Community Service

Tonight is family night. Tonight I also had a meeting. What better thing to do for family night than to teach your children about community service.

After dinner I informed Alex and Daniel that we were going to the library for family night. So we went to the library where we spent 40 minutes in our home owners association meeting. They were actually quite good. Alex sat mostly still and Daniel wandered around in the back of the room and played with the door quietly. They were ready to go home when it was over so I took them into the library for a few minutes and we left. Mom had treats when we got home.

Goodbye to Our Missionary

Yesterday was a day at the temple. We went to both the Salt Lake and Jordan River Temples.

Ready to enter the MTC.

Saying goodbye to Mom before he walks in.

First instructions as he gets his badge and lunch card.

Opening up his pocket for his badge. They were giving seam rippers to the missionaries with their badge. Both the other missionaries who walked in with him needed a seam ripper too.

Japan Kobe here he comes!!!

Relief Society with the Elder-ly

We had a great day at church today at the care center with Grandma. We were 15 minutes early for church but Grandma and most the others were already there saving their seats (wheelchair positions). Grandma had two chairs next to her with signs that said reserved. Priesthood/Relief Society was first.

The Relief Society President came up to us and said "Hi" and started to ask if we wanted to go to Priesthood down the hall. Grandma's arm immediately shot in front of Andrew as she exclaimed "No no! We enjoyed a nice Relief Society lesson. All 3 meetings took just over 2 hours.

David showed up at the end of church and spent about a half hour with us visiting Grandma while Andrew played with the wheelchair.

Baby Steps for Father's Day

Father's Day is coming up so I guess I should try to be a better father. I have never been into sports much and even less so since I moved to Washington. When I read the paper I don't even look at the sports page. Not to say I don't like sports, it's just I have so many things on my to do list that I don't get done, and sports has been a very low priority on that list.

Needless to say, most of my children suffer from my lack of sports interest in that they are not the first, second or third picks when it comes to physical activities. They are kind of nerds. OK, no kind of about it but they come by it honestly.

Anyway in my attempt to be a better father and get my boys to do something outdoors I bought a croquet set this week at the same time I was buying a new trampoline. I am informed that the trampoline is my Father's Day gift. Anyway Daniel and Alex mowed the lawn yesterday and I went out with them today and played a round of croquet. They enjoyed it but were not up to a second game. I think I'll just take baby steps with them for a while. Maybe I'll get them to like some place that is not next to a computer.

By the way Andrew and Nathan went camping tonight with the singles ward. Andrew took a movie and his mom's computer with him to keep him company. Baby steps for the 20 year old too. Boy is he in for a shock next month when he gets to the MTC.

She's Still As Wonderful As Ever

Twentyeight years ago on Sunday April 6th I asked my sweetheart to marry me. The best thing that I've ever done.

Some things are better left unsaid so I will skip how I asked her. At first we were just engaged to get engaged. By the end of the day we had picked our wedding date and were engaged. For some reason it wasn't a surprise to anyone. We had been dating two months and bets had already been placed on when we would get engaged.

I had this picture posted in my dorm and used to look at it while listening to The Rose. It had just been released and was played all the time on the radio.

Keep Refrigerated

Yesterday I cleaned out the refrigerator at work. It was gross with no room in it so I left a sign on it Monday saying anything left Friday after 1:00 p.m. would be thrown away. Friday at 2 p.m. it was still full.

There is a 35 lb weight limit for the garbage cans. I filled up 6 garbage cans. There were a couple things only a day or two old. I decided it wasn't my problem if they couldn't read. The oldest thing I noticed was a container of yogurt that expired over a year before.

When I went back in the break area a couple hours later it kind of smelled. I'm glad the cleaning crew was showing up for work. The should be able to take care of things.

I forgot to take the bleach wipes we have to work but at least the refrigerator is now empty.

Mosquito Food

Every couple weeks at work the Puget Sound Blood Center shows up looking for more blood. Signs are posted around work and emails are sent out looking for victims. Despite claiming they want your blood they don't make it easy.

First you need to be healthy, including no colds in the last few days. Then they ask you all kinds of questions about where you've been and who you've been with. At least they settle for the answers on the written sheet now rather than asking you everything again verbally like they used to.

I paid them a visit today. She wanted to know how much I exercise because my pulse was so low. I told her I figure you only have so many heart beats in life and I don't want to use them up. When they looked for a vein they remarked that I was genetically bred to donate. After they took a pint from me, my arm was wrapped in green tape in honor of St Patrick's day.