Black Monday

A police officer securing the mall after multiple shootings.

This has been a horrible day. A killer strolled into Trolley Square, an upscale mall in Salt Lake City, and fired a shotgun on an unknown amount of people. Right now they're not sure how many are dead or injured. The police evidently shot him down and killed him, but not before he had run the length of the mall on his rampage.

This is a mall I frequent. Brad and I have eaten in most of the restaurants, where tonight people stuffed their children under bread carts for protection, and others locked themselves in freezers to keep the gunman out. Family restaurants, with children and parents enjoying a night out, when all of a sudden their whole world changed.

In addition to this tragedy, my sister-in-law's father died tonight as well. Just collapsed. He was only 55. I feel so bad for her. She's having, understandably, a really difficult time and is grieving.

Also in our area within the last couple of days a young Bishop's pregnant wife and two of their kids were killed by a 17 year old drunk driver.

A couple days before that a young 24 year old mom was killed when her new month-old home exploded because of a gas leak.

What is going on here?! This is all WAY too close to home. It's amazing how things can change in the blink of an eye. One moment it all can be going along smoothly, and bam--all of a sudden everything's different. I hope I truly appreciate my family and loved ones. I hope I live without regrets. I hope I live in the moment. I wish I could protect my family from stuff like this, but I don't know how. As I've watched, I've been amazed at the faith and strength of some of the people going through it, and my heart has broken for others who didn't have that same faith. I can't help but wonder how I would react in situations like I've witnessed the last couple of weeks. I certainly don't want to find out.

11 days!

Eleven days until Ty gets to see his cousins Jacob, Jessica and Katelyn! He wishes he had a sweatshirt with everybody's name on it, but we could only find one with Jake's name.

Grumpy

1. Freezing Cold and Hazy. It's too cold to spend any real amount of time outside, and the air is so bad, I wouldn't want to anyway. This has caused a bit of cabin fever, I'm afraid. You can only go to the Arctic Circle playland so many times a week before they start wondering if you work there.

2. Payday is supposed to be great, but I always get a little depressed because after paying all the bills, I see how little we have to live on until next payday. The heating bill this month was outrageous! I know we make more money now than when we were in school, but more expenses show up, too: higher rent, life insurance, school loan payments...it gets frustrating.

3. Another Friday goes by, and we still don't have a clue where we'll be transferred to. We've been in limbo for so long it's not funny anymore.

4. I thought I was over this one, but I was reading a lady's blog about deciding she was done having children, and then deciding she wasn't done, and how now she's due in May. I'm totally happy for her, but sometimes I'm still caught off-guard when I remember that most people have a choice. Most people can decide to get pregnant or not get pregnant, and when! It's funny how I think I'm just fine with all my infertility issues when something dumb like this gets me all in a funk again.

Okay kids, I got it out. No need to freak out and think I'm all depressed, it's just one of those days. I'm sure the normal Sal will return tomorrow.

50 Things I Like

Sunsets. Maps. Candlelight. A whole day to read. St John Chapter 14. Tyler's blue eyes. Taking the back roads. Holding hands. Fall leaves. The Amazing Race. Hyacinths. New Poems. Spontaneous trips. Stephen's brand Orange Creme Hot Chocolate. The start of football season. Christmas morning. Haceta Head Lighthouse. Cafe Rio pork salad w/both dressings. Old friends. American Idol after the meanness at the beginning. The Salt Lake City Library. Tornadoes. Snuggling. Reading old letters. Saturday Market in downtown Eugene. Fireflies. Dollar movies. Relief Society. Finding killer deals. Cold Mountain Dew. Hammocks. The Bountiful Deseret Industries. Getting the mail. Naptime. New calendars. Rough-housing with TyTy. Surprise flowers. Lunch with Mom. Giving and getting compliments. Trips to Susan's house. Office supply stores. Citrus smells. See's chocolate. Finding forgotten money. 80's and 90's music. Planning vacations. Time by myself after everyone's in bed. Collard Lake. Scary roller coasters. New babies.

Pinball, Poo, and President Kimball

How can it be that the same 2 year old that had a poo-poo in the bathtub yesterday, is playing Pinball on the computer like a pro? Brad taught him how, and now he starts the game all by himself with the mouse, and finds the keys (the z, the ?, and the space bar)to play all by himself! It's crazy! (Please excuse my messy desk!)



On another subject, I'm teaching the lesson tomorrow in Relief Society on President Kimball. I'm so excited to study his words this year. I found a little video blurb on him to show in the lesson, and it was so fun to hear that unique voice again. He is the Prophet of my childhood, and it's fun to revisit him.

Bear Lake Adventure

We had a fun little vacation at Bear Lake with Brad's family just after Christmas. We stayed at this really nice cabin that had six bedrooms and lots of room. And a great view of the lake (you can see it there in the background).

Grandma brought some crafty things for the cousins to do, like decorating Gingerbread men with marshmallows, candy and frosting.

Of course, Ty wasn't interested in decorating the cookie--he just kept putting frosting on it and eating it. Yum Yum.

We rented snowmobiles one day and went riding around the trails above the cabin. Way fun! Brad took Ty on a little ride and went really slow so I wouldn't worry. Ty loved it!

June brought little New Year's toys from England that pop and have little toys in them, along with crowns. Ty is blowing the little horn that he got, and we're all wearing our crowns.

Except for our car getting stuck on the hill on our way out (John ended up towing us with his truck--we brought chains, but they didn't fit our tires!) we had a really fun time. Everyone got along and the cousins had a great time getting to know one another again.

A Merry Christmas

Through a child's eyes,

There's Hope, there's Peace, there's Love.

I can almost see Heaven above--through a child's eyes.

Good Morning

As much as I LOVE Tyler's bedtime (think Hallelujah Chorus), I love seeing him again in the morning when he's sweet and cute and well-rested. He's not an early riser, which I am sooooo thankful for, so usually around 8:30 every morning I start to hear little chatter and singing. Then I hear, "Mommy!!! Wake up!!! Wake up Mommy!!" Even though he got a big boy bed a couple weeks ago, he still treats it like a crib (with the gates on the side it kinda still is like one), so he won't get out until I come in to get him. He's always sitting up playing with his bed "friends". Let me tell you about them.

In the picture he's holding the binks that he's collected througout the night. He collects them and puts them "away" until the next nighttime. (It's progress!)

His favorite blankies include:

Africa (the one pictured)
Bluey
Fringy
Balloony
Fuzzy
Quilty (also known as Mommy's Pillow)
Alphabetty, and
Giraffy

I think it's interesting that he hasn't stuck with one that's his favorite. He rotates and wants different ones at random times. Same with his animals and dolls:

BelleBelle (well, I think this is his very favorite)
Doggy (the hyper silly one of the bunch)
Payton
Debbie
Froggy
Monkey
Lion, and the newest one:
Gingy (the gingerbread man that a nice lady won in one of those claw vending machines and gave to TyTy. So nice, huh?)

No wonder the crib was getting too small!!!

After we inventory and talk to every friend on his bed, I sit in the rocker and we talk about his night and talk about our upcoming day, and where Daddy is, etc. It's a time I'm starting to treasure.

My Sincerest Apology...

Dear Nurse at the After Hours Clinic in the Sandy Mall:

It must be hard working off-hours on a Sunday, dealing with people that can't wait to see their normal doctors on Monday. I'm sure I didn't make it any easier for you yesterday.

After seven days of non-functioning, and not getting any better, I decided I needed to come see you. Wearing my little mask they gave me to protect others from sickness, I gave you all my info: no meds except Ibuprofen and Sudafed...Oh wait, I did use my Albuterol inhaler on Wednesday night... No, I don't smoke...Started my period a couple days ago...On a scale of one to ten, my throat hurts an 8.5 or 9...Mother of a headache last night...still stuffed up...a little nausea...husband and baby had cold last week...aches...fever...terrible cough...yes, green sputum.

I sat up on the exam table like the perfect patient. You looked in my ears: all good. I breathed for you: lungs sound good. And then--I should have warned you, but I forgot. I was too relieved to be taking off the little mask (it gets hot in there!) that I didn't realize what was next. All of a sudden you stuck a stick in my mouth and another stick with a swab on it. I couldn't warn you about my overactive gag reflex. But you sure did find out about it, didn't you? And you also found out first-hand about the green sputum. Just be glad my nausea kept me from eating anything earlier in the day! As you wiped off your face and hands, I didn't even see one look of disgust! You, dear nurse, are a professional!

Test Results? Positive for Strep. I really do hope you have a good immune system, dear After Hours Nurse. So sorry.

Random Stuff

We went to a birthday party for our niece Emma's first birthday. Ty was so excited to go. He chose to give her (with the help of Daddy) the same Refridgerator magnet singing farm animals that he has. I was running a bit late and Ty kept saying, "Vamanos!!! Let's go!" I guess Dora is doing some good. (He can count to ten in Spanish, too!)

Little Emma tearing through her cake!

Tyler saw Grandpa taking a nap and said he was "seepy", too.

The other morning I heard Ty yelling something from his crib. I went in there and he was saying, "It's on! Outside! It's on!" I asked him, "What's on?" "The sun!!" he said, "It's on outside!!!"

A Prayer

I was sitting at my computer, doing my eBay, and Ty was playing on the bed. All of a sudden I hear:

Heavy Father... so much... Mommy... Daddy... grateful... Pez Hinckey... Daddy work... Jee Christ... Amen.

Is that sweet or what? This is the first time I've heard him say a prayer by himself--Brad or I have always helped him. Of course, I gave him so much praise that after that he kept saying, "again! again!" He must have said five more exactly like it. By this time, it's getting a little old, but I don't want to say "no more prayers," so I just said "one more time," and after that he said, "All done!"

Good Times!

Oh I just about lost my lunch over today's Rivalry Game between BYU and Utah! Talk about a nailbiter--I couldn't take it. I had to leave and go pick up some Cafe Rio in the middle of the madness. Of course I listened to the radio in the car, so I didn't really get away from it that much. It came down to one play with 3.2 seconds left, BYU down by four, just inside the ten yard line. AUGHHHH!!!! The play lasted FOREVER, but just as John Beck was getting tackled, he found his pal Johnny Harline on the other side of the endzone, threw across his body and just barely connected. BYU by 2!!!Finally after four years, they did it! Just barely, but they did! You gotta give props to the Utah team--they showed up to play! And the crowd just about killed us they were sooooo loud! Those Utes sure do hate us!

Now I worry about the Las Vegas bowl. Chances are likely right now that BYU could play Oregon. That is my worst football nightmare! I hate it when my two favorite teams play each other. I don't want to see either of them lose their bowl game. But there's no question that my loyalties have to be with BYU on this one. I know these boys. They've been through some hard times the last few years, and this has been a magical season, and for so many of them, it's their last.


Thanksgiving was great fun this year. We were at my parent's house and we just had a fun time. The kids went swimming, we played pool and dominoes, told stories, just talked, and ate some really good food. Everything tasted so good this year! It was also nice having Great-Grandma with us from the Boise area.

This is during a game of chickenfoot.

TyTy and Maddy became best cousin buds.

Thursday Thirteen #9

Thirteen Embarrassing Moments


1. Wetting my pants in the first grade. We were sitting there on our little carpets listening to Miss Murata read out loud. I asked if I could go, but she said no. So I went anyways. Right there on the carpet. I had to go to the office and wear borrowed clothing until my mom came.

2. In fourth grade, I tripped over someone’s chair and hit my head on a desk. I didn’t realize it was that bad until all the kids started screaming, “You’re bleeding!”. I had to go get stiches.

3. In third grade, I was showering in my parent’s shower for some reason, and I saw my dad’s razor. I decided to shave my face, just like he did. Only I shaved my WHOLE face, including my eyebrows! Oops! And it was the day before school pictures!

4. I got the lead in the school play: Sound of Music! Everything was going great until I fell down the stairs and my shoe flew into the audience and hit a lady in the head. After that, everybody was like, “Did you have a nice trip? See ya next fall!

5. In high school I was a DJ for a local radio station. As I was giving the weather report, I accidently said it was “farty” out, instead of “forty.”

6. My wedding day: we’re kneeling at an altar, pledging to love each other for forever. Brad gets through just fine, but when I get asked, instead of answering, my throat catches and I can’t say it!

7. On a triple date in college, we’re back from the event, just hanging out in our apartment. My roommate offers to crack my back (why, I can’t remember!) and when she does, I let out this big fart! Needless to say, I never saw that guy again!

8. My favorite teacher also happened to be the dad of the guy I really liked in 8th grade. When he found out I liked his son, (thanks, Kenny, for blabbing) he would say things like, “Is there anything you want me to put under his pillow tonight?” and “It’s okay if you like my son, just don’t start calling me dad!”

9. It was a snowy day at BYU, and I was walking home. I was stopped at a light, when a bus came by and totally drenched me with dirty slush! I had to walk home freezing and muddy and wet, with people staring the whole way.

10. I was singing at my brother’s wedding reception and forgot the words to the song I was singing. I ended up not finishing because I just couldn’t remember the words!

11. As a health teacher, I was teaching the kids the harmful effects of tobacco on the lungs. I had forgotten my overhead drawing of the lungs, so I just drew some up on the chalkboard. As soon as I did, the whole class started laughing! I didn’t know why, until I stepped back and saw what they saw: my drawing of lungs looked just like the male anatomy! I just said, “Oops...the sex ed lesson isn’t until next week!” Needless to say, I never attempted to draw anything again.

12. First day of college, I struggled to find my classroom on time. I made it just before the bell. The teacher came in and started lecturing. About halfway through, I realized I was in a senior literature class, not freshman English! I just bolted out the door and didn’t look back.

13. I was on swim team and was finishing a long practice. Only problem was I wasn’t feeling too well. Doing the breast stroke, I accidently swallowed a bunch of water as I was getting my breath. It resulted in throwing up my lunch all over the pool! You’ve never seen a pool vacate so fast!





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Monday's Poem

Routine

Arthur Guiterman

No matter what we are and who,

Some duties everyone must do:

A Poet puts aside his wreath

To wash his face and brush his teeth,

And even Earls

Must comb their curls,

And even Kings

Have underthings.

Ho Hum...

Kinda weird...this has been a busy week, so much so that I haven't really blogged, but not the type of busy that is really interesting--just boring busy. So I'll just touch on the highlights.

1. Voting

This was the first time Utah used electronic voting machines. Except for a big debacle in Utah County (what's new?), they worked well, and were pretty easy to use. Even all the old ladies in my ward said they liked it!

2. Orange Jello

I had an opportunity to volunteer at the Deseret Dairy on Wednesday. For four hours we packaged and weighed and inspected packets of orange jello. Oh...my...gosh. I don't know how people do it that have a full-time job on an assembly line. That is the most monotonous thing I've ever done! I'm glad I was able to go, though. It was very interesting seeing Welfare Square. Neat place!

3. Music Orientation

This was my first time orienting anyone to a calling. We finally got music people for Relief Society and I got to meet with them and get them excited about the importance of music. Kinda cool.

4. BYU vs. Wyoming

I was excited to see this game--Wyoming was supposedly the second best in the Mountain West. Umm...either they weren't playing too well, or we're a LOT better than I thought. At 55-7 it wasn't much of a contest. It is so fun to see the team so confident and efficient. What a great season!

5. ebay

This has taken up most of my alloted "blogging time" this week. My Mom and Dad recently received as a gift some items that they didn't really need (supplements, hair stuff, etc) so they passed them on to us, almost as a joke. We didn't really need them, either. So I thought: I wonder if these would sell on ebay? Umm...yeah. I've listed 16 items, eight are still up for auction, and we've made almost $300 so far!!! Who knew that people would pay $43 plus shipping for eight bars of soap!!!!!

Monday's Poem

Poem to Be Read at 3 A.M.

Donald Justice

Excepting the diner

On the outskirts

The town of Ladora

At 3 A.M.

Was dark but

For my headlights

And up in

One second-story room

A single light

Where someone

Was sick or

Perhaps reading

As I drove past

At seventy

Not thinking

This poem

Is for whoever

Had the light on

More fall pics

Here are some more of our attempts at a 2yr picture. None of them turned out because of the poor lighting, but there are some cute rejects!

It looks like it's totally dark, but it was just way overcast. I'm learning that lighting is VERY important when taking pictures! Bear with me as I keep experimenting!

First attempts at striking a pose!

Tonight as we were rocking before bedtime:
Tyler: Mommy, I love you. Mommy, I love you.
Me: I love you, too, Tyler. Very much.
Tyler: Oh! Thank you, Mommy!

Not too Bright

I know, I know, it's just a "botched joke,"

but I think this is pretty funny!

Thursday Thirteen #8

The Next Thirteen Items That are on My Calendar (as of today)

1. Young Men's activity(Brad)

2. Work Retreat in Park City (Brad)

3. Welfare Committee Meeting(Me--what's wrong with this? Brad gets a retreat in Park city and I have to go to a boring meeting? Hmm....)

4. Meet Andrea and Spencer at Carl's Jr for lunch and play. (Me and TyTy)

5. Adoption Celebration at Boondock's (whole family!)

6. Watch BYU play Colorado State. Go cougs! (whole family!)

7. Family Home Evening with Brad's Parents, tiling their bathroom (whole family!)

8. Vote at Liberty Elementary (me and Brad)

9. Relief Society Presidency meeting (me)

10. Watch friend's baby while she packs (me and Ty)

11. Thursday night game: Wyoming vs. BYU Go Cougs! (whole family)

12. Payday!!!!!

13. My neice Amanda's ninth birthday.



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Halloween Clown

We went to my Mom and Dad's condo last night to trick or treat around there. Our little clown loved his costume. He kept saying, "Face, huh?", because he liked his face paint so much.

He didn't quite get why all this candy was being offered to him, but he definitely didn't complain!