What are my Shelmeno's?

The snow started coming down this morning, and let me tell you-I don't love waking up to that when I've inadvertently slept through my alarm! So bad! I had a client this morning at 7:00-which is early for me when I have to get ready and drive the 25-30 min. commute to get there. I got to the parking lot right at 7, which is located across the street from the Alta Club. I'm not gonna lie-I'm a regular jay walker when it comes to getting to work. (Mom and Dad, I know you've been trying to figure out if I have any flaws for a long time-this is the only one. ;)) This morning I was in a serious hurry and was ready to dash across the street, when I had a little thought come to me to slow down because the roads were slick and cars could be slipping. I waited for 3 cars to pass and crossed halfway...waited for three more cars to pass and was about to walk with plenty of time to cross in front of an old beater truck coming down the road. The truck was traveling pretty slowly, but something wasn't right. Despite my huge hurry, I sat there and waited. The truck was slipping and ran into the back of a REALLY nice Cadillac Escalade. The Escalade went launching forward and hit a fire hydrant. Honestly, I would've been close to or right in front of that Escalade when the truck hit it-my path was between the fire hydrant and the Escalade. I don't think the Escalade had it's emergency break on because it came pretty fast. I stood maybe 15 ft. from the whole thing. Now, I don't think it would've been a life threatening event, but I am sure that I escaped a painful experience. I was grateful for the promptings to wait. Simple experience, but a good lesson for me. I'm convinced it's because I remembered to say my prayers this morning. Seriously.

Okay, so last night I went to the Ellison's to watch the Vegas bowl game. (Cougars won. Go Cougs!) Dave was there, sharing his pictures from his trip to Asia with Anne. Before I say this, I will first say that kids say the funniest things sometimes...always worthy of note. And sometimes adults do too. I personally think this one is worthy of note. So, Dave has put his pictures in nice photo albums and has written the names of the places visited to the side of the pictures. After pages of unpronouncable places, we came to pictures of the hanging temples in Datong. Written out to the side it said, "Hanging Temples". Anne looked at it and said, "Honjing Temples, Hmm." Dave looked at her and said, "It says hanging temples." I couldn't stop laughing. It reminded me of a story my friend shared while teaching Sunday School. I can't remember the subject, but she was talking about some of her favorite words. She had written a few on the board, one of which was the word, shelmeno's. She said it was one of her favorites because it had such a beautiful meaning and was in one of her favorite primary songs-Love one Another. She said she never read the words to the song because she had just learned and memorized it in primary. One Sunday,only about 2 years ago, she was sitting in sacrament meeting where they were singing "Love one Another" as the opening song. The guy sitting next to her offered to share his book with her and she found herself reading the words...which she had never done before. She had to excuse herself from the chapel because she was laughing so hard. She had just discovered that what she thought was the word shelmeno, were actually the words "shall men know". She said that for years she had wondered what the word shelmeno's meant and decided that it probably meant "tokens"- of showing discipleship I suppose. She even wrote in her scriptures, "What are my shelmeno's?". I couldn't catch my breath when she shared that story-I laughed so hard. Hilarious. I've shared that story with a lot of you and it happened quite a while ago, but seriously, it still makes me when I think about it.

There is a guy here named Gordon, that calls me Sarah Darlin. He is the cutest man and is so fun to talk to. Today...and always...he was complaining about the snowboarders on the slopes. He knows I am among them, so he likes to give me a hard time. He told me that he thought I'd be a really good skiier, and that I should try it. I said, "Buy me some ski's and maybe I will." He said, "Well, I'm not gonna buy you some, but I have some I could give you." Sold!! I'll take 'em. He said he was serious and that I'd be really surprised when he showed up with ski's for me in hand. He's right. I would be surprised...but I would welcome that surprise with open arms. :)

The Moody Frugal Gene

The frugal nature of the Moody family is often laughed about in our family. Water recycling, crystalized honey, and scraping the sides of old ice cream cartons to get every last ounce of goodness are just a few examples of the lengths taken to not waste. Now, while it sounds like I'm making fun, I actually appreciate the whole "fix it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" mentality...and I think it's fair to say we all have it. I try to live by that, but I think the saying has changed for me just a little bit-"Fix it up, wear it out, make it do, or buy it new." Pretty much the same concept, though. So why am I telling you this? Last night I was able to go to Charlotte's Web with Jared, Becky & company, and Karen & Bill. (Thanks to Pete for sponsoring the event.) Jared got some popcorn and candy for the group. Candy of choice? Sour straws...almost like gummy licorice rolled in the sour sugar stuff. (that description is a little off, but I'm not sure how else to describe them.) They come in a plastic little tray and are pretty tasty. Well, after the last straw had been eaten during the movie, I looked down to see Luke licking the tray clean. I nudged Jared to sneak-a-peak. The funny thing is, he was still licking it clean a good 10-15 min. later-Luke, not Jared. I'm sure Grandma Virginia was so proud. ;) Sugar is a valuable commodity to a 5 year old. It's actually valuable to a 27 year old...and if he weren't licking it clean, I would've been. I was fully supportive of his desire not to waste a grain of sugar. (Don't tell my clients I said that.) He is so blasted cute. In fact, all of those kids are. It has been so great to have family around. I miss it!

Just a few more days until Christmas. It's hard to believe. I can't wait to see everyone!!

A blogspot...and not a thing to say.

You know, Becky and Kris have made this look like so much fun-but I've come to the realization that you have to have kids or a life of some kind to make this interesting enough to read. I currently just have some crazy roommates and sweaty middle aged people to tell you about....and they don't keep treasure boxes or pose for pictures in Olympic curling positions, or anything, so already I fall short. (Refer to hansentx and kandswoolley) This could be the least read blogspot in the history of blogspots. I could tell everyone about my love/like interests, but imagine if my friends started looking at my blog! And yet...that's mostly what people want to know about at this point in my life, anyway. All of my secrets spilled out on a web page for anyone to read. Could lead to a life of singles wards 'til I die. I'll think about it. : /

So lets see, sweaty people: I am loving my job at the Alta Club. I'm the fitness director there and really don't mind coming to work everyday. It's a miracle! I have to say though, I'm running into some fun "leftovers" from the previous director that worked here. At least the members here are recognizing them as mistakes made before I showed up. Phewf.

I had a gentleman call me today saying he heard I was the new trainer and came highly recommended. ;) He told me he had a specific need with strengthening his buttocks. I was a little suspicious, but thought maybe he had an injury of some kind. When he continued and told me his boyfriend liked tight glutes I knew it was one of my clients...puke : / A client with which I recieve constant ribbing from. Don't worry everyone-he's married. When he sincerely asks me if anyone is giving me a hard time...like he's going to go and talk to them for me or something...I give him a sincere answer. "Yup. Your the only one." He thinks I'm kidding, and laughs. But I'm not kidding. I like him, though. He keeps things interesting. Seriously.

On the home front...I'm looking into making my room a safe...like the ones in casino's in Vegas. (Please refer to the movie Ocean's Eleven) My stuff keeps getting stolen and ruined. It's getting to be a little much. But it's a good lesson in patience and getting walked on. I live in a cool house, with a cool yard...and majority-pretty cool roommates, so as of right now I think I can survive a little longer. But ask me tommorrow and I may have a different answer.

P.S. Let's keep this blogspot limited to family and strangers only. No one give my roommates my blog address. This could be incriminating. ;)