When we were kids, 2 of the 3 of us would always "team up" on the other one. Once, Mom told me to make Katie a grilled cheese sandwich and I made it, but burnt one side to a CRISP. But instead of making another, I just put it on the plate with the burned side down and gave it to Katie. Every time she would pick it up to eat it, the charred side would be facing Brad and me and we would laugh hysterically. She kept saying, "What's so funny?" and of course we would laugh harder.

Then, about 3-4 years ago, on the way home from my grandparents on Christmas eve, we stopped at McDonald's. Katie and I waited in the car while Mom, Dad, and Brad went into the grocery store for last minute Christmas items. Well, Katie and I thought it would be really funny to take a bite out of Brad's hamburger and put it back in the wrapper so that it looked like a McDonald's employee had had a little snack while working. Well, when Brad got back and opened his burger, we gave it away b/c we were already dying laughing. He got sooo mad at us and we got a lecture from Dad about how messing with a man's food isn't funny. (Of course, the men stuck together on that one)

Do you guys have any good practical jokes you have played on family/friends?

Has anyone noticed that all of the cartoons we watched when we were kids are coming back around? Examples: Strawberry Shortcake, Carebears, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, etc. My favorite cartoons were Thundercats (Thunder, thunder, thundercats....HOOOOO) and Heman: Masters of the Universe (I have the Powerrrrr!). Brad even had Battlecat and Skeletor action figures. We had a great time with those! What were your favorite childhood cartoons/toys?

Just to give an update:
After all of my whinning 2 blogs ago about my lost sunglasses, my sweet husband bought me some new ones. It was GRACE (ie. I didn't deserve it b/c I lost my old ones and couldn't afford new ones). I'm soooo excited and I can see out of my car without SQUINTING (which causes lines, dontcha know?). After being a big jerk about it at first (ex. Why don't you quit complaining - They're just sunglasses) and having me point out the folly of that type of statement (ex. If it's JUST a pair of sunglasses, then why don't you give me YOUR nice ones?), he came through for me. YIPPEE!

PS Thanks to my sister and wildcat, I now have a picture!

It has been really interesting to me to see the "election" of the new pope. John Paul II has been Pope my whole life, so this is the first conclave that I've ever seen. It fascinates me, but at the same time disturbs me to see how any MAN could allow himself to be called "Holy Father". We have one Holy Father, that is, God. This concept is clear in the new testament. It is also interesting that by the world's standards this pope is very conservative - ie. no women leaders in church, no abortion, etc. The new pope made a comment about how one very grave danger to the church (Catholic church) was relativism - the idea that there is no "template" for faith, or more simply put, "Who can know the truth". He believes that the doctrines decided on by the Catholic church are that "template" and even quoted scripture about "being tossed about by every wind of doctrine". I believe that the pope is a good, moral man but it interests me that he can see that God wanted a "template" for the church but cannot see that that template is simply God's written word - the Bible - NOT a group of ordinaces written by MEN.

I realized this weekend that I can be so negative. The funny thing about that is that I hate to be around negative people! It hit me that I am being the person that I don't like. I thought, "If I met ME, would I like myself?" So, I decided this weekend that everytime I say or have a negative or unflattering comment about someone, I'm going to try to turn around and say something positive. I found myself scrambling for 3-4 positive comments at all times this weekend. That was a depressing realization because it meant that I was regularly thinking that many negative things FIRST! I think that being positive about your brother and trying to look for their good qualities is the kind of love that Christ wants us to have about one another! So, in this spirit, I will be posting POSITIVE comments about everyone on their blogs! I heard of a teacher making her students do this for each other and it was a very touching story...So, I'll give it a try!