Between Edward and Jacob...

...I choose Tyler.

My mother-in-law invited me up to Idaho today to watch New Moon on its opening day. I wanted to see the movie and would eventually, so it sounded like a lot of fun to watch it with my family up in Idaho. Tyler got the day off from work so that I could travel up there. Ivory was going to come with me and hang out with Grandma for a few days until Thanksgiving, but she was a tad bit sick, so it didn't seem like the best idea to take her up there. Since Ivory couldn't go, Tyler started thinking of all these reasons I shouldn't go. He wanted me to see family, he wanted me to see the movie, but in the long run, he just didn't want to be without me. Since I am the one with all the kids most of the time, I understand. Everything is so much easier as a team.

I still wanted to see family, I still wanted to see the movie, but in the end, I thought Tyler was more important and so I stayed. And I am glad I stayed. Because I was going to be gone, everything I got to do with my family seemed sweeter, more special. This morning, Tyler and I took the younger two girls shopping for candles and then out for snacks (i.e. cinnamon rolls and raspberry muffin tops at Kneader's). It was an ordinary activity turned extraordinary because I realized that every moment I have with them is a gift (even if I don't always appreciate them).

So Edward and Jacob, you will just have to wait. There is one man more important than both of you.

Wordless Thursday

Providence

Do you ever get annoyed when you run an errand, get home, only to find out that you forgot something or got the wrong thing? I did that this morning. I went to get velcro. I looked very hard at two packages. They were priced the same, seemed identical, except that one had 10 ft of velcro and the other had 5 ft. In the end, I got the one with ten feet (it seemed more of a bargain). Naturally, the minute I got home I realized the difference. The ten foot brand only gave you half the velcro; just the hook side. Sheesh. I was a little put out that I would have to go all the way back.

But I put on my best face and headed back (fortunately Tyler was home, so I was able to go without kids, because you can imagine how thrilled I would be to pack kids back up). Right before I got there, a song came on the radio that I have been listening for (to find out the artist). While waiting for the song to finish, I grabbed my purse and noticed that my wallet was missing. I left it at the store when I came the first time since my hands were full with Daisy. I thought that if I hadn't bought the wrong velcro, I might not have noticed for a very long time and perhaps even forgotten where I had been (this is not unlike me). I was so relieved that I was already at the store. My wallet was behind the counter, I exchanged my velcro, AND I found out the artist that I was wondering about. Here is the song if you are really curious about what strikes my fancy.

So perhaps things can sometimes work out for the best. Providence was smiling on me today.

Are Your Ears Painted On?

I was watching Barbie and the Three Musketeers for the umpteenth time today (thanks Grandma for buying that for the girls) and I was once again amazed at the idea that once people put on a half mask, no one can recognize them. Seriously? And let's be honest, Barbie's mask isn't even a half mask, it is only two loops that surround her eyes. And yet, people are still amazed when she takes it off. Oh, it's you???

Half-masks are just not that mysterious to me. Sure if I didn't know the person, but if I were at all familiar with someone, I don't think I would be fooled. I mean, it's not like a person's voice changes when they put on a mask. Maybe I am better at voice recognition than some. I enjoy trying to guess who the voice-overs are in animated films. But even if you were poor at recognizing voices, there must be other clues. Ladies, if you know your man at all, you should be able to see through his disguise. I mean, come on Buttercup...Wesley was gone for a few years, but could he have changed that much? And what about Zorro and Batman (although Batman's voice does seem to deepen when he puts on his mask so you have to give him props for that)? Anyway, I'm just saying that if Tyler put on a half-mask, he wouldn't be able to pull the wool over my eyes.

MMIX

So I am a crazy woman about traditions (but you knew that). We have a tradition that the FHE before Thanksgiving we make our thankful turkey. The first Thanksgiving that we did this, our turkey looked very lonely, but we laminated him and I knew that eventually he would be joined by others. And now we are on our fourth turkey (I love it!!). We put them up each year and I know that when my kids are grown, they will bring their families back and look at our wall filled with silly turkeys.

Everyone gets a feather (although we added one for the dog because Robyn didn't want a lop-sided turkey). Each year I have the kids help me choose colors for the turkey and the feathers. Robyn helped this year and therefore it was 'her' turkey. You should have seen her face when Tyler decided to write the year in Roman numerals instead of the regular numbers. She about pitched a fit. Finally Tyler showed her how to read the 'secret' writing and now she thinks she has classified information. It should keep her happy for a while.



Yes, I know that this isn't the Monday before Thanksgiving, but Ivory will be out of town next week and I didn't want her to miss it. Hence, the early bird gets the Roman Numerals.

Variety is the Spice of Life

I really think it is good to mix things up a bit; try something new or old (spouses excluded naturally—I like the one I have). I look forward to each month and doing something that goes with the season or holiday. I like digging in my closet and finding old shoes or clothes that I haven't worn in a while. It is great to skim my small collection of movies and see an old favorite that I haven't watched in a while. I love it when a song I haven't heard in forever comes on the radio, bringing back a wave of memories as I sing it at the top of my lungs.

Some things are meant to be daily occurrences (I would never say no to a kiss or hug from any of my family) but many of the things I like are better in small doses; enjoyed at intervals. Tonight we were getting ready to have our Sunday ice cream ritual (yes, I shamelessly bribe my children to keep them reverent in church). Tyler, with some left over soda from his Book-a-Mormon-athon, decided that we should have root beer floats instead. What a genius. It has been a blue moon since I have had a root beer float and it was scrumptious. It is great to fall in love with something all over again (in this case, spouses included). Thanks Tyler.

p.s. Ty, you are enough variety to keep my life spicy for eternity.

Book-Of-Mormon-Athon

I'm posting early on Saturday morning so Maleen doesn't have to. It's actually going to be really fun when she checks her blog in the morning to see how many comments she's received; and then she'll find this post. Ah, I'm so sweet. National Blog Month is taking its toll. I'm led to believe it's difficult to come up with something to blog EVERY day! Well, this is just one of the many services offered by Cazier Man. (That's me—I've taken to calling myself that occasionally as I am, and conceivably will be, the ONLY man in the [Utah] Cazier House.)

Anyhow, Friday night was Book of Mormon Part II. I had this “revelation” that we should do something over the top in our quorum to get the elders to do something more than they're currently doing. It's tough to go wrong with reading more Book of Mormon, so we elected to read it in a couple of all-nighters.

After one all-nighter, it became evident that we'd need three (not two) nights. We also determined that it's a whole lot faster to go with MP3s of the chapters than it is to have someone reading aloud. There are always mistakes in diction, re-reads, mis-prounciations of names, etc. All that just makes it generally much slower. Plus, we also found that Windows Media Player has a neat little feature on it that allows you to modify the speed of playback. You can choose to play things much slower than usual or up to 20 times faster than normal. We've found, through concerted experimentation, that the human mind can only assimilate information at about 1.8 times as fast as normal diction. 1.6 times normal speed offers fairly good comprehension and about 33 pages per hour. These are things I never thought I'd know.

1 And it came to pass that I did make my way to the church in the 18^th hour of the reign of the clock, at about 45 minutes past the hour. And there I did establish the means by which we would read and hear the words of God.

2 And I did prepare every needful thing insomuch that when others came to the place, which was called the church of the Vineyard Second Ward, which was so-called because it was established in the borders of the land called Vineyard, they were ready to hear the word of God.

3 And I did cause the MP3 player to play at 1.6 times the rate of normal speech. Therefore was I immersed in the scriptures, alone, for the space of more than an hour, before Randy Bohn, a steadfast and dedicated man, did show up to read scripture with me.

4 And it came to pass that because of the smallness of our number, we did foresake the Massiman Curry, which we had promised to those who promised they'd show up. Now we know not, but that they have taken up arms against us as the Lamanites of old, because they were not here to read with us.

5 Nevertheless Brother Randy and I did read for the space of an hour, and then others beheld our great enjoyment and spiritual growth and they too did join us in our endeavors, or rather that they did join us in reading about the endeavors of the prophets of old.

6 For behold, Brother Brian Macbean and Brother T.J. Moore did join us as the word had a more powerful effect upon their minds than the sword or any other things which I did use to beat upon them. And thus we did read into the night. And some did stay only for a time, and others did remain all the way through. Nevertheless, the time did pass away as it were unto us like a dream.

7 And blessed be the testimonies of they who did complete the reading for the night, for we did complete the Book of Alma this very night. And we have been enlightened by the words which were spoken by the prophets who have gone before, yea, my sons (of which I have none), I say we were greatly blessed and enlightened by the words of Aaron, Ammon, Captain Moroni, Helaman, Abinadi (for did begin our reading in Mosiah), Teancum, Amulek, and of course, Alma, insomuch that we were carried away even unto boasting in how awesome these prophets are. Yea, and they did not disappoint.

8 Yea, my brethren, who are my brethren in the Lord, let this night be written upon our hearts even as our testimonies are written upon our hearts and have thus brought unto us a fulfillment of our joy.

9 And thus I make an end. Amen.