Did You Know?

Did you know that I dyed my hair this weekend? It's pretty dark and takes some getting used to.

Did you know that my friend, Scott, called me from California this week? What a fun surprise!

Did you know that my job is (finally) being changed from "Secretary" to "Administrative Assistant"? Bout time!

Did you know that the word "lethologica" describes the state of not being able to remember the word you want? I suffer from this constantly!

Did you know that I know the exact dates of the last three times I vomited? It happens that rarely; but I thought I was going to add a date the night before last. (Sorry. TMI.)

Did you know that today is my mom's birthday? If you're cool, you care.

Did you know that it's 51 days till Ragnar? YIKES! (And Go! Team Ragnarly!)

Did you know that my "Did You Knows" are not as cool as Amy's? Eh, well--we can't all be as great as she is.

The Things That Made Today the Perfect Day

1. I got to sleep in. Ashtyn says 7:30 is not sleeping in, but I slept till I was fully awake. That's a beautiful thing.
2. The weather was PERFECT. We reached 70 degrees, and it was sunny. That's warm enough to not need a jacket, to make the car hot and wonderful when you first get in it, to roll down the windows and get a beautiful breeze, and to remember that life is still there, after a long winter's nap.
3. I got to watch high school kids sing. And sing well. One of them was our son. His ensemble won a "1" at State! (We didn't get the results on his solo yet.)
4. I got to visit with my grandparents and my aunts and uncle. (The only way it could be better is if my parents had been there, too.)
5. Grandma had burnt almond fudge ice cream for her birthday, and she shared it with me.
6. I had a nice nap in the afternoon that wasn't so long that it made me groggy.
7. We were taught by a member of the Seventy at our stake conference, and it was wonderful.
8. Ashtyn made dinner. Not only did we have a wonderful dinner, I did not have to make it.
9. Ashtyn cleaned up her cooking. Isn't that great!?
10. Ashtyn is acting normal. Woot!

This was a beautiful, wonderful day. Wish you were here!

Fun in the Sand and the Sun

Ashtyn wanted me to get wet with her. I love the ocean, but it was COLD water, and the wind was brisk. So she said, "Can I bury you in the sand?" I nodded, and her eyebrows shot up? "Really?" she queried. I nodded. "Really, really?" she asked. I nodded.

So she and her friends got busy digging a hole big enough to fit Bri and I in, and then they buried us.

We are still shaking sand out of things! :) So. much. fun.

I Have My Grandmother's Skin

There are two reasons why I like to wear long sleeves. The first is that I am always cold; the second is that things that rub against my arms hurt.

I have worn short sleeves for the past 4 days. My left forearm is really sore. Just like Grandma's used to get.

I haven't yet needed to try 5,000 different styles of tops, and I don't have a satin pillowcase pinned to the armrest of the chair.

Yet.

Why ICS Employees Are the Way They Are

Jesse's son, who has become the support guru in the Public Affairs Department, helped me download some software to allow me to put the picture and the music of my choice on my phone. Now our children are peering at me from inside a teepee each time I glance at my phone, and Chicago sings "You're the Inspiration" each time someone calls me.

My boss helped me through this--honest!

And that, my friends, is why ICS people are the way they are. The end.

Little Goodbyes

Remember that job I took a couple of months ago, wherein I was going to be Leland's secretary? And remember that the next week Leland was assigned to work at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii? Remember the weeks of doing NOTHING because--as far as HQF in SLC was concerned--Leland was doing nothing? Remember how I was also supposed to support Jared, but he "lives" 9 floors away from me?

Well, my friends, it is time for some little goodbyes:

Goodbye to Leland, who leaves for Hawaii (for three years) this Saturday, but whose last official day at work (in SLC for three years) was yesterday. Incidentally, I will still be Leland's secretary. We will be working via email and shared network drives for the next three years. I'm looking forward to that challenge.

Goodbye to 2LL, as Jared (temporarily) moves to 8. BTW, I emailed Jared yesterday and told him that I thought Karleen should move to 8, too. She'd get a whole lot done, I said. It would be quiet, I said. She would be happy, I said. There's room here, I said. Jared said, hmmmm...

Goodbye to having nothing to do, because Jared is getting me busy with processes--Hooray!

AND--one more:

Goodbye, SLC. I will be visiting San Diego for a few short days. I hope you miss me. I hope you take care of my two Spencers while I'm gone. I hope you don't move directly into summer while I'm gone.

Sometimes goodbyes are a really good thing!

Basically, I'm a Bum

Here's the thing. Every time life has gotten stressful, my writing goes away. Wedding? Funeral? Primary Program? New job? New baby? I have no record of any of these things. My posterity will think my life just sailed along without anything hard because I never write about them till the stress is gone. And once the stress is gone, what's to write? I made it through. Let's not think about it ever again.

Additionally, I haven't gone running in a week and a half. Never mind that the Ragnar is just two months away. It's too cold. I'm too stressed.

Yard work? Forget it.

So really, I'm just a bum. I come home, get into my jammies, and curl up with a book, a movie, The Biggest Loser, or my embroidery. I guess the writing's not the only thing that goes away.

BTW, the fact that I'm writing tonight is a good sign. :)