Thank You MLK, Jr.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I love me a good 3-day weekend. I really love me a good 3-day weekend in which the weather is spectacularly gorgeous, 80 degrees, crystal clear, and spent with wonderful friends and family.

Last week at this time we were building a fire, sipping hot cocoa and wearing boots and scarves. Now the a/c needs to be turned on! What's up with that?

We're not complaining since it was better than any day of the entire summer last year.

The Boyntons came to town from Mesa for the long weekend and it was so great to see them! Christian counted down the minutes until he could see Connor and Kyle. He LOVES, LOVES, LOVES his [second] cousins [once removed]. When they walked in the door, he leaped from the landing of the stairs into Connors arms and monkey-hugged him; so thrilled was he.

Christian immediately led them out to the trampoline to show his skill.

As soon as we got the kids settled, Kim, John and I headed out for a much-needed Chinese Foot Massage at 9:00 on Friday night. If you haven't yet taken advantage of such an inexpensive luxury, you must do so now.

It's becoming our thing to do whenever Kim comes to town as you can't beat a $25 hour-long knot-removal session.

On Saturday we got to go to the temple yet again (twice in one week for me!!) to witness the sealing of a beautiful baby to her family. What a treat! I hope I never forget how precious that sweet tiny chubby hand was with her parents'.

One cannot, absolutely cannot pass up the perfection that this weather is and not go to the beach. That would be just plain wrong. I was going to take the kids to Knott's on Monday, but the beach and the weather won out. We met some of our friends there (the Johnsons and the Busches) and relished the sun, the warmth, and the view. If we didn't have school the next day, I think I could have stayed there until it got dark as it stayed a lovely temperature. Darn that school!

Cookies on the beach. Life is good.

Digging in the sand and playing in the water. Life is great.

Carter and Christian build a barrier to ward off mud balls.

The Greenanators are still at it.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. day everyone!

Friends

Today Ashlyn got to spend the entire day with her friend Caroline. That was a wonderful treat for both of them.

You see, I was able to go to the temple today. Something that hasn't happened during the day in I think um, ever.

So because of a friend who so willingly watched my child, I was able to go to the temple with a friend; a friend who recently joined the church, and who is the only member in her family. She is married with three boys. Another friend was going to join us, but got delayed at the doctor.

Our plan was to go to the 10:30 session, since that would get us home in time to pick up the kids from school.

No such luck.

This is L.A. after all.

And that means there is always traffic and we missed the 10:30.

Even though we were on the road at 9:00 (the earliest time possible).

Waiting for the 11:30 was out of the question.

Instead, we did sealings, which turned out to be a blessing because not only was my friend able to experience this beautiful event for the first time, she also witnessed a 'live' sealing (as someone unexpectedly joined our group to be sealed to her parents). Additionally, we were done a little earlier than expected and were able to meet our other delayed-at-the-doctor-friend for a quick lunch.

Each one of the friends are going through trials and stress and needed this opportunity to be with friends.

Friends can be a treasure.

Good friends are a blessing.

I wish I had my camera today . . . it was spectacularly gorgeous, clear, 70-degree warm, and the HOLLYWOOD sign could be seen from the temple. I never even knew it was near there. Without friends to suggest today's excursion, I never would have experienced this most splendidly gorgeous day.

Blunders and Bloopers

Now that John is at the pulpit a great deal of the time, there's a running joke about the blunders and misspeaks that are made by him and the other members of the bishopric, or what was printed in the program (which he usually types up after midnight Saturday night). Here are some that have been made (and no, not all by him!):

At Rick's college, they announced as the opening hymn: "Hark, the Herald Angels Sin"

Ward Adult Valentine's Activity: bring your favorite game and a spouse of a friend for a great time!

Our next song is "Angels We Have Heard Get High."

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

Our Enrichment Night topic is "Healthy Eating and Weight Loss". Please use large double door at the side entrance.

The Relief Society sisters have cast off clothing of every kind. They can be seen in the church basement Saturday.

The choir director invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.

The Bishop spoke briefly, much to the delight of his audience.

The 1991 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11.

Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

This Friday is our annual church hayride. Bring a pack of hot dogs and guns. We'll have a good time.

Anyone not claiming lost articles will be disposed of.

Church Rummage Sale: A good opportunity to get rid of anything not worth keeping but too good to throw away. Bring your spouse.

Today the Deacons will collect our ties and offerings.

The Relief Society president would appreciate it if the sisters would lend her their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.

Don't let worry kill you--let the church help.

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.

Choir practice - They need all the help they can get.

The activities committee will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.

We will now breast the sacrament

Our congressional hymn will be...

FIG

Triple Hot Chocolate Cake with Homemade Marshmallows.

Oh. My.

Tonight was our annual Faith in God Fireside we put on for kids turning eight. We had a meeting in the chapel, then a tour of the font, then time for d e s s e r t!

We make layer cakes, and have each ward bring one - after all, it's a birthday party!

I don't make desserts all that often at home, so once a year I go all out and come up with something fun and enticing, a real show stopper.

That it was!

Dark chocolate decadence.

Dolphins and Lumberjanes

Fourth graders in these here parts read Island of the Blue Dolphins and to help make the story come alive, Brooke's class had a "Dolphin Days" field trip where they got to travel all the way to the lawn at the front of the school.

They learned how to build a canoe, use yucca leaves to make string and thread, create fire, taste a certain seed that provides protein and energy, and a myriad of other tasks that they can certainly use next time they are stranded on a desert island like Tom Hanks in "Castaway".

It was downright frigid outside this morning and Ashlyn and I were a couple of chilly chicks chaperoning this field trip. Afterwards, we stopped at 7-11 and found out that they serve hot chocolate - we learned something new! It's serve-yourself-from-a-machine and there was a plethora of things to add to it just like you'd find at Starbucks, but for about a third of the price! We had fun adding carmel shots, irish creamer, cinnamon, chocolate, etc. and let me tell you that was about the best cup o'cocoa I ever did have - and it was HUGE for only $1.79.

Oh yeah, we found our splurge. It was seriously better than my new fave Salted Carmel at the 'bucks.

And I thought 7-11 was only good for Slurpees on the way home from school on a very hot day.

Once we were sufficiently warmed up, we took Cole for a walk to our fields. He's really into digging right now (presumably for gophers) so we just stand there and watch until he's had his fill. I figure it's good for him to get his digging out of his system there rather than in our backyard.

She's wearing the new super cute pants that Auntie Dre gave her for Christmas so she was posing for the picture I texted to Dre.

My good friend Becky needed to dispose of her monstrous tree and asked if she could borrow a saw again like she did last year.

Instead I brought over a Sawzall and we cut that beast to pieces!

It was fun playing lumberjanes for the afternoon.

Then we enjoyed grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch with the kiddies.

Good times!

Kids Say the Funniest Things

Yesterday, John was out [at Fry's] and

Christian came in . . .

Christian: Mom, where's Dad?

Mom: He's at the store.

Christian: Oh, good. I like it when he goes to the store.

Mom: Why?

Christian: Because he always comes home with something he's not supposed to get.

That cracks me up on many levels; he recognizes it, and because it's TRUE!

Happy New Year!! 2011

After returning home from Knott's, we invited Monroe over (it's becoming a tradition she sleeps over on New Year's Eve) and the second round of fun began.

We played games, Wii, Apples to Apples, puzzles, and jumped on the trampoline until the clock struck twelve, then we all crashed!

Everyone was utterly exhausted and beyond tired after a long fun-filled day (and week) so had no problem at all crashing hard after banging pots and pans for the neighborhood to hear at midnight.

Then we eventually awoke, to the sweet smell of warm, savory, cinnamon rolls with pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting. Yum!

(Two pans of it! - Nothing like starting out the New Year guilt free!)

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a wonderful, prosperous, and healthy 2011!