Mixing Work With Pleasure

Recently at work, the yard surrounding the schoolhouse was becoming very overgrown and unkempt. We thought that this reflected poorly on our school and on La Europa in general, so we decided to dedicate one class period to pulling weeds.
We had the girls form into teams and compete with each other to pull the most weeds. We offered a pass to get out of P.E. (which means the girls could sleep in for one morning) and another pass to get out of 5th period as incentives. Both the girls and the teachers joined in on th weeding. Unfortunately, about half of the girls gave up halfway through and just sat around talking. It was sad, but I guess not unexpected.
What they didn't know was that we had other surprises in store for them. Did they really expect us to make them weed out in the hot sun and only reward a few?
While we were weeding, the staff was in the house next door filling 500 water balloons. The weeding ended in a huge water fight, complete with balloons, a hose, and buckets of water. It was a ton of fun. At first I stayed around the edges of the fight and just threw a few balloons. But then one of the students smashed a balloon on my head, so I chased her around and made sure I nailed her with a few balloons. I thought that was the end of it, and I started going around picking up the rubber remains of the balloons. But then this student came back with some friends and they dumped two buckets of water on my head!
Then it was war. I ran after her, determined to get her back. Almost all of the balloons were used up, so I wrestled the hose away from another girl and chased down my prey, returning the favor and getting her drenched from head to toe. It was great. The other girls were laughing and screaming and egging us on.
We also gave them popsicles after lunch, after they cleaned up the bits of rubber that were scattered all over the lawn. I think we all had a good time, and the yard looks a lot better than it did. It's fun mixing work with pleasure!

Geneology, I am Doing It!

Yes, I know that they changed the words in the Children's Hymnbook to "Family history, I am doing it," but I still like the original words.
So, I've been thinking lately about how blessed I am right now in my life. I have a great job, a wonderful husband, a lovely home, and great friends and family. I'm also blessed with a lot of free time in the evenings and on weekends. So I decided that I wanted to give something back, to find a way to serve.
One thing that came to mind was family history. I felt compelled to be more active in helping with family history. I want to combine the training I received from the Family History class I took at BYU with the time that I've been blessed with. So this past week I started indexing records on-line.
You go to FamilySearch.org (there's a link to it from the lds.org website) and there's a tab at the top of the page for Indexing Records. If you've never done it before, they have some tutorials on-line, as well as help tabs while you're doing it.
I've done this off and on in the past, and I'll warn you that it can be addicting. But that's a good thing! As I was picking it up again, I found that I was a little worried that I might index something incorrectly. Some of the handwriting is hard to read, and it can be difficult to make out what the record is saying. But you just do your best and type it as you see it - they actually have two people index every record. Then, if there are any discrepencies, a third person checks both transcriptions and the original record and determines what it should say. This relieved my worries that I would type in a name incorrectly and make it difficult for someone who is trying to find their ancestor.
After the indexing has been cross-checked and corrected (if necessary), they post the information for free on FamilySearch.org so that anyone can have access to it.
I highly encourage everyone to give indexing a try. It's very user friendly. It doesn't take a lot of time- it usally takes me about 20-30 minutes to do one record. And you don't have to sit down and do a batch all at once - you can download it to your computer and work on it when you have time.

Finishing Touches

As an addition to my previous post, I wanted to mention another small improvement that we made to our living room.

Those who lived in our condo before us had a large couch that covered the A/C unit that is sticking out of the wall. So when they painted the walls of the living room green, they didn't take much care in painting around the A/C unit (since it didn't show). This is what it looked like:

Well, when we were looking at redecorating the living room, we decided to move the piano in front of the A/C unit, because it hid it more effectively than the bookcase we were using (and it looks nicer on the center of the wall rather than in the corner). However, with the white trim around the edge of the unit, it was still noticeable.

Our solution was to paint the trim green, so that the part you could see sticking out behind the piano would blend in better with the wall and be less noticable. Fortunately, when Jeff bought our condo he asked the owners to leave behind a can paint for each wall color, so we didn't have to go out and buy any paint. Unfortunately, the original paint color doesn't match what's on the wall exactly (as you can see below), but it's close enough that it doesn't really matter.

Before (lovely paint job, huh?)

After (not quite the same color, but close enough)

Here you can see how it blends into the wall much nicer, and I can also use it as a hidden shelf for flower vases.

Living Room Facelift

Jeff and I decided that our living room was too cluttered. In addition to our couch, two ottomans, and entertainment center, we also had two video rocker chairs with nowhere to go and two bookcases taking up wall space. One bookcase was full of piano music, magazines, and games, and the second bookcase was full of DVDs. And our old entertainment center was too small to hold the subwoofer and digital audio control system (for the surround sound), so they were just sitting on the floor. Later in my post, you'll see some Before and After pictures. Unfortunately, I never did get a picture of when we had two bookcases, but they sat side by side next to the piano with the plant stand in between. And the video rocker chairs would sit in front of our porch door (unfortunately, we don't really use our porch, because our neighbors smoke).

So we decided to go shopping for a new entertainment center. We wanted something that wasn't too big - it had to fit on our 7-foot wall space between the fireplace and sliding door leading to the porch. But it needed to be big enough to fit our 40-inch TV, all of our equipment, and we also wanted to fit all of the DVDs, games, piano music, and magazines as well so that we could de-clutter.

We shopped around a bit, and finally found a solution at IKEA! It is my new favorite store. They have a wide selection, and they're quite affordable, too. We found a 6x6 foot black/brown Expedit entertainment center. The space for the TV was barely big enough, but it worked (yay!). Surrounding the space for the TV and equipment underneath are 16 boxes that are each 13x13 inches large. We customized ours by adding in a set of drawers on each side, where we put remotes, chords, manuals, and some of our smaller card games. And everything fit with room to spare!

These two pictures show how it was a tight fit getting the boxes in our car. I'm really grateful our back seat folds down to extend our trunk!

The chaos: before assembly (here you can see both of our bookshelves, but that's not where they went).

It took us about five hours to put everything together. We did it on Monday night for our Family Night. We decided to stay up and finish it all in one shot, so we were up 'til midnight. About 30 minutes of the 5 hours was spent trying to remove the base from our TV. We didn't have the right screwdriver, and it took FOREVER. And then it took a while at the end to connect all of the cables. But we got it all done! (Well, actually, I ended up assembling the drawers the next day, which took me a couple of hours.)

Here's a picture of the finished product.

(Note of interest: these square shelves really aren't made with DVD storage in mind. Our solution, which you can see on the second set of shelves, was to have a second row of DVDs behind the first that were elevated so you could still read the titles. We set the second row of DVDs up on foam blocks that we got from Jeff's work.)

These next pictures show the before and after shots of our living room, so you can see how the whole room changed.

Before: entertainment center too small, with equipment sitting on the floor.

After: everything fits!

Before: was even more cluttered with the video rockers in front of the porch door.

And this entertainment center jutted out further into the room than our new one.

After: nice and clean and organized.

Before: was even more cluttered with a second bookcase in front of the old A/C unit.

After: the piano is now the focus of this end of the room, instead of just being stuck in the corner.

The A/C unit is more effectively hidden, and the video rockers have a place to go.

All in all, we're very pleased with our new living room. And while I'm in a mood to redecorate, does anyone have any ideas on curtains for this window (color, style)?

Now our only concern is... how the heck are we going to move this piece of furniture? I REALLY don't want to take it apart and have to assemble it again... but I guess that's a worry for another day.

Current Anderson Fad: Kenken Puzzles

So Jeff and I seem to find an activity that we enjoy, and then we do it all the time. Past fads include Text Twist (a game on Jeff's palm where you rearrange letters to spell words), Set (a card game), and Ticket to Ride (a board game). While we still enjoy these games and play them every once in a while, we seem to focus primarily on one game at a time.

Our current favorite pasttime is Kenken puzzles. They're not as popular as Sudoku puzzles (yet), but they appeared in The Reader's Digest in October of last year, as well as the New York Times on Thanksgiving. And you can buy Kenken books at Borders and Barnes and Nobles.

Here are the rules for playing (posted on the official website http://www.kenken.com/, my comments are italisized):

1. Choose a grid size.

2. Fill in the numbers from 1 to grid size. (Ex: 1 through 4 for a 4x4)

3. Do not repeat a number in any row or column. (Similar to Sudoku)

4. The numbers in each heavily outlined set of squares, called cages, must combine (in any order) to produce the target number in the top corner using the mathematical operation indicated.

5. Cages with just one square should be filled in with the target number in the top corner.

6. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column.

Jeff and I like playing for free on-line on the kenken website, where they post a new set of puzzles every day, ranging from 4x4 to 9x9. You can also find puzzles on the NY Times and Reader's Digest websites. We play just about every day, and it's fun to see how we're getting better. We like playing together, because we have different strengths in our logic and check each other's thinking.

I encourage you to try it out! It's a great exercise for your brain. If you only want to play for a few minutes, do one of the smaller puzzles, like a 4x4. But if you get hooked and are up for a challenge, work your way up to a 9x9 (when we first started, we couldn't complete the 9x9; then it would take us about an hour to finish; today, we completed one in 26 min).

Summer is here!!!

Well, Christine and I haven't written lately and its about time. I have to say we have definitely enjoyed the nice weather recently. We are trying to take advantage of this nice weather because you never know when it might snow again. [shudder] So we had some fun outdoors this past week.
Monday we had a little family home evening at the park. We decided to go play bocce ball. We got a bocce ball set at Christine's bridal shower and hadn't played with the set since we got it. So we headed over to the park and had a great time playing. It was fun when people would stop with a question about the game or say how much fun the game is. It is not very often that people play bocce ball in the park. It was a close game with a come from behind victory (I won). It was definitely loads of fun.
Then after we got home, I checked a message on my cell and found out that some of our friends were playing volleyball that night so we ran over to their apartment complex and played sand volleyball for about an hour. People were impressed by my jump serving and overall playing ability. People are often suprised because they don't expect much from a short guy, I guess. Anyway it is always fun to impress friends who haven't seen me play before.
We also enjoyed the weather on Friday evening. Some friends of ours invited us to go up the canyon and roast hot dogs and marshmallows and have smores. It was loads of fun getting to know some of our fellow ward couples with no kids. We did a little hiking and playing a game around the camp fire. There was little creek next to our camp and a nice little waterfall not far from the camp fire. Christine decided she would cross a branch that had fallen across the creek. Then she crossed a different branch on the way back - one that was really slippery and sure enough took a few steps in the creek. It was all fine because she just took her shoes & socks off when we got back to camp and dryed them out by the fire. We played a fun game where you ask silly questions and everyone answers secretly and the person asking the question tries to guess which person wrote which response. We weren't very good at guessing, but we both got each other's right.
All in all, we hope to do a lot of fun things this summer. We look forward to doing some day hikes and getting some good outdoors time.

Mormon Women

I got this poem in an e-mail from a friend of mine. I felt like sharing it after my sister-in-law Rachel posted her thoughts and insights from a Women's Conference that she attended last week.
If you, or someone you know has ever felt overwhelmed by all they feel they need to do, Vickie Gunther of Redlands, California, wrote this hilarious poem, Dr Seuss style, about how much LDS women try to take on. David B Marsh used it at Women's Conference and Vickie gave permission to share it.
Even if you've read it before, it's fun to read again. I know that sometimes I feel like this, too.

The Girl in a Whirl
By "Dr.Sue" (a.k.a. Vicke Gunther)

Look at me, look at me, look at me now!
You could do what I do if you only knew how.
I study the scriptures one hour each day;
I bake, I upholster, I scrub, and I pray.
I always keep all the commandments completely;
I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.
I help in their classroom! I sew all they wear!
I drive them to practice! I cut all their hair!
I memorize the names of the General Authorities,
I focus on things to be done by priorities.
I play the piano! I bless with my talents!
My toilets all sparkle! My check books all balance!
Each week each child gets a one-on-one date;
I attend all my meetings (on time! never late!)
I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul,
But, that is not all! Oh no, That is not all.

I track my bad habits 'till each is abolished;
Our T-shirts are ironed! My toe nails are polished!
Our family home evenings are always delightful;
The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.
I do genealogy faithfully, too,
It's easy to do all the things I have to do!
I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;
I know all the names of each youth in the stake!
I read to my children! I help all my neighbors!
I bless the community, too with my labors.
I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;
My visiting teaching is done the first day!
(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.
It's the least I can do for my cherished ward Sisters.)
I chart resolutions and check off each goal;
I seek each "lost lamb" on my Primary roll.
I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all.

I write in my journal! I sing in the choir!
Each day, I write "thank yous" to those I admire.
My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!
My kids got straight A's! and their bedrooms are clean.
I have a home business to help make some money;
I always look beautiful groomed for my honey.
I go to the temple at least once a week;
I change the car's tires! I fix the sink's leak!
I grind my own wheat and bake all our bread;
I have all our meals planned out six months ahead.
I make sure I rotate our two-year supply
My shopping for Christmas is done by July!
These things are not hard; 'tis good if you do them;
You can if you try! Just set goals and pursue them!
It's easy to do all the things that I do!
If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too!
"It's easy!" she said and then she dropped dead!