Living

We had a family discussion.  The question was: What, outside of food/drink and people, could you not bear to live without right now?

Michael:  my job.
This is very telling.  Michael must work, and it's not just because he needs to support me and my shoe-shopping habit. Michael cannot not work.  It's just in him: he has worksomnia.  Even when he comes home from his job, Michael keeps working: he mows the lawn, he prunes the trees, he straightens the garage, he organizes his desk, he washes the windows, he makes us wash the windows. He just doesn't stop.  Once upon a time, when Michael actually didn't have a job for about a 5 week period ('nother story, 'nother day), Evan and Lane both hung their heads in dismay when they heard the news. Lane summed up their fears exactly when he said, "That means Dad's gonna' be here all day to make us work!"  Michael definitely needs his job.

Lane:  my car.
I'm not sure if he was serious about this, or not.  He went on to tell us about the terrible dreams he is having each night, all involving his car.  In one dream, Michael borrowed Lane's car, and broke off all the the dashboard dials.  In another dream, Joshua and his friends cinder-blocked Lane's car and ripped the car doors off.  Poor Lane.  Sounds like what he really needs are some dreamless nights.

I think that there was one point that Lane said he couldn't live without his knee brace.  He had his ACL repaired this past February, and it has been hard for Lane to have his physical prowess somewhat limited.  Still, even with a healing knee, Lane is ever out there and doing: he recently ran a 5K trail running race and took second place in his age division, he goes mountain biking AT NIGHT with his friend Ethan, mountain climbing and hiking, and is looking forward to the upcoming ski season.  Yep.  He is lucky to have his knee brace, and his knee!

Joshua:  soccer.
That about sums up Joshua.  He lives, breathes, and sleeps soccer.  Sometimes he goes to school. It is such an interruption to soccer.

Me:  books.
I really, really, really, really, really enjoy them. I am so thankful to our Heavenly Father for organizing this world such that there are writers, publishers, illustrators, printers, etc. so that I may read books.


Happiness gold star:  my discovery of black licorice ice cream, particularly a black licorice ice cream and mandarin orange soda float! Delish!  I smile and sigh with delight each time I partake.

Still Happy

Michael took our whole family out on the town yesterday.  We went boating, had dinner, and then went moonlight canoeing on the Provo river.  This guy knows how to have fun!

I continue learning and growing at school.  I understand that's what it's for.

Lane started school again this week.  He is quite adept at imitating the teachers he doesn't like, and makes it so funny and real, I feel that maybe I don't like them either, even though I've never met a single one.

Joshua is growing three inches taller as I sit here typing.  He will be another three inches by tomorrow morning.  And his hair is magnificent.  He continues to live solely to play soccer.  On the off chance that he is not at a soccer game or a soccer practice, he does go to school.

Evan and Emily spoke in their church meeting today.  They did a fantastic job.  Emily used excellent scriptural examples of people using their agency wisely.  Evan taught us all well about how to use our agency to apply the Atonement in our lives.  Good stuff.


My gold star for happiness typically involves food and/or family, and this week is no exception:  so glad I got to eat food and see Dana, at the same time!  Bliss.

Happier

My friend introduced me to a great podcast (apparently also a book and a blog and a Facebook page...but I haven't looked into any of those yet) called...

It's pretty great.

Anyway, one of the "gold star" awards given in an episode (#3, maybe?) was for boring family updates.  I thought, "I can do boring."  So, in the pursuit of happiness...here goes boring.

Michael and Lane went camping/hiking with the scouts.  They climbed King's Peak.  Michael and the boys played on a city-block long slip-and-slide.  Michael has to work for two more weeks, and then he is going to Lake Powell.  Michael likes to have fun.

I am back in third grade.  School started Wednesday.  I have 39 students in my class.  That is too big for me to wrap my little brain around, so I have given it up to the Lord. Truly.  So, instead of stressing too much about school, I listen to podcasts, go hiking, and shop.  And so far that seems to be working all right.  

Evan and Emily are happy.  He plays with her hair.  She makes us all laugh.  They have a sweet little apartment filled with newlywed bliss.  

Lane is back from Peru.  Lane is back from hiking King's Peak.  Lane bought a new car.  Lane is looking for work, applying to schools, and hanging out with friends.

Joshua started his junior year in high school.  He asked a girl to the Homecoming dance (still a month away), without even a smidgen of parental encouragement.  Let's not dwell on the fact that he asked the twin sister of the girl who previously took Joshua to a girl's choice dance; their family drama/dynamics are for their own blog update.

And finally...

My happiness gold star of the week:  grabbing from my barrel full of options (yes, my life is that blessed), I'm going to go with my unexpected sister-date with Lindsay.  That was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and her money.