Birthday Boy Hangs Loose!

       The birthday boy didn’t quite get a leisurely day of surfing yesterday.  It IS a fairly recent photo (since it’s on my computer) but Brent didn’t have the luxury to chill on the beach.  No, his birthday started early at Zion’s camp working with young men from Los Altos, Menlo Park and Saratoga stakes.  Then he drove straight to Camp Lehi and helped the Saratoga Stake Young Women with a ropes course all afternoon.  So, technically he had the day-off from work, but for a birthday boy he was working pretty hard. 

       The church is celebrating 100 years of girls camp this year so we did make sure to sing Happy Birthday to Girls Camp and to Brent last night too.  In fact, one full size sheet cake (65 pounds worth apparently)was quickly devoured by hungry campers and leaders.


       Brent isn’t exactly one to do nothing to celebrate, so having both youth camps fall on his birthday gave him a nice diversion from a typical day at the office.  So, he didn’t surf this birthday but I think he was doing exactly what he preferred; hanging loose with some wonderful youth in the church!  


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A Day for the Dads.....

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”  - Jim Valvano


       Our kids are blessed to have a Dad who believes in them!  From a business standpoint Brent thinks there is no better investment than your kids and he’s always generous in providing opportunities for travel, education and great life experiences.  
       I don’t expect our kids will really understand their good fortune in landing a father who will champion their causes until they become parents themselves.  They do appreciate him but it will be at another level when their own children arrive.  At least this was the case for me; my respect for my own parents (heck, any parents) rose quickly the minute I was raising my own. 
       Besides Brent’s belief in the potential of each of our kids I think his example speaks to who he is and what he stands for.  His character is in line with his beliefs, they can trust him and a dad like that deserves lots of recognition on Father’s Day!     


“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us.  We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”  -Umberto Eco

Sticker Collection...

      Brent’s HOV sticker arrived yesterday which puts him back in the carpool lane for his Los Gatos to San Francisco commute.  Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) Decals are a valuable commodity for California drivers like Brent with a long drive to work.  
     Before becoming a proud owner of this coveted white sticker Brent’s Toyota Prius sported a gold hybrid CAV sticker.  When we bought the Prius we knew the decal expired July 1st, 2011.  Of course 2011 seemed so far in the future we didn’t worry much about it.  
     But the years flew by and once the Prius no longer qualified for the carpool lane, Brent was stuck fighting traffic again.  We looked into the eligibility for the green sticker but didn’t find a good car fit.  Luckily he discovered the BMV fully electric Active E which qualifies for a white sticker; the best option of all.  Although, like the gold sticker, this one isn’t good indefinitely either.  The gig is up on January 1st, 2015.  At that point Brent hopes to have the Google sticker or rather the Google car being tested that automatically drives itself.  In a Google car he wouldn’t have to worry about the carpool lane since he could work all the way to the office!  At that point Brent's sticker collecting days might be over!   

Don’t think of a white shirt...

      "Don’t think of a white shirt!”  For me, that task would be virtually impossible because everywhere I turn these days I see white shirts!  Brent has become the consummate white shirt apparel guy.
     When he was bishop he definitely wore white on Sundays (guess he’s always done that) but it feels like like with his new calling he’s sporting white shirts with greater frequency all week long.  
     Fortunately I don’t launder all the white shirts (roughly 50% of them).  The dry cleaners handle the expensive ones and I wash and press the others.  And, I don’t have anything against white shirts, I just never expected to see so many come through the wash, especially coming from one person.
     There is also the possibility that Brent’s gone overboard with the white too.  For example, here he is at last year’s girls camp in the Santa Cruz mountains wearing a white shirt and tie which might be a little much!  (Actually, I’m kidding, his part in the skit called for him to look the part of a bishop - camp-style anyway).  
     Overall I have to say I’m grateful he shows respect for his callings and makes sure to dress the part for all the mid-week interviews and visits.  It’s just been a noticeable change for the laundry fairy.  I’m not quite as quick on the turnaround when I’m ironing twice as many white shirts as I used to. 

Job Perks...

"Dear President Knudsen:

How are you doing? I miss you. You are the best! I love you so much! I am in a show called Aladdin Jr. this year! I am a dancer in the show. Love, Faith”

One of the perks of church callings can definitely be tender cards from those you serve. And it doesn’t get much sweeter than this cute note Dad got from Faith Lucas.

Whenever I receive thoughtful cards it reminds me to do a better job of sending them. Often, someone will give a great talk at church or serve in a special way and I fully intend to handwrite a note of appreciation.

But, good intentions are futile when I don’t implement them (which is often) so I’m using Faith’s missive to encourage me to do a better job of acknowledging the accomplishments of others (especially when I directly benefit from them, like a great talk that has inspired me).

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.” -Oscar Wilde

And a 12 Hour Sunday...

I was feeling a little smug yesterday after I blogged about not minding our 3 hour church block. It probably wasn’t my most humble post and I apologize if I sounded a little aren’t-I-the-bomb, loving every minute of church on Sundays.

I really didn’t intend to sound bragadocious. In fact, my happy-to-spend-3-hours@church gushing was tempered a bit as I realized that Brent’s Sabbath workload was a full 12 hour day. Seriously.

Brent started his day at 6 am, which I can’t give him much sympathy for since he initiated that meeting (what was he thinking?). After that he went from church to one stake president duty and another, returning home after 6 pm.

Incredibly, he had no qualms about the extensive workload, rather he was energized by hearing stories of church members and their journeys. It turns out every member has a unique story and listening to testimonies makes a long day almost fly by.

Church leaders who give of their time so generously, as President Hodgman did, and now President Knudsen does, are blessed for their service. I really believe that. One of those blessings is clearly strengthening or shoring up of their own testimony. And vicariously, my own is buoyed up through Brent sharing his experiences.

Twelve hours is a long Sabbath work day, but there are a lot of worse ways to wile away a weekend!

Selective Hearing & Tempo Runs...

Ah, you’ve got to love how excited a stake president can get about gospel oriented things! With Brent’s new calling he’s all over any opportunity for spiritual growth. For the most part it’s endearing.

When Paige called on Saturday morning and mentioned her running group was doing a “tempo run,” what Brent heard was “temple run.” Granted, Paige can be difficult to understand but Brent really perked up about a temple run.

We’re not sure what he envisioned (run some miles, do a session, run some more?) but he’s was all over it. “A temple run,” Brent replied. “That sounds great! How does that work?”

Once he realized the Equinox running group was actually just running a fixed (think steady, specific, planned) pace for their Saturday “tempo” run, his excitement about Paige’s morning run dampened a bit.

But, Paige technically had her “temple run” on Thursday night at the Newport Beach Temple doing baptisms. So, this week she got in both, temple and tempo runs, which makes the stake president very happy:) Keep it up Pooge!

PCG: Parties, Contests, Games...

PCG officially stands for Partnership Capital Growth but we know what really goes on at the office:

Parties!

Contests!

Games!

PCG employees are hard workers but they also like to have fun. And, apparently, they like to celebrate too. 2011 was a good year at the office so here’s a photo of Brent handing out a few end-of-the-year prizes.

I’m not sure if the PCG employees realize how lucky they’ve got it. Brent’s a pretty good boss; hopefully not a complete pushover, but as long as people get their work done, he’s flexible and extremely generous.

There’s definitely a culture with most companies; sort of a vibe or aura of the office. When hiring new people the PCG crew likes to look at more than just qualifications. The applicant needs to be a good fit for the company culture too.

PCG is in it’s 6th year and while the company has had to let a few people go, so far only one employee has quit; clearly a mis-hire. I mean, if you think about it, why would anyone want to leave a working environment that celebrates productivity with parties, contests, and games?

Adventures in Dog Sitting...

Bert & Ernie! (well, if you reverse Bert’s ‘e’ and ‘r’ and add an ’n,’ you’ve got quite the pair! Brent & Ernie...and they are quite the team.

This is a photo when Ernie, as a new pup made his 1st appearance in Los Gatos, and now he’s a regular town celebrity (thanks to a few escapes from our tight security here at 25 Alpine).

While Webb took leave to visit New York City for the pre-holidays (lucky boy!) somehow he (foolishly?) trusted us with dog sitting responsibilities. At this point in the story, we’ve reunited with Webb in San Francisco for our annual holiday-overnight-in-the-city outing and we relinquished Ernie duties to the Bryan boys for Thursday/Friday.

The classic tale while Ernie was under our watch was our Wednesday morning dying dog scare. At 5 am (as always) Brent started his day but when I got up at 5:30 am (my usual), Brent was concerned about Ernie. “He won’t eat and he’ll hardly move,” Brent gave me his worried rundown. “He’s kind of twitching funny and he’s completely lethargic; something must be wrong, this is not like Ernie.” Brent can work himself into a dramatic frenzy fairly quickly so he was kind of worked up about Ernie’s condition.

Not as akin to the nuances of dog mannerisms or canine health conditions, I was more passive (I can’t pretend to be the hero or goat of this story) but it did alarm me. But my worries were probably more like “man, if Ernie is sick, this is not good timing! What are we going to do with him? I don’t have time today to take him to the vet.” I know, I come across at my worst when it comes to pet empathy (I’m seriously lacking in the dog loving gene and I’ve got absolutely no trace of the cat loving gene in my body).

Anyway, for the next three hours Brent stewed over Ernie’s ailments while I worried about how much trouble we’d be in if anything happened to Ernie. Suddenly around 8 am, Ernie perked up, enjoyed his breakfast and almost instantly transformed into the happy beagle Webb left us to babysit.

Finally, it dawned on Brent that Ernie had just been tired and not accustomed to a 5 am wake up call. Brent had been dumbfounded that Ernie hadn’t bounded from his quilt pile frisky and ready to play.

I guess it was our first lesson that there are morning people and morning dogs and mixing a morning person with a dog that is clearly used to sleeping in is not a good combination!

Stake President...

“The experience of calling a stake president is always the same, and it is always different.” -Elder Neil L. Anderson

Elder Anderson’s quote above comes from a great article called “The Spiritual Gifts Given the Stake President” in the December 2009 Ensign magazine.

The experience is always the same because two General Authorities sent to reorganize a stake feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to receive the same inspiration before the calling is extended. The Spirit of the Lord accompanies them and confirms the selection process.

The experience is always different because the man called varies from stake to stake; in age, leadership, education, abilities, etc.

When Elder Higham and Elder Wilson reorganized the Saratoga Stake over the weekend their experience was probably similar to other times for them. But it was radically different for our family since the new Saratoga Stake President is Dad/Brent.

Brent has large shoes to fill since President Hodgman has done a wonderful job leading the saints in the Saratoga Stake for the past nine years. While President Hodgman may be vying for a coveted position in the Primary now, he’ll always feel like “President” Hodgman to me. I still think of John Ludwig as President Ludwig so the title just seems to stick.

It was a weekend of spiritually tender moments which I’m sure I’ll write more blog posts about here and there. But, I’m happy for Brent to have the opportunity to serve. He loves to be busy and I think spending time on church service beats hobbies in terms of growth and development.

And what is my role in all of this? Well, for one thing, I felt compelled to remind the stake members that Brent isn’t perfect. Most people who’ve worked with him already know this but I didn’t want anyone too surprised if Brent nods off accidentally in a meeting or calls them by the wrong name, etc. Like all of us, he’s human (even if he thinks he’s cornered the market on an endless supply of energy). So, superpowers notwithstanding, Brent's human albeit a really hard working human.

Now that I’ve forewarned the stake members not to expect perfection, my next self appointed duty is to keep Brent grounded and make sure hearing the “president” title doesn’t go to his head. There are definitely some accolades that go along with the job and he’ll deserve all the thanks and appreciation. But when all is said and done, there is a lot to be said about humility whether you’re a stake president or a nursery leader.

“The president of the stake is the officer called under revelation to stand between the bishops of wards and the General Authorities of the Church. He is trained by the General Authorities, and in turn he trains the bishops.” - President Gordon B. Hinckley

Changing of the Guard...

The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, is probably best remembered for his doctrine of change being central to the universe, or more succintly, his quip that, “The one constancy in life is change.”

Nowhere is this as true as in the organization of our lay church. We serve in callings without ever knowing the length of our stint.

So, yesterday the Los Gatos Ward Bishopric was changed which replaced Bishop Knudsen and his counselors, Tim Hegstrom and Brian Kingsbury with a new group at the helm. The incoming bishopric we sustained is Bishop Mark Walton with Dave Bohn and Dennis Lange as counselors.

Like all church callings, we’re admonished to live worthily and not aspire to positions, but to be prepared, ready, and willing to serve wherever we are called. Brent truly enjoyed serving as the bishop; it seemed like a natural fit for him (even if he has a stubborn wife who prefers life out of the fishbowl).

I’m probably biased but even with my protests over rambling announcements and other sundry minutiae, I think Brent did a great job (I just like to give him a hard time :). He certainly gave (and gave and then gave some more) of his time lovingly and without ever complaining. I might have complained but Brent never did.

About six months ago I had a premonition that Mark Walton would be the next bishop. When the thought came to me, it just felt right. I even kidded Maria Walton that they’d better stay in the ward boundaries if they move just in case my hunch was accurate. Call me clairvoyant!

I love a quote by President Hinckley about callings generally. He said: “No calling in this church is...of little consequence. All of us in the pursuit of our duty touch the lives of others....Whatever your calling, it is as fraught with the same kind of opportunity to accomplish good as is mine. Our work is to go about doing good as the Master did."

Stayin’ Alive at Fifty-Five...

“Just remember, once you’re over the hill you begin to pick up speed.” -Charles Schulz

June 28th signals birthday time for Brent! And I’ve got to give him a lot of credit for maturity because Brent gets to spend his birthday conducting Howard Bennion’s funeral service. And he hasn’t complained a bit! Which is probably why he is the Bishop of the ward and not me.

Come to think of it, Brent never complains about any of the funerals, weddings, ordinations, interviews, blessings, moves, appointments, meetings, missionary discussions, and other sundry events that are part of his church responsibilities. He’s great to take it all in stride and generally Brent will rearrange his complicated schedule to accommodate lots of people who are a heck of lot less busy than he is. Again, I’d probably be more grumpy about endless church to-do lists, so I do respect and admire how generous he is with his time. Even and especially on his birthday!

After overseeing Howard’s viewing this morning, Brent will conduct the funeral, followed by the graveside dedication, and finally back to the church for a late luncheon (complete with traditional funeral potatoes). So, Brent’s day by then (um, birth day, that is) will pretty much be shot. Hopefully we can sneak in a birthday dinner and presents before he has to catch a red-eye flight back east later tonight.

But quite honestly, there probably isn’t anything Brent would sooner do today anyway. He thinks the world of Howard Bennion so he probably doesn’t mind sharing his birthday as we gather to pay tribute to Howard’s well-lived life.

Besides Brent, June 28th is also Anna King’s birthday! If you want to share a birthday with someone classy and thoughtful and genuine, that would be Anna. Anna has a calming personality, she’s someone everyone likes. In fact, I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t like Anna. Whenever Anna has visited she’s been gracious and appreciative and we’ve really grown to adore her. So, birthday greetings to Anna if the Birthday Girl happens to read this!

As for the photo, that is Rachael (Hermana Holland) and I behind Brent playing tennis. Rachael and I didn’t have our sunglasses so we couldn’t see the tennis balls so our team of three (I think we were competing against Paige, Holly, and Connor) was pretty reliant on Brent to dominate the court. It’s not Wimbledon but when it comes to his tennis skills, you’d never guess Brent is turning fifty five years old. He can run around the court for hours without working up a sweat! You Go Birthday Boy!

30 Years of Happiness...

“Reader, I married him.” -Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre

As someone who has been married for 30 years, I should be granted some authority to give advice on what to look for in a mate. Now that I’m an expert! (Ha!)

Although, it turns out that the McDonald’s Happy Meal celebrated it’s 30th anniversary in 2009, so the history of the Happy Meal predates our marriage for whatever that may be worth. The Golden Arches trivia will bug Paige since she’s been boycotting Mickey D’s for the last ten years or so. Anyway, moving right along... relative to marriage...

Research proves that you will be significantly happier in your marriage if your spouse is:

1. Agreeable,

2. Conscientious, and

3. Emotionally Stable

Those traits might seem pretty basic but I’ll vouch that those are pretty important things to look for in a companion. On the converse, if someone is a grouch, self-centered and irresponsible, they’re not likely a good spousal candidate.

Brent fits the bill for all three good attributes. He’s not exactly easy going (in fact some might call him intense) but he is generally agreeable. And he is very conscientious and also emotionally stable.

It’s actually hard to go wrong in marriage with a partner who is generally pleasant, fairly even-tempered and reasonably responsible. However, in order for a marriage to actually work with someone who has these qualities, there is still one catch.

The catch is, I need to have the agreeable/conscientious/emotionally stable qualities too! Therein lies the tricky part!

Grow Old With Me....

"Grow old with me, the best is yet to be." -Robert Browning

You've got to love a guy who can fall fast asleep during a lively Hawaiian Luau! That takes special talent!

During earlier years of marriage I’d get embarrassed when Brent's sleep anywhere/anytime skills were displayed at church, movies, etc. But lately it's become sort of endearing and definitely bothers me less (note my expression in photo is more amused that annoyed - which is major progress for me!). It turns out this narcolepsy-like ability can work in his favor sometimes (like when he takes red-eye flights or needs a quick nap).

Plus, heaven knows I've got plenty of annoying traits that Brent has to put up with. But no need to disclose those here.

Maybe one of the best parts of being an old married couple ("old" referring to our ages as well as the length of our marriage) is the comfort I find in predictability.

I can usually surmise Brent's reactions before he acts and I'm fairly accurate. I know what pushes his buttons. I know what makes him laugh. I know what inspires him.

So, here we are at 30 years of marriage, and still committed to the idea that it’s the best institution for teamwork and self improvement and, of course, the best way to raise a family. And while we can drive each other crazy at times we certainly drive and motivate each other to be our best selves too.

Happy 30th Anniversary to Brent! Love you lots!

"A sucessful marriage requires falling in love many times - always with the same person." -Mignon McLaughlin

Popeye the Sailor Dad!

One thing the Knudsen kids discovered during our holiday trip to the British Virgin Islands is their Dad’s love of sailing!

Every chance he got to sail the catamaran, Brent was like a little kid with a new toy! Captain Terry sometimes preferred the simplicity of using the boat’s motor but Brent was gung-ho to use the sails as often as possible.

I was thinking the other day how children know some things about their parents but there are lots of things they don’t know. It’s easy for kids to forget their dad actually had a life for years and years before he was ever their father.

For instance, my Dad was a US Naval officer on aircraft carriers in the Korean War and it’s a part of his life I know next to nothing about. It’s my own error in not bothering to learn about his time overseas and I need to be a better daughter about paying attention to things that are important to my father.

Watching Brent giddy with excitement in the sailor role traces back to life experiences before any of his children were born. After Brent spent a semester at BYU-Hawaii he sailed back to the mainland living the life of a true sailor. It was during the those days at sea that Brent read The Book of Mormon for the first time and made the monumental decision to serve a mission. So it’s easy to understand why sailing is associated with great memories for Brent; his sailing days were transforming and literally changed the course of his life.

So, while Brent’s sailing days lately are few and far between, he’s clearly a better father because of discoveries he made out sailing, long before he ever had kids.

Like Father, Like Son (Reversed)...

“There are none in this world who can understand the glory of crew except those who have done it. There is something unimaginable in the sport of rowing - it cannot be described, it cannot be taught, it must be explored through experience. There is something about gliding quietly across the water at five in the morning that subconsciously satisfies the very depths of the soul." -Erin Walker

In high school Webb did the family rowing with The Los Gatos Rowing Club, but this week it was reversed and that’s Brent out sculling in Craftsbury, Vermont. When you hang out with Bob Arnot (Dr. Bob), you end up on all kinds of adventures.

The small town of Craftsbury is home to Craftsbury Sculling, the first rowing camp in North America and major training center. Their coaching is staffed pretty much by former Olympians. And check out the beautiful backdrop behind the calm 2 mile lake; those are the scenic Lowell Mountains.

I remember Webb’s workouts with the LG Rowing Club and they were intense. They didn’t just work out on the boats but also did a lot of strength training, weight lifting, running, and working out on Ergs (special rowing machines). Webb would come home completely exhausted and extremely hungry.

“Per Ardua Ad Meta” is the motto for the Los Gatos Rowing Club, which is Latin for “Through Adversity to the Goal.” Whether it’s Webb’s crew team or Brent out solo in Craftsbury, it seems like rowing is a sport much like distance running; definitely not for the faint of heart!

He’s Our Bi....shop!

Around 1 pm every Sunday, Bishop Knudsen’s office fills up with Primary kids eager to recount an Article of Faith in exchange for a treat.

Brent’s kind of a pushover with the Primary kids. His interest in the children is one of those “mantel of the calling” gifts. Not to sound disrespectful but Brent’s nature of his own accord wouldn’t normally include such earnest excitement for “little people."

But, for now, he has direct stewardship over these little people, as well as their moms and dads, so initially by assignment, he feels a responsibility toward them. And, he’s a devoted bishop and pretty committed to wanting these cute kids to understand that their lives are enriched as they make good choices and stay close to their Heavenly Father.

So what might have begun as part of his duties has become one of the perks of the job. Or, in other words, Brent adores these little cuties (as Andie would call them).

Since Brent’s 5 year mark as the Los Gatos Bishop is approaching next month, he could be released at any point. Which I anticipate will be hard on him since he’s

loved serving and the time commitment doesn’t really phase him. He genuinely enjoys almost all aspects that are part of the job (go figure).

In some regards, I’m a lousy spouse for a bishop. I don’t complain much about his absence from home, I’m pretty independent. But I critique way too much. Sometimes it’s just hard for me to keep my mouth shut when I “notice” things (“things" could imply anything from rambling announcements to longwinded meetings or overly ambitious goals). I’m sure I drive him nuts when I note this or that detail that could be tweaked or changed. I’m like those annoying backseat drivers.

Despite my criticism, I’m pretty impressed by how well he can juggle (seemingly effortlessly) all the duties of the job. He’s generous with his time and eager to always do the right thing. I’m sure he’d be happy to continue shepherding the Los Gatos Ward flock but while an actual date is unknown, at some stage, another priesthood holder will take the helm. At that point, Brent’s new gig will be to sustain and support the next Los Gatos Ward Bishop, just like we’ve tried to do for him (which I’m better at on some days than others).

Overall, I’m proud of our bishop! His traditions and his enthusiasm (see photo) definitely mitigate his lack of brevity and other trivial issues I might give him grief about.

Busy as a man can be, He’s our bishop.

He finds time to talk to me; He’s our bishop.

Always kindly words he’ll say, To the children ev’ry day.

Let us help him ev’ry way; He’s our bishop.

Cheerful as he serves the Lord, He’s our bishop.

He’s the father of our ward; He’s our bishop.

He helps us to do the right, In our Heavenly Father’s sight.

We love him with all our might; He’s our bishop. -from the LDS Children’s Songbook

The Aztec Cuisine...

It just took one morning of paddle boarding with his friend, Dr. Bob Arnot, for Brent to be consumed with adopting the Aztec lifestyle! Okay, mostly just an Aztec diet, per se, but pretty much anything touted by Dr. Bob is sacrosanct.

Since their outing at the beach last week we’ve got a whole new plan of attack for Brent’s knee pain which includes a special foam roller for exercises, some newfangled supplements, no more ibuprofen, and an afternoon spent with a team of medical specialists at a fancy New York City hospital.

Hopefully this bag of tricks will mitigate Brent’s chronic knee pain. And, in addition to the physicians and stretching and medicine, Dr. Bob promotes eating like our former Mexican neighbors, the Aztec Indians.

According to Dr. Bob, by increasing our consumption of things like sweet potatoes, corn/maize, and chia seeds, we’ll lower our glucose load and decrease our inflammation. Other carbohydrates like bagels, rice, spaghetti, and pancakes result in a terribly high glucose load. Low glucose = good, high glucose = bad!

Personally, I still prefer a flour tortilla to a corn one and a yukon gold potato to a sweet one but I’ll humor Brent in his new Aztec ways. I’ve even offered to feed him gophers, just like the Aztec’s ate, but I draw the line at cannibalism.

Madness in March at the Men’s Cook-Off...

The Los Gatos Ward has an annual Men’s Cook-Off and I have to admit that the food is always better than ward events with women providing the food.

Our ward has some talented male cooks. The Bishop is not exactly one of them but that never seems to impact the judges. Brent has this ridiculous ability to win despite his minimalist approach. It’s quite embarrassing.

First case in point: About a decade ago, Brent won 1st place at a Saratoga Stake Chili Cook-Off, basically on chili that consisted of opening a #10 can and pouring in catsup, BBQ sauce, Tabasco sauce, and I forget the 4th ingredient.

Brent didn’t really plan on being a serious contender but threw the chili together about 10 minutes before departure so he didn’t show up empty-handed. And, somehow, out of at least 20 pots of chili, his doctored-up-store-bought version won. Which felt really awkward when people requested the recipe.

Brent doesn’t quite understand that his chili shouldn’t really be eligible; I think he naively believes that “altering” prepared food still qualifies. Shameless! While Brent finds his winning streak humorous, I doubt the men who slave over complicated recipes would concur.

Second case in point: the mini ice cream sandwiches. A couple of years ago Brent was swamped on the day of the Men’s Cook-Off, so I whipped up some bite size chocolate chip cookies and filled them with ice cream. Again, it was just an effort to pitch in, not seriously compete against homemade apple pies and fancy creme brulee. But, of course, the pithy little treats were a hit and won the dessert category, much to the chagrin, I’m sure, of serious guy bakers in the ward.

Sticking with a good thing, and, in a touch of laziness, Brent’s been showing up with mini ice cream sandwiches for several years now, and sure enough, on Saturday night, they won again!

I’m kicking myself for missing a window of opportunity. On Saturday, when Brent took stock of ingredients around the house and mentioned the possibility of taking his green smoothie shake to the Men’s Cookoff, I immediately pronounced that a lame idea. So, naturally, Brent’s fallback was the mini ice cream sandwiches. What was I thinking? I should have heartily endorsed his morning shake as an excellent offering (ha!).

Because while some green smoothie shakes are delicious, Brent’s morning concoction tastes pretty terrible. Think Jamba Juice meets the compost pile! There is way too much kale, chard, flax, and unidentified objects for his breakfast drink to place at any cook-off.

So next year, I’ll highly recommend Brent’s green shake ...just to bring a touch of humility to my award winning cook/husband! He’s getting a little too proud of a creation that I invented in the first place. Seems we’ve created a “Cooking” (loosely defined) Monster!

Saint Valentine on Campus...

Here's a roundabout Valentine's story from my college years. After transferring from BYU to the University of Utah I ran into my high school girlfriend, Crystal, at the library. In updating each other I noted a few dates I'd been on with a Sigma Chi named Brent.

"Brent Knudsen," Crystal laughed. "You two are perfect for each other." And then she explained why and what was so funny.

Crystal recalled passing Brent the previous Valentines day on campus. Brent stopped her, excitedly opened his backpack filled with Valentines, scribbled a note to Crystal and handed it off.

Crystal claims she honestly remembered thinking "that is exactly the kind of quirky thing my friend, Kathryn, would do!" So Crystal believes she had the "two peas in a pod" pegged before we ever knew one another existed!

When Crystal shared her clairvoyant tale I quibbled that she was both wrong and right. While it IS true that I'm always up for commemorating any/all occasions, my celebratory ways are not quite so public. In other words, I might mail you a Valentine but I'm not bold enough to impersonate Saint Valentine walking across campus handing out cards (just to be clear!).

Crystal's Valentine exchange with Brent and her noting our similarities is something I've thought about over the years. Because while Crystal dubbed Brent as the "guy version" of me, she was only accurate on a few levels. Turns out we've got similarities but we're pretty different too. Which happily has worked out just fine! So, here's a limerick for my Valentine, and apparently, sometimes, my twin:

There once was a Saint named Brent,

And Valentines the guy always sent.

Then my good friend she declared,

"Though you're both somewhat impaired,

For each other you surely were meant!" -K2

*(the photo isn't great but validates my argument that Brent's more gregarious. Here he is trying to haul his reluctant wife to the dance floor!)