I want to See A Flashmob

So, I just heard about the flash mob that did the Irish dance in the middle of Sydney train station.  I would love to have been there.  I realize that I will probably never see a flash mob because I just don't get out enough. I am hoping that one breaks out in front of the sphinx while we're there.     Two updates on my cousin Susie's boy. Aaron's band, Eyes Lips Eyes is playing at the SXSW (South by Southwest) Festival  http://www.eyeslipseyes.com/.  His brother Collin who is still at BYU won 2nd place in a John Lennon Song writing contest. Here is the report from the Daily Universe; Collin Hatch  His bands website is: http://tightywillis.bandcamp.com/ The song he won with is Answer the Phone.  I didn't listen to it all but it sounds kind of like a retro 60's band with a little folk and every once in a while psychadelic.  Anyway they are fun. You can download their Christmas songs for free but those are probably not worth it even for free. They're pretty bad
     My cousin Annette wanted everyone to vote for Fictionist for the Rolling Stones Cover fictionist vote.  Her son used to be their bass player when they started out at BYU.  She said they are great guys with lots of talent.

Birthdays!

Bryan, Matt and Missy celebrate their March B-days!

I love my sister Jen

I'm not sure if Dan was trying to sneak up on Alyssa or scare away a bear.

     Birthdays are wonderful things. We got together on Sunday for mine and also for a little celebration for Bryan and Matt since this is when we could all get together. Nothing went as planned but it was all fun. We were planning on 16 for dinner but Ann's family was sick so we just had a nice number with 9 and we all got leftovers.  The oven was broken.  We could cook the funeral potatoes in the top oven but Bryan had to figure out how to bake the Parmesan Chicken in the barbecue.  He did a great job. Our phone also was broken so we weren't disturbed by any phone calls.  It was great.
     Bryan bought me a cheesecake and we also had a triple chocolate cake and the leftover carrot cake from his birthday with English toffee on the side. (I had made him that for a birthday treat).  Everyone could find something they liked and some of us liked everything.  Luckily, our kids are college students and we sent  them home with some.
     We were able to Skype with Mia and Nicon.  Unfortunately, technology has not progressed to the point that we are able to let them eat some of that cake but the visiting was fun. Mia had tried sugar waxing her legs and showed us her third-degree burn-Ouch. I still cringe to think about it.    Check it out  mia-oh-my . Matt then showed us his legs which he has been waxing. What! He and his roommates kept getting clogged drains so they have started waxing. He was able to give Mia advice and we all got our laugh therapy for the day.

Feet Don't Fail Me Now - Jake Morley

For all you who are stressed over midterms, work, family, etc. you just need to keep saying I can do it - or sing along with this chorus. I like this upbeat video ( plus the feet and drawings make me laugh.

Stake Conference

We had a good set of meetings with Elder Bruce Porter from the Seventies presiding.  The theme seemed to be to slow down and take stock of your life. Here are some thoughts from his wife Susan:
     "We learn in Eccles. 9 that the race goes not to the swift but to the faithful.  It has nothing to do with our speed but with our desires."  and "We can make our own list of priorities and plow through them or we can counsel with the Lord and see what we should be working on."
     Br. Porter warned us about speculating in unsafe investments. He quoted Mark Twain- "There are 2 times a man shouldn't speculate. One is when he can't afford it. The other is when he can."  He than added that people often think that if they can just can make all this money fast they will be able to spend more time with their families. He said they deceive themselves in 2 ways. First- that they can make all that easy money and second -that if they do make that money that they will spend more time with their family.  It is a question of greed and desire.
     It gave me some good things to think about.
As a side note for Dan.  Elder Porter received a doctorate from Harvard in Political Science with an emphasis on Russian Affairs and has written books about Russian Politics.

Egypt Here We Come

Well we bought the tickets.  We declined the trip insurance so it's a done deal now. We are flying out of Salt Lake on the evening of March 18 and do the non-stop to Paris (unfortunately it is still the cheap old plane so no personal entertainment system and no room) then arrive in Egypt the afternoon of the 19th.  We fly from Cairo to Amman, Jordan on the 29th and then fly home on the red eye at 1:35 am out of Amman, back through Paris and home at about 2 in the afternoon on April 3rd.  It is going to be so fun!
     Go ahead and listen to the Bangles and WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN   Dan can you still do the dance? I think you danced like Michael Jackson.
    They have made videos of the revolution with this song as background which are pretty good but I am crossing my fingers that it will be peaceful while we were there otherwise I might have to go join the march. Go People Power.