Meet the Outlaws...the In laws

The Holiday season is an interesting time when it's spent with the in laws. Being part of a long lasting tradition of somebody else besides your family makes you feel even more grateful for the traditions you have but also more opened minded to the interesting traditions that your significant others family shares.

During courtship it is a wonderful time when you are not only trying to figure things out with your better half but also trying to figure it out with her mom and dad. You need to come off as tough enough to hang with the football loving brothers but sweet enough to be able to talk cooking with the mother. You will need to be charming enough to win over the sisters but serious enough so that her dad knows that you take life seriously.

Family traditions are like playing the telephone game. You know the one when everybody is seated in a giant circle and the first person in the circle makes up a message to pass on. He sends it to the person next to him and then that person sends it to the third person in line and so on. Then around the circle the message goes each person telling the message just as they heard it. But by the time it gets to the first person again he realizes how much different the new message is from the original that he had sent. Like the phone game I think of family traditions like this where somebody in the family started something and then it continued on to be something personal for everybody.

The fun really starts though when as a young married couple instead of going over to each others' parents house you decide to start your own family traditions. The melding of both sides of Christmas traditions sometimes gets tricky. Both must compromise but at the same time stand their ground so that can incorporate a piece of what they grew up with.

Traditions are fun, holidays are happiness, families are essential and enjoying them together and at the same time can sometimes be tricky. Both sides must be willing to compromise and enjoy the family time together. It only happens a few times out of the year. So lets remember in the Spirit of giving this Christmas season that giving not only refers to gifts, love and service to others but also giving time to your spAouse to be with his or her family. Sometimes that gift is just as hard to give as the $120 new spatula that she wants because it matches the silverware.

Jiminy Cricket the Motivational Speaker

If you can think back to the 50 year old Disney classic Pinocchio, you can find a true motivator. Chosen by the Blue Fairy, he came in a small package, carried a mean tune, looked great in a top hat and spats and succeeded in his role by keeping Pinocchio on the right path. Jiminy to Pinocchio was the “Lord High Keeper of the Knowledge of Right and Wrong, Counselor in Moments of Temptation, and Guide along the Straight and Narrow Path.” Jiminy played a significant role in Pinocchio life constantly motivating him to follow the correct path. Without Jiminy, Pinocchio would have lost the external motivation to continue to do what’s right. This is an example of a person that lacks intrinsic motivation and therefore the moment that the extrinsic motivation is taken away, they have nothing to fall back on. How can a motivating environment be created where the fuel is an internal source? A environment where the manager is not spending all of his time trying to keep his subordinates motivated. Or An environment where high level management isn’t spending an exuberant amount of money hiring motivational speakers to motivate everybody for a few hours until it wears off that night. Motivation, as defind in “The Essentials of Organizational Behavior” is the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal. By obtaining a concrete knowledge of what motivation consists of, identifying reasons people are motivated, this funnels both extrinsic and intrinsic motivators into creating a motivating environment with motivated subordinates.

A Tiny Tid Bit About A Tiny Brother

Cole at three years old, the speech didn't improve, and he seemed to wonder through the neighborhood, unable to communicate, and without fear. I remember him standing on the edge of a building roof, looking over, and really unaware of the danger that he was in. At 3 1/2 Cole was started in an early learners speech program. He rode a special bus, and was involved with other children his age for twice a week. I kept him in a normal preschool as well, hoping that the socialization would help. I remember his Christmas Concert, standing alone, pretty oblivious to the other children around him. At 5 he started regular kindergarten, but was pulled out of the class for speech and language. He struggled with sitting still, fitting in, and getting along with the other children. By seven, and second grade, we found a wonderful teacher that helped Cole progress. It was a time for math facts, and memorization was something that Cole was good at. This year he excelled in timed math facts, addition and subtraction. He still didn't socialize much, but instead seemed to play alone a lot on the playground, usually on the monkey bars. He was really good on the monkey bars. During his eighth year, third grade, he was lucky to have a great male teacher. For the first time he identified with a male figure in his life. This man had a really structured class and Cole seemed to thrive with the structure, firm discipline associated with this room. It was becoming more evident that his physical skills were behind. He couldn't keep up with the other children on the playground with things like kick ball, baseball, and four square. Quite often he would leave the games frustrated and angry. This was about the last year for organized team sports. He had tried soccer and t-ball, but really couldn't stay up with the challenge of a fast moving game. He started running and swimming instead, where he seemed to do better.

Now he has speech therapy, pulled out for writing skills and comprehension, as well as meets as a group for social skills. They play games, role play, and work on getting along. He is involved with the neighborhood scout group - with wonderful leaders that understand him. They have lowered their expectations on requirements for merit badges for him, but instead concentrate on his social skills with the other boys. We have gone to physical therapy, trying to stimulate those deep nerves and muscles, hoping to help his high sensitivity to certain textures, tastes, and sounds. He has recently been graded at about a 6 year old level for gross motor skills. This explains his propensity to trip, stumble, and even struggle riding a bike.

Since a small age he has loved to be wrapped up tightly in a blanket - like a burrito - we called it. He seems to like the feeling of all his body parts bound together as one. He can lay like this for a long time, which at first surprised us, being such an active boy. But, in later reading, we learned that this was pretty typical for autistic kids, and further studies have even proved this theory. (something about putting kids in large hammocks, that were used for milking cows.)

Cole has always been very sensitive. He feels sad easily, and is very sensitive to sad siblings, sad movies, often crying. He is extremely kind hearted. Never means to be mean or hurtful. Sometimes he doesn't realize that his actions might misinterrupted.

He covers his ears with loud sounds, or too many sounds. He gags at the feel of the inside of his pumpkin. He smells most foods before he eats them, and if he doesn't think it smells good he won't even try it. He was slow potty training, almost the age of 8 by the time he wouldn't have an accident during the day. He still struggles getting dressed alone, can't handle hard buttons or snaps, and just recently learned to tie his shoes.

He memorizes well, often long scripts for the school plays. He memorizes cartoon and movie dialogs.
He loves his dog, and most animals. He learned to snow ski at about age 8.

Takes everything literally. Everything is black and white. Very focused on time, and scheduled. Not sandals, shoes. Not bare feet, my feet. Run to the store - he was putting on his tennis shoes. Something promised is never forgotten, even if 5 days later. Not almost 5:00, it is 4:58. That is the best way to communicate with him also. Very concrete, precise words. He also needs time to listen, and process, so waiting for an answer is sometimes a long wait. But, people are learning, and giving him a chance to answer. He knows his school schedule, every minute, every recess, every special class. A change in the schedule is hard, especially with a substitute teacher.

That's all I can think of for now.

The First Annual Twister FHE

Ladies and Gentleman, Hobos and Tramps, Cross-eyed Mosquitoes and Bowl-legged Ants

Welcome to the first annual FHE Twister Competition, the game that made getting tied in knots cool again. If the purpose of this meeting is to get you all to multiply and replenish the earth then lets just get a head start on it and get everybody in weird positions really close to each other.

The game began with some hesitant players but by the end of first game people were sweaty, angry but a little excited I would say. There was quite a bit of inter gender contact which as a FHE dad that's as good as your kid getting on the honor roll.

The second game began with a newly found desire to win for those that lost but we also implemented the "any contact" goes rule. This made the game a little more spicy and a whole lot more fun.

Right hand on blue, left foot on green, right foot and purple,left hand on yellow...and so the game continued. But as they started to drop like flies I noticed that I could use my stork like legs to my advantage. While on my way to victory I spotted a stockier fellow moving my way move by move. As he approached me and came within a few dots I pretended like I didn't see him coming. Like a Venus fly trap I continued to play until I saw the opportune moment that I could snap. Then with my upper torso I gave him a good shove, knocked him down and assured myself a victory.

The sweet taste of victory engulfed my taste buds. I was a winner and it felt good.

After everybody was a little tired of the twister game we decided to continue the festivities on the twister board but by doing leg wrestles, Joe Smith "stick pull" and arm wrestling contests. I competed in the leg wrestle contest against the heavyweight division and my stork legs didn't do so hot and got thrown over. I'm not sure why girls arm wrestling each other is so entertaining but it was. And to cap the night off my fellow FHE dad decided to wrestle another girl in the group. After some good laughs and him almost getting beat, we wrapped up the evening with a treat and some good chit chat.

The first annual fhe twister competition was a success and it was the best $16 dollars the ward has spent in a long time. Amen

How did you fall in love?

On a sunny day at the hospital, work had the same feeling as always. I finished my normal day to day morning work and then headed to the hospital cafe. As I walked towards the cafe I spotted a cute girl dressed in pink scrubs heading my way. I went through my complete game plan in only a matter of seconds. Give her the head nod with a smile, somehow try and stop her, exchange names, ask her on a date, kiss her on the first date and be married within the year. With my complete game plan set up we passed each other and made strong eye contact. I got nervous, my game plan broke down and time seemed to slow down as she passed me. She passed my quickly and I thought to myself,crap I should have talked to her. Another opportunity passed me to find my eternal mate, but I kept hope that I would see her again soon.

Later that night my cousin called me on the phone and asked me if I wanted to go on a double blind date. I had nothing else going on that night so I agreed. We went and picked up his date first and she wasn't anything amazing and not very cool. We then went to her friends house and waited for her in the car outside her apartment. As this very pretty girl walked down the stairs she looked strangely familiar. As she opened the car door, and sat down, I introduced myself to her. That good old fashion feeling I had felt earlier that day when time seemed to stop, I felt again. The beautiful pink scrubbed girl had a name, and she was sitting right next to me. My prayers were answered.

Letter Headed to Argentina

Hey Boo Boo!

Another busy week has passed and about to begin another tomorrow which im not too stoked about but I have no other choice. I went and talked to my counsler this week and I have three semesters and an internship left till graduation. So it looks like Ill be doing next semester, do an internship this summer hopefully in san francisco with a guy that rich cook knows, then do 2 semesters after that and walk in april 2010! Its nice to be close to being done and start looking at the future. If you didnt know Cam Im not pre dental anymore but in the advertising and marketing department, lots of fun creative stuff. I left the fun dental stuff to you my mine because I felt that you would be much better than me and somebody needs to carry on the tradition, and fix my three cavities a year for the rest of my life and eventually do my dentures.

I went to a rock gym with some friends this weekend and that may be newest most favorite thing. Its a workout and its really fun, but I tore my hands up so i need to wait a little till i return. So we all bought passes at the canyons this year and we have already had a snow storm so hopefully were riding by thanksgiving this year. I talked to josh and were going to do grizzly gultch this year like you guys did. I met one of your old lady friends whose name is jen? and she is from idaho. She is a super cute girl and if she's single when you get home I think you need to date her.

Anywho...hope all is well in los labores misionales. I having been reading in the d and c and am going to include a little note from my scripture journal, hope it helps you in some way. Love you big guy and hope that everything continues to go well. Cuidate and nos vemos pronto.

aqui esta algunos pensamientos de mi diario misional:

D&C 121

V.34 “Many are called, but few are chosen”- This scripture applies really well to both missionary work and my day to day life. It tells us that those that are called but not chosen, have set their hearts much upon the things of the world, and aspire to the honors of men. As far as missionary work it applies because those investigators will usually and one point or another feel the Spirit but enjoy their addictions too much to gain a greater portion of the Spirit. And because they care more about what other people like their family might say to them then what God is telling them.

This principle can also be applied to people that are already members of the church. Sometimes we lose sight of should be most important to us like family, the gospel for things like money, sports, the media…or can even be something that’s potentially good like exercising. When we make enough time in our week to exercise three times a week but cant find time to read the scriptures three times a week then I feel that we have set our heart upon the things of the world. I am a huge culprit of this error and have told myself that I will not do the things that I enjoy like exercising, playing sports, going out, etc. until I have fulfilled my spiritual responsibilities first.

What will you do with an extra hour?

My mom has always told me that the Spirit goes to sleep at midnight. Unfortunately with this

midnight bedtime I have I am unable to do anything fun because everything fun happes after

midnight. SO what I will be doing with this extra hour of time on Sunday night at midnight to

one in the morning is: watching nick at night re runs, having people of the opposite sex over,

not shaving, eating ice cream out of the carton, growing my hair out, listening to bob dylan's

"the times are a changin", drinking green tea, watching R rated movies from clean flicks and

smoking bubble gum cigarettes.