Enjoying the last week of 2010!

I have to admit that my mind is going, maybe gone.  I don't remember names and dates like I used to; I have to say that if I had a talent, that might have been it.  Can't say that anymore.  So before I forget or mix-up any more of the things we did in December, I need to write this quick post---okay, so I write like I talk and nothing I say or write is quick.

As I mentioned before, Abby and Steven were the only two left with us after the early morning hours of December 26th!  Poor them.  Stuck at home with two old geezers who were slightly tired from all that had gone on for the two weeks prior and two quite boring old geezers at that (that's material for a whole other post).  Anyway, they had been so excited for their break from school (Abby) and all-day DAT study sessions (Steven).  Also, except for the few days they were in Texas for their reception in 2009, which was crammed full of things to get done and places to see with his extended family, including a trip to San Antonio, Steven had never really experienced Houston.  Abby hadn't been back for a visit since then either.  Now I don't know think that would bother me; I mean, I don't think Houston has lots to offer in the tourism department.  Half the year is too hot to do anything, the beach is ugly in Galveston (sorry, if I offend anyone), the aquarium pales in comparison to Sea World and the like, they got rid of Astroworld, and once you've done the Space Center, you don't need to go back that often.  However, Abby couldn't wait for Steven to experience Houston---mainly the shopping and the food, I think; but she had been planning their trip for weeks!  She had an itenerary plotted out to include all of her favorite places that she wanted to share with him.  (I guess it's good that Houston is home to her, and she loves it).  Not only did she plan, but she surfed the web for every free and/or discounted ticket or any coupon that would help her fulfill her dream of a fun trip.  They had a garage sale.  Steven dontaed plasma.  They pinched pennies---all so they could come to Houston for a vacation and do all the fun things that were planned.

The week before had been fun, but a different fun, one that she hadn't planned.  She more or less had to hang with the family which she was willing to do and admittedly had a good time doing, but she just wasn't checking the things off her mini-"bucket list".   In addition, she had come down with a nasty case of the flu right in the middle of everything.  So let's just say that by the time Monday came, she was ready to execute her plan and was ready to PAR-ty.

I won't even try to get these things in order, but the second week (5 days) they were in Houston, they went shopping, including using up the Kohl's cash that I had given them.  I was done shopping and didn't want to go back for awhile, and it needed to be spent.  Who knew that a simple trip to Kohl's could be such fun?  They both love a good bargain, and they had a lot of fun finding good buys on things they needed since so many things were on clearance.

They ate lunch at Panera's (Abby used to work there), went to Sugar Land and had dinner with Abby's best friend from kindergarten, Kat Reay, formerly known as Katherine, and her boyfriend...



Kat and Abby - friends since 1995

They had another lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings (one of her favorite hang-outs in high school), went to see the latest Narnia movie with DJ and I, spent one night at dinner with all her former co-workers from On The Border (she worked there the 7 months before college), and spent part of a day shopping the outlet mall with Eve Rackleff (another bestie from Spring).  In between all that they played games and watched movies at the house.

One of the most interesting things they did was visit a cemetery!  Yes, cemetery.  You see, as if it's not mind-boggling enough that Abby would go to BYU-I and amongst the thousands of young men there, meet and marry one from my hometown, Steven's Perry roots originate in none other than Tomball, Texas (10-15 minutes from our house)!   So they spent part of an afternoon visiting the gravesites of Steven's ancestors.

Our week intersected with their's a bit, but we tried to stand back and let them enjoy their "vacation".  DJ had some dental implant surgery done of the 27th.  We also got to go to dinner at Pappasito's with DJ's workout/racquetball buddies, Walt and Gary, and their wives, whom I adore, on the 28th.  Of course, DJ went to the gym every morning that he was physically able.  Wednesday night we got to pick up our baby Kate and her cute parents at the airport.  We enjoyed our time with them, and more Valley Ranch sometime that week. 

I did some cleaning early in the week so Sarah would let the rest of us come back another time---didn't want her to walk through the door after being gone a week and wish she wouldn't have left us alone!  Towards the end of the week, we spent some time shopping and packing for DJ's trip back to Switzerland.  There's always a project list when we're at the house (though not ours for a season, but still ours for the long haul) so there was plenty to do.  However, I did have one other small distraction that week---534 pages worth : 

I love a good biography, and this one just happens to be about one of the most incredible people I know (okay, I've never met him personally, but I've listened to him for a good 40 years or more at least twice a year).  Thomas S. Monson is the president of our church and is recognized by me and nearly 14 million other people as a modern-day prophet.  I'm sure that sounds bizarre to some people, but no differently that it did to people in the time of Noah.  He is a wonderfully humble man who has spent most of his adult life as a special witness of Jesus Christ.  He has followed the Savior's pattern of love and rescue as he has reached out to others at such a personal level.  He has blessesd the poor, visited the widows, and offered hope to the down-trodden.  A interesting read for those in or out of our church, this book follows his life from the boy who used to deliver meals to an aged neighbor to the adult who was instrumental in getting a temple of our church built in East Germany before the Iron Curtain came down because the East German leadership knew him to be a man of his word, with incomparable integrity.  Read it, you'll like it.