*Monday Memos*

*MONDAY MEMOS*

 

                          
 (If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge - if print is too small, you need glasses! ☺)

dear mr. cat, is there really anything cuter than you?  I love how when it's too "chold" outside you like to be near where I am and on this day you came and snoozed on the printer while I was blogging.  What a cute little mass of a furball!   

dear sights seen on my long run, I am amazed at how many times while out running the question has come to my mind, "Why did the chicken cross the road?".  And WHY does it come to mind?   Because I have seen SO many chickens cross the road while running!  I didn't even know it actually happened until I started running.  I just thought it was a figure of speech.  Nope!  It does happen people!  And with high frequency!  I still don't have the answer to the age old question of why, but my suspicions are going with something along the lines that it's because they know I will photograph them in the act and then put them on my blog for the world to see.  Or maybe, just maybe, they just want to get to the other side.  But only they know for sure...

I stopped at Tyson's grave on my long run this week.  I tried to clean up his grave and found this new little item placed there.  It gave me the best laugh and trust me I needed it.  Running a 10 miler when you are in no mood to do so always puts me in need of a laugh.  This was it.  Tyson was a serious fire-bug.  Okay, I will be honest here.  He was a pyro!  I have no idea who put it there, but it made me laugh!

This ↓ on the other hand, made me cringe and wanna heave!  I think because of the coloring, it may have been a pet rat, but I can't be sure because I found it when I was running at the old Indian School property.

After a strenuous 9 miles (I still had one more to go), I stopped to take a break and swing.  There is only one set of swings that I know of in this community and it's near my home.  If I am running home that way, I almost always stop for a swing. Swinging just makes me 
H A P P Y!  
I could do it for hours!  I wish I had one in my backyard.

dear robin, thank you for the awesome shirt!  I truly have the best friends!  I can't believe you bought me one after you and Grant saw that they were purple and he said that I was going to be mad I didn't sign up for that race.  He was right.  The first time I would have seen you wear yours, I would have gone mad!  PURPLE race shirts don't come along every day ya know!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  I know some people say you can't wear a race shirt of a race you didn't run, but when it's purple, that rule goes out the window!  Yep. Besides, I'm sure I will run this race someday.   Either way, this is going to become a mainstay in my wardrobe!  THANKS ROBIN!  I'm so excited!

dear breaking heart!  I can't believe this boy is heading to work for the next 2.5 months in Vegas meaning he won't be home for Thanksgiving OR Christmas!!!  Waaaaa!!!!  It's so hard to let these boys go at times like this!  I asked him what he wanted for his last couple of meals at home and he said, "Steak would be good!".  So steak it was!  At least for one. 

dear pennies from heaven, I find it odd that some days I don't find even one single coin (like Monday's 10 miler) and then other days I hit the jackpot!  Tuesday I only ran three miles and found six coins!  Including these two dimes below that were really in a secluded spot (a spot I only ventured to because nature was calling - TMI).  I know when I find them like that, that they were sent to me.  I know.  I would bear my testimony to you of this if this blog were a pulpit in a church house, but since it's not, just suffice it to say that it wasn't a "coin" incidence.  I was meant to find them all on that run because maybe those that have gone on ahead were trying to let me know they are near and supporting me even though life can be tough.  I believe that Tyson sends pennies and my Grandma Mae sends dimes.  Tyson sends me other coins besides pennies as well, but that seems to be how it feels when I find multiples on the same day.  On this run I found two dimes, three pennies, and one quarter.  I love days like that! 

dear surprise birthday lunch for mona, I was so happy I was able to pull this off for her.  I know she really appreciated it and it made her feel loved.  She is one funny lady and even though she is a little bit coarse on the surface and tells you like it is without holding back (kinda like Maxine and why I love her dearly!), she is also very tender hearted and loving and you just can't help but love her.  We went to Idle Isle and everyone was already there waiting for us to arrive.  I think she was surprised.  We had a great lunch and had fun chatting and then headed off to go vote.

dear taylor, you are definitely not holding back as far as getting back into the swing of things.  You went on your first date before you were even home two weeks.  I know your Mission President asked you to do that and you are being obedient, but I would say having three or four within a week, might just be a wee bit more than he asked.  hah  But I am glad you are having so much fun! 

dear deer, oh dear, it's so endearing to have you chill out in the back.  Check out those spikes!

dear halloween decors, down you go!  I have to admit by the time I've had you up for a month, I am ready to put you away.  I really didn't want to put up Thanksgiving decors this year, because I know how fast I will be putting up Christmas and I just was not in the mood to even think about that!  I swear Christmas was just last week! 

dear bryce, farewell until next year!  It's not easy letting you head out to go live and work in Las Vegas until January, but that is what you have chosen to do.  Your boss came very early to pick you up and I hope and pray he will take good care of you!  I hope your light park will be a success and you will enjoy your experience while there, but it's still hard to let you go especially knowing you won't be coming home for Christmas this year since that is one of your busiest days at the park.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that maybe you will make it home for Thanksgiving at least.

dear boring run, my run was very uneventful until I found this perfect heart shaped rock.  It's a keeper!

dear jaida bug, I hope I made up for my absence on Halloween by bringing you some chocolate (giant chocolate!) and that you will forgive me!  I stopped by your house for the first time since you moved there and when you answered the door wearing purple, I just grabbed you and hugged you.  Chocolate buddy AND a purple fan!  I think my influence has been felt!  hehe  I can NOT believe you are already a couple inches taller than me though!  But what a beautiful girl you have become! 

dear "happy to have this kid home!", what a great kid he is.  It's so good to have him back home and back at the teasing. I have missed his personality around here so much.  He is just always doing something that makes me smile.  His sense of humor just cracks me up.  He was so excited to find tickets to the Jazz game since LeBron was coming to town, but he had to borrow a jersey since the one I sent to him in Brazil he gave away.  Much to his dismay, the Jazz barely beat Cleveland, but it was an intense game! 

Here he is with his two returned missionary pals.  Josh on the far left just got home the day before this photo was taken.  So fun to have these boys all start coming home!

dear hill repeats, I haven't done you for a while and it actually felt good today!  I did 10 repeats which is less than I usually do, but I still felt like I got a good workout.  I would have done 15 but I had the painter coming over and so I had to rush.  I had to laugh when I came to yet another fork in the road. 

And this bulls-eye (or something) was also right in the middle of my hill repeats.  It gave me inspiration to stay on target!  hah  Sometimes you take what you can get!

dear utah homemakers, it was fun making a quick and easy craft today while we listened to a couple speakers.  I think they turned out cute.

It was also fun to learn about "Dinner in a Bag".  My friend Stacy taught the class and it is basically just putting all the ingredients for a meal in a bag with a recipe and then whoever you give it to just has to follow the recipe.  Everything they need is right in the bag for them.   I was thinking how great of a gift that would be for when Taylor heads to school.  All he will have to do is follow the instructions and viola...dinner!

Another lady came and taught us a few ways to use rotisserie chicken.  We got to sample her chicken fajitas.  Yum!  I always come away having learned something from these meetings and I am glad I have been a part of this group for over 20 years now.  I was a member of the Davis chapter when I lived in Bountiful and so it's probably been close to 25 years.

dear grapes!  Speaking of homemaking... holy grape juice!  You came on in abundance this year!  So far we have almost 50 quarts and probably that many more to come!  It's a good thing my boys love your juice! 

Dave and Taylor are the ones that did most of these gorgeous jars of juice this year.  It's a good thing Dave loves to be the one that makes sure it gets done because I am not a real big fan of canning.  If Dave wasn't around, I am sure I would do it just so it wouldn't go to waste, but it's not my favorite thing to do that's for sure!   Grape juice is super easy to do, so I'm sure I would do it just for the boys because they really like the stuff.  But, if they weren't around, I would probably give away the grapes!  One year we did a ton and we never drank it all.  I remember pouring gallons of the fermented stuff down the drain.  I'm sure we could have sold it as wine if we dared!  hah

dear quick trip to ogden, I decided at the last minute to head into Ogden to make a few returns and possibly get a start on my Christmas shopping.  That is a swear word around here right now. I am just not ready for it to already be that time of the year!  I just want some down time and now here comes the craziest two months of my life!  I decided to run into Ross and I'm so glad I did because I ran into my dear friend Dawn!  How crazy is that!?  She was chatting with another woman, but as soon as I saw her, I was so surprised that I just yelled her name and ran over and hugged her.  We chatted with the other woman for a bit (I know her husband) and then we shopped a bit and of course HAD to have a photo!  If we would have both had more time, I'm sure we would have just spontaneously gone out to lunch!  We have been trying to get a lunch in for some time now, but I am glad I at least got to visit for a bit! 

I almost bought that Superman sweater, but decided against it.  Now I am kind of wishing I had.

CHEESE!

dear loooooooooong run, I was really not motivated to do you today because the temperature has taken a dive, but I had made plans with Robin to meet her after I did some of my own miles first because she had to go to a swim meet and so that is what got me out the door.  I wore the head band Robin gave me and Dave insisted he take my picture.  The best part of this picture is not just the fact that the headband says Will Run For Chocolate, but the fact that I am actually holding the last bite of my brownie in my right hand.  Ha!  It's true! I WILL run for chocolate!  Or maybe it should read Will Run Because of Chocolate!  That's more like it!  I need to run if I am going to keep eating this stuff!

I found this perfectly heart shaped rock on about mile two.  I left it there because it's rather large and I plan on going back to get it.

After I ran almost four miles, I met Robin at the high school.  We headed out towards Perry and it was starting to get real warm (45-50 degrees) and I had to lose my jacket and gloves.  45-50 degrees is not what I call warm, but when you are running, it tends to feel like it! 

When we were waiting for a light on 1100 South, I got a text from Candi saying she was at my house dropping off some Mary Kay.  Had I not been stopped at the light, I wouldn't have even looked at the text.  I'm glad I did and told her to come find us so I could see that adorable Connor.  She found us on Main Street and we stopped to visit with her and Brigitte for a bit too long because when we started up again our legs were a little stiff.  But it was fun to see her and sweet Connor! Isn't he a cutie?

When we got back to my house I had gotten in 12.5 miles and so we ran down to my church and a bit past my house and I ended up with 13.  I had only planned on going 10 and so that was a bonus!  Extra miles always make you feel good once you are done!  Long runs are always so much better when you can do them with another person.  My 10 miler on Monday that I did alone felt much longer and harder than this 13.  Glad it's done!

dear taylor, you have adjusted SO well to your return from your mission!  I am amazed!  You have not shown ANY weirdness at all.  hehe  You went out duck hunting on Saturday and then came home and had another date with Amber.  You aren't one to waste time that's for sure! 

However the date you went on with Amber I have to say must go in the books as one of the craziest things you have done!  They own a small man-made lake and you went wake boarding with her family.  In November.  At 42 degrees!  Brrrr.....   I don't even want to know what the water temperature was!  You had on a wet suit, but discovered it leaked and so you were freezing! 
 
That is just pure crazy!  But I know you still had fun! She seems like a really nice girl.  You asked me to pack you a picnic and so I did, but you guys ended up eating it outside in the dark!  Cray Cray!

dear mickey, I am so glad you wanted to come and stay with us overnight while your parents were gone.  We absolutely LOVE having you here.  You are one special girl and you have all my boys wrapped around your little finger.   

We made the Shrinky Dinks that I gave you for your birthday.  Taylor even got in on the fun and made a Brazilian flag.  Dave was sick and so he was in bed most of the day.

Then you got up and helped Taylor make breakfast (in bed) for everyone!  I missed out on the 'in bed' part because I was up finishing preparing my Sunday School lesson.  You guys are awesome!

It was fun having you in church.  I'm glad it was the Primary Program today so you could laugh along with me at some of those funny kids.  You didn't want to go to Primary and asked if you could come to my Sunday School class and I said of course you could.  I hope it wasn't too boring for you!  McKay and his buddies kept you laughing anyway!  Then you were a major good sport and went to Relief Society with me and then sat through ANOTHER sacrament meeting at a Homecoming talk me and Taylor went to.  What a great sport!  Thank goodness for your iPod!  hehe

We FINALLY got home and I made Waikiki Meatballs in honor of Skyler coming home today from his cruise and then heading back to Hawaii on Tuesday.  These have been a family favorite for years and they are so yummy!  I made a lot!  That bowl on the left is a HUGE bowl.

After dinner and some down time, Dave took you home on his way to pick Sky up from the airport.

I didn't go because Taylor was speaking at a Stake Youth Fireside and I wanted to be there to hear him.  Dave did too, but he let me go while he went to the airport.  It sure was fun having you come over!

Some pix you took of Taylor below ↓.  He loves to pull faces when he sees a camera come out.  He has many interesting faces.  He is also the biggest tease I know.

I found this one on his Facebook and I LOVE it so much I had to post it on here!

dear stake youth fireside, this boy ↓ was one of your speakers and did an AMAZING job!  Four other returned missionaries also spoke.  This picture was taken on the day of his Homecoming but I didn't get one today and so I'm using it.  His talk was so inspiring and motivating and his accent came back all thick. He even slipped in some Portuguese words he didn't mean to.  I was told by so many what a great job he did and one lady even told me that she was so grateful because she brought her son there hoping something would be said he needed to hear and she told me Taylor's entire talk was exactly what she was hoping for.  He makes this Mama proud!  What a great kid. 

dear sky, SO happy to have you home safe and sound from your cruise.  It sounds like you had quite the adventure including crashing a motorcycle.  I'm just glad I wasn't there when it happened.  And even more glad you are okay other than some bruising and a scraped nose.

You looked totally beat when you got home and I'm not sure how you survived a week without much sleep, but you made it home safe and that's all that matters!  I get you for one day and then off you go back to Hawaii.

And...another week in the books.