Vote for Proposition 1!

Since several people have stated the facts better than I could, I'm going to share their words with you. But please, please, if you are a Provo citizen, please vote Tuesday 2 November (or did you know? there's even early voting?). And please consider voting for Proposition 1. I think it would be really swell to have a new recreation center in Provo.

Here are some words from Glenn Tuckett, "a longtime resident of Provo, former BYU baseball coach and athletic director for 30 years."

And here are some words from Dave Olpin, who lives in Provo. This can be found in the 6 October edition of The Daily Herald.

"As a member of the Provo Parks and Recreation Board for the past 12 years, I would like to make my fellow residents aware of the very important upcoming election that will affect every Provo resident. On Nov. 2, residents will vote for or against the issuance of bonds to construct a new Community Recreation Center in Provo, known as Proposition No. 1. For more information, go to ForProvo.org.

• Provo's realities: We are carrying the heavy burden of three aging buildings -- The Center, Eldred Senior Center and the Recreation Center at Provo High School. All three existing facilities are nearing the end of their useful life.

• Operational deficiencies: We are paying about $700,000 yearly to subsidize these three facilities.

• Current facility deficiencies: Woefully inadequate for a city of our size, with serious structural, seismic, HVAC, roof, code violations, accessibility and programming issues.

• Provo's solution: By combining all three facilities into one new larger building, it will provide adequate needs for now and the future. It will reduce the subsidy by about $250,000 yearly. A recent survey indicated 78 percent of Provo residents would use a new recreation center at least monthly.

• Where will it be located? North Park block (500 N. 450 West), immediately east of the Veterans Memorial Pool on city-owned property. This is the No. 1 best site from citizen survey. The location is most central to all residents. It provides ample land for parking, building and growth and easy transit access. It enhances Veterans Memorial Pool's revenue potential. The Provo School District has provided another site for the Timp baseball field.

• Building features: Senior center with dining facilities; community meeting rooms; heated family leisure pools; competition pool; swimming lap lanes; indoor running/walking track; locker rooms for men, women and families; bouldering climbing wall; aerobics and fitness spaces; weight room area; cardio-vascular equipment; racquetball courts; gymnasiums for basketball and volleyball; multi-purpose areas for gymnastics, wrestling and indoor soccer; dance areas; party rooms; concessions; child care; Parks and Recreation offices.

• Positive points: Cheaper than keeping older facilities (projected to save $250K annually in reduced subsidies); lowest interest rates in history; up to 25 percent savings in construction costs; best time to build -- building later will be much more expensive; competitive rates and memberships; many advantages for the elderly; meets current and future needs; safe; attracts new businesses; reduces crime; provides health, fitness and recreation opportunities; provides a place for families, young and old, to congregate. The council and mayor support the proposal being on the ballot.

• Financial: The bond is for $39 million for design, construction and furnishings. Important: The current library bond ends in 2014. This new facility would merge into the phasing out of the library bond and extend for 20 years at a much lower interest rate. The average homeowner of a $195,000 home would see a small increase of $2.61 per month in property taxes (less than the cost of a gallon of gas a month) Note: the total bond amount will be reduced if project costs are lowered through donations, competitive construction costs and other price-lowering measures.

The most commonly asked question of the Provo Parks and Recreation Department is, "When is Provo going to have a new recreation center like so many other much smaller Utah communities?"

Our great family community deserves better. It's definitely our time to Vote for Proposition No. 1!"

assembly was required,

but I mostly just held parts in place as Mr. Manly read the instructions and got everything where it needed to go.

And now we have a crib just waiting to be used.

I'm not going to lie; I have to look at it everytime I pass by the room. It makes me happy.

time's a flyin'

I can't believe that another weekend is here. We've had a busy week. I've lost much of my voice to yelling at lanes full of kids. I suppose I need to be kinder to my voice and make the swimmers quiet down more. It's just so noisy though. Hopefully a couple days of voice rest will rejuvenate it for next week. I need to be more careful about how much I scratch it up.

Baby is still quite the mover. The past few days he's really been poking me in uncomfortable ways. But it's never annoying because I love to feel him squirm around.

Happiness this past week:

• swimming twice
• a job interview for Mr. Manly
• the glorious feel of fall
• a new pair of jeans
• the temple and attending with Rew
  
• delicious cantaloupe and watermelon from Gpa Skab's garden
• Sunday football (the barefoot in the backyard playing kind)
  
• Raclette
• Conference
• sleep
• seeing Marge
• walks
• green beans from Pa's garden
• a nice chat on the phone with Si
• Baby inside me
• peace
  

more than a lucky penny

Do you pick up pennies? I sometimes do. Bending over with this belly, though, gets me pondering seriously about whether I really want to or not. A quarter, though, is a great find; I think I'd stoop for that.

Back in my running days (five months ago--it seems so long ago), I'd even stop to pick up a dime or nickel. It's fun to secret it away into my running shorts' pocket and have it there like a totem. It beats ever so slightly against the top of my quad for the rest of the run and for runs to come. I used to give the change I found to Baby Brother, but now that he's richer than I am, I hoard my finds.

Yesterday found me going for a walk in the cool morning air. My lovely one was still slumbering, so I stole away with his phone and headed out. I gave Si a call, but she was on her way out the door to run errands, so we said hi rather quickly and then ended the brief conversation. I made my way down the trail to get to a nice stretch of flat road; my hips like flat.

Walking, walking, breathing, stretching out my legs. A five dollar bill? Well, yes, I'll pick that up. I looked around to see if there was a parked car nearby that it could have fallen out of. No. And it wasn't really near any house. I felt guilty, almost. Five dollars? A small smile turned my lips up as I finished my head glances around. I stuck the bill in my sweatshirt pocket and continued walking. I felt lucky.

I stopped by the padres' house because I just had to tell someone about my find, plus I had to ask Pa a couple questions. So I tell him and Josh about my luck, and, of course, they say, "Oh, yeah, that's the five dollars we lost on our way to school yesterday." Haha. They think they're so clever. I should have known they wouldn't revel in my rejoicing. They just wanted my money. But I kept it for myself and all the luckiness that came with it because I rarely rarely get lucky.

Happy and lucky weekend! Tomorrow's Dad's birthday and Monday is Josh's. He will be 12. I remember the Conference weekend when he was born. Crazy that he's already turning into a deacon.

he's here!

My babiest cousin arrived but 24 hours ago. I haven't seen him yet, but can't wait to hold him. Yay for babies!

I stole this picture from the email announcement.
Hope that's ok with the new parents.

Seeing even just a picture of this new one makes me even more curious and excited to see what our little one will look like. It also makes me so happy because I just know our boys will be fast friends. Congratulations Auntie and Uncle!