Meet Me In St Louis louee

So Tuesday started with more volleyball, which as the weekend proved out was a mixed blessing; the team had shining moments and put together threads of consistency and power, yet could not keep enough threads together to gain traction. On a positive note, the last game of the season, though a loss, was truly a high note for mackey in effort and impact. She played her best and left it on the court. The end of the cacophony of thousands of girls playing volleyball in a very large yet confined space - the cheers, squeals, yells that are unique to masses of girls playing sports - what a tournament.


Following the day's game we hopped in the truck and headed west through St Louis and ultimately Kansas City. Southern Indiana is pleasant, nigh unto beautiful country to drive through. Fortunately the drive was uneventful other than slow traffic as we slowed through downtown St. Louis making sure we could see the Gateway to the West.

SJ & Dale welcomed us to their beautiful home for a few days. I highly recommend a visit; the hosts are gracious, the food tasty, and their home is worth the trip. Tastefully decorated, an ideal layout and verdant views.I love their place - look what we found!

A Day In Louisville

Louisville is area pleasant city with plenty of open space and green. The river front is nice and they clearly have invested in it but the Ohio doesn't have the charm of the Mississippi and downtown Minneapolis. The have a very enjoyable downtown walking a where one finds the core of their museums, we dropped by the Louisville Slugger factory and museum for a quick tour.

As St Paul has its Snoopy's and Chicago its cows, Louisville quite naturally has its horses to bring a artistic flare and continuity to the sidewalks.

For dinner we found a delightful part of town - Baxter - which has an Uptown type of feel full of eclectic shops and restaurants. We tried a quaint Mediterranean place which found us sharing fresh and flavorful greek salad, falafel and kabobs; followed by a drop in to a homemade dessert place. A grand tour.

Louisville Temple

We drove out of town a bit to see the Louisville Temple which is quite like the St Paul Temple only squeezed into a smaller space. Still peaceful. Mac and I discussed how we appreciate the economies of scale and appreciate even more the custom touches found in Nauvoo, Palmyra, Winter Quarters, and the western temples.

Louisville

Mackenzie, Evan, and I loaded the suburban for a road trip to Louisville for a national volleyball tournament. We left early Saturday morning and made it easily. Interesting notes:

• Listened to Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet as our book on a tape driving down. An interesting story, I simpling didn't recall its anti-mormon sentiment and biases that are core to the story.
• Stopping for gas and a Sonic burger outside of Louisville (Indiana-side) and my oh my the southern accents and influence were strong
• Volleyball was not good, we started against a team that clearly out-powered us, and then we underplayed to our capacity for our next games.
• Louisville 6th ward is very friendly and embracing. perhaps the most greetings I've ever had as a visitor; and in stark contrast to our last trip though Kentucky

Hopefully, the team does well today and we will have a chance to play tomorrow.

Dancing

years ago with many a many varied style and step my mother taught me to dance in the kitchen. we waltzed, we cha cha'ed, we rumba'ed and we samba'ed; we twisted, we bugaloo'ed, and we disco'ed too. I loved to dance with my mom, it was fun, it was loving, it was grand, it was expanding; whether i was 5 or 50. it is a delight to have this clip of my mom and our son parker dancing together. we all need to dance more.

"To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful." ~Agnes De Mille

Uncle Evan

Knowing you are led

1 nephi 17 tells the story of nephi building a ship and the opposition of his brothers to the endeavor. Similar to many a BOM chapter it is laden with rich lessons and promised blessings. One which struck me as truly a powerful blessing is verse 13: wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

The required behavior: KEEP commandments
The two-fold blessing:
1) you shall be led towards the promised land - i think that applies to us be driven toward the fulfillment of the lord's promises to us. Not necessarily to a physical place but truly a location of blessings, an arrival not perpetually a journey; and
2) knowing that one is being led - it is one thing to dedicate a prayer in terms of "thy will be done" it is quite another to more than sense or feel but to know you are being led by the lord and hence are indeed keeping his commandments and being aligned with his will. doing what you should be doing and receiving the blessings you should receive.

Ability to progress

Two quotes which I enjoy but have yet to find the source:

1) Elder Faust: Many in this life are in stages of progression

2) Joseph Smith: all spirits born into this world are capable of improvement

any body have the sources

Five Guys

So a most pleasant father's day surprise: Blair, Julie, Eden, Lucky and Duncan dropped in Friday evening for a 24 hr visit. They arrived shortly before a major storm which knocked our power out and wasn't restored until the wee hours of the night. We slept in. Saturday was hot and sunny, until our power went out again Saturday night.

We enjoyed an enjoyable walk along the river into downtown and ate at Five Guys, which clearly is a favorite with Eden. Before they left Mackey return from girls camp. It is great to have her back.

Mac & Dad

Blair, Evan, Parker, & Mac have all been able to spend time with Dad while he has been in Northridge. This weekend has been Parker & mackey's turn. We started with a game of Quiddler, where I was destroyed, Mackey pulled off a come from behind victory, as father narrowly lost. Then Mac & I took father for a ride in his wheelchair up and around the block - on the outside sidewalk in the 80 degree summer air. We measured the distance at it is almost exactly 8/10ths of a mile.

Great weather. Great chat. Great company.

F Minus

I love F-minus and have failed since moving to Chicago to follow it online as I should. This morning while reading the Tribune at my parents, I was reminded why I so enjoy F Minus. The creator is on the forefront of social engagement.

The remaining question is the name "knee-bump", is it "genouing", or perhaps capping? Is the protocol right-to-right or left-to-left or crossing?

We'll watch the trend.

T & T

Tex has long been a dear friend and brother; willing to share thoughts, feelings, and experiences. He and Donna are dear friends and though the children are younger than ours - Tesa and Mackie have connected as only teenage girls can.

It has been a bounteous weekend as the Ostvigs stayed with us over the weekend between trips to Rockford, Il for wrestling tournament and then on to Nauvoo, Il for a reunion. Thankfully, they made the time to stop in and visit. We love friends and family dropping in for a minute, a hour, a meal, or an overnight.

Family Friendly

It was great to have Robert and Laura drop by for a visit as they scope out Chicago. I have always found Laura delightful company and Robert is a wonderful complement. Though they left Anne and Peter in Minneapolis, they did bring down Kate for introductions. She is totally a Robert and Laura baby - pleasant temperament, face full of cheeks and cute as can be. Great visit.

learning retention & predictability

So how carefully did you prepare your last family home evening?

What preparation did you take for that dinner table learning moment?

Did you really consider the learning abilities and habits of your students in your last Sunday school lesson?

Visual aids, interactive activities, probing questions, role playing - just what device did you engage to enhance the way the material was input to increase retention.
Surprise brings powerful learning. Predictability stifles retention.

New Utility or MonoFace

Monoface

Clearly this should be a facebook application. You could take groups of your own family photos and creatively or frighteningly mash them. Fun for all.

Kiss&bajs - pee poop shop

If only I was visiting the EU in the near term. I certainly would be shopping for t-shirts for all. At least for Oliver. Perhaps just the pictured key chains. What a disgustingly interesting fad and clothing offering. Feel free to beat me in being the first in the family to buy one at this link.

D-Day Memorial

Near by is found Cantigny park; on 500 acres it has formal gardens and picnic & camping grounds, Cantigny and two history-rich museums: the Robert R. McCormick Museum and the Cantigny First Division Museum,

We heard of the park from friends and have had it on the list of things to do. We were sparked into action when our Kite Festival turned out to be a bust and having read about their 65th D-Day anniversary celebration. They honored Veterans who took part in the largest amphibious assault - they restored a Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP), had a reenactment, flew in some major helicopters (thought of Eric) and hosted hundreds of Vets.

The First Division Museum is fantastic. Its has dioramas that you walk through that project the feeling of the battle of Cantigny WWI, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Normandy Beach where you watch a movie from the view point of a landing craft and as the shooting begins the front of the landing craft opens and you walk out on Normandy beach. Having visited Normandy in the 70's I can attest to the somber feel of the place. My description doesn't do justice to either experience. One does feel the sacrifice made and paid by those courageous, and not, who nonetheless went and protected liberty. I walked away with increased gratitude.

And all for the price of parking - $5.
Thank you Robert McCormick.

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Secure your documents from identity fraud in an environmentally friendly at least preferable; PETA friendly manner. The latest in shredders. Look at that hamster run and run and run.

If God Text Messaged the Ten Commandments

What if God had text messaged the 10 Commandments? It might look like this:

1. no1 b4 me. srsly.
2. dnt wrshp pix/idols
3. no omg’s
4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)
5. pos ok - ur m&d r cool
6. dnt kill ppl
7. :-X only w/ m8
8. dnt steal
9. dnt lie re: bf
10. dnt ogle ur bf’s m8. or ox. or dnkey. myob.

M, pls rite on tabs & giv 2 ppl.

ttyl, JHWH.

ps. wwjd?

Job

I am enjoying listening to book on tape which is a series of lectures on great books. So far it has covered several greek classic, the koran, among others. Today's lecture was looking for universal values to be discovered in the book of job.

Without reciting all of the arguments I'll set forth the principles and encourage your own pondering. These themes / values, though found in job, also reside in most classic literature stories:

• justice
  
• courage
  
• moderation
  
• with wisdom developed through sorrow to learn how to apply those values in one's vie quotitdienne

President Obama

What's up with before school assemblies for recognition. You will notice we are all comfortably seated at Washington Junior High by 7:10 am this morning. And you will see my camera shy daughter going up front to receive her award and ribbon for straight A's for the year. I am know the President's Award Program has some variance from school to school but in ours nary a B will earn President's Obama's signature. And as you can tell from the photo below he personally signed Mackie's.

Well done daughter of mine!!