The World According to Rachel Grace

1. If a certain team has already won the NBA championship, they should lose on purpose so that other teams who haven't won can have a chance.

2. Pink, sparkley accessories are a must each and every day.

3. Rainbows, hearts, sunshines and flowers should always be a part of signing your name.

4. Twin brothers make the best friends most of the time, baby sisters were meant to be spoiled.

5. If Uncle Nate would have let her be in charge of his social life, he could have been happily married at least three times by now.

6. All pets should have a loving home.

7. People would be happier if they would have a little sing and dance time each day.

8. Rules are meant to be followed.

9. Wars could be completely avoided if government leaders would learn how to use "I" messages.

Girlfriends

Meet my two BFFs, Kirsten and Sarah.

When I say best friends forever, I mean it. For more than 25 years they have been there.

People often wondered how three girls could get along so well. We rarely had a disagreement. We never had an outright argument. We have a true and solid friendship, the kind that endures the test of time.

To this day, I love them like sisters.

We did some crazy things in our youth, like the time when some of the boys on our street were having a sleepover in their font yard. We thought it would be fun to play a little trick on them.

We raided Sarah's pantry and her dad's bathroom. After they had fallen asleep, we struck.

We filled their shoes with shaving cream. We dumped boxes of cereal in their bags. We hid their clothes all over the yard. We cracked eggs and put them in places they shouldn't have been. The final touch were oreos stuck to their chins, cheeks and foreheads.

The boys just snored away, they never knew what hit them.

Apparently, those types of experiences have a way of bonding girlfriends permanently.

The years have come and gone. We have felt each other's joys and sorrows. We have been separated by oceans. We have been pulled apart from the busyness of day to day life. But we have an unusual and unique way of staying in each other's hearts.

Everyone should have friends like Kirsten and Sarah. They are loyal, they are true, they are beautiful inside and out. I love you both. Here's to the next 25 years!

Costco

May 20, 2008

Dear Costco Wholesale Warehouse,

It's Kimberly. You know, the friendly brunette who likes to visit you faithfully?

The reason that I am writing is because I have noticed that I am developing a love / hate type of relationship with you.

You see Costco, I love that I can buy many useful items such as diapers, wipes and formula in bulk. I mean where else can a hard working mom pick up a big container of fancy pre-cut, pre-washed salad for under 4.00? That stuff looks so pretty in a bowl on the dinner table that I feel like a gourmet chef.

Yes, I have definitely saved money shopping with you, and since I am happily married to Mr. Save for a Rainy Day, you have been good for my marriage.

That was until yesterday when I was cleaning out my purse. I came across receipt after receipt. It appears that I am unable to exit your doors without spending a minimum of 100.00.

I arrive with every intention of only buying the items that I came for. I leave with random things that happen to catch my eye and find their way into my cart.

Part of the problem, Costco, is the nice senior citizens in hair nets that offer samples. I feel a twinge of guilt when I eagerly take a taste and then not purchase what they are selling. I find myself not wanting to make eye contact or thank them because I feel bad.

I don't want to be the cause for someone's grandpa feeling rejected.
So, I have come home with rice crackers, fruit leather, dino bites and frozen cheesecakes.

It is not entirely their fault. I have been enticed and manipulated by other things too.

Did I really need three sets of the same shorts in varying shades of brown? Was the 5lb. bag of pretzels necessary? How about the books I bought back in January that have not even been opened?

Oh Costco, this is not good. If Mr. Save for a Rainy Day knew this information, it may cause him to raise an eyebrow.

So starting today, I will gain control over this issue. I am going to visit you this afternoon. I will allow myself to browse a bit. I will probably have a sample or two. I am skipping breakfast so that I can enjoy a diet coke and a 600 calorie slice of pizza for lunch, but I will NOT purchase any items that are not on my list.

I will not.
I will not.
I will not.

I would like to thank you for listening. I hope our relationship will continue. I'm sure that there are other moms who will make up for my new resolve and that your profits won't be too affected.

Your friend,

Kimberly

Di$neyland

Airfare: $486.00
Hotel room, including cook to order breakfast: $851.00
Rental car, Disneyland tickets, food bill: I don't want to know

Spending the week with one handsome prince, Indiana Jones and two mouseketeers..............

priceless.

Rachel, the Worm Rescuer

Today was a rainy spring day.

The weather finally cleared enough for the boys to go to baseball practice so Rachel and I loaded up the stroller and went for a walk. I was eager to try out my new camera on the beautiful spring flowers in bloom.

We were in the middle of an important conversation about her new boyfriend (American Idol's David Archuleta) when we almost rolled over a giant worm.

When I say giant, I mean it, this guy was practically the size of a garden snake.

"Mom, we can't leave him on the path, he'll get squished" she pleaded. I rolled my eyes and parked the stroller.

It took me a minute to find a twig to pick him up with. Soon he was safely on his way underground.

We continued walking when she screamed "STOP!" "You nearly ran over a baby worm!"



"Oh boy" I muttered to myself, "this is going to be a long walk".

"Rachel" I said in my most compassionate tone, "Rain always equals worms on the sidewalk. You can't save every worm."

She disagreed. "We need worms, Mom." "They are good for the soil."




We spent the next 45 minutes saving every worm that was still wriggling. If a bird came by to try and snag dinner, we shooed it away. Who knows how many worm families have been safely reunited because of our efforts.

I'm glad that Rachel is caring. I appreciate her sensitivity and the fact that she loves creatures of every kind.

But, I think next time she wants to go for a walk on a rainy day, I will take her to the indoor track at the gym.

Country Girl

Have you ever had a conversion of the soul? The kind of experience that stops you cold and turns you in a new direction? The type of feeling that is so undeniable that you never look back?

I had one of those moments exactly six years ago. It was May 5, 2002.

I had borrowed my sister's mini van to pick up a load of flowers from the garden center. Mini vans are handy in so many ways. For example, did you know that you can pop out the back seats? Presto, you suddenly have a big, yet enclosed space, perfect for transporting delicate flowers.

I decided to turn the radio on during the drive. Of course a country station was playing, my sister loves country music.

I didn't like country music so I quickly pressed another button.

More twang.

I tried a third time, country again.

Hmmm I said to myself, I guess I'll endure it.

This is when that life changing moment occurred.
Somewhere between South Jordan and Lehi, I fell in love.

"Bring on the Rain' was the first country song I had ever listened to in its entirety. It spoke to me. "Good Morning Beautiful" was next, quite possibly the sweetest song ever written.

When I got back to my sister's I asked her to write down all the good artists to that I could download some music. She did. I spent the next day acquainting myself with Shaniah Twain, Toby Keith and Tim & Faith among others.

Other than Radio Disney (not by choice) I have never listened to any other type of music since that day.

I slowly converted Mark - although he still refuses to wear a cowboy hat or boots.

We are big fans around here. When we took the twins to a Kenny Chesney concert, we sang every word of every song.


We all have our personal favorites:
Mark likes Montgomery Gentry.
Martina is my favorite.
Lincoln is a big fan of Rascal Flats and
Rach can sing like Taylor Swift.

If you are not yet a country fan, I invite you to to give it a chance! You can find a song for any occasion. You can find a story about any subject. You will laugh at the silliness of it and you might even cry at the tender songs.

Maybe you will become a convert too!

Water

Water.

Such a simple but profound staple in life.

Have you ever noticed how often we use water in daily living?

Yesterday I decided that each time I used water, I would appreciate it.

This was not an easy task. It was hard to remember to be grateful for something that I have always had in abundance.

I have to admit that it made me think a little differently.

I found myself whispering a little prayer of thanks for clean hair, brushed teeth, a cold bottle of water after a dusty day at the baseball field.

Can you imagine life without clean water at your fingertips?

Grandma and Grandpa can. They have spent the past year trying to bring clean water to the people of the DR Congo.

They are working against great odds at times, to make life better for a people they have come to love.

You can read about them in an article published in the Church News this week. (click on the link below)

It's humbling.

Just something to think about the next time you turn on the tap.....

Clean water: An answer to villager's prayers

Effort is the largest Church-sponsored water project to date

http://deseretnews.com/cn/view/1,1721,495007174,00.html