Meet Mr. Lincoln

(Guest author)
At this very moment both Laurel and Lincoln are happily asleep down the hall. Everyone is back home and very happy about it. Laurel asked me (Mr. Wicke) to post a few pictures as many of you have been following this "adventure" with baited breath. Before I do, I want to thank all of you for your kindness and generosity. Laurel had made many new friends by way of this technological medium and her daily(although not so frequent over the past few months) virtual conversations are a bright spot in her day. I've come to thank heaven for the many good women who, as friends, affect my wife in such a positive way. Thank you for your influence!










I've posted some additional (different) pictures on my blog. Laurel will be back and Tea Party Place will be up and serving cookies, stories and laughter in no time.

Job Training, Anyone?

I'm afraid of offending some of my new friends, but I'll say it anyway. I am generally not a Wal-Mart fan. There I said it. My distaste stems from a number of reasons, not all of which are important to tonight's post. But I will also admit that I do shop there every now and again because it is a great one stop shop. However, once the Super Target opens across the street...well, now that place is my weakness.

Okay, for today's aggravation with Wal-Mart. I needed a few fresh veggies for the stir-fry I made tonight and some bath and haircare products. It was a quick trip, and all was going well until the checker, holding one of my items and looking confused, asked, "What do you call these?"

"Umm...green beans?"

Okay, seriously.

I'm No Gym Rat

Mesa has not been kind to my waistline. I hesitate to even write this out loud because I have made a commitment not to engage in "fat talk," which according to a recent news article is one of the first topics of conversation when women get together. I have vowed not to give into that social pressure needlessly.

However, that said, this isn't just fat talk. It is my truth right now. A sizeable portion of my day is dedicated to whittling away the waistline. That's right: I'm back at the gym after a couple of deliriously happy, exercise free, summer months. I know I should feel guilty writing that. "But what about those endorphins?" "Doesn't exercise make you feel great?" "Don't you always feel better when you're exercising?"

Maybe. But the real truth for me is that I find it a pain in the butt. It just takes a lot of time, and I've got a lot to do. The extra hour devoted to sweating gives rise to another hour devoted to clean up, hair, makeup, then add the travel time to and from the gym, and the minutes it takes to get little Griff checked in and out of child care...well, it just adds up. And I find myself thinking the whole time about the other things that need to get done.

But I'm doing it. And I have been inspired by the 78-year old woman in my body sculpting class. I LOVE her! This class kicks my butt by the way and a lot of younger, more in shape derrieres as well, so I give her all kinds of credit. I talked to her after class one day, and she said, "My friends think I'm crazy, but I told them if God's let me live a long life, I want to take care of myself." I want to be like her when I grow up.

...Crap! That's a lot of hours at the gym.

Short Memory = Larger Waistline

So if I'm spending all this time working out, I might as well watch what I eat, right? And generally I'm pretty good about that. But I live with the devil! Mr. Wicke has a sweet tooth, and now I do, too! My goal of cutting out sugar has not been going well. Thursday night might be the best, or is it worst, example.

I was invited to speak at another ward's RS Enrichment Night on Thursday: Well, you know there is always a dessert of some kind at these things. Tonight it is 3 different kinds of homemade cheesecake. I love cheesecake. The carrot cake cheesecake tasted delicious by the way. I stopped at one piece, so give me credit.

Now, I hadn't had a chance to eat an actual meal before the event, so when I get home I sit down and have a bowl of the chicken soup I had made for the fam. Also good, by the way. Then just to chill out I turn on the TV. This is an effective brain numb-er, an important point when considering the following events. An hour later Thomas is scavenging around in the kitchen looking for his evening snack. "I'm making a mint chocolate chip shake. Want one?"

Having appropriately numbed my brain and truly not remembering the carrot cake cheesecake a couple of hours before I say, "Sure." I love mint chocolate chip milkshakes. It is really good, too, by the way.

After the milkshake I feel unusually full and a little sick. That's when I remember the carrot cake cheesecake. Crap! Almost simultaneously I remember the digital display on the treadmill that morning. It said I burned off like 28 or so calories. I'm pretty sure I just ate that up. Ah, nuts! Maybe I can make up for it tomorrow in step aerobics.

Why I Hate Flying

I have been out of town again! I think it is time to take the wings off my heels and be still for awhile. Home is a good place to be.

Having spent a long weekend in California, I can attest to one true thing: I do not like to fly. The whole experience is unsatisfying to me. My trip home will sum it up.

I waited in the security line for one hour and 5 minutes. When I finally made it to the front, I could see my gate. The plane was loading; there was a hope that I might just make it, especially when the boarding pass checker ushered me into the first class line. I was feeling lucky for a few seconds until the first class line was stopped while they checked 3 wheelchair bound people and their families through. It would have gone a lot smoother if they would have had both metal detectors up and working, but that would have made too much sense. So, because I always get in the slowest moving line, my first class experience was second best as it turned out.

Out of frustration I said to the blue-tooth and suit wearing man behind me, "Kind of ridiculous today, huh?"

"It's working OK for me," he replied coldly.

"Really?! I've been in line an hour!"

"Your kidding?"

"No. See that line that snakes all the way around down there?" pointing to the rest of my coach sharing passengers, at least those I could see without using binoculars.

And then he said, and I quote, "Well, you should have paid more money."

Snobbery like that doesn't sit well with me. I laughed out loud. "Oh, yeah! I should have paid more money!" As in "Why didn't I think of that!"

"You've got to know your worth it."

"Oh! I KNOW I'm worth it. That's not the problem, believe me."

He bugged. Pompous ass.

Then security had to search my bag. They opened it, and, of course, my underwear was on top. Nice. Do you know that at some airports they want you to carry your plastic bag of mini-toiletries through security? They are called toiletries because they are supposed to be private! AND what kind of facial products come in 3 oz. sizes? Seriously.

I also hate walking through that thing barefoot. I just know I'm catching athlete's foot the whole time. It's gross.

Ever noticed how everything is getting smaller on the airplanes? Like the seats and my micro bag of peanuts. I think there might have been three nuts total. Yum. Why even bother?

And if they are that cheap, how do I know they aren't cutting corners elsewhere? Like nuts, bolts, engines, that sort of thing. Basically I am of the belief that we human beings should not be that far off the ground anyway. I always have to say a little prayer during take off. It goes a little something like this: "Please bless this hunk of metal. I do not want to die today." And it is repeated until my blood pressure settles. It's not poetic, but it is sincere. When we finally land I am always relieved. That is until we have to stand in another long line waiting for the doors to finally open. And what is it with the people who can not wait their turn?

So yes, I need to stop traveling for a while. It's making me grouchy. Maybe I just need to go shopping and throw my big wads of money around for awhile. After all, I've got to know I'm worth it.

My Most Recent Party

My party planning has in the past couple of years expanded beyond the walls of our own home. A year and a half ago I was appointed to our HOA committee and given the responsibility of social committee chair, which basically means I am in charge of giving our community of 940 homes a couple of big parties a year. On Saturday we had our second annual Spring Fling which is a potluck picnic where the HOA provides hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, and drinks and everyone else brings a dish to share. This year also included a giant waterslide, a basketball shootout, a bake-off and kid's races. It was well attended, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Here are some pictures:

Logan is clearly excited! She won 2 blue ribbons and was over the moon. Her best pal Emily is on the right and her friend Nathan is to the left.

My friends Shilo and Ruth.

The Food Line

Griffin and Tyler ran wild all night and had a blast.

The waterslide was a big hit with the kids.

Here's me and Logan competing in the Mommy&Daughter race.

(There are no pictures of Daddy because he was holding the camera through the whole thing.)

But what made the event's success even more compelling was that we withstood a dust and rain storm right before it was supposed to begin. Since our Fall Festival was rained out, I was really in a panic. I wasn't sure what I had done to offend the heavens, but I was ready to take it back-- all of it, whatever it was. We have sunshine almost every day of the year! Except, of course, when I hold an outdoor event. What made it even more of a bag-over-the-head-punch-in-the-face was that it was 96 degrees and sunny until 2:30. Then this rolled in within 20 minutes:

What you can't see very well is that we were literally holding the tent down as they had not yet weighted it before the storm hit. We were spitting dirt; so nasty. We did outlast it though, and the rest went off without a hitch.

I do have to give a huge amount of credit to Thomas, who seems to anticipate my every need. He is, was, and always will be my right hand man, the guy I lean on. When things get really hectic and crazy, he is the one that holds things together. How did I get so lucky?

It's Just our Nature

I am joining all my blogger friends. What a great way to stay connected!

So the most recent is that I'm trying to work out and get in shape. Argggh! I HATE it! I'm tired, sore, my head hurts, and I really want some chocolate. Everyone says that if I exercise long enough I'll get to where I really like it. I'm sure that is not true for me. I am a Libra. Not that I know what that means really, but I read once that we prefer lounging. Now that IS true for me. As soon as I can fit comfortably in my jeans again, I can not promise that I will continue. I'd like to believe I will...but I just don't think it's really my lifestyle. I'd like it to be, just like I'd like to be a morning person...there are just some things that go against my nature.

Hmm...that would be interesting. A list of things that go against my nature. Okay, I'm just making this up. Let's see.
1. Early mornings
2. Life without tv
3. Life without books
4. Bad food
5. Running
6. Not getting anything done
7. Indecisiveness
8. Anything taken too seriously
9. Ignorance
10. Ugly behavior
11. Ugly interiors
12. Ugly clothes

I want to see your lists. That was kind of fun.

Logan just had her first dance recital on Wednesday night. When she was done she got in the car and said, "I'm a talented dancer." I love self-confidence! Today she informed me that she is done taking ballet because she, "...already learned that." After 4 months she can check that off her list. World class ballerina? Check. Moving on! I guess that's just her nature.

As for Griffin, he's just terribly busy getting into trouble. He can't seem to learn the simple rule that if it is not yours don't touch it. He is a whirlwind of busy-ness and active energy. This about sums it up:

But I do have to give him credit. He was a terrific shopping partner yesterday. He even learned to say, "This is sooo cute!" Thomas hopes that is not in his nature.

Thomas is very busy with work and finishing that Ph.D. Yes, he's still working on it. But it should be done this fall...can't wait! It will be a good break for him. I say break because I'm sure he'll find some activity or cause or 4th job to fill his time. It's just his nature. Here are a couple of pictures from his latest project, MVP Gift Bag. This was his first big order, and as you can see it was a family affair. It also took up most of our living room for just a short spell. I didn't like that part much. What can I say: That's just MY nature. (I think I mentioned ugly interiors in the list above.)

After writing the above, it occurs to me that all of us come to the earth with a built in disposition. We spend our time here trying to refine it, but the essence of who we are really are doesn't change drastically, does it? I don't know, but if that is the case then I'm lucky to be surrounded by a family of people whose natures I really get a kick out of.