I was thinking about that Economic Stimulus Package thing earlier today, and I realized that the government is really doing its part to build the kingdom.
Say there are 5 million LDS people in the U.S. (I really have no idea how many there are, but work with me here). That figure includes spouses and children, so divide it by, say, 5 and end up with roughly a million Mormon households. (How's my math so far, Jon?) Even if only 40% (I think that's the average statistic) pay tithing on their ESP money (Economic Stimulus Package money, mind you, not money made from transactions involving Extra-Sensory Perception) - and even if each household received only the minimum $300 in ESP dough - that's 400,000 people forking over 30 bucks apiece that they otherwise wouldn't have had to a well-deserving church.
Thank you, George, for generously donating 12 million dollars to the Mormons. Although in Matt's words, "Not that the church needs it. The government should keep its money." Just the same, I'm sure all that green will be put to good use.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
On Loss
We went to my grandpa's funeral yesterday. He's been a member of our family for almost 20 years (as my grandma's second husband), and the only grandfather I've ever really known; yet, I learned more about his life during the hour-long funeral than I did in all the time I knew him alive.
My brother remarked how sad that was - that there was so much about this good man that we didn't know until he was gone. And I started to think about my own parents and siblings and whether I have 'gotten to know' them as well as I should. I think the verdict is that I haven't. While I don't necessarily know how my life should change to improve those relationships, I feel to pause a moment & reflect on truly living and loving in every moment. And choosing to play with the baby instead of spending any more time on this post. :)
My brother remarked how sad that was - that there was so much about this good man that we didn't know until he was gone. And I started to think about my own parents and siblings and whether I have 'gotten to know' them as well as I should. I think the verdict is that I haven't. While I don't necessarily know how my life should change to improve those relationships, I feel to pause a moment & reflect on truly living and loving in every moment. And choosing to play with the baby instead of spending any more time on this post. :)
Friday, March 21, 2008
List Yourself, Part 2
#72: List the fantastic pranks you've successfully pulled off.
I have...
...left cement parking barriers on several friends' doorsteps (with the hauling help of an F-150 and one superhuman named Todd Floyd).
...popped out of an unsuspecting neighbor's pantry as she was putting away groceries.
...abandoned a jar of pickle brine with Swedish Fish floating in it (with some random poem attached) on the neighbor's doorstep.
...stolen a lemur and a pumpkin for ransom (on separate occasions).
...left a bra hanging from the neighbor's door as retaliation for the box of feminine products she left taped to ours.
...taped dozens of plastic grocery bags, toothpaste boxes, and a picture of Richard Simmons to that same neighbor's door.
...pulled all pranks either with or upon this neighbor, now that I think about it.
Those were the days. Any good pranks to share?
I have...
...left cement parking barriers on several friends' doorsteps (with the hauling help of an F-150 and one superhuman named Todd Floyd).
...popped out of an unsuspecting neighbor's pantry as she was putting away groceries.
...abandoned a jar of pickle brine with Swedish Fish floating in it (with some random poem attached) on the neighbor's doorstep.
...stolen a lemur and a pumpkin for ransom (on separate occasions).
...left a bra hanging from the neighbor's door as retaliation for the box of feminine products she left taped to ours.
...taped dozens of plastic grocery bags, toothpaste boxes, and a picture of Richard Simmons to that same neighbor's door.
...pulled all pranks either with or upon this neighbor, now that I think about it.
Those were the days. Any good pranks to share?
Monday, March 17, 2008
Husband Tag
I got "husband-tagged" by Alicia - for once I'm not just blathering on about me!
1. What is his name? Matt, Honey, Mattley, Matto , Doc
2. How long have you been married? Almost 2 years
3. How long did you date? 8 months to engagement, engaged for 4 months
4. How old is he? 24
5. Who eats more sweets? Me. For sure.
6. Who said I love you first? He did, just after I kissed him for the first time.
7. Who is taller? He is, by 9 inches (!)
8. Who can sing better? He'll say I can, but I love his voice. Makes me melt. :)
9. Who is smarter? He is about all things electronic and musical. I'm good with movie trivia and word definitions.
10. Who does the laundry? Me, but he'll do it if I ask.
11. Who pays the bills? With electronic billpay, they mostly pay themselves!
12. Who sleeps on the right side? Uh...I guess me, if you're in the bed. Him if you're facing it.
13. Who mows the lawn? Management! HA!
14. Who cooks dinner? I try to have it ready when he gets home, but a lot of times we cook together. Matt is a man who knows his way around a kitchen. I hate to admit it, but he's a better cook than I am.
15. Who drives? He does.
16. Who kissed who first? I kissed him first, after he'd made it clear that he was going to wait for me so I'd be sure I was ready - which was exactly what I needed.
17. Who asked who out first? Mmm, he asked me I guess, unless accosting him before a BYU devotional counts as a date. Then I guess it was me.
18. Who proposed? He did, by popping out of a gift-wrapped box on Christmas Day (when, might I add, I thought he was 500 miles away!).
19. Who has more siblings? We're the same there, 8 for each of us - although I could 'win' on a technicality. I definitely brought more nieces & nephews to the relationship...
20. Who wears the pants? Hoo boy, now there's a loaded question! I wear the 'stick to the budget pants,' he wears the 'keep your cool no matter what' pants.
And this may be a little outside the realm of Husband Tag, but I have to add a shout out here: I am privileged to be married to a man who continually amazes me. He works hard, plays hard, has his priorities straight, and loves me unconditionally. I love watching him snuggle our baby at the end of the day, and I laugh till I cry when he makes up new words to songs. He is absolutely my favorite person. And I'm keeping him forever.
I tag Hillary and Angie (and anyone else who needs something to blog about)!
1. What is his name? Matt, Honey, Mattley, Matto , Doc
2. How long have you been married? Almost 2 years
3. How long did you date? 8 months to engagement, engaged for 4 months
4. How old is he? 24
5. Who eats more sweets? Me. For sure.
6. Who said I love you first? He did, just after I kissed him for the first time.
7. Who is taller? He is, by 9 inches (!)
8. Who can sing better? He'll say I can, but I love his voice. Makes me melt. :)
9. Who is smarter? He is about all things electronic and musical. I'm good with movie trivia and word definitions.
10. Who does the laundry? Me, but he'll do it if I ask.
11. Who pays the bills? With electronic billpay, they mostly pay themselves!
12. Who sleeps on the right side? Uh...I guess me, if you're in the bed. Him if you're facing it.
13. Who mows the lawn? Management! HA!
14. Who cooks dinner? I try to have it ready when he gets home, but a lot of times we cook together. Matt is a man who knows his way around a kitchen. I hate to admit it, but he's a better cook than I am.
15. Who drives? He does.
16. Who kissed who first? I kissed him first, after he'd made it clear that he was going to wait for me so I'd be sure I was ready - which was exactly what I needed.
17. Who asked who out first? Mmm, he asked me I guess, unless accosting him before a BYU devotional counts as a date. Then I guess it was me.
18. Who proposed? He did, by popping out of a gift-wrapped box on Christmas Day (when, might I add, I thought he was 500 miles away!).
19. Who has more siblings? We're the same there, 8 for each of us - although I could 'win' on a technicality. I definitely brought more nieces & nephews to the relationship...
20. Who wears the pants? Hoo boy, now there's a loaded question! I wear the 'stick to the budget pants,' he wears the 'keep your cool no matter what' pants.
And this may be a little outside the realm of Husband Tag, but I have to add a shout out here: I am privileged to be married to a man who continually amazes me. He works hard, plays hard, has his priorities straight, and loves me unconditionally. I love watching him snuggle our baby at the end of the day, and I laugh till I cry when he makes up new words to songs. He is absolutely my favorite person. And I'm keeping him forever.
I tag Hillary and Angie (and anyone else who needs something to blog about)!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Clarification
I feel like I need to set the record straight: there are 30 grandkids on my side of the family, so I have 29 nieces and nephews on that side. There are 8 grandkids on my husband's side, minus our kid makes 7 nieces & nephews. 29 + 7 = 36 n & n's, plus the 5 on the way makes 41.
Some of my brothers-in-law were concerned that I was leaving someone out - it was just a question of whether I was talking total grandchildren or nieces & nephews.
And yes, only someone like me with an OCD involving being right would need to dedicate a whole post to family member math.
Some of my brothers-in-law were concerned that I was leaving someone out - it was just a question of whether I was talking total grandchildren or nieces & nephews.
And yes, only someone like me with an OCD involving being right would need to dedicate a whole post to family member math.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Happy Pi(e) Day!
The date today is 3-14, and our mathematical friend pi is roughly equivalent to 3.14 - does anyone else feel a holiday coming on? Complete with baked goods cooked right into its name? Me too. And the variety is key lime.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Weak Week
I was feeling like nothing happened this week that was worth reporting, then I remembered that my nephew (who has yet to be named) was born on Tuesday! He brings the grandkid total on my side to a whopping 30; add in my niece and nephews from Matt's side, and I'm a proud aunt to 36 (soon to be 41!). Now THERE'S something to blog about.
On a darker note, I have a confession: I started reading the Twilight series. I was a little standoffish about it since I pretend to be a rebel and avoid fads (yeah, right - I was one of those freaks who read the 7th Harry Potter within 48 hours of its release), but a lady in my ward brought by the books for me to borrow without my even asking. I took it as a sign and started the first book yesterday; I'll grudgingly admit that I have had a hard time putting it down. I still can't decide if I like it or not, but either way I think I've developed a dependency and will make this a short post so as to get back to Bella and Edward.
Being back in the midst of a page-turner after some time reading only board books has gotten me thinking: where the devil does a fresh idea for a novel come from? I mean, it seems like all the stories have been written, and then someone goes and writes about adolescent wizards or teenage vampires and sends the literary world spinning - and begging for more while reaching for its pocketbook.
When am I going to write a book like that?
According to John Grisham when he appeared on the Today Show, just as soon as I start writing a page a day. Considering that I can barely crank out a blog a week, I should have a best-seller ready in just under ten years. Look out!
On a darker note, I have a confession: I started reading the Twilight series. I was a little standoffish about it since I pretend to be a rebel and avoid fads (yeah, right - I was one of those freaks who read the 7th Harry Potter within 48 hours of its release), but a lady in my ward brought by the books for me to borrow without my even asking. I took it as a sign and started the first book yesterday; I'll grudgingly admit that I have had a hard time putting it down. I still can't decide if I like it or not, but either way I think I've developed a dependency and will make this a short post so as to get back to Bella and Edward.
Being back in the midst of a page-turner after some time reading only board books has gotten me thinking: where the devil does a fresh idea for a novel come from? I mean, it seems like all the stories have been written, and then someone goes and writes about adolescent wizards or teenage vampires and sends the literary world spinning - and begging for more while reaching for its pocketbook.
When am I going to write a book like that?
According to John Grisham when he appeared on the Today Show, just as soon as I start writing a page a day. Considering that I can barely crank out a blog a week, I should have a best-seller ready in just under ten years. Look out!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Not a Freak
As the subject of this post implies, I felt so validated by the comments on my last post that I'm tempted to lay bare all my skeletons and general wackiness.
Instead, I'm finally putting up some new pictures of the handsomest 7-month-old this side of the Rockies. His latest trick is to eat his feet:
There is also a good amount of looking like a Turk, especially if Daddy has anything to do with dressing him (this is such a classic Truman face, by the way - 'You have GOT to be kidding me'):
And, my personal favorite: the post-bath, very surprised hippo.
I love this baby! He's been sick this week, and his sore runny nose and barky cough just break my heart. I'm learning to not worry about his little oddities the same way I'm learning to let go of my own - I know of a couple of babies his age who are 'doing' more than he is developmentally, and it's hard not to compare. I never thought I was going to be one of those parents who bragged that her child was composing sonatas at three months, but when I see some baby younger than mine fixin' to crawl around...well, I get a little anxious. He may end up a freak like his mama (I'm kidding!), but I trust he'll do things his own way and at his own pace. In the meantime, I am sort of enjoying the fact that I don't have to babyproof the house.
Instead, I'm finally putting up some new pictures of the handsomest 7-month-old this side of the Rockies. His latest trick is to eat his feet:
There is also a good amount of looking like a Turk, especially if Daddy has anything to do with dressing him (this is such a classic Truman face, by the way - 'You have GOT to be kidding me'):
And, my personal favorite: the post-bath, very surprised hippo.
I love this baby! He's been sick this week, and his sore runny nose and barky cough just break my heart. I'm learning to not worry about his little oddities the same way I'm learning to let go of my own - I know of a couple of babies his age who are 'doing' more than he is developmentally, and it's hard not to compare. I never thought I was going to be one of those parents who bragged that her child was composing sonatas at three months, but when I see some baby younger than mine fixin' to crawl around...well, I get a little anxious. He may end up a freak like his mama (I'm kidding!), but I trust he'll do things his own way and at his own pace. In the meantime, I am sort of enjoying the fact that I don't have to babyproof the house.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Freak
Sometimes, I feel like I missed the boat. There are things I think everyone else does one way and I do another - silly, unimportant 'norms' that leave me feeling like a freak. For example, I...
...shoot pool like a lefty even though I'm right-handed.
...never learned to hold my pencil correctly.
...CANNOT nurse my child in a chair that has arms. Folding or kitchen chairs only. Plus I have to hold him in an odd position that is difficult to explain but easy to see - it's awkward.
...don't really know how to swim. I mean, I wouldn't drown, but I don't swim well. At all.
...rarely shave above the knee.
...clearly have a habit of sharing too much information.
...don't have a regular schedule for keeping my house clean.
...have never gotten into The Office or any reality TV show.
...wear the same colors of makeup today as I did ten years ago - and have never considered changing them.
It doesn't make any sense, but I feel insecure about these oddities. Like people are looking at me thinking, "Doesn't she know that every other soul on the planet hangs clothes facing the other way in the closet?" And I am genuinely afraid that everyone (who is 'everyone,' anyway?) will find out how backwards (or should it be 'backward?') I am.
So that's why I'm posting this stuff out in cyberspace for anyone and 'everyone' to read, because better you find out about it now than be blindsided by the weirdness next time we're together in person.
Please tell me I'm not the only freak out there.
...shoot pool like a lefty even though I'm right-handed.
...never learned to hold my pencil correctly.
...CANNOT nurse my child in a chair that has arms. Folding or kitchen chairs only. Plus I have to hold him in an odd position that is difficult to explain but easy to see - it's awkward.
...don't really know how to swim. I mean, I wouldn't drown, but I don't swim well. At all.
...rarely shave above the knee.
...clearly have a habit of sharing too much information.
...don't have a regular schedule for keeping my house clean.
...have never gotten into The Office or any reality TV show.
...wear the same colors of makeup today as I did ten years ago - and have never considered changing them.
It doesn't make any sense, but I feel insecure about these oddities. Like people are looking at me thinking, "Doesn't she know that every other soul on the planet hangs clothes facing the other way in the closet?" And I am genuinely afraid that everyone (who is 'everyone,' anyway?) will find out how backwards (or should it be 'backward?') I am.
So that's why I'm posting this stuff out in cyberspace for anyone and 'everyone' to read, because better you find out about it now than be blindsided by the weirdness next time we're together in person.
Please tell me I'm not the only freak out there.
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