Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Unbelievable

I've had the worst feeling in my stomach all day since reading the Elko Daily.  I just can't believe that things like this can happen to people who you have shared such good times with.  We had such fun up Lamoille Canyon repelling with the kids & the rescue team was such a big part of Jim's life in Elko.  The guys on that team were such good friends.  It is crazy how things have changed - Clayton is gone and now this. Times like this are tough to stomach - just 10 years ago and our lives have taken such different turns.  My heart goes out to Kelly's family as well as Woody's family.  Wendy's facebook status says it all "Kelly Jo I know your smile is shining in Heaven . Jim And I are so upset with what we have heard we had some great times together . My prayers are with your family. May god help you Woody."  This is still just all too unbelievable.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Jake & Kara

My nephew Jake was sealed to his bride Kara on May 7th in the Logan Temple.  What a great day for a  wedding.  I didn't realize that a magnolia trees grew in Logan, but just look at this picture:


Jake & Kara: 

Two of my favorite people at the luncheon - I love Jim & Katie, especially together:

Just plain beautiful!!

2011 Senior Prank

O.K, I'm probably supposed to be all mad at my son, but this one is funny!!  I'm not sure some of the teachers saw it that way, but this was a very creative senior prank.  Every student desk and chair in the school was moved.

First they filled the auditorium:

 Then they headed to the football field:

The local officer came to see what was going on - Seth said after they explained what was going on, he just said "that's funny"!!

They even emptied the shop - a horse trailer helped speed up the job:

Mission accomplished:

To top it all off - who could have predicted snow on May 26th - L.O.L.!!:

They were at the school until midnight & had to be on the bus for Senior Sneak at 7:00 a.m.   I stole the pictures from one of Seth's friends on facebook ( just so you know I didn't follow Seth around with a camera).  I thought this one was a classic - SSHS Class of 2011 - you will be remembered for this one!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Wear Sunscreen

This speech was supposedly given by Kurt Vonnegut to the MIT class of 1997, but reports say it was actually an editorial from Mary Shmich of the Chicago Tribune - doesn't really matter to me, but I agree with my friend that shared it with me today - every young person should read it.  Senior Night is at the high school tonight, & I'm not sure what the speaker will say, but I would be happy if this is what they shared with my kid:


Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97: Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now. 



Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.  Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine. 


Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday. 


Do one thing every day that scares you. 


Sing. 


Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.  Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. 


Floss. 


Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. 


Keep your old love letters.  Throw away your old bank statements. 


Stretch. 


Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't. 


Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone. 


Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's. 


Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own. 


Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room. 


Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. 


Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly. 


Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. 


Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young. 


Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. 


Travel. 


Accept certain inalienable truths:  Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. 


Respect your elders. 


Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out. 


Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85. 


Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth. 
But trust me on the sunscreen.