Trained Dogs

Another great moment from family night:

We were going through peer pressure situations and ethical situations to work on teaching principles behind kindness and courtesy.  One situation came from the Cub Scout manual:

Scout book: "Imagine your friends see a blind individual with a guide dog crossing the street, they want you to help them call to the dog and get it to leave its owner, what should you do?"

Ami: "Ignore them."

Tim: "This is not a problem, the dogs are trained good enough to not do that, but you should tell them to stop."

Mom: "But what if they keep doing it?"

Tim: "You could go make sure the blind person gets to their car safe. Then they could drive and it wouldn't be a problem."

Dad: "That is very nice...ok. Next..."

Mom: "Wait, Dad.  We need to discuss this further. Tim, I don't think you are thinking this through."

Tim: "What?"

Dad: "Do blind people drive?"

Tim: "Maybe."

Dad: "I've seen some in Utah that act like they are blind and driving, but no."

Kids in unison: "OOOOHhhhhhhhh!!!"

Ami: "It's not the blind person that drives-"

Tim: "It's the dog!"

Ami: "Now that totally makes sense."

[Mom rolling on the floor clutching stomach.]

Susanne: "My doggie drive?"

Dad: "No-oh my head- dogs do not drive."

Tim: "Guide dogs could tell the driver where to go!"

Dad: "No.  They can't."

[Now Maggie is on the floor.]

Tim: "Why not?"

Dad: "Because, um, just trust me, they can't."

Yea. That just happened.

Baptism!

Tim chose to follow the Savior Jesus Christ by being baptized.

It was a sweet, beautiful experience.

Afterward we went to Cafe Rio, one of his three favorite restaurants; (Tucanos and Golden Corral are the others).

Thanks to all who made efforts to come!

The event was only slightly marred by the news that some continue to fabricate stories about us and our choices, then ironically wonder why we choose to avoid such emotional environments.  It is sad that some continue to create stories in their minds or with others with limited or misinformation.  

President Uchtdorf's comment helped us understand: "When we feel hurt, angry, or envious, it is quite easy to judge other people, often assigning dark motives to their actions in order to justify our own feelings of resentment... We must repent, and we must be willing to forgive others. Jesus taught: “Forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not … [stands] condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin” and “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”  Of course, these words seem perfectly reasonable—when applied to someone else. We can so clearly and easily see the harmful results that come when others judge and hold grudges. And we certainly don’t like it when people judge us. But when it comes to our own prejudices and grievances, we too often justify our anger as righteous and our judgment as reliable and only appropriate. Though we cannot look into another’s heart, we assume that we know a bad motive or even a bad person when we see one. We make exceptions when it comes to our own bitterness because we feel that, in our case, we have all the information we need to hold someone else in contempt" ("The Merciful Obtain Mercy," Lds.org).

It is easy to not assign dark motives, one just stops concerning themselves with circumstances outside their realm of responsibility, and in situations within their realm of authority they obtain "pure knowledge" (D&C 121) so they can understand and act appropriately.  The other primary talk that guides our behavior related to potentially emotionally abusive situations is "Judge Not and Judging" by Dallin H. Oaks http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=576).

If these ideas provide comfort and understanding, great; if not, then they probably are not for you. :)

Confession

So I have a confession to make. 

I hate my husband's birthday.  Loath, detest, dislike? Not strong enough.  I hate it.

I never seem to put together a good gift/party/anything.  (And sorry to family and friends who already know that I'm pretty bad at being celebratory on other holidays.)

Here are my reasons (or should I say, excuses?):

1. Creativity?  Unless it is related to sewing or finding new ways to ruin dinner, I'm below standard. 

2.  I asked him a few weeks ago what he wanted, and he gave me a bunch of lame answers like ties and books for graduate school.  The only legit gift he asked for (new basketball shoes), parents (kindly) took care of. 

Having a non-needy husband is great 362 days of the year, but it is lame on his birthday, Christmas, and our anniversary.  It is not like I don't have cart blanch (or whatever that French word for open range) on whatever I want to spend, but I know what he would really like, and if I brought home a Harley he'd be the one footing the bill.


3. The kids are no help.  Their ideas? 
"I'll draw a hand for him."  Maggie
"A pink BYU tie." Susanna



"Some awesome movie to watch with me." Tim
"Blue ties are good." Ami

4. I swear it falls on mother's day every year.  And he always takes care of mother's day stuff. 

5. Surprising him is nearly impossible.  He can tell when I am plotting, and though he pretends not to see things coming, he does.

6. Case and point?  We're on our way home from date night (Sushi week!) and I mention I have not been able to figure out what to get him.  Get this, he responds, "I figured you were struggling with this, there's a blu-ray the kids "got" me hidden in the file cabinet at home, that way if things went south, they would not feel bad."



I asked, "What about me?" and then look at where we are - the local natural remedy shop.  "I figured we could get some essential oils from you."  "But those are for my hobbies!"  "Yea, but when you're happy, I'm happy, and I would love some of these." 

I call bull.

So, we made him some ties.  It's kinda a family tradition started by his sisters.




When Ami saw the look on his face at homemade ties, she said, "Ok Dad, so I know the pink one was really stupid, but the others aren't that bad right? The pink one was Susanna's idea."

And yes, Ami currently thinks most of Susanna's ideas are not up to the family standard.

Recent adventures in Salt Lake

David and Maggie enjoyed a trip to Salt Lake for general conference.





Ami received tickets from her schooling to the Aladdin Ballet performance by Ballet West.

 

She brought a friend, and David took them to Temple Square, the Ballet, and to Seigfried's.  Seigfried's is a truly authentic German restaurant.  The girls went to town on wiener schnitzel, red cabbage in applesause, sausage, cheesecake, strudel, raspberry yogurt cake, and gravy.  Es wast sehr gut!  David enjoyed the best Reuben he has ever had.

But it is!

Today's Thatababy comic was extra funny for us, because he is wrong. Bestest holiday ever.

UPDATED Big News

Big News:
1. We have accepted reality, our children will be raised in Utah.
2. We are moving.
3. Our home is for sale.  Yes, we have a realtor.  Please send any interested friends (or frienemies as long as they want to buy it).  Prayers are appreciated.
4. Ivory homes is building our next home on a .27 acre lot in Utah County.  We chose the Newcastle model (Get it?  Ivory homes - new castle - Ivory - Castle - nevermind - Phd joke). (Thanks for the recommendation J & A).
5.  There is still a lot available a few doors up the street... G & K?  S & D?  S & J?  L & K? D & P?

Take the tour of the design by pressing "Photo Tour 1" on this site:
http://www.ivoryhomes.com/?mID=8&k=Newcastle-Traditional-model-homes&tab=2&homedesignID=348

We finished design plans today:

The Hanex counter-tops are the bottom left square, the walls will be two tone - koi pond and bright white, and in the back right you can see the cabinet color. 

 The home will employ two types of tile.  On the walls we have this (color did not turn out so well) tile that looks like wood for the fireplace and the master bath walls and grand tub.

 The walkways, laundry, kitchen, dining, and bathroom floors will use this.

 Another look at the oak cabinets.

 The sides and back will employ this two-tone stucco.  It looks olive green in the sun.

 Carpet, garage door color, and banister to match cabinets.

We switched the powder blue for a pewter green.  The red brick we opted for.  We chose matching red shutters, and our home has less brick than this example picture.

The roof does not look like this.  We went with a darker black.


Thanks for reading!  And seriously - if you know anyone who wants a 5 bedroom 3 bath 2498 sq home, please have them contact us.

Gollum?

Sooooo...

Last night at the Mexican restaurant we enjoyed some crazy hot jalapeno sour cream cilantro salsa.  The sour cream made it cool in the mouth, so everyone had their fill.  Especially one little one...

This morning, through the bathroom door, one could hear weeping and a whimpering:

"It burns [us], it buuuurrrrrnnnnnnsssss [us master]."

GOLL-um, GOLL-um.

Thanks Tony!

We ended our day-cation with a meal at a new Mexican restaurant and tickets (thanks Tony) to the BYU game.  Where else can you get six people in on four tickets as long as you are carrying two.  They are really lenient on that babes in arms policy.  Next time, we try to get in on two tickets!  Quick Maggie - fireman carry!