What we have living in our light is a gecco! He's been hard to see, but I finally got a close-up of him a couple of times. This is what he looks like.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
It's Not a Lizard!
I had never seen the lizard that lives in our light; well, I take that back. I thought the lizard I had seen sunning itself on our stairs was living in our light. But Mark saw it just outside of the light one day and said how weird looking it was. He described it to me. After he left for work, I went on a web site for animals in South Florida.
What we have living in our light is a gecco! He's been hard to see, but I finally got a close-up of him a couple of times. This is what he looks like.
It is typical of geccos to live close to homes. He likes the light because when it's on at night, it attracts insects. He's usually out first thing in the morning. That's when I got these pictures. He usually runs back inside the light when we come outside. I was lucky to get these, because he's so fast!
What we have living in our light is a gecco! He's been hard to see, but I finally got a close-up of him a couple of times. This is what he looks like.
A Day at the Beach
Mark usually does not love gong the beach. I think it's mainly because he gets burned. But a while back we went to the beach to say goodbye to some friends who were leaving. Many of those who were there had umbrellas and were blissfully sitting under them visiting and snacking and just enjoying themselves away from the blistering heat of the sun.
Mark thought we could do that too. He bought a couple of beach umbrellas at Walmart and on Saturday, June 30th, we packed up our beach gear, stopped at Publix for some snacks and went to Fort Lauderdale Beach.
It was a beautiful day. The beach was pretty packed, although coming earlier as we did, (a little after 1100) we found some good parking. After we got there the parking lot filled up pretty quickly.
We stayed for four hours. We enjoyed people watching, I read, we ate our snacks and enjoyed the water.
Even though there aren't really breakers like there is on the Pacific side, there are still waves that move toward shore. I found it interesting that we could wade quite a ways out before it got deep where I had trouble touching bottom. Once we were out there we could feel the ocean surges. It is a living, heaving mass!
I loved being there.
I had chosen not to wear sunscreen. It wasn't until we got home and showered and changed that I realized how burnt I was. We had sat under our umbrella, but out in the water, the sun reflected off of the surface and burnt my chest and face. Because I wore my I sunglasses I had racoon eyes!
We had been invited to a dinner party that night. I tried to camouflage my burnt face with make-up, but after I got home, I realized how pointless it had been. I still looked like a racoon! How funny!
So, live and learn. I'll be more careful next time. The interesting thing is Mark got burnt too and we were really careful to apply sunscreen to him. The funny thing with Mark is his forearms are so brown from working outside every day at the job site. If the rest of him got as brown as his arms, people might think he was of a different race (and who knows, maybe he is somewhere back in his genealogical line).
All in all it was a wonderful day!
Mark thought we could do that too. He bought a couple of beach umbrellas at Walmart and on Saturday, June 30th, we packed up our beach gear, stopped at Publix for some snacks and went to Fort Lauderdale Beach.
It was a beautiful day. The beach was pretty packed, although coming earlier as we did, (a little after 1100) we found some good parking. After we got there the parking lot filled up pretty quickly.
We stayed for four hours. We enjoyed people watching, I read, we ate our snacks and enjoyed the water.
Even though there aren't really breakers like there is on the Pacific side, there are still waves that move toward shore. I found it interesting that we could wade quite a ways out before it got deep where I had trouble touching bottom. Once we were out there we could feel the ocean surges. It is a living, heaving mass!
I loved being there.
I had chosen not to wear sunscreen. It wasn't until we got home and showered and changed that I realized how burnt I was. We had sat under our umbrella, but out in the water, the sun reflected off of the surface and burnt my chest and face. Because I wore my I sunglasses I had racoon eyes!
We had been invited to a dinner party that night. I tried to camouflage my burnt face with make-up, but after I got home, I realized how pointless it had been. I still looked like a racoon! How funny!
So, live and learn. I'll be more careful next time. The interesting thing is Mark got burnt too and we were really careful to apply sunscreen to him. The funny thing with Mark is his forearms are so brown from working outside every day at the job site. If the rest of him got as brown as his arms, people might think he was of a different race (and who knows, maybe he is somewhere back in his genealogical line).
All in all it was a wonderful day!
Thirty-Seven Years!
June 26th was our wedding anniversary. We've been married 37 years!
It was a work day for Mark, so we went out to dinner to the Outback Steak House. Mark even ordered their bloomin' onion!! That's actually so surprising because Mark hates and despises onions, calling them weeds and worse! I think he did it for me because I LOVE onions. But he even had some.
It was a lovely dinner and we enjoyed our time together.
After dinner, we went to Dairy Queen and each got a small Blizzard.
I know to some this may not seem like much of a celebration for an anniversary, but being empty nesters gives us the opportunities to do many special things throughout the year. I told Mark, however, when we reach our 40th, we will definitely have to plan something extra special to celebrate.
It was a work day for Mark, so we went out to dinner to the Outback Steak House. Mark even ordered their bloomin' onion!! That's actually so surprising because Mark hates and despises onions, calling them weeds and worse! I think he did it for me because I LOVE onions. But he even had some.
It was a lovely dinner and we enjoyed our time together.
After dinner, we went to Dairy Queen and each got a small Blizzard.
I know to some this may not seem like much of a celebration for an anniversary, but being empty nesters gives us the opportunities to do many special things throughout the year. I told Mark, however, when we reach our 40th, we will definitely have to plan something extra special to celebrate.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
July 1-8, What a Week!!
Our bishopric counselor called June 30th to ask if Mark and I would speak in Sacrament meeting. Amid Mark's protests I said we'd be glad to. Our topic? "Mountains to Climb" from Preisdent Eyring's talk in April's General Conference.
It was a busy week, because not only were we speaking, I was also responsible for finding a special musical number for Sacrament Meeting, plus substituting for the music in Primary and directing the ward choir on Sunday. I was also trying to finish my History class and get all of my assignments turned in. Plus it was the 4th holiday. AND were looking for a house in Salt Lake, so I was consumed with trying to find something. They've (the homes) have been going so quickly!
Thankfully I had a lot of help with the Spirit. It was through the Spirit that I got my idea for a special musical number. I ended up getting a quartet together from choir to sing a hymn. We actually practiced that morning and then performed. It went well.
I tried to do a little bit on my talk every day, but ended up writing most of it the Saturday before. I used some ideas for Primary I found on Sugardoodle along with visual aids I printed off.
Everything came together and turned out great.
Mark lucked out. He already had a talk written on trials that he had given for a high council talk. All he had to do was review it.
I especially thought Mark did a good job. After the meeting we had several people come up and say how they had really needed to hear the things we said. One woman I know in the Primary, thanked me for our talks. She has a friend who is really struggling with some terrible trials she's gone through, thinking that God hates her. Allison, her friend was really hoping she would understand the purpose of trials and that God does love her.
One quote from President Monson was a good reminder for me:
It was a busy week, because not only were we speaking, I was also responsible for finding a special musical number for Sacrament Meeting, plus substituting for the music in Primary and directing the ward choir on Sunday. I was also trying to finish my History class and get all of my assignments turned in. Plus it was the 4th holiday. AND were looking for a house in Salt Lake, so I was consumed with trying to find something. They've (the homes) have been going so quickly!
Thankfully I had a lot of help with the Spirit. It was through the Spirit that I got my idea for a special musical number. I ended up getting a quartet together from choir to sing a hymn. We actually practiced that morning and then performed. It went well.
I tried to do a little bit on my talk every day, but ended up writing most of it the Saturday before. I used some ideas for Primary I found on Sugardoodle along with visual aids I printed off.
Everything came together and turned out great.
Mark lucked out. He already had a talk written on trials that he had given for a high council talk. All he had to do was review it.
I especially thought Mark did a good job. After the meeting we had several people come up and say how they had really needed to hear the things we said. One woman I know in the Primary, thanked me for our talks. She has a friend who is really struggling with some terrible trials she's gone through, thinking that God hates her. Allison, her friend was really hoping she would understand the purpose of trials and that God does love her.
One quote from President Monson was a good reminder for me:
: “Lest we question the Lord concerning our
troubles, let us remember that the wisdom of God may appear as foolishness to
men; but the greatest single lesson we can learn in mortality is that when God
speaks and a man obeys, that man will always be right.” (President Thomas S. Monson, April, 1998, 52.)
Since I tend to feel sorry for myself and wallow at times of trial, I also really liked this quote I found on Facebook that made me smile:
“Breaking News:
The Pity Train has derailed
at the intersection of Suck It Up, and Move On, and crashed into We All Have
Problems before coming to a complete stop at Get the Heck Over It. Any complaints about how we operate can be forwarded
to 1-800-waa-waaa. This is Dr. Sniffle
reporting LIVE from Quit Complaining. If
you like this share it. If you don’t,
suck it up. Life doesn’t revolve around
YOU.”
That got a chuckle from the audience.
Mark thinks we may be off the hook now, when it comes to speaking, especially since he also spoke for our Family Home Evening group at the Mission President's home. (We meet on the 2nd Monday of every month with the senior missionaries and President and Sister Anderson).
I told him not to hold his breath, because I think as the temple is nearing completion, he or both of us may be asked to speak again. So...we'll see.
Happy 4th of July
We had a pretty quiet fourth, but we did go for a long bike ride all around Weston. Mark needed a prescription, so we started out going to Walgreens, then we just continued to ride along Weston Road. It was a pretty ride, because we were riding on sidewalks along lakes and among trees. Weston is a beautiful city, very clean, and well taken care of.
At one point, we noticed that the city center had a kind of carnival going on, so we stopped to investigate. I think they must have had a parade earlier, but there were a couple of things going on for kids. The fire department was showering anyone who wanted to get wet. There was free hotdogs and brownies. We didn't stay long, but rode on home.
We enjoyed "1776" later on. It was interesting to be reminded of the struggle it was for independence and the sacrifices so many made. I know God inspired the process and the people involved. I'm so grateful for the sacrifices of so many and I'm proud to be an American!
At one point, we noticed that the city center had a kind of carnival going on, so we stopped to investigate. I think they must have had a parade earlier, but there were a couple of things going on for kids. The fire department was showering anyone who wanted to get wet. There was free hotdogs and brownies. We didn't stay long, but rode on home.
We enjoyed "1776" later on. It was interesting to be reminded of the struggle it was for independence and the sacrifices so many made. I know God inspired the process and the people involved. I'm so grateful for the sacrifices of so many and I'm proud to be an American!
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