Money and Sam's Club

I liked this article on money. I don't really have a comment on it, other than I thought he made a lot of good points.

And I realized the other day that I love the idea of Sam's Club and Costco: buy in bulk to save money. But once I go inside, I find myself totally overwhelmed and unable to make wise, or any, decisions. $8 for a big bag of pasta! What a deal! But wait--is that really cheaper than buying 8 little bags at my local grocery store? I know that under a dollar is a pretty good deal for the bags I get there, but I don't know how many ounces are in those bags, so how will I know if this is more or less than that?!!! So there's that anxiety plus the fact that I can't ever find anything in there. I tried to find peanut butter the other day--no luck. Granted, I didn't walk up and down EVERY aisle, but when was the last time you had to walk up and down every aisle at your local grocery store to find Peanut Butter! Just look for the bread and/or the sign at the end of the aisle that undoubtedly says "Peanut Butter" on it!

Maybe I just need to give it a fighting chance. Spend more time getting to know each aisle. Open my heart to the possibility of loving.

Or not.

Objective vs. Subjective

First of all, I feel badly writing a post so soon after Royce wrote his, since he posts so little. So everyone be sure to read and comment on Royce's post!

That being said, I had an experience this morning at work that left a sour taste in my mouth. And the only way I can think to get rid of it is to blog.

Without actually revealing the details of my encounter (I have to be careful since it's work-related), I want to pose some questions to all of you to gather your thoughts on what I believe to be the root of this and other similar situations.

The Question--Which is better: objective or subjective behavior? Here are some definitions to get your thoughts flowing:

objective = not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts.

subjective = the opposite of that (I didn't like any of the definitions I found)

I would maybe add to the definition that in subjective behavior, personal circumstance (including emotional states and motives) are taken into account, while they are not in objective behavior.

What I want to know is, what is the role of objective and subjective behavior/discipline/judgments in our homes, schools, governments, churches, social circles, etc.? Do some of these institutions call for objective actions while the others call for subjective? Or do they all require a mix? Is one or the other more "fair"? Do you find yourself dealing with situations more objectively or subjectively? Can you think of specific situations?

Please don't feel like you have to answer all of those--if you have an opinion on one that would be plenty.

I know this seems so random, but the topic is weighing heavily on my mind right now. I will share my opinions and thoughts on the subject later, but I want to give you the opportunity to comment without my opinion influencing your comments in any way (and I definitely have an opinion, but I'm always open to new and well-thought-out arguments).

And please do comment!! I think that as vague as this topic is, there are some really interesting discussions lurking within it.

Nutcrackers, Marie Callendar, and Christmas

So Heather has been complaining lately that I never post anything anymore...which is true, but that's also because I don't have pictures on my computer anymore. Heather's camera attaches to her laptop so all the pictures are on her computer hence the reason you haven't seen pictures or posts of things that I'd have blogged about by now (yeah right).

Anyway, so I've gotten into the Christmas spirit lately and as a part of that have finally written my annual Christmas letter. Which caused a little contention in our household because Heather doesn't want people to think she's been writing these things for the past 10 years and no one she knows has gotten them (well she hasn't). Anyway, so I finally wrote my Christmas letter and will hopefully post it on this blog once we've sent out our Christmas cards. I also mentioned in that Christmas letter that I will be writing a more detailed version of it on this blog (as in more pictures I guess). So I guess you'll be hearing more of my rambling in later posts as well.

Anyway, lately Heather has been playing in the Nutcracker at the Covey (go see it) and has left me home all alone on Thursday-Saturday nights.


So I've been having Marie over to do some cooking for me.

That's right Marie Callendar has been my lifesaver. If you haven't tried one of these "TV" dinners before, oh man you are missing out because they are pretty good. These are pretty much what I lived on as a single. I'm very grateful I don't have to do that anymore, but I still do enjoy them from time to time. I think I even had a turkey one during Thanksgiving during my mission.

Anyway, there pretty good, but if you live in the Provo area and want to have me over for dinner this Thurs.-Saturday I won't mind. Of course Heather doesn't have to leave now until 6:45ish so she may still be able to cook for me, but I am sure she wouldn't mind not cooking for me.

A motto to live by

Fix it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do, or
Do without.

Such is the motto that the pioneers lived by. Now I don't wish to make any claims that I come close to living by this adage. But as I set my alarm on my Palm Pilot last night, this saying came to mind and I realized that at least technologically I am living this principle.

This is what my Palm i705 looks like.


It's definitely no Blackberry.

It's black and white (more like black and a greenish/gray), it has an address book, calendar, memo pad, to-do list, a back-light, and some other excellent and useful features. I use it to schedule appointments, keep track of acquaintances (no worries if my cell phone gets lost!), make grocery lists, keep track of my finances, etc. etc. It also has some internet capabilities, though I would never pay for the services. It does not have Word capabilities, wireless phone, or any other nifty gadgets, all of which I cannot think of because I have no need for them.

I've had this baby for . . . 6 or 7 years now? And it's showing the signs of it. The screen is scratched, the paint is chipped everywhere, the front and back have spread apart by a millimeter or so, and often you have to tap the stylus about 1/4 inch below or above the item you are trying to select. But, with all luck it should last me another 6 or 7 years. And I really don't think I'll see a need for any other features than it offers me. So while I may not patch my threadbare clothing, I feel like at least in this respect I'm doing my part to "waste not, want not."

The 7:45 bus is always late . . .

Well, technically it could be on time. And today was a closer call than I liked. I don't like standing in the cold, so I leave my apartment at the last possible minute. Sometimes I run to the bus stop, partially because it creates more body heat. Today I ran because as the light turned yellow, I saw the bus zip through the intersection. What?! Lucky for me, there were two people waiting at the bus stop. Otherwise the bus would have soared right on by. As it was, I was able to run across the street and get on, meanwhile dropping my phone, turning back to pick it up, and trying to retrieve my bus pass from my wallet. Whew! (And this, of course, would be the morning where I actually know people who are on the bus. Do you think they were watching?)

Cute clothes . . . anyone?

I don't know if any of you have this problem: it seems that whenever I have the desire and the means (in this instance, gift cards) to buy clothes, I can't find any that I like. I can spend hours browsing and trying things on and still leave with nothing. I just don't like what's in the stores right now--they're boxy, shapeless, and too trendy for me (I like things that I would look ok wearing 10 years down the road). Anyway, so just as I was leaving the store, I walked by the maternity section; I had heard of friends having luck with maternity clothes . . . (and lets just clarify here that I am not pregnant--this is not an announcement). So I started looking around; there were a lot of cute clothes! I avoided the belly-expandable pants, but I found a lot of cute shirts to try on. I came home with two shirts (though I'm still debating about a third one that I liked). And honestly, I don't think you can tell they're maternity clothes at all. One of them is so fitted I'm not sure I could wear it if I was pregnant. I think that they appealed to me because they're all long, they flatter the figure, and they're in bright colors.

Well, there you have it. Now when I see you I know you're going to look twice to see if it's a maternity shirt I'm wearing. Well, the chances may be good if I get another shopping bug.

Don't you love it

when I haven't posted on my blog for a month and then I post a million entries in one day? Yeah, sorry about that. I may even get around to uploading pictures one of these days too. But I wouldn't get your hopes up too high yet!

Geo-caching

I had never even heard of geo-caching until I met Royce. When we went to Texas for Thanksgiving last year, we were supposed to go with his brother Robert (who forgot to bring his GPS, thus making geo-caching impossible). Then this summer Royce and I bought a GPS. And that very night we attempted our first geo-caching adventure. But it was just too dark, and I didn't want to park the car on the side of the road. So we gave up, and didn't make another attempt until last weekend.

One of the things on our to-do list has been to visit Antelope Island. I went there several times as a teenager and actually swam in the salty, brine-shrimp-filled waters. But seeing how swimming in the lake is no longer an attraction I care to participate in, and the only other thing to do on the island is look at bison, I had to somehow justify the $9/car entrance fee. And then it came to me--geo-caching!

So I went to the geo-cache website and found 3 caches all hidden on the island! We drug Royce's brother and sister with us and had fun finding all the coordinates and deciphering all the clues. The tricky part was actually finding the geo-caches once we were in the right spot. But it was worth the search for all the treasures we found. In the first cache, I traded a mini-flashlight for a birdhouse tree ornament that had "Antelope Island" penned on the side. And at the second one I traded an Ernst and Young keychain for a Dimitri pin (Dimitri from Anastasia a.k.a. the cutest boy cartoon character ever!). At the third cache Royce traded a giant pen for a geo-caching tracker thing (I guess you go to a website and say where you found it and then you hide it in another geo-cache).

Now that we've whetted our appetite, we're itching to go again. Want to come?

Sill's

Some of you know how great this place is. Some of you are the reason I know how great it is! Because we were cat/house-sitting for my brother in Farmington, only miles away, I decided it would be unholy of us not to go. So Saturday morning we coerced Royce's sister and brother to come down from Utah County, and we talked Heather and Jared and kids into coming. I was afraid we wouldn't be able to find a table for that many people! But using my mad skills, I managed to pounce on the first available booth (picture this: The place is so crowded that you can barely get through the door. And there is a sign that says, "Please be seated." No seating hostesses to help you find an appropriate-sized table. It's every man, woman, and child for themselves).

Despite the fact that we probably didn't order until 12:00, we all got breakfast foods. And of course, we all had some of their amazing scones and honey butter. (FYI, the scones there are huge--I thought this picture was quite apt.)

Come over any time

Royce's little (six foot nine) brother stayed with us last weekend. He came in on Thursday afternoon and left Monday morning. Unfortunately, both Royce and I had to work all day Friday, thus leaving Rhett by himself with nothing to do but read, play video games, and watch movies. Or so I thought.

With all our traveling the past few weeks, and because I work 8-5, the house had gotten to a point of great grossness. So you can imagine my shock when, on Friday after work, I went to wash my hands in the bathroom, only to discover that the oh-so-familiar grime that is usually present on the counter was gone! I investigated further. The toilet was cleaned; the mirror was sparkling! I ventured to the kitchen: the floor was swept; the dishwasher had been run; the dishes formerly in the sink now lay clean and drying on the counter! Brings tears to your eyes, doesn't it?

I asked him if he cleaned just to be nice or because he thought our apartment was gross. He said he was just bored. I think he's just too polite to say that he was disgusted. But I don't really care what his motivation was--his help was heaven-sent!

Blog friends

So I just finished my daily perusing of blogs today (ok, I'll be honest--it was my second perusing today. Work is a little slow . . . ) and I just had this feeling of really loving my place in this world and my connection to so many fine people. And as I was reading some comments on blogs, I suddenly realized (well, I "realized" it before, but it struck me suddenly, like how sometimes I realize, "I'm married!!! Wow! How did that happen?" End of side-note) that some of the comments on my friends' blogs were from other friends who didn't know those friends except through me and a couple of other friends, and they are now great friends. (Did you catch how that worked?)

I actually only read blogs of people I know, other than occasionally the blogs of some of Royce's friends. I guess I'm just not as good at becoming kindred spirits with people I haven't spent a lot of time with. Or maybe I'm overwhelmed by the number of friends I have! But the fact that some of you read each others' and comment on each others' blogs absolutely delights me. The fact that two people I love and adore know about and love each other is one of my favorite things! Sometimes I'll talk to someone about one of you, and it's so hard for me to convey just how really great you are. They smile and nod, but they don't get it! So when somebody gets it, I feel like my mission in life is accomplished. Do you think that there will be some of that in the eternities?

Oops!

I have speech problems. They're not diagnosed, but they're very real. Especially when I'm tired! Often my words slur together, I mix up consonants and vowels, I put part of one word on the end of another, I stutter, I trail off at the end of my sentences, etc. etc.

In casual conversation this poses no real threat. The other party simply points out, "I can't understand a word you're saying." Or they laugh at the blunder I did not realize I just made. It's funny, and makes for great jokes.

But in my professional life, it's not such a good thing. I'm trying to pose as an intelligent advisor; someone who knows what they're talking about. If I can't articulate my thoughts, or when I slur my words together, I don't sound so smart anymore. So I try really hard to speak clearly, and when the occasional faux pas happens, I try to regain ground as quickly as possible.

Now for the story of the day (you knew there was going to be one, huh?). I was meeting with a [male] student who wanted to create a graduation plan. In my mind I was trying to say something along the lines of, "I think this is a great idea to write down what you have left. It really makes things clear when they're written out on paper." But what came out was, "Great! Let's get it on." And my brain stopped there. The active part of my brain is screaming, "Get it on paper! Get it on Paper!!!" Finally, as I try to regain that ground, I say quietly, "Let's put it on paper." Close enough?

Let's just hope that maybe my words were slurring together and trailing off sooner than I think.

Two weeks later . . .

This weekend was the weekend for finishing things we started 2 weeks ago. Such as . . .

1. Moving: On August 30th we moved into our 1-bedroom apartment. We moved everything from the truck to the apartment in 1 hour flat with the help of my two brothers. However, putting things away seems to be a little more time-involved. My excuses for it taking so long are a) that same day we had my in-laws staying with us, and b) school and work started the next week. I've been trying to put things away after work, but 2 hours at a time just isn't much. The other lovely side-effect is that every time I clear the floor and put one group of things away, I immediately seem to strew the floor with another group of items, leaving us with a very dangerous walking path throughout the apartment! But after a hard day of work yesterday, most of the boxes are gone, most of the stuff is put on shelves or in cupboards, and we are much, much closer!!!

2. Celebrating my birthday: I had a great birthday. That morning Royce brought me breakfast in bed, I was serenaded by my in-laws (while still in bed--a little embarrassing), and I received a gift card to the dress barn from Royce and a check from my in-laws. Also, that evening we celebrated more at my parents house (which, of course, my parents are not living at currently as they are on a mission) with my family and Royce's family. As far as I was concerned, it was a perfect birthday.

But apparently, Royce wanted to do more for me. So on Friday after work, we headed to Liberty Land in Lehi and rode the bumper boats and played a round of mini-golf (thank goodness for our Starving Student Cards--I think we payed $6 total!). And later that night he kept encouraging me to make the bed and start getting ready for bed, which was confusing because it was only 9:30. Granted, the bed was a mess. So, after getting some other things done, I finally started on making the bed, to discover under the blankets the following:




I was mucho surprised! And delighted. Perhaps an explanation of the gifts may be of interest to you. Perhaps not. But too bad, because I'm giving one anyway.

The Dress Barn--I don't know if you've ever been in there. They have some pretty cute stuff. But I just think the name is awful, and I've joked about it with Royce for several months. The joke goes something like, "Where did you get that dress?" "I got it at the Dress Baarrrn" (said in an exaggerated, semi-hick voice). Now I may have the opportunity to use the answer for real!

Sticker Book--As a kid I loved sticker books, but only the ones where they have a spot designated for you to put the sticker. I mentioned this to Royce, and, well, he got me the coolest sticker book I've ever seen. It's in full color, and there are millions of stickers!

Twister--We registered for this and were sad not to get it. I love Twister. And apparently I'm no good at it, because Royce won almost every round.

X-Box 360--When I asked Royce what he wanted for his birthday, he said, "An X-Box 360." And I kept saying, "No Hon, we can't afford it. Maybe you can have it for Christmas." So at some point he started saying that he was going to get it for me for my birthday. Boy was I excited. And more than a little surprised when he actually got it. The question then was whether to keep it or return it. Am I a pushover? I decided to let him keep it. Perhaps, though, I'll go into the parental settings and figure out how to limit the playing time to 15 minutes a day. Yeah, that would be ok. (Just kidding Royce . . . maybe.)

To finish off the festivities, on Saturday we went to lunch at Tuscanos, using my free birthday meal, went shopping at the Dress Barn, and spent all of our gift cards at Bed Bath and Beyond. Whew, what a fun weekend!

Big changes

This will have to be fast. But here's a quick update.

A week ago Friday, hours before we were supposed to fly out to go to Disney World with my brother and his family, I was offered a job I had interviewed for the previous Monday. And the job, let me tell you, is fantastic. I am going to be the music advisor at BYU. If any of you visited your advisors in your advisement center, that's basically me. The School of Music requires all their students to visit with me at least each year, so that's a lot of appointments. Today, on my second day, I met with about 10 students. There's still a lot to learn, so it's a little overwhelming to try and jump into with both feet. I'm really excited though.

The bummer part is that Royce flew back to Texas and he won't be coming here until next week. And then he's going with his family to Idaho to pick up his brother from his mission. So we won't really be together for like another week and a half. We haven't been apart since we got married, so it's pretty heart-breaking. You should all shed a tear for us. I really do miss him though. Talking on the phone just isn't the same. But hey, it's only a couple of weeks. Some people have to separate for more than a year--I think of all these women whose husbands have been in Iraq for what must seem like forever, and then I feel very blessed.

So, there's our story. If we're a little out of touch the next few weeks it's just because we're trying to get moved and settled. Crazy times.

Rainbows

It rained at least three times today--this morning at around 6:30 am, again at 8:30 am, and this evening at around 7:30 pm. None of the rainstorms lasted very long (typical Texas weather, or so my experience has been), but they sure do come down hard and suddenly. Luckily I was inside for all of them. At the end of the most recent one I was outside and I noticed a huge, though dim, rainbow reaching across the sky. I realized it's been a very long time since I've seen a rainbow. And as I recalled other rainbows I've seen (most of them involve mountains that the rainbow dips into), I realized how every time I see a rainbow there's a thrill that comes with it, including tonight. It begs you to point it out to others, to stare, to try and see how long you can see it as you drive along. But really, most rainbows are very much like other rainbows. Perhaps their brightness varies, their length, and there's always the wonderment of a double rainbow. So what's so special about rainbows? Maybe it's their symbolism of hope, and new life.

Seeing that rainbow reminded me of a conversation I had with my sister earlier today, which reminded me of this post, which reminded me that there is a rainbow at the end of the storm. And in this case, it's not really a storm, just a period of uncertainty and stress. When I look back, it's so easy to see how God has led me from one thing to another, never leaving me truly in the dark. Why should I doubt that He will now? What's the point of all the stress and worry--I wonder if I will ever get better at that.

There was a member on my mission who told me that when he was a missionary, he never worried when they didn't have a teaching pool (which stressed me out as a missionary). He knew that God was going to lead them to people that were ready to be taught the gospel if they just kept working. And he said it always worked--they always found people to teach in no time. What faith--I wish I had that kind of faith as a missionary. I wish I had that kind of faith now and forever!

It all goes back to the control issue. We (or I should say, I) believe that if we worry and work and search and try HARDER, we'll work it out. We hate to trust and WAIT, of all things (not that we're not supposed to put in any effort). Don't you find that more often than not, the right things for your life come into your path rather than you stepping into their path?

It's good to remember these things. It's even better to live them!

CONGRATULATIONS IT’S A GIRL….

Well it’s been a pretty good last week or so and I bet you are all wondering what the surprise or the excitement from a couple of posts ago was all about. Well you aren’t going to find out this time either…… Just kidding. This picture explains all:

Just Kidding. Here’s what has actually brought us some joy and happiness amid a time of struggling and tears…

IT’S A GIRL yorki-poo (Yorkshire terrier-poodle hybrid designer mix) puppy. My parents got us this for our “wedding gift” despite everything they did to help us with the wedding. Really I don’t think we’ll ever actually get her though. Her name is Buffy by the way. She’s a pretty friendly and small pooch. She unfortunately is NOT potty trained. We borrowed her over the weekend and she pooed and peed all over the bathroom (at least it was on newspaper), and even peed on me on the way back to my parents house. Overall she was pretty good, but definitely needs to be house-trained so she can walk on our carpets next time we take care of her.

(Heather's note: Here she looks, as she often does, like your common black duster.)

Anyway, that was the exciting surprise you’ve been waiting for. If you had read Heather’s post that mentioned the exciting surprise immediately after she posted it you would have actually known this before-hand, but we decided to keep you in waiting to see if any of you called and said “Hi”. I only think Amy did though. Ah well. We’d love to hear from the rest of you.

Happy Birthday Love

"You've had a birthday shout HOORAY! We want to sing to you today. . . " Or, "This [day] is such a special one it's birthday time for you! We really want to celebrate this happy day with you. . . " Or how about, "Happy happy birthday [Royce-ee] dear, happy days will come to you all year. If I had one wish than it would be, a happy happy birthday to you from me."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROYCE!

Just wanted to shout out to the world how happy I am that it's your birthday--especially because now we share the same age! No, just kidding. Just because it's your special day and we get to celebrate all about you.

We get to celebrate . . .

Your humor--thanks for helping me keep things light.
Your sensitivity--thanks for always letting me cry on your shoulder, even when I don't want to tell you why.
Your childlike nature--I love how excited you get over things like Disneyland, waterslides, Killer Bunnies, and even video games.
Your wisdom--you say I'm smarter than you, but I've proved time and time again how that's just not true.
Your tallness--it's definitely what you are, and I'm so glad!
Your friendship--you're a true, loyal friend to so many people.
Your spontaneity--library hide-and-go-seek, rolling dice for dates, etc.
And your love--I'm so glad we get to share it!

Hope you have a great birthday dear!

Thoughts for the day

Last night I went to Target to get some ice cream (that's worth a trip, don't you think?). And I realized that I need to clarify when I say how much I love Target. Because in reality, I love SUPER Target. A lot! I love the lighting in the store, I love their cute gadgets, I love that we're still using giftcards from our wedding to pay for stuff there. But plain Target, especially the one across the street from us, I don't love so much. It's just . . . different. For one thing, their ice cream selection was limited to 5 flavors, but beyond that tragedy, the employees aren't as helpful and happy, the lighting isn't quite as nice, and there's something about the layout compared to Super Target that's just not aesthetically pleasing. Well, it still beats WalMart!

Next random thought. I've been wondering for awhile when it will seem like I'm really Heather Severson, instead of Heather Rust. It's not that it's ever been hard to introduce myself that way, or write my name that way. Kind of like when my name was Sister Rust. You just make the change and on you go. But it always kind of felt like a lie. No, more like a game or make-believe. Around I went, parading as this one girl, when inside I've always been someone else. But the other day, my coworker asked me my maiden name, and as I told her, it sounded like a lie. Like a game, or make-believe. I guess the transition is complete.

And finally, my job is really funny. Some days the phone rings a fair amount, and there's plenty of instruments to clean, etc. But the last couple of days have been totally dead. So today I asked my boss to come up with something for me to do, and among other things, she had me make these buttons that they sale. It was really great. I copied the template onto colored paper, I cut out each button pattern into a square. And then I put each square of paper onto this machine that cut it into a circle! I want to buy one of those! No more trying to make rounded edges with scissors. And then they have the button machine which involves putting the button parts in, pulling down on the lever a couple of times, and out comes a button. I bet you're all totally enthralled by now, as if you were there watching me!

Exciting!

Yesterday was an exciting day for us.

First of all, we finally were able to talk to my parents on the phone. It was the first time since our wedding (for those of you who don't know, a few days after we were married my parents left on a mission to Prague). Anyway, we had tried several times before, but had problems with connecting through, but finally it all worked out!
They are doing well--frustrated sometimes. The language is very difficult and not many people speak English. Occasionally my dad will find someone who speaks German, but, from what I understand, they live in a pretty tiny city so mostly they struggle along with their limited Czech. Also, sometimes there is not enough for them to do, but they are working with the mission president to figure out more things (their assignment is to oversee the CES work in the Czech Republic and Slovakia). Next week they will accompany the young adults to a regional young adult conference in Hungary, so that will probably be a good experience for them.

The second exciting thing is pretty great, but you'll have to wait to find out until I can get some pictures and it doesn't have to do with Heather being pregnant...........cause she's not. (I knew some of you would think she is if we left just the one period after pregnant).

P.S. Less then 6 days to go till Royce's b-day. I hope you got him a gift! :-)

All or nothing

I think I've learned something about myself. It's all or nothing for me. The series of blogs ahead are in no particular order. Royce is out with the missionaries, and so I, feeling a little bored and lonely, decided to tackle all of my blogs. Sorry to post them all at once. But I knew if I didn't do it today it would be at least another month before it got done. Pace yourself.

Thoughts

I always have things I want to blog about. But a part of me says I can't because I haven't blogged about old stuff. So I tuck it away. So here is a list of my random thoughts and activities.

1. I think one of the best inventions of the 20th century has got to be the Ziploc bag. I have no tupperware with me this summer, but I found that I really haven't missed it. Most anything will go into them, and they take up a whole lot less space in the fridge. Plus, I don't have to wash them! I suppose I'm adding to the wastelands, but at least I'm not wasting water.

2. On a similar note, I also love Press'N'Seal. So, so much better than Saran Wrap. If you haven't used it, you should start.

3. I've been working part time at a music store. It's been fun--I answer phone orders, clean instruments, help them re-write the catalog, etc.

4. We've been watching old seasons of Monk. So silly, but so funny. Thanks to our library for having all the seasons.

And . . . my brain can't remember anything else.

Stockyards

Fort Worth is kind of a historic place. It's a pretty big city with an old town feel. One thing they do almost every day is the Cattle Drive. Twice a day they walk the cattle herd around the block. There were not as many cattle as I had hoped. But it was a fun experience. We also went to the Stockyards museum, which had all sorts of old interesting stuff. Like cow skulls and stuff. Great times.

Museum?

Do you remember when I mentioned the St. Louis City Museum? Well, here are a few pics. It really is one of the greatest places I've been.

Lots of tight spaces.

Lots of slides--this one is really steep!

Almost everything you see can be crawled in or on.

This was in a totally dark room (with the flash you can't tell). It felt kind of creepy to crawl through a tunnel of rubber hands.

Do you think Royce has a chance?

Human hamsters.

Have I convinced you yet?

New York

Ok, I know what you're thinking. "Didn't they go to New York like 2 months ago? And she's just now getting around to posting about it?" Well, better late than never?

I won't say too much--this was a school carnival that we passed on our way to Lindsay and Blake's in Brooklyn. It's hard to see, but they have all your typical carnival rides and booths, but rather than being in a large park or on fair grounds, they're crammed into a tiny lot. I guess in New York you just make it fit.

Royce and me in front of the New York Stock Exchange.
With Lindsay and Garrett on the Brooklyn bridge. See all those gray clouds--I think it rained every day we were there.

A small shot of Central Park. We didn't spend a lot of time there, but wow, really beautiful.

We took the Staten Island Ferry (which is free) to get a close up view of the Statue of Liberty. Much cooler in person than I thought it would be. We were too cheap to go to the actual island though.

At FAO Schwarz. Royce is almost as tall as Chewy, but not quite.

We had a lovely time with Lindsay, Blake and Garrett (sorry you're almost cut out of the picture Blake) and we can't wait to go back some time.

Gambling

Did I ever blog about horse racing? I don't think I did. A few weeks ago, Royce's company sponsored a dinner and activity at the local horse-race track. It was a new experience for both of us. I always knew horse-racing was largely tied to gambling, but after being there I concluded that the ONLY purpose of horse-racing is gambling. It's bizarre. There are 30 minutes between every race. Why? Well, so you have time to collect you winnings and/or place more bets. I don't think people go because they like to see horses run. It's not like a basketball game, where athleticism is idolized and admired. It's all about doubling your money.

I was just there for the free food, and the new experience.

They're off!

This one was a close race. It was a photo finish! Very exciting when they replayed it on the big screen in slow motion.
Royce had extra tickets from people at work who couldn't come, so his older brother came along too.

I think my life is complete now.

Wow

Welcome to Buck'n'Loons.

You can't tell, but I'm holding our GPS because that is how we found this treasure of a place. There's a great feature on GPS devices called "Points of Interest" and you can search for everything from fuel to entertainment and it will find locations nearby. So when Royce and I were feeling indecisive, we just picked a place and went there. (Actually, Royce picked first, but the place he picked turned out to be a tea room that is only open in the afternoons.)

I'm trying to show two things in these two pictures: 1) How great the menus are--colorful, disposable, etc. 2) How incredibly far away from the table the benches are. And yes, the table is bolted into the floor. (Keep in mind that Royce has incredibly long legs.)



I don't think the sandwich fits in my mouth. You should have seen Royce's half-size meatloaf. I think it filled the plate.

What a great place. Will we go back? Probably not, but just because there are so many other places to explore.

On marriage

When I originally conceived this post, I had a lot more to say. But as the days have passed, my verbosity has decreased.

In any case, I played for a wedding on Saturday. I've played for several weddings this summer actually. And (amazingly) I always seem to think about my marriage on these occasions. This most recent wedding was an especially long ceremony which afforded me extra pondering time. (It was extra long because there was both a Christian pastor and a Jewish Rabbi performing the ceremony. Side note: This was my first ever Jewish wedding, and if you've ever seen Thoroughly Modern Millie you'll be able to relate to my experience of playing "Mazal Tov" following the ceremony. It was something else: the stomping on the glass, the cheering, and whatnot.)

So my thoughts on Saturday were this in, I guess, no particular order. It was a beautiful wedding. The bride was beautiful, there was the biggest wedding party I have ever seen (7 bridesmaids and groomsmen, 6 junior bridesmaids, and several flower girls and . . . flower boys?), the church was packed, there were beautiful decorations, and it was just a really lovely wedding. This couple seemed to have a lot going for them--the pastor shared that both of the parents were reaching milestones in their anniversaries, and before they kissed as husband and wife he announced that this would be their first kiss together--not just as husband and wife. Their first kiss ever. That impressed me a great deal--I don't think it's for everyone, but good for them.

I think God is pleased when a man and a woman get married. No matter the religion, I think two people who marry are entering a sacred union. Some people may not recognize that, but . . . I'm babbling.

So I thought about my temple sealing. I love that memory. Walking hand in hand with the love of my life into a small room filled with my nearest and dearest friends and family (minus a few that could not be there, of course). I've never before felt so overwhelmed with love for and from so many people. Compared to the wedding I played at it was, well, simple. But it was so beautiful. No words can describe the utter joy I felt after being told by the sealer that we were sealed for time and eternity.

I also think of my marriage at all these weddings. I didn't know exactly what marriage was going to be like. I knew that it would take work to make it work. And I knew that our love would grow over time. Mostly because other people have said that's how it works. But each day I'm learning more and more what married life is all about. I've been married two and a half months, and I can sincerely say that I love Royce more now than I did when I married him. Partially because I know him better. We've had to work out struggles together, and as we've worked those things out we've become closer. I'm sure things will be different too when we have children. I'll love him more then, and partially because I'll know a different side of him then. We'll change, and our marriage will change, and our love will change and grow. Constantly. I'm so glad to be on this journey with him. It's a mystery in many respects. I don't know what's coming our way. But one thing I know and am so grateful for--that I can be with him for eternity. I think that any two people in love would want that. How lucky I am to know that if I am faithful that is our outcome.

Well, that's all. I'm not sure if these ramblings mean anything to anyone, but I needed to put them down on . . . I was going to say on paper, but you know what I mean.

As promised

I think I may have gone overboard on the amount of pictures, but hopefully they upload ok. Also, just wondering if any of you who took pictures could send me some via e-mail--I think you all took some my photographers missed. If you send them, could you send them in a high resolution so I can print them? Thanks!
























This was supposed to be a picture of us with our nieces and nephews. Now, it may appear that I have some really old nieces and nephews, but really, we just had a couple of stubborn kids who needed their parents' help. my favorite is little Natasha who is pouting as hard as she can.






Here's what the boys thought of the whole ordeal.