One week after Spring.....

It takes your food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.

One human hair can support 3 kg (6.6 lb).

The average man's penis is three times the length of his thumb.

Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.

A woman's heart beats faster than a man's.

There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.

Women blink twice as often as men.

The average person's skin weighs twice as much as the brain.

Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are standing still.

If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

Women reading this will be finished now.

Men are still busy checking their thumbs!

Now isn't this the kind of trivia you'd rather read about than hearing about what it was like when I had to walk to school through snow up to my knees; and how I didn't have anything better to do with my time, than ride my bike, or play 'kick the can', or hula hoop, or collect bottles to trade at the Cold Storage for penny candy? I knew it would be.

Let me just tell you how my day started off tho: See this shiny array of stuff laying on my bathroom floor? This is my makeup mirror that I have used for about 20 years. It's small, I know - but now you understand why I look the way I do when you see me. Not that I've used it this way.....backtracking.....Mirror used for 20 years, dropped close to 100 times on tile, cement, etc. with never a crack. In fact, I was just sitting on the loo a week ago and dropped it and thought to myself what a great beauty partner it had been to me all these years. Today, it dropped from my trembling fingers and shattered into many, many pieces. Now if I were super, superstitious, I would say it was an omen for my day. But as I ran from the room to throw salt over my shoulder, I came to the conclusion that maybe it is and indication of a 'new beginning' for me. Should I buy one of those new-fangled light-up magnifying mirrors that show every line in my face, or just be happy to get another compact? These are the questions haunting my thoughts right now.

Just so you know, one of these punks had the audacity to mention my age, the other one who is much closer to me in age, was alot more cautious - Love all the memories and the mention!

Welcome Home, Elder Ryan!

Elder Ryan returned home from the Ohio Columbus mission on March 18, 2009. He was welcomed by an unassuming crowd of parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and a BUD - you really couldn't have picked us out of anyone else there, cuz Ryan didn't want fanfare, alot of signage, or cheering when he rode down that escalator. However, after waiting about 20 minutes, and seeing the pilot and flight attendants come down, we began to wonder 'where is that guy?' We were making suppositions about whether he was up in the restroom changing into board shorts and a T-shirt; whether a group of them might be planning a theatrical number like the Rockettes; whether he had stowed away in some guys snowboard bag; and Glen even asked him {by them time he did get down} whether they had made them clean up the plane. He looked tired, but when we asked him how early he had gotten up his reply was 'we didn't go to bed until 2AM and were up and headed for the airport at 4AM! No wonder the dark circles under the eyes!

And tho we were told he didn't want attention there were a few signs.....

We attended his ward meeting today, where we heard a little about experiences on his mission as he spoke on the importance of Priesthood blessings. As referenced in his last letter home back to the 'norm'.......

IM GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE IS SOME FUN PLANS AHEAD FOR ME.
I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU THAT I WANTED TO GO FOUR-WHEELING
AND GOLFING ASAP - BUT YOU'RE ALREADY ON IT!

THE COURSES AROUND HERE ARE GREENING UP AND LOOK GOOD!
MAKE SURE YOU PUT MY DRIVER BACK IN MY BAG, DAD!!!  MY
TALK IS JUST ABOUT FINISHED. ALL I'LL HAVE TO DO
IS TYPE IT UP WHEN I GET HOME!

WELCOME HOME, LIL CAMPBELL!

ST. Paddy's Inspiration

Put some green in your life when you want:

• a new state of balance
• feel a need for change or growth
• freedom to pursue new ideas
• protection from fears and anxieties connected with the demands of others

Although I anxiously await the first signs of a 'Spring Green', the only thing peeking out right now is weeds - why is that? I was thinking of ignoring St. Patrick's Day completely. I don't have a drop of green Irish blood in me; I HATE corned beef and cabbage; I have never drank green beer or tasted green bread; I don't believe in good luck; and green has never been a color I could wear! But in tribute to all the hard-working Irish American people who helped build our great country, I will surrender and at least wish you all a Happy St. Paddy's day!

An Irish Prayer
May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Baby HUNK

Some already know - others do not. The progeny of Thomas Loyal & Hattie Ina just keeps growing and growing. And although it gives me pleasure in announcing this, I want to assure you all that it's NOT me! With everything else that's been going on, Heidi and Grant are expecting their 2nd child. I was privvy enough to get to go to an appointment yesterday with her to witness for the 1st time an actual ultrasound. I have maintained that every ultrasound picture I see is the same one that every other person sees - they look no different than the next one! However, this was a 4D ultrasound where we could actually see features and were able to tell that baby Seth has Grant's nose and upper lip. He also has a dimple in his chin. He sleeps like his Dad, with one arm up over his face and one under his head.

These are just a few of the pix taken yesterday and as Heidi said: "He's 1 lb. even, and about 22-23 weeks along. The first two are 4D shots and the last one is
the money shot!" {if you were betting on it}


CONGRATULATIONS to our newest family of 4!

Happy Birthday, Grant!

This guy is soooo loved by the two gals in his life! Laila loves making donut runs with him, helping him work on projects, and watching him fly his airplanes. He is such a good husband to Heidi, and a loving Daddy to Laila. He is our 'mild-mannered superhero' type of guy. Never says much unless he feels it's something very important - just sits by and listens. We are so thankful that he chose to make himself part of the family by marrying the lovely and talented Heidi. Hope your day is special and that you feel the LOVE!

Happy Birthday to.....

The Woodster
The Woodman
The Woody
Wood....................

Same....yet Different

Whitey and I check out a number of blogs, and sometimes I feel as tho I am eavesdropping on personal conversations, but there was a link from one of them this morning that sent me to this blog.

Because this young man just recently discovered that he had the same cancer as our son-in-law, it came as a personal sorrow for me as I read their story. I feel so very blessed and lucky that our own experience with this same diagnosis has a more brilliantly colored rainbow at the other end.

Please include in your prayers - Emily ...... a young mother who lives in Texas. She has a little boy, Grant, and is pregnant with a daughter, Aubrey. On 2/18, her husband noticed a few symptoms and went to the hospital and just 10 days later he passed away from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She really needs our prayers.

Friends

Friendship is a Sheltering Tree...Don't you just love those words? How true they are. Life without friends would be very lonely. I didn't get a birthday shout out for my friend on the 26th, but I want her to know how much I appreciate her friendship through the years. In the early days, we would console, encourage, and share life's dreams with each other. Now we cry over lifes disappointments, compare our ailments, and give one another suggestions on the best vitamin supplements.

Friends bring out the best in us ---

We shared the anticipation of our first school day,

Our first boyfriend,

Our first date,

Our first kiss.

With a friend . . .

We became bold and adventuresome

when we might otherwise be timid and shy.

With a friend . . .

We remember all the things that no longer are.

Like . . .

With a friend . . .

We trade our favorite thing for their favorite thing.

With a friend . . .

We are Invincible!

Love ya, Pauly......

The Sixth Challenge

The Sixth Challenge

I just recently hooked up with a gal that I worked with at Morgan's and she had this cute idea on her blog. So, before any of the other relatives do it first, I thought I'd beat you all to the punch and then you can share.

Here are the rules:
1. Go to the photo folder in your computer
2. Go to the 6th folder of photos.
3. Go to the sixth picture.
4. Put the picture on your blog and description of it.
5. Invite six friends to join the challenge.

This photo could not be more fitting for what I hold dear....it was taken in October 2008 at Heidi's house. She hosted Weston's 2nd Birthday party and it included every one of the grandkids + Heather in the picture. What makes it particularly poignant, is that Heather's husband had just begun chemo treatments for Burkitt's Lymphoma, and was in the hospital. Heather had been there with him on a daily basis for weeks, and was not able to even think about doing a party for her little boys birthday celebration. So Heidi, jumped in and offered to have the party, do the cake, and even had little bags of party favors for all the kids!

I am so thankful for family, and for the opportunity it affords us to help one another, and show appreciation for what we hold dear to our hearts. These little kids all have so much fun with one another, and enjoy the times they are together. They run, jump, scream, and expend every inch of enthusiasm in their little bodies. NOISY? Yes! But how boring life would be without them!

As to my inviting 6 people to do this; surprise me and let me see who does it first!