Things That Go Bump In The Night

The title might sound a little riske, but it is purely innocent...well, mostly. It all started when we lived in Provo. Ryan and I were asleep one night, as usual, until I slowly woke up to a "clink" sound. I rolled over towards the center of the bed and felt around; what I found was the shell filled glass vase from Ryan's nightstand. The flowers that were usually in the vase were placed seemingly carefully on the bench at the foot of the bed. I was too tired to deal with it then, so I moved the vase to the floor and went back to sleep. The next day I told Ryan all about it, all about him putting the vase in the middle of the bed and the flower on the bench. He claims that I did it however; that I either reached across him in the middle of the night or walked around to the other side of the bed. Both are ridiculous. We have argued about it ever since.
The next time something weird happened was here in Mesa. We have a collage of decorative metal pieces over our bed that make up a kind of faux headboard. One of the pieces is a picture frame that hangs right over Ryan's side of the bed. I couldn't sleep one night so I went into the living room to watch TV. When I came back into the bedroom, the frame was placed on my pillow. You might think that Ryan bumped it and then sleepily put in on my pillow, but it was just too perfect. Once again, he tries to blame it on me, but I wasn't even in the room.
The third "bump in the night" does involve me, and only me. I put on my pajamas and went to bed. Fine. When I woke up in the morning, I had an itch on my leg, so I scratched it. It felt funny and then I looked down under the sheets. I wasn't wearing my shorts! I tried to remember if I woke up during the night and took them off...but no. I didn't do anything, except for take off my shorts and I don't know why. I found them laying next to the bed in front of my nightstand. I don't know.

Game Night

I have recently deemed Tuesday night to be Game Night. When we were at BYU, we had game nights with the neighbors. One couple, Matt and Doreen (who were awesome) introduced us to the card game Nerts. There were times we had 5 or more couples playing the game, cards going everywhere, people yelling, arms flailing. Anyways, for the past two Tuesdays, Ryan, my brother Michael, and I have been playing Nerts. Ryan normally hates to play with me because I usually beat him. It's a really fun game that doesn't require too much logic (which, when I was in high school, my dad informed me that I had no logic). Afterwards, I built a house of cards and it stayed up. It was made from the whole deck!

Holy Cow

Two Sundays ago Bro.McKay called 20 minutes before we were going to leave for church and asked if we could come meet with him.  Of course my heart was racing as I knew it was most likely something concerning a calling.  We have been in the ward for a couple months over a year and we have been called to work with Jessie and to be Webelos leaders.  On the way to church, Ryan was trying to temper the water by mentioning the worst possible callings so I wouldn't cry in the meeting (Relief Society teacher, Primary president, etc...).  After a few minutes chatting, Bro.McKay finally said it.  "We would like to congratulate you two for the work you have done with Webelos and give you the new calling of Cubmasters."  My first reaction was to say "Holy Cow!" since "Holy Crap" probably wouldn't be that appropriate in such a setting.  I am 21 years old and am destined to be in Scouts for my whole life.  So now Ryan and I are the Cubmasters, and will continue to pull double duty as Webelos leaders until someone else is found.

Independence Day

Yesterday was Independence Day, the 4th of July.  Our holiday started very early, about 6:10 for me and 6:30 for Ryan.  We had to be at the Dobson Ward 4th of July Breakfast at 6:45 so that Ryan and three others could pull in one more practice as a Barbershop Quartet.  That's right.  Our ward parties are always huge undertakings and can get a little crazy sometimes.  When we got there, my brother Michael and I got roped in to helping with balloons and strings.  The party started at 7:00 with a flag ceremony starring the cadets from Luke Air Force Base and the singing of the National Anthem.  The music for the song sounded like it was coming from one of those little keyboards we used to play with when we were kids.  The ones that had the one song where you could just push a button and it would play, and you would pretend like you were playing it.  Anyways, we sang, listened to some policemen, firemen, and a man who gave a speech.  I don't know who he was, but he was kind of monotone.  I was sitting next to my little friend Truman who turned to me and whispered, "He sounds like he HAS to give the speech."  There's a lesson for all of us...when we are asked to do something, lets act like we get to do it, not that we so painstakingly have to do it.  After the speech, the main guest of honor, Sheriff Joe, said a little something.  Apparently, the lady in charge has been trying to get him to come to our little ward party for years.  He came last year, and obviously this year as well.  Last year he spoke for literally 60 seconds and then left.  Needless to say, Ryan and I were not impressed.  However, this year he talked for a few minutes, and it was good.  He redeemed himself, especially because he and his wife (who is being covered up by a balloon in the picture) stayed for the whole thing.  The final act to go on before breakfast was the Dobson Ranch Barbershop Quartet, as they were so falsely called.  Let me go back a couple of Sundays.  We sat down for Sacrament Meeting and read through the program.  There was a flyer inside advertising for the 4th of July Breakfast.  On it was a list of people who would be appearing, and the Dobson Ranch Barbershop Quartet was one of them.  I turned to Ryan and said that I didn't know there was a quartet in Dobson Ranch.  Then after church, Ryan explained that he was asked, "Do you sing?," then responded with a "Yes" and was told that he would be in the quartet.  Three other guys in the ward were asked the same thing, and ta-da, the group was formed.  They practiced for three hours total, wore paper vests and styrofoam hats as costumes.  They did a good job.  (Their order in the picture is Chris, Travis, Ryan, and James.  James is partially covered with the streamers.)  Later that night we went to see Hancock; it was pretty good.  Then we drove around to see the fireworks that were going on all over the valley.  I love fireworks.

Lastly, I want to say thank-you to some people.  Thank you to all the men and women who volunteer to fight for and defend our country.  Thank you to my Grandpa Stevens and Grandpa Tawney for serving in the military.  Thank you to my dad for being in the Air Force for 20 years and for being the best dad ever.  Also, thank you for being ready to go to Desert Storm (luckily you didn't have to go).  Thank you to my brother Michael for serving in the Air Force.  Thanks for going over to Korea and doing whatever top-secret stuff you did.  I guess I'll never know, but thanks anyway.  Thank you to my brother Christopher for being in the Marines and serving two tours in Iraq, including the Triangle of Death, and for coming home safely.     

Band Nerd

So yes, I was in band.  I played the trumpet from 7th grade through the end of high school. My school's band program was awesome in the fact that we won 1st in everything and went to state every year.  Last night was the Southwest Corp Connection at Glendale Community College which features some of the best Drum and Bugle Corps.  This already sounds nerdy and I'm not even finished yet.  Anyways, it was great.  Out of the 3 major competitors, I liked the Phantom Regiment the best (the people in white).  Watching the performances made me miss band, but only for a little bit.  What I don't miss, however, are the uniforms that magically turn everyone into men.  The actual uniform itself erases the appearance of a women, and then you also have to tuck all of your hair underneath the hat.  Not cute.  And then the shoes are really uncomfortable because they have a rolled heel that is supposed to help you march better.  They have a striking resemblance to nurse shoes...or some other kind of shoes.  After you have the uniform on, there is no doubt that if you are living in a place like Texas, or Arizona, that you are sweating like crazy.  Oh it gets so hot in those things.  Finally, playing the instruments is fun and all, until you come to the end of a dramatic song and have to sharply angle your horn up to the crowd.  There is a very good chance that your spit will come flowing through the pipes right back at you, so you have to be prepared and time it right.  It's disgusting, I know, but it's a fact of life that many band people have to deal with.

    

My South

As I had mentioned earlier, I went with my mom to her book club while I was home.  It was my mom's turn to review a book she had read and the one she chose really struck me.  It was called "My South: A People, A Place, A World All Its Own" by Robert St. John and Bryan Curtis.  It is a collection of poems from people all over the South explaining their South.  I come from a southern heritage, as my mom's family has been in Virginia since forever.  As my mom was reading some excerpts from the book, I couldn't help but get teary-eyed as I thought of my grandparents.  They both passed away July 2006.  They both meant so much to me as did the words my mom was reading about the South.  When my mom was finished, she, along with almost half of the other ladies there shared memories of growing up in the South.  I decided to also come up with my own tribute which I will include later.

Going Home

I went home to my beloved Texas this past week for Celeste's wedding.  I always love going home, there is just something about Texas that I can't get over.  This trip was a little bittersweet however, because I would be gone for our anniversary.  It was on Wednesday the 18th, the mark of three years of marriage bliss.  Ryan had no problem telling people that we were going through a trial separation.  That crazy kook.  I was pretty much my mom's shadow, following her wherever she went.  We did some fun things like go out to lunch with my dad, help Mindy pick out paint colors, buy a washer, and of course go shopping.  Now that she doesn't work anymore, she has no problem shopping more; my dad doesn't quite understand it.  On Tuesday night we went to Celeste's bridal shower, and on Wednesday we went to my mom's book club.  Ryan surprised me by flying in on Friday.  Apparently everyone in my family knew and had been trying to keep it quiet, which is hard for a bunch of loud Texans.  Friday was our usual Texas Pride trip.  It is one of the two best BBQ places around.  Just imagine eating meat on wax paper, sides in styrofoam cups, 99 cent loaves of bread, bins of pickles, and picnic tables, and that is the glamorous Texas Pride.  That same night they were having a live band and fish fry so we went back and watched for a little while.  Saturday morning was Celeste's sealing and she looked beautiful.  Her little niece kept saying, "Celeste, you look like a princess."  Between the wedding and reception we picked up Josh from Youth Conference and I was able to talk to Mr. Wilson.  He was my band teacher in middle and high school and was also in the bishopric in a ward in our stake.  We then went to Bracken Cafe where they make delicious 1/2 pound burgers and frito pie, among other things.  Sunday morning we went to church and it seemed to drag on forever.  The chorister and organist looked like they were going to get into a fight, the youth speaker had the most monotone voice in which she explained that she was excited to be giving a talk, and the music and congregation sounded like a funeral session.  But it was all worth it to go home to some homemade fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, salad, and homemade biscuits.  Food is definitely a big part of my family's life.