How do you spell the best?

This morning my mind drifted to high school mascots. I was a Trojan. Granted, the opposing team threw certain contraceptives onto the field/court if our team was any good, but overall I think it a fairly respectable mascot. The Trojan denotes strength and tradition-- both good. Some mascots are not so good. I've narrowed it down to three general categories which I think should be avoided.

Random animals: I had a friend whose junior high were the spiders. The Spiders? Seriously? What does that mean? You creep around building traps until someone finds you and squashes you? Tigers, bears, mustangs, lions...all good. Random animals, bad.

Landscape features: The University of Hawaii Rainbows--and, because it's not masculine enough, commentators call the football team "the Bows". They really couldn't come up with anything better? Don't get me wrong, I think rainbows are beautiful, but they belong in the sky or on little girls' barrettes, not on football helmets. Also in this category are the Colorado Rockies.

Local industries: Now I know that many of these have been around forever and are now acceptable, i.e., the Green Bay Packers. But, these can go seriously wrong. Two cases in point--Salt Lake's Granite High School are the Farmers. Enough said. Tillamook High School in Oregon are the Cheesemakers. Sure, we all love Tillamook Cheese, but making it a school mascot? I don't think so.

Oh yeah, "T-R-O-J-A-N-S!"

Hometown Heroes

Lately I've been noticing the sisters in my ward. There are some amazing women around me, and I feel that I have something to learn from each of them. So, I'm sending a BIG I admire you and thank you out to a few of these ladies.

S., the young mother of five whose husband works out of town almost every week. Her children are clean and well-behaved. She looks great and is always willing to help out a neighbor.

B. Her husband had an accident 16 years ago that disabled him physically and mentally. She works a job and a half, serves as the YW camp leader, is a wonderful grandma and mother, and takes care of her husband. What a lady!

C.'s husband passed away a few months ago. She is in her last years and I can see the loneliness in her eyes. She comes to church every week and takes the time to visit with me. She was the first person to make me feel welcome when I moved here. I love this woman, and hope that I can age as gracefully as she has.

Ch. is a laurel. She wants to do what's right. She loves others and befriends all the YW. She shares her testimony at every opportunity.

If I were a rich man....

When I was growing up my mom always said, that to her, being rich was having fresh cut flowers in your house everyday. For my husband it's having a driver. He hates driving.

Me? A housekeeper--to do shopping, laundry, general cleaning, etc. Basically anything I didn't feel like that day.

so, maybe I'm a little weird, but...

I like my in-laws.