Don't Talk Beautifully

This morning Joel asked me for some strawberries. As I handed him his plate, in my best British accent I said, "Here are your strawberries sir." I could tell he was annoyed with the accent and he said, "mom, don't talk beautifully." I started laughing and of course he loves to be found hilarious and he started cackling too.

Joel's really into High School Musical lately. He loves to watch the sing-a-long version and sing and dance to all of the songs. It's really cute.

Today he went to a little day camp run by some teenagers in the ward and they had High School Musical 2 on. The mom of the house told me Joel was singing along with all of those songs. Don't know how he learned them as he hasn't seen number 2 yet, but maybe he saw a preview that showed them.

Poor little Eli's been sick. He's had a fever, and his right eye, especially in the corner, is really bloodshot. He seems to be on the mend tho. Hopefully he'll be completely thru it ASAP.

Visiting Grandma while a student at BYU, Grandma asked my ideas about some national and local political issues. Completely absorbed in my college cocoon I was oblivious about any of the goings on in the world and void of opinion. Disappointed Grandma let me know that when queried identically, my then high school drop out cousin had presented thoughtful responses and educated opinions.


Obviously a college student should be a student of the world and intellectually curious about its events.


Intellectually curious herself Grandma is a modern woman, probably more so than any of her daughters or maybe even granddaughters. Born in rural southern Utah in 1917 opportunities for women were few and expectations limited. But Grandma didn't let geography and circumstance stunt her education.


Grandma has always been a reader and particularly an avid follower of politics. An independent thinker, she makes up her own mind and doesn't follow the crowd if she disagrees. For many in Utah, George W. Bush might as well have received his presidential office from the church. To disagree with his decisions is seen as somewhat heretical. Testimony and commitment to the gospel can be suspect if one questions Brother Bush's policies.


Yet though a staunch Republican, Grandma has been vocal about her opposition to Bush's policies particularly concerning the war in Iraq. A frequent contributor to the Republican party Grandma let them know she wasn't happy with the decisions of party leadership and didn't plan to donate when she received a solicitation call. The fundraiser probably thought a woman in her late eighties was set in her ways and a shoe in for a contribution. Not Grandma. She continues to evaluate and consider each new situation and then make up her mind.



I can only hope that I will be able to maintain such an agile mind if I make it to age 80, let alone 90. Happy Birthday Grandma!



Love,

Amy

I'm Not Cute and I'm Not Handsome!

Earlier this summer Kelly decided to shave his head. I do not like the way it looks but he says it's cooler and continues to do it. Unfortunately he has clogged up the sink in the upstairs hall bathroom. But that's all beside the point.



One day I asked Joel where Daddy's hair went and he replied that it had gone to "the Hair Cuttery."



Last Sunday I wanted to brush Joel's hair before church. He didn't want to go to church and thus was not keen to participate in any of the preparations. When I walked toward him with hairbrush in hand, he yelled out, "I'm not cute and I'm not handsome!" We always tell him how nice he looks after his hair his brushed and his comments were letting us know that he had no interest in grooming in preparation for church.

He always likes to be like his Daddy, so I said, "Daddy, do you want to be handsome?" "Oh yes!" Kelly replied. "He doesn't have any hair!" Joel shouted. Apparently one has to have hair in order to be handsome.

I later asked Joel if Eli was handsome.

"No. "

"Why not?"

"He has curly hair."

So I guess you also have to have straight hair in order to qualify for handsomeness.

Get your buncus up!

Laurie has been staying with us this summer before she heads off to India at the end of August. Yesterday she was doing push ups in the family room and Eli was down on the floor trying to figure out what on earth was going on. Trying to pull Joel into the mix I asked him what Laurie was doing. "Exercising," he replied, and then, lickety split, he had jumped on her back and lied prostrate on her backside. Immediately Laurie caved to the floor. "Up, up up Laurie!" Joel yelled. "Get your buncus up!" Laurie collapsed again and we all started laughing.