Inspiration

Brent and I enjoyed going to the movies after doing some errands this last week. We watched the movie, "Julie and Julia," about Julie who in the early 2000's decided to create a blog about her experiences cooking each of the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook, "The Art of French Cooking,"all in one year. It was a humerous and fun movie and provided me with inspiration! Maybe I should do something similar - only using all chocolate recipes instead of French cooking! I have friends who think this is a wonderful idea and would love to read a blog about new chocolate recipes. I'm sure there are enough chocolate recipes for me to make something different every day of the year...but alas, not a practical way to promote weight loss and my wonderful, patient husband is not that fond of chocolate. It was just a thought. Here's wishing you something warm and chocolaty for dessert tomorrow!

Alternate Routes

I have a thing about alternate routes. That's what we call it when someone (generally Mike) takes a wrong turn and has to find another way to get where we are going. I always get uptight when we have to take an alternate route! Really uptight! Why???

Well, I think it started as a teenager just having gotten my driver's license and being set loose to drive on my own in Marin county. I only wanted to drive directly to my destination and I did not want to get lost! I remember the first time I passed my freeway turnoff, I pulled over to the side of the freeway and starting panicking! What was I going to do?? After calming down I realized (what most people would just automatically do) I could most likely get off at the next exit and just get back on the freeway going the other direction! It worked! This time.

As a mother of 5 children, I was always doing things right up until it was a little past time to leave to take someone somewhere. So, I always needed to know the quickest and/or the most direct route - no dillydallying driving around. And if I was going somewhere I didn't know well, a wrong turn meant being late! Some in the family may not know this, but I don't like being late(I know, but not enough to plan on leaving much earlier). So, it became a necessity in my life to not take alternate routes.

Last night, Mike, Brent and I took the trolley from EC downtown to SD to go to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. I got turned around going into town and was so sure that a more direct walking route could be taken. Mike reassured me that he knew the downtown area (after all he's been working there over a decade) and took me against my will the wrong way! But he turned out to be right this time (almost had to buy a map to prove me wrong!).

You'd think I'd learn from Mike's vast experiences of taking alternate routes (generally happens if he's caught up in a conversation or thought and I'm not directing him which road to take) but I haven't. And what about Elder Wirthlin's last general conference talk on Come What May and Love It! Here's his quote:

"...learn to laugh.

I remember loading up our children in a station wagon and driving to Los Angeles. There were at least nine of us in the car, and we would invariably get lost. Instead of getting angry, we laughed. Every time we made a wrong turn, we laughed harder.

Getting lost was not an unusual occurrence for us. Once while heading south to Cedar City, Utah, we took a wrong turn and didn’t realize it until two hours later when we saw the “Welcome to Nevada” signs. We didn’t get angry. We laughed, and as a result, anger and resentment rarely resulted. Our laughter created cherished memories for us." Ensign, Nov 2008

So if you see me laughing (probably hysterically) down the road - you'll know I'm lost or someone else driving is LOST!

This one was HUGE!

Look at this epi (epiphyllum)! It was a HUGE bloom like I've never seen on an epi. I had put one of Daddy's epi pots at the base of the pineapple quava tree to keep it shaded until I could plant it better (the dirt was mostly washed out of the plastic container). But it thrived there with just a little watering. It has grown up into the tree and is shooting out branches (if that's what they are called) and over the fence. I've been watching this bud develop for several days and then boom! a great huge blossom - for one day! Glad I went back to take a picture before I left for work yesterday. Fun to enjoy and think of how much Daddy loved his garden.

Whoops!

At the store the other day, I remembered that I needed to buy three cards. I remembered that I needed to get two get well cards and I couldn't remember what the third card was for. It just seemed like I was supposed to get a sympathy card but I couldn't think of who it was for! But I chose the three cards believing it would come to me later why I needed the sympathy card. Well, a day or so later, it did come to me. I didn't need a sympathy card - I needed an anniversary card to wish Jack and Tamara a HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Lost and Found Times Two

A few weeks ago, Mike found his wedding band missing. He always takes it off at night and leaves it on his nightstand and it wasn't there. He spent a lot of time searching for it and could not find it anywhere. Of course this was upsetting to him! A day or so later, he was closing his window and had to pick up the lamp on his nightstand to open the shutters. And lo and behold, there was his wedding band! During the night that it disappeared, he had opened the window and set the lamp on top of his wedding band - and made it disappear!

The next weekend I was washing my hands and found that my diamond was missing from my wedding ring! My turn to be upset!! We had just gotten home from Murietta, so what were the chances I could ever find it. I thought I could at least retrace my steps in the house and back to the car. And lo and behold! I found it on the kitchen floor! My ring is now being repaired with a replacement white gold prong.

Guess we are just meant to be together!

Temporary Empty Nest - Getting us Prepared

I don't think it has hit me until today how quiet it is with just two of us home! Not as much dinner conversation, not as much food to prepare, no one to help take out the trash (ha, ha), not enough people to give Mina, our cat, all the feline attention she requires, no one to remind to pick up their rooms or move their laundry along.... But the positive side is the phone calls, emails, twitters, blog posts, etc. from these young adults showing us that life is going well, or struggles will be overcome. Mike shared Friday night with me some empty nest questions for thought he found online. I don't know that it made me feel better but good things to think about for the future when we are really empty nesters. Life will be great, just different. On to our next adventures!

Temple Trip

The Primary theme this month is "Temple blessings unite families." I was so delighted to be able to share a picture I took last week at the Rexburg Temple and the Oquirrh Mountain temple with the children. I looked through our digital pictures and printed up some of our vacation trip temple pictures. The children loved the story of all the lizards all over the Orlando Florida temple and of Brent trying to catch a lizard. I shared the story of Brent all dressed up in his Sunday best as a three year old to attend the San Diego Temple Open House. They loved hearing how this wiggly little boy was so touched by the spirit in the temple that he was reverent and awed and how he peeked over the beautiful wooden circular staircase below. Then he accidentally dropped his temple brochure and looked so devastated to lose this valued brochure, but a gentle breeze blew the brochure back through the stair slats and it landed at his feet. I'll never forget the look in his eyes as he realized the gift given back - his own little temple miracle. I shared how Chelsea who was only 18 months, would point only at the pictures in the temple with Jesus in them and say His name. And I shared about the wonderful sealing ordinances that take place in the temple and of Grandpa's conversion story. What a reverent and delightful time to share the spirit with these Primary children!