Notes for my sister

Here's a recap of 2020 for us.  photo credit Rachel Lacy As Charles Dickens wisely penned, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."  This year has been unforgettable because of the contrasts. Each month has been filled with highs and lows. I haven't chronicled each of them, but in a nutshell: January was awesome because K went with me to  Universal Studios  in Florida. This girl has read the  entire series  of Harry Potter books like  seven  times. That's a lot of reading.  For her birthday last December, she got one huge gift: a one day ticket to this amazing place.   (I'm glad we seized the opportunity during the winter. If we had waited, it would not have happened!) Just for context on how much she loves HP, after we moved to Texas, I bribed her with getting her ears pierced. She got her ears pierced when she was 9 and 3/4.  We have an awesome memory for January,  but most of the month was really lame for me, because plantar fasciitis was awfu

Remarks from Double Oak ward,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints December is my N O month. My one rule for staying sane during a busy season is three simple words: Just Say No. You see, in September and October and November I was already operating at maximum capacity. I don’t mean to be a Grinch, it just means that during this season of my life I’m already spread thin. So I say no. If I see a sign up genius asking for $20 for this or that: NO. If I see a band email asking for parents to help do this or that: NO. If I see a sign up genius asking for people to help wrap presents and so forth, I think, “Yes, that would be so cool, I’d love to help.” And then I say NO.   If Norm asks me on a date I say No Way.   And then I say yes please.   Recently I was walking one morning and remembered a few years ago when I spoke in December in my old ward in Lehi Ut. That morning I thought to myself, “wouldn’t it be SO funny if I got asked to speak again, and then I reused that exac

Just for fun, today I'm writing about Texas critters that are specific to my neighborhood. I'll save the longhorns and the horses and the birds for another day. artwork by Liz Bridgeman Bridlewood is a world class squirrel habitat. I've lived in a lot of places, but the squirrels here are the best. They run and jump from fence to fence, branch to branch. Enormous trees make for a constant party. Earlier this year we enjoyed Mark Rober's  squirrel ninja warrior course  because it's SO TRUE of this area. Norm and the boys actually built a squirrel launcher our first year here. It never worked but I think they had fun building it. Of all the Texas critters that we've grown to love, squirrels are the most entertaining. This little decoration just makes me smile. Something about gathering for winter and being prepared.  I guess you could say we're nuts about squirrels. Unfortunately, there are two mostly invisible critters that are also native to this territory: