Chillin’ with my home girls on a Saturday night

Megs, Kenz and Cate joined me at my Stake Center for a pre RS broadcast dinner put on by our Stake. That alone would make for a great evening, you know, hanging with my homies. As an added bonus, the talks were terrific, too.

If you didn’t catch President Uchtdorf’s talk last night at the RS Broadcast you can listen to it here: http://lds.org/move/index.html?type=conference&event=178&lang=english

You won’t want to miss it. Oh. My. As I listened to this spectacular talk, I thought, “Yes, yes. This is exactly spot on. This is the key to so many ‘self esteem issues, low spirits, feelings of inadequacy, etc” that so many women face. I hung on every word as it reconfirmed to me my thoughts and feelings about creativity + compassion = happiness. A remarkable talk and one that touched and resonated with a lot of women, as evidence by all the blog chatter. I can’t think of a talk that I have loved as much as this. Maybe that’s because I had spent the day before carving up a big cardboard box and fashioning it into a puppet theater and crafting a Peek a Boo Panda out of scraps of felt. President Uchtdorf, with his talk, just clarified for me why I am so happy when I do this. Creativity is innate. God creates. It’s essential to our soul’s happiness. This explains and justifies my blogging, Megs penchant for all things crafty and Kenz’s current ‘let’s make a wedding cake’ whim. Heavenly Father ‘gets’ me. He ‘gets’ all of us. And finally someone, as in His servant, put it into words.

An equal opportunity happening

So, let me get this straight. Our upcoming Turkey trot lineup will feature:`

• A sprinkling of previously experienced hard core runners`

• One bellicose diabetic old guy with a high I.Q.

• One Amazonian pregnant lady

• An eccentric, autodidact 50ish gal

• And a smattering of glamour puss young things

Hmm. This upcoming 5k run is starting to get very interesting. Very.

Anyone else care to join us? We could use a short, grumpy, numismatist to complete the line up.

What election?

Politics has always fascinated me, so imagine my horror when a couple of my children said they might not vote in November due to a) lack of interest in the candidates and b) ignorance of the issues. Their justification for both is that school and life prevent them from reading much news. I’m not really blaming them, their time is limited and the media, quite frankly, has really behaved disgustingly lately. But, kiddos, that’s still no excuse. For the love of Pete, please don’t scare me with such sentiments. Inform yourself and vote or I will count myself as no kind of mother at all.

Here’s a valuable site. Bookmark it. Think. Choose. Vote.

http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

Some Monday recommendations

Hey, loved ones, came across some interesting reading recently and thought of you. Consider it a measure of my love for you that I feel compelled to share.

For Kody, a little insight into Fanhood. http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/09/07/the_secret_benefits_of_fandom/

For BG, explains why you believe the Lost Tribes of Israel are on the moon.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=smart-people-believe-weir

NannyJanny, duh. http://setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm

For ld: http://swissmiss.typepad.com/weblog/2008/08/food-for-though.html
Consider purchasing one of these, the quality of your lunches will improve dramatically.

Megs, if you're looking for sumpin' to read, how 'bout: "The Dead" by James Joyce (from The Dubliners) (can read it online)
http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/29/63/frameset.html

And Kenz, that whole motherhood thing. Not only does a woman have an expandable body but becoming a mommy changes how you think, too.
http://www.brainchildmag.com/essays/spring2004_feature.htm

Enjoy, fam.

C.M.A.

Quick now. What makes today special? I know, I know. You are thinking, duh that's easy. Agatha Christie, Oliver Stone, Merlin Olsen and Prince Harry all have birthdays today. Think harder, people. I'm thinking of someone else. Someone more important to our family and certainly more loved. Yup. You guessed it. Happy birthday, bro.

A.S.S. Turkey Trot

It's no secret I started a walk/run program in an effort to lessen the aches, stiffness and pain I feel every time I move. Also, in an attempt to stem the tide of my rapidly deteriorating brain cells. It's not about wanting to look good, people. We are way past that. No. I simply want energy enough to be able to walk to the mailbox daily. Oh. And I want to do a river rafting trip next summer with some friends. There is that.

Anyhoo. When Lacy was here last all the Arnett's gathered for a little Sunday night dessert bar. The conversation came around to running and about the upcoming 5k on Thanksgiving morning. I threw my hat in the ring. Yup. I will be joining Dana, Lacy, Lids, Lexie and whoever else. No comments, please from all you nay sayers who say I can't do it (and you know who you are). Remember I wrote down what you said on a piece of paper (and you watched me do it) and I CAN'T WAIT to make you eat it when I'm successful. Would you like ketchup or syrup on it, sir?

2nd Anyhoo. So, yesterday I returned HB's phone call. You all knew, of course, that he finally went to the Doctor (first time in like 17 years) and was diagnosed with diabetes. Shocker, I know. Not like there's a hereditary connection or anything, is there? So, HB has taken up exercising too and as he told me, 'the Doctor said if you want to get mean you can beat this diabetes thing'. Apparently HB has decided to get mean and his competitive A.S.S. has come out. The gist of our conversation yesterday consisted of this:

HB: I'm gonna run with you all on Thanksgiving day. I'm gonna whip everyone's butts. I can beat all Arnett wimmen combined. I have the highest I.Q. I am a mean, tough man. You should be scared.

Me: Whatever. You're on, dude. I ain't scirred of you. Bring it on.

Now I am sharing this with you all because HB wanted me to. He wanted me to publicize his outlandish, braggadocio taunts as only a true A.S.S. person would.

So, there you have it. Arnett Wimmens Unite! We can so kick his hiney on this. This is turning out to be just the motivation I have needed. C'mon, rellys. Get off the couch and train with us. Thanksgiving morning. A 5K.

(By the way, what is a 5K, exactly?)

If there are 23 people in a room, there's a 50% chance that two of them will share a birthday (it's been proven mathematically).

Today is JLW's birthday, too. He shares it with Chea.
Happy Birthday, GB. May the coming year find you less reliant on Tums:)

Doctor, I get heartburn every time I eat birthday cake."
Next time, take off the candles."

birthday shout

The first time I laid eyes on the newly born Chea was at my Grandma Clifford’s house in Tucson. She couldn’t have been more than a week or so old. I had fallen asleep on the couch and I remember my Mom coming in and gently waking me. “Look Candy, here she is. Isn’t she beautiful?” Mother and I oohed and ahhed over her profusely, commenting on her little hands, her perfect little face and her general sweetness. How we loved her. Who could guess then how wonderfully endearing she would grow up to be.
Happy Birthday, Chea. Love your spunk, spirit and abundance of talents. Love your charisma and goodness. But mostly, just love you.

Nothing has changed over the years, your family fans (of which I am one) still ooh and ahh over you.