Shopping Weekend

Oct 17-Fri

Myrlynn, me, mom, Karen, Mardyne

Karen (before)

me (after)

Mom has been pleading with me and my sisters to take a day out of busy lives to take her Christmas shopping in Salt Lake City. While I am quickly running out of vacation time it was very important to her so I worked enough extra hours this week to take today off. We met Myrlynn at the Layton Hills Mall and had such a great time. Mom wanted to get her Christmas shopping done for us kids. Whose to argue with that? She found each of us something to wear in Macys. Karen and I also did something I had never done before. We had one of those intimidating makeup people do our makeup at the Clinique counter. I went from spending $1 on makeup from the dollar store to $27. The free gift, valued at more than the $27 sucked me in. I think we both looked much improved when we were done and it was sort of fun to spoil ourselves for a few minutes. We had lunch at Olive Garden. After shopping a little more, Mardyne, Karen and I went down to the prison to visit Ryan. I have learned that there are many really good people who come every single week from all over to visit their loved ones in prison. They are inspiring to talk to. There pain is so deep. Ryan looked better than I've seen him except for the cuts on his head from trying to give himself a haircut. He bears his testimony about his quest for redemption and his great desire for treatment which he will probably never get. I feel sure that if the Judge could be a fly on the wall and listen to him bare his soul he would take back some of his hopeless orders in this case and see to it that he got the help he needs. I know he is not a lost cause. He is worth saving. I know he needs to be in there but I wish the guards had the ability and freedom to be more compassionate. He is no danger to anyone and has said if the walls fell down he would still stay there because he knows that's where he needs to be. But just to be able to lay in the grass for a minute would be such a huge gift to him. Is that really too much to ask? His victims may think it is but I hope they can heal and be able to forgive someday.

Making Pfeffernuse

Oct 18-Sat
It's been almost 4 months since I've seen my Stansbury park grandkids. I had planned to visit them today but Justin said they all had colds and advised me to stay away. I was greatly disappointed. I feel like Lucy will scream next time she sees me as I am sure she has forgotten about me. Jon and I did a bike ride on the Bonneville Shoreline trail then Jon, Sarah and I had a fun time making a traditional German Christmas treat of pfeffernuse. He is planning to send some to Amanda as a surprise. He is such a great dad! He is also a much better cook/baker than I am. I never sift the dry ingredients. It seems so senseless to me but he is patient in the kitchen and so it's no wonder that his creations turn out just right. I give him lots of praise so he will want to do the cooking! I am much better skilled at eating anyway. That night we caught the 2nd half of the Aggies vs Colorado football game at the Fiddler's Elbow where they showed it on tv. Sadly we lost as time ran out by 3 points to a field goal. It was heartbreaking.