Sunday, November 17, 2013

Laughter is the Best Medicine

     Yesterday, Dad took our entire family to The Texas Roadhouse for lunch.  The rolls were drenched in honey butter, the dinner salads tasted divine, and the steaks and chicken melted in our mouths.  Our waiter's name was Boston Rob.  I am a Survivor fan, so I love Boston Rob, but our waiter was not THE Boston Rob.  He was a great waiter though.  After Boston Rob brought us our bill, Dad took the bill and with a very serious look on his face said, "Rob, our family is actually a group of food critics. We have rated your service on a scale of 1-5.  What score do you think you deserve today?"
     Boston Rob looked a bit horrified.  He paused for just a moment and then said, "Well, I think I did pretty well, but definitely could have done better.  I am just coming back to work after being pretty sick, so . . . I'd only give myself a 3.5."  
     Hypochondriac Vanessa started to come out.  I desperately wanted to ask Boston Rob what terrible illness had kept him from work.  Was it typhoid fever?  Was it the mumps?  I just knew I was going to catch whatever illness he'd had.  However, I held it together and simply said, "We gave you a perfect '5', Rob.  You did a great job!" I have not had any strange symptoms of illness as of yet.  I am hoping Boston Rob was completely recovered when he touched our food. :)
     After lunch, I took Ian and Nyah shopping for new pants.  They have both grown a couple of inches in the past few months and have been wearing high water trousers to school.  Ian hates to shop for clothes, so I was dreading the experience.
     H&M opened up at The University Mall in Orem.  We found some great deals there on corduroys.  I sent Ian into a dressing room with piles of clothes, and plopped myself on a stool to wait.  Two important notes:  1) Nyah was in the dressing room beside Ian and 2) there were other mothers sitting outside the dressing rooms around us waiting for their own daughters to model clothing.
     After a few minutes in the dressing room, Ian emerged in a good looking pair of cords.  He did a few dance moves and then turned around to show me how they fit his bum.  I said, "They look great!" not thinking anything of the bum shot.  The same thing happened with the next two pairs of pants.  Ian did a little jig and then turned around to show me the rear shot.  I happened to turn my head sideways at some point during this process and noticed another mom chuckling at us.  I guess it is a bit strange for a 15 year old boy to ask his mom's opinion about how pants fit his bum.  
     At one point in the process, Nyah walked out of her dressing room to model a skirt for me while Ian was back in his room dressing.  Suddenly, we both heard Ian muttering in a weird voice, "Oh, these pants feel so good." 
     Nyah looked at me aghast.  "Mom, tell him to stop!" 
     "Ian, stop it!" I whisper-yelled.
     I heard Ian chuckle and say again, "Ooh, these feel great!"
     Nyah looked like she was going to pass out from embarrassment.  Teenage boys know how to torture their sisters and their mothers!

       I am so grateful for my children.  They make me laugh daily!  I think they got their sense of humor from their dad.  He is pretty funny too!


     A couple other memories from the past month:  Nyah had a fantastic time running cross country this season.  She made some terrific friends and developed a love for running.

      Carson and I attended a wonderful Mother/Son Pack Night this month.  My amazingly talented neighbor planned the night and we enjoyed it so much.  I am so grateful that Carson and I got to spend some one-on-one time together learning more about each other.
     One thing I learned about Carson this month:  he wants to be an artist when he grows up!  He said I shouldn't show this picture to Grandpa because he will think Caron is going to be a gangster when he grows up!
     When Cali came home for her birthday a while back, we gave her a ring we had made that is inscribed with her Instagram name, "floralfoxx".  I am so thankful that she and her sister are the best of friends.

     Marisa, Donna, Jill, and I headed down to St. George to run the Snow Canyon Half earlier this month.   I am so lucky to have such wonderful running friends.  The weather was beautiful and it was so fun to run into Jeff during the race.  He wasn't even breathing hard when he sprinted past me. :)

     Last, but not least, Caleb had a birthday this month!  He and his beautiful girlfriend, Emily, came over to our house for dinner.  This picture makes it look like he got applesauce for his birthday, but his real gift was actually a baggy of banana muffins.  What a jokester!
      November is a month of gratitude.  I am so grateful for a family that laughs together.