What Is A Girl To Do?

(Worst picture ever of Mollie and I)

 

The fall weather was rolling in on Saturday morning and we had nothing on the calendar.  It was so beautiful and my family was super lazy.  Jessica was with a friend, but if she had been home she would have been super lazy, too.  Jonathan just wanted to play video games and Fred just wanted to alternate between watching TV and sleeping.

 

So, what's a girl to do when your family doesn't want to hang out with you?  I guess you hang out with your dog.  How sad is that?  I begged Jonathan to go on a bike ride or for a walk and he said no.  Fred completely ignored me, so I grabbed Mollie's leash and we went for a walk.  We met a woman and another dog.  We sat and watched the ducks for a long time.  And, now I'm one of those people.  I'm one of those 'dog' people, because my family doesn't want to hang out with me.

 

It is a sad life that I lead.

 



Personal Reflection

San Marcos River

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.
-Doctrine and Covenants 101:16

Our lives have become extremely busy.  We run from one thing to another.  We wear ourselves out in thoughtless pursuit of goals which are largely ephemeral.  We are entitled to spend some time with ourselves in introspection, in development, in thinking, meditating, pondering things.
-Gordon B. Hinckley

I love my little blog.  It allows me to do just what President Hinckley counsels... spend time in introspection, in development, in thinking, in meditating and in pondering things.  I don't always record the things that I think about, but it allows me to ponder and think some of my best thoughts and fix the problems of the world (or at least my family).

We should all make time for personal reflection.

Flashback Friday: Mollie's Homecoming

June 21, 2008

The day our sweet Mollie came home with us!

The happiest day ever...

(That was before we embarked on training!)

Weekend Funnies

Filters Are A Great Thing
I was helping pack my Grandma's belongings, so that she could move to a new assisted living home.  While we were packing, Grandma went down to have lunch.  I ended up taking her something which gave me the opportunity to meet her tablemates.  She proudly introduced me to all her friends leaving this one sweet lady for last. She then said, "Donna, this is Jane.  She don't hardly comb her hair much."  And, that my friends is the innocence of a 92 year old.  I sure hope my filter holds out on me, because I have a lot of thoughts in my head that I think should really stay there!

Dracula
I commented to Fred that I needed to run by the store over the weekend and pick up Dracula for Jessica.  She needed to have it for school by Tuesday.  Fred looked at me thoughtfully and asked, "Does she need the black and white version or the new version?"  Confused and then amused, I answered, "Umm, that would be the print version.  She has to read the book for school.  Not watch the movie!"  He just grinned sheepishly, but wasn't too ashamed that he seemed to forget that kids have to READ in English class.

Courage the Cowardly Dog
This weekend I was talking to Jessica's friend from school.  His name is Euciff (not exactly sure how you spell that).  I had met him last year.  However, I got really confused and kept calling him Eustace - as in the old man from Courage the Cowardly Dog.  I kept trying to figure out why that name sounded so familiar.  Finally, Jess got on to me and said that is NOT his name and reminded me where I was pulling that name from.  Poor guy.  I don't think I called him that to his face.  My kids were never allowed to watch that show, but it seemed like it was always coming on TV and we were always having to change the channel.  We got a good laugh over the fact that I kept calling this poor boy Eustace.  Last year, I met Praveen and called him Perveen and Spyker was Stryker.  Am I that uncool that I can't get these names right?  What happened to kids with normal names like Matt and John? 

School Project?

Jessica and her friend, Sarah, spent Friday evening and all day Saturday together.  They were supposed to be working on a photojournalism project together.  They were comparing and contrasting a no-kill animal shelter and a traditional animal shelter. 

I wasn't sure how much work they got done, since they were planning more 'work' on their project this weekend.  And, last weekend's agenda seemed to include dinner at Olive Garden, a movie and hanging with friends.  I did let Jess borrow my camera and I was happy to find some pictures of dogs and cats on my memory card. 

I am glad to see that they did manage to get a little bit of work done!

Swoosh

Over the holiday weekend, we had to head over to our local Academy and buy Jonathan a pair of shoes for tennis.  Jonathan was happily trying on the Nike and Adidas shoes until he picked out the Nike's. His only regret was that he preferred the Nike's that had the green stripe, but they didn't come in his size.

 

A few minutes after making what we thought was our final selection, Fred happened upon more shoes to choose from.  A few Reebok's along with the cheaper Wilson shoes and the Academy brand for a low, low price.  Jonathan tried on the Wilson and Academy private label branded shoes and would quickly yell out that they didn't fit.  He would often yell out that they didn't fit long before he had them on his feet or before they were tied.  Fred was dutifully asking in what way they didn't fit, so that he could offer up different sizes.  However, I had figured out the game Jonathan was playing.

 

For the first time in Jonathan's 12 years, we were having to deal with brand awareness and brand loyalty.  I leaned over and asked him, "We aren't leaving here without those Nike's are we?"  He mumbled something about how they fit and felt so much better than all the others.  I gathered all the boxes up and gave them to Fred, so that we could put them away and explained that we were buying the Nike's.  For some reason, I really wanted Jonathan to have those shoes.  Maybe because I always wanted certain brands, but couldn't have them. 

 

Given the fact that we don't expect Jonathan to be a tennis pro, I should have made him leave with the off-brand shoes, but I didn't.  And, given the fact that we don't expect him to be a tennis pro is the very reason why Fred felt so strongly that Jonathan needed to leave with the cheap shoes!

 

And, let me tell you, all the way home we had to hear about the cost difference between the Nike's and the Tredz (who thought of that stupid name anyway).  Here's the thing, Fred is not loyal to any brand whatsoever!  He will buy a cheap pair of shoes and then get mad because they fell apart or can't figure out why his heal hurts while he is playing basketball.  He doesn't understand what it feels like to want to fit in or be cool.  This man happily drove his Dad's minivan at the age of 19.  He might be the only teenager ever pulled over in the city of Plano for racing a Ford Aerostar!

 

All I know for sure is that Fred told Jonathan that he had better use those shoes all year long and never complain about them one time!

Take Time To Smell The Roses

Lake Bonham

 

"To truly reverence the Creator, we must appreciate his creations.  We need to plan to take time to observe the marvels of nature.... Take time to sit on a hillside and feel the tranquility of the evening when the sun casts its last golden glow over the horizon.  Take time to smell the roses."

 

-Elder M. Russell Ballard

"God's Love For His Children," Ensign, May 1988