Lost in Translation

Ali and I got new phones while she was home for Thanksgiving. It had to be done then because she's insistent that we keep getting the same phone.

I guess talking on the phone is more fun when you know it's the exact same experience on both ends?

So this week the LG Vortex rocked our worlds. Now we have scriptures, Jazz scores, dad's frequent forwards, and a variety of other distractions at our fingertips.

(No I will not tell you which of those Apps we downloaded first - priorities are personal.)

The new features are great, it was the basics we had to turn to the manual for - like how to call someone, how to turn the phone off, etc. Remember land lines?

Anyway, favorite new-phone moment: Voice Texting.  You speak into your phone, it writes your text for you, and sends it off. Perfect for when you're driving, or you hate your touch screen. Foolproof, right?

Wrong.

We practiced a little before dinner the other night. Ali held up her phone and said, "I'm ready to go, Mads."

But my phone got: "I'm a dumbass."

Guess we'll work on that.

All That Jazz

The whole family was together this year for Thanksgiving.

It's been a while.

The inside jokes came back fast. So did the sharing of past embarrassing moments.

So did contention. What? Didn't say that. (We're happy, really. Lots of love.)

And definitely a lot of the love for the Jazz.

Yeah, we beat the Hornets. But we didn't get on the Jumbotron.

It was not for lack of trying. 

The camera man was favoring cute kids and people with posters. 

Our dance moves didn't cut it for him.

Alison was in her element. I think Michael and Rachel had fun at their first NBA game, but maybe our Jumbotron efforts embarrassed them?

My parents are never phased by us dancing in public places.

We got hot dogs, but I think that just made Ali miss Hot Rod Hundley?

Then a Hornets fan stole the show. 

The Jazz Bear wanted to slide down the stairs on a sled, but the man refused to get out of the way.

Loser.

Then the timeout ended, and the Bear couldn't slide. The whole Delta Center (I will not conform to this Energy Solutions fad) booed him. 

But then we cheered when ushers took him out.

But then he came back. We watched a mother give him a finger-pointing lecture. 

I liked her.

The whole energy died in the place a little. 

Loser.

But then, the Bear came back from behind (foreshadowing of the Jazz-Lakers game tonight),

grabbed the stubborn Hornet man's hat from behind, tied it to a balloon ... and let it fly.

The man was not happy.

He did not cheer up at all when the Bear came from behind again and shoved a cake in his face.

Yeah, the energy came back. 

And yeah, he left.

And the Jazz? They didn't cheer him up at all either. 105-87, and we left happy.

Then we made it to Cedar in time to watch them play the Lakers tonight. You're welcome, Kobe.

The Irony

I'm exhausted. It's only because I have to stay up tonight. Ok, GET to stay up tonight...

Harry Potter, people!


BUT, still...I go to bed after midnight every night. Every night, right? But if I am forced to stay up that late (which only happens on Harry Potter movie premier nights and New Year's Eve), I can't do it.

Last year Ali and I had to take a nap from 9:00 to 10:30 on New Year's Eve.

I haven't been asleep at 9:00 PM since then.

It makes no sense. No sense at all.

Hurry, Boston!

She's coming!!!
That's what I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving.

Monday.
Stoked.

Battery No Longer Included

My car and I are very close.
Ok, maybe I don't even know what model it is...but I love it.
My parking permit says it is a Saturn Saturn. They wanted a model and a make. Two?
Saturn Saturn.
So that's its name now. And Saturn Saturn has spent its last two weeks sporting a "Service Engine Soon" light. That's the one you can ignore, right?


I left Saturn Saturn for a week (church history called). It rebelled.
Came home, refused to start. Michael charged it (it likes him).
Two days later, Kimberly and I had wonderful sushi plans.
Denied.
Saturn Saturn rebelled again. I resorted to negligence.
But then I needed to go somewhere.
So Michael charged it. Again. And we got in the zone (Auto Zone!)
They told me to turn on the car. Rebel. Wouldn't even start for them when they wanted to find out why it wouldn't start. Talk about stubborn.
The battery...it was shot. So we got a new one. They asked us if we needed tools. We looked at each other. Sure?
So we got the tools. And went outside. Looked at the battery.
Went back inside.
Asked the nice tool-owning Auto Zone man what he would recommend doing with the tools.
He gave some very good advice. Then we followed it.
Things went pretty smoothly, after we located and retrieved the tool that we (well, Michael, but I won't embarrass him) dropped into the car.
Pretty soon, new battery. We went inside to wash up, because we looked very legit with car stuff all over our hands.
Auto Zone's inventory was piled high in front of the Ladies bathroom door.
Sexist.
I made it in though, and washed my momentarily manly hands.
They told me Saturn Saturn needed some more TLC, but I thought it had enough for one night.
We drove home. And the Service Engine Soon light?
Gone :)

I hope I have a friend who needs a new battery soon! Except I don't because that's sad..but really...I'm a pro.

Shout out to Cali!

Provo misses you! And I know you miss the Brimhall...

Love you girl!

Church History Tour

Last fall I was mad at Kendra. She got to miss school for a week, and go to Church History sites with her religion class. It's impossible to stay mad at Kendra though, so I decided to be happy for her and take the class this year. (Kirtland Temple above.)

Best decision ever. Missing a week of school was interesting, but luckily I had no problem forgetting about life back in Provo once I got on my plane to NY! (Kirtland above.)

I didn't even think about the other people going on the trip...I figured one week wouldn't make any lasting friendships right? Wrong. Our class had a BLAST with each other, and Bro. Bennett has lost all control of us back in Provo now. It's wonderful. (Sacred Grove above.)

The trip felt like a relapse into Jerusalem days. Bus rides, site stops, an expert telling you what happened at the site, too many pictures, never being alone but loving who you're with, spiritual moments at any given moment...except this time I was wrapped up in coats and blankets instead of constantly sweating. Improvement? Yes. (Smith farm above.)

I've seen the East Coast in Spring (unemployment tainted my view, but it was pleasant), Summer (total blast...so fun, in fact, I thin I'll do it again!), and Winter (at least I love coats and gloves?), but NEVER in the fall. That doesn't even make sense. So I was stoked for our October trip, and the leaves did not disappoint! (Smith farm above.)

Look at these fun people :) Bro. B on the right is a Church History expert, and a Phase 10 extraordinaire. We spent our days learning from him and our nights pressuring him into card games and story telling in his hotel room. His wife loved it, and we loved her stories. He loved us, until he lost at card games. Then he just wanted us to go to bed :) (Joseph's bedroom above, where Moroni appeared.)

Another bonus of the trip? FOUR new states on my slowly (but steadily) growing list. I'm trying to decide which state to leave for last, because that has to be a cool trip. What if I somehow left Kansas for the big 5-0? Probably an anti-climactic ending of the goal. (Newel K. Whitney store above, Kirtland.)

So checked off the list was Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio. And....Iowa. I'll explain that later. (Grandin print shot above.)

I've been to Palmyra two times before this, but this time I finally got to do baptisms in the temple. It was beautiful, and the temple president took time to speak to our group that morning.

During the drive to Nauvoo we couldn't pass up stopping in Hannibal, Missouri -- home of Mark Twain! I love how he thinks. The museum we went to was plastered with his hilarious quotes.

"But we were good boys...we didn't break the sabbath often enough to signify -- once a week, perhaps." - Twain
"Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates." - Twain
Can't you totally see little Tom & Huck growing up here?

The missionaries in Nauvoo were the best. They taught us all sorts of skills that I'm sort of glad I don't have to use...but it was fun to watch! (Barrell-making above. I'm being serious.)

The print shop...my Nauvoo dream job?

Brother Bennett would voluntarily begin signing the books he'd written in all the gift shops we went in. We loved it. He thought it was weird, how much we loved it.

The Mississippi River! It was so windy. So cold. Then I'd feel guilty for thinking about how cold I felt when I imagined crossing the frozen river and leaving my life behind to move (again) out West. The more I learn about the history of the Church the more grateful I am to the Saints who constantly sacrificed.

The freezing carriage ride around Nauvoo was SO much fun. The horses hated each other, though, so I was sort of distracted by their contention all through the tour. One was a biter. It was frightening. But the city really was beautiful, I'm so glad we went in the Fall.

And on our drive back to the St. Louis airport, I noticed I was closer to a little piece of Iowa than I'd ever been before (or will ever be again?). Couldn't pass up the chance to check it off! So with a little convincing of the bus driver and Bro. B, they stopped to let me touch it :) So that's number 27, people! I figure if I keep up this 1.2 states-a-year average, I'll be doing alright. Gotta get down South...