The Boy turns 13

Today in Chicagoland we celebrate the Boy's 13th birthday. We are now the parents of three teen-agers - one in college, one in high school, and one in junior high...oh my. It's been a good day for PTL - breakfast in bed, easy day at school, football after school, his favorite dinner, a YM activity with all his buddies, and then closing the evening opening his gift - 'Rockband' for the Wii. As we speak, he's showing his mom how it works. Classic.

It's great to have a son like the Boy, PTL. He's awesome and brings us a wonderful mix of happiness and terror all at once. He's amazing and continues to evolve into quite the young man. It will be quite an experience the next few years watching him grow and mature. He's quite the character, as this picture reflects:

Happy birthday, chief!

Doce horas en un traje

Many, many times I've been compelled to describe my dad as a man who would be most comfortable mowing the lawn in a suit. And I've never meant that in a bad way. It has always meant that he was ready to serve. He's always been a role model of service to others, Christ-like in his way and he's always been ready to serve whomever, whenever needed. So if he's always in a suit, he's always ready to go.

I've also said I'd be wise to follow his example. And I'm trying. Does it count that I've been in my suit for twelve hours today? It's been a good, busy Sabbath day. Started with Bishopric meeting at 7:30AM and it went from there. I got home for good around 4:30PM. I then did my first youth interview (SB, you survived, my friend!) and once that was over, I was finally able to call it a day. I have to admit I'm glad to be out of the suit for the night.

Talked to our Lady Of BYU today and she had a great first week of Fall Semester. She's going to a Sunday Night Devotional tonight where Elder Jeffrey R. Holland is speaking - man, I miss those days of being able to have such access to Church leaders.

Capped the evening with homemade soft tacos - Shari got all kinds of creative with the shredded roast (the jalapeno nailed it!) that she used and it was so, so good. And now "The Simpsons" are on. Still the Best.TV.Show.Ever!

Remember that "Seinfeld" episode?

I'm referring to Episode #59, "The Smelly Car," from April 1993, where Jerry wages war against a BO beyond description - a little present left by a parking valet. It was a classic when it first aired and a gutbust every time it airs in repeats. Well, today, Shari and I came up against that same hideous thing while in Target.

Apparently, a shopper had skipped bathing bathing for, oh I don't know, forever and every aisle this guy cruised down, he left a trail of carnage, destruction, and stink like you can't believe. Children were yelling, 'What stinks?' It was so bad that I think I actually saw bread going stale as he passed by the innocent bags of unsuspecting wheat, white, and rye breads. They never knew what hit 'em. People were literally stopping in the aisles after said shopped had gone by them and they were doing the "sniff" manuver to see if, by some hideous happenstance, it was them. I mean to call it noxious is an understatement. It was unreal. And all I could think of was that episode of "Seinfeld."

I don't know how one manages to get out of the house with a stink like that, but then again, I think this just goes to my belief that a whole lot of folks have carnival fun house mirrors installed in their homes because if they had real mirrors, they wouldn't be walking around dressed the way there are...

That's been Saturday's highlight...I'd like to say that BYU's win over Washington was the highlight but since we don't get Fox Sports Network in this neck of Chicagoland, we didn't get to see the win. We did get to see the Boy play his first soccer game this season and his team won, 5 - 0. Great job! We're going to close the evening watching Brian Regam - we saw him live in an awesome show a couple of nights ago in Joliet (a town with basically no redeeming qualities) and he has a new special on Comedy Central tonight. Laughing as a way to close the evening is always good!

A thought or two....

It's only Wednesday and it feels like one Monday after another...reinforcing the fact that I really, really deplore four-day work weeks. They kill me. Simple as that...

So some things that are getting me through

- watching "Wipeout" on ABC. Parker and I were hysterical watching it last night. Haven't laughed that hard in a long, long time

- cinnamon rolls; enough said other than "thank you" to Judy for those rolls! Awesome!

- getting psyched to see Brian Regan in concert this week. When Shari and I saw him in concert in Ontario several years ago with a wonderful group of friends, we nearly lost a couple of organs laughing. Can't wait for a report tomorrow night!

All that and a couple of good runs should make the rest of the week bearable! That and watching the weird antics at the Republican Convention. I can't even begin to get my arms around what's going on there right now.