It must be springtime...

The snow has finally melted and it's departure marks the arrival of that harbinger of spring...the muddy armed boy. Today after school, Cameron and Jacob came in through the front door, hung up their jackets and backpacks, and went out the back door. I was working on homework, so I didn't pay much attention. I checked on them after awhile and saw them playing in the backyard. An hour later, I decided I should see what they were up to. I was greeted by the sight of two boys with mud up to their elbows and multiple splatterings covering their once-pristine, fairly new school shoes, in addition to their shirts and pants. The sound of the back door opening sent them scurrying around the side of Paul's workshop...they knew they were busted! Before letting them in the house to get cleaned up I took pictures, as I always do (for evidence, I mean, posterity). Their children will thank me later...

What I've learned so far...

Winter semester is over and I have a little more than a week before Summer semester begins. I thought it might be a good time for some self-assessment. Here's some of what I've learned:

Number One - The heroes of the Book of Mormon were ordinary people. The thing that set them apart from everyone else was their reliance on the Savior to accomplish the great things that they did.

Number Two - William Shakespeare was a literary genius with an incredible sense of humor. But, then you already knew that, right?









Number Three - There's no such thing as an original line...they're all stolen from Shakespeare. For example, when John Wayne says, "We're burning daylight" in the Cowboys,he's quoting Romeo and Juliet and the Merry Wives of Windsor.




Mr. Spock from Star Trek is not the originator of "Live Long and Prosper", he swiped it from Romeo and Juliet. Okay, so he changed it a little from the original "Live, and be prosperous", but not by much. Any parent who has told a child they couldn't go with their friends is giving a nod to Shakespeare's original "Be patient, for you shall remain with us.--"
When you say "I hope we don't get caught", you're just rephrasing the Bard's "I hope they will not come upon us now." And the ever popular "Go, girl"? Shakespeare.

Number Four - The Law of the Harvest: You reap what you sow. If you work hard, attend class and do what's required, you get good grades. It took me several decades to embrace this philosophy, but I am reaping the dividends.

Number Five - As a man (or woman) thinketh, so is he (or she). If you think you're too old to try something new, you probably are. If you think you can't learn anything new, you probably won't. If you think you can't be successful, you won't be.

A Grand day at Targhee...

Lynn, Brent and Cory came up Friday night so they could go skiing with us on Saturday. The day started off kind of snowy, windy and cold. Lynn told me he'd been skiing at Grand Targhee two times(including this time), and both times were horrible. Someone must have heard his complaint because the sun came out, the skies cleared and the wind calmed. It turned out to be a great day. Everyone had a good time and there weren't any serious injuries (how's your thumb, Lynn?).



Today I presented my final project in English. I think it went well. Everyone laughed a the right moments and clapped at the end, so I guess that means they enjoyed it. I'll have to wait awhile to find out what grade I earned. Thursday is the last day of classes for me. I have a six page paper to hand in for my Book of Mormon final. Then I'm off until April 21, when summer semester begins. I'll be taking the second half of Book of Mormon on campus and a Sociology class online.

Everyone is doing well and staying busy. Paul is feeling pretty good and working hard. He, Parker and Hayden are going to do baptisms for the dead on Friday night with the youth from our ward. I guess Cameron, Jacob and I will have a party. Speaking of parties...Paul will be turning 45 tomorrow, so feel free to call him and wish him a Happy Birthday!

It's A Girl!

...a slightly distracted, sometimes absent-minded one. Okay, I admit it...I don't know my own phone number! (In all fairness and in the interest of full disclosure, it is a new phone with a different number). Twice in the last week-- come to think of it-- twice in one day, I was called upon to share my digits with another person. On the first occasion, I confidently wrote my phone number on a work order for some copies I was having made at the University. I then proceeded on my merry way, oblivious to the fact that the number I had written down was not even remotely close to my actual number. Well, the last four numbers were correct. When I returned later in the day to pick up the copies, the girl told me they had tried to call me, but the number was wrong...oops! Then I was making a phone call for work. The girl I was talking to asked if she could get back with me. I said,"Sure", then suddenly realized I couldn't remember what my number was. I quickly asked if I could call her right back. I then looked my number up on my phone and called her again. I eventually printed it on an adhesive label and stuck it firmly to the back of my phone...problem solved!

2008 Lincoln Elementary Fairy Tale Ball



Today marked the last time I will be in charge of decorations for the 2nd grade Fairy Tale Ball! I have done them for Hayden, Cameron and now Jacob's class. It was fun, but now it's time to pass the torch to some other unsuspecting, I mean, deserving mother. Jacob went dressed as a King and did an awesome job dancing! He even waltzed with an older woman with two left feet (a.k.a. his Mom). Lots of parents came to support their children and everyone had a great time.