She's Baaaaaaaaack! NorCal Kid.....Back in LG for the Weekend!

"The best way to keep children at home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant, and let the air out of the tires." - Dorothy Parker

Paigey is here! It's a quick trip but still fun to have her home in Los Gatos. Technically she's back to run her 1st marathon but I think she also needed a little "Emily Fix!" Can you blame her? Just look at that cute toddler!

Paige is forever the "(wo)Man With A Plan" so she has her schedule filled for the 3 day visit...complete with a haircut appointment, some friend visits, Emily time, the race, watching Andie teach at Fisher, errands, etc. Never a dull moment (or much down time) with Paige around! She keeps herself and her minions (that would be me) on the move!

It's nice to see the Emily/Paige Bond since they share a slice of history in my life story! Part 1: August 15th, 2007: I "deliver" Paige to Pepperdine for her freshman year and I'm a tad distraught over sending my "baby" off to college! Part 2: August 16th, 2007: The very next morning, Jennifer "delivers" her "baby" Emily! Her "arrival" is a happy diversion from Paige's "departure." A Stroke of Serendipity!

"Human Beings are the only creatures on earth that allow their children to come back home." -Bill Cosby

Buy the Car, We'll Throw in a Guy (boyfriend/husband/you name it) Too!

It's a Package Deal! Andie & I were looking at cars and the auto industry is so desperate for business they were offering all sorts of deals. But the Classic was the Pick Up Hustle by the Sales Manager who was willing to throw in "a guy friend" for Andie!

Maybe I just don't get out in the world often enough but I found the exchange and his come-ons quite hilarious! This crazy stuff really goes on! Who knew!

Eli, the Sales Manager at the Dealership, was smooth, slick, and determined! Yep, he could be a Poster Boy for the Car-Salesman-Stereotypes! Since Eli was married, his shtick was trying to buddy-up to Andie and convince her to get matched up with one of "his friends."

Eli had an answer for everything! During the attempted "Can I Line You Up?" segment; Andie told him she has pretty high standards for guys she'll date. Eli promised her that his friends are "really good guys" and Andie responded that she doesn't drink, smoke, or party. And, of course,.....neither do Eli's friends! Such a coincidence!

Regarding the matchmaking efforts; if Andie had responded that she was wild, crazy, and looking for a-good-time; well, I'm fairly certain that Eli's friends would have been "party guys too." There was too much "Me Too" going on in the conversation to be credible! When he learned we were Mormon, he whipped out his iphone to show us his scriptures app, gushed about the pretty church near his home, and recalled a really nice Mormon girl he had dated!

I was a little surprised that my presence (The Mom) didn't seem to deter him a bit! Which was quite amusing for me: I'm usually not privy to the world of flirting-it-up in the 21st Century! While I'm sure Andie was flattered by the lavish attention thrown mercilessly at her feet; she did have the good sense to take her friend Adam along (Adam, as in, a male friend) when she went back to the car dealership! A sure fire way to avoid any "pick up" pressure or Eli shenanigans! All in a day's work (I guess); I enjoyed the free entertainment!

"And I Wonder, Still I Wonder, Who'll Stop the Rain?" (credence clearwater revival)

"Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Come Again Another Day!

Little Johnny wants to play,

Rain, Rain, Go to Spain,

Never Show your Face Again!"

I like the IDEA of FALL more than I actually like the autumn season. The thought of galoshes, umbrellas and leaves changing colors creates a charming visual! In my mind!

But in reality, the rainy season, when I have to wait for a respite in the storm so I can get out on a run frustrates me. Slows me down.

This 1st big storm this year came in with gusto! It's been a relentless downpour! Yesterday I felt like curling up with a good book but since I was taking dinner to the Hollands, I needed cooking supplies so I had to venture out despite my preference to hunker down! Duty Calls!

"Under my head till morning; but the rain

Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh

Upon the glass and listen for reply..." -Edna St. Vincent Millay

Had I Known....How To Save A Life! (the fray)

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." -William James

Yesterday John Bryan was a Bone Marrow Donor for someone in Italy who needed a transplant. I only knew about John's generous gesture because they needed someone to watch Emily.

I was really touched and inspired by John's act of kindness for a complete stranger. He was on a registry and when he matched someone in need they contacted him. John has donated his time and marrow in a process that is much more complicated than giving blood.

There were preliminary hospital visits and daily shots to prepare his body. It's a painful procedure! But since there is great satisfaction in serving others, I would imagine that possibly saving the life of another person would feel quite amazing! It takes service to a new level!

I'm impressed with John's donation. It motivates me to try to be more generous of my time, talents, and resources! I've always had a hard time donating blood; sometimes my iron has been too low and one time I was trying hard not to faint but when I started sweating, they sent me home! I'm not sure if I'm a good candidate for bone marrow donation but I would like to try for success at the next Red Cross Blood Drive.

"How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed, in a naughty world."

-William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice

Bon Appetit!

"Moderation. Small Helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health." -Julia Child

The first clue I had that I would like the movie, Julie and Julia, was the fact that the screenplay was written and produced by Nora Ephron. I've enjoyed her writing over the years as well as her sister, Delia Ephron. Two very funny women!

The second clue I'd love the movie was Meryl Streep playing the role of Julia Child. I'm a BIG Meryl Streep fan! I think she is one of the best actresses all time!

After my vacation in France I have even more appreciation for the great sage of American Cooking: Julia Child. And for the movie. And the wonderful French cuisine! As Julia Child said: "In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport." And how can you not adore a woman who said things like: "If you're afraid of butter, just use cream." and "I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then I just ate."

There's No Place Like Home!

"There's No Place Like Home!"

-as Dorothy told Toto in The Wizard of Oz

It's ALWAYS feels good to make it back to the hearth and home! Especially after a trip abroad! The first thing I noticed going through the US Customs line was my familiar native tongue; everyone speaking English! While I picked up some French words traveling, I slaughter the beautiful French language when I try to speak it. I'm terrible with foreign language pronunciation!

The mail is piled high but it looks like more catalogs than bills. (whew!) Brent actually did some laundry so the mound isn't insurmountable! Andie kept the house clean and best of all, there was a sign up, reading: "Welcome Home FRANCEY Pants!" Clever!

Leaving on a Trip and Coming Home are the 2 hardest parts of travel for me! Once I'm out of town, I'm good to go. I thrive! But packing up to leave the comfort of my routines...not an easy task for me! And, now, on the return, I always feel a little overwhelmed to come home to so much "stuff." Somehow we get along fine living out of a small suitcase. Then we return to our massive life accumulations and I want to purge it down to a simpler life!

The Wizard of Oz brought notoriety to "no place like home" when Dorothy is happily back in Kansas. But the line was used earlier in a poem and it is probably felt quite universally by most of us.

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home." (from "Home Sweet Home" by John Howard Payne)

Educating a Mind Through Travel...

"Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from the traveler's immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad new sights, smells, and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way." -Ralph Crawshaw

My mind feels duly stretched! In fact, my head is spinning trying to remember the names of all the towns and places we've visited in France this week!

We've seen most of the hot spots along the French Riviera. And we've seen a lot of Provence. The weather has been incredible but without the usual crowds of summer. The locals say that October is known for it's warm weather but the tourists haven't caught on. Guess we are just smarter than the average tourist!

We've been to museums and cathedrals and chateaus and gardens and medieval castles and hill towns and palaces and restaurants and archaeological digs and outdoor markets galore! And even a little shopping (but not much)! It's been a glorious week and we've decided it'll be New York City 2010! Au Revoir!

"Good Company in a Journey Makes the Way Seem Shorter." -Izaak Walton

"I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them." -Mark Twain

This travel group has a smooth synchronicity! There has never been a major problem arise and we never argue. We're certainly all very different with varied interests but everyone is agreeable! I can't speak for myself (without sounding obnoxious) but I'd vouch for Ann, Carole, Julie, and Susan: there isn't a self-centered personality amongst them!

We know each other well! We know who gets up first and last, who likes to bath and who prefers showers, who wants what for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, who packs the aspirin and who is most likely to have an umbrella!

Wherever we travel there is a rhythm to our days. We take turns being the "Mom for the Day" (we're all happy to relinquish this title for the week so we each have to take a turn being the "Responsible Person" for the day....."The Decider" as President George Bush might say).

Everyone makes an effort to be unimposing! If there is a lousy bed, we all volunteer to sleep in it. If it's a "last bite" of a shared dessert we all donate it to the person next to us. Simply put, I think it's a wonderful group of women who go out-of-their-way to make sure that everyone is having a fun trip and everyone is getting to the sights they'd like to see!

It isn't realistic to think that real families could get along as ideally since our group only has to spend a week together. The diplomacy is short-lived! Even I (note the bold type) can try to be on my best behavior for a finite amount of time. But, our travel week, with lots of pleasures and very few problems, does show you that it is well worth it to make the effort to be generous with each other; because when EVERYONE does it, EVERYONE WINS!

Prolific Art! .....In Matisse Country!

"What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter." -Henri Matisse

I am getting a full dose of Matisse here in southern France. Since Henri Matisse is one of my favorite artists I'm happy to take in all the sights. We've seen a few places he lived in Nice as well as the Matisse Museum.

Picasso, Renoir, Chagall, Cezanne....so many of the Masters had roots and ties here in the French Riviera and Provence! When you travel around you can see why. It was a perfect place for these great artists; the colors and light are as luminous here as anywhere in the world!

Yesterday we enjoyed the markets in Nice, dined on a fancy lunch in St. Paul at La Columbe d'Or, and checked out one of the most dramatic hill villages, Gourdon, perched high upon a rocky cliff. We found a gelato stand with every flavor imaginable (more choices than Marianne's Ice Cream in Santa Cruz). They had tomato-basil gelato, lavender, avocado - getting the picture? I tried the Rhubarb gelato and it was yummy!

"I have always tried to hide my own efforts and wished my works to have the lightness and joyousness of a springtime which never lets anyone suspect the labours it cost." -Henri Matisse

The Euro = Monopoly Money!

"When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money. -Susan Heller

Clothes: I like to come home having worn every article of clothing! No wasted space! I usually have our Fall Girls Trip down to an art but I ran into a glitch (although it's a good glitch) this year. It is much warmer than I expected so I'm not wearing the warm sweaters and I'm having to wear my polo's twice. Bottom line: I packed too many cold weather clothes.

Currency: I have the hardest time treating foreign money like real cash! The minute I exchange Dollars to Euros I lose all concept of value! It looks like Monopoly Money for Adults! Logically I know that 1 dollar is worth 0.679 Euros (todays exchange rate). Or the easier way to wrap my brain around this is to figure that 1 Euro is almost $1.50. More accurately, 7 Euros = around $10 (at least I think that's correct). But I can get pretty discombobulated by the continual conversion. But I'm pretty frugal at core (even when I play Monopoly) so I don't usually lose all control (and thus all my money). I dole it out sparingly and it looks like so far I calculated how much I'd need just about right! But even after a few days, the Euros still look fake to me!

The Croisette in Cannes! I "Cannes" Hardly Believe We're Here!

We walked the Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes today! Yes, we walked down the Red Carpet! The famous Cannes Film Festival is always in May, but we happened to arrive for the annual MIPCOM convention. This event also takes over the town; a trade show for the TV & film industry.

Julie thought she saw Matthew Perry but he was trying to look incognito. Apparently Jerry Seinfeld is here talking up a new show called The Marriage Ref.

Next stop: St. Paul-de-Vence. This village town had incredible art and galleries. The highlight for me in Vence was the Matisse Chapel (or Vence Chapel of the Rosary)! I've wanted to see this since Paige did a college paper about the stained glass windows Matisse designed to thank the Dominican nun who took care of him after surgery from cancer. It was really neat to tour the chapel after reading about it from Paige's paper.

We loved the Foundation Maeght; a private art collection with a massive Joan Miro exhibit. I've never seen so much Miro in one location! We also checked out Mougins, the village town where the Williams are living. Picasso spent the later years of his life in this hill town. Mougins is known for it's famous restaurants; two created by the legendary French chef Roger Verge'. Another beautiful sunny day in the Riviera!

Cruising around the Cote d'Azur

We can hardly believe we are here enjoying the famed French wonderland! Hooray for Jerry William's fortuitous luck in landing a yearlong work gig with Cook Medical laboring here in Europe!

Since Ann needed some extra company while Jerry is off on business trips, our traveling girls squad was happy to join her to explore the coastal towns along the French Riviera! Actually, Ann has had nonstop company but she's such a great hostess who wouldn't want to visit her here.

Today we spent the day in the sovereign principality of Monaco! Monaco is thought to have the highest per capita income in the world. Which is easy to believe....there is no income tax so it's become a haven for the wealthy Europeans to bank and live! It's all quite amazing! We loved checking out the Monaco palace and went to the cathedral where Princess Grace Kelly,the American actress, married Prince Rainier in 1956.

We also went to the medieval village of Eze and walked up the hill where you got great view of the whole area. On a clear day you can see Italy! In Eze you get a great sense of the history (and violence) of the early days here. The village has been completely rebuilt.

It's a fascinating place! Jerry's work almost stationed him in Germany and we are delighted that the Williams ended up here in Nice.

Some Get To Buy "Coach." Some Get To Fly Coach.

Andie is our Coach Buyer of the week! She found a winner "Mary Poppins" bag this week that is big enough to hold running gear, school books, lunch, laptop, etc. It's huge! It's colorful! And it was marked down from the sale price. A real find! A great bag!

But I have the dubious distinction of being the Coach Flyer of the week! I had to sink a little lower on the travel front this year....I couldn't get the frequent flyer miles to work so I actually bought a ticket to Nice, France. Which meant no Business or 1st Class! I'm much too cheap to go high end if I actually have to pay for it!

And I've learned that on an international trip your airline seat makes a big difference! I've been spoiled by getting a few flights in luxury so it's hard to go back to the riff-raff coach section!

But The Traveling Gals (Susan, Julie, Ann, Carole, Kathryn) have all arrived in France! So, even if I had to travel coach, it will definitely be a 1st Class Week of Adventures! Stay Tuned!

Look Who Else Is Going To France!

Elizabeth Smart has been called to serve in the France Paris Mission! How Cool Is That!

While Andie was the most vocal about her obsession with the Elizabeth Smart Drama in 2002, our whole family followed the story pretty closely! I'll never forget how thrilled I felt when she was found alive 9 months after her abduction!

On Friday, Elizabeth Smart testified in court against Brian Mitchell. From what I read she was incredible! Poised and articulate, she did not mince words calling Mitchell "a master manipulator who used religion as a front to get sex, drugs, and alcohol." At the end of her testimony, when she was asked to describe Mitchell the adjectives she rattled off included evil, wicked, sneaky, slimy, selfish, not spiritual, not religious, and not close to God.

One thing I love about Elizabeth Smart's decision to serve a mission; it is another example of Smart not being defined by the tragic experience! She has refused to be a "victim." Both Smart and her family have carried on with their lives with class and dignity! Instead of letting the horrific event scar them emotionally they've coped by moving on. They haven't wasted time dwelling on the past. I admire them all!

Elizabeth Smart is a great example of someone who has suffered terrible things and come out stronger! Amazing Resiliency! She will be a great representative for the church in France!

There's An APP for that! (?)

"If you are open and receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit in your lives, you will understand the lessons of the past, and they will be burned into your souls by the power of your testimonies.

And how do you get such a testimony? Well, there's no new technology for that, nor will there ever be. You cannot do a GOOGLE SEARCH to gain a testimony. You can't TEXT MESSAGE faith.

You gain a vibrant, life-changing testimony today the same way it has always been done. The process hasn't changed. It comes through desire, study, prayer, obedience, and service. That is why the teachings of prophets and apostles, past and present, are as relevant to your life today as they ever have been." -Elder Russell Ballard (April '09 GC)

With General Conference this weekend we're reminding the Seminary youth to "Listen Up!" I'm a little hypocritical because I'm flying to France later today and with the time change I'll miss the Saturday sessions. But I'll watch on Sunday.

I was thinking of the Apple "There's An APP For That" advertisements when I read the quote above. I like the juxtaposition; there is NO "Google Search to gain a testimony, you can't Text Message faith" and you won't find an Apple App that rivals the feeling we get from living the gospel! It can't be duplicated on any computer either! Technology is great and the meteoric rise of Apple's Apps are amazing, but neither App's nor technical prowess can feed the "things of the soul."

Elder Ballard suggests that a testimony comes from Desire, Study, Prayer, Obedience, and Service. And until someone develops ALL that in an Apple APP, we should probably keep listening to our leaders at General Conference!

The World Offers Itself To Your Imagination...

"Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.

"Centenarians I Have Known!" or "What Is A Good Age To Retire?"

"My feeling is that people who stop working die. Coming to the office daily keeps me interested, it keeps me alive, and that's why I continue to do it." -Richard Bird, from a Deseret News article that appeared on Mr. Bird's 100th Birthday (April 13th, 2007)

Mr. Bird passed away over a year ago but his life is a marvelous example to our family! He was active and vibrant to the end! My Dad and Mr. Bird were law partners so I knew him my whole life and I'm really glad my children were able to enjoy this darling man through our annual summer trips to Sun Valley.

Mr. Bird graduated from Harvard Law School in 1933 and practiced law in Salt Lake City for over 75 years! When asked the secret to his longevity he said he wasn't really sure but thought that exercise helped and added: "I have a good diet. I don't drink. I don't smoke. And I've done a lot of church work and community work." (Deseret News article)

One of the highlights of past Sun Valley vacations was Mr. Bird. We loved to ask him questions like: "Did he drive up? (it's a 5 hour drive) "Was he going to Golf this year?" (at age 100) "Does he still come into work every day?" Answers: "Yes," "Yes," and "Yes!" Remarkable! Webb loved to check out Mr. Bird's pants annually (see photo). It's the fashion polar opposite of sagging jeans! The waistband nearly reaches his shirt pocket! What is it about elderly men and their high rise pants?

Whenever my Dad (age 80) was asked about retiring from his law practice he would joke that his two senior partners, Mr. Richards and Mr. Bird, were both still practicing in their 90's and beyond, so retirement didn't look like it was an option in their law firm! But, seriously, how lucky my Dad was to have men who kept working because they enjoyed staying active, busy, and learning their entire lives! Now, Mr. Richards and Mr. Bird are gone but my Dad has continued the legacy. My Mom likes to joke that "slowing down" for Gramps is working six days a week instead of seven!

"Retirement kills more people than hard work ever did." -Malcolm Forbes

The Disposition of Truth....

"Boiling Water Hardens Eggs but Softens Carrots!"

In teaching the Book of Mormon I'm suddenly reading verses that jump out at me with new meaning! I'm fortunate to be assigned to prepare lessons since it forces me to spend more time reading scriptures!

There is a verse in 1st Nephi 16:2 that ends with this statement: "...wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center."

A comment I read about this verse was the quote above; that while boiling water HARDENS eggs, it SOFTENS carrots! It sounds silly but if you think about it, the TRUTH is going to either cause people to "soften their heart" (and listen) or "harden their heart" (and turn away). As a teacher I can almost "sense" the countenance of a student and which way they feel when they encounter truth.

The challenge for me lies in helping the students have a DESIRE to be softened. It all starts with an honest desire. It's hard to explain to teenagers that I KNOW that a moral life will bring them greater happiness than seeking worldly pleasures. My class age range is 14-18 years and I realize that life looks different from their vantage point. But, there is something to be said of time plus experience (equals Wisdom... at times).

Perspective comes when we can look back over our life and the lives of friends and family. 50 years of hindsight does give some dimension and insight to life's events! And from where I'm sitting, living what we know to be TRUE brings PEACE while fighting it brings a restless, empty, and unsettled existence! Unfortunately, many people discover this too late - hopefully none of my Seminary Youth!

"Getting Off My High Horse!" ..or... "Practicing A Little Humility"

"You shouldn't gloat about anything you've done; you ought to keep going and find something better to do." -David Packard (as in, Hewlett and Packard)

I'm a little embarrassed about tooting my own horn in yesterdays blog! I got a little carried away by the thrill of actually winning my age group. I didn't mean to give myself a Shout Out! Or did I?

I'd be better off to learn from President Lincoln who is credited with saying that "what kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself."

I've heard people criticize Bloggers calling them/us "Narcissists" so maybe it was inevitable that the Me-Me-Me Talk would takeover at some point!

Well, in the interest of full disclosure....the 5K alum run was subtitled a "Fun Run" which is code for this is not the elite running crowd! Before the starting gun the announcer went over the rules and the course. And I have NEVER in any race in my life heard a race official define the route using words like "....after a few jigs and some jogs you'll curve to the left....." Jigs and Jogs? See what I mean! This was not a hard core crowd; no one even flinched when he said jigs and jogs at least 3 times in his course description! In other words, serious runners don't do Jigs and Jogs; they Run!

But all's well that ends well! And Paige won 1st female fair and square and she had a great run! So, I'll try to tone it down a notch on the self promotion but as a Mother I still reserve the right to brag about my children!

"Humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if it shows." -Helen Nielsen

It's A Clean Sweep!

There's a popular saying that you "Learn More From Losing Than Winning." So it looks like the Knudsen contingency representing the family at Parents Weekend didn't learn much yesterday!

Here are a few stats from the "BYU Alum Run" (which we happened to run the inaugural run in 2000 when Andie was a freshman). The race is in it's 10th year and has gained some momentum and a reasonable following.

The 1st Place OVERALL Female Runner was (druuuuum rolllllll) - Paige Knudsen!

The 1st Place 50-59 Male Runner was Brent Knudsen!

And (yes, this is the shocker), the 1st Place 50-59 Female Runner was Kathryn Knudsen! Okay, so the competition wasn't that challenging. I was 51st overall and the #2 woman in my age group placed 110 overall. Gotta love this new age group!

There is more: The 1st Place Father/Daughter Team Division (you could only enter as 1 team and we thought our chances were highest in this configuration) went to Brent and Paige!

So the BYU Alum Run was A Clean Sweep! 3 Knudsens entered and 3 Knudsens WIN first place medals! WooHoo! In fact, Paige got so excited she heard the wrong number for one of the raffle prizes and went up to accept another prize! Whoops! I guess since we've been embarrassing Paige all weekend it was okay if she embarrassed us!

I was thinking this might be our last Parents Weekend but now we might have to return in 2010 to defend our titles!

In other (slightly more important) winning statistics of the day: BYU beat Colorado State 43-23. Overall, a winning day for the Cougars and Knudsens in Provo, Utah! Rise and Shout!