Good day

Today was a slightly busy day ... we had more than enough planned. But with tomorrow being stake conference (Churchspeak for "a big meeting that happens twice a year. All the wards [congregations] within a stake [group of congregations] meet together. In larger stakes, there are staggered meeting times.), it should be a mellow day.

IF the kidlets take a good morning nap. Since our session (meeting time) is scheduled for the same time as their afternoon nap.

However, today Michael got the transmission flushed. And the van's running even more smoothly. Which is a very, very good thing. (Note to self: Stop talking in sentence fragments. It's not genteel.) Then we went to a University-ward reunion. And the kiddos had a BLAST playing on the play structure. There were THREE(!!!!!!) slides!!!! And there were swings! And Bruise was able to sit on the big kid swing and NOT fall off and start screaming. (However he did have a great time picking and tearing apart dandelions ... and grabbing handfuls of bark mulch.)
Bucket had a great time -- there were other children. She was able to run around, swing, slide down the slide about a bazillion times, and scream her little lungs out.

After they got tired out, we were able to rejoin the group and chat and eat. The food was great. (Jocelyn, did you grow those cucumbers yourself? They were wonderous!)
And it was SO nice to catch up with people. Bishop Bird has really been working out. He looks great. And he's always so fun to talk with. Ditto for his wife.
It was good to catch up with Amanda B ... since it's been a long time since we carpooled to college with each other.

And Nate's nametag? He wrote "I'm Just Here for the Food." I think that sums up why I miss having him and Kari live closer. I know that I'm missing TONS of stories about what hilarious thing he's done recently.

It was great to meet up with Amy and her little Marshall. AND she has a daughter now?!? Cute little girl (Hailey, right?). (Other cute little girls: Eleanor and Holly.)

In other news, I was flipping through the latest copy of Parents magazine. And there's a list of DaddyBloggers. I know a few of the blog names ... since I've been reading blogs for a while. And bloggers who are parents ... we end up gravitating towards the same circles. And then I gasp, "Honey!! Lookkit!! I know him!! I've read his blog for YEARS!!!"
Yes, folks. There on page 122 was Matthew's blog. One that I started reading ... a long time ago. I think I started reading it when I was pregnant with my munchkins. Because I wanted to find all the information I could about twins. And here was a fabulous father who blogs about his fraternal twins. (Truly, by reading his blog, I get a glimpse of what is approaching since Swee'Pea and TheMonk are seven months older than Bruise and Bucket.)

So, I emailed him to congratulate him. And he totally emailed me back! AND asked how my kids (who I didn't mention at all) were doing. He actually knew who I was! I mean, yeah, I had commented on his blog a few times. (For those who don't know, I'm great about reading blogs. Commenting? Eh, not so great. But I'm working harder on commenting on my friends' blogs. Reading through other's comments? I'm still not so great).
But, back to the story I was relating, yes, he totally made me feel all special. Michael can tell you. In fact, I think Michael said, "You're almost as excited as when Eric D. Snider replied to you."

And, yeah, it's true. (It's also true that I'm rather a fangirl for Eric. Yeah. But Michael knows that he has no competition. Eric and I could never be. He's allergic to cats. :P)

I'm still coughing ... but that's about all *I* have to complain about.

Well --- Except for:
1- My uncle had a heart attack. It's not his first. My mom's getting scared that she, the oldest child, is going to outlive her siblings. (My other uncle on that side died just before I found out I was pregnant.)
2- There's no way that Michael, let alone the kids and I, can afford to fly down to Mississippi for Grandpa's funeral. Too bad we don't have a spare $1500+ laying around. (Maybe it's in my OTHER pants. *glower*)
3- My friend's bother is MISSING. For a WEEK. He hasn't been to work, paid his bills, fed his cat. No one can find him or his truck. He was last seen leaving a party in Southern Oregon (Douglas County) with a man that no one knows. So, if you could keep him (his name's Kevin. The Lord'll know who you're talking about) in your prayers, Mer, her family, and I would appreciate it.
As soon as I get any photos of him, I'll post them. I'm just hoping that maybe he's having a great time in Vegas and just lost track of time (for a WEEK?!?) to remember to call his family. Maybe?

So, yeah. Pray for Kevin and his family, Michael's grandpa's family, and my Uncle Ken. I'd really appreciate it, okay?

OH! One more good thing: My stepbrother was in a rodeo-thing for drivers/operators of heavy equipment (like forklifts and Caterpillars and stuff) and he placed third in the state ... which is very cool.