BYU BB

I'm not a huge sports fan, but I do enjoy watching basketball. It might have something to do with the fact that I've watched A LOT of basketball during my life, beginning with watching the mighty Minico Spartans play in the high school gym when I was growing up. They were really good back in the day we went to state several times during my high school days. I've watched my kids play and play and play on the basketball court. They all four played Junior Jazz as grade school kids and Claire went on to play through junior high, distinguishing herself with her jumping abilities and offensive skills. Jordan was tenacious on the court and could defend against just about anyone. Dave was aggressive and was a fantastic ball handler. OK, so I might be stretching it a little bit, but they used their height to their advantage and had a great time.

Then along came 6 ' 4" Andy boy. Rick and I watched that kid play a ton of ball. All through junior high, all through high school. I'm not gonna lie, some of it was painful. Especially the politics of playing on the high school level. His team was awful his senior year and that was tough to watch. But he developed into a good ball handler and we were all glad he had the experience in the end. He loves the game and I'm sure there will be some village ball and intramural ball in his future.

Rick and I have also watched a TON of BYU basketball over the years. A ton of it. Some of our first dates were to attend BYU games back in the day when they were incredibly good. Danny Ainge days. Days when they could stall and hold or bounce the ball for minutes on end to hold a lead. Short shorts days. No three-point-shot days. We've watched some pretty exciting games and yelled our guts out.

We've seen the Cougars go up and down in the win loss category through 30 plus years, but right now they are up. Really up, excitingly up. Dave Rose is doing a great job coaching them and they have some fantastic players. They are a great diversion during the winter months and it's fun to watch them. We've had season tickets on and off for many years, and this year we have them again. Pretty good seats that are easy to get to with a good view. Last night we went to watch them play UNLV in the Marriott Center. Great, great game. Rick predicted that it would be and he was right. A nail biter right down to the end. A victory for the Cougars 77-73. A great way to spend a winter night and an added bonus is that Dave was able to come down to go with us. Go Cougars! 15-1. Can't wait to see the next game. It should be a fun year.

Oh my...part 2

Jamie Jo - thanks, see you there
Eileen - you've ALWAYS been a great support to me, thanks
teamZ - come on down, I'd love to see you!
Joyce Anne - thanks for the support! I'd love to see you again after all these years.
Jord - hahaha
VFR - always my best supporter in everything
leemo - yes, we're still sisters! Mom thinks it's kind of amazing that we all get along as well as we do considering that we're so different from one another. She may be right! It's April 29-30.
Ann - the mystery is solved. Thanks a lot!

I said YES yesterday to the woman who called. Now they want a 20 word bio for the program. How to sum up 55 years in 20 words, hum...
The plot thickens. I'm sharing the presentation with a woman named Bonnie from Fruit Heights and going to an orientation on the 27th for more info. Should be interesting. I'm glad I don't have to do it alone. I'll need divine help as well.
I've been asking women I know what brings them JOY (to get some idea of how to approach this.) How is JOY different than happiness? I've got some very interesting and thought provoking responses. Do you care to share your thoughts? Please do!

Winter blahs

Well, it's over. The trees are down, the decorations are mostly put away. The family has departed and we've back to our regular routine. I guess that's a good thing. It would be exhausting to stay in holiday mode for too long. All those late nights, constant activity and rich food take a toll! We loved having our family come home for the holidays. There is nothing better, but now it's the long, dark, cold months of winter ahead, at least for a couple of months. One piece of good news - I didn't gain any weight...all that hustling and moving around must have compensated for not exercising for two weeks and for eating more than I usually do. One piece of bad news... it's -40 degrees in Mongolia today. Poor Elder Andy.

What to you do to keep busy and not suffer from the blues during the winter? Here are some ideas I came across that I thought were really good:

10 Quick Tips to Overcome the winter blahs

With just a little effort, you can turn your free time during winter into something new and exciting. Ten things you might try:

1. Exercise. Get your blood pumping and get a better attitude about everything with daily exercise. It can improve your body and your mind. Walking is one of the easiest ways to stay fit.
2. Read some good books. Take time to read. Do a cross-word puzzle. They keep your mind working.
3. Find a new hobby. Try something different. If you are a gardener, plan your summer garden.
4. Socialize. Don=t hibernate. Force yourself to go out either with friends or to meet others.
5. Color your home with flowers. Start plants inside. Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths start well in the house. If you don=t have a green thumb, buy some pretty plants or flowers for your house.
6. Soak up some rays. Let the sun shine on you for at least 15 minutes a day. Many people are affected by the lack of sun and daylight during the winter months.
7. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Henry David Thoreau said it, said it best, and it still works. Take time now to bring order to your life. Reorganize and clean out closets, dresser drawers and desks. Shred documents you no longer need. Give things away to charity.
8. Watch what you eat. People tend to gain weight during winter. Avoid heavy pastas and soups. Try comforting beans, lentils and other tasty legumes instead. They make hearty meals without heavy calories.
9. Take up a winter sport. Head over to a public skating rink, sled hill or cross country trail and embrace the weather. Keep physically active.
10. Get those indoor projects done. Look around and see what indoor projects you can to work on. It could be as simple as fixing a light fixture or as involved as painting a room. You=ll feel better when you cross a long-needed project off your to-do list.

Oh my...

I got this letter in the mail last week (click on the letter to enlarge.) I was in total shock. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Seriously, I'm kind of excited, but very nervous. I can't imagine how this happened. I guess I'll move forward and start preparing. Do any of you good readers have any ideas to offer? I'd appreciate your help!

A special little girl

Make a Smilebox photobook