Hello and Goodbye

This past week my cousin Spencer returned from his two-year church mission to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

This week my brother Nate leaves for his two-year church mission to Paris, France.

This, of course, meant a mini family reunion on Sunday when both Nate and Spencer spoke in church in the same meeting. It is customary for missionaries to speak to the congregation both when they leave and when they arrive back. They both gave wonderful, uplifting talks to a large congregation consisting of our ward, our grandparents and some of our cousins, aunts, and uncles, along with assorted friends. Seating was scarce, but it was wonderful to be surrounded by so many loved ones.

We had a big get-together after church, where there was plenty of good food and good company. One thing is certain about our family gatherings: There is always a TON of food. I think we will be eating leftover spaghetti for the next week.

Right now we're rushing around trying to get Nate all packed before he enters the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday. Whew! He's in for a heck of a ride.

Welcome back, Spencer! It's so good to have you home.

See you in awhile, brother of mine. You're going to be a wonderful missionary. We love you!

The Way Movies Work at Our House

1. Person #1 begins a movie.

2. Person #2 comes into the room when the movie is half over, and decides to sit and watch the rest of it.

3. Movie ends. Person #2 starts movie over to see the part that they missed.

4. Person #3 enters the room at some point in the middle of the movie and stays to watch the rest.

5. Person #3 restarts movie to see the parts he or she missed.

6. Repetition of steps 1-5 with Persons 4, 5, and 6 or until Mom shuts off the TV.

This happens quite frequently. Movies on rerun now: Letters to Juliet and Ramona and Beezus. Both good even the third and fourth times.  :)

Soccer: Day 3

Yes, as soon as I got home I got right back into the swing of things with three days of camping out at the Simplot Sports Complex, one of the biggest soccer complexes in the western United States.

We spend a lot of time out there.

It was kind of a sad day. Both Josh and Jacob's teams lost, and therefore were eliminated from the tournament. Eli's team is still standing with their win today over an Alaska team, and will be advancing to the quarterfinals on Friday. And MY GRACIOUS, it was HOT today. But I would gladly take the heat to watch all three of my brothers play the game they love. Well, we have next year. But for now, I think I'll stay inside and take a nice cold shower.

Picture: camknows on flickr

Coming Home

I am back at home in Idaho, safe and sound, after another term of being away at college. 

I really do love it here in Idaho, with the fields stretching out as far as the eye can see. I don't live in a rural area, but I feel a sense of attachment to the small Idaho towns where my family is rooted. 

It's kind of strange coming home and feeling like I don't really fit in anymore. My family will always love me, and I will always love them, but I guess the gist of it is that I've grown up. I've been on my own for awhile now, and with my social life back in Utah and my family here in Idaho, I feel like I'm in an in-between place. I'm not as dependent as I used to be, but I'm not completely independent either. It's an interesting time of life, full of change and a little uncertainty about what the future holds. 

Of course, some things don't change. I have been re-employed as a chauffeur, assistant cook, playmate, and peanut-butter and jelly sandwich maker. We still spend long days at the soccer fields and most evenings sitting around the dinner table. And yes, you still have to eat quick, or all the food will disappear into those bottomless stomachs I have as brothers. I can still hold my own fairly well with them, but they get bigger, faster, and stronger every day. Home is still an anchor place, even though I've been sailing on my own for awhile.

It's good to be home.

My Literary Childhood Friends

So on my excursion through the BYU Bookstore last week, before happening upon my amazing discovery of The Princess Bride, I looked through the picture book section. I was reminded why I should never walk through a bookstore when I have things to do and places to go, because I obviously had to stop and read a few. A part of me is still a little kid at heart. I've been reading since I was four, and so these books are like old childhood friends. Looking at them brings back so many good memories of long summer afternoons sprawled out in the living room reading story after story. I am of the opinion that you are never too old for picture books. Some of my favorites:

The Caboose Who Got Loose by Bill Peet.

A story in rhyme about a little caboose named Katy who finally gets loose. I also enjoy many of Peet's other stories.

The King's Stilts (and many others) by Dr. Seuss.

Classic. The king loves his big red stilts... but what happens when someone hides them away?? From the master storyteller himself.

Chrysanthemum and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. 

I love basically anything by Kevin Henkes, actually. Chrysanthemum is about learning to love yourself, and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse is about Lilly, who is quite a character, and what happens to her and her purple plastic purse, as you might imagine.

Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco. 

A sweet little story about how a grandmother helps her granddaughter overcome her fear of storms. Beautiful illustrations with whimsical charm.

Rude Giants by Audrey Wood

What happens when Beatrix the butter maid and her best friend, Gerda the cow, try to teach the rowdy giants next door how to behave themselves.

The Rattlebang Picnic by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Steven Kellogg.

Steven Kellogg's illustrations are wonderfully fitting for this story about a couple who decided to have children instead of a nice car, and it relates the family's adventures in their old rattlebang jalopy. (My favorite character? The grandma who cooks everything at low heat for two hours.) LOVE IT.

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash by Steven Kellogg and all other Jimmy's Boa books

Fifteen kids, a pet boa constrictor, and a class trip to the farm... Sounds like a recipe for fun! I enjoy Kellogg's crazy sense of humor and flair for storytelling that shines through in all of his books. 

...and so many more! Any of particular note that I didn't mention?

Famous

Josh, Eli, and Jacob: 2011 State Cup Champions

So my brothers appeared in the newspaper. Again.

If you haven't already seen it on Facebook, check the article out here.

That's right--they're pretty much famous now. :) We just finished up a long day at the soccer fields with a loss, a tie, and a win. More games to come this week, and it's gonna be a wild ride. I'll have to post the results as they come.

P.S. After five hours in the sun, I think I may have changed colors: Instead of the usual white, I am, well, not exactly tan... Less white, maybe.

Not Guilty

(So sometimes I think the title of this blog should be "Random Ramblings/Reflections," because I have a few posts dedicated to such things. That aside, on with the post.)

I'm walking down the hill from school today, and I see a police car. A little shiver ran through my body.

I thought, Why is that? Why the reaction? I mean, it's not like I did anything. What was I afraid of? It's not like they would say,

"Hey you! No walking and eating peanut butter M&Ms at the same time!"
or
"A little more to the center of the crosswalk, please!"

I don't know. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that I look/feel guilty even when I'm not guilty. Perhaps it's a case of over-active empathy. When I witness someone getting in trouble or something like that, I feel guilty/embarrassed for them. (Remember the show I Love Lucy? I can't watch it--I get too embarrassed for Lucy.) It's kind of a curse, actually. You know the game Mafia or the game Wolves? The ones where everyone has a role to play, and the Mafia members are trying to "kill" all the citizens? Yes, well, as you may guess, I'm not too good at those games. I always get accused of being Mafia, because I look guilty even when I'm not guilty. This has given my brothers some excellent teasing material over the years.

Well, it's a good thing I don't gamble, because I sure don't have a poker face.

You can bet on it.


Photo: walknboston on flickr

Not So Inconceivable

Add to the list of "compulsive reader" and "compulsive/impulsive baker" the title of "impulsive book buyer."

I finally bought The Princess Bride!! (The book, not the movie). It was three dollars. THREE. Count 'em: 1-2-3. I just had to buy it. On my little field trip through the BYU Bookstore (more to come on that later), I espied it sitting on the shelf with one of those lovely red clearance tags on it. There was the whole angels-singing-light-beaming-from-heaven moment as I reverently picked it up and carried it to the checkout register so it will be mine forever.

I think I probably could've cried.

Not really. But anyone who knows me will recall the fact that I LOVE The Princess Bride. I've watched the movie so many times I can quote it almost verbatim ("Inconceivable!"), and I've been meaning to buy the book that is the fountain of its cinematic genius for ages. And yes--the book is as good as the movie. Better, even. Especially because I have the William Goldman Harvest International Edition that has commentary and "the good parts." If you didn't know, William Goldman is the writer for the film. It's genius. Honestly one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I've had thus far, and I'm not even a quarter of the way through the book yet. Studying for finals? Psssh. How can Caesar's Gallic Wars compare with S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure? That's right: No comparison. Don't worry--I'll study, and I'm sure my Latin final will go fine. Can I read one more chapter, though?

I suppose that while I'm giving myself titles, I might as well add "Strange Girl Walking Down the Street With Her Nose In a Book Laughing to Herself and Making Weird Faces." Yep. I'm pretty sure at least one person laughed at me as I walked along. What can I say? My face is an open book sometimes. :)

Yet Another Baking Experiment

Remember how I said I was a compulsive/impulsive baker? Yes, well, it happened again last weekend. For some reason my roommates never protest when I take over the kitchen in one of my spontaneous baking sprees. Can't imagine why.

I made miniature apple turnovers using crescent rolls, and yes, they were a hit. :)

You will need:

4 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3 tsp orange or lemon juice
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Dash of salt
3 tubes crescent rolls
Melted butter
Additional sugar

Dice apples and immediately toss with orange or lemon juice to prevent browning. Mix in sugar, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Open crescent roll tubes and spread the pieces of dough out on greased cookie sheets. Place about two tablespoons of apple mixture in the middle of each piece, and wrap and pinch the dough around it. (Yes, these things have character--it's a little hard to make them all uniform.) Brush each turnover with melted butter, sprinkle sugar on top, and poke two small slits in the top of each one. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Photo: Muffet

Dreams

You know, I've decided that one of the things I enjoy most in life is watching people's dreams come true.

I was reminded of this fact as I watched the latest episodes of the show So You Think You Can Dance. What some of these incredibly talented people can do is just unbelievable. I was definitely blown away by the breathtaking leaps and difficult moves executed with such precision and grace. You just know these people have put hours and hours and heart and soul into making themselves into the best dancers they can be, and seeing all that work pay off when the judges are impressed beyond words just makes my heart happy. Yes, even to the point where I will throw up my arms and cheer all by myself in my room as I watch on my computer. What can I say? I enjoy celebrating people's successes with them.

This feeling isn't a new one. I felt it on a breezy September day in Colorado as I watched my brother, a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy, stand at attention for review as F-15s flew by close overhead. It took my breath away. My brother has known that he wanted to be a fighter pilot since he was a little boy, and watching him there at the Air Force Academy, it was like seeing his dreams become reality right before my eyes. And then, of course, I couldn't see as well because I was tearing up a little. (I mean, uh, no, of course I wasn't crying. Psssh. Why would you say such a thing? It must've been all that dust that those F-15s stirred up.) I have had this feeling many times over the years as I have watched people--family, friends, and strangers--progress toward achieving what they want most.

You always hear growing up to go after your dreams. Reach for the stars. Shoot for the moon. Go for gold. Set goals, which are the stepping stones for making our dreams become reality. But what if you don't know what your dream is? What if you haven't found something you're truly passionate about, that you would go anywhere and do anything for? Or what if your dream isn't as high-flown or as far-fetched or as glamorous as people think that dreams ought to be?

So what is my dream? What is my goal? What is my ultimate purpose in this life? When and how will I get off the bench and go fearlessly in the direction of my dreams?

You know, I'm not quite sure. I'm still figuring things out. I do know a few things; I do know some of my goals, which are a little too personal to share here. I will say, though, that I want to use my time and talents for the greatest good that I can. Maybe I'll never be well-known or famous. Maybe I'll never do something that changes the world as we know it. Maybe few will remember me. But somehow, in some way, big or small, I want to be an influence for good in the world.



I'm working on it.