Dinner Time

Melba and I recently got invited to dinner and were asked if we like steak. Her response is very much 'blog-worthy.'

Are you kidding? Could we eat steak? I married a Texas Boy! In Texas, the 13th article of faith says: "We believe in buying red meat, storing red meat, marinating red meat, barbecuing red meat, and eating red meat. Indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of certain 80s fast food commercials: 'Where's the Beef?' If there is any red meat, we seek after this thing."

"I Married You Because You Don't Act Like Me."

(Sammie on the way home from church today.)

Chippendales and Mom

One of my favorite things about my parents is what good people they are. They never watch TV or go to R-rated movies or participate in anything that is not uplifting and inspiring. That's why it was so funny that on their first visit to VA after Sammie and I were married, Sammie took them to a sports bar to watch the BYU/Utah football game. Fortunately, they loved it! I wish I was better at following their example.
When I flew out to Utah to take care of my Dad, I landed in Vegas, because it's closer to St. George. Martha, Marian, and Mom drove over to pick me up. I was reminded yet again why I hate Vegas so much. The large advertising screen next to my baggage claim carousel kept playing clips of the Chippendales. And as we were leaving the airport, we saw numerous billboard advertisements for "Chippendales" and "Thunder from Down Under." Martha and I started complaining about/making fun of the Chippendales. Mom asked very innocently, "Well, don't you like the Chippendales?" I had to explain, "Mom, they're male strippers." She was horrified! Thought they were a folk music group and didn't even know there was such a thing as a male stripper.
It reminded me of one of my favorite moments from General Conference (semi-annual world wide broadcast of messages from our church leaders.) Here's the quote: "I love the story told at the funeral of Henry Eyring’s father. When he was a young man coming across the border from the Mexican colonies to the United States, the customs man said, “Son, do you have any pornography in your suitcase or trunks?” He responded, 'No sir, we don’t even own a pornograph.'" (If you want to read the whole talk, you can find it on the church's website.)
I love you Mom!

Facts of Life?

I'm in Utah right now, taking care of my Dad. He had a mountain biking accident and broke his hip. He's doing very well, but just has to hobble around on crutches and needs a little extra help doing things.
I dropped him off at a stake (church) meeting last night and went over to my sister's to see her and her husband and play with their five kids. I've really missed them! I had fun playing wii with my nephew Matt, watching Lucy take some of her first steps, and reading stories to Lizzie, Josh, and Sam. Josh and Sam (aka the "cage fighters") are true guys - i.e. tried the whole night to impress me and outdo eachother with their flatulence.
Anyway, when I put Lizzie to bed, she asked me to cuddle with her, so I lay down by her and we talked about whatever comes in to an 8-year-old girl's head right before she falls asleep. We started talking about wedding receptions and she told me how much she liked mine and remembered being on the boat. She then told me that she wanted to have a large reception so that she and her husband could sneak out in the middle and... (of course at this point, I was wondering what in the world she was going to say.) ... go to the slurpee store for slurpees! She then assured me that brides and grooms will sneak out of their wedding receptions to go get slurpees or candy. When I asked her how she knew that, she said she just listened carefully, like when her Mom was on the phone, and just found these things out.
Of course Lindsay, her Mom, denies any such phone conversation.