Smelling perfume and cologne gives me a headache. Does that ever happen to you? That happened to me Sunday at church. I sat behind a woman who put too much perfume on that morning... I took one whiff and ugh! It was like a knife was thrust into my left eye and up my left brain. It was very difficult to concentrate on what the speakers were saying... which I'm sure was edifying, but it was kind of hard to think with all that pain going thru my brain...

Thank goodness most people at church don't put anything on except deodorant (hopefully), which can't be smelled thru one's clothing. We've learned that when in close quarters, certain perfume and cologne smells can be very offensive, just as if sitting next to someone who hasn't taken a bath in a week or two (and believe me, that's happened to me, too).

So please, be considerate of other people and don't wear perfume and cologne! Especially if you're going to church that day! :-)

Sunday's a day of rest.... or it should be, anyway. For any active LDS member, the word "rest" takes on a new meaning when it comes to Sunday.

"Rest" doesn't mean playing or attending sports events, shopping, or even staying at home watching TV with a bowl of popcorn at hand. It can mean taking a nap, visiting family or friends, writing letters, or tending to the sick and afflicted. But for the most part, "rest" means "rest from the Monday thru Saturday routines."

What's my Sunday like? Well, at the present time, I get up early (6 AM) to read my scriptures, get my nutrition supplements, and take a shower before anyone else in the family gets up. I enjoy getting up early. If I sleep in, I get a huge headache. Family scripture reading is at 10:30 AM. Since our church meetings don't start until 12:30 PM, there's plenty of time in the morning to get some things done.

Our Sunday services are 3 hours long, with Sacrament meeting first, followed by Sunday School and then Relief Society.

Choir practice is at 11:30 AM, an hour before our Sunday services start. Alto is what I sing. We're practicing for an upcoming Sacrament meeting in March (Ward Conference). Our choir director, Tim Trost, is pretty good. I think his regular job is a choir teacher at a middle or high school. Last week there were about 40 people attend practice, which is practically unheard of for our ward.

Today at around 5 PM we're having birthday dinner for Jared & Ryan. They were both born on the same day, Feb. 6, three years apart. Jared's 25 and Ryan's 22. I can't believe my kids are that old! Glenn & I always take the kids out one-on-one for their birthdays at a restaurant of their choice and then a birthday dinner with the rest of the family on another night. We invited Glenn's brother, Scott, and my dad to join us for dinner tonight.

As the dinner of their choice, we're having teriyaki glazed chicken wings, brown rice, broccoli, and pears for dinner and then Aunty Virgie's dessert in 3 different flavors: chocolate, banana, and pistachio. All my kids like this better than ice cream, cakes, and pies.

Sunday, a day of rest? Well, if you consider spending time with family and friends, and worshipping the Lord as rest, well, then, so be it. I do.