Lake Woebegone

For those of you who may be confused about our blog description and are therefore culturally deprived, let me enlighten you.  National Public Radio has a program called Prairie Home Companion, and part of that program tells the very fictional stories of a town called Lake Woebegone.  Each show closes with "where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and the children are above average."  I thought that was just so applicable to Team Merkley, so I stole it.  

A Little Time in Jail

As part of the teaching program, I observe teachers in my major and minor fields before actually student teaching. Right now I'm attending a high school psychology class which took a field trip to the Cache County Jail. I got to go along, and was absolutely blown away by the experience. We couldn't actually enter the jail block, so we were taken to a classroom and shown live footage from the security cameras. Then a panel of five prisoners were brought in the room with us (shackled hand and foot) to answer our questions. All of them were there for drug charges, but some were also sentenced for aggravated assault, possession of a weapon, etc - that made me feel at ease. It was sad to listen to their stories, almost all of which involved poor parenting, low income, and bad friends. They were articulate, intelligent men who could be very funny and could have been my neighbor if it wasn't for the chains, striped clothing and purple underwear. They all warned these high schoolers of the dangers of drugs and bad friends, and how they wished they had chosen differently. It was a really impacting experience, one that I wish every teenager could have. If they knew the realities of drugs, gangs, and prison, they would almost certainly choose a different path.

Meow

This picture was at the end of a presentation in one of my classes today. Our instructor was the cat and the dogs were politicians and special interest groups. If I was there when the picture was taken I would yell, "Sick it!!!"

Good Company And Good Eatin'

We had Lauren's brother Jon and his fiance Stephanie down from Rexburg on President's Day. They came down to look at some reception halls and wedding dresses. Lauren whipped up a fantastic meal of a splendid pork roast with a plum sauce, peasant bread, and a salad. Pre-dinner festivities included playing Rummikub and trying to get smoke from the oven out of the apartment while silencing the smoke detectors. The smoke was not the fault of our fearless cook, but from a bacon episode earlier in our marriage.

Lonely Decoration

One of Lauren's classmates has opened a sort of "boutique" in downtown Logan. So we were invited to the grand opening and there was good food there. Lauren also built an affinity to some of the decorations so I snuck back there a few days later and got her this "plaque." It is our lone Vallentine's Day decoration, but I think it is quite swell. Hurray for me going to a boutique by myself.

Freezing Lolly

It has been cold up in Logan. Two Sundays ago Lauren was found to be wearing: socks, slippers, underclothing, nylons, pants, dress, shirt, apron, and my sweater and still managed to be cold. The snow storm can be seen through the window. I shovelled snow off of our driveway and sidewalks three times that day.

Pizza Fiasco

Looks pretty good, huh? That is a genuine Little Caesar's $5 pizza, compliments of Google. Last week, Erik and I decided to take a pizza to my missionary brother who lives three doors down from us (since he is resisting our efforts to feed him). Erik put the pizza on his doorstep, rang the doorbell, and ran to the upper balcony where I was hiding. We listened to his companion come to the door...we giggled like 10-year olds...and we didn't hear Ben. We heard both elders talking, and I didn't hear Ben's voice. Erik whispered to me that maybe Ben was on exchanges right now, and wouldn't be back until tomorrow. I got so mad! I could just picture those missionaries chowing down on my brother's pizza and not saving any for him. Erik tried to hold me back, but I was full of righteous indignation. I knocked on that door, and asked for Elder Boizelle. And then I heard him say, "I'm right here." I could have died of shame. Here we were, doorbell ditching a pizza so things wouldn't be awkward, and then I knock on the door. My face was bright red and Ben seemed to be shaking his head at me. I mumbled a few words of apology and ran out of there. On the way out, his companion grinned at me and said, "Nice to finally meet you Lauren," like I was the mission joke that he'd heard so much about. Erik laughed the whole way home and then called my family. Needless to say, Ben will probably starve to death before I take him any more food.