The Stories of the Season

Crisp air brushing gently against your cheek with its icy touch.
Holiday lights twinkle on branches waving to playing children and
and shoppers hustling along with festive holiday wrapping.
Soft cool wind wraps around and clasps your hand in it’s own as you
Step out into the wintry scene.
The smell of pine and cinnamon covered almonds tickling your senses.
A snow flake softly drifting, dancing it’s way down, kissing the tip of your nose and disappears.

Side walks displaying still movies and silent pictures of gumdrop houses and candied snowmen captured behind frosty decorated window glass.
Skaters dancing and laughing as their blades etch fancy design across the ice.
Snow covered hills and mountains sending out skiing, sledding and snowball fight invitations!
Tinklings of jingle bells, silver bells and holiday hymns in the air whispering the stories of the Season.

Life Really is Like Chocolate:

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor.
The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups -- porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive and some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the chocolate.
After all the students had a cup of chocolate in hand, the professor said:
"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.
"Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the chocolate. In most cases, it's just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.
"What all of you really wanted was chocolate, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups...and then began eyeing each other's cups.
"Now consider this: Life is the chocolate, and the jobs, houses, cars, things ,money and position in society are the cups.
"They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define nor change the quality of life we live.
"Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the chocolate God has provided us.
"God brews the chocolate, not the cups . . . enjoy your chocolate."
Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections.

Live in peace and peace will live in you.

"Trials still lay ahead, and beyond that, GLORY."

I always felt like the scape goat in the family. Me and my father tend to butt heads when I was younger, but I feel now as I get older, I wanna be a lot like him. Not totally like him, but a lot. I knew my daddy loved me, but I didn't really know that he liked me so much, until today :)

This is the email I got from him today on my birthday and later today came a bouquet of roses and tiger lilies. (See above photo) "Roses and Tiger lilies" you say, "what an odd combination" Yeah they're unique and beautiful... (just like me ;) (I've reduced personal names of family members to just Initials or nick names for obvious reason's but I'll allow my real name to stay) ok... On with the show:

Dear Karyn
I can't help but think of Jack Benny when the age 39 comes up. There is a slight difference in his calculations, having more than 39, 39 thBirthdays under his belt when he hit the happy hunting ground. Since I don't lecture any more, I just wanted to take a little time to stop and smell the roses as I ponder life that has brought us to this point.
You missed all the overseas stuff. No Germany, no Army, no glorious travel to distant lands. I had been working at Kellogg's only 3 months when you hit the scene looking like Grandma Gamble and with this sandy carrot top hair. What was up with that?! As a baby you had it pretty will made 'cause L was old enough to poke at your eyes, to see if they were real and could dunk you in the back yard swimming rubber thingy. E paid lots of attention to you by throwing you like a football and practice sliding into 2nd and Karyn base. Through it all, you gained a toughness that would help get them off your back, but more over, would help carry you through to where you are today.
You are defiantly not among the ordinary. Though you exhibit that rough exterior, here is a woman with the determination to do the right things in life and teach from the heart. The road (rod) is long and the Adversary is constantly trying to pull us in other directions. You have stayed the course and provided the best opportunities for you and your child, who would not have stood a chance, if taught by a lesser individual. You have planted good seed and given tender care, pointing in the right direction. I think of the many sacrifices you have made as a single mother, and I don't know half of what you went through, and what you own life expectations might have been. However you never placed yourself before your responsibilities. One reason is because you never treated your daughter like a responsibility or obligation. She was that extension of you that has a chance for the greater goal. If only I could have had the kind of understanding and commitment when you were created.
Although your word is far from being over, you have shown the kind of strength that allows us to endure.
Bless you on your 39th, and bless those whose hearts you have touched along the way. Trials still lay ahead, and beyond that, GLORY.

I LOVE YOU ,
DAD





Daddy,
It's been basically a typical day. Nothing too bad at all. Nothing to great. There's something to be said about just having a Good simple day. Sometimes we don't appreciate them enough.
I woke up this morning thinking... "wow... 39 years.... what do i have to show for it?" Then here comes "big Al" , stumbling down the hall...looking like your mother "Pearl Jr." "Happy Birthday Lady!" she grins with a hug. That girl cracks me up! In ways I feel like the "Odd one". In other ways I feel like the "lucky one."
Those siblings of mine were preparing me for this tough old world. They taught me that "Life's not fair, but so what." You just keep doing what you have to do to accomplish what you need to accomplish.
My mother taught me to never give up.

You taught me: No matter what crappy things other people or the world throws at you, and no matter how you may not like somebody or something you keep doing the right thing. No matter what pain or anger someone has caused you.... do the right thing. There is no justification for doing what you know is wrong. Sometimes I react first and then think later. Sometimes it may take me a week or month to come around to doing the right thing...because I'm stubborn like that, but it's always there in the back of my mind.... and just a matter of time before my soul won't let me rest until I "git er done."
When accomplishing the many obligations I've had and the lessons I've taught and the firesides and talks I've given it has often been said... " She has been taught well, and has learned well, and is the example of..." I always give credit to You and Mom. And if I can pass that along to the "big Al" then I am happy with letting that be what I have to show for my years on earth.
It's been a tough few months. There have been days lately when I've wished I was a 2 year old and could just crawl into the arms of a parent and feel that safety and security and love. I guess we all have them days. And when things get that way... you forget to see what keeps you going and you start to lose your energy spiritually, emotionally and even physically.
You have been an answer to prayer today, and I'm not even surprised. I got your flowers today! What an awesome surprise, thank you!
And thanks for those lessons you have taught our family that will keep us strong, focused and doing the right thing.
My theme for this next year: " Trials still lay ahead, and beyond that, GLORY!"
Thank you daddy, for kicking my world back on track. I needed it.
I love you,
Karyn Michelle


I'm keeping my dad's words in a place where I can go back to them and draw strength.
This is why it's important to let others they mean something to you. You don't realise the life changing effect if can have on them.

AWWWWWWWW YEEEEUUUUUHHHHHH!


I was in the grocery store the other day and I walked in right behind an older gentleman. He was sort of poky and stumbly as it if he might fall over. I was patiently behind him in no hurry. We were traveling the same direction so i just lolly gagged behind him a bit not wanting him to feel hurried or rushed. For some reason I was observing him... he was looking around as if he were noticing things for the first time. I was intrigued. I watched him sort of walk over to the Chinese food bar and chat with the people behind the counter. Just some friendly banter and he gave a big deep breath into the air and remarked how marvelous the food smelled. He left the counter and went along his merry way. A college student sort of brushed passed him in a hurry. The college student then stopped, turned and said.. "excuse me sir!..." And the older gentleman replied... " hey that's alright young man... nice bumping into ya!" I sort of giggled at his happy go lucky style. I was headed towards the plants and the floral counter and to my surprise the gentleman headed that way as well. I stepped over to the different arrangements of daisy's, Callie Lillie's (my favorite), roses and other floral plants. The colors were bright, brilliant and breath taking. Peach roses with red lace tips, yellow carnations with sunbursts of orange in the middle. The variety of colors made me forget about jolly old guy stumbling about the store for just a minute... until i saw him out of the corner of my eye. He came up the flowers... bend down and cradled a blossom in his wrinkled hand... closed his eye's and took a big SNIFF! "ahhhhh!" I cracked a smile and looked a him. He turned my way and said.... "my lady.... sometimes you just have to stop and smell the flowers along the way! You should find time to take one day and just enjoy the beauty of what you smell, hear and see! IF you do that, you'll be happy!" I nodded in agreement and with a wink, he was off!

That experience gave me a tingly sensation! And when he walked away.... I cupped a blossom in my hand and drank in the fragrance. Delicious! And I walked away.... singing the song that was on the overhead speaker. He made me feel good, simply be being himself.

I don't know what it was this man had, but it was contagious. I was reminded of this experience this week because, two days this week were the most gorgeous sunsets I've seen in years: the sky was dark with shades of purple, fushia, blues, plums and grey. I chased the first sunset to the edge of town trying and get a picture of it. The frustration of traffic slowing down and buildings blocking the view was irritating. By the time i found a spot to take a picture the sunset was mostly gone. I got a couple of pictures (see above pic)... but nothing like I wanted. And I defeated the purpose of enjoying it.

I thought the 2nd sunset was a "do over" because I missed the point of the first one. The second one I just watch from the place I was in. It was breath taking. I was in awe. Sometimes when we stop and enjoy the beauty of God's creations around us.... we can here him saying.... " I Love you. See what I've given to you today? Who else in the world can give you such things?" Nobody. As I watched the sun dip behind the mountains and the sky go completely dark. I heard him whisper.. "I love you, my child. I love you." Thanks for the sunset dad!

It kind makes ya go..... AWWWWWWWWWWWW YEEEEEEEEUUUUUH!


It's like that~

Michigan's Bo Schembechler, left, and Woody Hayes of Ohio State

The Power of the Maize & Blue.



Yesterday was a phenominal day. Woke up WAY TO EARLY for a Saturday. Mostly because I've been very tired all week and have literally be crashing and then waking up freakishly sooner that I'd like to. I woke up, did the morning routine: shower, hair...got dressed: Put on my navy blue running pants with my matching blue and gold Michigan Wolverines t-shirt. Yeah I was feeling good, totally pumped about the Michigan/ohio game. Michigan/ohio game is possibly the greatest college football rivalry around. It's was extremely exciting today because ohio is ranked #1 and Michigan is ranked #2 and the winner would indeed be seeing an invitation to the national championship bowl.

So I put on my wolverine t-shirt and my sweatshirt and scooted off to my early morning saturday meetings. After the meetings I'm walking out of the church building with the 2 genesis councelors and one said... "I'm pullin for Michigan today!" The other counsolor then started saying how he went to College at Michigan Tech and how cold it was out there. We're in the hall conversing by a bishop's office when that door opens. Out steps an older man and we all introduce ourselves. He notices my sweatshirt and asks if I'm from Michigan. I told born and raised! He tells us he went on his mission to Michigan when it was called "The Great Lakes Mission." He's never gone back but always wanted to and he would love to see Michigan win today!

Afterwards, I head to the grocery store to get some things for a soup bowl party we're having in the evening. I want to have it prepared and simmering so I can focus on the game when the time comes.

I walk into Macey's and I head down the isles for what I need. I suddenly realize I'm singing with the music on the overhead speakers and smiling at those who are greeting me while passing me. I head over to produce and two guys stocking potatoe's look over at me. I smile and greet them with " good morning!"

One guy says to me... "GO MICHIGAN!" and I all but squeal like a little kid with a favorite toy on Christmas! "You know it!" I call back to him and then a few others join in and start giving props to the Michigan Wolverines. Before you know it, there's about 17 of us gathered around the potatoes, apples, avocado's, talking football! It was AWESOME! Even a couple of creepy old guys asked if I wanted to watch the game with them on the big screen. We're talking stats, we're talking history, we're talking BO and Woody Hayes and I was holding my own I tell ya! One guy walks into the product sections wearing a University of Michigan hat and a BYU t-shirt. He heard us talking football and his shirt reminded us that BYU was going for conference champion ship today. We gave our props to BYU and after a few more minutes I said... "well Cougar fans... I have to get going. But it was nice to meet you all!" A few of them shouted.." Hail! Hail" and I Shouted back "Go Mighty Cougars! Thanks for the pep rally that was awesome!" And off we went our seperate way down our seperate isles. A few of us bumped into each other and chatted a bit more here and there before leaving the store. Even in the checkout isle I got some "high fives" and "good lucks" and "we're going for Michigan!" It was already a good day at that point, win or lose.

I watched the game..... BOY WHAT A GAME! I had to leave about the last 6 minutes but my daughte kept me updated via cell phone as I rolled down the highway towards a gathering in Midvale. Michigan lost to ohio 42-39. 3 points. I can't even be mad. I can't. It was a battle in true Michigan fashion, up til the last second. My chest hurt from the excitment and yelling at the TV and pacing back and forth. AWESOME!

In Midvale I had to stop and get some ice cream for the gathering. I see 3 cops outside arresting someone. One looks over at me and says.... "wow that was a good game, huh? I think Michigan and Ohio need to rematch for the national championship." I laughed and said... " I don't think my heart could take it.... but I'd risk it!" Again, in the store.. up and down the isle singing and skipping along... people smiling at me.."good game" here...."wow what a match..." there. I get to the Cashier and he's dying to know about the game... so I give him the short version of "black chick e-es-pee-in version" as I saw it. Told him I lost and he was like.. ."man I' am soo sick of ohio this- ohio that." I said.. "yeah... and seeing all this U of U red doesn't help does it?" I gave him a wink ... and he laughed at the U of U pin on his shirt. Off I went to my gathering. We did some small talk about the games... most of us were from out of state.. so when I mentioned the BYU Championship game was today too, most of them hadn't realized. I let them know BYU won the Mountain West conference.

Our gathering was more fun than I'd had in a long time. I laughed so hard my head and stomach still hurt! Met some new people who are absolutely funny and incredible. We had WAY too much food! It was absolutely a FABULOUS DAY! It made me forget to worry and stress about what's been eating me up in side all last week and prolly all next week.



I start to head for home after the gathering and notice my car is running on fumes. I pull off at 90th south and head east towards a Maverick filling station. I pull up next to a pump and just on the other side of me is a Green Jeep Liberty. passengers door is cracked up and there's a guy in the back. I pay no attention as I jump out of the car... the guy looks at me and says.... "excuse me.... can you open this back door for me....the people i was riding me left me in the back seat and it's safety locked... I can't open the back door!" I start to laugh and he starts to laugh and I open the door for him. He tells me... "Sorry Michigan lost... it was a good game though!" I agreed. He goes into the store and comes out with 3 ladies the 2 ladies get into the truck and he turns to me. I'm still filling up. He says... to me.. ."you know... Michigan and Ohio need to play that championship game together. They are the best 2 teams in the country... and this BCS crap just messes everything up." And we're off and running into another post pep rally at the gas stations. One of the ladies notices I'm wearing my Michigan shirt. She rolls down her window and says.... "hey.... are you from Michigan?" I said ..."Yeah.. " She says... "HEY ME TOO!, Where are you from?" "Battle Creek" I say. "I'm from Detroit!.. Isn't crazy that we're both living in utah?" I say... "yeah..." and then we're off into nostalgia about home sweet home.





When I finally get home, I'm exhausted. (from the excitement of the game? from all the blood test from earlier in the week? From this freakin disease riddling my body?" Who cares why I was exhausted? I changed into some footie Jammies. Sat back in the recliner, turn the TV to ESPN... and drifted off to sleep as the new's casters aruged about if Michigan should get another chance at Ohio in the National championship bowl.

Michigan may have lost this game but they are always winners to me.



I wonder if Bo Schembeckler and Woody Hayes are snacking on buffalo wings and gatorade at the tailgate party in the parking lot of the big house in the sky.





Hail! Hail!

Forty And FABULOUS!


On November 28Th. I will turn 39 years old. (yeah I know I look awesome for an old lady!)

Here's a good chance to learn at least 40 Krazy things about Kaydee.

1. I Love My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
2. My Daddy delivered me when I was born
3. I used to have a herniated navel and looked like a little boy til I was about 4 years old
4. I love the snow
5. But I get hives if I play in it
6. So I took up playing the violin...but only for a year
7. I was an art major in college
8. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up
9. I like to give things away
10. I'm too loyal sometimes to people who aren't loyal to me
11. I'm scared to fly since 9/11
12. I can't sing but I'm always singing and dancing while doing house work
13. I have 9 siblings if you count the step-siblings
14. My favorite flowers are Calle Lillies
15. I'll dance by myself on the dance floor
16. I have a groovy Daughter that teaches me more than anyone I know
17. I take my emotions too seriously
18. I am an impressive cook.
19. I snort when I laugh really hard
20. Sometimes I'll laugh till I get bad stomach cramps or throw up
21. I'd rather go thru 9 months of childbirth, 12 hours of labor and deliv than throw up once!
22. Def Lepard is my favorite band of all times
23. And their one arm drummer inspires me to "go for it" when I'm down.
24. I'm addicted to chicken! (I'm gonna grow wings one day, I know)
25. I'm scared of Spiders, Snakes, tight spaces and the sight of dead bodies, coffins and hursts.
26. I hate people who suck up and brown nose.
27. I will over analyse a situation until I think it's solved.
28. I always have an urge to flip the bird or stick out my tongue when I take pictures
29. I love college football! (go Michigan Wolverines)
30. I' broke my left ankle 3 times: Play'n jump rope, steppin' off a curb, walkin' down steps
31. I can make money cooking my favorite recipes
32. My favorite color is the color of shrimp
33. I love taking pictures
34. But I suck at it!
35. I like to create traditions with friends and family
36. My favorite TV show is One Tree Hill. I watch it with my daughter
37. I want a puppy doggie sooo badly :(
38. I want more kids too :S
39. I'm afraid to be in a serious relationship
40. I can forgive anything. ANYTHING! But I won't put up with feeling disrespected

And now. here are 40+ things I want to do before I'm Forty!

Read 40 books
Drop 40 pounds
Walk/run 40 miles
Visit 40 different places
Pick 40 people to remember in special way
Learn 40 new things to do
Read 40 full books of Scripture
Decrease 40 hours a month TV/computer time
Forgive 40 times
Compliment 40 times
Spend 120 hours enjoying Nature( 40 x 3)
Take 40 Great Photo's
Put into play 40 great ideas
40 hours of service
Write and mail 40 letters
write 40 pages in a Journal
really learn about 40 relatives
Do 40 pieces of creative art/craft work
Save 40$ a month
Drop 40 negative things from my life


(twenty Things to do at least once )

Pedicure
facial
rock climbing
cliff jumping
Catch a fish or hunt
cook and eat wild game
fun raiser
help build a house or refurbish a house
learn to change my oil (other car maintenance)
Sew an outfit
Build a quilt
tubing (water and snow)
Attend a semi pro or Pro sporting event
Meet Julez!!!!
travel part of the Oregon trail
Visit nationally Historic place I haven't seen before
learn to cook an exotic dish /delicatessen
Sell one of my recipes
Sell one of my t-shirts
Host a big FABULOUS party!


*Well there you have it! Starting Midnight November 28Th, It's ON! November 28 2007 we'll all meet up at some FABULOUS party and see how well I did. I'll try and take as many pictures as I can.
Some of you have opted to join me in some of my efforts and I say... the more the betta! How will you be fabulous next year?

Random dumb dumb dumb!

So I'm just gonna go for it and start spitting out thoughts...

My gurl Katz said it best: "My head is too crowded with thoughts... They're all bumping into each other."



Yeah, it's like that! Ever have soo much you need to say and, yet, you can't say a thing? Don't know what to say. Don't know how to say it. Don't know if saying anything will even matter. So you just don't say anything. You WANT to talk. You NEED to talk. But it's almost like you forgot how to form the words and project them in a intelligible manor. So, you wish you had a script. In fact.... you go in search of a script: Song lyrics, quotes, paragraphs in favorite English literature, Scripture, phrases from a blog or two that you've read..... you even turn to ROCKY I-V & Hawkeye and the gang on M*A*S*H! And yet you can find nothing that expresses what is screaming inside of you. It makes you edgy and agitated.
Your kid looks at you like... "why are you sooo ADHD lately.... are you on caffeine?"


Your Phones ring, or buzz , or play that special groovy tune you picked out just for the special people in your life and your heart jumps in rapid syncopation. You grab it, the phone.. not your heart but it feels like its' going to come thru your chest....hands shaking like.... well like you spent the night in a cemetery. And you stare at it. It almost paralyzes you. All you can do is stare at it and think of all the words that won't come out anymore in regards to that person. A conversation with them will only lead to stumbling and tripping over thoughts you can't express. Maybe some tears... and ackward silences that you really can't take. You let it ring, buzz or play that groovy tune right into oblivion. You want to answer it. But you can't. Because you know it will drag you into the same rutty situation that you need to come up out of. So you keep silence until you find the right words. A day goes by, then two, then three. Still.... no words.
By day four, it's heavy on your mind that....ignoring the issues or the words you want to day.... doesn't make anything away. It magnifies it. It's like... Putting a band aide on something that needs stitches..... it will continue to be a problem, until you take the correct measure to resolve it. And it becomes a big deal because now.... every smallest details that even resembles the larger issues... makes ANYTHING that resembles the larger issue... a larger issue. You want change that way of thinking, but you don't know how.
You make a small attempt to communicate.... it's weak. But you try. By day five you wonder if your phone will ring again on day six... and if you will have it in yourself to answer. And if you don't have it in you, will those you swore you would never give up on... give up on you just after a week?
Words. WORDS. Who would have thought at the age of 3 when you're singing... that lovely little diddy about "el-em-in-o-Pee" that letters could turn your whole world upside down.

The right word can change a life. The wrong one's can take a life. None at all.... can devastate and humiliate and cause or justify an agreement or disagreement. Words, they start wars. They end wars. Words have a power like no other. Sometimes we use them opposite of how we should. We spit out words when we should hold our tongue. And we withhold words that should expressed.
Why do we do that?
My sister just called an had me read in my hometown news paper that my 6Th grade teacher passed away 2 days ago. How timely. She was the one who made the most impact on me of how important words can are to express and to have expressed back. She required us to keep a journal and turn it in each week and she would respond to us, which made us realize how important feedback is.

And now, I've run out of my own words again... so I'll leave you with someone Else's:

"Poorly chosen words can kill enthusiasm, impact self-esteem, lower expectations and hold people back. Well chosen ones can motivate, offer hope, create vision, impact thinking and alter results" 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

" Hearts remain broken when words go unspoken"

No man means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous."
Henry Brooks ADAMS The Education of Henry Adams, 1907American historian (1838-1918)


"Never express yourself more clearly than you think."
Niels BOHR Danish physicist (1885-1962)



"Words have no legs, yet they walk."
MALI proverb(Bambara people)



*** Ever had a communication or conversation where the words, or lack of them changed your life?***

I think maybe I have arrived...!

Before leaving our homes each morning we wake up, cleanse ourselves and get dressed up as if trying to wash away our imperfections and cover up our flaws. Hiding portions of ourselves from the ourselves and the world. For a small time we maybe able to fake ourselves out by fooling the world, and sometimes we may even fool ourselves convincingly of our own flaws and imperfections.
We leave our homes and go into the world and accumulate friends and acquire relationships still hiding ourselves each day.
We tend to overly express positively those things that that delight us about another person and brush off those things we aren’t too crazy about. We find ourselves mildly attracted to a person so we become willing to forgive those little imperfections about another. Then we find ourselves wildly attracted and when we should maybe support others the most we start to feel more comfortable suggesting ways to the other person on how THEY can improve. We can go on for years in this pattern. Is it fair for us to try and fix someone to our specifications while we marinate in our imperfections?
We allow ourselves to grow closer to others and convince ourselves we’re being real with who we are while presenting a “game face.” When our own imperfections begin to show up we resist and begin to hide, not trusting those around us to accept us 100%

Until…..
Until that moment of truth arrives. In each relationship and friendship a moment of truth arrives. That moment of truth? The real you. We each encounter experiences that make us who we are and cause us to define our actions and attitudes. These experiences draw us to conclusion and assumptions no matter how correct or incorrect they may be. To us, in certain situations, right or wrong, those conclusions are real.
Sometimes the defining moment of a friendship/relationship comes, not when you are at our best, but when you are at our worst. When you are broken down, unsheathed from the walls you build up and hide your imperfections behind and allow ourselves to be seen, unedited in the raw essence of any kind of fear or anger and brought to a point where there is nothing but our skin and true emotion and can allow ourselves to be seen or experienced in our deepest since of vulnerability…..you have just shown the world who you really are. YOU HAVE JUST ARRIVED. This state of vulnerability IS our greatest fear. When we find people who can accept us in our pure realness, the good, the bad and the ugly, You can honestly say… you have found someone worth having in your life. I can’t remember where I heard it, but someone said “love is experiencing someone at their absolute worst and STILL being able to see the best in them.” If this is the case…. I have indeed arrived.
This week has been the absolute worst and greatest week of my life. I have been good, I have been bad, I have even been worse and I have been ugly. Sometimes are greatest experiences are not the most fun or the easiest. Those great things we experience and accomplish sometimes come by looking our deepest fears face to face, and having it out with them anyway. No one else has to understand it or accept it as real or even a challenge, because to them it may not be. But YOU define who you are, they don’t. Some will come to know the real you and some may never know the real you. The important thing is that YOU know the real you and become brave enough to present yourself to the world. And as long as you are happy with who your are, what you’ve accomplished and who YOU ALLOW to be close to your heart that is where true happiness comes in.
Hi, “My name is KayDee, we’ve known each other for quite sometime, but I think we've actually finally just met...”

Have you arrived?

" Greatness is Measured By What Has Been Overcome."

My Soul Just Opened Up!

Those who know me know I'm skittish about death. Not death per se but, about seeing or being anywhere close to the shell of a person after they've gone to glory. But on the flip side I have a fascination with cemeteries. Names, dates, who they are. I get certain feelings and inspiration about people and what lives they lived. Sometimes I can hear their voices speaking to me from the dust. It's like a moth to the flame really because sometimes I have trouble sleeping if its been a particularly spiritual experience where the veil has become so thin I can hear their voice.
Wednesday Elle and I took a trip up to Preston, Idaho to visit the resting place of a friend of ours that passed away 2001. Usually ever President's day weekend we go and pay our respect to him and then we go to Logan to visit a baby girl whose parent's have moved to California and are friends' of Elle. I had mentioned to Elle that I wanted to get to a cemetery in Harriman but could never find it. She said she'd show me if it weren't to dark when we got back.
Well it was dark when we got back but she showed me how to get there so I could at least know where it was next time I wanted to go. It was way out and very dark. Sorta creepy, but it was OK, I had prepared myself to be in cemeteries for our road trip
Yesterday morning (Thursday) I got up, did the morning ritual took Ali-bop to school. Before I knew it I was in my car headed for Harriman. I was cranky and not in the best of moods. I was tired from the day before. Cold from the day before. I'm not sure why the cranky mood. I get the cemetery and was pretty fascinated by it. It was rather small, not office or anything to go into and inquire of anything. There was a Pioneer Memorial and a Veteran Memorial that captured my attention. I read the memorials of the people who settled the area and Veteran's that died so that we might live freely in this country. And then I walked around and found some of the resting places of these people. In my walking around I came across a very bare site. Just a cement slab, none of the garnishing and decorations that so many of the other stones had.
It simply said: "Native American, No Name, No Date."
I was mesmerized. I kept reading it over and over. I walked away with that burned into my Memory. I took a couple of steps to the left passed another head stone, can't remember the names or dated. Took another couple of steps and came across another cement slab.
This one said:
"Afro-American Woman, No Name, No Date."
I physically could not take a step for about 2 minutes. My mind could hear people calling, the name wasn't clear but it was as if they were searching for someone.was she scared? Was she lost? Was she cold, neglected?

A rush of different feelings came over me and then I felt nauseous. I grabbed my Camera and took a couple of pictures of the head stone. I began to walk away. And then I saw "Native American, No name, No Date" etched in my head as if saying...."what about me?" I went back and took a picture of that headstone. I soon left after that. My mind was focused on the images of "No Name, NO Date."
How sad. How Alone. No more! I called my sister on the way home and told her what I just experienced.
She said... "wait.. there's no birth date?"
I said "no."
She said... "no death date?"
I said "no"
I heard myself say.. "We're adopting them!" Can I tell you how cool my family is?
She said... "OK!"
She will "name" the Black Woman. I'm letting my daughter name the Native American. We don't even know the Gender of the Native American.
I also told Elle that we're adopting them. She too, said.. "OK"
I have just adopted 2 new family members. I don't know who they are, where they came from or even if they led good lives or not. But my heart has found all this love for something about them. I have to honor that. We will be going to visit them very soon.

Wyoming Cowboys Get the Boot!

For the first time in 3 years the Wyoming cowboys gave Colorado state the boot while getting the boot in return. In the 98th battle of The Border War long time rivalry against the two states. Wyoming shut out Colorado 23-0

*if you come across any pics of college football rivalry trophies please contact me. I'm trying to get a collection of as many pics and I can.

It's a great time to be from Michigan! Even though Im not there now I have the same excitement I know my homies do. University of Michigan holds true to their 8-0 football streak, although I must admit the Iowa Hawkeye's had me worried for a bit. The Spartain came back from a 31 point deficit to win over Northwestern. I must has I have a hard time feeling badley for a team that blows a 31 point lead. Even it if is generic trojans. The Detroit Tigers are in the World Serious. Tell ya truth I lost track ot the Tigers years ago. Is Mark "the bird" Fidritch still talking to baseballs on the mound? Even Western Michigan Football team in Kalamazoo (yes there is a placed called Kalamazoo) made ESPN. Couple that with the beautiful fall colors I know are blasting all over the place and the bite in the air at the high school football teams getting ready for homecomings and Halloween. It's all comes back to me, that sites, the smells, the goosebumps from the humid cold. Michigan always had Perfect football weather. I remember a few years ago sleeping on the futon in my daddy's basement up in Layton, Utah. It was the Michigan- Lucky Charm game (notre dam). It was slightly chilly so I had a blanket wrapped around me. I turned on the big screen TV. It was one of those the side of a wall in your basement. And the basement had surround sound and the sound was Clear as a bell. I turned on the game. I remembering closing my eyes, lying back and hearing the roar of the opening kick off. IT WAS JUST LIKE BEING IN THE BIG HOUSE! It was such an exciting rush! I'll never forget that day and what pride I felt being from the state of Maize and Blue Wolverines. Detroit Tigers. Michigan Wolverines. Great Lakes. Snap Crackle and Pop, Tucan Sam and Tony Tiger. Oh yeah, it's like that!

The Customer is ALWAYS Right..... and other such nonsence


"That's a buncha Crap!" I told my customer. She was stunned and I was of such myths. She asked.."What did you say to me?" So i repeated very slowly "That's.... a... BUNCHA... Crap! I recognize that you are my customer and you are upset at yourself that you made this terrible mistake and would like me to correct it a the cost of the company. But you accusing me of making the mistake, does not make you automatically right, just as me calling you a tree doesnt automatically make you a tree. The customer is NOT always right, however, I feel that as a customer you should aways feel satisfied, do I will split the cost of reshipping the items you meant to order."

A moment of silence for my job... and from her.

Then she said.... "you're right. I will agee with what you've said and I accept the offer for spliting the cost of shipping that is more than fair and very generous."

Hell, i thought so. Since we have a recording of her placing her order and telling us the incorrect thing she DID in fact purchase.

See, this is how I work.. Im more apt accept human error truth than an arrogant made up accusation that's come at me in defense. I have more respect for those customers that call and say... "Hey, I messed up, can ya help me out." then those who pull something like... "Well yes I gave the wrong item number but my records show I've never ordered this, I've always ordered the other one and you should have known." First of all.... We're only psychic on Tuesday and this is friday. Second of all... when you call your past history of purchasing with us doesnt appear before my eyes, if you dont know what you want, I REALLY don't know what you want.

Being a customer care person is not something that just anyone can do. If you work an inbound 800 line each call is like a time bomb... some go off and some never do. Thank goodness for those who never do. Some people make the same mistakes month after month after month and have the nerve to get upset when we have to put an end to it and say "no" or I'm sorry we just arent able to extend yet ANOTHER exception to you.
Some people are just not honest. I figure, well if you wanna go to hell for lying, cheating or stealing, what do I care? They blame Customer Service for their mistakes and errors and then make it seem as if they're entitled to be rewarded for them.
And you try to educate them so they can avoid making or teaching the mistake to others and they get sooo soo soooo defensive. My favorite line in an Educating moment..
"well HOW and I supposed to know this stuff?"
"well Ma'am it's in the policies and proceedures guidelines book."
"I'm busy I didn't read it."
"well, ok it's also published on the website and in the monthly and bimonthly magazines you recieved"
"oh you think i have time to sit and read all this stuff?"
slightly irritated by now..."well, ma;am. you simply asked me how you were supposed to know this stuff. I am simply providing you with where you can find it. I understand you are busy and might not have time to read all the literature. However, as a company we do provide the answering to your questions and make it easily available. We cannot call you and our other 158,000 distributors personally and tell you these things."
"I run a business and it is impossible for me to close my store just to read your literature."
Very irritated by now: "Ok Ma'am. Part of taking on the responsibility of owning a business is keeping yourself updated and educated on changes within the company."
Oh, and don't ever pull this... on me... "you get paid to deal with this."
"I do not get paid to be belittled, and disrespected and will disconnect the line without a second thought. We can deal with each other like civil adults Or i can hang up, you can call back, wait another 8 minutes and get a different Rep who will take it, cuz I'm not the one!"

I really do have to give my bosses props for knowing our personalities and allowing them to have them. I've gotten a couple of low marks on evalutations when I have to have those conversations. But to me they are worth it because it allows me to not be a doormat. I will not take unfair personal remarks, I will no allow you to belittle my coworkers, or myself and i don't care who you are on the other end of my phone.

GRRRRRRRRR! I hate people like that and yet, I LOVE people like that.
We call them "job security!"


Some people are angels. We have a few customers that everyone loves to get on the other end of the phone. They are so nice, even if we do make a mistake. We're as human as they are and they realize it! Some members we know by voice, have their account numbers memorized and will give them ANY AND EVERYTHING they want and more, simply because they treat us with respect and kindness even in our errors. I know that's alot to ask for customers who are upset. But it happens and we love it when it does.
Some of our customer we know. They send us nice little trinkets of thanks. Man that totally makes you want to do a great job for them and others. It's not expected but it's a bonus.

For the most part I love my job. On person can mess up your whole day, if you let them. One person can make your whole day, if you let them.
Naw... you pretty much decide by attitude what kind of day you're going to have. Some days you have it in ya to brush it all off. Some days you don't, but it's always a choice.

Ok... now a couple more myths.....

Give a man a fish, he can eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he can eat for a lifetime. yeah i know there's a point to that... but here's my point...

What if he don't like, or is allergic to fish? People are tooo satisfied of doing the bare minimum of things.
Here's a conversation I find myself in all too often:

I'll ask someone in authority a question such as...
" are there special materials we need to cover or bring to the training siminar tomorrow"
" I don't know" (end of discussion for them.)

" well, are you going to find so we can properly be prepared?"
"oh, sure, I guess you may need to know that info." (nooo crapola!)

What is THAT about? I encounter that at work, at church....with friends.

Maybe I'm a micro manager? I dont think so, it's possible. I do believe in giving people as much info about things as possible so they are prepared for whatever they're trying to achieve.
Should I just stick with generalities and be ok with them?

Whatever happened to follow through or seeing something done to completion?

Teach a man to fish, and he's stuck with fish all his life. Yeah, it's better than nothing, unless he's allergic to seafood. But why not teach a man to fish and plant and hunt so he can really be educated. Know what I mean?

And if life give me lemons, I'm not just gonna add some sugar and make lemonade. Lemonade is just Sweet covered Sour. If life give me lemons, I'm going to go out and find the making for lemon bars, or lemon cream pie. Sometimes when life give you lemons, you need to take those lemons as motivation to go out and get what you really want out of life. Use it for motivation to achieve something better, dont just "Pour some sugar on me...." and call it good cuz in most cases it won't solve the issue, just cover it up until it comes back again. AND it does come back again.


*Got any age old "wisdom" that just doesn't seem like wisdom anymore?

Apparently I Should Be Sleeping With Somebody

She said: "if you were sleeping with someone you would be in bed at a decent hour." I about choked on my water when she said that! I does make a person wonder. Was she actually giving me permission to have someone else in my bed? HA! Not so lucky..... read on: " When I got married, I don't know what happened but he and I just went to bed earlier. Before we were married we both stayed up way too late. Up passed midnight was typical. Sure we have married extra curricular activies, but for the most part even before we had kids and we aren't "active" we just alway would go to be early" I can see that certian honeymoon aspect of things making a person want to get to bed at a decent hour. And since this is a family blog, I'm gonna leave it at that.
So being single may have an effect on my sleeping habits? I have a child but that didnt put me to sleep at a decent hour. Never has. It's true I am up WAY passed midnight. But I personally can't see what having another person sharing my bed would have to do with it, unless we fight for right to the same side. Just a minute, y'all, Lemme give a shout out to my future husband: "Hey, Honey if you're reading this.. Just remember I claim the side of the bed closest to the wall. When I was younger my sister and I would share the same bed. I HAD to sleep by the wall. HAD TO! One day she got by the wall and wouldn't move. I had a hard time sleeping that night. Funny thing is, when we woke up the next morning, I was by the wall. I have no idea what happened, and even now when I ask her about it, she just shakes her head and walks away. But you could prolly contact her for further details, I bet she has a story to tell. So remember. I get the side closest to the wall and nobody gets hurt! Love you, honey, can't wait to meet ya!"
Ok back to this theory: What if they snore, or hog all the blankets and pillows. I'm a wild sleeper! My mama said she could send me to bed and would happen to walk by my bedroom door 10 times and I would be in a different position every time: Feet on pillow, head under the blankets, a leg off the side of the bed. It's true, i wake up even now is some funky positions. When I get sick with yucky stomach stuff... I curl in a ball and hang my head off the side of the mattress. It's more comfortable to me that way. Wouldnt having another person around like that make you have more work to do anyway? more laundry to fold? More dishes to dry and put away? Another person means more work which equals less time which means less sleep, doesn't it? *Sigh*, Im all sorts of confused now.
But hey, if having someone else in my bed will get me more sleep, maybe it's worth a shot?
Do puppies count? I like puppies :)
I know when my daughter crawles into bed with me there ain't noooooooooo sleepin. When we go on trips or visit family.... she sleeps with Aunty. When she'd crawl into bed with me when she was a baby, she would wake me up at the booty crack of dawn. You know what she's do? She's poke my eyes and say... "eyes, mommy? eyes? Eyes? mommy, eyes?" Ok. so i full accept the blame for that. When i was teaching her the parts of the body, I would close my eyes, touch them with my fingers and open them while saying... Eyes! Eyes! Eyes! Haha. I can laugh at it now. My sister has a story about that too.Early one morning I heard my sister screaming..."get her outta here, get her off me!" I go running back to her room and i faintly hear while my sister is yelling at me... "eyes? Eyes Aunty? EYES?!" LOL that still cracks me up! watching her wedge her tiny little fingers under Aunty's eye lids. Wooo. That was some crazy funny stuff. I love that kid. She's 16 now, and keep her outta my bed!
I always joked that when I get married we'll have to have a kingsize bed with a twin bed attached. The twin would be his side because I'm a sleep traveler and apparently I don't ask for directions, I just go and where I end up is where I end up :)

Ok so you married folk or those of you who have been married... Were you a night owl before you got married and did that change afterwards?
My single peeps, if you were married before were you a night owl who changed and went back to being a night owl? What kind of adjustments or sleeping demands will you have when you get married and share your sleeping spot?
Me? I'm always gonna be a night owl. No matter who else is in my bed. Oh and I fully expect to enjoy waking said bed guest from time to time. Don't worry Mom, I'm still sleepin alone even though this is apparently not good for my health. ;) Siblings, pass out the poker cards and start grilling the hot dawgs, cuz you know the rules... if i can't sleep, YOU can't sleep!

SURVIVING MONDAYS.

The man (see photo below) hates mondays. HATES THEM! I dont think they're so bad actually. Once in a while they get to me but not too often. I wonder is Monday really that bad? There's defineately something up with Mondays, there's even a band call "Surviving Mondays."
Let's think about this:
It's the begining of a new week and new adventure.
It's one day closer to the weekend
Monday Night Football!
"water cooler chat" with the buddies about the weekend.
Kids back to school, moms get the houses to themselves.
Family night with family discounts at restaurants and gaming places.
There's only 1 monday per week!

See now think about it, Mondays aren't THAT bad are they?

Ok so maybe they are for some of you. Here are some ideas you can try to help you survive Mondays:
*Take yourself out to lunch or dinner at your favorite restaurant every monday.
* I bet Starbucks Love Mondays and the nationwide caffiene rush
*Give your sweetie a suprize of some kind every monday.
*Tape your favorite shows you aren't able to watch during the week and turn monday

into your own special Monday night feature party.

*Girls night out or Guys night out every Monday, it's cheaper to go out in the middle of the week then it is the weekend.

*Make time do to something you really really love to do on a Monday

What if we found ways and did things to make Monday the BEST day of the week? Reward yourself for getting through it and then reward someone else too.

What do you do to Survive your Mondays?

What could someone else do to help you Survive Mondays?

Did You Watch College Football Yesterday???
I SAID DID YOU WATCH COLLEGE FOOTBALL YESTERDAY???
What a hot mess. Yesterday you didnt even have to be a football fan to watch college football. There truly WAS something for everyone.

For Those Following the Rivalry Trophies:

Wisconsin beat Minnesota 48-12 to win the Paul Bunyan Ax!(see above Photo)

For the Heart felt; I lead you to Oklahoma and the story about a Sooner Named Adrian Peterson: Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma Sooner's Heisman hopeful. Junior Running Back I believe he's 4th in the nation. And that's what he does, He runs back and forth, to and fro, North and south while weaving east and west for touch downs. This particular saturday was a special game. Adrian was playing with his father in the stands for the first time in his college career. His father is just out of prision after serving and 8 year term. For what? None of your business, that's besides the point! Oklahoma Sooners having great game, putting the smack down on Iowa State! with about 6 minutes left in the game, Peterson finds himself with the ball running 53 yard and diving into the endzone for the touchdown. While doing so, he broke his collarbone, and is out for at least the regular season.

For you weather Fanatics: A Hurricane hit Miami... in the form of Miami International. What happened? Is Miami International poor sports with a 0-7 record this season ? Have they come close to winning a couple times that when the Miami Hurricanes showed their cocky side... well, their ONLY side was it just too much to take?
Here's the scene:
There was a touchdown for the 'canes and an unsportman like conduct penalty on their side. They kicked for the extra point and then all hell broke lose! A hurricane of players from both sides brawling like the dirty south that they are. There was pushing, kicking, someone removed their head gear and started swinging it at others. The bench was cleared. For the fans, it was AWESOME! For the players, what a disgrace. A disgrace to the title and priviledge of being an Athelete. A disgrace to the sport of college football. A disgrace to your teams and the example you should be to your college. A disgrace to the privelege of being called men. Most of all, A disgrace to your mama! Even in sport a man knows when to hold his composure and conduct himself in a gentlemanly manner. Boys, go to your rooms until you can play nice! Fans, wow, was that a brawl of brawls or what? *wink*

For those holding their breath: I take you to those candy corn looking uniforms called the USC Trojans. My sister said at one time while she was half a sleep and glanced at the tv with them playing: "they look like halloween Candy corn running around the field. (haha that still cracks me up!)
I don't know who said it but they really ARE the most unimpressive undefeated team right now. And they just won that prized spot of being number 2 in the country. In other words, LIKE O.J SIMPSON THEY GOT LUCKY, and should still be scurred!
This weekend they played The Sundevils of Arizona.
The score was in their favor 21-7 going into the half. But they were up 21-0 the first 20 minutes into the game.By the end of the third and most of the 4th, the Sundevils came back with a burning vengence evening things up 21-21. The last 5 min or so USC with the ball, ate up the clock to scored the winning touchdown. Save their first game, the others have been ugly wins. This win and the Gators loss brings them officially to the 2nd place rating. However, they ought not to be too happy, they should look at their history. No, not their University history, the History of the #2 spot this season. Is it just a matter of time befor they get picked off too?

For the Vengance type: Let me give you a dog eat dog invironment. A week ago Auburn was #2. They got picked off in an Upset by LSU which nocked them out of that # 2 spot giving it to the Florida Gators. Auburn returned the Favor by picking off Florida at the #2 spot this week, giving it USC.
Auburn, Auburn, Auburn! In the beginning it was all Gator. 17-11 at the half. When the clock started back up at the top of the 2nd half, Auburn put the burn on the Gators and their perfect season. I believe they said the coach lashed them in the locker room calling them a buncha girls and questioning their manhood. Whatever it was, it was enough for the Tigers to come out swinging and they dominated with 16 points (the last touchdown was in play before the time ran out and scored after time ran out) holding Florida scoreless in the last half. Auburn losing to LSU last week gave the Gaters that # 2 spot. Auburn decided to come in person and taketh away on their terms: If we can't have it, you can't either. Go ahead, War Eagles, go ahead!

For The Underdog: No need to fear... Underdog is here!
I must admit I got a little teary eyed about this game. The press stated it best: " Indiana waited nearly two decades to party like this."
Leaving # 15 Iowa wiping the dust from their Hawkeyes! Indiana has had some struggles the last season with players getting suspended and coaches having brain surgery alla that kind of stuff. Although they upset the Fighting Illini Homecoming (pronounced Ill -eye-nye) last week with a 34-32 victory. Perhaps it's a new beginning for the Hoosiers. The jubilation after the game was such that if you were watching, even one small portion of it, your heart for a split second, was hoosier. Fans Screaming, Slapping high fives with the players, the band, and each other. Atheletes gathered in the pack, helmets held high in good voice singing the fight song. To be victorious in this a manor, there's nothing like it! And if you can put behind you the fact that it took almost quarter of a Century to get there, All the better! Props to Indiana. Hoosier Daddy?!

For those who HAIL TO THE VICTORS: I didnt' get to see my wolverines win. We trotted down to Happy Valley. No, not the mormon happy valley that y'all call Provo, Utah. The REAL Happy Valley, home of the Nittany Lions. Let me tell y'all something before I get started. I LOVE JOPA! LOVE HIM! With Manningham out michigan would be looking for the team to step up and they did. However the wolverines, took out two of Jopa's quarterbacks, one to a concussion. To Jopa's credit the Nittany Lions held Michigan 7 points in the last half of the game. Final Score Michigan 17-Penn St 10.
**Side note.... Penne, the Wolverine QB was on his home turf tonight of Penn St. Apparently he had a verbal committment to Penn St just out of High School and decided to go with the better of the 2 teams. Sorry JOPA,but, you're still THE MAN in my book!

Why DO We Hide?

Somebody explain this to me like I'm an eight year old:

Why do we hold back tears? I do it. You do it. We all do it. Well some actually don't do it, I admire them kinda folk.

Today, I got home from work. Sat in a chair and spent the better part of about an hour trying NOT to cry. Finally I asked myself, WHY? Cuz my one self is saying..."girl you know ain't nothin like a good cry! You know the kind where your nose runs and you choke on our snot and your stomach has butterflies and is all boiled up and your whole body is shaking .You just wanna let loose and wail! Go for it girl, you deserve it cry yourself a river, girl!"

Then the proud self was saying...."no girl, don't do it. cuz then you gotta explain it to the kid in the next room, and you'll get mad at her cuz you dont want her to see you this way. You're the strong one. You're the one people come to when they cry. Crying is weak. Suck it up, you'll be alright. You alway come thru and no one ever needs to know."

Yeah, well that proud witch won tonight, again. *sigh* Why do i let her bully me into winning? So while my daughter was in her room doing homework. I sat in the stillness of in my living room in my reclining football chair. Tv off. No stereo. Just quiet. I listened to myself. I listened to my mind tell me lies. I listened to my heart tell me truths. I listened for The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. I tightend all my muscles to stop myself from trembling. I crossed my arms in front of me and held real tight. One shaken deep breath. Then another... and another. The trembling stopped. But when I paid attention to the butterflies boiling up in my stomach, I would start to tremble again. I knew that if I started this cry the way I wanted to have, I WOULD NEVER STOP!

Y'all been there before and stayed a while,too, haven't ya?

You've cried like that, yeah? Shoot, we all have a time or two.

Another shaken deep breath.....and again another one. Finally the butterflies went away. I stopped trembling. And the silent cry began. The tears just rolled. And rolled. And kept on rollin. They rolled for about 30 minutes and then next thing I know it's an hour from the last time I saw the clock and I had cried myself to sleep. My eyes were swollen. Hell, they still are and that was like. 6 hours ago. My throat actually hurts from the screaming inside.Every once in a while I catch an involuntary deep breath that hurts my chest. Anyway I woke. Picked myself up, brushed myself off. Hardened my heart a little more.

I realized tonight that it really does hurt more holding that shtuff in. More of a strain on the heart.And the brain. And there ain't a thing wrong with letting it all out when it happens like that.

It takes a strong person to share the hardest emotions.

Guess what? Proud self...? GURL...Next time... YOU LOSE!

Cry me a river.... ANYTIME~

I Need A Mormon Holiday!

Yeah, that's right i said it... A MORMON HOLIDAY! It's tough being a member of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints. That's ok and all but everyone once in a while, I need a Mormon Holiday. That's a Sunday off. No that doesn't mean I pick a Sunday and break all the covenants and gospel laws and stuff. That just means I've had it with meetings and Im not gonna go. Im going to stay home and truly have a Day of rest. I can, can't I? Aren't we entitled?

Exodos 20:7-11
7You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 8Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

Lets visit the definition of rest:
1. Cessation of work, exertion, or activity.
2. Peace, ease, or refreshment resulting from sleep or the cessation of an activity.
3. Sleep or quiet relaxation.
4. The repose of death: eternal rest.
5. Relief or freedom from disquiet or disturbance.
6. Mental or emotional tranquillity.
7. Termination or absence of motion.

And now lets visit the Definition of Worship:

a. The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity,( an idol, or a sacred object.)
b. The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed.
2. Ardent devotion; adoration.

Ok the reason I bring all this up is this: I swear us members of the LDS faith have a 10th commandment: We must hold meetings.
Sure meetings are necesarry in the planning of successfull events. But must we have all the planning meetings on Sunday? We are already in church for 3 hours. And if each auxiliary holds their planning meetings after or before the 3 hour block of worship... well... let's take a look all the different other meetings we have: Now let me clearify, not everyone has to go to all of the ollowing meetings. But a good majority of us go to one or two. If you're lucky they arent on the same Sunday and they aren't last minute.
3 hours of church, leadership meeting, presidency meetings, welfare meetings, High priest group meeting, key scouter meetings, committe chair meeting.. and if you're doing something extra, like standards night, choir, night of excellence, or roadshows, those planning meeting arent all the time but they do tend to happen ona Sunday as well.
Each auxiliary has their own presidency meeting, then committee meeting.
Oh and then we have our Home and Visiting Teacher's we're supposed to fit in. Most of the time, they want to come on Sunday. Because you if 3 hours of church are enough, lets just come over and get that First Presidency message in as well. Because you know, there's usually only 4 sometimes 5 sundays in a month. And we can ONLY come on one of those 4 days, because Mondays are reserved for family nights.. so that takes out another 5 days out of the month. So you know that only leaves 20 OTHER days/afternoons, nights evenings that we can have these other meetings.

Firesides! Did I mention Firesides? If there's a fireside happening, then chances are you'll be trying to slip a meeting in before the fireside. OH, wait... Dinner! A person's gotta eat, right? Becuase we must nourish our bodies somewhere in there.
So I ask you. WHERE IS THE DAY OF REST? Cuz it surely isn't Sunday! There is a difference between Sunday worship and Sunday meetings. And between the both, Sundays are becoming my least favorite day. It feels like a work day just like any other day. There is no physical rest. There is no mental rest. There Spiritual renewal is becoming short lived on Sundays. Not enough time to fill that Vessle for the week. Perhaps this is why I prefer Home or Visiting Teachers in the middle of the week, when Im pissed off or peaked and could use a message to get me thru til my busy day of worship and meetings on Sunday.

Mormon Holiday! That is simply a real day of rest. Church Worship. No meetings. No visitors. No having to go out and visit. Come home, put on some jammies, and dwell until I have to get up for my job Monday morning. The only requirement is Church, Dinner, some light reading if i feel like it, stillness and quite. AHHHHHHHH, doesn't that sound just glorious?

I wonder how the church would function if we were mandated to only have Sunday worship on the sabbath? Our Temples aren't even open on Sunday. Could that mean I really should be taking the day to enjoy my family or friends and not jam pack it with meetings? And do we really need to have other meetings on Sunday? There are at the most 26 other days, at the least if you exclude family night...21 other days to get our meetings accomplished.

Hmmmmmmmm!


Mormon Holiday....Who's with me?

WHAT A BONEHEAD!

A few weeks ago I was watching my Michigan Wolverines from Ann Arbor play the leprechaun team from South Bend Indiana. As my team was well ahead going just about 1/2 way through the 2nd quarter, I decided I would take a little nap. Knowing myself I figured I would wake up right about time to see my wolverines finish devouring their bowl of lucky charms.
I sat back in my easy chair recliner and started to drift off into what I could feel was going to be a fabulous nap. I hit that stage where you're deep in relaxation but can faintly hear what's going on around you. Next thing you know I hear the leprechaun fight song. I snap awake with feelings of piss-ocity. I was slightly miffed. Hearing that song can only mean one thing: Touch down for the leprechauns. Except it wasn't the touchdown that miffed me. Wolverines were far enough ahead that we had this game in the bag anyway before it was even half time.
Now on football saturdays you'll find me on the phone alot with my brother and sister. We discuss, rant, rave and do our armchair coaching on the cellulars.
Flashback to high school: My high school team was called the Bearcats and our colors were blue and gold. This prolly explains my love for the U of M maize and blue. Well and the wolverines are just too cool. I mean dig that flashy helmet at the top of the page! Our fight song goes to the tune of "On Wisconsin" Our arch enemy and cross time rivals were the Spartans. Their colors are purple and white and their fight song is that of "the fighting irish march." It gets better. My beloved grandmother was a bearcat! Her eldest son, my dad, was a spartan. (po thang) He would go around singing that song in a house full of bearcats so we knew the words and knew them well. Check this...the last game of the season, when the bearcats would play the spartans, my ghetto daddy would wear his purple and white and cheer for his alma mater while sitting in the blue and gold seats in support of his sons. SHAMELESS!
Back to that song. To me that song represents everything I loath about the high school rivals. They were the snotty rich kids and everytime they we played them there were police escorts, extra security, cans and bottles being thrown at the buses, name calling.... everything you need to make for a good Friday night high school football game. I can remember being in the grocery store the year they made state playoff's and one of our guys going up to one of their guys saying.. "we want you to know that the Bearcats are routing for you." To which the Spartan said..."we dont need your freakin support!" So that song reminds me of that day and how shallow our cross town rivals really were.

Anyway, so I snap out of my nap upon hearing that song and I call my brothers who was also watching the game. Now my brother was a football star in high school. He played offense and defense and was scouted out by serveal of the big colleges. He had a chance at a good football career, but made different life choices. Anyway, I call my brother and say..."man, I was drifting off soo good into la la land until i heard that fight song. I CAN'T STAND THAT SONG!"
And then he says... "I can't stand that song either...and i dont even know why!" Now this took me by suprize. I couldn't tell if he was just kidding. Then he says.. "I never did like Notre Dame's fight song it just always rubbed me the wrong way.." So I say... "well, because it was Lakeview Spartans fight song and everytime we heard it it meant the rivals scored points." He said..."that's not the spartan fight song.." I started to laugh cuz he just don't know. Then I said...."ask your sister..." my sister was in the room with him... He says to her..." hey, what's the Lakeview spartan fight song?" She begins to sing their fight song lyrics to the tune of the leprechaun fight song. And then my brother says... "OH SNAP! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I never paid attention to their song, I just went in and played my games." I fell out laughing. 23 years after high school he figures it out. WHAT A BONEHEAD!!!!
Wait there's more!
My dad is Michigan State Spartan fan. He was a spartan as a kid and will die a spartan fan. I think my sister likes them too. My brother and I are Univeristy of Michigan Wolverines fans. We were blue and gold as kids and will die Blue and Gold fans. Today, the Spartans and the Wolverines played for the Paul Bunyon Trophy (see previous blog about college rivalry trophy's) Guess who won?
And the rivalry lives on....!

****PROPS TO THE BYU COUGARS! I dont even care too much for the cougars but I promised I'd be supportive this year. I even won Tickets to today's game. They beat SDSU 47-17. Wasssup wit dat????? Rah Rah Rah *cough... cough... cough...!* (sorry, must be the wolverine in me choking on that fight song.... but hey I tried)

Ok I just found something that I absolutely LOVE! It put me in the best mood. Go ahead, click the link.
http://cuppycake.ytmnd.com/

Now tell me you didn't laugh!

$20 bucks if you can figure it out...

I Loves me some College football, YES I DO!

Saturdays in the fall..... ESPN. ESPN2, Fox Sports, CNN sports, play of the game, hard hits, instant replays all night long til I fall asleep in the big chair and wake up 3am the next morning with a freakin neck ache. All of that, I LUV IT.
Recently my team... Michigan Wolverines.... (maize and blue,baby!) Played Minnesota for the "little brown Jug." They've been playing for this thing since 1903. The story behind it?

Here's the Jist of the story. (although the links below have the real story)
In 1903 Michigan Wolverines travel to Minnesota to play the Golden Gophers. After a Game the coach at the time, Fielding Yost, left their little brown water jug. He contacts Minnesota and says... "Hey, send us back our water jug....!" Minnesota says...."no way, man, you want it back, you have to win it back!"... and they been playing for it back and forth ever since. Some of these rivalries and trophy's are HUNDREDS of years old. Now at first, this whole little scenario was rediculous to me:

Minnesota says.... "come win it back" Which of course, we do. For mine, that should have been the end of it. But it turns out, if Minnesota wins... the Jug goes back to Minnesota. And they have been doing this back and forth thing ever since. In a logical world, You win back your stuff, end of story. What would compels you to hand it over again and again after that first exchange? There ain't no winning back your own stuff over and over again for 100 years. AND Minnesota has the nerve to have their Colors and Letter on 1/2 of the jug. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT???
Perhaps Im ghetto. It's my jug, I left it, I won it back. THE END.

Awwwww but what fun would that be, right? RIGHT! Something funny, the current minnesota coach has been coaching their for over 10 years. They Won my jug on my turf last year. It was the first time in his minnesota coaching career he had seen the thing. (michigan had it for the last 16 years, lost it last year, and took it back this year) . Hell even I've seen it before now! Poor guy prolly thought it was some mythical goblet made up by the Notre Dame Leprechaun or something.

K, so anyway.... i got to thinkin of all these rivalries and what other kind Junk stuff they're trying to win back. I tell you it's the most AWESOME craziness I've ever experienced. This trophy stuff is SERIOUS business. The stakes are: a keg of nails, Slap of bacon, Old war canoe, Spittoon, oaken bucket, paint bucket, dutchman shoes, cannons, trophies, Paul Bunyons ax, and so on. AWESOME! Not only do I love me some college football, Im all for ghetto supa star prizes you win on the backside. That just makes college football even better. I'm included a link to where you can find some of the trophies and the history behind them and the rivalries. Im tellin ya, ya gotta love it even more.

Im making a blue and old t-shirt that says..... 'Hey! Yost wants his Jug back'. I'll sell them long with my BYU t-shirts.

Any takers???

http://www.umich.edu/news/MT/03/Fal03/jug.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Brown_Jug_(football)

http://www.1122productions.com/rivalries/

If Someone Shows You Who They Are... Believe Them.

I don't know about y'all but I think it's deep. I met some people the other day. They were...asses. Plain and simple. My one friend was saying.... they really are nice people. Did she forget I'm the one she vents to about them? When I told her she sounded desperate for friends she got upset. I finished up with... " if they are all that great, then I dont call me no more venting about them." I dont know what they showed her to get her to believe them otherwise, but they showed me they're complete asses...and I "believe them." Some people really are exactly who you see: Good, bad, ugly, beautiful and whatever else there is out there. Sometimes ya just gotta call it like you see it. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and acts like a duck.... then holla AFLAC and call it good. (yeah I stole that line from Madea. So what, I LIKE MADEA. I want my grandkids to call me MADEA. *my daughter already does call me Madea*) I think in our efforts to alway believe there is good in all people clouds our vision of knowing when to drop kick some butts outta your life. I believe country folk say... first time shame on you, second time shame on me? Yeah, it's like that. The bible says to turn the other cheek. Well I only got 4 and once you've used up 2, that's usually it. I keeps me a pair and 2 spares. Now on occasion I have tried to drop kick some people outta my life but God himself thumped me and let me know I was not supposed to be done with these people. Well it ain't much you can do when that happens except accept it. Small doses. There's always gonna be people in your life that are Shot glass people. Sometimes you need them around. Shoot, everyone needs a shot glass of SOMETHING now and again. I'm not talking about liquor either. Anyway.... if you don't hear anything else I'm tell you right now, here this: If someone chooses to show you who they are....BELIEVE THEM. release the the peace.

WAKE UP AND GO TO BED

What compels us to sit up in chairs and cars and on our couches and fight sleep when we are obviously butt draggin tired? Let's face it AMERICA NEEDS SLEEP. We do. To hell with all night drive thru, laundry’s and grocery stores. Remember before Cable and Satelite the TV channels used to actually go off? Remember Late Friday nights when mom and dad fell asleep early but let you stay up to watch the late late show? It was usually "Godzilla vs. Mothra" or "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", sometimes even some Harold Lloyd, Laurel and Hardy or 3 stooges marathon in black and white. But back then those marathons would end about 1 or 2 am. The show would go off, we'd hear the National Anthem and then you had no choice but to go to bed because literally nothing else was on, no running to Taco Bell for that 4th meal. We had 7/11. That was it. The only place in the city to be up all night was 7/11 and they even locked their doors at midnight. The clerk came and unlocked it to let you in.
Again is ask... WHAT COMPELS US TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT? What do we think we're going to miss? And then on those days we're wide awake all night we're upset about it.
We fight to stay awake when we're should be going to sleep.
We're frustrated about being awake when we can't sleep. Was out late Saturday night and
got home really early Sunday morning. Between 1 and 2 am. Woke up early and finished prepping my Sunday School lesson. Was nodding off in Church a little but I held on. Got home... was crazy tired. Did I sleep? Nope. I started doing dishes and tidying up the kitchen and a bunch of other things then I made dinner. Nodding all the while. And of course then found something else to do that kept me up again, until 3 am THIS morning. And now, here I sit, head bobbin and weaving like Rocky and Apollo Creed in round 12 of a boxing match and I nod off and then come back, still hellza tired.
*sigh. hearing the national anthem in my head. I know that's the que~*
People, GO TO BED.
goodnight~