Iggy's was where it was at in March!

Our waiter accidently knocked over a BIG glass of water - right into Jechelle's lap. She was a pretty good sport about it, even though she was quite uncomfortable, and he felt REALLY bad!

L-R: Shelly, Sally, Sue, Lena, me, Jechelle (Suzanne couldn't make it - she was too busy enjoying life in Jamaica!!)

We met at the new Iggy's in Orem - near University Mall - for our monthly get-together. (We missed you Suzanne, but envied you too!) The paper held by Lena and Shelly is significant in that Lena sent each of the boys a red tie for Christmas and asked them to take a picture of them wearing the tie and send it to her. Then she put all the pictures on a page to send along with their monthly newsletters.

Work those pounds off!

Dylan and I

Back

Tri-ceps

Sit-ups

Biceps

Shoulders

Push-ups

I had my trainer Dylan take a few pictures as I was working out at the hospital gym. I didn't get any of me working my legs on the machines. The hospital provided us with trainers for the 100-Day Heart Challenge. They are exercise science students at BYU, and we worked out with them 2 days a week.

Today is your birthday!!

We took Brian and Brie to Los Hermanos for lunch to celebrate their birthdays, both of which happen to be on the same day - March 21. Brian's now 25, Brie is 19. Happy Birthday to you two - we love you so much!

WOW!

I took the garbage out this morning and saw movement by the fence. When I looked a little closer, this is what I saw. He sure was beautiful!

Karma!!

There are times when someone calls for a temple recommend interview at the last minute. Dave is so busy sometimes that it bothers me that people aren't more prepared. Well, Heavenly Father does have a way of teaching us lessons, especially when we've been "judgmental" of someone else. He has eyes and ears everywhere taking notes!!

I was getting ready to head to the gym early in the morning when Dave said he'd had an "oh no" moment the night before. Two of his co-workers were getting married in the Bountiful Temple, and he had a terrible feeling that my recommend had expired. I thought - oh no - and went to check, and yep - that's right, it expired at the end of February. He asked me what I wanted to do, and I said - let me think about it. My pride said I would not call for an emergency interview so I first thought I'd go to the temple with him but just sit in the car while he went to the wedding. However, after thinking about it while at the gym I decided I would like to go. Getting an interview with the bishop wasn't a problem, he gave it to me right then. The problem was getting one with the stake president. It was about 7:20 a.m. Friday morning and the wedding was at 9:30 a.m. What should I do? Pride was still an issue, but I had to swallow it (not a very tasty breakfast today!!) and he called the 2nd counselor in the stake presidency. He was more than willing to meet me at the church around 8:00 (did I mind if he wasn't dressed up since he was on his way to work?) Oh my goodness, did I mind? Heck no, he was doing me a HUGE favor - I wouldn't have cared if he was in his grubbiest clothes he owned!! So, pride swallowed, recommend renewed, we headed to the temple. It was a very nice wedding and I was glad we both went.

Remember, however - Karma will get you sooner or later, so watch what you say (or even think!!)

Me and Mary

I had to go to a JetBlue training meeting and was surprised that the person leading the meeting was Mary Driffill (2 f's, 2 i's, 2 l's!!), my trainer when I went through my 4 weeks training. It was good to see her again.

New In Town

People who know us and know we're from Minnesota originally kept telling us we had to go see this movie. Finally we went, and I have to say I was entertained by it. Now, I had to disagree a few times with the characters in that they had a very pronounced accent and we don't really sound like that, but then Dave commented that there are times - after talking to someone in Minnesota or especially after visiting there - that I sound like some of them! I have been asked from time to time if I'm from Canada so I guess my accent still does come through. I would recommend seeing this movie if you want some good laughs and to be entertained.

Spring is coming!!

Spring is just around the corner. The tulips are starting to push through the ground, we still have an occasional snowstorm but the snow is off the ground, and is burger-grillin time! (We actually grill year round because we like grilled burgers and don't mind going out in the winter to do so.)

Don't mess with these women!!

Football Moms got together tonight at Marley's Cafe - in the Harley-Davidson shop in Orem. We decided to add a little spice to our dinner out. We dressed in leather and do-rags! (I didn't even know how to tie one - Jechelle tied it for me!!) We were about the only ones in there, and when we went to have our picture taken by the waiter, Jechelle noticed 2 guys - heavily tatooed - sitting at a nearby table and HAD to have her picture taken with them. One opted out before we could get that picture, but the other one was more than happy to oblige.

The food was good - I'd recommend trying it out - but the company was even better. I love these ladies and our times out are so enjoyable.

Celine Dion - finally!

I love the song "The Prayer" with Andrea Bocelli. He wasn't with her, but they'd obviously taped him performing, and it was just as beautiful as if he'd been there in person.

The story behind this picture was pretty funny. I asked her friends to take the picture below of Dave and I, and a little while later her friends asked us to take a picture of them. I said sure, but this woman refused. They and us thought it was rather strange until we discovered she "didn't know us and didn't want to be in a picture with us!!" She had totally misunderstood that we were going to take a picture of her with her friends, not her with us! We all laughed until we were crying, and I thought the couple sitting next to us was going to lose it they were laughing so hard! I'm so glad there is such a variety of people to make life so interesting!! I had to snap a picture of her, but I didn't want her to know I was getting one of her so I had to kind of take it over my shoulder unbeknownst to her!

This kind of shows how far from the stage we were!

I have been looking forward to this concert since Christmas 2007 when Brian gave me the CD Taking Chances and the tickets to this concert. It was originally scheduled for November 2008 but was postponed due to her being ill. It was a big disappointment when it was postponed, but certainly worth the wait. I have several of her CD's and love her voice and her enthusiasm. She definitely has stage presence and "attitude". Another thing - how is it that she's so flexible? She could get down so low it may me hurt just looking at her! She was fabulous. Our seats were way up high, which only gave us a good overall look at the stage!! Thank you Brian for the wonderful gift.

Brie at work

I was on my way back from a JetBlue meeting and decided to stop in at SouthTowne and surprise Brie. As you can tell by the picture, it worked - she was very surprised!! I love her so much - she's such a good kid. And, she really appreciated the surprise visit today.

Trip to Bemidji

Ready to go (and no, I didn't go First Class!!)
The REAL Paul and Babe

The house I grew up in (it wasn't that cute when we lived there - no shutters, boring white, not gray, different front door.) Everything else is the same.

Looking east to the lake

West - overlooking the field

Diane Zaske came from Pine River and spent the night Friday night

Good ole Tippy

The bald eagle and it's nest. I'd just mentioned how I hadn't seen it and I looked out towards the lake and saw a male and a female flying

She's doing really well

Taking out a missed staple. The knee was the whole reason for my trip.

Me and Mom the morning I left. She told me not to put it on my blog, but how could I not?

Lake Bemidji from the air, and the city named after it

Beth came and picked me up during my layover and we went to TGIFridays for lunch. It's become something of a tradition when I have a couple hour layover. Doesn't she look great - cancer-free and her own hair!

Mom had knee surgery January 27, and I had plans to stay with her February 11-18. She fell while in the hospital and ended up in intensive care for 3-4 days which set back her recovery. My sister Sherri was there while Mom was in the hospital, then my brother David came for a few days. He brought her home from the hospital Tuesday February 10 and left Wednesday before I got there as he had a doctor's appointment in Minneapolis he had to get to. I was really glad I went to help out. She actually did pretty good most of the time, although she had one night that was really bad. Other than that, she started to get her appetite back by the time I left and she was getting around (using her walker) quite well by the time I left.

This was fairly relaxing - she lives in a beautiful spot overlooking a lake to the east, fields and creek to the west, and woods on both the north and south sides. She didn't get up until 9:00, laid down to read or sleep from about 1-3, and often went up to her bed around 8:00 or so to watch TV or read. I made her meals, washed some clothes, and straightened up, but other than that (which wasn't much at all) I could do pretty much what I wanted to. I slept in, went through 15 scrapbook magazines, watched TV, did some blogging, and generally - had little stress. I didn't have to work or worry about work. That was really nice!! I slipped away for a little shopping trip to town and visited the store I always shop at when I go there. I even found a skirt on sale for about $8, normally $45 - hooray!!

It was hard to say good-bye to Mom - you never know anymore at her age if it will be the last time you'll see her alive or not. She's 77, although she's pretty fiesty so she'll probably last quite a long time!!