The Weekend

It's been a normal, busy weekend and I thought I'd leave a couple of verbal snapshots. I'd leave real snapshots, but I keep forgetting to take them.

1) The shirts are in town and have been since Thursday morning at 5:04 (according to the website). The UPS guy and I can't seem to coordinate our schedules. I waited until 12:30 on Thursday, when I had to leave and run a couple of errands before school got out. He stopped by about 1:15. Friday I went to the temple at about 10:15 and passed him about halfway there. I had left a note telling him I'd be gone and that coming around 2:00 would be great. He moved the note from off of my doorbell and left another UPS sticky note indicating a missed delivery. Monday I only have to take the boys to school and go to the dentist at 9:40. Hopefully we can both be at our house at the same time.


2) We actually worked in the yard. Yesterday I weeded the front yard. Well, ok, the edge along one side of the driveway and part of the flower bed. My neighbor was very excited, seeing as our yard abuts his house. It must really bother him that we don't do a lot with the yard. The previous owners paid him to maintain the yard for them since they lived in CA and had renters here. He's put in a lot of work here and I think it kills him to see us only mow it every other week. Hey, we do what we can! He saw me weeding and mentioned that he just sprays for the weeds. I didn't mention that I had just sprayed Round-up over half the back yard- the really weedy half- so we could turn it into a garden next spring. He's mentioned before that two owners ago used to have such beautiful grass in the backyard. I did say (very kindly I must add) that if it really bothered him, he could just spray a little on our yard when he did his yard. It wouldn't bother me and I wouldn't sue him. He said "Ok!" and got out the weed killer. It looked like it might rain, so he said he'd get to it sometime this weekend. He also very kindly offered let us use his edger as well. He got it out and it was out of gas. He asked us if we had any, but our lawn mower is electric. I don't think that impressed him, either. He filled the tank and then edged for me. He did leave the sweeping for me to do, though. I'll have to make cookies or bread or something and take it over. This morning he came outside and was, again, very excited to see Greg mowing the lawn. It always looks so nice, I'll admit, but between soccer and school it just doesn't always happen. Hope Wally survives us as neighbors.

Greg also trimmed a tree in the neighbors yard on the other side. It's very overgrown and the branches lay on the roof of our house. We'd mentioned before that we needed them off the roof, but nothing happened; then they moved out and renters moved in. Now, there are no branches on our roof and I don't think the renters care. Hope the owners are alright with it the next time they stop by. If not, well the part of the tree in their yard is still there, just not the part that was on our house. That sounds kind of rude, but I don't want to have major roof repairs or bugs in the future.

3) Today was Ryan's day to go to the football game with Greg. They had a great time (BYU played Wyoming and won, 44-0) but left during the 3rd quarter. Greg's dad left the kids $20 each when he was here last month and we've been letting the kids spend it at the games. Ryan used his to buy a cougar tail (3 foot long maple bar), a root beer, and 2 frozen lemonades- 1 regular and 1 strawberry. He didn't eat everything, but by the third quarter he was getting tired and his tummy was starting to hurt. Imagine that! He and Greg got home at the beginning of the 4th quarter and watched it with us from the couch.

4) We had a ward block party tonight in the cul-de-sac behind our house. We had hamburgers, hotdogs, lots of salads, chips, and desserts. The Young Men and Young Women were responsible for activities. The YM did basketball shooting contests and sidewalk chalk drawing contests and the YW did a cup cake walk. The kids drew great pictures. Steven won the "Most Consecutive Free Throws" contest with 5 and won 2 boxes of Nerds. Joseph won the "Farthest Free Throw" contest and a hershey's chocolate bar. The man who took second told Joseph that if he could make his last shot, he'd give him $10. Joseph made it and the guy gave him $20 instead. Nice man! Joseph is in heaven. The cup cake walk went very well until they brought out the candy cannon. Like it's name suggests, it shoots out gobs of candy. That was more fun than cup cakes, so now we have about 25 cup cakes from Sam's club, with orange halloween frosting, sitting on the counter. I was going to take them to the YW at church tomorrow, but I dropped the box (twice) in the van. Luckily, the lid stayed on but the cup cakes took a beating and I got orange hands from trying to get them all resituated in the box.

5) Tonight my brother-in-law was baptized. We weren't able to go, but we're so happy for him, my sister, and their family.

6) I ran. Not the country, the action. I can tell all the hiking up and down the mountain twice a day for school has been beneficial in the muscle department. The last couple of weeks I've had these weird urges to jog. Can't remember the last time I felt like that! One day last week I jogged on the flat stretches on the way down to school and didn't die. That's a good sign. Last night I jogged up to Korey's house, almost a complete block from us but very uphill, and actually felt pretty good. Tonight I ran to the corner just beyond Korey's and back down to our house. My body liked it, but my lungs aren't so thrilled. They are getting over it, though. It's not anything major, but it's progress and I'll take it.

So, there are a few of our weekend happenings. Nothing really stupendous, just the "living life" kinds of things. Here's to Sunday and a day of rest!