Where a Kid Can Be a Kid!

Yes, that's right we went to Chuck E. Cheese's. RJ wanted to go the last time we were here and there never seemed to be a good time to go. So we went tonight, RJ, Uncle Jimmy, and myself. I think he must've had a really good time!! He got lots of tickets and was just having a great time. He had his photo taken with Chuck E. twice.

Then just before we left, Uncle Jimmy and RJ had their photo sketched by Chuck E.





RJ wanted one of just himself.




Then Uncle James suggested we do one with all three of us, so we did!

RJ didn't eat much but a few little pieces of sausage from the pizza, but he wasn't there for the food. James said the least they could do is make the pizza a little more tasty, considering it's the parents who eat, not the kids. So the left-over pizza went to Grandma's house, not ours.

RJ also rode the Carousel at the South Towne Center Mall. We had gone there so T and Bob could get new phones and after RJ and I had a treat (RJ had a chocolate cone and part of the vanilla cone I got for Donna, that she didn't want cause she didn't feel good. I had a a smoothie that was essentially a pina colada flavor--it was good) and Donna was pretty done cause she was so tired from not sleeping all night and being sick, we went over to the carousel. We got enough tokens for RJ and Donna to ride twice. The first time I rode with Donna, because she was too small to ride alone). I stood next to her horse. Se did not want to get on the horse at first and she had a hard time wanting to stay on--fear--but I think more tired and feeling icky rather than being scared. The second time Daddy rode with her (again he stood next to her). It seemed a lot more fun with daddy than it did with Aunt B-Jo, but, that's okay at least she had fun.

The first round RJ rode the reindeer and the second time he rode the chicken. He's a hoot! He tried to get off the chicken on the second trip and was still buckled in so he was hanging off the side of the chicken, he had both T and I in stitches.

My day is all out of sorts for this post, but before RJ went back to grandma's after Check E. Cheese's, we stopped at Aunt B-Jo's to get the toys Uncle James had bought. Uncle Jimmy gave them to him, but said they were from both of us. One was a pocket kite and the other was a John Deere play set with a backhoe, front loader, grader, bulldozer, and another one I can't remember the name of. As well as two pick-ups, a dump truck, a semi with a flat bed trailer and a gator--just like RJ's only yellow. He thought they were pretty cool.

Here's my contribution to make you sigh though:

On the way home, RJ wanted me to hurry so we could get to grandma's cause his tummy hurt. He said something like he had a "grandma tummy hurt." I asked if he meant that his tummy hurt when he came to grandma's house. He said "no, it hurts cause I'm not there." I thought it was so sweet. I said to him, you used to spend lots of time with grandma huh, so you probably miss her a lot, huh? He said, yeah.

Isn't that sweet? I thought it was precious.

So, if I get any more good RJ or Donna stories I'll be sure to get them down here for your enjoyment. There aren't as many funny or real good Mackenzie stories yet, cause she's still not very big, but they'll come I am sure, if not she'll likely be involved in some funny RJ or Donna stories in some way shape or form.

Until next time...

SOAPBOX POST: Veep @ BYU?

Please note: I actually started this post once before, but somehow I lost it--likely operator error, but it was shaping up very well. I hope to recreate what I had previously written and that it will turn out as eloquent as I had been doing before if not more so.

Just when I was beginning to regain what faith and respect I had for Brigham Young University (BYU) they go and do something as silly as inviting Vice-President Richard (Dick) Cheney to speak at commencement services.

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

This a school who traditionally have an upstanding member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints speak at commencement ceremonies. An upper member of the priesthood, such as an apostle, whether it is a member of the First Presidency, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, or even a member of the Seventy, that is who should be speaking at commencement. Perhaps a distinguished LDS member whose has made thier way in the world despite the world dogging them for their beliefs. While not all students at BYU may be LDS, all students at BYU are required to take and subsequently pass courses such as Book of Mormon, Church History, etc. There are a certain number of required courses to graduate from BYU that deal with religion, specifically that religion commonly called Mormonism. Students who attend BYU know that, and therefore should expect nothing less than the best of the best when it comes to speakers for their commencement activities. When I say best of the best, the commencement speaker for BYU should be someone who we all strive to be like. Someone who has the highest of honesty and integrity among their strengths and honors truth and virtue.

Cheney spoke at three commencement ceremonies in 2006. One speech for Louisiana State University, one speech at the Naval Academy, and one for his high school Alma mater, Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming. I can understand having him speak for a military academy and even his Alma mater, I can even justify the LSU ceremony by trying to support those in Louisiana after the devastation and government ineptitude after Hurricane Katrina. However, since the commencement season of last year, Cheney has left a lot to be desired.

However, an invitation was extended to VP Dick Cheney, and he accepted. I don't know if this an attempt on his part to redeem some of his mishaps and blatant mistakes or if he thinks this will endear him to these students in a political way. This man has had more foul ups in these last few years of this administration than many, yet, he continues to thrive. I believe he thrives only through the power of his own making. He does not hold the best interests of this country or its citizens in the proper perspective. He makes poor statements and decisions based on what might be best for him or those around him that would ultimately provide him with something he wants or desires. I believe none of what he says or does is out of need, it is only from desire. Like other politicians I feel that he has made a deal with the devil in some way shape of form and in order for him to receive all that he desires he must sell out all of those around him to fulfill that contractual obligation. So what if that means we continue to send innocents to their deaths? They do not matter, whether they are military troops from our country, natives to the current country of conflict, or other persons who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time--collateral damage.

If I were a current or even an alumni of BYU, I think not only would I be up in arms, but I would be making myself heard, very loudly heard. I don't care about the fact that BYU is located in the "reddest" city of the "reddest" county of the "reddest" state. As far as I am concerned Cheney has even gone beyond party lines and I think there are even some Republican he has managed to tick off. He has made too many errors and will likely be remembered as the worst VP in the history of the United States (and honestly that is saying something given we've had a VP like Dan Quayle). I often find the irony in my vehemence due to a prediction I made while I was a Girl Scout in Mills, Wyoming (essentially a suburb of Casper). While we were learning about our political system and we were touring the county buildings in downtown Casper, and had speakers from the local parties tell us about politics and gave us buttons that said "Women for Regan/Bush" and we found out the current Secretary of Defense was Casper's own Dick Cheney, I predicted that someday he would be president. How could I have possibly have known how close I would come to the truth? I remember my troop leader's comment at the time--I hope not--mind you my troop leader was also my mother. When I reminded her of my prediction, she just blew me off, but I stood firm in what I had said all those years before. I just never realized at the time that I would so readily agree with her sentiments from that time.

That being said I hope that students at BYU will rally themselves to one voice to maintain tradition, to vie for a speaker of appropriate measure for the institution of higher learning, and that if it comes down to it, that they consider skipping their commencement ceremony in protest of this travesty to BYU's good name.

In the mean time, I will prepare my signs of protest, slap a few on my truck and consider letting the veep know just exactly what I think of his and his administration. I also plan on praying a lot for the Provo Police Department, the BYU campus police, the Utah County Sheriff's office,, possibly the Utah Highway Patrol, and any other poor law enforcement schmoe that gets dragged into the realm of Secret Service and other government law officials that come in to make sure the VP is safe. I will also express gratitude that at least it isn't "Dub-ya."

Dancing in the Kitchen

I feel redemption!!!!!

Billy Ray did awesome tonight so I am hoping he will continue to improve and can move on. It's like he got some more confidence and the bit they showed before with his girls and him acting like Karina, well it was great! I'm enjoying tonight's show. Even Ms. Mills was blowing the audience away, Carrie Ann called her one move a back walk-over. Wow, the skill level has definitely improved for this week and I am excited to see the rest of the participants.

I have to tape the results show tomorrow night, but at least I am not missing the voting night, right? Then like a goober, I had taped Prison Break last week but never got around to watching it, then I taped Saturday Night Live over it. Can you say, oops? At least James watched SNL, which had a very amusing Peyton Manning.

I feel a little like a heel though cause I haven't been keeping up very well with my other blog, and feel like I am doing a disservice to myself for not logging my food, etc. I am going to try and do better, simply because we are really going to have to start watching what we eat. James finally decided to check his sugars and well, let's just say they were a little high. Last night he checked his sugars and it was 156. He checked again this morning and they were 121. So, I have been doing a little research into glycemic indices and sugars and how diabetes relates to cystic fibrosis. We'll see how I do and if I can manage to assist him in keeping his sugars down without having to resort to insulin. So I guess I'll keep everyone posted.

In the meantime, I'll get back to posting on my other blog--candy and all (I think that may be why I was avoiding posting--hate to fess up to all my candy consumption).

Until later...

My attempt at being a movie critic

Tonight we went to see Shooter with Mark Wahlberg. This movie is based on the book Point of Impact (I hope).

Overall, okay movie, a little bloody and a lot of shooting and explosions. But saying it was based on the book is a stretch.

Now I know many books-turned-into-movies are not always the best, but this one was loosely based on the book.

For starters the book's main character was a sniper in Vietnam. The movie's character a sniper for the Marine Corps, but more currently and when he lost his spotter in a Mission (for lack of a better word) he got out. Now it's post 9/11, but I am not sure how he got out (given that the military is still sending troops on their umpteenth tour no matter physical or mental well-being). But that is a tangent for another soapbox.

They left out key parts of the book that helped explain some of Bob Lee's actions (the main character) as well as changed locations where he lived (a big thing for me because in the book he's from Arkansas and in the movie they moved him to Wyoming). Mind you I realize there are those out there that just assume that is one backwater locale to another, but hey, we rednecks know where we are from and what differentiates us from other backwater rednecks.

Even James (who read the book initially and then told me I HAD to read it), said there were aspects of the book that needed to have remained in the movie and the movie lost some of the integrity by straying so far from the book.

Mark Wahlberg is a real bad-a$$ and the little gal who plays a supporting role is a cutie, and rightfully takes out some of her rage and frustration on someone in a wholly therapeutic way. Makes me wish I'd been home at the noon hour to see what Doug Wright thought of the movie (if he had mentioned it on KSL-5 at noon).

Maybe I'll look it up.

In today's other fun events, I got to lunch with some dear friends of mine, Debby and Bobbie. We had a great time and I must thank Bobbie for the cookies (James thanks you too). I just wish Goodwood wasn't quite so stingy with their portions as I recall they used to be a little larger than they were today. Keep this in mind Goodwood...

Also got a few things, including a pierced finger from candy molds, didn't know they could do that did you? A least it quit hurting a lot sooner than my poor stubbed baby toe, in fact thinking about it now, it still throbs a little and I did that around 10:40 this morning.

Anyway, I'll keep you up to date, gotta get my house cleaned up for my family a-comin', and that includes some laundry, some vacuumin', some scrubbin', and some rearrangin' and sortin'. As well as reading up on the lessons for Sunday, and doing who knows what else tomorrow...

Until then...

Battling Bulges and Lumps (including speed bumps)

I decided to start a sister blog that will follow my daily eating habits, my exercise (of lack thereof) as well as other things I am doing in my life to better myself (scripture reading and Gospel study, education and training, research, etc). I didn't necessarily want to bore people with that here and if they feel compelled to read it, they can go specifically to it. I decided I needed a place to have where I had to be accountable for my actions... Other than my own mind which tends to justify things with way too much ease.

So if you want, check it out, here's the link http://bulgebattlingb-jo.blogspot.com/. I'm still learning about this whole blog thing in some regards. I also am trying to update my web page, not as well as I had hoped, but I feel like I need to get frontpage and work on it like mom does her pages instead of the way I am currently doing it, or learn html better, one of the two.

That web page is http://babybjo.tripod.com/ if you want to see it. It still needs lots of updating and work, but it's got a little.

Until later....

Dancing With The Stars

So last night I watched the first episode of season four of Dancing With the Stars. I love that show!! But I have to admit I was a little disappointed... Here's why:

Billy Ray Cyrus is partnered up with Karina Smirnoff (who was partnered up with Mario Lopez last season). But that is only part of it. The worst part of it was he did not dance nearly as well as I hoped he would dance. I was so bummed. I mean he's a performer and he puts on a good show, he sings and well dances as well as you can onstage while performing. He has rhythm, so you think he'd be able to... He didn't, it was so sad. I hope he can overcome some of his hesitation and shyness before next week and hopefully he can dance better...

Other than that, the show was great!!! Everyone did very well considering it was the first night of the show and they had only practiced for four weeks prior to the show (and that isn't even entirely true...). John Ratzenberger (Cliff Claven from Cheers and several voices on several Disney/Pixar films) only had two weeks to practice, because he filled in for a guy off of The Sopranos who just wasn't man enough to do it (he was exhausted). Plus Apolo Anton Ohno was also skating short track speed skating and he was in Milan, Italy last week winning the world championship. (Of course I have some jealousy here, because his partner is this little cute blond thing from Provo who is only 18, and she's been following him around to his meets, etc so they could get in as much practice for DWTS as possible. Hello, I want to follow Ohno around the world...)!

Other stars on the show include:

Laila Ali (pronounced Lay-la)--She is the daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali. She is also a boxing champ herself. She was so cute when she was talking about how exciting it was to get to dress up in the fancy clothes and wear make-up and do her hair. It was great, she isn't a girly-girl, so it was so funny.

Billy Ray Cyrus--country singer and actor of shows Doc from PAX and Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel. His own real life daughter plays Hannah Montana on the show. Her name is Miley Cyrus and she has a budding singing career as well. I already spoke of Billy Ray some, but they say he is shy, so that plays a role in how he's doing.

Clyde Drexler--Clyde the Glide is his nickname from his NBA days when he would glide to the basketball hoop. He isn't quite as smooth as Jerry Rice or Emmit Smith were, but hey, it was only the first show. He did well enough and boy oh boy he is way tall and he's got an awfully short partner (she's only an inch-and-a-quarter taller than me).

Joey Fatone--from N'Sync fame. I have to admit at first I was like, oh great another boy band leftover, but you know what, this boy can dance, and he had so much fun and you could tell. Not only that, but his microphone battery pack came out of his costume and it was swinging around and he kept dancing, didn't miss a step, an finally managed to yank the cord to break so it would come off. It was awesome and the judges praised him for his professional efforts. He's partnered up with cutie Kym Johnson--she's Australian, and she's was champ of the Aussie DWTS and she did very well with Jerry Springer last season.

Shandi Finnessy--she is a past Miss USA winner (2004). She did well enough, but her partner, well, I don't know if it was his makeup or what but he was a little scary.

Leeza Gibbons--from Entertainment Tonight as well as her own daily talk show. She wasn't too bad, but she was a little worried about her hair coming loose, so she ended up being a little stiff. But she seemed to be having a good time--and to me that counts for something.

Heather Mills--she is probably best known for being Paul McCartney's soon-to-be-ex-wife. She's an activist for several underdog causes around the world and she's also disabled, she has an artificial leg. She was struck by a motorcycle police officer and somehow lost her leg. She didn't do too bad, and I appreciate her efforts to show those with disabilities that they can still do anything. She's getting a bad rap thought on the message boards associated with DWTS, they claim she's only famous because she was married to Beatle heartthrob Paul.

Apolo Anton Ohno--I mentioned him previously, gold medal winner in short track speed skating. The man is smooth. He got out there and danced and had a great time.

Paulina Porzikova--supermodel from the 80s. She was evidently the youngest supermodel ever to grace Sports Illustrated coveted swimsuit issue cover. She was rather graceful, especially since she said that she's always been a bit of a klutz and her own family said she was as graceful as a two-by-four.

John Ratzenberger--again previously mentioned, but hey, it's Cliff from Cheers. Only thing better would be if Norm were there too!!

Ian Ziering-- (pronounced Eye-An as opposed to EEE-An) But then I may have known that had I been a 90210 fan. Yes he was on Fox's teen television show. As for what else he may or may not have done I am unsure. But he's partnered up with Cheryl Burke, Season 2 and 3 DWTS champ (yep--she helped Emmit win!!).

Okay, now that you know far more than you ever wanted to know about Dancing With the Stars, it airs on ABC. The next episode will air on Monday, March 26, with the first results show airing Tuesday, March 27 where the first couple with the lowest set of scores will not go on, but go home.

I guess I'll make my next post more about me and less about what my latest obsession is.

Until the next time...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Well, today is THE DAY. Yes, St. Patrick's Day!! It is the BEST day of the Year!! Can you tell which holiday is my favorite. Although I decided to cook the corned beef and cabbage tomorrow, James has to work tonight, so it'll be better tomorrow.

We rearranged the living room so we could put James's model downstairs, that way other people can see them without trekking upstairs. Plus I told him we would make the living room all patriotic, to go with my chair. I want to call the theme, "From Sea to Shining Sea." I have the picture Jim found for me at the college of the New York Skyline with the Twin towers. Jim has my collages and my license plate poster at work in his office. Plus we have the San Francisco pictures, as well Dad While's Navy pics and stuff, so I felt it was appropriate. I'm really into the patriotic, I always have been, but my country is very important to me, so this way I share the importance. But I hold patriotism for Ireland today!! I mean everyone is a bit Irish on St. Paddy's. So I really do have Irish, but even those who don't can claim Ireland today.

Anyway, I'll come back later on and fill in some of the days I missed blogging.

Until next time...

Waitin' on the state

Can I tell you how frustrating it is to go to a job interview, where you are so excited because technically it is a second interview, and then find out you are waiting another three months for them to dink around and decide if you are worth their time because of their hiring cycle? I really would have rather not gone at all to tell you the truth. It's so freakin' frustrating!!!

I mean I took their test, then waited; and found out I passed, then waited; and then I went to the pre-interview, then waited, today I went for an interview, and now I am back to waiting. It's absolutely ridiculous. I don't know how the state gets employees? I mean if they do this with every position they post for, it's a joke. Not to mention I think they are highly unprofessional when they don't even bother to tell you they aren't going to hire you with a phone call or an email or a letter. I got nothing from two interviews--highly rude. At least West Jordan sent me a letter to tell me I sucked so to speak. They just don't know what they are missing, right (here is where you insert your comments to make me feel better!!!).

So I guess I really am going to have to start being more diligent and apply for everything I think I can do that is worth my time and the money they are willing to pay me. The problem is, around here, they don't want to pay you anything!!

On top of all this, I came down with a cold, it really began to settle in on Tuesday. I wasn't sure I was going to make it through my classes Tuesday night with a voice. I had four students in course 3 and 15 (yes that is 1 and 5) in course 1. Can you say holy cow!?!?!?!?!?!?! Yesterday I didn't do too much. I was supposed to go visiting teaching, but our sister wasn't there when I met Kim. So I went to Mommy's cause I went to her ward's Relief Society birthday dinner. It was fun, I got to see sisters I haven't seen in a while, it was great. And the food was good too, there were even double-dipped chocolate covered strawberries, YUM-M-MY!

I'll go shortly here, all re-runs tonight it seems (except Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? The show is hilarious. Although even some of the questions make me think.

Hopefully the cold will stay out of my chest (I don't feel like having bronchitis or pneumonia...if you know what I mean).

So until next time...

Jammie-rific!!!

I love days like today, where I tend to want to lounge around in my pjs hoping that there is nothing pressing to do. I finished yet another book, checked emails and surfed a little, made a few important calls and overall just did a whole lot of nothin'! So maybe I should have chosen to do something a little more productive, there's always plenty to do, but I did hold the vent cover for the dryer vent momentarily while James drilled the hole for the screws (or at least while he was starting to drill). Then I got him parts and pieces he'd left on the table and got him the hammer and screwdrivers he didn't get before he started.

Plus I made dinner, including from scratch enchilada sauce. (The steak we had last week, well, James tried to tenderize it with both a mallet tenderizer and by putting a seasoned meat tenderizer on it. Apparently he did not realize that the tenderizer was mostly salt, so he got way too much. So he couldn't eat his cause it was too salty). So we had steak enchiladas. They were okay, albeit still a little salty.

I'm thinking I'm going to make lasagna sometime this week, so if anyone is interested, I'll let you know when I make it so you can get here for some. James claims it is always better the second day, or at least reheated.

Good news is, I have an interview on Thursday for a Social Work position. I am excited about that. Which brings me to my editorial for this edition of my blog...

Did you see the story about the young men in Texas who were burglary suspects. Police officers had a search warrant for the home they were staying at and while there came across further criminal activity. These young men had video tape of them allowing a two-year-old boy and a five-year-old boy smoking marijuana. OH MY HECK!!!!! Can you believe it? I want to ask who in their right mind would do this, honestly, but they were obviously not in their right minds, duh. I know there are parents who drug their children, benadryl, a little heavier dose of cough syrup, but an illegal substance? I mean I know I had sips of dad's beer as a kid and begged mom to drink coffee (which she tells me was more milk than coffee), but come on, where is the line people? Charging those men with child endangerment or whatever it was they were charged with, well, to me it just doesn't seem to be enough, there has got to be all sorts of things those guys could be charged with for one idiotic act. Plus I am sure this was not likely the first time, given that the boys in the video seemed so eager for their "hit." We need to voice our opinions to lawmakers on this issue, as well as those who will be trying and hearing the case. Don't let them plead out and throw not just one books, but all of them at these men. It is not funny, it is not entertainment, it is cruel and unusual punishment to our future. The sad thing is, I know there are other people out there offering children, be they ones they are close to or ones they are strangers to, all kinds of things. We know there are children sold into slavery, into sex trades, we know there a pushers out there plying children with a variety of illegal drugs. How can we protect children if they are not even protected in their own homes? I think these men need to be made examples of so that future potential parents or role models will think twice before they allow their children or someone else's children to participate in illegal activities.

Okay, off the soap box now. Sorry, the news reminded me, and James says one of my favorite places to be is on my soapbox. So until I find a better sign off, until next time....

I cannot believe I let a week go by...

I really didn't mean to try and let a whole week go by without posting. I had started to one day, but got sidetracked by different things.

I could go through the days I missed and fill in the blanks, if appropriate.

Tuesday--had cake deco class. It was the last night for course one students, they struggled with their roses, but they did a good job overall. I always tell them it took me a long time to get to where I am, lots and lots of practice. I always find it entertaining how some students really struggle with roses and others, it seems to just click with them. Crazy I know...

Wednesday--this was the day I would just as soon have skipped. I got a call from the Utah UI office, the guy was just following up on things and clarifying things from me, but by the time I got off the phone with him, much of my hope was gone. I'd been doing so good, having hope and faith that everything will work out as it is supposed to. However, after that phone call, Satan managed to worm his way into doubts and fears I had not had, and allowed me to dwell on those fears. It's been a struggle. I finally went to bed with the notion that I would get up the next day and I would be better, and back to my hopeful self. That's not to say that I hadn't gotten anything done that day, I did laundry and messed around in scrapbook stuff. One of these days I am going to get that and all my craft stuff organized better. I did have one good thing though, I took my application for Police Administrative Assistant to Saratoga Springs City. So that was a good thing.

Thursday--okay did I wake more hopeful? Not at first. At first, I was still feeling some of the stress and fears and doubts that had brought me down the day before, but I told myself, I couldn't keep being dragged down. Heavenly Father had let me know that this was what was supposed to happen, and while I didn't know how, things would work out. After I was reminded of these things, it really did help. So Thursday was a lot easier to get through. I did more laundry and some other things, but I cannot remember what all I did.

Friday--today I read, did some laundry and made a cake for Karol's son. Karol is the nurse who comes to flush James's port. She was coming that afternoon and we worked out a trade. She comes to do the flush and I make her cakes for her for her family. She only asked for white cake, white frosting, and it needed to be masculine for her son turning 20. So it was a little plain for my tastes, cause I prefer to work with a theme. After she did James's port, he took a nap, he has just been drug out and it's been hard for him. I kind just puttered around. I also cleaned out our pantry, straightened it up and was able to close the doors--can you say holy cow!?!

Saturday--James wanted to go to DI to look for a treadmill, he is convinced that is the only way we are going to get any exercise if we have a treadmill, I should've gone walking today, it was so nice. We went to Mommy's house, she had Oxy Clean for me. Then James bugged me about being hungry and Mommy was trying to finish her newsletter for Sunday. So we left and headed to the Chinese Buffet in Orem, I don't know how many time I have told James, but it is senseless to take me to a buffet. I just cannot eat enough to make it worthwhile. So after that I wanted to go to the Distribution Center in Orem, James didn't realize there was one there. He was asking me after we left how long it had been there. Guess that happens when you misplace a year. We went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few essentials and then came home where again James fell asleep before he had to go to Hart's to work. Silly boy. I, on the other hand, cleaned up some things, put up some St. Pat's decorations and looked for missing boxes of books, which I still haven't found, I plan on looking again tomorrow.

That brings us to today, Sunday--I went to church, James went to work at Hart's (he had traded someone a shift from when we went to Pinedale). Church was good, I almost made it completely through Fast and Testimony meeting with nary a tear, until this sweet little boy got up and his sweet little testimony wasn't a lot of words, but packed a punch of the Spirit. So then while we sand our closing hymn "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" some of the verses just got to me more, as I love the hymn anyway. Sunday School had an excellent lesson and Relief Society was fine, until there was enough time for some testimonies, I was fine until one sister got up and talked about how often it is so difficult to say those three little words "I Love You." It was spurred by a little girl who was with her grandma and had been telling her grandma loud enough for all to hear that she loved her grandma over and over. There was some other intro as well, but I cannot totally recall. Let's just say her words also invoked the Spirit in such a way that I was again touched. Of course that lady told us a tidbit. She had gotten up during Sacrament as well, with a young girl she had been sitting by. The little girl had agreed to go up with her, but she had to go first. The little girl got a hug from her daddy (who was on the stand for stake business). After they both bore testimony they returned to their seats, where the little girl went to her mommy for a hug and even cried a little. When the sister asked the little girl if she knew why she was crying she said yes she knew why. So the sister prodded a little further by asking why. The little girls statement was precious, it was Heavenly Father and Jesus's way of telling her they loved her and were proud of her for bearing her testimony. I couldn't believe it, there are times I have cried when sad, or cried when happy, but I think I always want to think that when I cry--happy or sad-- it's Heavenly Father's way of reminding me I am loved very much by Him and by His Son. Plus maybe then I won't feel so bad about being a cry baby.

So there, I am more or less caught up. I had Visiting Teacher's come see me today and I'm just vegging a little. I'll probably go read a book or something and go to bed. I've got things to do this week and I want to make sure I get them done.

Until next time...or at least until I find a better sign off...