"Isn't it Ironic?" --Alanis

The irony of this post is that it will probably describe exactly why I shouldn’t be blogging right now. My little simple life is a little jam packed and I technically should be too busy to blog. But I needed a break from writing…ironic.

Girls Camp is in a week and a half. Lucky me, I am the ward camp director which means I am tracking down registration forms and money and doing lice checks. Eew I am also going to camp as the 2^nd Level Certification Leader. That means I am a glorified babysitter for the week over the 13 year olds. (ooh my favorite age, can you sense the sarcasm?) It also means I am spending hours hunting dollar stores for little trinkets for creative little handouts that will just be thrown away. But it is all in the presentation, right?

So, because I am going away for a week to sing camp songs and plan silly skits, I have to get caught up on work before I leave. So, I am writing like a banshee this week and next in between everything else.

Oh yeah and our Tacoma house is recently vacant and ready for me to clean, paint, and rent out again. But the other drama of being a slum lord has died down. (Ben, hates when I refer to us as slum lords, hehehe) No one wants to sue us anymore and nothing is broken as of this moment in time. Sometimes I wish they all burned down. Now that would be an interesting post.

Sigh…

So, instead of just simplifying life, I decided to get into one more thing that makes me happy. I actually started doing digital scrapbooks. It is SO much fun! It really is so ironic. I write and do layout for a living so I just joined Heritage Makers to write and do layout for a hobby. And here I am taking a break from writing to write and layout my blog. I guess I love what I love.

Anyway, check out my new little love….www.digitalscrapbooksonline.com

I started my 2007 Florida trip. I will post a preview when I get a chance.

One more thing about our life: My sweet Ben is climbing a mountain this weekend. Why, you ask. Well, I don’t know. I imagine he just wants to see if he can do it. So, I am being supportive. The little bugger talked me into making him lasagna to load up on carbs and I will send him and his brother off to Mt Adams tomorrow morning. More on that one later. Wish him luck.

Wish me luck too. I think I will need it to survive July and 25, 13-year olds for a week.

"Where, Oh Where Did the Dad Go..." -- Ron Nielsen

Your first impression of my father would depend entirely on where you first met him. If you met him at a family reunion, you may think he is the funniest, goofy little man you have ever seen in a sombrero with a Danish accent. But if you met him at church you would think he was the most profound, enlightened man with such compassion and wisdom.

But to me my dad is both and so much more.

He really has the best sense of humor—one that he knows when to pull out and ham up. One of my favorite memories of him is of course the famous “Where, Oh Where did the wife go,” song. He would play the same two cords in different octaves over and over in this little song about Luanne. Oh, it made us kids laugh and laugh. We would dance around singing along. He had so many funny little stories that we can all still recite.

For example: “Peter Magorie”
I’ll tell you a story of Peter Magorie.
Now shall I begin…
I will tell you another of his brother.
The End.

There are so many memories I am just giggling as I type. But all the funnies aside my Dad was also a teacher—in word and deed. He taught us the basics of everything from sports to balancing the checkbook. Sorry Dad I still don’t use my register very well but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how.

Although, he often sat us down for a formal lesson in whatever it was at the time, he also taught us through his example. He taught us how to work hard. That you never miss a day of work unless you are throwing up or bleeding. Especially retiring with dignity in the old fashioned way with months of sick leave still saved up. He taught us how to have integrity and what it means to serve with dedication. He taught us how to love and show someone that you love them. I never doubted that my father loved my mother or any of us kids. He always knew how to show it and that meant more than any words could express.

I also have never doubted his love of the gospel. He has always had a testimony of Jesus Christ as the Savior. I always knew that and I didn’t hear him verbally bear it very often. His testimony is in how he lived everyday of his life.

And now with him serving the Lord and his fellow Mexicano hermanos, he is too far away for me to thank him in person and tell him to his face how much I love him.

So, here it goes on a public blog on the internet—plus I had to make it even, since I blogged a roast to Mom last month. Dad, you are the greatest. I love you so much and thank you for being such a wonderful example to me. You truly make everyone around you want to be a better person--including me. Happy Father's Day.