definitely need to make:
Jena Andrus' BUFFALO DIP
Julie Bushman's "FAMOUS DIP"
and
Dee Ann Stout's PINA COLADA FRUIT DIP
...and that's just in the Appetizers section.
I'll go through the rest of the cookbook, too, and try out new things.... of course, it needs to happen BEFORE I implement the "don't overdo it on dips/condiments" part to my healthy lifestyle plan!!  ;)


So, there you have it.  The FUN, the RIDICULOUS, & the HARD goals all mixed together.

HAPPY 2013, EVERYONE!

We Haven't Aged a Day -- RIGHT?!?

The Japan Fukuoka Mission, that was under the direction of Figuerres Dendobucho and Shimai (1991-1994),
had our 19/20/21 year Mission Reunion this past weekend in conjunction with General Conference.

{I may or may not have been able to easily recognize everyone!}

Let's take a look at the THEN and NOW......

M.T.C. - September 1991

Washburn Shimai & I (roommates)

March 2012

{We both lost our perms!}

Arriving at the Mission Home
Fukuoka, Japan - November 1991

President & Sister Figuerres and I

March 2012

There's absolutely no difference, RIGHT?!?

Oh Dear.