Utah

For anyone who's interested, I'm going to be in Salt Lake next weekend and would love to see any or all of my Utah friends. We're going to a wedding reception Friday night so maybe we could get together for dinner or lunch or something on Saturday??

Cat Cake Recipe

Directions:
1.Bake a cake- any kind will do
2. Frost generously with your favorite frosting
3. Let the cake set overnight on your kitchen countertop
4. Let your two cats sit on top of the cake
5. Scrape the original frosting off cake
6. Refrost with your favorite frosting
7. Serve generous portions

I am not making this up. My sister experienced this surreal experience at her sister-in-law's house first hand. Her sister-in-law, not my sister, was the perpetrator of the crime. Perhaps the sickest thing I've heard in a long time.

Scary Larry

My mom has been talking about the ice cream man that patrols her neighborhood. The name "Scary Larry" is painted on the side of his truck and apparently he drives very fast through the neighborhood. Now, I wasn't doubting my mom or anything, although the idea did cross my mind that she may have been exaggerating his speed just a tad, but yesterday I actually saw him. I also thought that "Scary Larry" was just a nickname that my mom had given him but to my surprise the words were literally painted on the side of his truck. A bit creepy but also funny. I was standing in my mom's kitchen when I heard the familiar tune "The Entertainer" come floating through the house. No sooner had James said, "Ice cream man" when I saw a flash of color zoom past the house. Not even the spryest of kids would've had time to grab some change and catch him as he went speeding down the road. I told my mom you'd have to have a bullhorn just to flag him down. He had to have been driving at least 20mph. I guess that's why he calls himself "Scary Larry." He's not only serving up ice cream, he's also serving up a little slice of danger.

Peg Leg

This is our little broken son. I've started calling him peg leg since I can hear him coming a mile away especially on our hardwood floors.

Trying to walk- he's the picture of misery.
Yes, that is duct tape on his cast. Actually, it's gorilla tape to be exact. He had already worn through the hard outter lining within the first week so we hard to do some minor home repairs.

This is the trick James can do. He especially likes to do it at church to the people sitting behind us. It bothered me at first but now I just laugh. He's crazy. He's already figured out how to get laughs. My favorite is the first picture where he's got his eye lids flipped up and he's got a peg leg. I love the look on his face.

Emma

I'm trying this again. I just spent 30 minutes writing about the below link when an error occurred and everything was gone. Frustrating to say the least. Anyway.
Last week I saw the new movie about Emma Smith and although there were a few things about it that bothered me (ie: how the polygamy question was addressed), for the most part I thought it was pretty good. I don't think I could've taken one more dead baby. As we were walking out of the theater a woman in front of us said, "I feel like I just came from a funeral." My thoughts exactly. The film spurred me to return to a book that I'd read several years ago Mormon Enigma: Emma Smith by Newell and Avery. This is a great book in my opinion although I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's testimony might be a little 'shaky' and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to a new convert or to anyone else who's a little squeamish when it comes to Joseph Smith and polygamy. Let's face it, who isn't a little squeamish when it comes to that unless you live in a compound in Texas or Utah somewhere. I digress.
Even though I was reading this book for the second time, I found myself completely rivetted. I couldn't put it down. I couldn't help but ask the typical questions when it comes to Emma and her life post-Joseph. It sounds odd, but I kept hoping and wishing that somehow the ending would change, as if history could miraculously change itself and Joseph's progenitors would embrace the true gospel he helped to restore. Alas, it wasn't to be. History has judged Emma harshly and it's nice to see that she's finally getting the recognition she deserves for bravely facing unbelievable trials and challenges. Joseph Smith was chosen as the prophet of this dispensation long before the earth was made and surely the Lord must have chosen an Emma to stand by and support him in his divine calling. I was touched by the last paragraph of the book taken from a journal by Emily Partridge, one of Joseph's wives and with whom Emma shared her home:
After these many years I can truly say; poor Emma, she could not stand polygamy but she was a good woman and I never wish to stand in her way of happiness and exaltation. I hope the Lord will be merciful to her, and I believe he will. It is an awful thought to contemplate misery of a human being. If the Lord will, my heart says let Emma come up and stand in her place. Perhaps she has done no worse than any of us would have done in her place. Let the Lord be the judge.
I hope I am able to meet Emma one day and thank her for the sacrifices that she made to help establish the kingdom in these latter days.

Nauvoo, Illinois, USA :: Joseph and Emma Smith Statues, Nauvoo, Illinois

Nauvoo, Illinois, USA :: Joseph and Emma Smith Statues, Nauvoo, Illinois

Some pictures

This is obviously pre-broken leg.
Ready for church.
We found him one morning up on our kitchen table eating a candy bar. Another time, we found him on the table holding a pair of scissors. Never a dull moment with this kid.
I only posted this picture of myself because I really, really miss this body. Only 3 months left!