The Special Weekend

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) we have two weekends a year that are especially special.  It is a time that we get to listen to words from the leaders who lead and direct this church.  We believe that they are called of God.  We believe that the words they share over the bi-yearly "special weekends" (otherwise known as General Conference) are given to us to guide and direct us in the lives that we are currently living.  BTW this is the 182nd year of General Conference.  That's a pretty great track record!

We believe intensely that the words of ancient prophets (Moses, Abraham, etc.) were written for our day.  We believe that even though they lived thousands of years ago, there is still much to learn from them.  That's why we study the Bible AND the Book of Mormon.  But what I love is that we have LIVING prophets and apostles that teach us and lead us with what we need for today.

So no matter where you are, all over the world, you can listen HERE.  I know I will be.

image via

Another item of business.  If I were in Utah I would be literally running to the nearest Deseret Book to buy this book:  

I am always grateful for beautiful reading material that reminds us of our true purpose here on earth.  If you're in Utah, go get a copy.  It just may inspire you to do something more difficult that you thought you could handle. 

Have a glorious weekend!  I will be spending my time snuggling with my husband, enjoying the company of my daddy (who is here for the weekend), feeling my daughter kick, and eating homemade popsicles.  

That sounds perfect.

The thing about being rejected...it's generally hilarious.

I have loved being able to be an active part of missionary work again since moving to New Mexico.  I love the times I get to spend with people who are investigating our church and sharing with them why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so important to me.

With these recent experiences I have been reminded of how hilarious it is to be rejected.  Let me explain.

There was a time, in Lancaster, New York, that my missionary companion and I were out "knocking doors" (which just means knocking on people's doors trying to get them to let us share a little bit about the gospel with them...not terribly productive, might I add.)  We were in a beautiful neighborhood.  I think the street we were on was even called "Enchanted Forest Lane" or something magical like that.  Anyhow, we stood on a doorstep and knocked.  Now, this house had a door like this:

In only a few seconds a head appeared in the window and then quickly disappeared.  No one answered the door.  We knocked again to which we received the response 

"There's no one home!"  

I'm sorry, what?

I yelled back "Yes there is.  We just saw you!"

He yelled back "No there's not!"

I remember just staring at the door not quite knowing what to do.  My anger was replaced by the laughter of my companion and we went on our merry way.  If nothing else, it makes for a great story.

SO THEN...

Just two days ago, a friend of mine went with me to visit some people from our church.  We knocked on the door and one of the people we were hoping to visit with answered the door.  We chatted for approximately 2 seconds before she disappeared...supposedly going to get the others we were hoping to see during that little visit.  A minute later the baby sister (probably 7 years old) shows up at the door and says

"They're all asleep."

"They're all asleep?" I asked.  "But _______ (third child) was just here at the door.  Did she fall asleep very fast?"

"Well actually only _________ (oldest child) is asleep."

My friend asked, "Well, where is __________ (second child)?"

To which the little sister replied "Oh, well, she's on the couch.  She's just pretending to be asleep because she doesn't want to talk to you."

We nearly burst out laughing right then and there.

Welcome back to the world of rejection, Sister Boothe.  

And I've laughed non-stop for 2 days.

What's My Attitude?

I was sitting in a Sunday school class back in February and the lovely teacher asked the most wonderful question accompanied by the four answers we can give.

WHAT'S MY ATTITUDE?

I WILL DO IT.

I'LL TRY.

I'LL THINK ABOUT IT.

I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.

She applied these questions to our commitments to attend church meetings, study the Bible and Book of Mormon, listen to and follow the prophet, serve, among many other things.

Tonight, as I came across the notes from that class, I got to thinking about how I tend to use these answers in every day life.

When I'm called by the missionaries to go out on visits with them what's my answer?

When I see someone looking hungry and homeless on the street corner how do I answer their pleas for help?

When I see someone who may simply need a smile, how do I respond?  I'll TRY to smile at you?  That's silly.

How about when you're standing in the check-out line at the grocery store and you notice that the checker is looking very tired and irritated.  Maybe I should comment on how cute her painted nails are or what a beautiful color her hair is.  I'll THINK about it.  Again, silly.

Maybe I've been thinking about someone all day.  I keep thinking I should text them and let them know they are on my mind.  What do I do instead?  Just THINK about it?

So, today when Gage asked me for more milk, what did I really say by sitting on my rear-end for a couple minutes before granting his wish?  Why did I wait so long?  What was I saying to him by waiting?  His desires weren't important to me?  Why in the world didn't I jump right up?  

Or how about when I got a call needing to do something for church.  Was my "I will do my best" simply saying to the person at the other end of the phone that "I'll try" rather than "you can absolutely count on me"?

So, tomorrow, when an opportunity presents itself I'm going to think about what I'm really saying (verbally or just in my mind) as I give my answers.  I would hate to even subliminally give the answers that have only to do with trying, thinking, and not wanting to.

The girls I love.

If you didn't see the button in the sidebar you possibly don't know that I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (in other words...I'm a Mormon).  In our church there are several different organizations just so that everyone gets what they need (meaning Sunday instruction, weekday activities, etc.)  The adult women are in an organization called the Relief Society.  The girls ages 12-18 are apart of the Young Women organization and girls 3-11 are apart of an organization called Primary.  Each organization teaches us what we need for the specific places we are in our lives.  (The men are split up similarly as well.  For more information you can visit www.lds.org)

Since getting married nearly 18 months ago, I have received the calling (or the responsibility) to work with the lovely ladies in the Young Women's organization.  Before moving to NM, I worked with some darlings in a Spanish ward in Provo, UT.  You may remember them from here.  Or maybe you remember their dance performance here.  Oh, how I love those ladies.

Upon moving to New Mexico I was immediately called as a counselor in the Young Women's presidency again and I was so excited.  I have come to love these girls as quickly as I came to love the last crew.  We have had so many fun experiences and opportunities and I look forward to many, many more.

Visiting the news station.

An evening at the Opera.  The girls got all dressed up and I proceeded to bawl through most of the opera "Suor Angelica".  It was so beautiful.  What sophisticated ladies...going to the Opera and all :)

I'm so proud of these girls.  Oooooh how I love them!

Well, the adventure of working in a Spanish ward all but blew up in my face yesterday when I received a calling that scares me right to death.  I will now be serving as the president of the Young Women's organization.  It is very possible that I have never felt more incapable of anything in my whole life.  I mean, this is a job for grown ups.  This is a job for the kind of people with lots of experience and it is certainly the job for someone who speaks Spanish since we go to a Spanish ward!  I spent some time this afternoon writing an email message to my Mission President (the man that presided over my missionary work in New York) because only then, as a new missionary, unsure of what in the world was I doing, does that even remotely compare to how I feel now.

It has made me think of how every person in the history of the world has felt who has been asked to do something that was COMPLETELY outside of their comfort zone.  I mean, really, I'm not the first person to be afraid of something or scared of coming up short or not being qualified for the job I've been asked to do.  So, this is my pep-talk to myself.   It made me remember this lovely quote I found on pinterest long ago

 

Um..ok.  I'll believe you.  So, here I am, jumping off the cliff that ended my comfort zone and I'm ready to fly and I'm ready to fall.  I will undoubtedly do some of the first and lots of the latter.

You guys are so nice.

I know that you are so nice because you put up with the WORST quality pictures EVER and you still read my blog.  You're so nice.  Ready for more horrible quality pictures?  Oh good.

Here's the thing.  "I just have a lot of feelings" (name that movie) and all of them are random so brace yo'self.

It is spring here.  I love it.  Tonight, as the sun was setting, the twins and I sat out on lawn chairs  and soaked up the sun (and 80 degrees) in our sunglasses and with our water bottles in hand.  I told them we were working on our tans.  They had no idea what that meant.  Sometimes I forget they're only three (mostly because they say things like "You have great ideas, Annie" and "I really appreciate that"  and occasional potty words).  Anyway it's pretty here and I just have one question:  WHEN IS THE POOL GOING TO OPEN!?!?  I may take up permanent residency there for the next three months.

I made this quilt.  No, seriously, I really did.  It was my first attempt at making a quilt and it was rather successful.  Too bad I don't get to keep it for myself cuz I really, really love it.

Coming back to NM from UT this was my carry-on.  I looked down at one point during the flight and realized how weird it was to carry your hand mixer with you on the plane.  I'm surprised they didn't consider it a weapon.  I could probably do some serious damage to some chick's hair with that hand mixer.  

My family knows me and loves me.  To celebrate my 26th birthday (which was a few days ago) I was showered with the gift of time.  I love watches so much.  I wear one every single day.  The good thing about always wearing a watch is that you always know that you're always late.  What a blessing.

Apparently I need to clear something up.  When I was in Utah I kept getting asked "How is Mexico?"  Like, it happened over and over and over.  Let me demonstrate the difference between OLD Mexico and NEW Mexico.

Old Mexico: real facial hair, happy, handmade sombrero

New Mexico: fake mustache, uni-brow, sombrero from the Dollar Tree

 I guess I can see where you'd get confused.  For the record, we live in the one with uni-brows and fake facial hair.  It is, in fact, in the United States of America...contrary to popular belief.

Next item of business: I'm not really into mean people.  I'm also not really into people who get on facebook and make negative comments on your status updates, new pictures, etc.  I guess I just don't understand why in the world someone would do that.  Any ideas?  

You may have already seen this on my fb status but this conversation happened today in my 1st grade class.

Girl 1: I like how your bangs are pinned back.
Me: Thanks.
Girl 2: I don't like to pin my bangs back because my mom says it makes me look like my daddy.
Girl 1: Well, I don't know what your dad looks like, so...
Girl 2: Well...let me tell you...he smokes.
*Dead Silence*
Me: I don't get it. 

So, there you have it.  Thanks for sticking with me.  Maybe someday I'll be reincarnated into the girl with the blog AND the good pictures.  Until then, thanks for not judging me by my aesthetically pleasing photography ;)

Why I'll probably never own an iPhone

Cell phones are a difficult subject around here.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, I feel real bad for every cell phone that ends up under my ownership.  I always feel like I should warn it.

I love cell phones.  I'm still pretty sure that no greater thing has ever been invented (no, not even the mini food processor).  I'm really not sure I can remember what life was like before being accompanied 24 hours a day by a cell phone.  

I LOVE THEM.

You'd never know it.  

Example #1:

This cute little pink phone and I were enjoying a quiet day floating on the pond, reading O magazine, and drinking Dr. Pepper.  I had my phone secured in a very safe place (down the swimsuit...naturally) and as I was stepping from the tube to dry land, the dogs were REALLY excited to see me and Donk proceeded to jump up on me.  

You guessed it.  Me, O magazine, D.P. and the beloved phone ended up back in the water.

For the longest time my phone wouldn't get calls...only voicemails so I changed my voicemail to say this:

"Hi!  This is Annalece and I fell in a pond with my phone so I don't get phone calls, only voicemails.  If you want me to call you back or even know that you called, you'd better leave a message.  Bye!"

You can probably imagine how EVERY voicemail message started with laughter.  It was quite a day-brightener.

Example #2

Another cute barbie phone.  I love me a cute barbie phone.  Barbie and I share the same birthday, you know.  I digress.  Anyway, my girlfriend Lyric and I were headed to a movie and stopped at JCW's before hand for a BLT sent straight from Heaven...and a Dr. Pepper.  (Do you sense a reoccurring theme here?)  Silly me...trying to sneak my DP into the movie only to discover later that the WHOLE MEDIUM SIZED DP had all emptied into my purse...covering the wallet, camera, and of course my phone.  Sticky, Sticky mess.  It worked for a while (with buttons that stuck together and a little liquid behind the screen) until it broke in half one day.  That was awkward.

Example #3

This part of the blog post is taken from an entry from my old blog "Is This Thing On?" which no longer exists.  It had to go away so that The Mister and Lady could be born.  So, here it is...and I quote.

"Let me preface this by saying two things:

1.  It's embarrassing when you write on your FB that your phone is broken and the comments are things like "atleast it's not Dr. Pepper this time" or people say to you "Atleast you didn't fall in another pond" or "I feel so bad for your cell phones."
2. I could have a whole blog dedicated to the adventures of the cell phones of Annalece Boothe.  Dear cell phones of the future: good luck.

Now for the story:

It was  just after Thanksgiving dinner and we were all feeling like tubs of lard.  Someone had the brilliant plan to go on a walk to "loosen up" the nastiness that had accumulated in our stomachs...and was not moving any too quickly.

A meeting place was decided and off we went...to the cemetery.  Doesn't everyone meet at their grandmother's grave before Thanksgiving walks?  Well, we do.

15-year-old darling cousin was driving the white jeep.  He followed us ever so closely and played us some tunes to get down to.  Current song: "I Got a Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas.  PERFECT T-day "loosening muzak".

I was holding onto the jeep and dancing like a crazy person...really getting down with my bad self when I hear everyone gasp.  As is expected, I kept dancing.

Brother runs over and picks up my cell phone from underneath the recently removed back tire...some have looks of horror...others of us start laughing.  We laughed and laughed and laughed.  Mother shot a few "that's-not-funny" glares but eventually laughed as well.

So, that Thanksgiving day I became very grateful that it was only a cell phone and not anything worse.  I became grateful that there were people trying to contact me and that were concerned as to why I wasn't responding.  That equals love.  I became grateful for the ability to stay in touch with loved ones all over the world, if needed.  Finally, I became grateful for phone insurance.  I have it.  You should have it.  Everyone should have it.  Dance parties are necessary sometimes, and sometimes they're gonna cost ya."

Not my finest moment.  Let me tell you that explaining to the guy at the Sprint store what had happened was semi-humiliating.

Example #4

Mind you, I am sparing you from all of the silly little accidents because this is getting long and you're probably not even still reading but just incase you are, here we go again.

Not long after moving to New Mexico, mom came down for a visit.  I can't even remember where we were going (probably Schlotzsky's) but mom, Javi, and I loaded into the car with the Huckleberry gummy bears that Mark and Erin had sent to me to help my cravings in tow.  We were driving down a large 4 lane highway when we heard something loud...like someone had thrown a ball at our car and hit us.  My exclaimed "what was that?!"  after a minute, it hit me.  "That was my cell phone."  Javi pulled over quickly and jumped out of the car into lunch time traffic trying to locate the pieces of my dear phone.  5 pieces of phone (including the front and back of the case I had on it) had all landed in the smack middle of the lane.  It was so centrally located that cars drove right over the pieces without hitting them.  Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles.  Javi returned with 4 of the 5 pieces and we realized that we were missing one piece of the case.  He ran back out into traffic and located it.  My hero.  

I'm sure he was ready to pull my hair out when I asked him if he had seen the gummy bears that I had also left on top of the car.  Bummer.  No gummy bears and I felt like I really might win the "worst wife in the world" award by asking him to go back out and look for them.

Believe it or not, I am still using that cell phone to this day!  It is a TROOPER!   

So, there you have it.  A few peeks into the sad, dangerous, and adventurous lives of my cell phones.  Honestly, this post was prompted by an experience I had last night with my super-purple cell phone. 

I lost it.

For a long time.

I had dumped out the purses, torn my car apart, retraced my steps, I had done everything and gone everywhere I could possibly think of.  It was almost 10:00 at night and I wasn't in the BEST part of town so I figured it was a lost cause and gave up.

Several minutes later it happened. I remembered.

It was down my shirt.

Awkward.

I am Chayayayayanging

(Title courtesy of Dreamgirls)

It was some kind of wonderful to visit the family in Utah.  The days were lovely and filled with lots of great people.  It truly was a week of reuniting.  All the reuniting got me to thinking about how things change.  It was wonderful with many friends to pick up precisely where we left off.  I like those kinds of people.  Other friends, it was very obvious that things had changed.  Nothing between us, but things had simply changed.

  As I was surrounded by tons of folks from the past, I realized what a treasure it is to CHANGE.  I realized that the past eight years since high school have proven to be several years of severe change for me.  

•  I used to be much more high-strung. 
•  I was easily upset by the way people acted. 
•  I felt like it was my job to fix everything for everyone all the time.
• I drank pink lemonade with vanilla like it was going out of style.  Vanilla-Nade, as we called it.
• On the stage and before an audience were the greatest places to be.
• I basically got ready in the mornings to make sure that people at school would think I looked good.

8 years ago.  Apparently, another thing that has changed is the size of my waist.  Woah.

But that was then and I'm grateful for the experiences that have molded me into something different.  I'm excited for eight more years to see who I can become by then!

• Now, I'm about 100 times more relaxed than before (we have my sweet husband to thank for that.)
• I don't have the energy to get worked up about the way other people act, so the overreacting has dissipated.
• I love loving people.  Plenty of people have loved me with mounds of imperfections for years and I've realized what a blessing it is.
• I still love being on the stage, but the tables have turned.  I don't love it so that everyone else can love me.  I love it because it is fun and it makes me feel good.  Even if there was no audience, I'd probably still perform a whole show just because it makes me smile.
• NOW I get ready in the mornings because it makes me feel good about myself.  I can be much more confident with combed hair and a little color on the cheeks than my pajama clad self can walking down the aisles of Walmart.

Looking classy and pregnant as can be with my sweet, sweet cousin Erin  just last Sunday.  Due only days apart!

So anyway, change is important, growth is essential, and I feel sorry for those who haven't changed a bit in eight years.  Actually, I think it might be important to change a little bit every single day.  For example, what can I be better at today than I was yesterday (basically everything...yesterday was not my best)?  Who can I treat kinder today than I treated yesterday?  Who can I keep in my heart today to think about all day and send positivity their way?  How can I be better to my body today than I was yesterday (again...it's not going to be tough)?

So, I wonder what I can change today?
What are you going to change today?

Home

In just a few hours I get to board a plane and visit my childhood home filled with all of my family.  This is a glorious day.  

• I can't wait for them to see the baby bump for themselves.
• I can't wait to go on walks with mom and dad.  
• I can't wait to see the cousins tonight as we have a "hair doing FHE" so that cousin Tiffany (who is visiting from California) can makes us all beautiful again (especially THIS girl who is currently sporting 2 inch roots).  
• I can't wait to watch the YA's do a run-through of the show tomorrow.  
• I can't wait to go on a library trip with my aunt who is in her 1st of 4 weeks of recovery from a big surgery (she REALLY needs help choosing some good reads.  Any of YOU have any new suggestions for me?)  
• I can't wait to catch up with lots of great friends that I haven't seen is ages.
• I can't wait to spend my nights sewing a quilt for a bridal shower this Thursday.
• I can't wait to celebrate my brothers birthday IN PERSON and not over skype.
• I can't wait to see as many nieces and nephews as I can.
• And, lets be serious, I can't wait to go to Barry's for a Deluxe cheeseburger, spicy fries, and a cherry sprite.

HOWEVER

All this talk about home gets me a little confused.  Because as I sat in the home of some of our dearest Albuquerque friends last night I realized that we are home here too.  We were lucky enough to eat the AMAZING cooking of Marta and Sandra again and be surrounded by the sister missionaries, one of my favorite Young Women, lots of children, and a new family that is investigating the church.  Once things had finally settled down, I sat on the couch looking around at all of these people and feeling so grateful for the HOME they have helped us to establish.  It's a wonderful feeling to not feel like a stranger is a foreign land anymore and it is especially wonderful to have PEOPLE to share the joys of life with.

I took a mental picture of that moment: nerf guns shooting, scary story telling, watermelon lemonade sipping, Spanish speaking, husband hand holding, and most importantly the people.

In that moment, I knew I was home and that made me so grateful.

I suppose that there-in lies is the beauty of moving around the world.  What a beautiful thing it is for us to truly feel AT HOME in many homes in Spanish Fork, Provo, Springville, Madrid, Jackson, Arizona, New York, and now New Mexico.

I believe that Maya Angelou said it best when she said 

"The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."

THAT is HOME.  It is not four specific walls, a particular bed, or a refrigerator stocked with only our favorite foods.  Home is "where we can go as we are and not be questioned."

So, wherever you are today, I hope it's HOME.

The Mister on Assignment

The life of the Mister has been increasingly more interesting than that of the Lady as of late.  Just tonight, the final segment of a 3 part series was aired of the Mister on assignment as a homeless man.  Homelessness is a huge problem in Albuquerque and so Javier spent 24 hours living as one of them, undercover, to spread awareness.  What an eye-opening experience it was.  (The videos are all in Spanish so they likely won't mean anything to you if you don't understand any Spanish.)

The first segment is all about prepping for the experience by interviewing volunteers and workers from the rescue mission and showing a little about what is available to our homeless friends.

http://www.kluz.tv/noticia/2012/03/05/344914-indigencia-nm.html

Part 2 begins his undercover experience during the day.  He was shocked that after several hours of begging for money (that he had planned to donate to the rescue mission), not one person gave him anything.  He couldn't believe the looks of disgust that he received from drivers and their passengers.  He couldn't believe how many families with several small children there were that were in need of food and shelter.  

http://www.kluz.tv/noticia/2012/03/07/346271-indegencia-parte-2.html

Part 3 is his nighttime.  This was the time that his wife was at home having panic attacks (so much so that I ended up at the dr.'s office having my heart monitored) afraid for the life of her husband.  I knew that several fights had broken out.  I knew that there were lots of drugs and I knew that he was sleeping in a non-functioning prison.  Now THOSE are some awesome text messages to get.

http://www.kluz.tv/noticia/2012/03/08/346270-indigencia-parte-3.html

What an experience.  I'm so proud of my man and what he does to raise awareness for those less fortunate.  He came up with this idea and the station was thrilled.  Ratings are soaring thanks to this guy and I am so proud.

How grateful we are for our apartment, our bed, running water, bathrooms with doors, and a full fridge.

Thoughts on Losing

The word "losing" generally has a bad connotation.  If someone were to say to you "did you lose?" or  "are you losing?" my mind usually goes to something sad or upsetting.

You can LOSE a game.

You can LOSE your keys.

You can LOSE a friend.

And the worst kind, you can LOSE someone you love as they pass on.

March 4th commemorated one year since we LOST our Aaron.  I suppose I will never forget that day or where I was or what was said but it all had to do with LOSING and I hate that kind of LOSING.

Aaron hated LOSING.  He really hated it and I'll bet it has broken his heart to watch his family over this past year try to cope with the thing he hated the very most: LOSING.

Two days before the anniversary of Aaron's death, I got word that we had LOST again.  Another dear friend was gone.  If you have ever seen shows at the Hale Center Theatres in Utah you've probably seen him.  Bradford LOST his young wife to brain cancer just two years before we LOST him.  He raised his two children and brought joy and light to everyone he met.  I remember sitting across the table from him in the Saddle Rock Family Saloon, just weeks after LOSING his sweet Heather, and discussing LOSS.  He is a pro at LOSING and still coming out on top.  He will be greatly missed.

So, as I reflect upon this year I'm grateful for the chances that LOSS have given me to reflect and alter my way of life.  Read those letters to Aaron here, here, or here.

I stole this happy picture from Aaron's sister.  There was no LOSING going on before, during, or after this picture.  Just look at those smiles!

ON THE OTHER HAND

You can LOSE weight...and that's the best feeling in the world.

You can LOSE yourself in a good book...and who doesn't want that?!

You can LOSE negative desires.

I like that kind of losing.

We like to move it, move it.

I wish there was a scratch and sniff widget for the bloggy.  If there was, I would share with you all the horrible fragrance we've been smelling for the past two months.  A quick whiff would help you to understand why we just completed our THIRD move in SIX months.

It goes like this:

We walk into our new apartment and take a deep breath.  Is that cigarette smoke or carpet cleaner?  We talked ourselves into believing it was just carpet cleaner especially since the girls who sold us our lease ASSURED the cranky pregnant lady that there was no one around who smoked and that it would not be a problem at all despite the fact that we were living in a "smoking building".

Fast forward the next two months of spending loads of money on air fresheners, purifiers, humidifiers, odor eaters, etc.  My faith in those fantastic febreeze commercials is diminished.  The Bed Bath and Beyond odor eaters that are GUARANTEED don't work either and the water in my humidifier is black.  Ash has started accumulating on the walls and the Mister and Lady have had permanent sore throats for two months.

We share vents with our upstairs neighbors.

We love them.

They smoke like trains.

I'm talking, NON STOP all day long.

I'm paying HOW MUCH to develop lung cancer?!?

Not happy.

Cranky pregnant lady waddles over to the leasing office to ask when we can move into a non-smoking building.  The girls tell prego that it will be a $150 transfer fee.  Prego reminds them that they assured her upon move in that this would not be an issue.  Prego leaves upset and the manager calls minutes later telling her that the fee will be waived and we can move on March 1st.

Happy Prego.

Last weekend was the big move...directly across the courtyard.  Easiest move in the history of the world.  Still annoying, but no U-Haul's or boxes involved.

This girl is staying RIGHT HERE for as long as she can manage because moving again sounds like the worst idea in the world.

This whole experience reminded me of a poster my uncles used to have hanging in the music store.  It looked like this:

Thank you very much but the Mister, Lady, and Little Lady will not be contracting lung cancer any time soon.  To all of you who like lung cancer and like to give it to yourself I say "good on ya".

Cheers.