*Monday Memos*

*Monday Memos*

dear girl's night out,  oh, how I've been looking forward to you!  I was so excited to just get out and spend some fun down time with some of the best women I know.  I feel so blessed to live in a place and in a church ward where I have so many wonderful friends and women I look up to.  We had two full cars and headed to the movies.  I didn't eat dinner so I could enjoy (and pig out on) movie popcorn!  I love that stuff when it's all smothered in hot butter!  Mmmm!  We watched the movie Winter's Tale.  It was loaded with a lot of big names.  It was a little bit strange in some parts, but overall, it was a pretty good movie.  Peggy's "oh dears!" and Leslie stressing out how she thought it was just a light romantic comedy, made up for what the movie lacked. lol 

dear long runs (plural), I got in two of you this week but only because I didn't do one of you last Saturday.   I don't recommend doing that again.  Tuesday's run was 13.50 miles and Saturday's was 10.30.  Total miles for the week 38.40.  When you are out running that long and far, it's amazing what you find to entertain you.  Or what you start to do when there is less oxygen getting to the brain.  Like talking to animals.  Whenever I run past my friend Mr. Llama, I always ask him, "Is your Mama a Llama?  Is your Dada an Alpaca?"  He doesn't usually respond, but just gives me a blank stare.  But, hey, it keeps my mind off my miles and pain for a bit. So no judging! ;)

These goats crack me up.  They are always escaping from the farm where they are supposed to be!  Saturday they were out in the field across the street from their home.  When they saw me, they came running over to the barbed wire fence like I had some kind of treat for them.  I do often feed them the tall grass outside their pen and so I guess they could have thought I had some more for them.  Not sure how they got in that fence or how they got back out, but they gave me a much needed laugh about mile 10. 

This place always has the best thoughts.  As I ran past it on Tuesday, I had to take a photo of it because it is exactly how I feel half the time.  

dear empty vodka bottles, thank you for giving me something to try and spot on my runs (besides coins and heart shaped rocks, and cars that aren't watching the road) so that I can tease Colleen and take photos of you and text them to her asking her if she has been having a little too much fun again.  We have a long running tease going on about the empty bottles since her story of going into the liquor store to buy vodka so she could make homemade vanilla.  Then empty bottles started appearing on my Halloween decorations outside my house...namely in Frankenstein's or my porch witches hands.  Over the years, it became a tradition.  Now she has moved and so Halloween won't be the same.  But I will keep taking photos of the bottles and sending them to her.   I got this photo from her this week of her holding up this shirt.  Very funny....  and so I sent her the photos of the empty vodka bottles. 

dear ricardos, how I have been CRAVING you!  I finally got to get some of your yummy food in my belly on date night.  It was so good even if we had to stand around waiting for a table.  I really like your green sauce on the enchiladas.  Mmm......

dear mckay, you are the most amazing kid on the planet.  This is what I find when I go in your room.  Open scriptures.  You have been studying them for one hour a day.  The other day you spent three hours reading them to catch up.  THREE. HOURS.  I don't think I have ever read my scriptures for three hours straight.  I am so amazed at your example and dedication.  You are going to make the best missionary!  You set such a great example for all of us.  Thank you for being the great kid that you are. 

dear one minute rule, I am so happy I discovered you.  You are exactly what I needed to learn right now.  Even though I used to teach classes on time management and organization, I've never heard of you until I was reading online on a website the other day.   I have been slacking and needed a good swift kick in the motivation department lately and you are it.  I am now better at getting all those little things done, that make me feel like I have a million things to do.  The rule is if you can do it in less than one minute, then do it right now.  Sort the mail, return an email, hang up a coat, fold the laundry, put the umbrella away, load the dishwasher, wipe out the microwave,  etc.  For some reason it is mentally motivating because you know it's a job that will be done in a flash and so it doesn't seem so overwhelming. It's definitely not some new profound idea or rocket science, but sometimes I just need something to mentally strike a nerve and a new challenge.

dear orange chocolate ovation sticks, I just ate my last one of you today and I am already having withdrawals.  I am not sure where to buy more of you since you were really only at Seagull Book for the holidays.  I may have to wait for an entire year now to taste you again.  Waaaa!!

dear mr. cat, could I love you more?  Look at that face.  Look at that pose. You are the King.  You just bring me so much joy and I am so grateful I have you even if you don't like to cuddle like I wish you did.  I love the look on your face when you hear the printer and are ready to attack. (bottom photo)  I just love everything about you, with the exception of changing your litter box.  But even that isn't too bad since you will ONLY do your real stinky jobs outside.  Good boy! 

dear box elder bugs, oh. my. gosh!  ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!  I have been very tolerant of you through all the years you have invaded my house inside and out, but this year (and in February no less!), I am at my limit! I have always said that if I had to have a bug or crawly thing inside my house, I guess you were the one I would choose because of all the things I could have - i.e. cockroaches, scorpions, termites etc. - you are the least "buggy" to me.  So in years past, I have just sucked you up with the vacuum and cleaned up your remains (red spots in my window sills) that you leave behind, but this year you have wore out your welcome (and btw, you were NEVER welcome), and I have had enough of you.  If you stayed outside, fine, but no, you think you have to come inside and have a party!  I have never seen so many of you partying inside my house before.  And in February.  What is going on with you?  I don't see a lot of your friends outside, just inside!  Dave thinks you started your long winter party possibly in our attic and now have come out for some air.  Ugh!  That thought does make me cringe!  But seeing you (and so many of you) inside my house on a daily basis is really starting to get to me.  I have to leave my vacuum out because I have to go to battle several times a day to keep you under control.  That lasts for a bit and then suddenly, there are more of you.  The joke around here has always been... when you kill one, watch out because then five more come to attend the funeral.  I guess I could call an exterminator, but in the past we have always used our own formula to get rid of you.  I am hoping you are just doing this because the temperature outside has been so pleasant and you are working your way outside.  That was until I saw a huge pile of you outside at the base of one of my doors.  That gave me a little hope that maybe you are coming in from outside instead of being inside and trying to get out.  Either way, something has to be done with you.  I can't take a shower, be on the computer, or even go to the bathroom without your company.  But it's the last straw when I am sitting in my comfy chair reading or watching TV and you think you have been invited to join me.  I flip you off (literally) and you just return as if it were a game.  Well, okay then...GAME ON!  And...I WILL win! 

No Box Elder bugs were harmed in the taking of this photo.  In fact, I didn't even take this photo.  I got it off the internet because when I see one of these guys in my house, the last thing I want to do is tell it to say cheese while I take it's picture. 

dear mckay's dance date, I think you are awesome for planning to surprise McKay at 6:00 in the morning to go out to breakfast as part of your day date for the Sweathearts Dance (yes it is spelled correctly).  Great idea!  Even if "I" had to get up at 5:45 a.m. to let you in.  But that was good too, because it got me out early on my long run!   Your group of cute little cheerleaders made it a fun date for him and all those other boys.  I really wish I could have seen the rock climbing though.  He really had fun. 

Cute "sweat" shirts for the Sweathearts Dance.  And check out McKay's red Hawaiian socks that Sadie also picked out. Tyson would have LOVED those!

dear kevin costner, you just get better with age.  I really enjoyed your movie 3 Days to Kill, (wow two movies in one week!) even though it was a bit too violent and that one bar scene could have been left out (why do those dang directors think they need to add those kind of things when it adds absolutely nothing to the movie?!).  I mean after all, if you are in the film, what more is needed?  haha  Well, other than the popcorn of course!  Yep, more popcorn for me...

dear bryce's back, enough of you!  Please get better so he doesn't have to suffer for the rest of his life with back problems.  I know he is kind of an extreme snowboarder, but he is too young to have issues with you.  Go pick on somebody that has already lived a good long life!  And no, I'm not talking about me!  Stay far away from me as well.  Just let him heal so he can enjoy life again.  You've had him down all week torturing him and it's time for you to leave!

dear sochi olympics, I have enjoyed watching you very much!  Especially the ice dancing.  Well, all of the ice skating was awesome. I loved watching the snowboarders too and also Noelle Pikus-Pace win silver on the skeleton. What a great example she is to young women everywhere.  I am sad to see you end, but maybe now I will actually get more sleep!

Happy Monday to you! Make it great!