Two Requiems Were a Dream!

When Maureen first told me about this concert, I immediately decided that I'd be in attendance for it. I love Mozart's Requiem. I admit, I fell in love with it in a very musically uncool way. . .watching the movie Amadeus. Hollywood movie or no, it is still incredible music and any opportunity to have a world class chorus, world class soloists and a world class orchestra perform it, for free, is an opportunity I'm not going to pass up.

The music did not disappoint. As soon as it began, my arms broke out with goose bumps which always happens if something good is happening musically. This is the first time I listened to the Latin text while looking at the English translation and Mozart's genius became that much clearer to me. His interpretation and application from text to music is really striking. When there is mention of lifting or rising or heaven the music says so. The beauty of Mozart's Requiem is the passionate story behind it's development. He died writing this masterpiece which is, after all, a tribute to death. Perhaps his uncertainty about what comes after death or his own agony for whatever sins he may have had contributed to the agitated nature of the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) movement, which I love. Whatever Mozart's inspiration was, he created a memorable musical treasure.



I wasn't sure what to expect with Wilberg's Requiem. I can't say I'm very familiar with him as a composer but love his gift for arrangement. The structure of his Requiem was quite different from Mozart's. First of all, there were no movements dedicated to the torment of the wicked on the day of judgement. No horrors, agony, or torment to describe death here. Also, several of his movements were written in English. I'd say overall, the music and text were very pastoral. There was reference to hills and valleys, light and space. The text, along with a mention from my sister, Maureen, that she felt Wilberg's requiem "shimmers" placed a vivid vision of a small lake, surrounded by tall grass with a fading sun in my mind throughout most of this piece.


I'm not a composer, unfortunately....at all, but I think it would be a compliment to be recognized as having a "sound." When the violins started stirring during the opening movement, familiarity settled in me. Yes, I know this sound. It seems American and Wilbergesque. Rich harmonies and controlled vocals. There was swelling during some of the movements, notably the Kyrie when each of the four choral sections adds in for a sense of building but this Requiem was a requiem of peace. I think it's fitting considering what an LDS composer's view of death and afterlife is. The first movement and the last movement were either the same,or very similar, and he used a low, sustaining bass to continue the sound while the vocals also held a unison sound as the violins came in and out. It was very effective and made me think of something stretchy. Like we sort of stretch into the next life rather than make an abrupt change.

Oh, I love, love, loved it. And I got to listen to the world premier! I'm sure someday I'll get to tell whoever will listen, "I was there when Wilberg debuted it. I listened to it very first." And whoever is listening will be wowed.

We're baaaaaack!

I'm not sure how to do this. I think this is my biggest break from blogging since I started and don't really want to do a travelog. I'm not sure I can get everything transferred from my brain to the computer (yes, it's THAT full:)) but I'm going to do my darndest.

First of all, being without Internet access for a week has some pros and cons.

Pros:
1. A significant amount of time is freed up. To do what with, I don't know.
2. An overall more carefree sense of things. Without a daily reminder that the world is in the crapper, it's surprisingly easier to enjoy it.
3. Without a computer or my own home messes to clean, I finished five books. Some of them shouldn't count as literature but words were printed on a page so I am counting them. Look for reviews later on.

Cons:
1. I don't feel as smart. I count on skimming the news to keep up with current events and everything I need to know for a decent conversation when Jay gets home.
2. Hard to find a place to rent without craigslist or google search. I can't even remember how I found a place to live in before we bought our house.
3. No blogging. I find I am often "composing" in my brain. This creates an entire pro/con list of its own but I think some of my thoughts are lost forever. This also creates an entire pro/con list of its own.

I guess I'll just start in on a recap. When I feel so inclined, I might veer off into a spiel here and there but in keeping with the spirit of a trip to Utah, I'll try to keep on the straight and narrow.

I haven't driven to Utah very often since we've lived here. I think I was convinced that it was too burdensome of a drive and only comfortable if done over two days which requires a big chunk of time. I decided for this purpose, I could do it in one day and was pleasantly surprised by its ease. I broke it up in my mind into two segments: driving to I-15 which is essentially the same drive I've taken a dozen times going to my parents house and then the I-15 stretch to SLC which I've also driven many, many times. With that in the back of my mind, the drive went fast and I wasn't ever significantly bored. I enjoyed the familiar scenery and lack of traffic that is available on interstates in Montana and Idaho. I really enjoyed driving in the low 80 mph. I have always had a led foot and enjoy speed. I suppose I should give NASCAR a chance, after all.

Hazard of the job. Actually, this was rare. He's not a great car sleeper but manages to be a happy traveller regardless.

O.K. this is going to be bloated if I wax profane about everything. Drive down - good. Easy. Got there in ten hours and the boys travelled admirably. Enjoyed the first of three, that's right, three, Cafe Rio meals. Set up Henry's crib in a closet and put Sammy and Henry down for the night.

I made a list of things I love on my birthday and one of things I love is a closet that is big enough for a portacrib. It makes sleeping on vacation in hotels or other people's homes so much easier.

Maureen, Sarah and I chatted for a while and then it was off to bed for the working ladies and the start of late night book reading habit for me. I don't usually stay up that late reading but I must have thought I was on vacation or something because I didn't turn off the lights until almost 1:00 am (yes, mom...it would have only been midnight my time:)).

On Tuesday, I was determined to find a place to live. We met Maureen at her school and went to Kneaders for lunch and after lunch I took my list and called several places. I walked through one and immediately loved it. It was vacant, however, and the owner was interested in renting it immediately. Sadly, I left knowing that it most likely won't still be available in late June and discovered that feeling of missing out to be a common one the next few days. No one was interested in showing me properties or calling me back when I explained our situation. End of story - my attempt to find housing was futile. I gave up by Thursday. I'm not really worried though. We'll find something and it'll work out. It always does.

Tuesday night, Maureen had late night choir practice for the Requiem concerts. Sarah literally has something to do every night and Tuesday night is volleyball night. In an attempt to relive some of my former glory, I suited up and went with her at 10:30 at night to play with about 30 other singles until almost midnight. At first I felt embarrassed. I'm not even that much older than some of them but felt rather silly there. I didn't want to appear desperate like those people that go back to visit their high schools after getting home from college (I always made fun of those people...it happens a lot in choir). After sitting out a few games because there were so many people and I didn't want to take someone's spot, I finally played with Sarah and had a blast. The first time I served, I wanted to be sure to get it over (it's been at least five years since I've attempted to serve a real volleyball over a real net behind a real line) and whacked the ball with a little too much gusto. My shoulder hurt for DAYS afterwards. I could feel my skills creeping back to form (creeping being the key word) but it made me want to play volleyball again. It's a fun game. So, I may be a total nerd for going to hang out with the singles but at least I'm a nerd with some skills. Sarah, by the way, totally rocks. Those late night games have definitely brushed up her skills. She was digging and setting and tipping like crazy. It was a proud moment for me.

Wednesday, Maureen, the boys and I had a picnic lunch at a great park

Sammy got stuck on top but let me take a picture first.

If he's not paying attention, he can stand without holding onto anything and even take some steps. But only if he's unaware. Otherwise, his fear takes over.

Auntie Maureen and a beautiful day in Utah

Afterwards, we drove around to get a feel for the kind of commute Jay might be up against if we live where I want to. It seems brutal but everyone assures me that its not. I think after living down the street from the med school in Denver where we could walk to school and work and being a rather easy drive from the hospital here, we are spoiled in what we expect when it comes to commutes. Jay would probably prefer to live somewhat close to the hospitals by the U while I want to be closer to family and the perks that babysitters and cousins afford. I still don't know what we'll do. I guess it's a good thing I didn't find anything to rent yet since we haven't really made up our minds up about where we actually want to live. Maureen had choir practice again and Sarah had a ward temple night or something so I got another book read.

Thursday we visited Maureen in her choir room and Sammy learned some of the tricks of the trade of being a high schooler.

Maureen is a gifted musician and her choirs have an excellent sound. Sammy stood beside her almost the entire time and tried his hand at directing.

Maureen's choirs are really good but they are also made up of some really good kids. They immediately took to both of my boys and Sammy developed a crush on one of the girls.

He fell in love with Cami who was sweet and played with him.

Lots of fun toys in a music room to play with.

We listened to the songs they were performing at State and then I got to see the infamous Wrath of Hatch as Maureen had to defend her program against the athletics department. It's clearly a constant battle for her. Two of her Madrigal boys (this is her top choir where she is more than clear when they audition that to be in it, nothing extracurricular can take precedence over the choir's schedule) were asking permission to miss their STATE music festival for a track meet. Her obvious answer was no, that they would get a zero for the performance which would make it impossible for either boy to get an A in the class, but one of the boys had a 4.0 but also felt like he couldn't miss this meet as it was a state qualifier. Who knows. I found it all fascinating.

He wanted to hang with some of the big boys. These were actually some of the track boys so this corner was full of discontent after Maureen laid down the law.

Later, I drove to Jay's sister Kelly's house so that her kids and mine could play together. She has a son that is Sam's age and a daughter five months older than Henry so it was fun to watch them all play. My kids were seriously in need of some toys and play time. Maureen's house isn't exactly baby proof and I had already found Henry chewing on some ant poison (I'm pretty sure he didn't ingest any:)), earlobe antiseptic, allergy medicine, 409 and lotion. I realize I'm exposing my stellar parenting with this disclosure but Kelly's kid friendly house and all of it's happy toys and then the park (although Henry did manage to chew on some of the bark which I'm sure is covered with something potent) was a break for me. We ended on a high note with some yummy cold stone ice cream!

Friday, I finally had some purpose. I drove to Orem and had lunch with blogger and renowned jewelry designer, Dana. I read her blog and was surprised she left the details of our lunch for me to share. Maybe she didn't want to seem braggish about the creative way she ordered our food by singing it to the tune of ten little Indians or how she, Aaron and I all had a noodle sucking contest, which I was totally winning until Aaron started laughing so hard that one of the noodles came out of his nose.

No, we actually behaved ourselves in our first public meeting. I can tell they are both little spitfires, though, and really enjoyed getting to know her better. It's a strange sensation to have a conversation with someone who you know by pictures and words but not by sounds or mannerisms. A total mixture of familiarity with a hint of shyness and not wanting to seem different or somehow lacking from our blog personalities. She and Aaron were gracious and bought my and Sam's lunch and we relaxed as much as eating with young children allowed us to. I sensed that she was distressed by Sawyer (who is totally adorable) and his free spirit and I had a hard time keeping Henry in his high chair because, like 90% of all restaurant high chairs, the buckle on the restraining strap was broken. So we got to know each other in between getting up and scurrying after children. She also gave me a necklace I purchased from her to give to Seth's teacher who recently had a heart scare. I think it turned out beautiful and love knowing a creative genius.

Isn't this great for his teacher?

Dana, Aaron, Sawyer and Quincy. She's so cute. She had her two little fingers in her mouth the whole time.

Aaron insisted on a face. Dana must have known better.

After that I went to visit another of Jay's sisters, Peggy.

I did not take smart pictures here. Like an actual picture of Grandma or Kelly or any of the cousins. Hello.
But here is Peggy's three boys, Reese, Adam and Creed. Peggy is in green and Jay's mother, Grandma Karen, is talking to her.

Adam was the first nephew I ever met. I remember Peggy handing him to me when he was an eleven-month old baby while Jay and I were dating and she telling Jay, "well, let's see how Lucy is with kids!" Of course, I was mortified because I've never had the knack with babies but fell in love with Adam who is a really sweet boy.

I consider this progress. If the knees are hurting he's got to make it up to his feet eventually.

No way I'm walking but get me on a bike! Totally reasonable.

Sammy chasing fun Aunt Kelly. She's the kind of aunt you love to have around. She totally plays with kids and seems to genuinely enjoy it. Sammy sure enjoyed playing with her.

Kelly and her kids came as well and Jay's mom was visiting because Stephanie (Jay's brother Clark's wife) graduated from BYU that day. All the kids had fun playing outside with their water guns and I got to see Peggy's house for the first time (even though I think they've lived there for two years now). Sarah and I drove back to her house together from her workplace and we quickly got ready for the concert.

Sarah - queen of her office.

Her friend, Rochelle, babysat for me and we drove to Temple Square for the first of ten gala concerts to celebrate the reopening of the tabernacle. This was a performance of two requiems: Mozart's and the world premier of Mack Wilberg's. This will be it's own post later. It was incredible and I am really looking forward to enjoying the music scene in SLC next year.

Maureen is on the top row, third in from the men. It's her usual placement if you ever want to look for her during conference or Music and the Spokane word. It's blurry because I turned off the flash but couldn't stay still enough.

With a flash. Sharper but darker. Still third in from the men in the top row.

I wanted the organ pipes to be in the background but Sarah thought both of us getting out of our row for a picture was silly. She clearly isn't a blogger with a camera....yet.

Sarah and me at the tabernacle.

Sarah and I were driving home and starving because we didn't have time to eat dinner beforehand. I was determined the entire week to only eat at places that I couldn't eat at here but it was after ten so our choices were limited. We ended up going through the Hires Big H drive-thru and it was slow. Really slow. I think we were parked at the window for about twenty minutes. I got a little hyper listening to movin' 100.7 which is dance music from today and from your school days (does it get any better than that? I heard so many old favorites) and started snapping pictures of a very unwilling subject.

I had to include it because she thought I was being so obnoxious. Hee hee. I still am!

We visited with Rochelle and Maureen for awhile afterwards and it was another late night for me.

Saturday I decided to come home instead of driving on Sunday. Seth was going to be staying the night at Kariann's because Jay was flying to an interview and while she was more than willing to have Seth all day Sunday, I decided I needed to be home more than I needed to be hanging out, not doing much in Utah. We left around 3:00 pm and got home around 2:00/1:00 PDT. Church was at 8:30 this morning and I'm tired. I haven't napped yet. I don't know why. My head is kind of buzzing and my kids, Seth in particular, are in need of some attention but I couldn't wait any longer to get caught up in blogland.

Long post but no regrets.

Going Dark

I am entering the frightening world of no-internet access while visiting my sisters this next week. They both have it at work and never hooked up at their house so wish me well. I'll be thinking of all of you!

Food, Folks and Fun

Playing games with good friends

I feel a bit like the sands of the hourglass are getting scant at the top and our time with our friends here is swiftly falling through. All the more reason to get together with dear friends and enjoy one of our favorite past times: the-eat-dinner-and-let-our-kids-play-then-put-them-all-to-bed-and-play-games
-until-the-wee-hours-of-the-morning.

We've done it every few months since our first summer here but it was a lot easier when our oldest kids were only 2! Lately it's been easier to have one of us just get a baby sitter but our kids are all such good friends that we didn't want them to miss out on their own bonding experiences. Time is a tickin' and we will all truly miss this wonderful, fun family.

KariAnn and Chad had us over for a BBQ dinner which ended up being a lovely oven-roasted pork loin with plenty of chips, fruit, salad and soda. Their oldest, Abbie, and Seth are the same age and in the same class at school but then they have three boys that stairstep down with ours. Reese is five, Sammy is four, Alec is three, Henry is one and they have a two-month old, Luke. All the kids have so much fun playing together (minus the babies, of course) and you can't find a more easy-going couple to hang out with.

Playing the game Chinatown. The dollars were American, the pieces had Chinese characters on them and the instruction cards were in German! (Chad bought it on Ebay)

Me and KariAnn. She is a golden friend.

While we put all of our kids to bed (we just transfer them to the van when we're ready to go and they easily go back to sleep in their own beds), Jay treated to me to a photo shoot. He cracks me up!

What he considers the J.C. Penney pose.

So subtle

Not exactly Gumby.

An action shot.

Thomas Kemper might just hire him as a model.

What started it all.

He's the guy that taught me how to drink soda out of a bottle. I don't even want to explain how I used to do it.

Reverie

Just Jaigh

An action shot of Chad after he successfully put three of his younglings down for the night.

Then we played some major strategy games for four hours! Chad and KariAnn are major gamers and have a lot of unusual games where things must be built and traded and acquired. Last night, we played Traders of Genoa and Chinatown and I enjoyed both. If you like Settlers-type games, you'd enjoy these. Late nights and early church mornings don't make the best combination, however, and I'm dragging today.

Thanks KariAnn and Chad for a great night! We had a fabulous time.

Book Review #45 - Shopaholic and Baby

I spent my Sunday lazily reading the first offering (to me) in what Kelly A. at Cookies and Milk and Yellow Balloons started as sort of a blogging book club (I admit it wasn't my most spiritual endeavor ever). She sent it to Carlo and darling Carlo sent it to me. I'm ready to keep the tradition going. Be on the lookout.

I love Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood). I am nothing like her, none of my friends are anything like her and I would never want to be her. Nevertheless, I find her delightful when she isn't driving me bonkers with her misguided and ill-thought out decisions. Being something of a baby gear junkie myself, I enjoyed the glimpse of what a shopaholic experiences in the unique shopping world of all things baby. The options and complications of buying a stroller (pram) had me softly chuckling to myself as I thought of my own four stroller sitting in my garage and my desire for a different, fancier and wonderfullyl new Peg Perego. When this obviously ridiculous shopper ended up with five strollers and I compared that to what I would have, I had to take a serious look inward. I'm totally fine with what I have. And if I'm not, then I at least have to get rid of a few first!

While I was relieved that her days of overdrafts and letters of explanation to credit card companies are over, I found her newest worry about a possible unfaithful husband to be more stressful than I like in fancy-free chick lit. I've never enjoyed Luke's character and his poor communication skills and tendency to dismiss Becky's eccentricity (although, really...how could you blame him. I would have tuned out long ago, too) and found the possibility of his dalliance with Becky's celebrity OB/GYN and former flame not only plausible but likely.

Happily, the giggles returned as Becky makes her way to confront her doctor/nemesis at the hospital and fakes going into labor in order to get some face time only to find her complete support team (husband, mother, best friend, sister, aromatherapist etc.) at the hospital ready to go. She really can come up with the most outrageous things on the spot (i.e. being a Scientologist and believing in silent labor as the reason she wasn't displaying any signs of distress) and all ends well as all shopaholic books should.

Thanks Carlo and Kelly A. I had a great day!

Book Review #44 - Drums of Autumn

Yes - yet another book in the Diana Galbaldon series. They are addicting. But I'm going to take a little break for now because I have all these other books piling up and I know if I go and check out the next one, somehow it will get read before all these other worthy books. Series are like that. Especially good ones.

This is the fourth book in the time-traveling saga about supercouple Jamie and Claire Fraser. While Claire stayed in the 18th century the entire story, her and Jamie's daughter, Brianna, became an integral part of the story and it was her adventures this time that crossed the time boundaries. Jamie and Claire's group make their way in the colonies of the new world. New dangers and challenges await them as they struggle with their feelings about slavery and Native Americans (still called Indians here) and the need to survive the political and natural climate of North Carolina. When their daughter, Brianna, comes across and old newspaper clipping reporting their deaths, she decides to travel back into time to meet the father she never knew and possibly to see if she can, indeed, change the past.

I have to admit that I'm saddened with the aging of Claire and Jamie. It was hard for me to make the mental leap that was necessary to put them into the role of grandparents. All of a sudden, I had to imagine wrinkles and grey hair and I didn't like it! Brianna and Roger take over as the hot young couple with the steamy romance but it isn't the same.

The difference between Gabaldon's writing of her male and female characters was very apparent to me throughout this book. Most of the males are either very good or very bad while the females live more in the grey. Of course, there are exceptions but I thought she romanticized the males a bit more and the females were annoyingly truer to life. For instance, Claire and her moral dilemma over abortion and the struggle between being everything to everyone. Jamie, Roger and even the stubbornly homosexual Lord Grey are allowed to always try do the right thing and when they don't, the error of their ways almost immediately come to haunt them. My overall feeling is that her males are more likable because they behave less bratty. Maybe it was just this particular story though, which wasn't my favorite. I liked the story better in Europe but realize the need for fresh material. Putting them in this historical context gives the author what she needs to continue her epic.

WWJD

Probably not what I did. Don't get me wrong, I don't wear a bracelet, necklace or tattoo to remind me, but I admit when I was in the middle of feeling mean, the phrase WWJD came to my mind. Then my heart sunk.

Let me back up. Last week, as you know, I was crazy busy getting the house ready to sell. It was also Seth's birthday but the weather didn't cooperate with my plans for a party at the park (seven year-old birthday parties and clean houses don't mix). Yesterday was the chosen day and six of Seth's good first grade buddies came to the park along with several of their siblings. The birthday boy wanted a "Sports" party so I thought we'd start with a game of basketball bump followed by a soccer game and 500 (football game).

Things didn't start well as the $10 worth of balloons whipped out of my van as soon as the doors opened and drifted off to somewhere in Idaho. Then some teenager moved my card table that I had set up so that he could eat his lunch on it over by his friends. I had to walk across the park, pick it up and walk it back to the pavilion while he and his friends laughed about being table-jacked. I don't really like teenagers. Then, while Seth was shooting hoops to reserve the basketball court (you can't actually reserve it - it's first come first serve), a super-suave dad comes with his kid and starts shooting with Seth. Then several other boys come and Seth is totally excited that he's part of this group of boys shooting baskets. I walk over and ask the dad if he had the court reserved or something and he replies that no, you can't reserve the court but they are having a basketball practice from 3:45 -4:45. I told him that my son's birthday party was starting at 4:00 and we needed the court for about fifteen minutes to play a game of bump. Never looking me in the eye, he told me that "well, you can't reserve the court" and started his practice. Seth was all ready to practice with them but unfortunately for him, his mom is a total wuss and retreated. I explained to him that maybe when the team was done practicing we could play bump. He was bummed and I was kicking myself for my lack of aggressiveness. But I was in such a foul mood that if I had spoken up, I don't know if I could have resisted calling him names and I'm not sure that would have been something that would have benefited Seth anyway.

Luckily, some other delinquent teenagers with nothing better to do after school but come to a kid park and make a menace of the place with their loitering and riff-rafness (after reading the rest of my post, I had to come back and acknowledge the irony of my feelings towards these kids), decided to stop playing on the other half of the basketball court. Seth's friends started to arrive and an impromptu game of basketball started. Right then, a neighborhood boy joined in their game without really asking or any rudeness. He simply wanted to play too and did so. I noticed him right away but he seemed harmless and not everyone had shown up yet so I didn't consider it the actual "party" yet.

The bump game didn't turn out well at all because only two of the kids could even shoot the basketball high enough to reach the rim. Bump was abandoned in favor of a simple scrimmage and our uninvited guest became a little bit rougher than the other kids. Seth got frustrated and came over and said,"I'm a little uncomfortable that there is a boy playing that I didn't even invite to my party but oh, well...I guess it doesn't matter" all while holding back tears. (this is classic Seth passive aggressiveness. I have NO idea where he gets it from)

I asked the other moms what I should do and they all looked at me with sympathy. Minutes later, a scuffle between the uninvited guest and one of Seth's friend forced me to say something to him. There was no malice involved, just roughness with the basketball but since he wasn't invited and he had no parent anywhere, I had to go up to him and explain that this was a birthday party and he needed to find something else to do.

He immediately shifted his body language into a defensive position - shoulders hunched, eyes on the ground and wouldn't talk. I put my arm around his shoulders and said I was sorry and asked if he was o.k. but he just stood still and ignored me. I had a feeling that he was overly familiar with being shooed away.

I'm sure if he would have run home and left immediately, my guilt at treating a child in such a manner would have felt like a band-aid getting ripped off, it stinks but it's over quickly. But no, he lingered. We moved to the soccer game and he sat and watched from the sidelines.

Watching from the sidelines

A lighter moment of the party

It was killing me. The other kids were happily playing, oblivious to this boy's longing. Maybe it should have been a teaching moment about inclusion. I didn't know if Seth's birthday party was the time or place for such a lesson though. The party continued on with cake and presents and laughter.

Seth's cake. Ease beat out frugality this time.

Sammy wasn't very smiley here. I wonder if it's because I've got a big butcher knife on him?

The legitimate invites.

Eventually, the little boy did leave but my guilt has been quietly simmering since yesterday.

What would Jesus do? I think I've got a long way to go.

He's just a kid who probably needs a friend.

Tres, Trois, Drei...Three!

I do love threes. I don't love copycatting. I do love reading other people's lives in threes. I hope you enjoy mine...

1. Three things I love:

• my boys cuddling in the crib in the morning
  
• being halfway into a good book with hours left to spare.
• jumping off a boat into a lake on a hot summer day

2. Three things I miss:

• dancing in the living room and having my mom warn us about the crack in the ceiling
• spontaneous travel
• my really white teeth

3. Three people who make me laugh:

• Jay
• My brother Jon
• Dwight Shrute

4. Three things that scare me:

• Deep oceans
• pedophiles
• high speed wind
  

5. Three things on my desk:

• My camera
• My enormous 52 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper refill
• An old picture of my dad's parents when they were young

6. Three things I want to do in life:

• Finish a triathlon
• Go to a different country every three years
• Serve a mission with Jay

7. Three things that I can do:

• Sing
• Play any hymn in the hymnbook
  
• Pick up things with my toes

8. Three things I can't do:

• Put together IKEA furniture
• Give up chocolate
• Roll out a pie crust without it tearing

9. Three things I would like to learn:

• To play the pedals on the organ on every hymn (but thank goodness for bass couplers and indifferent ward members)
• Portrait photography
• How to apply make-up
  

10. Three things I regret:

• Making anyone feel unimportant or unworthy of my interest
• Gaining weight
• Working at Radio Shack
  

11. Three of my favorite foods:

• Potatoes
• Thai cuisine
• Shredded beef burritos
  

12. Three of my favorite shows as a kid:

• Transformers
• Saturday Night Live (I started young)
• Golden Girls - I have no idea why...Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia had me in stitches every week!
  

13. Three people I tag:

• Jay
• Kelly A.
• Andrea

Really, anybody should do it. It's WAY easier than a hundreds list for those that struggled with that. It's fun!